Most parts were excellent, a few distinct disappointments

Portugal | May 15 - May 24, 2024

* Our walking tour of Lisbon guide (Hector who goes by Eric?) was outstanding- theatrical, entertaining, thoughtful, flexible, educational, fun- a pure delight.
* Our guides for Sintra (Teresa and her husband) were exceptional- we ran late- our own fault- and they were very patient with us and helped us fit in the most treasured part of the adventure (Quinta da Regaleira). They ensured we were comfortable while filling us with a deep history of the place and fun anecdotes.
* Our driver Cesar was professional and very thoughtful and patient with us.
* The choice of both our hotels (Epic Algarve and Hotel Portugal in Lisbon) were excellent to meet our needs. Location of Hotel Portugal was perfect for walking to everything. I loved access to the beach and pools at Epic Algarve as well as their delicious breakfasts.
* A serious disappointment was that KimKim apparently did not pass on the information we provided about shellfish allergy to the restaurants where we had reservations. When we arrived for the dinners, it was too late for them to make accommodations since they require this information in advance. Our group leader contacted KimKim after the first dinner to ensure this did not occur for the second dinner, and she was informed by KimKim that they were contacting the 2nd restaurant. Upon arrival at the 2nd restaurant, again they had not received this information and again could not change the menu. These were each Michelin star restaurants, so I paid nearly $1,000 to have 2 meals where I could not eat much of the food or feel safe. For the 3rd restaurant, I did not feel safe going through this again, so I suffered the loss of the prepaid money and went to a different restaurant on my own. Mishandling a food allergy is a grave mistake at the most basic level, and I hope KimKim never makes this mistake again as it could be life-threatening for some people.
* Another disappointment was that the meet-up information for our catamaran cruise out of the Algarve was not clearly communicated, causing us to race around the harbour for an hour and nearly miss our boat.
Overall, I am very glad we went, and I was highly impressed with the individuals we met while in Portugal. If KimKim can fix the mistakes made for future travelers, then I think they will provide an excellent service.