Kimkim Trip Reviews

James the trip was truly amazing, Mark and I enjoyed everything about it . It was a pleasure to work with you .

My son and I traveled to San Jose, Puerto Viejo and La Fortuna. We had a great city tour in San Jose and spent a lot of time shopping around the Mercado central. In Puerto Viejo we surfed and had an amazing time snorkeling in Cauhita National park. The Caribbean coast was a favorite for the culture, beaches and food. During our last stop in La Fortuna we really enjoyed the hanging bridge tour in combination with time at the hot springs. We had a few minor issues with one of the hotels during our trip and Jessica was super responsive and helpful in getting things resolved letting us just spend our time enjoying Costa Rica and the spirit of Pura Vida.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lavas Tacotal

Fortuna, San Carlos

This was such a perfect spot. Despite one of the pools being renovated and the restaurant being closed, we had a great stay! The staff were friendly and accommodating and offered us excellent restaurant recommendations in town. The landscaping around the hotel was beautiful and made it feel like we were alone at the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Costa de Papito

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, Limón

Had difficulty checking in with this hotel, they were not able to confirm the payment from kimkim. They put us in the wrong sized room from what we requested. Breakfast was $8 and was not good- instead go to the hostel across the street for food and ocean views. The location was great, close to the beach and a short tuktuk ride into Puerto Viejo.

Authenticity & Character

Cute bungalows

Location

Staff

Staff were nice but seemed inconvenienced with our check in issues.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn San José-Aurola

San José

Great location, clean and nice staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

So close to walk to everything downtown. Recommended to not walk around after dark

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Balmoral

San José

Worked for what we needed, one night stay prior to going to airport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

San José City Tour

San José

Great tour of the city with a great tour guide via car. Museum tour and food at the end were also great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Surf Lesson at Salsa Brava

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Great surf lesson in a small group! Everyone was new to surfing and everyone was riding waves by the end.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cahuita National Park Excursion

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Highly recommend this tour! The boat ride and snorkeling were amazing. There is so much aquatic life to see and we went to a few spots. The hike after was also great. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable about the park, animals and was really friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano National Park Boat & Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Nice boat ride across the lake. The walk was underwhelming

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk & Paradise Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great tour! 10 out of 10 day! The bridge tour was amazing. A beautiful walk through the rainforest with a great and knowledgeable tour guide. The hot springs after were a favorite of the entire trip. Absolutely recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fantastic trip

Everything worked flawlessly.
It was helpful on many occasions to have pre booked tours and excursions - they were often sold out or unavailable to others.
Even the weather was cooperative,

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Norge by Scandic

Bergen

Good central location close to transportion, everything walking distances. Nice enough room. Fantastic breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

It’s a clean modern large hotel

Location

Easy walking distance from public transportation, points of interest

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

Quaint, quirky Big room excellent Fjord view, Close to everything in Aurland Very nice proprietor. Good breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Historic buildings

Location

Close to fjord, dock, town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hurtigruten

Bergen

MS Nordkapp. Very friendly, happy, and helpful crew. Good food. Cabin a bit small ( Arctic Superior outside ) but nice enough.

Authenticity & Character

Nordkapp is a working ship with passengers traveling point to point not just cruising

Location

It’s a ship sailing through amazing scenery

Staff

They were happy people

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ship was spotless though 28 years old

Thon Hotel Harstad

Clean, great breakfast, nice size room, close to dock

Authenticity & Character

Average modern hotel

Location

Close to dock

Staff

Very accommodating to special request - had room available at early morning check in and having breakfast at check in day not check out day,

Cleanliness & Comfort

MS Havila Polaris

Fosnavåg

Awesome ship. New, well thought out public spaces and outside spaces ( better than Nordkapp ). Less, but better food ( though Nordkapp was good ).

Authenticity & Character

More of a cruise ship than ferry. More reserved crew ( but still very nice )

Location

It’s sailing though immense natural beauty

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bigger cabin than Hurtigruten. Well designed public and outdoor spaces.

Thon Hotel Kirkenes

Kirkenes

A bit of a walk from dock but there are no hotels right near dock. Close to centre of town, nice harbor view

Authenticity & Character

Just clean modern hotel

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amerikalinjen

Oslo

Really cool building. Nice room Great location Friendly staff Great breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Old steamship line headquarter converted to boutique hotel lots of character

Location

Close to everything

Staff

Helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Nærøyfjord Cruise & Viking Valley Tour

Norway

Incredible beauty

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat and taxi right on time

Andersgrotta WW2 Bomb Shelter Visit

Kirkenes

Interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

Nice time. Guide was good. Weather was so-so but what can you do?

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit Stegastein Viewpoint

Norway

Very lucky with weather. View was incredible

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thank you, Thomas and Rashi, for a wonderful trip. They took care of all of the details, and then were really responsive before the trip, when I had some clarifying questions, and during the trip, whenever anything came up. This trip was on our bucket list, and I'm so glad I trusted it to KimKim.

For those considering the trip, I would say that the hiking was more grueling than I expected, and the weather is so variable, you have to be prepared for anything. But if you're up for the challenge, it was the trip of a lifetime.

We enjoyed our first trip to Italy and planning with KimKim provided us an amazing experience. Vincenzo did a fantastic job arranging our food and wine experiences, our tours and transfers. All of the drivers were courteous and on time for pickups. San Gimignano was one of our favorite places visited. Our guide for the walking food tour in Milano was very knowledgeable and the food was amazing. Unfortunately our Boat tour of Lake Como was rained out. As our driver was not cancelled in time, we were still driven out to Varenna for lunch and our driver made multiple stops for us to get amazing pictures, even in the rain. Our guide for a Walking tour of Rome, Tommaso, had interesting stories and facts about the area and we enjoyed that tour very much too.

Will definitely use KimKim for our future travels!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Modigliani

Roma

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco

Florence

The location of this hotel was close to everything we wanted to see. The courtyard was nice to relax and have a glass of wine before dinner. In a quiet area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Walking Tour of Rome

Rome

Tommaso was an excellent guide and photographer. He had great stories.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly!

Guided Visit to the Colosseum, Palatin Hill and Roman Forum

Rome

I personally did not enjoy this tour as much as I had hoped. The guide spoke very quickly and it was difficult for me to concentrate on what was being said while we were rapidly walking thru the streets and on the uneven paths to get to the Colosseum. The tour is very high level to show you all 3 of the places, so we did not get to see as much of the Colosseum as we had hoped. And it was so over crowded that it was difficult to move thru the Colosseum in a group.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Walking food tour of Milano

Milan

Our guide for the food tour was amazing. She had many stories to share to tell us about the area we were in and the food that we had was excellent along with the wines. She was very friendly and easy going and she was easily understood.

Quality of Experience

Food

My first time to have a Cannoli

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Afternoon at leisure in Tuscan Countryside

Tuscany

San Gimignano was one of our favorite places that we visited. The village area has so much character. We felt like we were in a real live Renaissance fair. Highly recommend a trip to this village. Another village we discovered as Castello in Chianti, we had dinner there 2 nights. The atmosphere was awesome.

Very very happy with the service that we received for this trip from Lize. We chopped and changed a lot and she was very flexible and helpful as we put the trip together between November and January 2024. We mixed and matched accommodation across the piece for our trip to Namibia and Botswana. We had a brilliant time and it all proceeded largely without a hitch. It was all a big undertaking, especially for us, neither of us having visited Africa in more than 25 years. Lize took us through every step and was brilliant. Top marks.

I wouldn't hesitate to use KimKim again.

Hotel Reviews

Shametu River Lodge

Divundu

Perhaps my favourite hotel of the entire trip. Great staff and home cooked food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Windhoek Luxury Suites

Windhoek

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

They gave us the wrong room, took a while to sort.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very nice rooms.

Desert Homestead Lodge

Outstanding

Authenticity & Character

Location

Remote!

Staff

Delightful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Namib Guesthouse

Swakopmund

Very good breakfast. Very nice owner.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Twyfelfontein Country Lodge

Khorixas

Authenticity & Character

Location

Remote

Staff

Some charming staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Etosha Safari Camp Gondwana Collection Namibia

Fun place, rustic.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mokuti Etosha Lodge

Etosha National Park

Very smart, has had facelift.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Bang next to park

Staff

Very good staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Audi Camp

Maun

The only slightly disappointing experience we had

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Moremi Crossing

Simply amazing, enough said.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Remote

Staff

All amazing. Full marks to Amos and Edward and the hotel staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chobe Bush Lodge

Kasane

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Girly was amazing

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Victoria Falls Hotel

Victoria Falls

Swimming pool was closed, a pity. Very colonial and great rooms.

Authenticity & Character

Great bar, try the Stanley mix

Location

Staff

Bar staff very slow but charming, rest of the staff were excellent.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Okavango Delta Safari

Okavango Delta

Undoubtedly, the highlight of the trip. Magnificent in every respect. Amazing guides, incredible wildlife. This really is trip of a lifetime stuff.

Quality of Experience

Everything

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amos and Edward were superstars

Transport

Chobe Safari Day

Namibia

We were spoilt after Moremi Crossing. This was much bigger scale but very impressive wildlife again. Very enjoyable boat trips. Nice hotel, excellent staff.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Girly was particularly helpful.

Transport

Free time in Vic Falls

Victoria Falls

Great white water rafting trip with Wild Horizons. Highly recommended. Great bunch of guys.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Adam was very responsive and was able to accommodate my last minute trip to Iceland during high season. He was wonderful navigating my needs and the realities of high season.

Our guide Tarik was the absolute best. He spoke English very well. He was also fun and engaging. As four women traveling to a foreign country he looked out for our safety and made sure we were comfortable. He knew the roads and drove through some challenging situations with ease. His knowledge and love of Morocco was evident in everything he did. He truly helped make this trip one of the best travel experiences of my life.
Our training guide Hamza is a gem. While he started out a little quiet he soon became a huge part of what made our trip special. His English was very good. Again his love for Morocco was evident and his photographing of this beautiful country was amazing! He was helpful and very knowledgeable about Morocco as well. I feel very blessed that we were able to meet these two amazing individuals who truly love their jobs.

I can't imagine a better way to experience Morocco than with Morocco Immersion. From my first interaction with Nihad through kimkim, I was impressed. She crafted an itinerary that perfectly matched our interests and exceeded expectations, even handling last-minute changes effortlessly. Nihad was always responsive, answering all my questions—even late at night.

We booked a 12-day tour with our own tour manager/driver. Thanks to Morocco Immersion’s connections, we stayed in the best riads, had top local guides, and enjoyed luxury at a reasonable price.

Our guide, Omar, quickly became more than just a guide—by the end, he was a lifelong friend. He made us feel at home from day one, helping us navigate the culture, people, and customs. One evening, after we ventured too far from our riad, Omar went out of his way to pick us up, even after his day was done. His care and hospitality were unmatched. Omar also surprised us by acting as our personal videographer, capturing special moments and editing short video clips for us. Saying goodbye at the airport was tough, but we left knowing we had made a true friend.

Morocco Immersion treated us like family. We were welcomed into their homes, shared meals, and experienced their incredible hospitality throughout. Locals we met spoke highly of the team, reaffirming that we made the right choice. We felt blessed to be in their care and, though I selfishly wanted to keep this amazing agency a secret, the world deserves to know how incredible they are and how to experience Morocco the right way.

Hotel Reviews

Palais Tara & Spa

Marrakech

The service here is impeccable! Having someone like Abdul be there for you at breakfast is the right way to wake up in Marrkaesh! He was funny and attentive and so very hospitable. Taught us all about the various Moroccan items we were savoring and showed us how to pour Moroccan tea the right way. His tea service was by far the best Moroccan tea we had on the trip!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy to access as it's close to the main street in the medina, so you're not lugging your luggage too far into the medina.

Staff

Abdul and Maha made our stay the best!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The towel sculptures are a marvel!

Chez Ichou

Dades Gorge

It's a beautifully decorated hotel in the Dades Valley. The food here is amazing! The rooms are spacious and beautiful. Very cozy little riad.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Madu Premium Camp

Merzouga

This is glamping at the next level! With your own shower, AC, toilet and a king sized bed! Our night in the desert was a special one - we were met with a rain storm! It *does* rain in the Sahara!! And wet Sahara sand is something to marvel at. We were lucky to have experienced this phenomenon. However, it also did mean that our camp lost power and so was operating on generator power, because of this some of the lights in the camp were not lit - but our AC and everything within our tents all still had power! Even despite the rain, the staff still gave us a beautifully cooked 4-course meal, and ended the night with songs and dancing in the dining hall tent. They deserved all the tips for contending with the rain and still making sure we were all kept comfortable, dry and sated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palais Faraj Suites & Spa

Fès

This was one of the most beautiful hotels we stayed at on our trip in Morocco. The mosaic tile work here in every room was a wonder. Despite its stunning aesthetics, the service at the hotel could be improved. Although the front desk staff does speak English, they still were not fluent, and so at times had a difficult time communicating with the team. This surprised us as this was one of the most fancy hotels we stayed at and we didn't have a problem communicating with hotel staff in all the other riads we've stayed at on our trip. We also decided to experience the Hammam in the spa here, to which unfortunately I would say to skip. I think the experience is overpriced here for what it is. Save it to try somewhere else. Despite what we paid for, both my Hammam and massage felt very rushed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location but a little isolated as walking to the medina was difficult from this hotel.

Staff

Communication skills.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Kalaa

Rabat

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day with the Locals in the Valley of Roses

Morocco

This was one of the highlights of our trip. We had an awesome time learning more about the Moroccan culture, and learning how to make couscous together. Really amazing get to know everyone from this experience.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

Hassan really made our day in Fes! He is so knowledgable and patient - and just really adept at navigating the alleyways in the medina. Highly recommend Hassan! The lunch spot that Hassan took us to was some of the best kefta we had on the trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Angel was really helpful on several last-minute requests. The Kyoto guide was very knowledgeable. Marlene’s tour in Tokyo not so great, big language barrier and not a lot of interaction. Fuji Mt. Guides were terrific. Upgraded hotel room this week also terrific. Overall, I felt we got great value for money spent on this tour.

Hotel Review

Mitsui Garden Hotel Jingugaien Tokyo Premier

Tokyo

Activity Reviews

Half Day Imperial Palace East Gardens and Senso-ji Tour

Tokyo

Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya

Kyoto

Sightseeing in Arashiyama - Boat Ride and Bamboo Grove

Kyoto

Hiking the Mt. Fuji SubashiriTrail (Jul-Aug)-Day 1

Japan

Hiking the Mt. Fuji SubashiriTrail (Jul-Aug)-Day 2

Japan

Our trip to Greece was perfect! Our specialist Chris was very helpful and patient when we requested adjustments to the itinerary to be able to visit all of our dream destinations. Our favorite activities were the Jeep tour in Chania and the sunset cruise in Santorini but all of our activities were awesome and the guides were fantastic! The transport between locations and to and from activities was seamless, we were very impressed by the travel team's attention to details. I would absolutely use Kimkim in the future and will recommend to friends.

Johanna helped us arrange a memorable family trip to Peru. We enjoyed every moment of our holiday thanks to the good planning and well executed logistics of the trip. Special mention must go to Edy from Cusi Travel who accompanied us on several days and hiked with my husband and son. His passion for his people and his country shone through and we enjoyed learning from him.
Thanks to Kimkim and Johanna for ensuring everything went smoothly and accommodating us when changes needed to be made. We won't hesitate in using Kimkim to plan future trips.

Hotel Reviews

Casa República

Barranco, Lima

Casa República in Lima was absolutely delightful. We loved staying in this charming old building with its personalized treatment from the staff. It had a very personal, boutique feel that made us feel right at home. The service was exceptional, and the vibe of the place was just perfect for us. It was the ideal start to our trip. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who prefers a more intimate and unique hotel experience

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

Staying at Antigua Casona San Blas in Cusco was wonderful. This hotel had a very traditional and cozy atmosphere, which we appreciated greatly. It felt very personal and was definitely our style. The service was attentive and the ambiance was perfect for our first stay in Cusco. It truly set the tone for the rest of our trip.

Palacio del Inka Cusco

Cusco

Our stay at Palacio del Inka Cusco was good, although it was more of a commercial hotel, which isn't typically our style. It wasn't as personal or intimate as the other hotels we stayed at, but it was still a high-quality experience. The service was great and there were no complaints, but we simply prefer smaller, more boutique-style hotels. In hindsight, we would have preferred to return to the first hotel in Cusco, as it was more suited to our tastes.

Activity Review

Discovering the Treasures of Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu

Visiting Machu Picchu was an absolute highlight of our trip. The experience was simply breathtaking. We had a private guide who was incredibly knowledgeable about the history and significance of the site, which really enriched our visit. My husband and son did the hike to Machu Picchu via Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna the day before and it was a perfect lead-up to discovering the treasures of this iconic place. The whole experience was well-organized and we felt very well taken care of.

Oh my goodness!! My husband and I had the most wonderful trip to Morroco for 10 days, due to, first of Ali, our fabulous trip planner at Original Travels which works locally with KimKim.com. We began with a basic itinerary which was one of the many offered for Morocco. Then Ali helped me to personalize the trip for some of my interests: We were able to visit a stable of Arabian and Berber horses which was amazing! We also visited a ceramic factory and a rug cooperative that benefits women weavers.

Our driver, Sufian, was just terrific, and we didn't realize how incredibly helpful he would be! He knows at least Arabic, Berber, English, French and some Spanish! Sufian was so personable and helpful in any way he could be. One of the most pleasurable parts of our trip was getting to know him and exchanging information and perspectives on each of our cultures - such a great learning experience! We will definitely stay in touch.

We also met many knowledgeable local guides which added immeasurably to our understanding of the Muslim culture and places of interest: Abdoul; Said; Mohammed and so many others.

The accommodations were also beautiful and comfortable - couldn't have asked for more. I could go on but suffice it to say that I would absolutely recommend KimKim.com and Original Travels!

P.S. I would love to add a profile photo however my computer disk is full and I cannot seem to transfer an image from the 10,000 photos I took in Morocco!

Organization by Bea was great - great hotels and guides. Morocco was wonderful although the local operator did not seem to know parts of our itinerary.

Hotel Reviews

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Favorite hotel of the trip - beautiful room and very helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mövenpick Hotel Casablanca

Casablanca

Hotel was almost on top of major roads and even with double windows it was loud (especially trying to go to bed early for 3 am wake up)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cádiz Guided Visit

Cádiz

The Guided Tour of Hassan II Mosque wasn't as expected. The itinerary mentioned a private tour, but we ended up joining the public English tour with around thirty people. It was about forty minutes long and the guide was adequate, but it wasn't a private experience as described.

Tapas Culinary Experience

Madrid

awesome - learned so much and ate amazing food. Tried so many new things.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Visit: Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Granada

group was very large so hard to follow at times - would have been better with a smaller group

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fes: Exploring the Imperial City

Fes

local guide Omar was fabulous. Went out of his way to be sure we say everything we wanted and help my son go back to riad when he did not feel well

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Privately Guided Tour of Hassan II Mosque

Casablanca

Was a group tour and guide did not have great English. Only about 40 minutes long

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Evening Marrakech Street Food Tour

Marrakesh

Best tour of trip - we ate so much and had so much fun. Tried tons of food I would have never tried and had the most amazing couscous ever. Do not miss this?

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Flamenco Show in a Sacromonte Cave

Granada

The Flamenco Show was quite enjoyable and struck the right balance in terms of length. It wasn't overly long, making it a good introduction to flamenco. The performance was engaging and gave a nice cultural touch to our evening. Overall, it was a nice experience.

Visit an Andalusian Olive Oil Estate

Seville

The olive oil estate visit was fine but not overly impressive. It was a short visit, less than an hour, where we saw different kinds of olives, the machinery used, and tasted three olive oils. It was informative but not a must-do activity.

A Day in the Agafay Desert

Morocco

The overnight stay in the Agafay Desert was fun and a unique experience. The lodge was nice, the food was good, and the accommodations were comfortable despite finding a scorpion in the shower. They promptly took care of it, so it wasn't a major issue.

We loved our trip. The guides were amazing and very knowledgeable. kimKim was available when we needed help and responded quickly. Overall our experience was great.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Metropole Suisse

Como

Very run down. Needs to be renovated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Uptown Palace Milan

Milan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

CHC Continental, BW Premier Collection

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bergamo Private Upper Town City Visit

Bergamo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit Bergamo on the E-bike

Bergamo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Gondola Ride with Cicchetti & Wine

Venice

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bellagio E-Bike Experience & Food tasting

Italy

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I asked Irene (KimKim's Travel 12 partner), for a trip with a fair amount of twists and turns and accommodations for my companion and myself. We traveled from Nice to the Italian Riviera, then on our way to Venice, made stops in Milan and Verona. Yes, a travel-packed route. In Nice, Irene fulfilled my request for a hotel in Old Town Nice with exactly what I wanted, ie, a hotel, The Hotel Rivage, that was perfectly located in Old Town and close to the Promenade and the Rue Massena, a more upscale area in Nice. In short, all the areas we wanted. From there, we went to the Italian Riviera, and Irene suggested that we stay in Camogli, a city we'd never heard of. That suggestion was golden. I wanted originally to stay in Genoa, and Irene, knowing I was looking for beauty and not a working port town, guided me to Camogli, which was gorgeous. The hotel there, The Cenobli dei Dogi was the best hotel we've ever stayed at. Yes, it's not easy to get to (I mean, it's high on the southern coast), but the superior level of service there, and the exquisite room and view were unmatched by any hotel we've ever been to. It was VERY impressive. Katarina, Izabella and Claudia took great care of us there! When we asked for a taxi ride to Portofino (an enclave dripping with money and beauty), they had it arranged promptly. And the food at the Cenobli! Really, really good! Irene also arranged a day tip to Genoa, where we were treated by Paola, a Genoa native, to a food tour of authentic Italian food at Genoa's most popular open market. Paola was friendly with us and the various food shop owners, all of whom seemed to know her. This familiarity lead to quite a few "samples" for us, all delicious. Thank you, Paola! At the end of our stay in Camogli, we were then driven by Stephano, a sweet, wonderful, very patient man, who took us on our complicated, illogical trip from Camogli to stop for an hour in Milan, then stop again in Verona where we spent a few hours before boarding a train (all the train and limo rides were arranged by Irene. I'm sure this trip wasn't easy to arrange, but she did it!), and then we were off to Venice. In Venice, we were met by Barbara at the train station, then escorted to a water taxi to our hotel. (Note: Barbara communicated with me often while on the train, due to the train's arrival delay, but she guided us to the right station, and grabbed us immediately upon arrival. It was appreciated). In Venice, I asked for a hotel close to the Rialto Bridge on the Gran Canal, and that's exactly what Irene arranged for us. We stayed at EGO Residence, and the location was priceless. The room was a bit smaller than we had previously enjoyed (but hey, Venice is a tight little area), and the wifi here was a bit challenging. But EGO's Eldor and Simone were very accommodating. Eldor booked us a spot at a nice, local restaurant on the canal, which I'm sure he scored due to his connections, given this was a very, very busy Saturday night, and everyone was looking for a spot at that restaurant. And the breakfast room where we were spoiled by excellent food and service by EGO's Crystal, was really delightful. We enjoyed our time here! Upon departing from Venice for San Francisco, a water taxi collected us, then a limo took us to the Venetian Airport, where we were dropped off in plenty of time to negotiate all the ticketing, baggage drop and numerous passport checks before departure. All in all, Irene and Travel 12 and KimKim did an excellent job of providing a wonderful trip to Nice and the many Italian cities. We were never left wondering where our drivers or tour guides were, and the selection of cities and activities are all well chosen. This is my second trip with KimKim (the first was Singapore, also excellent) and I'll not hesitate to partner with KimKim and Travel 12 again!

Just completed a lovely tour of both Scotland and Ireland. Visited many castles and saw some beautiful scenery. The collaboration with, and flexibility of our guide Kateryna was splendid. She facilitated a mid-trip “audible” at our request with ease. The itinerary and guides were all great and the accommodations were top notch! Only regret, 12 days was not enough to see all these countries have to offer….,, the hospitality and friendliness of the Scottish and Irish is King!

Activity Review

Outlander Castle Tour

Edinburgh

A great tour with an awesome and hard working guide Rafal! The tour took us to the filming locations but was much more than “Hollywood” which we enjoyed hearing the real history behind these settings……cannot saw enough about our guide Rafal!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Out trip was so well organized by Mar and supported thereafter by Fenne and the result was a seamless and totally enjoyable trip to Norway including all the sights that we wanted to see. The hotels were excellent and very well placed to the city centers. The excursions were all very enjoyable and without problems. Personally this was my first time using KimKim but I am already working on another trip for next year with a new KimKim agent who already has shown the same qualities.

Sarah was terrific! Her knowledge of the area combined with listening to my interests; she planned some fun e-biking, kayaking and cultural events tailored to my personal likes. All my hotels were lovely and well located. .Sarah worked the logistics so well. Travelled solo and used drivers trains and ferries for a charming and memorable trip.
Would wholeheartedly recommend this service!

Trip was very well planned by Jaoa. All details were well thought out. Ivo and Carlos did a great job in driving us everywhere and providing detailed information about each site including all historical facts. The best part of the trip was cultural immersion by visiting a local fishing village, a small time wine maker, and participating in a cooking class!