Kimkim Trip Reviews

Fez Marrakesh and Essoiria most memorable. Driver ,Fez guide and Food guide in Marrakesh were great. Tents and camps in Sahara were miserable but hotel there was excellent. Probably we should have been notified Ramadan would mean many things closed. No other concerns. Great trip

Camila did a fantastic job of putting together an unusual itinerary in a very short period of time.

She listened to my feedback and incorporated it while giving her perspective when I had questions as a first time traveler to Bolivia.

The highlights were hiking up Volcán Tunupa near Uyuni with Juli and Doli and staying in Santiago de Okola and doing an amazing guided plant medicine walk with Victor, Naira, and Arturo. Aymara and Quechua language lessons on the fly were an amazing gift to receive. Everyone I met was generous with themselves and their insights and the interaction between the La Paz based guides and the local guides was a joy to witness. There was a lot of learning and sharing all around!

Our trip was a relatively short visit to the Amalfi Coast for our son and daughter-in-law's wedding. We had specific constraints on arrival and departure dates and events we needed to attend. We also had some free time we wanted to occupy with special tours and experiences, and we needed transport between the various appointments. Deborah Boarolo was exceedingly helpful in guiding us to prepare a trip plan that provided everything we were looking for. When we arrived in Naples, we were met with our local concierge, Debora (Debz) Rimonti and our first driver to get comfortably transferred from the airport to our first hotel. During our stay, Debz was very helpful whenever we had questions or needed to make minor changes to the timing of our plans. Our first full day in Naples included a walking tour of the city with local guide Sonia (unfortunately I don't recall her last name), which was an excellent way to learn some of the history of this vibrant city. Each of our local drivers were extremely punctual, professional, and also provided interesting information of the area. Overall, we had an excellent experience in Naples and the Amalfi Coast, and we credit the Kim Kim team with making that happen.

Hotel Reviews

Santa Chiara Boutique Hotel Naples

Naples

We loved staying at the Santa Chiara Boutique Hotel in Naples. The hotel was located in the heart of the old city, with narrow, cobblestone streets and old buildings. The staff was super friendly and attentive, and the room was comfortable and enjoyable. This hotel had a feeling like it was run by a small family, which made it feel intimate and personal.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Corallo

Sorrento

Our stay at Hotel Corallo on the Amalfi Coast was a bit of a mixed experience. While the staff was attentive and the hotel was more polished and formal, our room was quite small and the towels looked old and thin. The breakfast selection was large and enjoyable, but we're not sure if we would return to this hotel in the future.

Authenticity & Character

More polished and formal hotel

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Street Food Tour in Naples

Italy

We loved our street food tour in Naples with our local guide, Sonia. She did a great job taking us down various streets and explaining the history of the area. We found this activity to be really engaging and enjoyable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Group pizza making class

Italy

Our group pizza making class was entertaining and informative. We learned about the best ingredients and techniques for making pizza, and even made our own dough. The dinner afterward was delicious and the company was great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit of the Amalfi Coast villages with wine tasting and lunch at Tenuta di San Francesco

Italy

Our visit to the Amalfi Coast villages and wine tasting at Tenuta di San Francesco was excellent. It was fun to climb up into the mountains and visit the old winery. The lunch prepared by the family was delicious, and the tour of the vineyard and winery afterward was a great experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lemon Grove- Mozzarella Farm in Sorrento area

Italy

Our food tour in Sorrento was a highlight of our trip. We visited a lemon grove, cheese making farm, and enjoyed an oil tasting and limoncello tasting. The only downside was an unexpected encounter with a cat at the cheese-making portion of the tour, which caused some allergy issues.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Italy was amazing! The tours setup by Chiara were great. All the tour guides knew a lot of information and the small groups were perfect. It was so nice to not be in a huge tour group. We had a great mix of scheduled tours and time to explore the cities ourselves. It was also easy to reach Storywalking when we were late for one of our tours. The hotels Chiara picked were beautiful as well! Overall it was a great trip, and having someone knowledgeable plan it made it less stressful and I could just enjoy it!

Maria was fantastic! She was patient and accommodating as we fine tuned the details of our trip to pure perfection! Everything was luxurious just like we wanted! No detail
Was missed. Highly recommend

Activity Reviews

Full Day Tour: Positano, Amalfi & Ravello

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exclusive Capri Boat Tour from Sorrento

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We purchased a costumed designed independent trip to Australia with Springboard Vacations, and we ended up having great vacations on April 2023. We have to thank their trip specialist, Connie, with whom we started communicating in late Dec. 2022. Connie worked with us for over three months prior and during our trip, clearly understood our priorities and wants, and ensured that our two weeks filled with activity and tours-cations in Melbourne, Uluru, Cairns and Sydney would be unforgettable. Overall, I will work with Connie again if we plan other trips to destinations covered in her portfolio. Springboard Vacations, can certainly create good travel packages to please any traveler, and at good price.

Overall experience with tours included in our itnerary per our requests and interests: Very satisfied 5/5
Also, all of our tour guides were knowledgeable and courteous. We were glad that with a customed designed trip option, we went to the specific locations and attractions that we were interested in, joining different small groups and being more independent.

Melbourne:
• Great Ocean Road Day Trip- great full day tour with multiple stops including various National Parks)
• Adventure Philip Island & Penguin Parade Excursion - First stop was at the Moonlit Sanctuary Conservation Park where we enjoyed seeing koalas, and feeding/petting wallabies and kangaroos, and the last stop was the super amazing treat by over 1400 small penguins that got out of the sea and paraded in front of us on their way to their burrows; I really recommend this tour and an upgrade to the Penguins Plus option seating.
• Morning Lanes and Arcades Tour - 3 hour tour was very educational and enjoyable.
• Note: We had 1.5 free days in Melbourne to visit museums, gardens and other points of interest. We highly recommend some free time for these activities.

Uluru:
• Kata Tjuta & Sunset Over Uluru tour- a few hours tour to enjoy very pretty views of the big rock
• Sunrise Over Uluru Culture and Sightseeing tour - very enjoyable sunrise with colorful views, and a good hike that brought us close to the huge rock formations.
• Sunrise Field of Light Tour is a good exhibit with good natural backgrounds (sunset option is available)

Cairns:
• Full-Day Marine World Outer Great Barrier Reef – this was priceless to us, as we spent approx. 2 hours each in the morning and afternoon snorkeling in two different coral reef areas with very abundant sea life. On board, we purchased the bio-snorkeling 30 min tour that led us to about ½ dozen spots where we saw (otherwise have probably missed), and learned about clams and some fish and coral species.
• Note: On our free day we enjoyed a morning on the boardwalk area, and the afternoon was awesome too, as one of us went to the Botanical Gardens and Tanks Art Exhibit, and the other one went white water rafting.
• We wished that we would have spent a third day in Cairns to spent another outer Great Barrier Reef snorkeling.

Sydney
• Sydney Opera House 1 hour tour was very informative, and at the end we bought tickets for a night performance which was worthy.
• Morning Panoramic Sydney Sights tour (informative 3 hours drive around the city and to Bondi Beach)
• Afternoon ferry ride that took us to the Taronga Zoo – excellent with a wide variety of local birds, koalas kangaroos, dingo dogs and many more interesting/exotic animals.
• Full Day Blue Mountains Deluxe Day – we first stopped at a farm for about 1.5 hrs to pet a koala, watch many kangaroos, wallabies and emus, and then we arrived at the National Park where we enjoyed the views at different stop points, a 2 mile hike, and its garden.
• Note: We had free time in Sydney to walk on the bridge across the Harbour, go for the Saturday Night fireworks on Darling Harbour, do a little shopping, and eating at various restaurants of choice. We wished that we had a free full day to visit museums and gardens around Sydney.

Transportation from/to all airports: Very satisfied
Transportation was consistently excellent: On time, top notch and vehicles, and the drivers were friendly and respectful.

Hotels: Very satisfied.
Mantra on Russell, Melbourne: Good option because location of hotel was convenient, e.g., close to free light rail, to lots of stores and good restaurants in the predominately chinese area. The room appeared to have been recently remodeled, it was well appointed, super clean and with all desired ammenities (including a kitchenette). I enjoyed the swimming pool too. Good service. 

Desert Garden Hotel, Uluru: Great option
It was super close to the "town square" of the hotel, there is a small but well appointed grocery store, free laundry facilities (dryer/washer), many stores and restaurants (very good food), and opportunity for various presentations and for walking around hotel between tours to the National Parks. All tour companies covering the area have representatives in an office in the "town square", so if necessary, we could ask detailed questions about tours in our itinerary. Good service. 

Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside: Very satisfied with this hotel
Very good location with access to boardwalk and restaurants. Pretty lobby, gardens and restaurants and the large room was clean. Breakfast was good too. Good service.

Mantra, Sydney: Excellent a 6 out of 5 if possible to rate it that way.
Location is to die for, with the light rail station being in front of the hotel. Hotel is surrounded by malls, stores, grocery stores, many restaurants and within walking distance of key tourist locations as you described in our itinerary. The hotel was very clean, the suites are very well appointed, and it was great to have a washer/dryer in our suite. Very good service with friendly and helpful personnel. On two out of the three mornings during our stay in the hotel, we had to leave prior to their small restaurant being opened for breakfast at 7:00 AM; the chef prepared us to go breakfast boxes with delicious/good content on the first day with less than 30 minutes of my request when he had just arrived, and appeared to have a semi-ready to go box on the second day, as he handed them to us at his official start time of 6:30 AM.

My wife and I just completed a 3 week trip throughout Spain. Dalia curated a fantastic experience for us, which
started in the planning phase. She took great care to understand what our interests and favorite types of activities were. She drafted an itinerary. Through our many conversations she continued to refine it until it was perfect.
We traveled to Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba, Sevilla, Granada, Mallorca, and Barcelona. The transportation that Dalia arranged was flawless. From private drivers, to trains, car rental and inter-country flights, everything was coordinated and timed perfectly. Dalia was available throughout the trip on What's Ap to help with any questions, restaurant recommendations, etc. We had private guides throughout. They were uniformly excellent and had a great depth of knowledge about the sites that we visited. Some of the highlights included the Prado Museum, the Montilla olive oil & wine region day trip, the Sevilla Tapas & Flamenco Evening Tour, the Iberian Ham experience in Aracena Natural Park, the island of Mallorca, a Market Tour + Cooking Class in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona, and a walking city tour of Gaudi's masterpiece, the Sagrada Famila.
We requested small boutique hotels rather than the large commercial ones. We particularly enjoyed the Hotel Casa Del Poeta in Sevilla and the Cap Rocat in Mallorca.

We have travel throughout the world. This was one of our best trips ever. Thanks Dalia. Thanks Just Explore.

I have nothing but great things to say about Guatemala! Eduardo made the itinerary to fit my needs and interests, and even adjusted it as needed! Luis, my tour guide all week, made my experience one to remember as a solo traveler. He was passionate about his home but also so open to welcoming me to it. I didn’t have nearly enough time to see as much of this beautiful place as I wanted, but I definitely believe Lake Atitlan is a MUST SEE in Guatemala. I hope to be back to see the northern regions!

Herve planned an amazing trip for us in Patagonia. He did not miss a detail and checked on us throughout our trip. Everything was perfect! We will use kimkim again!

Activity Reviews

Nativo Experience: 4x4 tour to the footsteps of indigenous people

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pioneros Experience: Estancia Visit & Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

This was our collective favorite tour of the 10 day trip. I highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All of our guides were very knowledgeable and personable and really helped us get a much deeper understanding of the history and culture of Turkey. We had a lot of places we wanted to see in a short time (Istanbul, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Cappadocia), but Berat and the team made it all run so smoothly (which was not easy because we took a lot of domestic flights) and helped take off a lot of the stress. All the places we saw were amazing, but we were blown away by Cappadocia! It was truly incredible to see the churches/monasteries and the underground city. And we were really lucky the weather held out so we could go on the hot air balloon ride. We enjoyed our hotel in Sirince the most (Nisanyan House) because it felt the most like a home and the setting in the mountains was so quiet and peaceful. The homemade breakfast was such a treat too! We are grateful Berat recommended this place! We would not recommend the hotel where we stayed at Hierapolis - one of us got bitten by a lot of bugs in the bed. Overall however, we were very pleased with our boutique hotel accommodations throughout the trip because they added a special touch to our trip. Turkey should definitely be on your bucket list, and we recommend experiencing it through Kimkim!

Hotel Reviews

Nisanyan Houses

Selçuk

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gül Konaklari Sinasos (Rose Mansions Sinasos)

Nevsehir

Authenticity & Character

Location

I think next time we would have stayed in one of the slightly bigger towns nearby

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pam Thermal Hotel

Pamukkale/Denizli

Authenticity & Character

Full of lots of other tourists

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

One of us got bit by bugs

Ansen Suites

Istanbul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Only thing is it was pretty loud into the night on a saturday night because it seems like a party district

Staff

Served us tea while we waited for our room

Cleanliness & Comfort

Recital Hotel

Istanbul

Authenticity & Character

Location

Could walk to the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Avanos: Discover the Centuries-Old Ceramic Tradition

Cappadocia

We really enjoyed our lunch in a little hut over the river in the Love Valley! Beautiful place for a quiet stroll too. Might skip the Ceramic Tradition as everything they were selling was beautiful but too expensive.

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide here was really funny and also really knowledgeable!

Visiting Göreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage)

Cappadocia

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

Hot Air Balloon Tour at Sunrise

Cappadocia

There are two groups of hot air balloons that go up and I would try to ask for the earlier one if possible so you can actually see the sunrise from the balloon! We went up a bit later so we missed the sunrise by a bit.

Kaymaklı Underground City + Light Hiking at Ihlara Valley + Selime Monastery

Cappadocia

Visit to Ephesus Archaeological Museum + House of Virgin Mary

Turkey

Pamukkale and Hierapolis

Pamukkale

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Public Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Whirling Dervish Ceremony at Saruhan Caravansarai

Turkey

Incredible setting! Interesting opportunity to understand more about this religious tradition, though some travelers might find the performance a bit long.

Great trip. Thanks to Amandine for adjusting our plans at the last minute. Debt of gratitude for your help. Thanks.

In planning for our trip (interrupted by covid) the Spaintop consultants (Sylvia and the Joël) helped us to put together a most memorable experience in Spain and Portugal.
Our journey started with a train to Léon where the hotel was in the main square. Two great days during the Easter festivals. Then onto Santander via Picos de Europa which was amazing. Our guide Alejandra and driver Jorge were friendly and knowledgeable. We also had Mercedes take us on a foot and wine trip - the winery was definitely a highlight.
On to San Sebastián, via Balboa and the Guggenheim, again a very nice hotel and our San Sebastián guide, Amaya, took us on a memorable Tapas journey.
Barcelona was next `after a short flight. We were picked up at the airport by another very nice driver. The hotel staff were very friendly and were quite happy to look after our bags - we had arrived to early. A small group tour of Barcelona which included a quick entry into the Sagrada Familia.
The visit to Cordoba was also interesting including a tour of the Mesquita with a knowledgeable guide who firstly showed us some of the historical parts of the town.
Sevilla by train, again a very nice hotel. Our guide, Juan, new his stuff as he showed us around the historical parts and recommended our lunchtime restaurant.
The next part was a tour of the white villages to Ronda by our guide Alfredo - a really great guide - who explained about the villages.
Alfredo also was our guide a day later for the Caminito Del Rey - a truly fantastic walk. Again his knowledge and insights were really good.
Granada was our next stop and again a very knowledgeable guide for the Alhambra.
Malaga was next - great hotel and used the hop on hop off bus to get a good overview.
In Lisbon our guide was Cristina who showed us around the historical centre and into the Aflame district. She also made sure that we had a table at a little restaurant for lunch.
We also stayed in the Douro Valley where the hotel was idyllic.
In Porto we met Joana who took us on a lovely tour (in the rain!) to finish in a wonderful little restaurant.

Overall the efforts of SpainTop have been excellent.
We had a wonderful journey that went without hitches.
I would certainly recommend them and personally would use them again.

We had planned our trip before the COVID -19 happened. We were one week from our departure when the lockdowns were announced globally. Fast forward three years,we finally managed to visit the beautiful Argentina. The team during these three years was extremely cooperative.
Special call out to our local specialist,Emilce. She accomodated us at a very short notice. Her suggestions were excellent and the selection of the hotels was super. Everything was meticulously planned and we take back the most amazing memories from the trip with us.
Many many thanks to the entire team for doing such a great job.

Miryam,Romina,Fernando, RodriguezJr.,Franko(it's a crime to be vegetarian in Argentina) we found plenty of options though. I am forgetting some names here though I would like to thank everyone who helped us make this trip,it was booked pre pandemic and we took it in 2023! Our initial coordinator Virginia and our next one Emi very very helpful. Liked the choice of hotels. Ushuia tops the list!! What views from the view top.

Hotel Reviews

Alto Andino Hotel

Ushuaia

Lovely receptionist and warm rooms

Authenticity & Character

The reception really is warm and friendly The heating in the rooms is topclass

Location

The view top is amazing

Staff

They were in love with their jobs

Cleanliness & Comfort

Heating was amazing

Hotel Lunajuim

El Chalten

Lovely location

Authenticity & Character

It is an older hotel with slightly frayed edges which is maintained and doesn't try to hide that it is an older property

Location

Its a small town ,hotel is right in the middle of it

Staff

They lent wme their walking sticks! The ones I rented were slightly difficult

Cleanliness & Comfort

It is an older hotel with older amenities

Hotel Sierra Nevada

El Calafate

Authenticity & Character

Location

Centrally located, what we had asked for

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Again very friendly

Hotel Loi Suites Esmeralda

Buenos Aires

Very centrally located oall the downtown buzz,also an older property,with it's quirks. Plus weekends are party time,so not suitable for people looking for peace and quite. It met our needs everything we needed was a walkable distance

Authenticity & Character

Residential area with restaurants outside

Staff

Marit the lady at reception was very aware of the work and was a solution finder

Cleanliness & Comfort

As mentioned it is an older property, very clean

Hotel Merit Iguazú

Puerto Iguazú, Misiones

Lovely hotel in the old part of town, very clean and lively decor.

Authenticity & Character

It was nice without being themed to the destination

Location

We wanted to be nit so far and things at walkable distances

Staff

I forgot to pack my umbrella, the hotel manager lent his personal one! Also we arrived before check in time they accommodated us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

They cleaned all the time because I guess of the weather and the amount of rain

Activity Reviews

Tierra del Fuego National Park (Half day visit) 🌲🌿

Ushuaia

The first views took my breathe away! It really is like walking into something sacred.

Quality of Experience

As I said it's a special space, you have to experience it yourself to feel how the place speaks to you.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The drivers were very good,the guides knowledgeable,barring the penguin hiccup.

Transport

Perito Moreno Glacier Excursion 🗻

El Calafate

It's a lively expedition. I felt like an explorer.

Quality of Experience

A healthy glacier. Need I say more

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Neighborhoods Tour

Buenos Aires

A lady on our toye got her phone stolen, nit only did she chase the their down with the help of locals, the tur guide, stayed with her for the process and arranged a substitute guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Niko was very helpful to the lady whose phone got stolen, Rominafinished the tour for us who didn't muss a beat.

Transport

The driver was very good and tried informing us of all the happening with the police and lady along Niko. Very sweetly in Spanish .

San Antonio de Areco & Estancia el Ombu

Buenos Aires

Just do it for the horses!!!They are beautifully kept and pampered to death I think. Such well behaved ones too. Oh! I can go on. I am a city dweller,chances like these don't come very often in my neck of woods. The last show with Brian and his horse,their bond is to be seen to be believed.

Quality of Experience

It is a working ranch, though these days tour like ours must bring revenue too, it really felt like a open air very posh picnic with lively gaucho music,singing and dance

Food

We are vegetarians! They knew it be f ore hand and the food prepared accordingly, while not a 10 course meals feasted by meat eaters, it was well thought out.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I mean the singers and the couple with their adorable boy, God bless the family. The little one was singing and dancing too.

Transport

Well managed and executed

Argentinean Falls - Full day

Puerto Iguazú

This was an outstanding tour

Quality of Experience

I mean it's a natural phenomenon

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rodriguez Jr was very knowledgeable and knted out things of interest to lay person like me which encouraged me to ask more questions

Transport

Lovely drivers accommodative of requests

Thank you for organizing such a great trip to Bhutan for us! We spent five amazing days in this beautiful country, so rich in nature, culture and tradition. It was truly fascinating to learn how strong the belief and conviction of the power of compassion and kindness is embedded in the Bhutanese people. We could not be happier with our local guide (Tashi) and driver (forgot his name unfortunately)! They were so patient, kind and service minded. Our guide was full of knowledge, which he convened to us in a great way. He also did everything in his power to make sure that we had a good time. Overall, a great experience! There were many highlights during this trip, but the very best was the hike to the Tigernest Monastary (Thaktshang Goenba), which offered amazing views of the Bhutanese landscape as well as the fascinating monastary itself! A truly memorable journey <3

Service provided by local specialist: Outstanding!
I wanted to give my husband a surprise vacation to Belize, a gift for his 36 year retirement celebration (we've never been) I chose KimKim as a starting point and was assigned to Columbus Guatemala Travel. I worked with Catharina, she helped me plan a 10 day trip. I expressed to her that I wanted to spend half of our time doing land excursions and the other half doing water activities. I also was very certain on what type of accommodations I wanted , as well as preferring private tours over group tours. Long story short- our trip was amazing! We spent 5 days in the Cayo district at a mountain jungle ridge resort- then transferred 3 hours away to the peninsula coast and spent the remainder of our time. Renee our personal tour guide in the Cayo district was awesome, he was very thoughtful and really tried to tailor the experience to what was important to us. We had different guides at the coast and all were very friendly and professional. While abroad we had 24 hour access to Catharina and her team- and when an urgent situation arose in the middle of our trip I reached out to her and within a few hours the situation was resolved and we were able to continue with our vacation.

Hotel Reviews

Blancaneaux Lodge

Amazing, I highly recommend the Honeymoon Hut with plunge pool over looking the forest mountain ridge (Hut 12) No Television, No Air Conditioner- I never missed either! We really connected with the vibe, so relaxed, so tropical, so unique, so beautiful!

Authenticity & Character

Loved the cultural influence in all the decor

Location

Felt like I stepped into a tropical daydream

Staff

Staff provided excellent service with a smile- everyone made a point to know/remember our names and what we liked (food, beverage,snacks and services)

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean!

The Placencia Muy'Ono Resort

Let me first say....I chose this resort, I stayed here 1 night- the next morning being very distraught ...spoke to Catharina about the condition of this place- she jumped into action! she immediately , set up our transfer driver, and booked us into the Turtle Inn Lodge ( another Francis Ford Coppola Resort) where we finished out the rest of our amazing Belize adventure! The Placencia Muy'O Resort is NOT as advertised- Not a 4 or 5 star resort- Think more along the lines of a timeshare resort with deferred maintenance throughout the resort and including the room I booked . I chose Placencia Muy'Ono Resort based on the advertised pictures (chose ocean view king size bed rm 221) -Upon arrival we noticed the beach was beautiful and the pool seemed really nice. However our room wasn't ready for us so we hung out a little and walked around. We began to notice all the missing tile around the pool sitting area, cracked /broken tiles along pathways and stairs- broken or missing ground lights (and the kicker) we went to see the organic garden , that was actually a weed patch. -Room: worn old furniture, stained light shades, water damage stain on up-wall near ceiling, stains running under a/c, hole in balcony ceiling , open electrical with missing light fixture outside bedroom door, dirty coffee cups for use in cabinets, bathtub with mold, the list goes on and on (we took pics of everything) -On-site Restaurant : Food was awful and overpriced, my husband sent his pork chop dinner special back and ordered a burger - I simply could not eat my fish dinner plate. Staff: some were really friendly others were not. Management : assistant manger took our call, listen to complaint (my husband did not sleep at all on the worn spring mattress- I woke up with a headache) she looked at the pictures we took of everything that was broken/dirty etc...and she apologized, said she was working on our request for the one night stay refund. We were told K.Williams was the manager and was the person to approve the refund. However K. Williams was never available when we called .....and still has not responded to our complaint or request for refund of our one night stay ( we were stuck for the night ) -We asked 3 people that worked there if this resort was a timeshare, they said yes- assistant manager said no -Length of stay: we were booked for 5 nights, we stayed 1 night -The Casino is closed down (local tour guide said an incident happened) ...Maybe at one time this resort may have been really nice, I can't speak to that- but based of my experience, I would say vacationer beware !

Staff

Service was not of a 4 or 5 star resort....Poor management

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean the rooms, update the furniture , complete routine maintenance ....so rooms will match advertised pictures

Activity Reviews

Jaguar Preserve

Belize

The Jaguar Preserve was educational and a great experience for those interested in the preservation of jaguars. Even though we didn't see a jaguar, we enjoyed the hike.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

LEISURE DAY

Belize

We spent our leisure day exploring the surroundings and relaxing at the resort, which set the tone for our entire trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Xunantunich

Belize

We had a great time visiting the Xunantunich Mayan ruins, even though not everyone would want to walk up 120 steps in humidity our local guide, Rene, made the experience memorable and informative as he was of Mayan descent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Caracol And Rio Frio Cave & Pools

Belize

Our visit to Caracol and Rio Frio Cave & Pools was enjoyable, thanks to our guide, Rene, who understood our interests and made the experience more engaging. If we went back we would definitely want to explore more of the caves. His wife even prepared a delicious, traditional lunch for us, which added to the authenticity of our experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Barrier Reef Snorkeling

Belize

We had a good time snorkeling at the Barrier Reef, but we were in a group, which impacted the experience. In the future, we would prefer a private snorkeling experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We arrrived into Oslo Norway April 18, 2023 by bus from Sweden. We checked into the nice Thon Hotel Terminus at 1400. We set off on foot to go to the Marina to visit the KonTiki and Fram Museums. Oslo was abuzz with people enjoying the nice sunny day. We had difficulty finding our way due to lack of street signs. The museums were very interesting.
After a wonderful breakfast at the Thon Hotel we had a short walk to catch the 8:25 train to Myrdal. After leaving Oslo
the train has amazing views of the snow in the mountains. Our train was stopped on the tracks for 78 minutes and I emailed Anna that we were not going to make our 1445 kayaking trip that afternoon. Anna rescheduled Kayaking to Friday morning (which we had free anyway). Because half of the people had to get off the train at Myrdal to get on a bus to stay on schedule, we had great views on both sides of the train on our amazing trip to Flam.
We checked into the Fretheim Hotel and had to switch rooms because (surprise) ours did not have a tv or a shower.
On Thursday we took the amazing Naeroyfjord Cruise to Gudvangen. We were going to see the Viking Village in Gudvangen but we were advised by another tourist that they were not open (surprise), we jumped back on the cruise so we didn't get stuck in Gudvangen for 5 hours with nothing to do. I counted 12 waterfalls out of Gudvangen.
On Friday was the highlight of our trip with a 3 hour kayaking trip in the fjords. Our kayaking guide was highly trained and made sure we were safe and entertained on our trip. Being on the water on a beautiful sunny day with that scenery is something we will never forget. At 15:30 we boarded the Ferry for a 5 hour boat ride to Bergen, That boat ride was really nice thru the fjords without having to go out in the open seas.
On Saturday after having another great breakfast in the Bergen Bors Hotel we waited in the hotel lobby for 45 minutes for our Bergen 3 hour walking tour guide who never showed up or even called (surprise) we just took off and went shopping. After lunch we took the tram up Mt Floyen. The views of Bergen from the top were stunning. After walking the wrong way up the mountain against traffic, we turned around and walked for 2 1/2 hours down the mountain.

We had an amazing trip and Norway, I liked KimKim because we could pick and choose what we liked to do. Anna was very helpful in planning our trip. Anna could have been better at scheduling but we were flexable and had a great time.

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Terminus

Oslo

Very close to the train station. A bit loud at night. Clean. Very good breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fretheim Hotel

Flåm

After switching out of a room that did not have a tv or a shower, our room had a great view of the bay and the town. The breakfast pancakes were very good, the pastries were very average. Clean. Very close to everything.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

Very close to downtown, but difficult to find front entrance which is on back side of the street. Great breakfast. Clean. Secure- need room key to ride the elevator. Front desk was very helpful in helping with missing tour guide and arranging taxi to airport.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful restaurant

Location

Within a block of shopping, boat dock, and downtown

Staff

Front desk was very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kayaking near Aurland in Sognefjord

Norway

A must do. Our guide made sure we were safe. He was highly experienced. Excellent storyteller. So amazing to be on the water in the fjords. The best part of our whole trip.

Quality of Experience

My wife even loved it

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Best

Transport

Round Trip Fjord Cruise Nærøyfjord

Flåm

A must-do to experience the fjords, Very comfortable. Good enough food. We had a minor issue with the Viking Village not being open, but overall, we enjoyed the time spent on the water.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Long Hike with a Local in Bergen

Bergen

We waited for a guide for 45 minutes that didn't show or even call. We decided to explore and shop around Bergen on our own and took the tram up to Mt. Floyen. We were refunded for the tour, but it was still disappointing.

Quality of Experience

Show up

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Show up

Leo, was a pleasure to work with from start to finish. He provided excellent ideas, listened to our input and planned a great trip.

He even sent specific directions with suggestions on what to wear and weather updates.

We had a couple snags along the way (which is expected when you travel) but Leo was attentive and helped us determine the best possible outcome.

If planning a trip is to stressful, let Leo do it for you.

We highly recommend him and Kim Kim.

Activity Reviews

Napa and Sonoma Hot Air Balloon Tour

the United States

Fantastic experience but I’m rating this a 4 out of 5 because our reservation was messed up and one of us almost didn’t get to go. Luckily someone didn’t show and it all worked out. The pilot and crew were excellent and I highly recommend this experience.

Quality of Experience

Our reservation was messed up we paid for 3 people and the morning of they said they only had 2. Be sure to triple check.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sonoma e-bike wine tour

the United States

Great experience. Enjoyed our guide Mike. We weren’t too keen on the second winery (Sebastian). I was very, very deliberate and out asking the fees for the tasting and what the purchase requirements were to get them waived. My whole family heard the same thing and when we went to check out it changed. Very frustrating. The reason this is important is because one family member may have opted out of this tasting because they really didn’t want anymore wine that day. Regardless, great time and experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Very nice lunch. They also asked our preference and we got to select from a small menu prior. Helpful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monterey Bay whale watching

the United States

Crew was great especially Isaiah. Saw lots of whales and sea lions. Dress warm would be my recommendation to future travelers. We stayed at the Stargazer Hotel in Monterey, but it was a really bad experience. However, Leo quickly rectified the situation and as a Marriott Platinum member, we found another accommodation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Napa wine tour with picnic lunch

Napa

We went on a winery tour in Napa, which was great, but it would have been helpful to know the various pricing structures and deals offered by each winery beforehand. This would have allowed us to strategize better and potentially save money on tastings and wine purchases.

Quality of Experience

Food

Just an ok ham sandwich.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The most memorable I think was the Camel trek to the campsite. The local guides was extremely knowledgeable also and gave us insight about Morocco. Our guide for ten days Amnay was very accommodating to all our needs. He’s very nice and fun. He made our trip easier and answered all our questions. I would recommend him and driver Waleed to anyone visiting Morocco. We give you 10 stars!!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel des Oudaias

Rabat

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Hicham

Chefchaouen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Look

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Al Makan

Fès

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad al Rimal

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chez Ichou

Dades Gorge

Authenticity & Character

Location

No

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Merzouga Dunes Camps

Merzouga

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Orientation Walk & Free Afternoon in Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day with the Locals in the Valley of Roses

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arrive in Casablanca & Transfer to Rabat

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fes to Merzouga via Ifraine and Azrou - Camel Trek to Desert Camp

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

{{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Volubilis and Meknes

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rabat to Chefchaouen

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Ok

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

Quality of Experience

I o

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Merzouga to Dades Valley Via Todgha Gorge

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dades Valley to Marrakech via Ait Ben Haddou

Morocco

Quality of Experience

I’m

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Marrakech

Marrakesh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a fantastic trip to Costa Rica that was made easy through Kim Kim.
We loved our three hotels and our transport between locations was seamless.
We are not in the habit of pre-booking tours, but really enjoyed all the tours selected.
I wouldn’t hesitate to use Kim Kim again!

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

A beautiful hotel with fantastic views of the volcano. Friendly staff who went out of their way to ensure we were enjoying our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ficus Sunset Suites

Monteverde

Stunning views, beautiful gardens and an excellent breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Bosque del Mar

Playa Hermosa

A nice hotel in an excellent beach location. Helpful staff and nice rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Boat tour to Las Catalinas Islands

Costa Rica

A fantastic day out. An excellent tour guide, delicious lunch, great snorkeling and wildlife and plenty of drinks available!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cloud Forest Reserve Hike

Monteverde

A great experience with our guide Bernie. I would definitely recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

An enjoyable trip with our guide Mariano. Beautiful scenery, a swim and great lunch. Mariano was knowledgeable, good company and flexible. Would definitely recommend.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport