Kimkim Trip Reviews

We had used Kim Kim in the past for a trip to Costa Rica. Everything from the activities to the accommodations, guides and support were exemplary. Unfortunately, our experience with our recent trip to Italy was not as great and I do not think I will be using Kim Kim or recommending Kim Kim in the future, which is sad given our first experience was so positive.

For starters the price was absurd. We paid $20,000 for a 2-week trip for 5 (3 children and my husband and I)-over $1,400 per day. This did not include food or flights and did not include most of our entertainment/activities. We stayed in 4-star hotels and had several activities and several train rides as well as multiple private transfers included. I understand this is expensive and I had thought the price may be reasonable at the time until I started asking our guides, transfers, and hotels for the amount they had been paid and compiling a spreadsheet of this. I understand there will be a premium going through a travel agency, but this was borderline fraudulent and not at all congruent with our prior Kim Kim experience. My family is from Sardinia and so we began planning our own activities using them as well as a family friend who is a local travel specialist in Italy who reviewed our prices and itinerary and basically concluded we were conned.

Second the planning was extremely sloppy. We did not receive the actual schedule with times in PDF format as we had before with costa Rica. Everything was through the app. Multiple links did not work so I had to frantically call Jessica from the train station in Venice when the train tickets Kim KIm had uploaded to the app had the wrong link and were not there (we almost missed our train). Jessica had EXCELLENT communication as was available 24/7, however I feel if that if the trip was planned better, I would not have to had to be contacting her so frequently. It was annoying and stressful to constantly be on What’s Ap instead of enjoying our vacation. Our schedule told us that in Venice our transfer back to the train station would meet us at the hotel this was not the case and we waited in the hotel until the driver called the hotel and told us to walk the quarter mile to the canal for the transfer. I would have been happy to do this if it had been communicated. Our driver in Florence was late to pick us up to the train station for the transfer. Our driver in Sorrento could not find our hotel, and again for our transfers given the hotel location it was not possible to be picked up at the hotel as the itinerary said, but we had to walk to a street corner, Jessica communicated this the day before, (again not a big deal, but helpful to know all of this ahead of time and put in the itinerary before we left so we knew what to expect and were not constantly having to check whats app, bother Jessica and clarify all the transfers) Our driver to drive us to the airport on departure to Rome was also 30 min late bc he had a 6:30 pick up despite the 6am pick up listed on our itinerary.

The planning was also not well thought out. We had 2 full days in Florence, one free day to visit Uffizi and dell’Academia etc and one day of a private bike tour. Kim Kim planned Monday for our free day to visit the major attractions including the Uffizi (listed in our itinerary) however did not take into consideration that these major museums and galleries are CLOSED on Mondays!!!! This made no sense and despite traveling all the way to Italy/Florence, we were unable to see the Uffizi. Seemed like a major oversight and not something I would expect using an Italian travel agency for a $20,000 trip. Sardinia was similar. A free day on Pelosa beach, however there was no mention that we needed to buy tickets to go to the beach, so again on our planned beach day we were unable to go bc there were no tickets!!!! It seems like this would have been important info to put in the itinerary, let us know about.

I have nothing but positive things to say about Jessica. She went above and beyond and was readily available and an excellent communicator. However, as wonderful as she was, I would’ve preferred to just enjoy our trip and not have to be in constant communication with her about details that were not well spelled out/thought out in the itinerary. Jessica was not assigned to us until after the trip was built, so I’m guessing most of this was all out of her control.

We enjoyed the chosen hotels/accommodations except for Florence (location of this one was too close to large amount of vagrants/beggars, and the kids were scared walking back to the hotel, the staff were also not friendly, and the room was stuffy and hot and did not have enough beds so 2 of our children had to share a twin bed). We enjoyed the planned activities (mask painting, scavenger hunt in Dodge’s palace were both excellent, gelato making excellent, bike tour in Florence excellent).

At the end of the day our trip was still amazing, and these were minor inconveniences, however the whole point of using a travel agency is to not have to worry about the minor details/logistics. And again, after a perfectly executed trip in Costa Rica (a much less developed country than Italy too!), the planning on this trip was extremely disappointing, between this and the price gauging, this will be our last Kim Kim trip. I hope a large portion of the $20,000 we paid goes to Jessica, because she is worth her weight in gold!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Giorgione Venice

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Albani Firenze

Florence

not good for families

Authenticity & Character

Location

near area where vagrants hang out, kids were scared walking back to hotel, would NOT stay here again

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alghero Resort Country Hotel

Alghero

loved it

Authenticity & Character

Location

not walking distance to anything, worked well for us bc we had a car

Staff

staff make this place. they go above and beyond. cannot say enough great things about the staff here

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cuore di Sorrento Suites

Sorrento

Authenticity & Character

Location

hard to find, otherwise great location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Monti Palace Hotel Rome

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Venetian Mask Painting & Family Scavenger Hunt in the Doge’s Palace

Venice

Rosana did excellent job engaging the kids and also teaching them about the history of Doge's palace. LOVED the mask painting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Gelato Making Florence Class

Florence

not what we were expecting but still a good experience, we were in small room in back of gelato shop, very authentic experience and Tulio was great with the children. wasn't quite as hands on as we were expecting though.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Downhill to San Gimignano: Family Biking tour

Italy

Piero was excellent, we really enjoyed our time with him. I had done bike tours in Tuscany in the past and only critique of this trip/route was there were some roads with cars and some street crossings which weren't ideal with the kids. Piero was extremely conscious of this and safety centered, the prior tours I'd done were all in the countryside. the lunch was the best meal we had in florence/tuscany. SO GOOD!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide 10/10

Transport

van was very comfortable and roomy.

Snorkelling in the coves of the Bosa coastline

Italy

rained out/cold, didn't go

Full Day Tour: Positano, Amalfi & Ravello

Italy

Really liked our driver Rosario, however would probably not do this tour again. Was SOOOO crowded and most of our day was spent sitting in the van in traffic (likely the same of any of these tours).

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dear Eleni! Our trip to Greece was a "trip of a lifetime." For Brett and I, this was our first trip to Europe and everything was perfect! We loved the accommodations: the Dome Resort in Santorini was quiet and provided a lot of personal services; the Kanales Resort in Paros was charming with a fantastic breakfast buffet and we loved the opportunity to walk into town in a few minutes to visit the shops and delicious restaurants; the pool and rooftop restaurant at the Electra Palace in Athens were wonderful; and finally the Elia Ermou hotel in Athens was in the heart of the city and allowed us to visit so many different neighborhoods, shops, taverns, and restaurants. Our transportation and guides were always prompt and so knowledgeable. They answered all our questions and connected the dots for us as they helped us learn some of the vast history and sights of the country; in particular, Anastasia was fantastic for the Acropolis tour, Costas was amazing for the tour of Santorini and the wine tour; and,Yannis was so informative as a transportation guide - both he and Costas showed us a places we wouldn't have seen without their guidance; finally Nickolas our driver to Delphi and Meteora was so entertaining and enjoyable - he had a ton of energy and ensured we enjoyed our trip through the mountains. The catamaran trip was breathtaking and one that I would recommend to anyone visiting Santorini - what a beautiful way to see the island. Thank you again for your incredible planning of our trip - it was just the right amount of travel, education, entertainment, and relaxation. I'm sure we'll be back to Greece - there is so much more to explore!

Good day Berat and the Kimkim team,
We are still trying to get to grips with normal life after our magical tour through your beautiful country. We enjoyed every minute of a very well organised and amazingly comprehensive visit to all the historical and cultural places in such a short time.
Mr Ibrahim was a very patient and informative guide in Istanbul and unlocked the wonders of the beautiful mosques, palaces and especially the cistern for us .
The tour through Cappadocia, Konya, Parmukkale and Sirence was unforgettable and we could not wish for a better guide as Hatija (? Hati for us). She was wow, fun, informative and altogether a wonderful person. She had a problem with a cold in her face, but she still soldered on to give us her best. The hot air balloons, the underground dwellings, the unbelievable landscape, the dervishes show, the visit to Ephesus, the Goreme open air museum, the ancient ruins, the karavanserai, the wooden mosque, the thermal waterfalls were all awesome and Hati made it really come to life for us. And hats off to the safe, friendly and patient driver of the very comfortable bus we travelled in.
Our hotels were lovely, very well appointed and comfortable. At the Dóga Thermal Hotel in Parmukkale we had an awesome dinner and enjoyed the thermal spa.We would have loved to stay longer in Sirence, maybe in one of the inns in the village - but next time! We also would love to add Kuśadasi and the Valley of the butterflies!
We brought back lots of memories, leather jackets, silk scarves, pottery, a carpet, jewellery, trinkets, lots of photos that will forever remind us of your magic country.
Back in Istanbul we had another excellent guide that took us to the artisans at the rooftops over the Grand Bazaar and also to the Asian side. I can still hear the sound of the muezzins calling all to pray!
At the Sirkeci Mansion hotel we really befriended the very helpful staff who went out of their way to accommodate us on our last day.
The country transported us to ages past, with a mixture of faith, art and history prevalent in all the historic sites.

Thank you all for making our trip unforgettable.
From Hermien, Kriek, Suzette and Marietjie.

Every part of this trip was flawless and Harris did a fabulous job planning all the details. We especially enjoyed the town of Nafplio and the private tours with the guides from Nicki tours. Nicki in Olympia was engaging and brought history to life and Theodore at Corinth had a deep knowledge and Katarina was enthusiastic and even shared her favorite restaurants for the remainder of our tour. The people at the Herodian in Athens took especially good care of us and all the drivers were prompt and professional (love the rooftop bar and hot tub). We will use Kimkim again! And Harris was patient and flexible since we first booked 3 years ago and had to postpone due to the pandemic. We felt very well cared for and appreciated all the detailed information provided for us for the journey, including Harris’ dining tips and what to do with any free time. A perfect way to travel.

Hotel Reviews

Herodion Hotel

Acropolis, Athens

Great overall for ideal location, helpful staff. Rooftop bar is stunning and the weights and hot tub on deck super. Some rooms are larger than others so I suggest booking the larger rooms with acropolis view.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to acropolis

Staff

Always eager to help

Cleanliness & Comfort

Wish rooms were larger

Adiandi and Amymone Hotel

Nafplio

Great location and lovely breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easily walkable to all sites and dining

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leonidaion Guesthouse Olympia

Archaia Olympia

Owner very friendly and helpful

Authenticity & Character

Location

Next door to great seafood spot and short walk to the Olympia site

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms lack charm, restroom very basic and breakfast could be upgraded

Activity Reviews

Acropolis of Mycenae Guided Tour 

Greece

Key to the rest of the tours! Don’t miss this. Guide was excited about this material and location.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Guided Tour in Ancient Olympia

Olympia

Our favorite tour of the whole trip! Our guide Nicki was warm, engaging, helpful and really brought the history to life.

