Kimkim Trip Reviews

Our family had an outstanding 12 day trip to Spain. The experience booking the trip through Kimkim was great, and exceeded our expectations in just about every way. Their local knowledge and availability throughout the trip eliminated the stress and work of planning a vacation, and made it easy for us to enjoy our time together.

Our local specialist, Adam, was knowledgeable and accessible and did good work tailoring our experiences to our preferences and making our itinerary teen friendly. Matching our itinerary to friends traveling on different but overlapping schedule was seamless. I can't imagine how difficult it would have been to coordinate everything on our own.

Our operations specialist, Lea, was very responsive during our trip and usually responded to chats within just a few minutes. She helped with a number of small issues and questions over the 21 days. A mistake with a hotel booking at one of our stops was immediately handled and addressed in the most professional way. Lea is a gem!

A highlight of the trip were the private walking tours scheduled at each stop. Adam set us up with personable and knowledgeable guides that each gave us an experience that would have been impossible if we'd joined a larger group. Ona was our guide in Girona, and we really liked her relaxed and approachable style. Our teens really had a good time with her, and learned a ton about the history of this ancient city.

In Barcelona, our guide showed us around the Gothic Quarter and made us feel like locals. She was clearly well liked by the restaurateurs at the stops we made for tapas along the way, and we felt like we were catching up with an old friend more than rushing from stop to stop on a planned tour.

Ruth, our guide to Alhambra in Granada, did a fantastic job showing us around the grounds and helping us skirt around the crowds. We felt like we were getting some of the smaller historical details that the larger groups don't hear about, which was a lot of fun.

The hotel and airport transfers made moving between our stops much easier with our luggage. Large, clean Mercedes vans were comfortable and the drivers were professional.

Each of the hotel selections were perfectly located and within walking distance of all of the main sites we wanted to experience.

We will definitely be using Kimkim to book trips in the future, and would recommend it without reservation to any of our friends!

The transportation that they scheduled was very dependable. The guides for the activities were friendly and knowledgeable. The lodging was unique and in good locations. Everything went extremely smooth. Very impressed would definitely use KimKim (Rutopia) again.

Hotel Reviews

Piedra Escondida

Tulum, Quintana Roo

Worked great for our family of four with kids 12 and 15. Beautiful ocean view rooms. The connected restaurant was one of the best we ate at the whole trip. Bar is relaxing with ocean views also. Seems like you are on a remote island yet amenities are very close by.

Authenticity & Character

One of a kind, loved the private beach and the restaurant and bar on site.

Location

Feels isolated and private yet is right next to amenities.

Staff

Very friendly and available

Cleanliness & Comfort

Not brand new, but I don't need that. Clean comfortable and relaxing.

Hotel Posada San Juan

Valladolid

Motel is absolutely beautiful. The rooms are just gorgeous with large semi-private open air lounging areas outside the rooms. Pool that I think only we used. Not many guests, so a lot of the time it felt like you have the whole place to yourself. Bar on site next to the refreshing pool. Located in a convenient area with their own bar and restaurant across the street and in walking distance to major sites of the city, restaurants, bars, and shops.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful authentic rooms with wildlife if you pay attention and next to a plaza that the friendly locals frequent.

Location

Very convenient for seeing the sights and amenities.

Staff

Everyone was friendly and helpful kids loved the friendly well behaved "guard" dog.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very new feeling but feels like it has been there a hundred years. Bathrooms are large, airy, and relaxing.

Playa Palms Beach Hotel

Nice rooms, balconies with great views of the ocean. Private pool that never felt crowded as there really aren't that many guests. Great breakfasts delivered to your door when you want. No bar or restaurant on site, but if you are on the beach bar tenders come over and deliver you drinks. Massage therapy people come by too. Plus you are only a few blocks from the happening 5th Avenue with its bars, restaurants, live music, and shops.

Authenticity & Character

Interesting looking layout with the balconies and pool. Has its own small beach. Relaxed as there aren't many guests.

Location

Right on the beach you can book snorkeling and fishing tours that leave from a block away. Unfortunately, ours got cancelled due to high winds, but we were quickly refunded. The boats for these are right in front of the hotel.

