Kimkim Trip Reviews

Good Morning/Afternoon,
Julie and I have returned from our trip and we had an amazing time. Everything was set up pretty much as we had planned. Our only glitch I'd say was our Eiffel tower adventure. We had trouble connecting with our guide but did eventually get connected. Neither Julie or I realized that we had needed to pre-purchase our own Eiffel tower tickets so when we met up with our guide, he asked "So what are we doing". "Do you have tickets?" And he would have needed a ticket as well. So we didn't go up into the Eiffel tower. If we paid anything into this tour we probably didn't get our money's worth. We did walk around with the guide (I can't remember his name) for about an hour just talking about different sites and landmarks. I guess I would suggest for further clients a better way to communicate when to pre-purchase tickets. It just wasn't completely clear to Julie or I. The rest of the trip went very smooth. We made all our connections, met up easily with all our tour guides and had so much fun. I highly recommend the cooking class that we participated in with Rosa Jackson in Aix en Provence. This was a delightful class and may have been one of the highlights of the trip. I don't have any other trips planned but I will use and or recommend KimKim when I plan my next trip.
Best regards,
Jennifer Shoemaker
Happy Traveler

Fanny, Sarah and Pauline all helped us plan our perfect trip to London and Paris! Kimkim helped make the process of traveling to another country super easy and helped walk us through using their public transportation systems. We were very happy with everyone we worked with, and especially the response times of updating or rescheduling things that came up during our time over there. It made making changes on the fly super quick and easy. Thank you Kimkim. We will definitely use this service on our next European vacation!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Fior d’Aliza

Paris

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Express Southwark

London

Super nice continental breakfast every morning and lots of great pubs and coffee shops nearby. Pretty standard chain hotel accommodations. A little far some of the main attractions on the other side of the river, but very affordable to take an uber, and/or nice easy walk along the river to get back.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Somewhat far from the main attractions in London, but very easy to get an uber to get where you need to go. The walk along the river is also very beautiful and easy to get to with beautiful views.

Staff

They got us into a room way earlier than our check in time which was great since we had an early flight and were very jet-lagged!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Super clean and decent sized rooms, the beds were on the smaller size though and not super comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Harry Potter Studio Tour from London (with transport)

London

This was one of my favorite activities from our whole trip! Great for any Harry Potter fans! They did have three pickup spots along the transportation route which made the trips their and back take a little longer. Getting off and on at the last pickup spot might be more ideal so you're not waiting as long to get there. The props and tour was absolutely incredible to see and the food and overall experience though was a 10/10!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tickets to Westminster Abbey

London

We loved getting to see such a historical and beautiful church! There is so much more to see even after we were done with the audio tour. The audio guide was super easy to follow and worked well with the size of the church. You could move and see things throughout the tour at your own pace. The line to get in also moved pretty quickly as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tower of London timed entry tickets

London

The Tower and all the buildings were really cool to see, as well as the crowned jewels! The only thing I would have changed is using an in person guide instead of the audio guide. I didn't feel like it really gave that interesting of information and it was kind of hard to follow based on where you were since the area around the tower is so vast. We found ourselves more following the maps and physical information they put up around the castle grounds and not really listening to the audio guide. I just think having someone lead a tour might have been a little easier and more informational.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Timed tickets to Le Louvre

Paris

It is definitely a must see in Paris, the architecture alone is very iconic. It was amazing to see some of the most famous paintings and sculptures in the world. I don't think the audio guide was worth it at all though. It was incredibly hard to follow and with the museum being so large we found ourselves following the physical signs around the museum to get to where we wanted to go and barely used the audio guide. I would have preferred to have an actual tour guide show us the most important pieces and talk about them more in detail. The information on the audio guide wasn't that useful or interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The audio guided tour was not worth it.

Transport

Night Cruise on the Seine with Music & aperitif (With drinks included - 1 glass of Wine)

Paris

We loved the boat cruise! The only bummer was they had to skip half of the stops due to the rain I believe, but the view was incredible from the water. It was kind of hard for us to find the loading point, so I would be a little more detailed in where the boat is actually picking them up, because just giving the port wasn't super helpful as it is a big area and hard to find what boat you are getting on at night.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Once again the smoothness of transportation from one area to another went very smoothly and was stress free as I could rely on KimKim! Notes on what to do on our free days helped us structure them for ourselves. The hotels were all just the right level for us and all comfortable with excellent breakfasts. I appreciated the tours that were arranged for us, the small size suited us, and the tour guides were knowledgeable. Using KimKim saved me hours of work trying to figure out what we wanted to do in each city, where to stay, and how to get from place to place. This allowed me to focus on enjoying my time with my son and granddaughter taking in all the tastes, sites, and activities.
Daily check-ins regarding what I needed to be aware of for our next day of activities was also appreciated so that we could ensure being on time for these. Also, when we had questions or considered any changes the responsiveness was helpful.

This was our 3rd booking with KimKim and we will keep using them. Hien from Realistic Asia and KimKim was a perfect specialist— checking in on us daily, adjusting to our changes, and addressing issues quickly. The best tour was with Zaj on a 3-day motorcycle tour in Ha Giang. Food and home stay exceeded our expectations!

Hotel Reviews

Local Homestay

Friendly owner, beautiful location, excellent food! Far exceeded our expectations.

Authenticity & Character

Individual cabins added to charm of the home stay

Location

Immersed in nature.