Quality of Experience

Personalized for us

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great at answering questions

Private St Paul's Corinth Tour

Greece

Great guide! Knowledgeable and friendly

Quality of Experience

Knew the context and loved the history

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Engaging

Acropolis Afternoon Tour

Athens

Excellent tour but I say if some folks are late then leave without them and don’t make those who were on time deal with the late start and tour guide interruptions. This was not the guides fault but the companies fault.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

She seemed a bit rote and was highly distracted by phone calls from the company about latecomers.

Private Epidaurus Guided Tour

Greece

Though it was raining, we still really felt like we learned a lot about how this location was key to the cultural development of European civilization.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had an amazing trip and loved working with KimKim. They were very responsive and helpful.
Thank you

Hotel Reviews

The Silo Hotel

Cape Town

The Silo was one of the best hotels Ive ever stayed in. I’ve been all over the world and this hotel had ceiling to floor windows in every room. I loved my view of the harbour and Table Mountain! Just can’t describe how pleased we were. The staff was super friendly and actually fixed my husbands broken reading glasses! Who does that!

Authenticity & Character

Unique character, decked out bedrooms, beautiful art.

Location

Right on the waterfront!

Staff

Always had a smile on their face and willing to help always

Cleanliness & Comfort

Royal Malewane

Thornybush Reserve

The staff at the Royal Malewane made our trip very special! I can’t say enough about them. They went out of their way to create alcohol free cocktails for us to have on our safari rides. Loved every bit of the resort. Amazing views. We saw over 100 cafe buffalo by our watering hole right outside of our dining room!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

I want to give a big shout out to our friendly engaging guide to Jacques Briam. He made our trip enjoyable. Honestly felt like I was amongst family. Haley was amazing as well! Loved everyone there!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Arrival Thornybush

Thornybush Game Reserve

Quality of Experience

Y

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Days on Safari

South Africa

As I mentioned before Jacques Briam and Loderick our guides were absolutely amazing. Especially Jacques! We felt like we were with family!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cape Town Urban, Table Mountain & Kirstenbosch Exploration (including lunch)

Cape Town

Our guide was full of knowledge. She knew about all the flora and fauna. She knew the answer to all of our questions!

Quality of Experience

Food

They had snacks and drinks packed for us! How cool is that!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cape Peninsula Out & About Discovery Day (including lunch)

Cape Town

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Greece was spectacular. The kimkim team made travel seamless and stress free. Chris Gravas took great care of us - he was very responsive in both the planning stages and also while we were in Greece. He made the effort to greet us in person after we arrived (bearing gifts!) and checked in with us regularly to make sure all was well. When we had questions, his response was immediate. The itinerary was perfect: 2 nights in Athens - freedom to explore, incredible dining and a tour of the Acropolis where we learned a great deal (thank you Zeda!). 3 nights in Naxos -very beautiful and chill and not super touristy and then 3 nights in Santorini. Here there was breathtaking scenery, a memorable sunset cruise (great crew & dinner) - an island very different from Naxos and the mainland and we loved the contrast. Kimkim took care of all the activities and logistics of this trip and we were beyond satisfied. We are already discussing our next trip and it will definitely be with kimkim.

We had the most amazing time in Greece! We sre so thankful to Angela!! She was so helpful, responsive, and really went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. Booking through KimKim with Angela was a seamless process. It was a trip of a lifetime and I am so thankful!

Claire

Hotel Reviews

Thirea Suites & Studios - Adults Only

Oia, Santorini

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Happy Cretan Suites

Malevizi, Crete

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Urban Frame Hotel

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Local tastings 2024

Greece

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Wine at Sky Dome

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Sunset Cruise

Santorini

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Your Tailored Elafonisi Escape: Cretan Dream Where Time Doesn’t Exist from West

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cave of Zeus & Knossos Palace with Lassithi Plateau from East

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Athens Highlights Mythology Tour

Greece

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Ultimate Athens Food Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our agent from KimKim, Marianne was incredible and made our visit a seamless experience, we are so grateful. She provided wonderful suggestions, constant support, and coordination.

Vincent was our guide for our 3 days in Rome was nothing short of exceptional! Vincent’s enthusiasm and knowledge of the history of Rome plus his visible love and pride for his home made each day exciting and so worthwhile. We will never forget our experience with him.
Ciao for now Roma, we will see you again 🥰

Othamn tried to work with in our parameters and did a great job with the sudden change to the schedule in the end. He and the local people were able to fix the issue with the dive group in a quick manner. The over all trip was great and was thoroughly enjoyed. If I were to do it over, I would have suggested an extra day or two in Reykjavík instead of the day on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula as the time of the year we were there was not the high time for the wildlife in that area.

We were extremely pleased with the service provided by Kim Kim and the local travel specialists they partnered with in Greece. Tasos planned a great trip and was very responsive to all our questions. All our hotels were wonderful and we were met by very friendly hosts. Sweet Home hotel even packed us a to-go breakfast for our early morning ferry pick up. The private transfers, ferry and airline reservations all worked seamlessly. Lampros Travel in Athens was exceptional, especially the sunset tour on our final evening. Argyros Travel in Santorini hosted a lovely wine tasting tour that included sunset views. We would most certainly recommend Kim Kim for international traveling!

Patricia and her team planned a perfect 2-week vacation for our family of 5 (2 adults and 1 tween, and 2 teens) that combined fun, education, and relaxation. Our trip took us from Madrid, to the south of Spain, to Costa Brava and ended in Barcelona. Everything was planned to perfection and executed with precision. All of the hotels and tour guides were top notch -- we wouldn't have changed a thing. Patricia and her team answered texts from us whenever we needed some assistance and provided great recommendations for restaurants in all of the cities that we toured. We recommend Patricia without reservation and can't wait to return to Spain!

My group and I had such an amazing time in Portugal. We visited many places/towns around Lisbon and Porto. We got to see many wonderful local and historical places. The whole experience was memorable including the wine tasting, sunset cruise, and Fado dinner. Diogo very professional, extremely knowledgeable, accommodating, and had a great sense of humor.

Said
Was great pre trip arranging Itinerary and making suggestions, he was also great with arranging last minute changes due to late flight arrival and moving to a different location during the trip.

Faysel our driver made the trip , great music in the car very safe driver and lots of fun.

Overall a wonderful trip and great experience.

Danny & Emma , Amsterdam

Hotel Review

Lina Ryad & Spa

Chefchaouen

Wonderful place Room 5 with your own terrace overlooking the town, possible to book the pool for private swims and great breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hike through Berber Villages

Morocco

Mohamed Amjon, Brilliant guide for of facts and humour. His wife made the best food I tasted in the whole trip. Overall one of the best days.

Quality of Experience

Food

Taste

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The entire kimkim experience was incredibly easy, pleasant, and perfect. After this trip, I can't imagine traveling without kimkim again.

We traveled to Barcelona first on our 13 days in Spain. We were greeted by a professional driver in the airport and transported to our first hotel. The driver was extremely kind and made the transfer pleasant after a long flight. Our Barcelona hotel, Casa Luz, was all that it was advertised to be. We had many wonderful choices through kimkim, and we were very pleased with our hotel.

We were guided on a Gothic Quarter walking tour by Theresa. The experience was incredible. She was local to the area and had incredible knowledge about Barcelona and the Jewish Quarter. We were inspired by her stories and the deep history she shared about the buildings we saw and the area generally. She also gave us great restaurant recommendations that turned out to be some of our favorite meals on the trip.

We also enjoyed the day trip to Costa Brava for sea kayaking and hiking. Our guide, Stepan, was truly amazing. He is a wonderful, patient guide, full of fun and insightful knowledge about the region. Our kayaking and cliff jumping excursion was a truly memorable and fun part of our trip! We totally recommend this excursion.

We also enjoyed a private guided tour of Sagrada Familia. Our guide, Gemma, was truly awesome. She shared such deep details about the history and construction of the Sagrada Familia, as well as connections to nature within the church that we would not have known we were seeing. She also shared local restaurant recommendations with us that were terrific.

Each of our guides and tours in Barcelona was 100% terrific and we recommend them wholly.

We next transferred to Madrid. We enjoyed the self-guided walking tour of Madrid provided by kimkim. The instructions were easy to follow and gave us a great tour of the city.

We had an extraordinary day trip to Avila and Segovia, guided by Martin. Martin was a true professor of the region and the history of the sites. Everyone would be lucky to have Martin as their guide. We had an unforgettable day-long experience at these important historical sites. We highly recommend this trip!

We also enjoyed our short Prado Museum visit immensely. Our guide, Maria, was so enjoyable and she made the art and history of the museum truly enjoyable. The Prado is huge, so having guidance to some of the most important points and art in the museum was extremely helpful to make the visit meaningful. Highly recommended.

We next transferred to Valencia. We enjoyed the self-guided walking tour. We also enjoyed our beach day in Valencia. We had a small group tour set for the second day in Valencia, but our guide didn't appear at the time in our itinerary from kimkim. We had a phone number, provided by kimkim, to contact the company. I reached out, but we were not in their system. I immediately let our kimkim consultant know of the issue, and within minutes, we were rescheduled for a private guided tour the next day. This slight error was the only thing that did not go perfectly for our trip. But it was rectified quickly, and kimkim made sure to provide a private tour for us with extra time included to make up for the mistake. I hate mentioning it, because it didn't seem to be kimkim's error. But I want to highlight how professionally kimkim responded and how they went above and beyond to correct any errors. I now can't imagine missing the the 3 hour guided tour we enjoyed so much.

Our private guided walking tour of 3 hours around Valencia, with our guide Laura, was also a highlight of the trip. She was extremely knowledgeable and shared many relatable stories about Valencia, along with its history and culture, with us. We thoroughly enjoyed this amazing tour! Many thanks to kimkim for the add-ons.

We also took the small group guided tour of the Albufera Natural Park, thanks to kimkim! We enjoyed this tour greatly. Our guide Paulino is an expert in the area, and he made sure we knew the history of this beautiful park. We had a short van ride filled with history, then some easy walking in Albufera. The surprise of the tour was a boat ride into the lagoon to enjoy the sunset. It was a meaningful and pleasant, relaxed journey to a beautiful place that is very important in the region of Valencia. We highly recommend it and enjoyed it!

