Kimkim Trip Reviews

Working with Serendipity Adventures to plan our trip to Costa Rica was a pleasure. Elena, Nancy, Wilman and the team took care of us from planning through the trip, including booking all hotels, drivers and excursions. Wilman kept tabs on us as we traveled through Costa Rica to make sure our drives were comfortable and the hotels were as expected; any bumps in the road were addressed in timely, professional manner. I highly recommend the KimKim process and specifically Serendipity for well planned and executed vacation. We had a great time!

Based on my preferences of where I wanted to go, what kind of tours I prefer (small groups/private), and the type of hotel - Elena put together the perfect itinerary with a great mix of doing things and relaxing. As we were making plans she reached out by phone when decisions needed to be made in a timely manner. All questions/concerns were addressed. We stayed in 3 wonderful hotels in La Fortuna (room with a view of the Volcano), Monte Verde (view of the valley and Pacific in the distance) and Manuel Antonio (corner room with a sunset view of the Pacific) with spectacular views, very good food, and spot on service. While each was a little different, they each showed Serendipity's knowledge of their beautiful country. Our private tour at Arenal that included hanging bridges, a volcano hike and the waterfall with Mariano were a pleasure given his personable nature and knowledge of the flora and fauna. Our day at Sevultura Park in Monte Verde, while a touristy place, offered really great professionally run zip line and hanging bridges. Finally, a catamaran tour and a tour of the national park rounded out our activities in Manuel Antonio.

Michael and Chaksa tours planned a fabulous tour of Colombia for my family including two adult kids in their 20s. Medellin was fascinating and our tour guide Liliana was awesome - very knowledgeable, patient, caring and flexible. Our hotel Sites was very nice and in a lovely, safe neighborhood. Our trip to a local flower finca (farm) was wonderful and we loved shopping in the charming town of Guatape. Senda Watapuy hotel right outside Tyrona National Park was a jungle paradise. Our kids loved the hike to a pretty beach and kayaking a river all the way to the ocean. Then in Cartagena, our guide Isaac was amazing. We loved the old town, making empanadas in our cooking class, and the boat ride in the mangroves was not to be missed.

KimKim provided the drivers to meet me at the airports/hotels/preserves. All were on time. A couple of drivers could speak no English, (and I can speak no Spanish) so that made for interesting rides.

The major problem here was my cell service provider. After getting back home, I contacted them and, hopefully, this problem has been corrected. I had a translator app on my phone but it was useless when not connected to Wi-Fi.

I also had a couple of guides who were just awesome. They were knowledgeable of the areas, bird identification and willing to help/answer all questions. Could not have been a more pleasant interaction with them and their English was very good.

Destinations:
Paramuno Birding-Trail in Monserrate
La Minga Ecolodge
Tinamu Natural Reserve
El Dorado Nature Reserve

The birding at Paramuno Birding-Trail was absolutely amazing. After spending hours here, I’m hoping the other places are as good as this is. They were! It just kept getting better.

At La Minga Ecolodge, after two days here, I was convinced this is the best place for birding. Lina, (Host?) although could speak no English, was just great. (I had Wi-Fi here) The food/preparation was excellent.

The downside here is your shower water is lukewarm at best. They have one of those “Tankless Water Heaters.”

Tinamu
No English spoken here either and Wi-Fi saved the day. The birding is just amazing here and even better if you’re willing to hike.

Sandra, the host, fed us very well and the food/preparation was outstanding. Some of the best soup I’ve ever had.

They do have hot showers here. Definitely my favorite place.

El Dorado
Excellent birding here if you’re into hummingbirds. This is rugged country and not an easy place to get to from Santa Marta. The 4-wheel drive road is long and brutal.

Once in El Dorado, my room to the restaurant (the only two places I could get Wi-Fi) are far apart and all uphill. You either walk a steep trail or catch a ride on a three wheeled contraption provided that you called the restaurant ahead of time. So, a couple of times, I had to walk the trail.

This place also has HOT water.

Once again, the food/preparation was outstanding. I had hot chocolate at other locations but chocolate at this place was the best.

I could not give two locations the top spot so I would rank Tinamu 5 stars for birds AND personnel and El Dorado 4.75 stars for birds. Because of the remoteness of El Dorado, they did not have the personnel but what they did have, they were great also. (Fred, in the restaurant)

Conclusion
I could and will visit these places again but will also be looking for new places to explore.

I don’t know why hot water seems to be a luxury in some locations in Colombia, but each place tells you to use as little hot water as possible.

KimKim did an outstanding job putting an itinerary together for me and I would not hesitate to use their services again. Well done, KimKim, (Michael Gold) well done!

We had a fantastic experience working with Doris Bui. She was very responsive and worked hard to respond to all of our requests. She created just the right balance of tours and free time for us. All five of hour hotels/cruise accommodations were excellent. Our guides, Long, Brian and Thuy were knowledgeable and helpful. We enjoyed meeting them and learning from them about the history of Vietnam and life today. We especially loved the Viet Palace, our cooking class and the visit to the pottery village in Hanoi. Long provided great restaurant recommendations. In Ninh Binh we had a great ride along the river in Tam Coc and enjoyed Brian's tour through the old capital. Thuy was so great in Hoi An sharing her knowledge of the temples and old houses there. Overall it was a great trip.

Hotel Reviews

Emeralda Tam Coc Resort

Well located. Extremely helpful staff and excellent breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Anantara Hoi An Resort

Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province

Beautiful hotel and absolutely stellar breakfast. Location is A++

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai

Unbelievable service at this resort. You will want for nothing....every single request and need is met. THe property is beautiful and the villas are truly luxurious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It's a little far from Hoi An but they do run a shuttle and the cabs are reasonable.

Staff

Top notch service.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amazingly comfortable bed and linens.

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi

Hanoi

Beautiful hotel. Amazing service and food. We stayed in the old part and loved the history and elegance of it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Stellar of the Seas

quảng ninh

Beautiful ship. The size is just perfect and the food is amazing. The chef accommodated every reqeust.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hanoi- Lan Ha Bay - Overnight on Stellar of the Seas cruise

Lan Ha Bay

Stellar of the Seas was fantastic.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi sightseeing

Hanoi

We found the Ethnology museum a little disappointing. Sort of a dry presentation. The line at the Mauseoleum was ridiculously long so we skipped it. Had a great lunch with Long that day.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Explore Thanh Chuong Viet's Palace

Hanoi

Loved this. Really beautiful place and lovely drive into the countryside.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi Cooking Class - Afternoon free

Hanoi

Was alot of fun and interesting to see life in a village. Had fun but might have been better with a group. The woman who did the class was so so lovely and she made delicious food.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Bat Trang Ceramic Village - Afternoon free

Hanoi

Really fun. Unfortunately didn't get to make any pottery due to a strike. Interesting to pop into some of the workshops.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Hoa Lu, Ancient Capital - Tam Coc Boat Trip

Vietnam

The boat trip was gorgeous. Our favorite thing was bike riding to Bich Dong pagoda and then biking around the nearby countryside. Brian was lovely to work with and quite knowledgeable. We really liked the central location of the resort.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Hoi An Ancient Town - Visit Precious Heritage Museum by Réhahn

Hoi An

We walked through Hoi An and visited just a few places with Thuy. She was great. We were really happy to explore the market and the Precious Heritage Museum on our own. The Precious Heritage was an absolute highlight and should not be missed.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Marta prepared a southern Spain (Andalusia) trip for us. She covered everything except airlift--private guided tours, Food tours, transport and hotels. Our expectations were exceeded, particularly with the choice of hotels that they made. I was specific in the type of atmosphere and location that I wanted to stay in each city, and each hotel was better than the other.

The Trip Planner app made staying aware of each days' activities VERY easy. In the past KimKim would just put it in an email. The App makes it available anywhere. PLUS there's an interactive chat feature which allows me to communicate with the agent--this alone made us always feel connected.

There were really no hiccups and I'd recommend using KimKim as I've done several times in the past. They really are local experts and saves you the hassle of fooling around with multiple website and blogs. Recommended.

Hotel Reviews

Only YOU Hotel Malaga

Málaga

Amazing location directly across the street from the Old Town, and next to a large urban park and the marina. Very safe neighborhood. The staff is AMAZING. They were friendly, very attentive, and accommodating. The hotel has great amenities, a phenomenal breakfast (included), and the lobby even has 24hr snacks like drinks, fruit and candy to tide you over. The rooms were spacious, quiet, and cleaned every day. This truly is a great chain of boutique-style accomodations. There is a coin-laundry right behind the hotel, by the way. Recommended.

Authenticity & Character

Charm and elegance of the rooms. Modern amenities throughout.

Location

Right in the old town, and next to a large peaceful urban walking park, the marina, and cafes and restos. Public transport is also right there. And a coin laundry behind the hotel if you need that.

Staff

Friendly, down to earth, understanding.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Palacio de Villapanés

Sevilla

If I could give it six stars I would. The hotel was an old castle or something in the olden days, but it's thoroughly modernized. The rooms we got upgraded to a suite--holy smokes. Unbelievable with living room, bedroom, and large bathroom. This hotel give luxury a new meaning. Breakfast was excellent every morning as well...I mean, it wasn't even a buffet. It's a la carte but you get incredible selection. It's included in our package. Staff was SUPER friendly. Rooftop pool and lounge, with nice views of Seville. Located about 20 min walk to the center of the old town. Lots of charm, character. HIGHLY recommended.

Authenticity & Character

Older legacy building thoroughly modernized, with beautiful decoration and feel.

Location

In the old town, but still about 20 min walk to the center.

Staff

Front desk and porter were always helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleaned rooms every day. The entire hotel was spotless. Felt very comfortable.

Hotel Hospes Palacio del Bailío

Córdoba

A modern, boutique hotel built on top of old Roman ruins that you can see beneath you in the dining room. Great, incredible breakfast. All the amenities in the rooms. Location in the old town--about 10 minute walk to the center. Quiet area, but safe. Room was spacious, cleaned everyday. No air conditioning that I can remember--we just had to open the window and it was cool enough. Beds were very comfortable, plenty of pillows as well. Highly recommended.

Authenticity & Character

I mean--it used to be Roman ruins! How much more authentic do you want!

Location

Nothing really...it's a quiet area of the old town.

Staff

Friendly, accomodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Parador De Cadiz

Cádiz

A modern hotel right on the waterfront, with incredible views, large rooms and wonderful staff. All the amenities you could want in the room. We didn't eat there, since the town is right across the street. Bed was large, comfortable and lots of pillows. They also have a large patio on the top floor with great views. The hotel overlooks a large urban park as well. Great breakfast as well, hot and cold foods. This hotel was luxe--but it didn't feel snobby at all. The Minister of the Interior was using it for a few days to hold a big important conference--that's how luxe this place is. Recommended!!

Authenticity & Character

Very modern and updated. Clean, spacious, well lit.

Location

Right on the water, next to an urban park as well. Close to the old town.

Staff

The front desk and the porter were exceptional.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were cleaned daily, and the lobby and ground meticulous.

Activity Reviews

Tapas Culinary Experience

Málaga

Meeting great other travelers, with the guide Andrea who was so friendly and knowledgeable. You don't really have to walk far to enjoy the SIX different locales we went to savour local tapas and drink. You really do learn about Andalusian cuisine!

Quality of Experience

Food

Discovering Sherry was neat!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked.

Privately Guided Visit of Málaga

Spain

A great tour of Malaga, at a leisurely pace. You get to see all the highlights of the old Towne. The guide really knew her history. Spoke English very well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

No transport--they met at the hotel and we walked.

Private Walking Tour: Mosque & Jewish Quarter

Córdoba

Great guide. Lots of good history knowledge. Guide didn't really focus as in-depth on the Jewish history as I had hoped, but maybe that's just my expectations. The areas we did visit were incredibly. I'd recommend this trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our family of 4 had a turnkey five day adventure to England with the expert planning of Kate! We saw all the sites including the London Tower, London Eye, Windsor, Buckingham Palace, the Borough Market, Warner Brother studios and even snuck in seeing the musical Wicked. Our accommodations were lovely!

Hotel Review

Royal Lancaster Hotel

London

Just fabulous! The service was 5 star, the breakfast was gourmet and our adjoining rooms were perfect for our family of 4.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful neighborhood tucked away.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

The Royal London Tour: Changing of the Guard and More

London

We LOVED our walking tour and were so grateful we were able to learn inside tips and see the changing of the guard up close!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Doris is friendly and replies quickly. We really appreciated all her attentiveness!

My trip to Spain was amazing any questions I had were always answered right away! All my hotels were in perfect locations to see sites. All my tour guides were very knowledgeable and kept it fun as well. It was a seem less process so I could sit back and enjoy the Beauty and history of Spain. I will definitely use kimkim when planning future trips.

The customer service I received from everyone was excellent. All the guides were very friendly and knowledgeable.
I was disappointed in the content of our tour. I specifically asked for a tour centered around the "Percy Jackson" materials, books, movies, TV shows dealing with Greek mythology. I understand it is difficult to separate mythology from history and architecture but the majority of our tours dealt with history and architecture, even religion and geology. It was mostly our first day in Athens that covered mythology. I believe this was just a cookie cutter tour taken off the shelf that focused on Greece's main attractions, there was no customization.
The accommodations were excellent, everything was timed very well but for the very expensive price paid I would have hoped to get what I asked for, a mythology based tour and I did not.

Shonna put together a great short itinerary for Japan. We got a taste of that lovely country! While it was a little bit hectic, we made the most of the short time we were there with her help.

Ecuador has so much to offer- from the sights of Quito- with amazing walking tours and dining experiences, to hiking Cotopaxi volcano, trekking through Diablo waterfall and the beauty of the cloud and rainforests…..and then topped off with the Galápagos Islands. Paola at Authentic Ecuador executed our 2 weeks flawlessly choosing wonderful hotels (GO Hotel and Kuyana Lodge were particular highlights) and paired us with an exceptional guide (Danny was attentive, knowledgable, friendly and anticipated our every need). They ensured that we were well prepared for our upcoming activities and were intuitive about the cadence of our day, ensuring the itinerary fit our needs and preferences perfectly. We experienced great dining, stunning photo ops, and activities that spanned breathtaking hikes, soaks in hot mineral springs and heart stopping swinging out over rocky cliffs! Many thanks to Paola…… From the initial planning process to our last day (where she quickly adjusted to changes in our departure plans) we felt well informed and supported. I will cherish this Ecuadorian experience for years to come!

Our trip to Costa Rica turned out beautifully, in spite of the fact that after we had booked, my husband suffered major injuries that needed discussion and making alterations in our itinerary. We chatted in person with Holden, and he made several tweaks in the planned excursions to suit his limited mobility -at no extra cost to us. All the excursions were well planned and led by knowledgeable and flexible guides. We particularly enjoyed the sloth adventure, the coffee/chocolate tour, the Ecocentre Danaus guided rainforest walk, and Treetopia/tram. The hotels were lovely- all very good choices with restaurants on site and close to other good eateries.
Wilman was our contact once we came close to traveling, and he was very responsive to our questions and needs. He provide links to the GPS routes, along with travel stop suggestions ( all of which we took him up on!)
We chose to rent a car for the week. We would not do that again, as the driving is very stressful when you need to travel away from the main roads, and that is always necessary. Driving on your own in a rented vehicle is not for the faint of heart. The motorcycles and trucks , the potholes, the narrow roads and switchbacks takes away any desire to see the country.
Two caveats- but only because of the change in my husband’s mobility issues. 1) LaMariposa is a lovely resort, but not easily accessible because of the large incline walk to the main building which surrounded the pools, the front office, and the restaurant for breakfast. 2) While the swim holes in The Rainmaker are refreshingly lovely and fun, the trek up is pretty strenuous in the warm humidity. The guides will not allow one to continue if there is any question of abilities to to so.

Hotel Reviews

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Mariposa Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ecocentro Danaus Guided Rainforest Walk (without Transportation)

Arenal/La Fortuna

Big Arenal Mundo Aventura Zipline + Tractor

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Brennon was personable and very helpful

Treetopia Tram & Hanging Bridges Adventure

Monteverde

Sloth Observation - Day or Night Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rainmaker Conservation Park Excursion

Manuel Antonio

Our trip was fabulous on 2 of 3 experiences.
It was just easy and convenient to have someone pick us up from the airport on our first day in a new place.

Our first day City & Food tour with Montserrat was AMAZING. She did a fabulous job of chatting with our teenager in Spanish, adjusting the tour to our own interests, bathroom needs, and hunger levels, and engaging all of us in an introduction to some of the history and the current life of Mexico City. 6 stars out of 5 for this guide and experience.

Our 2nd day tour was where our trip fell off of the rails.
We had booked a nature-oriented introduction to the canals of Xocimilco, according to our trip plan. But what we got was a trip to the party-boat side, and then the tour guide had nothing to offer - no stops, no chatter about what we were seeing, no food & drink. I would not recommend working with that guide or that company. And it was VERY frustrating, since our tour plan had described a different tour. (It sounds like Rene had switched the tour / tour company but hadn't updated the itinerary - but we never would have booked that experience if it was described accurately.)

But then we had a great experience on our bike tour of Teotihuacan. The guiding company did a nice job of mixing the biking with walks around different areas, and the guide was engaging for our whole family (parents and 2 teen boys).

Also throughout, Luz was our day to day contact, and she always made sure that we knew where to go next and how to find our guides, etc.
She wasn't able to help with anything to address our mis-booking of our 2nd day tour, but where she did seem to have accountability she did a nice job of communicating.

Want to start with our trip was fantastic and we had complete confidence in our itinerary and specialist. We knew it was an ambitious trip involving many modes of travel that could be overwhelming but Mathia helped organize and plan everything to perfection. Our trip was flawless and his knowledge and communication was stellar which made us feel at ease for a trip of a lifetime for us. All accommodations made for us met and exceeded our expectations. A lot of thought was put into the location of our accommodations to algin easily with meeting points and distance to travel hubs. We had several "bucket list" items to check off while in Norway and Mathia helped us realize every one of them. From dog sledding to seeing the northern lights, sleeping in an ice castle to hiking Trolltunga, cruising the fjords to a cable car ride for a stunning nigh time view of Tromsø we felt like we were able to do it all with ease.

It was important for us to be able to be independent during our trip and we did not want to be part of a guided tour. KimKim offered the flexibility to plan our own customized adventure and Mathia's careful planning allowed us to travel confidently and experience not only the popular tourist areas of Norway but also the smaller out of the way villages and settings. Mathia was in contact with us daily to ensure we made each of our many travel connections and took a genuine interest in our excursions.

Mathia's extensive knowledge of Norway gave us many opportunities to enjoy first class activities that were 100% tailored to our interests. We went dog sledding in Rorøs with Rorøs Husky where our guide went out of his way to give us an authentic and enjoyable experience. The rorbuer where we stayed in Svolvær gave the traditional feel of the fishing village and the driving tour we took of the Lofoten Islands gave us a rich blend of beautiful scenery combined with the history of the area. Our guide was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and customized our trip to include Henningsvær Stadium after he found out we are avid soccer fans. Even our cable car operator in Tromsø was brimming with friendliness and great advice when he recommended we stop at the cafe rather than wait in the long line to return to the bottom of the mountain. We were able to enjoy the most delicious cinnamon knot we have ever had in the warmth of the cafe with beautiful views of the lighted city below.

The staff at Sorrisniva in Alta were second to none. From the friendly and professional drivers who brought us to and from the resort to the staff that were accommodating and assured we were comfortable.

Lastly, the hike up to Trolltunga was stunningly beautiful and fun as our guides were knowledgeable, professional and entertaining. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with their knowledge and witty humor.

We loved Norway and have such fond and loving memories of this beautifully stunning country. The people of Norway were helpful and friendly, often going out of their way to assist us when ever needed.

Our trip would not have been possible without KimKim's flexible travel plan options or Mathia's extensive knowledge and assistance. We highly recommend KimKim and working with Mathia to anyone wanting to explore and visit Norway.

Hotel Reviews

MS Havila Polaris

Fosnavåg

Newer ship, quiet, comfortable with great views for the observation lounge. Our room was very spacious and comfortable. Overall a relaxing experience with professional and helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Svinøya Rorbuer

Svolvær

Beautiful and stunning location with updated traditional cabins. Delicious breakfast buffet and options. Staff are friendly and professional.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

Great location and walking distance to many attractions and restaurants. Clean, comfortable rooms with a wonderful breakfast .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel

alta

A fun unique experience sleeping in an igloo / ice castle. We enjoyed the resort and staff that were friendly, accommodating and professional. The hot tub was amazing as we enjoyed the warmth of the hot tub in the winter night and watching the northern lights dance above us. Highly recommend a visit and night's stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Trolltunga Hotel

Odda

Incredibly welcoming and accommodating hotel with great restaurant. We arrived late to check in but the very kind woman at the front desk welcomed us and ran to the kitchen to see if we could still order dinner. A few minutes later we were seated in the lounge followed shortly by two very delicious meals. We would have been happy with leftovers as we knew we were inconveniencing the kitchen but the salmon and pork dinners were freshly prepared, perfectly garnished and served by the chef himself. Our room was charming and comfortable where we got a great night sleep before our long hike the next day. Breakfast was healthy, plentiful and served early enough to fit into our schedule. When we returned from our hike of Trolltunga, we celebrated our success with great time spent with the front desk woman where we talked about our respective countries and families. It was very comfortable and warm. Unfortunately we didn't get her name, but we know made a friend and we will remember her kindness and friendliness. Highly recommended.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Busy hotel in the heart of the port of Tromso. Short walk to any public transportation as well as restaurants and pubs. Many excursions pick up directly in front of the hotel. Hotel restaurant was a bit expensive but the service and atmosphere were good. Our room had a beautiful view of the port and cathedral.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bergstadens Hotel

Røros

Great location to walk the cozy downtown area. Despite the small town there were many restaurant options. Breakfast was abundant and delicious with made to order items. Very close to public transportation. Room was clean and comfortable with beautiful views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scandic Alta

Alta

Our late check in was accommodated and our room was comfortable. They did a good job managing the regular guest along with several guests who were in the area for an athletic tournament. The breakfast buffet was abundant with plenty of options. Walking around town was beautiful with tree lined streets, a skating rink, fire pit and cathedral.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Oslo Airport

Gardermoen

Quick stay before catching our flight out of Norway. Clean, spacious room with friendly staff. Easy shuttle transport to and from airport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dogsledding in Røros

Røros

An absolutely amazing adventure with an experienced and knowledgeable guide, Torgeir. Our guide's wife, Mary, assisted us with a smile and quick tutorial. We had the most wonderful time learning how to use and control the sled along with reading the dogs during their exciting running adventure. Our dogs were very determined and excited and we were all smiles as we wove our way up and down hill taking in the beautiful countryside. We stopped for a rest and some snacks and Torgeir shared a warm, mulled fruity drink that was delicious and hit the spot on our pit stop. We returned happy and tired with a great appreciation of our guide's experience and love of the dogs and their excitement for running.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lofoten Highlights - Henningsvær

Svolvær

Our tour of Lofoten Islands was a wonderful and exciting experience. Our guide was knowledgeable, accommodating, funny and friendly. He showed us what he felt was amazing to see and gave us options to choose what we would like to see. We stopped at a beautiful beach, saw the amazing Henningsvær Stadium and magnificent islands of Lofoten. He gave us many insights into the history of the islands and stopped at many beautiful overlooks that we would not have found on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Adventure in Tromsø

Tromsø

What an amazing experience! We left Tromsø in a snowstorm with no expectations of seeing the northern lights. Our driver and guide's optimism and enthusiasm were contagious and we soon found ourselves immersed in her stories and pride in her Sami heritage and history of the northern lights. The hours flew by and soon we were in an open area under a canopy of stars. Soon the lights came streaking across the sky and with her instructions we were able to capture the gorgeous green and pink ribbons in the sky with our cameras. Topped off with delicious cake and hot chocolate we finished our night with more laughs and some quiet reflection before we were dropped off at our hotel.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Winter Hike to Trolltunga

Norway

This hike exceeded our expectations in many ways. As experienced hikers in our home area, we had never done any substantial hiking in another country. The pre-hike meeting put some of our nerves at ease and meeting our guides the next morning helped us feel even more comfortable. They were friendly, knowledgeable, easy going and most of all encouraging. Each of us 4 clients had a struggle at one point or another, but our guides knew what to say, how to help and created a safe and supportive environment that was very necessary on a hike this long. Their senses of humor lightened the mood and helped us focus on having fun. The stunning scenery spoke for itself and we thoroughly enjoyed every mile of our adventure.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overall we had an amazing time in Morocco, in every stop along the way.

Our local specialist Hakim was very thorough in helping us plan our trip and answering all of our questions. I wish that we had gotten to meet in person. Thank you Hakim!

Our driver for the entire trip, Hicham, was kind, on-time(!!), helpful, and easy to talk to. We especially enjoyed his insights into daily life in Morocco, and our visit to his hometown! What a special and memorable experience. Thank you Hicham! We hope to see you again someday!

We enjoyed all of our accommodations very much. Our absolute favorites were Caravane in Ait Ben Haddou (SO beautifully designed and decorated!) and Riad Dar Sara in Marrakesh (again, so relaxing, so cute and beautifully done.) Our least favorite was Perle De La Medina in Fes. The room was large with high ceilings and had all tile and no rugs, which, although it was very spacious, led to it feeling cold/echo-y and not cozy. Also at that same hotel had a negative experience with a porter aggressively asking for extra tip. Otherwise, we really loved all of our accommodations and we commend Kimkim for choosing such reputable places.

All of our walking tour guides were absolutely fabulous. They were knowledgable, friendly, had strong English skills, and took the time to answers our questions thoughtfully. We want to give a special shout-out to Amine in Marrakesh. We thought he went above and beyond, engaging us in meaningful discussion about cultural differences which we appreciated so much.

Timing-wise, everything mostly went very well, given that timing is more flexible in Morocco than we may be used to in the US (and because sunrise times are so late there.) Because we sometimes took longer to drive from place to place than expected, the walking tours often started 1-2+ hours after they were stated to on the original trip plan. We appreciated the walking tour guides' flexibility in working with our arrival time. The only timing mishap occurred on day 5 when we drove from Merzouga to Ait Ben Haddou. We arrived at our hotel only 30 minutes before sunset, and we didn't understand that the hotel would be a 15-20 minute walk to Ait Ben Haddou over some somewhat dificult muddy/unpaved terrain. We had to rush, running to make it to Ait Ben Haddou to photograph and explore for at least a few minutes before sunset. We would have appreciated arriving at Ait Ben Haddou at least an hour earlier so that we could have had more time to explore. (Though, this was partially our fault for not communicating this well enough with our driver.)

Morocco is so incredibly diverse and beautiful and we are so glad we entrusted Kimkim with our travel planning experience. We very much enjoyed the experience of a private tour (just my husband and I) and we are glad that Kimkim was able to craft the perfect trip for us in the time that we had. We wouldn't change anything on our itinerary!

Hotel Reviews

Kenzi Basma Hotel

Casablanca

Simple, clean, well-located close to Hassan II Mosque. Looks like a business hotel--not traditionally-designed like the other hotels. Our room had a burn mark on the rug. Breakfast was great. Was the only hotel we stayed at that did not come with water bottle(s.)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to Hassan II

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Caravane

Ouarzazate

SO BEAUTIFUL. So beautifully designed. So much attention to detail. I especially loved the zellige tiles in the bathroom.

Authenticity & Character

Although I truly appreciate the aforementioned beautifulness, also sometimes the decorations are generically "African" and not really specific to Morocco.

Location

Not far from Ait Ben Haddou kasbah, but be prepared that the walk there is about half on the paved road and half on unpaved, sometimes-muddy path that isn't always clear. It borders a stream and ascends and descends a bit. It took us about 10-15 minutes while rushing, so maybe 20 minutes if not rushing.

Staff

The staff are 9000% amazing at this hotel. Kind, attentive, friendly, really go the extra mile.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Only one thing: The shower didn't drain well so we had to stop the water every minute or so to let it drain before starting the water again.

Hotel & Spa Dar Sara

Marrakech

Amazingly beautiful, well-located, kind staff. Amazing place.

Authenticity & Character

Like some of the our other riads, it seems like this riad was made out of a historic house. This one has everything updated so that it retains its beautiful character but looks new at the same time. The courtyards in particular are gorgeous, light-filled with orange and lemon trees and gorgeous tilework in a green color.

Location

Close to Bab Doukkala and just a few minutes' walk from the main locations of the medina.

Staff

All of the staff here were so accommodating and kind. They let us have a late breakfast and a late check-out on the day of our departure.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dar Meziana

Chefchaouene

So cute!!! Great location in the heart of the medina. Very kind staff. The rooms are beautiful albeit quite small/cozy. We especially loved the shower in this hotel--it's in its own little elevated niche. Very cute and functional. Breakfast is one of the best of any hotel we stayed at.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad La Perle De La Médina

Fès

Authentic, beautifully-decorated. Breakfast is on a top-floor terrace which is beautiful and nice. The rooms are quite large, which is good, but also they can feel a bit sterile and echo-y being so large with only tile and without any rugs. The shower was beautiful here too but there was no way to avoid splashing water all over the nearby bathroom floor.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

In particular, we paid one porter 20 dirhams for carrying our backpacks for 1 minute (which we easily could have done ourselves but he took them before we had the chance to decline) and after paying him, he asked for more. We thought that 20 dirhams was more than fair and didn't think it reasonable that he ask for more.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Madu Desert Camps

Merzouga

It is AMAZING that they can get plumbing and electrical in the middle of the desert!!!! This place has a flush toilet, a working shower (water was just lukewarm), and a place to charge your phone (you just need to unplug the bedside lamp.) All of the mattresses in Morocco were pretty hard but this place was the hardest of all, haha. Oh and the room was heated! Amazing! This room was cozy and comfortable and made a great respite in the middle of the desert.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It's right amongst the Erg Chebbi dunes!

Staff

So impressed with their multilingualism (as I am with all staff in Morocco.)

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Fes to Merzouga Sunset Camel Ride and Overnight in the Desert via Ifrane, Azrou, Midelt & Erfoud

Morocco

The camel ride is a lot of fun! It is a bit lurch-y so just be prepared for some motion as the camel plods along, it is not completely smooth.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Guided Tour in Chefchaouen

Morocco

We loved our tour guide Baba! He was like a local celebrity, saying hi to everyone he passed. Chefchaouen is our favorite place we visited, with so many beautiful spots to take pictures, and Baba actually took some great pictures of us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazing trip to Thailand facilitated by Kimkim. Guides were friendly, knowledgeable and flexible. Everything we asked was taken care of. Would definitely recommend!

This was our third trip with KimKim, and we cannot say enough positive things about our previous experiences in Costa Rica and Peru. Unfortunately, our trip to Portugal and Spain did not meet the same standard of quality. Given the total cost of $7,885, we expected a much higher level of service and organization.

Coraima was easy to communicate with and thoroughly reviewed our itinerary. However, as she is based in California rather than Spain or Portugal, she was unable to assist effectively when issues arose. We were also informed that we would have a local contact, Summer, to address any on-the-ground questions. However, we later discovered that Summer resides in Amsterdam and not in Portugal or Spain. One of the core selling points of KimKim is the promise of working with local experts who have in-depth knowledge of the destination, and this discrepancy was deeply disappointing.

Lisbon:
Hotel AlmaLusa was in a convenient location with a wonderful staff. We especially appreciated the thoughtful parting gifts of locally made soaps.

The food tour was satisfactory but did not meet the standard of previous food tours we have taken in other cities. For instance, in Lima, we were given demonstrations on how the dishes were prepared at three different locations, which added depth and engagement that this tour lacked.

The half-day trip to Sintra was another point of contention. The itinerary suggested a comprehensive exploration of key sites, including Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira, and the historical center. The listing, combined with an image captioned "Private Half Day Trip to Sintra," implied that we would visit all these locations. However, our guide informed us that he could not take us to both the Palace and Quinta da Regaleira due to a prior commitment at 2:00 PM. If we wanted to visit Quinta da Regaleira, we would need to find our own way back via Uber after he dropped us off at the gate. We had to personally cover the entrance fee and the cost of the Uber, which should be reimbursed as these expenses were not communicated in advance. The itinerary was misleading and did not accurately reflect the services provided.

The transfer from Lisbon to Lagos proceeded without any issues.

Lagos: While we appreciated Bluefeet Rib boat company contacting us to adjust our tour time due to weather, it was frustrating that I had to personally attempt to contact the driver to arrange an earlier pick-up. Despite messaging via WhatsApp, I received no response. For the price of this trip, we expected better coordination without having to manage logistics ourselves.

The Lagos Avenida Hotel posed significant issues. The bathroom design was particularly problematic—when entering the room, you were immediately in the bathroom area. The sink was located approximately three feet from the bed, making it disruptive to use during the night. The toilet was enclosed in glass with a swinging door, offering little privacy and amplifying sound. Additionally, the room was uncomfortably hot at night.

Seville:
The transfer from Lagos to Seville was smooth, and we enjoyed the company of our driver. Las Casas de la Juderia was a pleasant hotel in a convenient location. However, on our second night, the guests in the room above us engaged in a loud and prolonged argument. After enduring the noise for an hour, we had to contact the front desk to intervene.

Our history and culture walk with Rosa was a highlight. She had an engaging personality, spoke excellent English, and provided an insightful tour. In contrast, our Cathedral and Alcazar tour with Cristina was underwhelming, as we found her presentation style difficult to follow and not engaging.

The Flamenco show was a delightful experience. The six performers exhibited wonderful chemistry, and we thoroughly enjoyed their performance.

Return to Lisbon:
Our flight from Seville to Lisbon was stressful due to unclear documentation. Unlike our experience in Peru, where the driver escorted us into the airport and guided us through the check-in process, we were simply dropped off and left to navigate on our own. This lack of support was confusing and added unnecessary anxiety.

The final and most frustrating issue occurred when our driver failed to pick us up for our transfer to the airport. Despite multiple calls and messages, there was no response, forcing us to book an Uber at our own expense. Given the stress and inconvenience this caused, we believe we should be reimbursed for this transfer.

In summary, this trip fell far short of the exceptional experiences we previously had with KimKim. The lack of local expertise, poor communication, and several logistical failures made this the most disappointing vacation we have ever taken. For a trip costing nearly $8,000, we expected far better service and support throughout the journey.

Hotel Reviews

Lagos Avenida Hotel

Lagos

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Put in a proper bathroom

Las Casas de la Judería

Seville

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Portuguese Food Walk

Lisbon

The food tour was satisfactory but did not meet the standard of previous food tours we have taken in other cities. For instance, in Lima, we were given demonstrations on how the dishes were prepared at three different locations, which added depth and engagement that this tour lacked.

My family just returned from 8 days of fun filled trip from Costa Rica. Thanks for Gustavo and Greg, the trip was a success. Gustavo planned an itinerary to accommodate all of our wants and wishes. Greg was there to attend to all of the travel logistics. Both Gustavo and Greg were attentive, responsive and met all of our needs through out the trip.

Our trip started out on a bad note with one of our traveler pulling out at the last second, and a missed connection flight due to American Airline mechanical issues. We ended up missing our first full day of white water rafting due to the flight delay. Greg responded to my email immediately, assured us that everything was going to be OK, and took care of all the changes necessary to continue our trip in Costa Rica. Fortunately, the rest of our trip continued without a glitch. The Arenal Volcano hike, La Fortuna waterfall, the night hike, Cloud forest, Tree top dining experience, and Manuel Antonio National Park were all as amazing as we imagined.

Needless to say, we can't thank Gustavo and Greg enough for a job well done. We will not hesitate to use them again for our trips.

Hotel Reviews

Lost Iguana Resort & Spa

Fortuna

Beautiful surrounding and friendly staff. The rooms were perfect for family vacations. The room backed up to the Arenal Volcano, giving us an awesome view every morning. The restaurant on site was good and we really enjoyed our meal there. The more remote location of the resort allowed us to feel disconnected from the daily hustle and bustle of the world. But it was difficult to go out to eat without taking a taxi.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cala Lodge

Monteverde

This was a nice older resort than some of the other ones we stayed at. However, it was full of character and charm. The staff were friendly and helpful. Our rooms were clean and comfortable. There was a nice short hike on site. We saw a variety of birds just from the outdoor deck. The lodge was located close enough to town that we were able to walk to restaurants in the evening. However, it was also far enough from town that we always woke up to the sound of the forest.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Best Western Hotel & Casino Kamuk

Quepos

pretty standard Best Western Hotel. It was clean and overall comfortable. It was located in the center al Quepos, as we wanted to experience the local life. While it was extremely easy to walk around, see the various shops, marina and the ocean, the noise from the constant traffic was quite an adjustment.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Presidente

San José

nicely located in San Jose. We were able to walk around and do a self guided tour of San Jose. The room was quite small,, just enough to fit 2 queen size beds. But really that was all we needed for the one night stay prior to our departure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Waterfall & Volcano Hiking Adventure with Lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

nice experience with our guide Bernardo. He was very knowledgeable and always willing to answer questions.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private: Nocturnal Frog Excursion & Traditional Costa Rican Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our guide Diego was a wonderful guide with excellent knowledge relevant to the excursion. He was very friendly, and always willing to answer any questions. He was able to locate 6-7 differently species of frogs and toads. We even saw a Costa Rican tree porcupine. the evening traditional Costa Rican dinner was delicious. The entire experience was wonderful.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Treetop Dining Experience with Wine Pairing

Monteverde

This was definitely the highlight of our trip. This was not just dinner in a stunning setting of glass tree top room. It was an entire experience that our family would not forget for a time. From the moment we arrived the restaurant, we were greeted by professional and knowledgeable staff. The restaurant must having ordered up the most incredible sunset for the evening. every course of the meal represented a region in Costa Rica, and this was explained in detail by out waiter. The wine pairing just added to the incredible flavor of each course. Overall, this was a once in a lifetime experience not to be missed if your budget allows for this excursion.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This is our second time traveling with Kim Kim and it won’t be our last. I had planned and booked out a trip with Angelica and then 10 days before our trip. My husband broke his foot. We still wanted to travel, but suddenly all the hiking around for a walking tourist seemed problematic. I contacted Angelica and she moved around an entire week of complicated logistics so that my husband could have a more comfortable time. We really appreciate it.

The sweet home hotel in Athens was clean and comfortable. It has absolutely outstanding breakfast. We enjoyed all our tours and driving excursions. We were especially surprised by how magnificent Delphi was. Somehow we hadn’t wrapped our minds around it beforehand, and we found it absolutely thrilling to be there.

Overall we were delighted with our adventures with our teens in Athens and definitely recommend Kimkim

Structured Planning: While I used to plan my own travel, Sangita helped to narrow down my options by getting to know my budget and preferences. Her advice and tips saved me a lot of my planning time. Sangita also sends out preparations and packing reminders prior to the trip, and her broader team stayed in contact with me throughout my trekking trip.

Speedy Response: It was a bonus when Sangita always respond within 24 hours. She was able to make adjustments when my schedule changes. I particularly appreciated an additional activity booking after I arrived in Nepal. Sangita and her team could take an extra mile to ensure guests get the most out of visiting their country.

Personalized and Detailed Advice: Many guidebooks, blogs and YouTube channels would showcase where to visit in Nepal. With a personal travel advisor like Sangita, she and her team were able to advise where to prioritize after knowing your interests and experiences.

Welcoming Hospitality by Team: I much enjoy meeting Sangita and her team in person while in Nepal (I did not expect such personalized follow through). It was a lovely cross cultural experience from a warm welcome at the airport, trekking briefing, a short walk to the market, cooking class at her office and a lovely farewell lunch to wrap up the trip. Sangita has long working partnerships with her local guides and drivers. You know you are in good hands booking your Nepal trip with Sangita.