Staff

Owner

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean. It was a bit warm at night so air con is a must if you plan to visit in summer

San Premium Hotel

Clean, centrally located and spacious. Breakfast was ok.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very busy location so if you like being in heart, it’s a great location. Surrounding areas are a bit dirty

Staff

Very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms are spacious and clean. Hallways not as clean

HOTEL CAT CAT GALERIE D’ART

Sapa

Centrally located, great breakfast, clean rooms, great view of city

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yen Bien Luxury Hotel

Very clean, spacious. Unexpected for a remote city

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to streets with restaurants/bars

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hoa Cuong Dong Van Hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were clean. Breakfast was terrible— ants/flies

Activity Reviews

Sapa Trekking & Sightseeing

Sapa

Beautiful scenery, off beaten path

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walk To The Love Waterfall And Heaven Gate

Sapa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Fansipan Peak with Cable car

Sapa

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ha Giang City - Enjoy Ha Giang Loop by motorbike tour (ER3D2N)

Ha Giang

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transport between SaPa and Ha Giang was terrible— old van, too small for number of passengers with their luggage, driver had side business with 3 extra passengers who sat of floor

Continue motorbike trip through breaktaking passes (ER3D2N)

Ha Giang

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Around Du Gia by motorbike - Ha Giang city (ER3D2N)

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Immerse yourself in the Beauty of Ninh Binh (Hoa Lu - Trang An - Mua Cave)

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jane and Sarah worked with us to create an amazing three week trip to the UK. Their planning was seamless--and they even helped us make a couple changes as we traveled. They arranged transportation, hotels, and tours complete with incredible guides for my wife's 55th birthday/bucket list trip, visiting castles and cathedrals, museums and highland hikes. They even had dining recommendations that we found to be on the money! I would absolutely recommend working with them and KimKim; their experience and knowledge combined to send us on the trip of a lifetime!
Thank you so much ladies!

Hotel Reviews

Park Plaza London Riverbank

London

Our visit to the Park Plaza was disappointing--we visited several hotels on our visit to the UK, all four and five star properties--and the Park Plaza was the only one without any water or snacks in the room, and the only one that charged us for early check in. The beds were comfortable, the rooms were clean, but the bathrooms were in need up updating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Glen Mhor Hotel

Inverness

We really enjoyed the Glen Mhor hotel--the location was fabulous, the staff was wonderful, the room was comfortable and clean. The restaurant was great; the tour of the brewery/distillery was a blast! If we make it back to Inverness, we'll definitely book here again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Novotel London Tower Bridge

London

Our stay at Novotel London Tower Bridge was wonderful. The hotel is in a great location near the Tower of London and provided a comfortable beginning to our trip. We found it to be a perfect start to our journey.

Nevis Bank Inn

Fort William

Staying at Nevis Bank Inn in Fort William was a cozy experience. We appreciated the studio apartment setup which allowed us to make meals. The hospitality was top-notch.

No.32 Hotel

Edinburgh

The experience at No.32 Hotel in Edinburgh was mixed. The location was great, but my wife found it not very comfortable.

The Grand, York

North Yorkshire

The Grand in York exceeded our expectations. It was a true five-star experience, and we were delighted by the thoughtful touch of chocolate-dipped strawberries and a happy birthday note for my wife. The staff was welcoming, and the accommodations were luxurious.

Hotel Indigo

Chester

Hotel Indigo in Chester was accommodating and comfortable. We appreciated the early check-in as we arrived earlier than expected.

Hotel Indigo Cardiff, an IHG Hotel

Cardiff

Hotel Indigo Cardiff was pleasant, but the lack of windows in our room was a downside. Also, the limited menu at the hotel restaurant was a bit disappointing, but we understood there were staffing constraints.

Activity Reviews

Overnight Caledonian Sleeper Train between Scotland & London

London

We did not enjoy the Sleeper--there was no where to sit in the sleeper room, the food was uninspired. The bed wasn't very comfortable; sleep was hard to come by with the train noise and movement.

Quality of Experience

Afternoon Tea

Fort William

Delightful! yummy, quiet, wonderful. We were unaccustomed to Afternoon Tea--what a great surprise to find a delicious assortment of sandwiches, scones, and treats!

Private Guided Hike of Ben Nevis

United Kingdom

Peter was great! Knowledgeable, experienced, and accommodating--the day's weather was not suitable for a hike up the mountain, so he took us on a great alternative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide

Edinburgh

Gareth was a fantastic, knowledgeable and personable guide. Two thumbs up!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hampton Court Palace, Afternoon Tea & Return Transport

London

Garaint was fantastic, as was Tea! Definitely recommended!

We started our journey to Italy with a bump in the road, literally, when we had a flat tire driving from Catania to Taormina. But the staff at our hotel, especially Ranidu, Chiara Rozzi, who allowed us to park the car for free and drove us to our hotel and the Espiritu team saved the day. Thankfully we got rid of the rental car and we were glad we did. We drove in Europe before but the hillside roads and highways in both Sicily and around Sorrento were too much for us to handle. And the intense drivers in Palermo and Naples were more than I would’ve imagined, so.., it was easier to get around with private cars, taxis or buses.
After we settled in at Hotel Villa Greta with a late dinner and bottle of wine everything got better each and every day! Taormina was wonderful as we enjoyed the steps up and down twice a day to shop, eat and explore. We took an excursion to Mt. Etna that include a stop at Alcantara Gorges, so bring your water shoes for a great walk through the park. Our best dinner was at Osteria Rosso DiVino, a higher end restaurant owned by two sisters that served us the fresh catch of the day, sea bass served Sicilian-style.

Our stop in Palermo included a great walking tour with our guide, Rachele and lots of interesting sights on our own, like the Mercato del Capo. Then a quick flight to Naples brought us to Sorrento. Our room at the La Piazzeta Guest House was very comfortable, Catarina made sure we had everything we needed.
We highly recommend the sunset cruise, a guided tour of Pompeii with Alessio, make pizza with Chef Giulia Fusco, and the all day tour of Capri included the Blue Grotto, and the extra cost for the chair lift and funicular are worth it. Our guide, Luigi was a lot of fun and super helpful. We also visited an art exhibition of the works of Antonio Ligabue Villa Fiorentino.

After 5 days in Sorrento we were driven back to Naples for a couple of days to explore and eat. We had a little trouble finding the door to our hotel which was located in a building with no signage, but the Unico Realis was modern, comfortable and clean. Maria Chiara, our host was very attentive. She recommended a great place for our final dinner at L’Antica Trattoria before our flight home the next morning.

A few takeaways to share; we felt safe throughout our trip in very town and city along the way. Most everyone spoke English but we wish we practiced our Italian more!
The hillside towns have many stairs so leave your heels and sandals at home and wear comfortable walking shoes as we clocked well over 15,000 steps a day. One day when we got a bit lost in Taormina we clocked 59 flights of stairs, mama Mia! Pack as light as you can, hauling a large suitcase as we did was tough. The room was a bit small but the balcony view was incredible. The stairs were truly the challenge.
Google Maps was noticeably inconsistent throughout and if you are not good at reading maps spend time plotting out trips before venturing out to explore.
The Trip app provided by Espiritu was very helpful as was the support by our KimKim team led by Rita Pagano.

Hotel Reviews

Villa Greta Hotel Rooms & Suites

Taormina

The staff, especially Ranido, made our crazy start to our trip very pleasant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Move it closer to the bottom of the stairs! Just kidding, sort of.

Staff

Ranidu was so kind during our arrival following our flat tire in town, late at night when we desperately needed some help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Politeama

Palermo

Great location, this hotel was more of a typical hotel in any downtown location around the world.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Piazzetta Guest House

Sorrento

Location was perfect, just off the main square

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great bathroom

Unico Relais

Napoli

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near the center of town, just a bit tricky to find.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Guided Visit of Palermo

Palermo

Rachele was very helpful in pointing out sights and places for us to visit the next day.

Quality of Experience

Included along the way was finding a sandwich shop near the port, serving a local favorite spleen sandwiches, Porta Carbone.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amalfi Coast Sunset Cruise

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cook a Pizza like Neapolitan Pizza Maker in Sorrento

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pompeii Archeological Site Guided Visit: Travel to Ancient Times

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide, Alessio was very good.

Transport

Private Visit of Naples with a Local

Naples

I suggest a bit less of historical details and add more about local culture and sights worth exploring.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very helpful and always attentive, highly recommended.

Our recent trip to Italy, under Caterina at KimKim, was one of the best travel experiences we have ever had. Caterina was very flexible in helping us to tailor the trip to our specific needs and wants. As we know Rome quite well, we chose to start our trip with a self-planned stay in Rome. Day 2 is where the team at KimKim took over and it was seamless from start to finish. Everyone who met us along the way to take us to a station/hotel/restaurants/private tour/airport etc over the remaining 9 days of our trip, were all very professional, friendly and helpful. Because KimKim use local people, it was also wonderful to get a truly local tour with deep local knowledge of the area, even when we were just transferring from one hotel to another. In addition 2 of our guides were able to make great restaurants suggestions that meant we ended up lunching in very special places, that we would never have known about.

Italy is without doubt one of the world's most beautiful countries and Sorrento and the Amalfi coast did not disappoint - however it was the people that we met along the way that elevated the experience even further; So, a big thank you to Beatrice (Rome), Francesca (Naples), Pepe (driver Naples - Sorrento), Gianni (private tour of Pompeii), Manfredi (private speed boat for the day around Capri and islands), Massimmo (tour of local towns) and Carmine (driver to Naples airport).

The hotels that Catrina chose for us were also incredible: The 2nd leg of our trip was at the Grand Hotel Royal, Sorrento. It is the epitome of classic 'Italian Rivera' elegance, with amazing views from our room and all the terraces across the ocean to Mount Vesuvius, with the occasional cruise liner on view. The staff were very professional and courteous. The hotel is dressed beautifully, with classic Italian decor throughout, good food and great bar service. The hotel had a kind of magical quality with it's unique outdoor lift that descends through the rock to a private beach/pontoon area right on the water's edge. Whilst very quiet and you feel you are away from it all, it is also a short walk into Sorrento old town, where there are many shops, and great restaurants and bars.

The 3rd leg of our trip was at Fuore Grand Hotel, Amalfi Coast. WOW. A contemporary and exceptional hotel that made us feel that we were in a dream. All I can say is if you are looking for a base to explore the Amalfi coast and to feel that you have escaped the 'ordinary world', then stay here - you will not be disappointed! We didn't want to leave! Thank you to the team at FGH. We miss you!

Hotel Reviews

Grand Hotel Royal Sorrento

Sorrento

The epitome of classic Italian Rivera elegance. The hotel, garden terraces and restaurants have amazing views across the ocean to Mount Vesuvius, with the occasional cruise ship on view in the bay. The hotel is beautifully dressed throughout in classic Italian decor. The rooms are classic, super comfy beds, very clean and well appointed with lots of storage and superb views. The hotel offers a good range of food, although somewhat limited but the food, especially breakfast and service was excellent and the bar staff very attentive. Overall the hotel has a magical/nostalgic quality, especially with it's outdoor lift that descends from the upper terraces down through the rock to a private beach/pontoon, right on the water's edge. Whilst the hotel is located on a road, it is quiet and you feel away 'from it all'. Yet the hotel is a short walk into Sorrento old town and so shopping and dining out for lunch and dinner is an easy option, with an abundance of local restaurants and bars offering authentic local cuisine. We loved staying here!

Authenticity & Character

The epitome of classic Italian Rivera elegance. The hotel is beautifully dressed throughout in classic Italian decor.

Location

Whilst the hotel is located centrally, it is quiet and you feel away 'from it all'. The hotel is a short walk into Sorrento old town and so shopping and dining out for lunch and dinner is an easy option, with an abundance of local restaurants and bars offering authentic local cuisine.

Staff

The bar staff (a young lady) was particularly good - however everyone at the hotel was professional and courteous.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms are classic, super comfy beds, very clean and well appointed with lots of storage and superb views.

Furore Grand Hotel

Furore

Fuore Grand Hotel, Amalfi Coast. WOW. A contemporary and exceptional hotel that made us feel that we were in a dream. All I can say is if you are looking for a base to explore the Amalfi coast and to feel that you have escaped the 'ordinary world', then stay here - you will not be disappointed! We didn't want to leave! Thank you to the team at FGH. We miss you! The hotel is contemporary and chic, understated enough to allow the stunning valley, views and natural surroundings to sing. The decor throughout is simple and elegant with great attention to detail using local materials and patterns, bringing warmth to the experience. The food at FGH is also exceptional; the breakfast alone is a wonder but the jewel in the crown, is the fine-dining experience. It is not hard to understand why the hotel/chef was awarded a Michelin star within 3 months of the hotel opening.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel is contemporary and chic, understated enough to allow the stunning valley, views and natural surroundings to sing. The decor throughout is simple and elegant with great attention to detail using local materials and patterns, bringing warmth to the experience. The food and wine is authentic and local, but delivered with contemporary flair.

Location

The hotel is fairly remote which means you need to hire a private driver and / or take the hotel shuttle service - however this is one of the best bits about this hotel, as when you are there you feel that you have escaped it all, yet it is accessible to explore all the best towns and villages in the area.

Staff

The staff at FHG could not do enough for us!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Spotless, and well maintained throughout our stay.

Activity Reviews

Train transfer Rome/Sorrento with 2h guided tour in Pompeii

Italy

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private boat tour to Capri

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit of The Amalfi coast Villages Full Day

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Some issues with time zones, pricing, and feedback prevent me from giving this 5-stars. However, I would definitely use Kimkim again. The trip was fantastic and largely hassle free.

The local guides were particularly good, especially for the olive tasting and the trips to Sparta and the fortresses in the southwest. Everyone was on time, everyone was reliable. The hotels were good and as advertised. It was the easiest personalized trip I’ve ever had, and one of the best trips in my life.

Hotel Reviews

The Social Hotel, a member of Radisson Individuals

Athens

Small rooms and almost no amenities, but it was clean, well-run, and in a great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Belvedere Hotel Kalamata

Kalamata, Messinia

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Day Trip to Delphi & Meteora

Athens

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Car was damaged, causing travel to me much louder in the car than it should have been.

Culinary Walk, Olive Oil Tasting & Lunch

Kalamata

The guide was fantastic, the food was great, and it was easy for the family (13-year old twins) to have fun with it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer & Self-Guided Trip to Ancient Olympia

Greece

The trip was great, but really it was the local driver/guide who made this special.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer & Self-Guided Visits to Pylos & Methoni Castles

Greece

The trip was great, but really it was the local driver/guide who made this special. Thank you, Lia!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My recent trip to Morocco was an extraordinary adventure, filled with rich culture, breathtaking landscapes, and unforgettable experiences. From the vibrant streets of Marrakech to the tranquil Sahara Desert, every destination left a lasting impression.
I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to our guide Mustapha and our driver, Mohamed. Their knowledge, passion for Moroccan culture, and warm hospitality made our journey not only enjoyable but also deeply enriching. Mustapha’s storytelling brought the history and traditions of each place to life, while Mohamed expert driving ensured we traveled safely and comfortably through the stunning landscapes.
Also, I highly recommend the travel planner, Majid, to anyone looking to explore Morocco. He is very responsive and quick to act.
Thank you for making my trip unforgettable!

We planned and booked our trip with Doris who provided seamless end to end service with great care, attention to detail and thoughtfulness. She was always available and very prompt. Last minute issues were handled to our satisfaction.

Mr Hui in Hanoi was patient and kind. Our itinerary included city tour with food tasting. Banh Mi was the highlight as it was absolutely delicious.

We were booked on Elite of the Sea for our visit to Halong Bay. It was absolutely one of the best experiences of our trip. Cruise crew takes care of the smallest detail with a happy smile. Harry was funny , engaging and made us feel very special. It was difficult to say goodbye bye after our brief stay.

We did tour the pearl farm and bamboo/ silk center which was fine. The road trip to take us from Halong Bay back to airport in Hanoi had room for improvement.

Mr Loan in Ho Chi Minh was amiable , professional and very knowledgeable. His back ground in history was very helpful. We enjoyed the city tour to Post office and Cholon market. He was able to point out local highlights , explain the city district system and cultural nuances we observed. Cu Chi tunnels were a reminder of the resilience of the Vietnamese people against oppression and their efforts for freedom.

Our initial planned guide in Siem Reap was a poor fit and Doris quickly made arrangements to have Mr Sen replace him. Can I just say that Mr Sen was absolutely the best guide one can hope to have. He was very professional, engaging, knowledgeable and made us laugh with his humor. He took beautiful photos of our family on the tour as a bonus. Other visitors stopped to appreciate his commentary about the temples.
He was able to adjust the itinerary to maximize our tour for the brief time we had.

We feel fortunate to get a glimpse of the culture and history during our short visit and hope to come back for more in future.

Hotel Review

Elite of the Seas

What an absolute stellar experience with the crew of the Elite of the Sea who took great effort to ensure we were comfortable. Harry was the best and made us all feel at home. It’s a 5 star experience like no other.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location where the yacht parked allowed us an unobstructed view of the Bay

Staff

They are absolutely fantastic at what they do.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sai Gon Sightseeing - XO Saigon by Night - Experience Vietnam on Two Wheels (Group tour)

Ho Chi Minh City

This was the best part of our tour in Ho Chi Minh. Our riders were professional, knowledgeable and very kind. It was the first time riding on a bike for myself and I did not feel afraid. I was exhilarated with the experience and strongly recommend it for everyone. It’s the best way to experience the city.

Quality of Experience

Our humble, kind and engaged riders.

Food

It was great. I was afraid to enjoy it given my personal fear about travel sickness.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They were absolutely the best!!

Transport

Best way to experience the city

Ho Chi Minh City - Mekong Delta, Explore Ben Tre - Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam

Loved it!!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ho Chi Minh - Visit Cu Chi tunnels - Fly to Siem Reap

Ho Chi Minh City

Quality of Experience

Food

The food was not the highlight, enjoyed the tapioca and tea served.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Siem Reap - Explore Angkor Complex Temples

Siem Reap

Please make sure to book the sunrise tour of the Angkorwat as it was the best part of our trip. Our guide knew the exact location to be situated in for the best shots.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Siem Reap - Banteay Srei Temple - Banteay Samre - Pre Rup temple - Fly to Ho Chi Minh

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Food

We actually opted to skip the food in favor of seeing another temple.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mr Sen was the absolute best. Our driver was very nice and helpful.

Transport

The trip and the organization of the trip was perfect. Starting with the pick up in Athens to the Plaka Hotel (the staff was great and helpful). Faye, our guide to the Acropolis and Museum was outstanding. Fun and personable, extremely knowledgeable and listened to us when we needed to take a few breaks. Would recommend her to everyone. Great dining at the rooftop restaurant at the Plaka hotel as well! The people in Athens were very open to sharing information and very kind. The trip to Naxos was great, boat ride was easy and fun! The driver was great and the Ippokampos hotel was lovely, rooms were very clean, they accommodated us since we arrived early. Aumetria, Ervis,V and LinLin all went out of their way to make sure we had what we needed and to educate us on loval lore, the women who cleaned our rooms every day was also amazing but did not catch her name. Katia was our tour guide who loved sharing the local customs and knowledge of all thing Naxos and how they tie into the other islands. Very amazing day and would recommend Katia to everyone! Loved the food to table experiences during the entire trip! Next was Santorini. Again, transportation arrangements were spot on! While there were alot of stairs it was good exercise for us, just took us a little longer 😁. The accommodations were beautiful and relaxing. Met great people at the hotel who will be long distance friends. Chris who manned the pool bar was outstanding, fun, kind, energetic and shared his island knowledge with us. The wine tour with Elsa was fun, relaxing and entertaining. Great tour and another amazing guide who shared her knowledge and love of the local wine industry. The Vanilla Restaurant also was a great place to dine with excellent food. This trip was truly amazing and the detail that you all put into the itinerary before our trip and during our trip was priceless to me. I didn’t have to plan or worry about a thing (which is my job when I am working! So I have some understanding of what goes into your detailed planning). This detail may be more than you were looking for and I just wanted to thank you and make sure you know you and the whole team is appreciated! I have passed on your name to a few of my colleagues who will be planning trips in the future to Greece and Italy.

Hotel Reviews

Plaka Hotel Athens

Athens

Amazing staff, comfy rooms, excellent rooftop restaurant with spectacular view.

Authenticity & Character

Comfy like home!

Location

Centrally located and walkable to many sites.

Staff

Kind and knowledgeable

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean rooms and all bathroom accessories that you would need.

Ippokampos Beachfront Hotel

Naxos

Charming rooms. Friendly and helpful staff that share their love of the island.

Authenticity & Character

Crisp white buildings and rooms with modern touches. Quaint door colors and shutters with families and neighbors chatting with each other and were kind enough to teach us a few words so we could greet people with a hello in their language!

Location

Centrally located, easy walk to shops and restaurants. Can walk right outside to the beach and swim in the Aegean Sea.

Staff

Friendly, super efficient, kind staff that makes you feel like you have no worry in the world! They were priceless!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, comfortable, modern and charming all rolled into one and from the rooms to the restaurant to the lounge chais on the beach!

Agali Houses Santorini

Firostefani, Santorini

Beautiful rooms. Modern vibe with the crisp white and light wood accents. Breakfast in the morning was delicious, pool was amazing and Chris at the poolside bar was fun, kind and always made sure we had what we needed! 120 stairs will help keep you in shape! Take your time and enjoy the view on your way up and on your way down as it is amazing!

Authenticity & Character

Blended in with the white outside of all the buildings and the bright blue domes and colorful doors and shutters. What you see in pictures is what you see in real life!

Location

Quiet and located near shopping and a taxi ride to wherever you wanted to go and if you enjoy walking or hiking, this is a great place to be!

Staff

From registration to the brothers yhat carried our luggage up and down to and from our rooms to breakfast and poolside everyone was happy, smiling, shaing their culture to give us the best experience! Well done!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, comfortable rooms, entire area including breakfast area and pool all well kept even with all the people traffic!

Activity Reviews

Private Acropolis Hill & Museum Tour

Athens

Faye was amazing and her knowledge and love of Greece that she shared with us made our experience truly amazing. Would recommend her to everyone!