Each hotel was great. We had a hard time picking hotels because each option kimkim provided was terrific.

Each of our guides was an expert and so wonderful to spend time with.

Each driver, with the exception of one, was perfectly professional. Our only sub-par driver was the driver who picked us up at the Valencia train station. He was not terribly professional, did not offer to assist with bags, played loud terrible music in the van, and was pretty dismissive. It was not a big deal, but it truly stood out after each of our other drivers had been so kind, attentive, and professional.

We especially enjoyed the ease of the transfers from hotels to airports and train stations. Kimkim arranged those transfers and set the timing, taking the guessing out of when we needed to be at each location. Kimkim provided specific instructions for each of our guided tours. The whole itinerary was easy to follow and made for a seamless trip.

Thanks for reading this long review. We cannot recommend kimkim highly enough. We will be traveling with them again. I have already recommended the service to many of my friends.

Thank you kimkim for a truly remarkable and memorable vacation! We cannot wait to travel with you again!

Hotel Reviews

One Shot Recoletos 04

Madrid

This hotel is on a quiet street. We had an interior room, but windows on two sides. The beds were comfortable and the room itself was quiet, clean, and perfect for our needs. The hotel is in a very nice area and we felt exceptionally safe there.

Authenticity & Character

This hotel has old elements in a modern feel. It was perfectly updated and comfortable.

Location

This location is near the French Embassy, and walking distance to great shopping and restaurants. It is in a very nice area in the city that feels sophisticated and quiet, and residential. It was truly enjoyable to be there.

Staff

The front desk staff and the breakfast staff at this hotel was very proficient and welcoming. They made everything easy. They were happy to store our bags.

Cleanliness & Comfort

This hotel was very clean and comfortable. The beds were great, the shower was terrific. We opted for breakfast included at this hotel, and it was a huge breakfast every day with more food than we could eat. The breakfast dining area was lovely and relaxing.

Hotel & Spa Plaza Mercado

Valencia

This hotel was terrific! We were very pleased with our choice. The only observation we had was that our room was on the first floor. We could hear noise from the reception area downstairs at times. If you are looking for very quiet rooms, ask to be located higher up and away from the staircase.

Authenticity & Character

This hotel has a modern feel in an historic area. The restaurant in the hotel feels like a charming Mediteranean throwback. But the rest of the hotel is very sleek feeling, including the room and spa.

Location

This hotel is right in the middle of everything. Restaurants and shopping are all around. It is walking distance to the bus and train station. The location is excellent.

Staff

We had lots of questions and the staff addressed them all. We scheduled massages at the spa, we needed a taxi and the staff responded, and the staff gave us instructions to get to the beach on our own. They were extremely helfpul and friendly. They spent individual time with each guest that we saw who needed their help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had a junior suite at this hotel, and it was terrific. The hotel itself was very clean. We enjoyed the spa greatly, and it was also quite clean. The spa is really not to be missed, especially the Latin baths.

Praktik Èssens

Barcelona

We stayed in this hotel the final night of our journey. We loved it.

Authenticity & Character

The hotel has an old feel with a modern flair. It was perfect and understated elegance and charm.

Location

The hotel is located on a main street near a metro stop and tons of high end shopping, and near a Gaudi stop.

Staff

The staff at this hotel was extremely nice. They helped us with a dinner reservation, and were otherwise so welcoming and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was very clean and comfortable. We had a small room, but it was perfect for our needs. The room faced a busy street, but with the doors closed you would never know Barcelona was bustling below.

Sonder Casa Luz

Barcelona

Casa Luz is a standard hotel in Europe, but the location is incredible. Our room was on a very busy street, but the room itself was perfectly quiet. The shower in the room was incredible. The room was very clean, and the beds very comfortable. The hotel has a beautiful rooftop restaurant to enjoy. The location made walking in Barcelona easy and enjoyable. The room had everything we needed for our 5-6 days in Barcelona. Highly recommended!

Authenticity & Character

The hotel brings all the character of European small hotels. It is charming and authentic, while also having all of the modern updates travelers enjoy.

Location

There is a metro stop across the street. The location is central to great restaurants and shopping.

Staff

The staff was welcoming, helpful, and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel was definitely clean. Our beds and pillows were extremely comfortable.

Activity Reviews

Small Group Valencia Orientation Tour

Valencia

We actually had a private tour of 3 hours, because somehow our reservation for the small group tour did not get set. The 3 hour private tour was amazing, fun, and meaningful. We highly recommend!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Laura was so knowledgeable and engaging! We had a great tour!

Transport

Gothic Quarter Walk & Churros

Barcelona

Our guide made this tour extremely enjoyable!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The only thing we suggest here is for the tour operator or kimkim to let travelers know that the meeting point under the mural of the king and queen is a Picasso. We were looking for a more realistic mural of the king and queen, so we initially had trouble understanding the meeting point.

Costa Brava Hiking, Kayaking & Swimming Day Trip

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Stepan was amazing!