Staff

Friendly. There is someone there that can book tours for you.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was nice and clean with refrigerator, microwave, dishes, sink, cooktop, and TV

Activity Reviews

Snorkel with sea turtles in Akumal

Mexico

Quite a few people there, but they are pretty spread out, so not crowded in the water. Definitely, saw numerous turtles very close up. It was really cool. It is shallow in case you fear open water.

Quality of Experience

Get to see sea turtles up close

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was friendly and patient

Transport

On time and waited for us.

The Ancient Canal Experience in Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve (morning)

Tulum

The boat ride, especially through the canal area was super fun plus you see a lot of fish and birds. Floating down the canal is super relaxing and a unique experience. My oldest kid could do it every day of his life. You see Mayan ruins here and there. We saw manatees, which was amazing, interesting fish close up, ospreys, herons it is just a beautiful place. Kids loved it 10 out of 10 until my 12 year old lost his cell phone on an island we went to. It was all his fault, but the guides tried their best to find it in multiple ways and worked hard to console him. So any negatives to the trip was just our family being us. Awesome trip.

Quality of Experience

Manatees! floating the Mayan canal.

Food

Authentic food at the beginning and end.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The boat drivers are simply amazing our guide was very knowledgeable and patient.

Transport

On time.

Visit to Lol Ha cenote in Yaxunah

Mexico

Beautiful. Water was so refreshing after being crazy hot at Chichen Itza. Saw Mot Mots.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Chichén Itzá, Wonder of the Maya World

Mexico

The main pyramid is absolutely astonishing! The whole place is amazing. There are a ton of people though. It is also very exposed and hot.

Quality of Experience

It is one of the 7 wonders of the world, enough said.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was super knowledgeable, easy to understand, friendly, and patient.

Transport

On time. Glad we had a private driver that dropped us off up front. Parking a half mile away and walking could make it not as fun.

Ek Balam Archaeological Site & swim in a cenote

Mexico

Much more mellow and less crowded than Chichen Itza. It is quite a bit different. You can climb the pyramids if you want. Much more shade than Chichen Itza too, which made it more relaxed.

Quality of Experience

Just a nice relaxed grounds with amazing structures and carvings/reliefs

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was on time, friendly, and very knowledgeable.

Transport

Reliable and on time.

Explore Coba by bike!

Cobá

Awesome experience! We almost cancelled this because my family was kind of burnt out from Chichen Itza and Ek Balaam the days before. Worried the bike ride might be hot and miserable. Instead the bike ride was super fun, honestly the bike ride was probably the best I have ever been on and that is saying something. It is flat and shady and not very far. The ruins are different from the other two. Very laid back here compared to Chichen Itza. Very fun!

Quality of Experience

Biking through the ruins was fun and amazing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable, friendly, multilinqual

Transport

On time and waited for us.

Río Secreto Privilege: The Mayan Underworld

Mexico

Very unique place. A very cool experience.

Quality of Experience

Very unique.

Food

Buffet with some really good native cuisine

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable, drive was fun.

Transport

On time.

Terrific trip! The people at Serendipity Adventures (Bryan, Nancy, and Wilman) were very attentive local specialists who provided good guidance. Wilman was very responsive about everything while we were in Costa Rica, including making last minute changes we requested to our excursions and communicating with the drivers. Alex was an outstanding guide and driver, very knowledgeable and friendly. We loved our guided hanging bridges hike with Mariano and he was very generous to take us around town afterward when we had downtime before our next excursion. We enjoyed the cacao and coffee tour with Alex. Jorge was a great safari float guide—we got to see many animals! Andres was an extremely knowledgeable guide of the Manual Antonio national park.

The setting of Arenal Lodge was beautiful. Be sure to inform guests ahead of time that it is located very far outside of town. La Mariposa hotel is beautiful and well situated with walking acesss to restaurants and shops and a stunning view of the ocean.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Arenal Lodge

Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, San Jose Aeropuerto

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Very crowded!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The entire team at Grand Cuvée Tours was exceptional. They gave me options, made recommendations, proactively communicated important information (including reminding me about the time change occurring during my trip), and checked in with me periodically during my trip.

The drivers were all professional and the hotels, train tickets, and other included activities were all arranged with clear instructions. I can't say enough about my guide, Lenka. Lenka was a wealth of knowledge when it came to the history of the country, its regions, its cities, and even its legends. She went above and beyond to take my preferences into account and make changes as needed. She truly felt like a friend and even brought me water and new Czech snacks to try each day! I wish everyone could have her as a guide!

I'm so glad that I didn't just see Prague. Prague is, of course, incredible, but getting to visit Brno, Cesky Krumlov, and Karlovy Vary gave me the opportunity to experience other parts of the country. Each city offered postcard views and I can only imagine the beauty in the other seasons.

Hotel Review

Hotel CUBE Prague

Prague

Excellent service at the front desk and breakfast was extensive and delicious. The rooms are modern, comfortable, and very clean. They provide unlimited still and sparkling water, which is a lovely touch.

Location

There are plenty of places to get food nearby and it was quiet at night.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Prague Food Tour

Prague

I enjoyed that we had options at each stop. Everything we ate was delicious, and it was great to see the city at night. I usually don't do much at night since I travel alone, so I really appreciated this aspect. Our guide was wonderful and gave personal recommendations and insights into what it's like to live in the Czech Republic.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very personable guide - we all felt like friends very quickly!

Guided tour of Prague

Prague

Lenka gave me an incredible overview of the city! She drove us past some points and we stopped and explored the ones I was most interested in. I truly appreciate that it wasn't cookie cutter, but was tailored to my interests and my plans for the rest of my stay in the city!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bohemian vineyards with wine tasting & culinary tour

Prague

It was amazing to get a personal tour of a winery and the vineyards. The meal with wine pairings at the restaurant in the cellars in Litoměřice was absolutely perfect and the tour of the cellars was so interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lenka translated at the restaurant and in the cellars - much appreciated!

Transport

Nuclear Bunker tour

Prague

I was not very familiar with the history of communism in the Czech Republic and learned so much from this tour. The guide was very enthusiastic and happy to answer any questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was nice to get to ride the tram without having to figure out all of the details myself!

Karla was very responsive to our questions and needs. The excursions and especially snorkeling was amazing. All guides were wonderful and Isabella and specifically Julio were wonderful. Very educational and provided the info we needed to be on time for every thing and on what to wear. I loved Los tunélles snorkeling the best as we liked seeing the penguins.

Hotel Review

La Casita de la Playa

Puerto Villamil

Loved having a view of the beach where we could watch the sea lions investigating the beach

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Wildlife Encounter at Los Tuneles (Cabo Rosa)

Galapagos Islands

My favorite with such a variety of wildlife…including penguins!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing time! The trip was for my mom’s 65th birthday and everything was perfectly planned. I have been to over 50 countries and by far this was one of the most amazing places I have visited with the nicest people. I loved that I did not need to plan anything and Michael planned everything. My mom and children had a great time.

We had an amazing trip to Greece arranged by Siena. We have two kids who are both very interested in Greek Mythology, and the kimkim team set us up with a terrific itinerary, seeing the most interesting sites in Athens, Delphi, Olympia and Nafplio. Every day was amazing, but highlights of our favorite activities include the Mythical Pan cave hike near Delphi/Arachova with Hellas Trekking, the guided tour of Olympia with former archaeologist Zoe, the fun Percy Jackson themed adventure around Athens (the views from the Hill of the Nymphs were awesome), and the amazing team of drivers helping with all transfers. We had one thing come up in the middle of the trip, where we realized that the annual Tour of Hellas (bike race) was going to be right in the path. We linked up with our specialist and driver, and the day ended up being slightly different than planned, but an absolute blast (we had to leave the highway for an hour while the race went by, but it allowed us to tour the delightful town of Galaxidi, buy some local products, and even watch the race go by and cheer them on). The drivers were flexible and attentive to our needs throughout. We were so grateful to have the same driver for the last 3 days of our trip. He was so helpful, and he got to know us and our kids and pointed out things he thought we would find interesting as we drove. It was very helpful to be able to leave our bags in his van while we toured museums and sites each day as we moved from one hotel to another. The kimkim team helped arrange specific activities that fit with our children's interests and picked family friendly tours and guides, and that really made all the difference for our whole family. Lastly, our daughter had a birthday while on the trip, and the kimkim team arranged for a cake and balloons to be in one of our hotel rooms - so sweet and it gave her a huge smile. Grateful for a wonderful trip.

Hotel Reviews

MET34 Athens

Athina

Great location. Noisy, busy part of town, windows didn't block the outside sound well. Breakfast brought to room by staff. Clean, plenty of space for us, nice kitchenette.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kastalia Boutique Hotel Delphi

Delphi

Very nice hotel, great location, great restaurant. We had a room on the village side/main street which was quite loud especially at night (gelato place and many restaurants across the street). Other side of hotel had view of beautiful valley, likely would have been quieter and prettier (but more expensive), but would try to stay on that side if ever there again. attentive and kind staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ionion Beach Apartment Hotel Olympia

Pineios

Great location on beach, wish we had more time there. Nice playground for kids, great food at restaurant. Nice apartment style rooms with nice kitchen.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nafsimedon Hotel Nafplio

Nafplio

Nice hotel with nice staff. Loft-style rooms with two single beds in loft and the other on main level. Quiet which was nice. Located only two blocks from the steps up to Palamidi which was awesome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sofitel Athens Airport

Athens

Hotel of necessity by airport. :-) Rooms were clean and quiet, beds were comfortable. WIndows had great blackout options. Even though we had to leave earlier than breakfast was served, the staff made us breakfast boxes which were amazing.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Percy Jackson-Inspired Hero’s Adventure in Athens

Athens

Great tour, the guide made it fun and exciting for our kids. Great walk around town, loved the sites we visited.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Percy Jackson-Inspired Acropolis & Museum Experience

Athens

Great tour of acropolis and museum. It wasn't very Percy Jackson-inspired, but nonetheless was informative and a nice guide. We learned so much more with a guide on the Acropolis than we otherwise would have. Was very nice that she already had our tickets for us, as the lines and process to get into the Acropolis was a mess.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Sounio & Temple of Poseidon Day Trip

Athens

Great tour that covered a lot - Temple of Zeus, Olympic stadium, the Athens Riviera, down to Sounio and back. Temple of Poseidon was beautiful and the coastline drive was great. Great lunch at a taverna on the way back. Very kind driver.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike to Mythical Pan Cave

Delphi

One of best experiences of the trip. Great hike, great guide. Loved the cave. Highly, highly recommend to families.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Visit to Ancient Olympia

Greece

Another great tour! Zoe was an incredible guide. She made the whole site light up for us. You could tell she knew a ton about the site and Greek history. She really knew how to tell a story through the tour and helped us learn a lot in the process. She also took us through the museum and we learned so much more from that museum than we would have on our own. AMAZING day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Family-Friendly Trip to Epidaurus

Nafplio

Great tour, the drama games were a lot of fun and taught us about the development of Greek theater and performance. Wish we had a little more time in the theater itself/archaeological site, as it ended up being a bit rushed in the end. Otherwise great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 9-day family vacation in Morocco exceeded our expectations. Our main guide and driver, Tarik, was exceptionally accommodating, friendly and knowledgeable. Our experience was tailored to exactly what we needed- 3 days of moderate hiking in the Atlas mountains, with highlights in Marrakesh, Fes and Chefchaouen. Local guides in Imlil, Fes, Marrakesh and Volubilis brought so much to maximize our experience. Our accommodations were charming and comfortable, and the provided meals were great. There's nothing we would change, but to be able to spend more time in Morocco.

Activity Review

Imlil Valley Walk - Toubkal NP

Imlil

Our local guide, Aziz, was friendly and helpful and made our experience just wonderful. This walk between Berber villages was a highlight of our trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We felt great in the planning process and leading up to our arrival.

1) However, our experience was different. We did not feel like you appreciated or respected our time. Specifically: you had us cross Cebu island TWICE. Moalboal should have happened first and then Oslob for whale sharks should have happened on the FIRST leg and would have put us close to ferry point to go to Siquijor. Instead we spent multiple days sitting in a car going from one place to the next. We trust YOU to guide us on the logistics. Do you think sitting in a car is a fun way to enjoy your vacation? Another example: returning to Dumaguete from Siquijor instead of staying on Siquijor island - especially since our hotel was not close to anything.

2) We wish you had given us all the available options for transportation. For example, we would have paid what it cost for business class on OceanJet business in order to be able to go outside. Additionally, we spent 3 hours on a ferry on one leg to Siquijor when our return was 40 mins - so there was a faster option versus sitting on a slow moving boat.

3) Ethical business partners: for the scuba diving trip, the guide that took Nick repeatedly touched and damaged coral reef.

4) Guides: our guides were very friendly and very nice and professional. However, they had very limited ability to communicate and very limited ability to share local knowledge and culture. We were dropped off at places with little information. Additionally, we didn't have much, if any opportunity to learn on the long car rides.

5) We appreciated responsiveness from travel agent on the ground, but the change in start times on multiple dates was frustrating.

While hotel locations were not great, the hotels themselves were clean and good value.

Hotel Reviews

Harold’s Evotel

Cebu

Clean rooms, friendly staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lighthouse Point Hotel

Dumaguete

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Henann Tawala Resort

Tawala

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Moalboal Tropics

Moalboal

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whale Sharks and Kawasan Falls

Philippines

Loved the canyoneering experience. However, we didn't get to Oslob (because of the driving route being so long) to see whale sharks which is reason for overall review.

Quality of Experience

This is only for the canyoneering experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent and very helpful staff on canyoneering experience

Transport

Siquijor Island Tour & Cambugahay Falls from Dumaguete City

Dumaguete

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bohol Country Side Tour

Philippines

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nice friendly staff, but wasn't able to share any information about places we visited or about the area and culture.

Transport

Bohol / Panglao: Island Hopping and Dolphin Watching Tour

Philippines

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nice friendly staff, but didn't stop at one of the islands on the agenda and then was not helpful with snorkeling - kind of just gave us the gear and told us to go while they waited.

Transport

Moalboal Snorkeling Activities

Moalboal

Fabulous instruction, very good equipment. One of our 3 guides repeatedly touched coral, thereby damaging it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My wife and I are celebrating our 50th Anniversary this year, and we wanted to take a two week trip to Japan at Cherry Blossom time. Our adult daughter was going to join us. We worked with Angel to arrange the perfect trip. Angel was amazing. Everything was seamless. The hotels were excellent as were all of the local guides that she arranged. Transportation on bullet trains in Japan was totally arranged by Angel and everything was flawless. During the trip, we made a last minute change of plans, and Angel was extremely helpful during the process. During the trip Angel checked in on us every day. While we made many of dinner reservations; some were difficult to obtain. Angel made those reservations for us. Our two week trip to Japan was amazing as we saw exactly what we wanted to see-temples, shrines, gardens, cherry blossoms. The personal tea ceremony that Angel arranged was fascinating. If you are planning a trip to Japan, Angel is the person that you want to help you plan it. We could not have been happier. This is the 5th time that we have used Kim Kim for international travel, and we will continue to use them. But Angel was the best. Thank you Angel.

Hotel Reviews

Mitsui Garden Hotel Roppongi Tokyo Premier

Tokyo

This hotel was situated in the Roppongi area of Tokyo and was first rate. We stayed there three nights; the breakfasts were fantastic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The hotel was located within walking distance of three dinner reservations that we had made.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hyatt Centric Kanazawa

This hotel was located a few meters away from the train station. It was convenient for travel. Hotel was very nice; and breakfasts were excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

we stayed four nights at this hotel. Cherry blossoms were just around the corner from the hotel. We could walk to the central part of Kyoto.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Just an awesome hotel.

The Westin Osaka

Osaka

We only stayed here one night, but it was perfect. The Westin is a Marriott property, and we are lifetime platinum Marriott members. We enjoy staying at Westins, and this property met our expectations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU

Hakone

Our plans changed, and we did not stay at this hotel.

Activity Reviews

Tokyo City Tour: Imperial Palace East Gardens, Senso-ji Tour & Meiji Shrine

Tokyo

The site seeeing was excellent in Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lake Ashinoko Tour with Mt. Fuji Views

Japan

We knew that it might be difficult to view Mt Fuji. it was a rainy day, and we could not see Mt Fuji, and it was fun taking the Hakone Ropeway and the boat ride on the Lake,

Tokyo: Sumo Show Experience with Chicken Hot Pot and a Photo

Tokyo

This was an unsual experience and one that we recommend to anyone visiting Japan for the first time.

Kanazawa Full Day Walking Tour

Kanazawa

We know that many Western tourists do not travel to Kanazawa, but we wanted to go there, and it did not disappoint.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

Kyoto is an unbelievable city and should not be missed. The temples and shrines were wonderful, and our guide who was with us for two days was everything that we could have hoped for.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Gion Corner: Traditional Arts Performance

Kyoto

This was a 50 minute show and was extremely entertaining

Quality of Experience

Full Day Tour to Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Kyoto

This was the second day with our Kyoto guide. Again, just a marvelous experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Afternoon Tea Ceremony

Kyoto

This experience was just for us and our adult daughter. It lasted almost two hours and was fascinating. We are still talking about this experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Osaka Castle and Shinsaibashi Tour

Osaka

We always wanted to see Osaka Castle and it did not disappoint. The foodie walking tour was a fun diversion from some of the more formal dinners that we had in Japan.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Osaka Foodie Walking Tour at dark

Osaka

This was fun after having had so many formal dinners.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Had a wonderful time in Chile from Santiago to the Atacama desert to Patagonia. Camila was very attentive and extremely patient. She was also very responsive and created a well organized and fun filled trip. In addition, she constantly checked in on us making sure everything was running smoothly and that we were having a great time along the way. I am grateful to Camila and all the lovely people she connected us with in beautiful Chile. It was one of my most memorable trips!

This was our first experience with KimKim. We worked with Marianna for months planning our trip to Europe. We ended up going only to Italy. Marianna was very responsive every time we had questions or wanted to make changes. She helped us secure private and semi private tours that were absolutely perfect. The guides were knowledgeable and helpful. Allessandro was our guide for the Vatican tour and he was outstanding. Raphaella was also wonderful for our tour through Tuscany. Brenda was our tour guide for the Uffizi, while Ishmael took us on a walking tour of Florence. Both were so knowledgeable and kind. Our evening golf cart tour was great and really hit the highlights of Rome.

In addition to the tours, all our train tickets were perfect and ground transportation companies were on time and most pleasant.

Activity Reviews

Vatican, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Skip-the-Line Tour

Rome

Alessandro was our tour guide for this activity. It was the most important thing to us on our trip to Italy. We could not have asked for a more informative, enjoyable, organized tour guide. He created this tour so that we felt like we almost had the Vatican to ourselves. He had visual guides with his iPad that really explained what we were seeing and the history behind all. His English was perfect - he was just amazing!

Quality of Experience

Alessandro!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Alessandro!

Transport

Florence Walking Tour City Highlights with David & Duomo | Semi-Private

Florence

This was a great tour and tour guide. Our only comment was that it was about 3-4 hours long without any breaks. For example, when walking through the market area, it would have been great to have some time to explore there instead of stopping at so many sites that were somewhat forgettable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Siena & San Gimignano Day Trip with Lunch & Wine

Florence

We didn't realize we would have a driver and tour guide. This was so helpful because parking was difficult and it really helped our guide, Raphaella, to be able to concentrate on the tour itself.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Masterpieces of the Renaissance: Uffizi Gallery Tour | Semi-Private

Florence

Brenda was wonderful, informative and kind.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Rome

Rome

Our guide was not waiting for us in the airport but I guess waiting until we were actually done and instead trying to connect via the What's App. It was right as we came into Rome and created a bit of stress thinking he/she forgot us. If he would have at least been waiting in the airport with a sign with our name, it would have been appreciated, but instead he was waiting in his car and we worried that we had been forgotten. In addition, our understanding was that the driver would give us a bit of history and overview of Rome. Unfortunately, he did not speak really any English. This was the only part of the trip that was disappointing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

He/She really should have at least been waiting for us in the airport with a sign with our name. It took at least 10 minutes or longer until we finally made a connection with him via What's App., and he spoke very little English. It was hard to communicate with him, but he was kind.

Rome with Golf Cart at Night with Pizza & Ice Cream

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer in Rome

Rome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private transfer

England

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fantastic trip to Costa Rica covering Monteverde, Manuel Antonio and San Jose with my family of 4. The trip was planned and organized by Bryan, Nancy and Wilman of Serendipity Adventures and did an amazing job of planning everything from rental car, accommodations and booking trips and adventures. They were readily available to respond any questions we had during the travel itself. I especially loved how they would give recommendations for local restaurants to consider for lunch and dinner (breakfast was always included with the stay).

Hotel Reviews

Chira Glamping Monteverde

Puntarenas

Fantastic stay with amazing views. Large area to yourself, hot tub, and views

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Mariposa Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Great stay

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Buena Vista Chic Hotel

Alajuela

Authenticity & Character

Location

Amazing spot but a bit away from San Jose

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Cloud Forest Night Walk

Monteverde

Day at Selvatura including Hanging Bridges and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Fantastic experience

Private Surf Lessons in Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Catamaran Adventure with Barbecue

Manuel Antonio

Wonderful trip with great guides, perfect arrangement of pickups and drop offs. Itinerary was fantastic

Martina and Gabriele and their entire team were thoughtful, attentive to our requests. Gave wonderful suggestions and really showed care and consideration for every aspect. The experiences we planned together with them were spot on and totally a good value. In addition, they made sure that our group of three senior gal pals( ages 73 to 86) were safely and happily cared for in every way. Getting us to our out of the way accommodations in Venice and back after our trip to airport was the super EXTRA CARE provided perfectly that made any expense so worth it. I never did travel plans like this on line, and now am a believer and will use this company again.
BRAVO to all who helped us and made our trip great.

Activity Reviews

Private golf cart tour along the Appian Way and small group tour of the Catacombs

Rome

Guide Santos was wonderful. He was a truly knowledgeable guide. Delightful way to see all and perfect amount of walking for everyone. Golf cart made everyone so happy!

Quality of Experience

Our guide was through and made the experience easy and special

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rooftop bar Opera show

Rome

This experience was as described. Again staff and location and performers were excellent. If you want to experience a bit of the magic of opera and how wonderful the human voice can sound in one of the best locations on our planet for sophisticated pleasure DO THIS EXPERIENCE.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We found our own way there but had plenty of info to do so from Martina and gabriele

Amsterdam: hôtel excellent, tour to Kokunhof was disappointing because we were too early, tulips were not in bloom. Tour to Edam with Tickets and Travel was very interesting and our guide Pieter was very informative.
The Hague: super hotel interesting city. Trip to Rotterdam was OK with Spido
Antwerp: excellent hotel. Tour to Brussels with Florence very informative.
Ghent: nice and cosy hôtel. Tour of Bruges with Roland was excellent
All tickets for transportation for the whole trip was well planed.
Overhaul it was a well planed trip with very good accommodations and good sight seeing.
Thank you Bas
Amy and Marcel

We had a wonderful trip. Johanna was professional and responsive. Every detail of our trip was well planned out. Our guide, Jose, was knowledgeable, friendly, and made our trip truly memorable. We would highly recommend him as a guide!

Our 11-day Japan experience in Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka was positive from start to finish, through a combination of fully-arranged activities [like the Asakusa Sumo Club] and self-guided tours/free time in alignment with itinerary suggestions from the KimKim site. Having reservations at great hotels [our favorite was Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Kawaramachi Jokyoji] , a planned agenda, and emergency contacts in place was reassuring, but truly the reason for our rating is Shona Zhang.

Shona was knowledgeable, amazing to work with, and always quick to respond. She made suggestions and adjustments as we planned our trip and always answered questions promptly. (As a quick note for those reaching out from another country, please remember to reasonably factor in the time difference for responses.) She handled all arrangements for our skilled drivers and our wonderful Tokyo guide, Yumiko Toyoshima, and Shona checked in with details close to time. She also clarified questions, made hotel/breakfast arrangements, and even checked in on us while in-country.

Thanks for helping us have a wonderful adventure in Japan!

Hotel Reviews

Dai-ichi Hotel Tokyo

Comfortable bed, great view and breakfast, and extremely convenient to Shimbashi Station [an entrance downstairs] and local sites.

Authenticity & Character

Old-style European style, with a range of food

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Onyado Nono Kanazawa Natural Hot Spring

Kanazawa

They held onto our luggage while we explored Kanazawa, the staff was professional and polite, freebies were provided, and the hotel was conveniently located to the sites we were seeking.

Authenticity & Character

Modern hotel going for the style of a ryokan

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Candeo Hotels Osaka Namba

Osaka

Staff was professional, we had a nice room and breakfast opportunity, and the relaxation room on the top floor had a great view of Osaka. This hotel is very convenient to the Donburi nightlife, and the metro is a short walk.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Kawaramachi Jokyoji

Kyoto

This was our favorite stay in Japan. The room was comfortable, the staff was friendly, the grounds were peaceful and beautiful, and the hotel had a nice onsen with extensive hours. There was nearby shopping and food as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tokyo Highlights Day Tour - East & West

Tokyo

Yumiko Toyoshima (Yumi-San) was a wonderful and friendly tour guide! She was knowledgeable about the sites, the history, and navigating and living in Japan in general (she is from Tokyo). She shared about shrine and temple etiquette, helped us have a great local tempura lunch, and also explained traveling and helped us learn to navigate the metro system.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sumo Morning Practice in Ryogoku with Sumo Wrestler Lunch

Tokyo

The lunch show was fun, seeing a geisha performance and learning about sumo wrestling through demonstrations and a Q&A. The wrestlers were great with the crowd - especially kids - and the ability to leave with a photo was a nice momento.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji with Lake Kawaguchi with Oishi Park

Tokyo

We enjoyed getting to see Mt. Fuji (breathtaking) and the surrounding area through a convenient day trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sienna made sure every detail of our trip was planned impeccably. We had an absolute blast doing the Sydney Bridge Climb and snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef and our private Great Ocean Road trip was the highlight of our trip. It all went so smoothly. The App worked out really well. All of our drivers were excellent and on time. Everyone kept in touch the entire trip. Sienna and Greg worked so well together to make this one of our easiest vacations yet.

Hotel Review

Shangri-La The Marina, Cairns

Cairns

The location of this hotel is perfect. There are shops and restaurants all around the hotel. There is a wonderful promenade to walk and see a lot of the shoreline. Our room had a beautiful view of the marina and it made it easy to get to our excursion to the Great Barrier Reef. The hotel had an amazing breakfast buffet included that we enjoyed every day.

Authenticity & Character

It is beautiful and quiet

Location

Everything is nearby this hotel

Staff

Always polite and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel was kept very clean

Activity Review

Michaelmas Cay Cruise

Australia

The snorkeling trip to Michaelmas Cay was a highlight of our Australia getaway. The experience was amazing, and we truly enjoyed it. The vibrant marine life and the clear waters made it unforgettable. It was a well-organized and exciting excursion.

The bike excursion in Sydney was excellent. The Harbour Rock Hotel was great and very good service.
The Blue Mountain excursion was also top notch. a

The Peninsula Hotel was good. It was pouring down rain so we couldn't really effectively appreciate it. I did like that it was on the beach. The 10 hour snorkel excursion was excellent. It helped that weather and sea conditions were very good.

The Mayfair Hotel was excellent, as was the Gourmet Food and Wine tour. Loved biking through that beautiful area!

Kangaroo Island, suggested by Liz, was well worth it. Beautiful place, lovely and plentiful kangaroos, plus the vies! The service was very good as was the food. My recommendation for them is they need to add a salad course , as you just get your main fairly quickly and there aren't a lot of vegetables on that. The full day tour to see all the wildlife was essential to our trip to Australia.

The Savoy on Little Collins in Melbourne was fantastic, especially that upgrade to the Master Suite that we received on check in! The help that we received from Leslie Wong in changing our Penguin Island trip so that it was not on the night before we caught an early flight was MUCH appreciated. That excursion was also excellent.

All pickups and transfers were on time and all drivers friendly and polite.

Thanks so much for organizing a great trip!

Lisa and Daniel Bullard