Quality of Experience

Again, Faye made this a learning experience that rivals a semester of college!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Faye! Fun, friendly, knowledgeable, kind and listened to us when we needed to take a break! Faye is priceless!

Transport

We walked so helped keep us healthy!

Food & Culture tour in Naxos town

Naxos

Katia is an amazing ambassador for Naxos. Her love os the island, the people and local businesses that are her neighbors was palpable during our tour. It felt like we were walking the neighborhoods visiting friends and stopping for a bite to eat or a cup of coffee as we winded our way through history. I highly recommend Katia to guide you through life and history in a fun and friendly way!

Quality of Experience

Each shop and restaurant we visited shared with us their history and wares. Nothing better than walking into a local place of business and getting recommendations from locals to take home with you. Friendly, cast of characters and truly love what they do!

Food

Everything! Greek scrambled eggs, olives and olive oil, local wine, local cheeses, Naxos potatoes, spanakopita , tiropitakia with local honey, greek salad and the list goes on.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again, Katia is the best, we walked for the tour!

Transport

Santorini Highlights & Akrotiri

Santorini

The tour with Elsa was great. Learning about how advanced a “buried” city was is truly amazing and humbling at the same time. Leaning about the different areas was interesting and the way the circular close to the ground grape vines is very inventive and shows the tenacity and resilience of the people od Santorini.

Quality of Experience

The advanced nature of the buried city!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Their genuine nature and love of their country.

Transport

Getting to and from was comfortable and easy. And driver was great!

We loved all the accomodations that Joe found for us. He reserved the perfect car for us and made several reservations for outings that was so helpful. The links to maps was so helpful, and the suggested activities and restaurants were very useful.

We had an amazing trip. Pedro our specialist listened to us when we initially spoke about our interests and what we enjoy doing when we travel. He tailor made a trip that incorporated the things that make a trip special for us. Throughout our trip he would check in on us to assure we we satisfied with all aspects of our travels and reminded us of our upcoming events. Very attentive to detail. Our trip started in Porto with Ivo our driver who was so much more then a driver as he shared so much about the areas we visited. Our time together generated a friendship which became part of our Portugal experience. Our guide in Porto, Sarah and in Lisbon, Margarette were awesome. They shared so much information about not only the sights but also the culture and history, we both enjoyed their insight and willingness to share. It helped us get a better understanding of Portugal.
When traveling from Algarve to Lisbon and Sintra Helios was much more then a driver but an excellent guide sharing his insights and pointing out sights and their significance.
The hotels that were booked for us were also well located and exceptional. The staff very attentive. All these aspects led to a great experience, a desire to return to Portugal and no reluctance to using Kim Kim again to book our next adventure.
Thank you

Hotel Review

Heritage Avenida Liberdade

Lisboa

Awesome location, beautiful building and great staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Transfer from Porto to Algarve

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ivo was just great, more then a driver

Transport

Our trip to Iceland was absolutely amazing, thanks to Adam and the KimKim team, who helped us plan the adventure of a lifetime. We embarked on a clockwise tour around Iceland, beginning with a few nights in Reykjavík. We enjoyed a fantastic food tour and a relaxing visit to the Sky Lagoon before setting off on our journey.

As we traveled north, we were in awe of Iceland's stunning landscapes—it's truly beyond words. One of the highlights was our Siberian Husky cart ride in Lake Mývatn with SnowDogs. Learning about the history of the area and the loving care given to these beautiful dogs was an incredible experience.

Continuing north, we loved our time at the Vök Baths and our stay at Hotel 1001 Nótt, which would be an ideal spot for viewing the Northern Lights—unfortunately, it was too overcast during our visit. Black Diamond Beach was an absolute must-see. Adam's recommendation to explore both the beach and the bay was invaluable, and seeing the icebergs on the shore was an unforgettable sight.

Hotel Vík was perfectly located and offered excellent amenities. Our final two excursions were incredible. The Katla Ice Cave Tour with our guide, Frederico, was fantastic—his knowledge of the ice caves, Iceland's history, and glaciers made us feel very comfortable and informed. The final highlight was snorkeling at Silfra. Wow—what a once-in-a-lifetime experience! It took a moment to adjust to the dry suits, but it was worth it.

We also spent a night at the Golden Circle Domes. While we expected a glamping experience, we forgot to inquire about heating and ran out of firewood in the middle of the night. Fortunately, the down comforters provided kept us warm, but if you stay there, be sure to grab extra firewood on your way.

Overall, this trip was a dream come true, and we highly recommend it!

We recently took a tour with Emerson and had an exceptional experience! The itinerary was thoughtfully planned, allowing us to explore both popular sights and hidden gems.

The accommodations were comfortable and well-located, making our stay enjoyable. I also appreciated the seamless transportation arrangements, which made getting around stress-free.

I highly recommend Emerson to anyone looking for a memorable travel experience!

Everything was well planned and seamlessly easy. We came across many people who were lost and couldn’t find their tour groups, but Irene’s detailed instructions got us where we needed to be on time. The hotels, drivers, tours, and tour guides were all phenomenal. The only misinformation we received was regarding the Florence highlights tour, where we saw the Duomo and the Galleria dell’Accademia. We were told we’d end the tour in the gallery and be able to spend additional time there after the tour, but we actually toured the gallery first, then the duomo, and ended by the Vecchio bridge. However, we had more than enough time in the gallery. We would definitely book with Irene and KimKim again.

Hotel Reviews

La Fenice et des Artistes

Venice

Very helpful staff and lovely rooms. We did run into a hot water issue when trying to shower in the morning, but overall a fantastic experience.

Authenticity & Character

Adorable rooms really make you feel like you’re in Italy

Location

Very centrally located and fun the hear opera music nearby

Staff

Helpful in every capacity. Helped us game plan finding a pharmacy on a Sunday, helpful coordinating with the water taxi picking us up for the train. Quick to give additional blankets.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and organized

Hotel della Signoria

Florence

Very centrally located and very helpful staff. Beautiful panoramic view at breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

5 minute walk from most attractions

Staff

Always greeted us with a smile when coming and going

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and organized

Abruzzi Hotel Rome

Rome

Pantheon view was amazing! Shower was sizable and lovely.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Lived being right next to the pantheon

Staff

Happy to help get bags up and down stairs, direct to requested locations using maps or gps, happy to take us to the cafe serving breakfast, happy to help game plan and address scheduling concerns. We needed breakfast before the cafe opened one morning and they arranged to get us bagged breakfasts the night before.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Venice Highlights Walking Tour

Venice

Lovely guide and personalized tour. Very helpful and happy to answer any questions and customize tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Doge's Palace & St. Mark's Basilica Tour

Venice

Lovely personable guide. Entertaining and great information.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Market & Cicchetti Food Tour

Venice

Lots of yummy food and fun to see more of the city. Very helpful and personable guide. My mom was knocked into and dropped her gelato, and Carlotta went back and got her more. It would have been nice to have time to purchase food from the outdoor markets.

Quality of Experience

Food

They offered alcohol free options and tried to accommodate food sensitivities

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My mom was knocked into and dropped her gelato, and Carlotta went back and got her more.

Tuscany Day Trip from Florence with Chianti, Siena & San Gimignano

Florence

Well organized and highly informative. Good balance of walking and riding in a car.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Florence Highlights Walking Tour

Florence

Beautiful and informative. It would have been nice to have fewer people. We had a group of about 10 and then 4 more were added because they messed up with their meeting place/time and missed their originally scheduled tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour

Rome

So much fun to be some of the first people in the colosseum for the day. Beautiful to be there around sunrise.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fresh Pasta Making & Tiramisu Cooking Class

Rome

The chef was so personable and helpful and fun

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Vatican Guided Tour

Rome

Very thorough and informative

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I expect something to go wrong on any overseas trip; it seems impossible that with so much ground to cover that something would fall through or go sideways. Amazingly, nothing went wrong on this trip. Every detail was covered and Irene answered every possible question before it came up. We met every driver at the exact time they were scheduled to be there and every guide was excellent. The only thing we would have changed is having a driver meet us in Florence and drive us to the hotel, since the hotel was literally across the street from the station. It would have been easier to walk to the hotel; there was no need for a driver. We loved the itinerary in every city. Our cooking class in Florence was one of the highlights of our trip. The instructor provided excellent directions and advice on how to make and cook the dishes and she was quite funny as well, which added to the fun. The sights, smells, and tastes of each destination made for an unforgettable experience. I would recommend kimkim to anyone--especially our planner, Irene. Thank you!!!

Hotel Reviews

Oasi Boutique Hotel Cinque Terre by Best Western

Levanto

This is a quirky, fun, and very comfortable hotel in Levanto. They provide a whole panoply of extras that add to the appeal: a delicious and unique breakfast bar, an assortment of bikes to borrow for free, Netflix (in case of a rainy evening that you want to spend in rather than going out), a few jars of cookies available at any time, a piano and guitar in the reception area for anyone to play, and very friendly and helpful staff. A great place to hang out!

Authenticity & Character

Lovely, comfortable rooms with balconies.

Location

Quiet neighborhood

Staff

Helpful and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Modigliani

Roma

This hotel is quiet, centrally located, and comfortable. The rooms are small but adequate, and the breakfast buffet had a lot of variety and many delicious options.

Hotel Palazzo Vecchio

Firenze

This hotel is directly across from the train station, which is nice. However, it was quite dark and cramped, and the shower had barely any water or water pressure, so it was not our favorite hotel by any means. One of the lights in the room was out, and it took over a day to get it replaced, so the room was even darker than normal. The breakfast buffet, however, was delicious.

Tritone Best Western Hotel Mestre

Mestre

This was the largest hotel we stayed in while we were in Italy, and it is lovely. The rooms are comfortable, and there is a little more room to move around than in some other hotels. The train station is across the street, making it very convenient to travel to Venice. As with our other hotels, the breakfast buffet was remarkable--many delicious options to get the day started.

Activity Reviews

Local transfer in Amalfi Coast

Italy

The Amalfi Coast, due to its popularity, is now bumper to bumper traffic, so the best way (in my opinion) to see it is on foot, hiking the Path of the Gods. It is utterly gorgeous scenery the whole way, and the trip is accompanied musically by grazing brown goats adorned with bells that echo throughout the mountains. The path is not difficult, although it is often rocky and alternates from climbing to descents the whole way. At the end, there are somewhere between 1500 to 1700 steps to get down to the road that leads to the incredible town of Positano. Once you get to Positano, the climbing is not done--you have to go down to get to the beach, and up to get anywhere else. I'm convinced that anyone who lives in Positano has remarkable glutes and quads.

Private Pompeii Tour & Mount Vesuvius visit with light lunch

Pompeii

Mount Vesuvius provides some incredible views of Napoli and the surrounding countryside. Pompeii is much bigger than I could imagine and our guide was so knowledgable about the history of the place and people who once inhabited the city. It's a stunning site that should not be missed, but the one thing that made it such a fantastic adventure was our guide. He added so much value to our experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a private guide that was an expert in the history of the people who had lived in Pompeii, and he really made it all some to life for us.

Venice Highlights Walking Tour

Venice

Venice is an incredible place, but if you stick to St Mark's square, you have no idea of what Venice is all about. We had a guide who was from Venice and knew her way around the tiny streets and quiet piazzas, as well as informing us about the history of Venice and how it came to be built (on a swamp!) and what is happening now with the city and its inhabitants. The real Venice is outside of the heavily-trafficked tourist areas, and it is beautiful and quiet and utterly amazing.

Pasta and Gelato Making Class in Florence

Florence

Super fun! Our instructor was excellent! We got to eat the food we made, and it was one of the best meals we had during out whole trip.

Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour

Rome

As with any of the large tourist attractions in Italy, the guide is the key to full enjoyment. All of our guides were exceptional, and Matteo was no different. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and obviously knew all the ins and outs of the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Roman Forum. Rome is a large, modern city, so it's a bit shocking to have the Colosseum and other Roman ruins pop up in the middle of all the accoutrements of modern life. The ruins are very crowded, so we had to adjust our expectations a bit, but although we were shoulder to shoulder with several thousand other tourists, it was fascinating to learn the history of ancient Rome.

Early Morning Vatican Tour

Rome

As with our other tours, we had a fabulous guide to the Vatican. It was stunning to see the many treasures that the Vatican museums hold--statues, paintings, and of course, the majesty of the Sistine Chapel. Given the massive collection of masterpieces that the Vatican Museums hold, it would take months to fully explore the galleries, so we only saw a tiny fraction. The only downside was that there was no place to rest after hours on our feet, and the huge numbers of other tourists sharing the experience with us. Our guide, Alex, explained everything beautifully and was a great photographer to boot--offering to take our picture with impressive backgrounds around every corner. St Peter's Basilica is enormous, vast, immense--it's hard to process how big the space is; the piazza outside the cathedral is also gigantic. What an amazing place!

Morning Florence Highlights Walking Tour

Florence

One of the best tours we took! The tourists hung out at the Duomo, which was spectacular, but our guide took us to the less-crowded, but historically significant places in Florence, including smaller churches, streets full of the most fashionable brands, and palaces that were not full of tourists.

Kimkim planned the perfect trip for us based on our interests. All of the excursions and guides were excellent and informative. Accommodations were close to everywhere we needed to be. We would definitely recommend using this company

Erin was so great to work with in planning. She listened to our requests and made recommendations and adjustments/tweaks along the way. We had an unfortunate snag with one booking a few days before it was scheduled and Erin took care of the last minute change to ensure we could still see penguins in Ushuaia. Cami was an amazing guide on our private tour of Torres del Paine, which was easily our favorite part of our trip!

Activity Reviews

Half Day Hike in Tierra del Fuego National Park

Ushuaia

We learned a lot from our tour guide, Lucas; however, we were expecting to do more hiking and this was more of a guided tour. We did hike for maybe 30 minutes to a lookout, but the rest was being driven from location to location for pictures. It was a packed 18 person van and we were the last pick-up, so my husband didn't have a seat with a window and missed most of the scenery while were were in the van.

Quality of Experience

Just not what we were expecting, since we were expecting more hiking

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was a packed 18 person van and we were the last pick-up, so my husband didn't have a seat with a window and missed most of the scenery while were were in the van.

Horseback Riding at Laguna Sofia

Puerto Natales

Estancia Laguna Sofia was absolutely stunning and being able to view the laguna and beautiful ranch from horseback was truly an experience the family will never forget. The staff was great with the kids and tailored to our riding levels (none to very little).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Train at the End of the World (premium class)

Ushuaia

While the premium class was definitely a treat yourself experience, I'm so glad we did it. We ended up having entire car to ourselves and the time of our train was noon, so having lunch on the train was perfect after a morning in the national park. We also learned a lot during the ride using the provided earphones.

Quality of Experience

Food

Delicous dishes for the adults and kid-friendly dishes (pizza) for the kids.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Torres del Paine Full Day Private Tour

Patagonia

This was our favorite activity on the trip! The private tour is now the way we will book on future trips. Cami was an AMAZING guide, shared tons of information throughout the day, and was great with the kids. We did two longer hikes that ended with beautiful/picturesque views. In hindsight, I wish we stayed longer (more days) in Torres del Paine.

Quality of Experience

Food

We enjoyed the box lunch.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cami was the best guide!

Transport

Clean and spacious

Perito Moreno Boat & Walking Tour

El Calafate

On the boat tour, we got super close to the glacier, which was a very cool experience. The walking tour was on our own, which we liked.

Visit the Fishing Village of Puerto Almanza

Ushuaia

Our original itinerary had this included with a trip to the boat trip to the penguins, so this wasn't what we originally planned for (so please take my review with a grain of salt). Our guide was knowledgable and shared a lot of info, but we had two other individuals with us, cramped into a car, so the drive was uncomfortable. We would have enjoyed this more as a private tour where we were on our own timeline and had more space in the car. It also didn't help that this was after a full 12 hour day the day before (again due to an unexpected, last minute change). The hike to and from the waterfall was only about 30 minutes total, so not as much hiking as we were expecting. The food was delicious, but due to it being an Argentine holiday, we had to wait almost an hour to be seated, which extended the day longer than planned.

Quality of Experience

Food

Delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Uri was super knowledgeable and share lot of info with us throughout the trip.

Transport

Cramped. Having three adults sit three-across on leather seats meant we were sliding or trying not to slide into strangers for the 3+ hours in the car.

Visit the Penguin Colony on Martillo Island by Catamaran

Ushuaia

Seeing the sea lions, elephant seal, and penguins was truly an experience!

Quality of Experience

Transport

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

We didn't have any specific questions, so having someone walk through the itinerary we were already provided and had read through was not the best use of time.