Transport

Private Extended Visit to Sagrada Família

Barcelona

Gemma was an exceptional guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Short Prado Museum Visit

Madrid

Maria made a short visit to the museum extremely meaningful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Ávila & Segovia

Madrid

I had no idea what to expect, but this day was beyond what I could have imagined. This day was really fun, full of history, and really fulfilling.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Martin was exceptional. He is a history professor at heart and has so much knowledge and insight to the area and the sites.

Transport

Albufera Natural Park Half-Day Sunset Trip

Valencia

This tour was really interesting. Albufera is a really important historical sight in the area, and it's beautiful. It's also an interesting natural park. The boat tour was a surprise and such a fun part of the evening. Highly recommended!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Paulino was a great guide! So knowledgeable. He had to speak three languages on the journey, and he was amazing.

Transport

This was my first time using a travel agency for a trip. I've always been a very independent traveler and felt that using a travel agent would take away some of that spontaneity and freedom. In fact, it only enhanced the trip. Bruno arranged all the hotels and car rental for us, which took a lot of the stress away. And he was always there on WhatsApp to send us suggestions (always with easy-to-use directions), even helping us to figure out how to pay for parking, so that we were able to maximize our time enjoying the holiday and not spending wasted hours trying to find a place.
This was our first trip to southern Dalmatia and we saw a lot. I like to think of it as a great "taste" of what Dalmatia has to offer, and I can't wait to go back for more now that I have an idea of all there is to offer there. From Cavtat to Split and back again, it was all wonderful, the food (the oysters!), the sea, the hikes and bike rides of Mljet island, the fortifications of Ston and Dubrovnik, (and all the stairs). Especially lovely (and something I probably wouldn't have found on my own) was the Tristeno Arboretum and its Roman Aqueduct, reminding us just how long people have sailed these shores.
In addition we both really enjoyed our guide Pero's wonderfully detailed tour of the Diocletian's Palace in Split was both informative and filled with dry Dalmatian humor. In short, this could have been a mess of a holiday with us lost and frustrated, but thanks to Bruno and his team, we were able to pack a huge amount into a week.

The overall trip 7 days was very well handled by Kim Kim and their affiliates in particular the following :
a) Acropolis and Flavors of Athens.
- Aleks the tour guide was superb in his presentation and photo taking. Very well received by my wife and I, though he has so much to share, the 2 hour tour of Acropolis went by in a flash. 9.5 /10
b) Food expert guide : Andreas, another really warm and friendly guide who took us to the main Monstiriki market and savour the eats around the area. 9 / 10

b) Mythical Argolis Day trip
- Georges had some trouble communicating in English, but he made it up by giving us the BEST seafood meal eaten at Alloum restaurant at Napfoli. Meal 10 / 10. Superb !
- the fortress at Palamidi was scenic and the Acropolis of Mycenae were also good, but perhaps lacking an interactive guide to explain more to us. 8/10.

Accomodation : Sweet Home Boutique ; Good breakfast, excellent location, although room could have been newer. Aphrodite is a gem of a front desk lady. So helpful and nice.

c) Mykonos (3 days 2 nights)
- Small miscommunication of pickup time on 21st Sept, 15 minutes delay. The rest went on without a hitch.
- Great time spent there. Enjoyed every minute of our time there.

Accomodation : Elena Mykonos Hotel
> Really central, and nice room. Good breakfast.

d) Santorini
- No hitches, and the views were fantastic.

- Waterless farming tour. Excellent ! This is really something else and the guide Anna and our group made it so memorable to be with. The meal under the Ficus tree was so enjoyable !

- Kastro Hotel : Excellent Hotel location, suite was facing the blue ocean.

Only 3 hitches, 1. the owner rather standoffish, but no major glitches.
2. Room is rather old and cupboards had dank smell.
3. Could not flush toilet paper into the WC. (I guess this applies to all of Santorini).

We couldn't be happier with our 10 day honeymoon in Italy. We felt like our trip was tailored to us completely, with our preferences for activities, culture, food, activity level, etc. taken fully into account. We were able to give feedback and change anything we wanted until we were satisfied and everything fit in our budget. The most helpful parts of booking through kimkim were 1. having all of our transportation pre-booked ahead of time which made things incredibly easy and straight forward while traveling in a foreign country, and 2. registering for unique private and small group tours that we never would have found on our own. Our favorites were a private walking tour in Venice, a small group food tour in Florence, and a private ape callesino tour in Rome. Even when I got food poisoning halfway through the trip, the agency worked with us to help secure refunds and reschedule activities when possible. We would recommend kimkim to any of our family and friends.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Antiche Figure

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alfieri9 Boutique Hotel Florence

Florence

Authenticity & Character

Location

a bit far from anything we were heading out to do (30+ min walk everywhere). fine for us since we don't mind walking that much, but would have been more convenient to be closer to the main attractions.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Sosta di Ottone III - Boutique Hotel & Restaurant

Levanto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Since the area we were in was so remote, we had to take taxis to get to and from the villages, which were 50 euro per round trip plus tip, so definitely added up and was time consuming as well. However, can't give too poor a score because the view was INCREDIBLE and it felt very special/unique to be removed from the hustle and bustle.

Staff

can't say enough good things about the sweet woman running this hotel.

Cleanliness & Comfort

our favorite place we stayed in terms of beautiful bathroom, luxury, restaurant, etc.

Relais Le Clarisse Rome

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

fantastic location in trastevere neighboorhood

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Sunset & Aperitivo Gondola Ride

Venice

Even though we arrived about 15 min late, they were so accommodating and let us on no problem. The prosecco is a special touch. this was overall a beautiful and peaceful experience, definitely essential for those visiting Venice

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Cannaregio and Jewish ghetto private tour

Venice

Our guide was SO knowledgeable and personable. We enjoyed this tour so so much. recommend for anyone who really values history and/or wants to explore locations off the beaten path.

Quality of Experience

Florence Food Tour & Dinner

Florence

Left the tour feeling like we learned a ton about the culture and foods that are specific to Florence. The restaurants were all great and the small group atmosphere was fun.

Morning Florence Highlights Walking Tour

Florence

Nothing specific that could be improved upon, it was just overwhelming at times since this was our largest tour and it was very crowded in Florence, so at times it was difficult to hear. Our guide definitely did her best. Our guide for the Accademia specifically was fantastic. She was very engaging and you could tell extremely knowledgeable.

Private Transfer with a Visit to Pisa & Lucca

Italy

A very comfortable and convenient way to travel from city to city and we felt like we were able to add bonus destinations into our trip. Our driver was very nice and taught us a lot about each of the cities.

Sunset Boat Trip

Italy

So much fun! The skipper was fantastic, a true local who taught us a lot about the region. The seafood they made on board was so fresh and tasty. A very cool and beautiful way to see the villages by water.

Rome With Ape Calessino

Rome

10/10. Our tour guide was a young local who was extremely passionate about his city and the history around every corner. We learned a lot and really enjoyed the ape callesino since it was such a beautiful night out. He took a lot of cool pictures of us as well. We already sent the name of the company to friends of ours going to Rome next month and told them we highly recommend doing a tour.

Bire the guide was great in Nepal. You should keep him on your team.
The hotel in Thamel was not great as it was next to an open air bar playing live music until late at night, hard to sleep.

I would like to thank Tiago for preparing a amazing road book, there was a lot to see and do but that is exactly what I asked for in my early conversation with Tiago.
Highlights of the trip:
Two fantastic days with Joel guiding us around Lisbon and Sintra and picking incredible lunch restaurants - thank you Joel he was very helpful introducing us to Portugal

Staying at Quinta do Tedo in the Douro Valley, great small hotel and vineyards- amazing views and a great diner

Porto- great Hotel, Mercure Porto Centro, wonderful location and a very informative 1/2 day walking tour with Debora, she did a great job showing us the city

Probably one of the major highlights of the trip was spending the afternoon at Herdade de Coelheiros, near Evora,touring the cork farm, vineyards, olive trees and walnut orchard , this is a amazing 800 hectares of working farm. We toured the entire property by jeep with a wine tasting afterwards. This place is not to be missed!

Lagos - a very good half day catamaran tour along the coastal cliffs and caves- this was another wonderful day with Discovery Tours.

In general the trip was fantastic due Portugal being such a clean beautiful country with very happy and helpful people. In most cases everyone I met were always happy to help, direct, guide, suggest and always willing to make our stay enjoyable- the people are wonderful! The food was always well prepared and delicious either in a fancy restaurant or a small bar. This was the best seafood I have ever eaten. Tiago had some great recommendations for dining- thank you!

The trip of a lifetime! In trying to coordinating this trip with reopening of the Kingdom of Bhutan provided an extra challenge for Bas and his team, but they went above and beyond to ensure that I had the itinerary that I wanted. I will definitely travel with Kimkim again.

Hotel Reviews

Le Meridien Thimphu

Thimphu

The staff and service here are fantastic. The food was good and the location was central. However, being in the city center, there is quite a bit of noise like construction all day and dogs barking most of the night. If you are a light sleeper, I might look somewhere else.

Authenticity & Character

Very clean and modern.

Location

Walking distance to city square and restaurants. It felt very safe.

Staff

The front desk is welcoming and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

A very comfortable place to stay.

Dewachen Hotel

Phobjikha

This is only rated as a three star hotel, but it definitely deserves to be four or five. The location is remote but very comfortable. There are gorgeous views of the valley and exactly the kind of tranquility you travel to Bhutan to find. My room had candles and a fireplace which were perfect for the stormy evening I spent there. The bathroom was a little dated, but clean and practical. There's no WiFi in the rooms only the lobby and dinning area, which for me was an added benefit. The food was good and serving sizes were plentiful. If I ever make it back to Bhutan, this is the first place I'm booking. This place is leans heavy on charm and authenticity, but that's exactly what I was looking for. A great stay!

Authenticity & Character

This felt more like a mountain cabin getaway then a hotel experience. The staff was there when you needed them, and out of your attention otherwise.

Location

The views of the storm coming up across the valley were amazing. Likewise, the sunrise the next morning was equally as impressive. The grounds are simply stunning.

Staff

Caring and warm. They provided exactly what I needed without being too invasive or distant.

Cleanliness & Comfort

They were ready for the return of tourists and had obviously kept up the place during covid. It felt like they never missed a beat.

Zhingkham Resort

Punakha

Out of all the hotels I stayed in, this was the most disappointing. While the views are stellar, the service and rooms felt cold and impersonal. The food was likewise as it lacked any identity besides trying not to upset anyone. The walls were paper thin and conversations from down the hall or out on other balconies could easily be heard in my room with the doors closed. I wasn't sad to leave.

Authenticity & Character

This was a typical tourist hotel, the exact same that's found near every great sight. Impersonal and cool interactions and rooms define this place far more than the views.

Location

The view couldn't be better. The drive to up the hotel couldn't be worse. Once you are there, you aren't going anywhere.

Staff

The staff stayed in their assigned positions without ever trying to provide more than the basic service they were tasked with.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms (specifically the bathrooms) had just been reopened after a two and half year covid closure. They could have used that time to update, or at least thoroughly clean.

Risum Resort

Ha

The Risum staff carry the reputation at this under construction hotel. From the very first interation to the very last, the staff was helpful and warm and welcoming. They obviously wanted to make a great impression. The rooms and dinning were nothing exciting (no WiFi in the rooms).

Authenticity & Character

I could tell the hotel was trying hard to improve the lodging for the guests. Lots of construction and projects happening. My room was adequate, although not impressive.

Location

Set outside of the main town of Ha, this hotel feels removed and remote.

Staff

If the rooms and location were one star, then the staff made this a three star hotel. Their service was five star. I would return here simply because they cared about me as a guest.

Cleanliness & Comfort

A work in progress, but progress is being made.

Le Meridien Riverfront Paro

Paro

Although not a nice as the Le Meridian in Thimpu, this hotel is near the airport and has a nice view of the river. It is more geared towards business than tourist travelers. My stay was adequate for a three/four hotel star but by no means exceptional.

Authenticity & Character

There are small touches which go a long way. The serving of hot apple cider upon arrival was nice, but didn't take away from the fact that the atmosphere was business.

Location

You're near the airport, but not near anything else.

Staff

Helpful but not warm or wanting to go above and beyond.

Cleanliness & Comfort

By far the best/newest rooms I stayed in. Very modern and professionally serviced.

Activity Reviews

Thimphu City Walk

Thimphu

Arrived too late to for this experience.

Trying out bicycles

Thimphu

Arrived too late for this experience. I took the bicycle I was offered.

From Thimphu to Phobjikha by car and bicycle

Thimphu

Good climb out of Thimphu, the weather held off but the clouds obscured any views. The road was wide and traffic was light. 99% of cars and trucks gave us lots of room on the road. The descent from the pass was smooth and fast. We got off the bikes in Wangdue and took the truck up to Lawa La Pass. The road was very narrow and under construction. From Lawa La Pass the ride down into the valley was easy and beautiful. A good day on the bike.

Quality of Experience

Great way to get acclimated to the elevation.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide struggled with the climbing at points. Blamed the bike, previous injuries, weather, gear, but really, I don't think he was expecting me to be fit enough to ride at these elevations.

Transport

Felt safe even on the narrow roads.

Phobjikha - Gangtey Goenba

Phobjikha

Gorgeous temple. Worth the stop!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable guide. Enjoyed learning from him.

Transport

From Phobjikha to Punakha by bicycle

Phobjikha

Great climb on quiet road going back the way we came into the valley. The descent from the pass was a bit hair-raising at points as the speed of the traffic and the narrow road made this no place for beginner road cyclists in some places.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Punakha - Punakha Dzong

Bhutan

This is why you travel all this way. A stunning fort and temple rich with history and culture. I enjoyed every minuted here.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very knowledgeable.

Transport

Punakha - Prayer ceremony at local nunnery

Bhutan

We missed this because of a change in our schedule. While the views from the nunnery were spectacular, I don't think this was worth the time to get up to the site.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Punakha to Thimphu by bicycle

Punakha

Huge climb! Loved every pedal stroke. The roads were in good condition and we made great time up to the Dochula Pass.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Again the climb was too much for my guide who abandoned after 19km. I climbed the rest of the way solo. He supported from the vehicle every 3-5km, but I would have felt more comfortable riding with someone on the busy highway.

Transport

Thimphu - Trashichu Dzong

Thimphu

We did not make this stop because of schedule.

Thimphu - Memorial Chorten

Thimphu

We did not make this stop because of the schedule.

From Thimphu to Ha Valley by bicycle

Thimphu

By far the longest day on the bike. The guide said it was downhill, an uphill, and then flat. But it was really hilly the whole way with over 1200m of elevation gain in the first 75kms of the 105kms. From 50km the road was under heavy construction and turned from a decent highway into barely passable farm/back road comprised of a single lane of mud and rough riding.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My guide rode the downhill section and got off the bike at 19km when we started the climb. At 50km the truck stopped for the restroom and that was the last I saw of them for 25km as there was a series of bottlenecks and moving road closures. If I had known I wouldn't see them again for 2 hours, I would have taken on more sunscreen, water, and food at 50km when we stopped together. Both the guide and driver seemed surprised by both the extent and magnitude of the road construction work too.

Transport

Driver did the best he could under the circumstances to stay with me as I rode, but the conditions did not allow him to keep up with me.

From Ha to Paro by bicycle

Ha

Big climb up to majestic heights! I loved every second of this ride. Stunning views and a real sense of accomplishment to crest over 3990m. I'd come back to Bhutan just to do this ride again. We covered 60km and climbed 1100m in just over 3 hours. A great day on the bike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Paro - Hike to Tigernest Monastery aka Taktshang Goemba

Paro

Stunning views and the temple visit is well worth the big hiking effort after the ride.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport