Kimkim Trip Reviews

Absolutely amazing country. I would highly recommend a longer stay or fewer stops ro ensure your driving is minimized. However, the driver we had and each stop was Absolutely perfect.

This is the second time I have used KimKim, and have been extremely impressed with the whole process of how the itinerary is managed and customised to my requirements .
I found the whole booking process managed very smoothly .
Secondly the guides were exceptionally , knowledgeable and flexible and made it very comfortable for us .
Steve was amazing he ensured we were kept informed , meticulous administration and also put together a list of restaurants that would be suitable to our palate.
The whole trip was excellent and I will definitely be using KimKim again

Thank you Steve and your team for organising and executing this trip for us

Hotel Reviews

Palace Gate Hotel & Resort

Phnom Penh

The front desk were not so accommodating

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Borei Angkor Resort & Spa

Siem Reap

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

National Museum

Phnom Penh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wat Phnom

Phnom Penh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tuol Sleng & Russian Market

Phnom Penh

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Banteay Samre & Banteay Srei

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monk blessing

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day temple free and easy exploration by remork (with lunch)

Siem Reap

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Good itinerary planning and timely support once we are on the holiday in Thailand and Cambodia. Dean and Linda did a great job helping us with this holiday, thank you both!

Great experience overall, from A to Z (with both KimKim and our local specialist from Realistic Asia).

Before the trip:

I have to say, I was not comfortable at first because I had never heard of KimKim before and reviews on Realistic Asia were good but not numerous.
For everyone reading my review and having the same lack of comfort : get over it and book with these guys without any hesitation.

Hien was my contact since the very beginning. Great and pro-active communication, she was attentive to our needs and our expectations. It took time (mainly/only because of me), but she made us a tailor-made itinerary, ticking all the boxes with transparency (i.e. what was feasible or not in the given time frame, what would be a waste of time, providing alternative solutions when necessary, ... but all that always conscious of the budget and of our constraints).
We only paid when everything was confirmed and in line with what we wanted, and then again we experienced a smooth and good process through KimKim (everything was clear and user-friendly, secured paiement, no hidden fees nor other surprises, ...).
Once validated and paid, you get all the information you need about your trip on the platform, everything centralised and easy to read/access.

We were ready for an amazing 2 week trip around Vietnam.

During the trip :

Hien and her team were fantastic throughout our journey. Very friendly and always with a bright smile, every one of them made our trip special. Very knowledgeable, they shared their passion and the love about their country/region, happy to give everything they can to increase the quality of our experience.

There are countless of aspects that I could highlight, but one of them stands out : the perfect logistics.
No waste of time, no uncertainty, everything was perfectly clear and coordinated so we can make the most of our vacation. Every step was communicating on time with the relevant level of details. Airport transfers, cars, planes, trains, but also activities, visitis, bookings, ... not a thing went wrong - Bravo Hien!

After the trip :

Hien's professionalism and follow-ups carried on until the very end (sending message to make sure we went home safely, asking unofficial feedback to keep improving services, ...).
I would highly recommend Hien and Realistic Asia if you plan a trip to Vietnam, and we will definitely reach out to her to organise our upcoming trip to Laos and Cambodia in the coming months/years.

On a side note, you may find KimKim and all these services quite pricey (and they are in fairness), but you pay for high quality services and for your peace of mind above all. Totally worth the price!

Hotel Reviews

Stellar of the Seas

quảng ninh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mekong Lodge

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hanoi Vespa Tour

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guides were for our tours were great.
They were very knowledgeable and efficient.
The hotels we chose from the list were amazing.
Great choices to chose from. The wine tour to Rioja was wonderful. Iker did a great job as our guide for the day.
All the drivers were on time and we felt very organized the whole trip.

We had the most incredible experience from start to finish. Jason was helpful, responsive and planned the most amazing trip! I will never go on a trip again without using kimkim. We felt like VIPs!

Patty and her team at Aspiring Adventures in Peru took care of every detail for our 9-day journey. From airport transportation to our guide/driver team of Aldo and Paul (a.k.a Paul-do), we were shown the incredible history of the Inca civilization through hiking, climbing, and food. Aldo encouraged us to keep climbing to the very top of Waynupicchu, and we're so glad that we did. What an amazing accomplishment and view!

My trip to Nepal was great.
Sherpa Ngima was all the time ofering me all I needed douring my stay there. He was very friendly and profesional. He's a reliably person. All his tourus guides and drivers were exelent too.

Pemba, my sherpa douring my trekking from Lukla to Namche Bazaar and back to Lukla was great, we made a good team together, he's a trustworthy man, and even more importantly a very good person.

I learned a lot about your whanderful country and people. It was a pleasure for me to be able to share those incredible moments with all of you!!!

Activity Reviews

Fly from Rammechap to Lukla, Trek to Phakding

Phakding

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Acclimatization day in Namche Bazaar

Namche Bazaar

The Himalayan views were the best!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trek from Namche to Lukla

Nepal

The landscape couldn't be better. What a an amazing place! Pemba, my sherpa douring my trek was great, we made a good team together, he's a trustworthy man, and even more importantly a very good person.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day and Evening Trek Briefing

Kathmandu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trek from Phakding to Namche

Namche Bazaar

The landscape couldn't be better. What a an amazing place! Pemba, my sherpa douring my trek was great, we made a good team together, he's a trustworthy man, and even more importantly a very good person.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip was amazing! Eva did a great job scheduling out all the activities for each day…never felt rushed on any day and each day had the perfect amount of activities. It was a great mixture of active, fun, and more leisurely things to do. Each excursion went off without a hitch and it was a great time!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Reykjavík Saga

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Kría

Vík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon

Hnappavellir

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Stracta Hotel

Hella

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alda Hotel Reykjavík

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Stykkishólmur

Stykkishólmur

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lava Tunnel Tour

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Djupalonsandur Black Sand Beach

Iceland

Zodiac Boat tour

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cliffside walk at Arnarstapi

Iceland

Reykjavík Culture and Food Walk Tour

Reykjavík

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Langjokull glacier snowmobiling

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ice Cave Expedition

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Solheimajokull Glacier Hike

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Black Sand Diamond Beach

Iceland

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Iceland

Gerðuberg Basalt Cliffs

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Explore the Lóndrangar lava formations

Iceland

Milton was our guide and he was always attentive, informative , and patient. Was an absolute pleasure to be around and always made us feel comfortable i cannot praise this guide enough he really is an amazing human being who is passionate about his work and gives beyond what is expected. We visited quito, quotopaxi and banos. We were a group of three with different tastes but we absolutely loved every place and every single activity. My personal favorite (if i had to choose) was the middle of the earth( the real one) and the huge swing in banos and the hot springs and pavilion del diablo and the canyoning.

Hotel Reviews

Isla de Baños

Baños

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Breakfast

Vieja Cuba

Quito

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Breakfast

Activity Reviews

Quito City Tour

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the "Middle of the World"

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Salsa de aji was the best here

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canyoning in Baños

Baños

Quality of Experience

As

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ride the Cable Car to Pichincha Volcano

Quito

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Pailón del Diablo Waterfall, Explore Baños

Baños

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Quilotoa Crater Lake, Transfer to Baños

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Cotopaxi National Park

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

No

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quito Cooking Class

Ecuador

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We just came back for amazing trip in morocco. We had a great and wonderful time in morocco. We visited all the important and key cities in areas. We had Karim our guide and Driver for the entire trip. We also had local excellent guides in the different cities. Working with Abdel and Karim was Absolutely amazing and easy communication via email or WhatsApp. Karim Our guide for the trip was absolutely amazing great communication an excellent English. The Mercedes van we had was very comfortable and was clean daily. Thanks Karim

Our Mayan trip was wonderful. Our guide, Joyce Guia was so knowledgeable and accommodated our need to move a little slower and take breaks. He could also answer our questions about the current culture, flora and fauna. Seeing Palenque and The famous Bonampak murals were a highlight as well as the Olmec sculptures in Villahermosa.

Hotel Review

Hotel La Aldea del Halach Huinic

Palenque

The plants were beautiful on the grounds, the restaurant had good food, the pool was lovely and we tried a massage at the spa.

Authenticity & Character

The local food

Location

The tropical plants

Staff

Very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were clean and pretty

Activity Reviews

Visit to Carlos Pellicer Cámara

Villahermosa

Amazing artifacts that should not be missed if you are interested in archeology.

Quality of Experience

Accommodated our needs

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joyce Guia was fabulous

Transport

Ancient Mayan Cities of Yaxchilan & Bonampak

Mexico

While it is an effort to get to these sites, it is worth it. The murals at Bonampak are amazing and should not be missed.

This is my 4th time using KimKim and second time with the wonderful team in Colombia! Margoth, Felipe and their team, once again, made sure I had a remarkable time as a solo traveler in this beautiful country. I always say I shouldn’t have gone with Colombia for my first trip out of the country, because it’s going to be tough to live up to it!
This second time around was no different! I visited Cartagena, Medellin and Santa Marta this time. It was the best birthday of my life! I plan to keep visiting each year for my birthday, and I feel it’s only going to keep getting better!
If you haven’t made Colombia a stop on your list, you absolutely must!
Thanks again to Aracanto and the wonderful people of Colombia for welcoming me to your home with such warmth and gratitude.
Until we meet again, mi amor!

Hotel Reviews

The Click Clack Hotel Medellín

Medellín

Beautiful place, perfect loctation and a wonderful staff!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nacar Hotel Cartagena, Curio Collection by Hilton

Cartagena

Such a cool place! Gorgeous rooftop and the rooms are beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the heart of the walled city and close to everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

AC Hotel by Marriott Santa Marta

Santa Marta, Magdalena

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dancing Class

Cartagena

Ruben was awesome!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at Alma

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at Alambique

Medellín

Wish they had an updated location on google maps, but otherwise, great food and beautiful ambiance

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Tour of Medellín (with Local Market and Comuna 13)

Medellín

Incredible!!!! Juan Carlos was amazing

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Juan Carlos and Jorge! Great guys!

Transport

Flower Experience in Santa Elena

Medellín

Beautiful people, so kind and welcoming

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guatape and El Peñol Tour & Airport Transfer: {{start_location}} to {{end_location}}

Colombia

Unforgettable experience. A mudslide blocking the route to get there had almost ruined my chances of seeing this landmark! But the team was able to make quick adjustments to assure i get to experience it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tayrona National Park Tour and Hike

Colombia

What can I even say… the most beautiful place ever

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My guide was amazing!

Transport

Minca Tour and Coffee Farm

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at Mar de Las Antillas

Cartagena

Freddy, the manager is unforgettable. Truly made me feel like Cartagena is home.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They sang me happy birthday with the live band!!

Transport

Day Pass at Tierra Bomba Island at Makani Beach Club

Colombia

Sooooooooo serene and beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Staff was incredible

Transport

Dinner Reservation at Marea

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Gorgeous location!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner Reservation at Andres Carne de Res

Cartagena

The pirate!! They sang me happy birthday once again!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Suggested Dinner at Crepes & Waffles

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

So I was very nervous to tour Croatia by myself and as a travel agent, I know how important it is to have someone who invest in knowing what type of tour works best for you. Robi was that person for me. Working online, we crafted the perfect tour, understanding what highlights and I wanted to see but also providing additional suggestions. He was EXTREMELY knowledgeable about Croatia but at the same time provided space for me to just enjoy the views, relax, and know that I was in good hands. I will be referring all my clients and him and encourage each of you to book with Robi!

This trip was an absolute blast and made so easy to plan with Daniel's help! It was really neat that we got to meet him upon arrival too :).

Everything was exactly as advertised and having our own guide/transportation the whole time was a HUGE plus. Our guides were very knowledgeable and awesome as being flexible if we wanted to try something else. We got to do so many awesome things and it was all fairly affordable - great quality all around. We especially liked our hotel in Quito that was really like a cute B&B. The breakfast was delicious and the staff was awesome with recommendations.

I would 100% recommend KimKim for travel trips and I'm currently working on planning my next trip with them!

Hotel Reviews

Kitu Hotel

Quito

This was such a neat experience! They had yummy breakfast and it was nice to know that it would all be ready for you. The staff was also incredibly helpful with any questions we had and they provided amazing recommendations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Isla de Baños

Baños

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cuello de Luna Mountain Lodge

El Chasqui - Pastocalle

This hotel is definitely tucked away - which is normally great and relaxing. We were the only ones staying at the hotel so we had the chance to scare ourselves and each other a little bit :P. The rooms were nice and having the heated blankets was a big plus too! I liked the common area with the sunken in bench seating area. We had a very nice relaxing evening hanging by the fire and just visiting with each other.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit Baños & Pailón del Diablo Waterfall

Baños

I really liked Banos a lot! We got to explore the city one night and had a good time dancing and went to the best hole in the wall restaurant. The waterfall was also VERY impressive

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Expedition to Mindo Cloud Forest

Quito

This was so neat with the trolleys going across the rainforrest! it was beautiful and really cool to see the waterfalls and mountains.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cotopaxi National Park - Quilotoa Lagoon - Baños

Ecuador

This spot was an incredible sight! It was definitely a HIKE. Originally we were going to take the burros back up the mountain after hiking down.....mine freaked out and I was thrown off. It didn't seem like the guides had the best handle on the animals. So I ended up hiking back up the mountain...it is STEEP! It's not undoable but it was definitely a trek and you'll need at least 1.5 hrs (and we were really trying to move fast up the hill to meet our friends who's burros didn't freak out). Besides all that drama the Lagoon is extraordinary and the pictures don't do it justice. 1000% recommend seeing it.

Quality of Experience

Food

We didn't really eat food at this location

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rene's welcoming smile at the airport made us feel at home immediately. He's really welcoming,the drivers were always on time. In Leon thanks to Freddie our guide Marcos and the driver. The hotels Reyna arranged our trip beyond our expectations. Granada the driver always on time with Rene. A big hug and thanks to kimkim. We are really grateful kimkim is for real so organized everything was.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel El Convento

León

It is was great

Authenticity & Character

Everything

Location

It's accessibility to all amenities

Staff

We could communicate to all staff members since they were speaking English and they were ever happy and smiling

Cleanliness & Comfort

Their rooms were fantastic

Hotel Plaza Colon

Granada

They were smart and organized.

Authenticity & Character

Everything

Location

Close to all amenities and markets.

Staff

Woooow so jolly happy welcoming

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything there

Activity Reviews

León - Juan Venado Island Motorboat Tour

León

Freddie showed us things we hadn't seen in our lives. First when we were going to the boat we walked a distance but to come back the place we passed when walking,we came back when we were passing seated in the boat. We saw the mangroves it was our first time,we saw different species of birds we also visited the place where tortoises are hatched thanks to our boat captain he was so loving and helped alot in showing us new things.every on the boat was aiming at making us happy. Thanks to Vapues tours and Reyna plus Sandra please

Quality of Experience

All

Food

Good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Those people are wonderful we are black people but we never felt out of place. They are so great

Transport

Ever on time, they drive with care everything was great

Leon - City Walking Tour

León

It was hot but Freddie gave us time we met people he showed us around he's really a great person. We also visited the art museum thanks to Freddie and Reyna kimkim and vapues tours. Vapues tours staff are so organized I love their uniforms,and transport.the cars are so smart.

Quality of Experience

Everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They're the best

Transport

Number one

Masaya Volcano - Lava Night Tour

Granada

It was great thanks to Rene and the driver. Rene taught us alot by the time we reached the volcano you could think we knew everything

Quality of Experience

Everything was good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They're number one

Transport

Fantastic ever on time

Granada - Las Isletas Boat Tour

Granada

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We enjoyed our hotels and guides very much. Every guide and driver was timely, which can be a real worry when you are traveling in a country where you don't speak the language. The hotels were nicer than we anticipated, particularly the Myst in Ho Chi Minh. The cruise in HaLong was alot of fun and worth the time it took (we only had 4 days in VietNam). The only part of our trip I wouldn't recommend was the Mekong delta trip. We felt it was took too long to reach the starting destination and lasted too long.
Otherwise, would use KimKim again to plan future trips.

We had a great time in Chile thanks to the itinerary created by Lorena. The transfers were punctual, the hotels selected were either unique (has something special to offer) or well beyond being comfortable, the tours were satisfactory and sometimes exceeded expectations. Lorena had been responsive and quick in addressing our concerns during the trip. We could not be happier with her supports. As a result, we fell in love with Chile and friendly Chilean people.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel José Nogueira

Punta Arenas

Happy to be in a historical building.

Authenticity & Character

The location.

Location

Enjoyed the great view.

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable

Weskar Lodge

Puerto Natales

Enjoyed the great view

Authenticity & Character

Comfortable

Location

Great location

Staff

Amazingly friendly and flexible; offered early breakfast every day.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable

Kau Yatun Hotel Boutique & Estancia

El Calafate

Amazing environment!

Authenticity & Character

Spacious and beautiful

Location

Convenient location

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and beyond comfortable

Renaissance Santiago Hotel

Santiago

Had the best breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Amazing

Location

Convenient

Staff

Friendly and flexible

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beyond comfortable, love it!

Activity Reviews

Penguin Colony on Magdalena Island

Chile

Love it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park & Surroundings

Chile

Happy with the tour, enjoyed the lunch and the great view.

Quality of Experience

Great

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very friendly

Transport

Base Torres Hike

Chile

Although not being able to do it due to the strike, the alternative two short hikes largely compensated the loss. We enjoyed the trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trekking and Condor Watching

Puerto Natales

Love the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina

Puerto Natales

A little rushed but we were awestruck, well worth the long commute.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San José Volcano & Andes Mountains

Santiago

Embraced by Andes mountains, incredible!

Quality of Experience

Food

Delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Love the tour guides.

Transport

Very satisfying experience with our specialist Marta. She made sure to understand our goals and wishes for the trip, and was very accommodating in assisting us in fine tuning the itinerary so that we got the most of the trip. We were so happy with kimkim’s process that we’ve already scheduled another trip with them! Moreover, we have recommended kimkim to friends, and will continue to do so.

The kimkim process was simple yet thorough, and working with Marta was rewarding. We enjoyed the flexibility of being given suggestions, then identifying which components of the itinerary were most appealing. She helped us pick activities we might not have thought of on our own, and was great to communicate with during our time in country. If we had planned the entire trip ourselves, the amount of choices about what to do and where to stay would have been overwhelming. Using Marta, Espiritu, and kimkim, we had an excellent set of experiences and will look back fondly on this trip for many years to come.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel España Ramblas

Barcelona

The hotel itself is stunning in its preservation of historical detail. The beds and pillows were very good, supportive and comfortable without being too soft or too firm. The modern sinks and faucets can be a challenge, depending on your room. The auto shutoff was an irritant regardless. Breakfast was excellent, and in an absolutely beautiful space. The staff were attentive, but not oppressive, and seemed truly happy to be of service. One criticism would be the difficulty of vehicles getting to the hotel entrance -- taxis had the proper transponders to lower the bollards to access the street, while private drivers did not.

Authenticity & Character

One of the oldest hotels in Barcelona, and tastefully updated rooms without losing old world charm in the common areas.

Location

Central without being obnoxiously loud.

Staff

Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfort and style.

NH Ciudad de Zaragoza

Zaragoza

This hotel was in a *perfect* location for exploring Old Town Zaragoza, enjoying views over the river (sunrises, sunsets, and fireworks at the close of the Festival de Pilar), and gave easy access to shopping, dining, transit, and major attractions. While the building lacked the historical appeal of other accommodations, the room itself was extremely comfortable, well appointed, and clean. We ate one dinner and two breakfasts at the hotel restaurant; the meals were good, but did not stand out as exceptional when compared to virtually any other meals we enjoyed in Spain. The staff were capable and friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Authenticity and character are not what NH is known for. The hotel was nice.

Location

Perfect central location.

Staff

No problems to report. Bartender was friendly. Front desk staff were helpful. Breakfast staff was adequate, friendly but not always attentive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and very comfortable.

Hotel Ercilla de Bilbao

Bilbao, Bizkaia

Our room was large, the staff were helpful and professional and friendly, and the breakfast offerings were superior in both quality and variety. This hotel is in an excellent location and is of very high quality.

Location

Easy access to the metro and in a very walkable area.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villa Soro

Donostia - San Sebastián (Gipuzkoa)

This felt like a private villa, which it used to be. The staff were impeccable and our room was lovely. The grounds and meals were also above-par.

Authenticity & Character

Location

This is not the closest location for people who want to be walking to the beach all the time or who require restaurants and shops directly across the street. We found it easy enough to walk 15 minutes into the heart of the city, and we were less than 10 minutes from plenty of dining and drinking establishments. Taxis had no problem finding it, and we felt completely safe exploring on foot from here.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Daniel (Dani) was knowledgeable and a joy to spend our time with. He patiently answered our questions and enthusiastically shared stories of the history and culture we were seeing. Exploring the Gothic Quarter with him was a true joy, and his insider knowledge of La Sagrada Familia was outstanding.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Montserrat & Penedès Region Wine Tasting

Barcelona

Montserrat is worth visiting, especially the museum there. Standing outside the church and waiting to see if you can get inside for a singing performance is not worth it. We strongly recommend spending that time in the museum or riding the funicular or pursuing some other interests. The museum is outstanding, as are the views from the top of the funicular. The quality of your guide will strongly influence your enjoyment of this experience. The winery stop was a lovely way to end the day.

Quality of Experience

Guests on this tour should not be pressured by their guide, but should be allowed to experience Montserrat in their own preferred manner.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had several misfortunes that day, and they were compounded by our guide, who did not seem terribly interested in giving us the best possible tour. We provided detailed feedback and half our tour cost was refunded, along with sincere apologies from our travel specialist. Lesson learned: a great guide makes a world of difference!

Transport

Tapas Walk in Barcelona

Barcelona

We rescheduled this tour in the city of Zaragoza, rather than in Barcelona. Our experience was mind-blowing and our guide was exceptional.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Privately Guided Visit of Zaragoza

Spain

We didn't know until we arrived that we would be in Zaragoza for the last two days of the city's primary festival, the Festival de Pilar. This made the experience so much more special! Despite the huge crowds, our guide did a wonderful job of sharing with us her love of the city, its history, the two primary churches in the old town, and the nature of the festival itself. We would recommend this tour without hesitation!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Best of Pintxos Gastronomy Experience

Bilbao

The nature of this experience is likely to feel chaotic, especially when you have 10-12 people and half of them have some form of dietary restriction. Having said that, the foods we sampled were incredible and our guide did an impressive job of ensuring that everyone would have something to sample at each of the many stops we made. We had a lot of fun and were glad we had this tour on our itinerary.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hiking Gorbeia Mountain

Bilbao

Our day changed up a bit, so that instead of simply hiking, we also got to forage for mushrooms, visit a small chapel and beautiful overlook, and enjoy some time driving in the area and visiting multiple forests. This was necessitated when one member of our party was unable to safely complete the hike, and our guide was simple wonderful about falling back on an alternate itinerary for us. This area was stunning in every way, and completely worth visiting no matter which activities you choose.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Diego was, hands down, the best guide either of us has had. We would hire him again in a heartbeat.

Transport

Modern, clean, and comfortable van.

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Coastal Route

Spain

Between Bilbao and San Sebastián, you can choose to go by bus, taxi, or private guide. Going on a highway may be fast and efficient, but it doesn't give any context to the area. By hiring a private guide, we got to stop in numerous small towns, including Guernica, where we visited the site of the Basque council's seat of government. We took short hikes, saw sites and sights all along the coast, enjoyed an excellent lunch in the town where Balenciaga is from, and learned SO MUCH about the history of the area, the Basque people, the cultural traditions, the landscape and geography, and what keeps these small seaside communities thriving today.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Diego can't be beat.

Transport

E-Bike Guided Visit of San Sebastian

San Sebastián

What a fantastic way to get to see more of San Sebastián than just the beach and central area! We stopped in several areas, learned about the town and the architecture, the university, the local sports, the history of royalty visiting the area, and even got to stop and play a tiny bit of Basque handball! Very cool, lots of fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Emanuela was very helpful and accommodating . She provided us with the perfect itinerary, capturing as much as possible of sites and experiences that mattered most to us. She was able to make adjustments as our travel plans changed and was extremely helpful when we were faced with an unexpected Icelandic storm, throwing everyone into a state of emergency, and causing our Zodiak iceberg tour to be cancelled. She urged us to leave the area quickly and found us new accommodations further South. The next morning the ring road was closed from our new location northward. We would have been trapped without her assistance. Instead, we had 2 more very lovely days to explore Vik and surrounding area with plenty of time to regroup in Reykjavik before heading home. Though we enjoyed all of Iceland, our favorite place was Seydisfjordur, where we stayed with Hotel Aldan (Highly recommend them). We loved our room in the Old Bank and they served the best breakfast of our entire trip. This is also where we finally witnessed the Northern Lights' splendor. Shout out to Martin (works with Anton) - our guide on our Northern Lights tour in Lake Myvatn, who taught us a lot about how to look for them and, though we did not see them that night, I credit him with teaching us how to find them the next.