Kimkim Trip Reviews

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

Lorena was incredible. She was very attentive and adjusted to our changing needs very quickly. We all loved our Brazil trip and will be reaching out to her again for our next South American adventure.

Hotel Reviews

Evolucao Ecolodge

Manacapuru

amazing food and location and tours

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Saint Paul

Manaus - AM

great location and staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mirador Rio Hotel

Rio de Janeiro

basic hotel. solid location but the room was nothing special

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Corcovado Hill & City Tour

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sugarloaf Hill & Beaches

Rio de Janeiro

did not really need a guide for this part of the trip. Beaches were not toured at all. That said, Sugarloaf was the best part of our whole trip

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Morro Dois Irmãos & Favela Tour

Rio de Janeiro

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Meeting of the Waters & Janauari Park

Manaus

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazon Jungle Lodge: Hiking, Fishing & Nocturnal Tour

Manaus

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazon Jungle Adventure

Manaus

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Swim with Pink Dolphins

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Tour in Manaus

Manaus

great tour but not really worth spending a day in Manaus for a tour

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our experience working with Patricia was AMAZING. Through just a couple conversations and a few emails, she constructed the itinerary and once we approved it, she made all the reservations and arrangements for us. This included hotel reservations, travel arrangements between locations, and tour guides for multiple excursions. Then, once we arrived in country, a local phone was provided by Patricia to be in touch during our trip with any questions or last minute changes. Trip highlights include:
- Wonderful guided tour of La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell
- Fun guided tour of Monserrat and two wineries with Marianna of Winenium
- Insanely picturesque room overlooking the cove of Llfranc in Costa Brava
- Incredible guided tour of San Sebastián that included a delicious pintxos tour

And, the award for best tour of the trip goes to Diego who picked us up in San Sebastián, showcased the Basque coastline and Basque history and culture through the course of the day. Included in our day was a stop at Ameztoi, a Txakoli winery with absolutely stunning views from the winery overlooking the ocean.

Tom helped us fulfill our dream of visiting the Fjords and spending a fantastic week in Norway. With lots of advance planning, every transfer and connection went off smoothly! We skirted rain at every turn and enjoyed beautiful scenery on the Flam Railway from Oslo to Myrdal, on a RIB boat adventure in Flam, from our hotel in lovely Aurland, and on an excellent ferry trip from Aurland to Bergen. The fjords were even more spectacular than I imagined! Tom also set up personalized tours in Oslo and Bergen and we especially enjoyed walking all around Bergen with John! All the extra information Tom provided came in handy when we were planning our days or looking for a nice restaurant.

This was our first trip to Germany . We used Tomaz help to plan a trip in Bavaria . We had three days planned and each day the plan was really well scheduled .
First day we met Karl . We loved Karl . This man is full of patience , is so good with kids and gave us so much information . We did not want to leave his side so as not to miss any information . He is so kind and helpful. A very honest person who did not push any of his ideas and gave frank reviews of hotels and restaurants . We went to chiemsee lake the first days . On our way back he showed us a lot of Munich and even was kind enough to take us centre of city and show us the Marienplatz on our way to hotel . He got us umbrellas and asked us to keep them for the trip . Thanks to him we call a sweatshirt we bought “ monster t shirt “
Next day we went to rothenberg with Thomas . Another very kind and patient person . Very detail oriented . A very caring fatherly figure and he never gave us attitude for any detours esp when my wife started having headache he was kind enough to drive to a pharamcy . We talked a lot about history politics movies Oktoberfest food and he gave us some really good options of good Bavarian cuisine which was very affordable .
Karl took is to castles in Bavaria which was an awesome experience and he thendropped to Garmisch and again gave us a detailed plan on what all we could do. He could have just taken us to the castle and dropped us back and be done with it but he took his time and took us to these beautiful detours showing places you could not see if you did not have a private tour .

Thomas dropped us back to Munich airport and despite delay due to accident he kept his calm and was very reassuring all the way back .

We had a minor issue with the Train from Berlin to Munich as our seats were not reserved so we had to sit on the floor for 2 hours before we could find a spot .
Zala was very helpful all the way . Her emails are very well detailed with all the information and the trip went very smooth . The hotels booked very nice and very comfortable accommodations .
In all a very well planned trip . Looking forward for many more trips together

I am satisfied and appreciate all that Kimkim put together for our trip.My experience of the guides is they expressed interesting and quality knowledge of the places we visited. They appeared enthusiastic and connected to our group.
The drivers were great, helpful and friendly including personal stories of the places we were traveling through.
The hotels we stayed were responsive accommodating our needs. Thank you

Hotel Reviews

Ca' Pozzo Inn

Venice

The hotel was clean, good beds with helpful employees.We just had over night there.

Authenticity & Character

The ease to water taxi and restaurant.

Location

There was a restaurant close by that was excellent with a great fun loving staff.

Staff

Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds

Raffaello Hotel Rome

Roma

The hotel staff were helpful.Send me to day spa connected to a hotel so I was able to have massage, soak and do water aerobics in a pool then ate delicious meal at the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Needed a more modern upgrade on the interior.

Location

Staff

Hotel Amalfi

Amalfi

The hotel was cozy with nice view from rooftop breakfast place. They were helpful accommodating our needs.

Authenticity & Character

Cozy nice and view.

Location

Room comfort with porch to sit out.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Hidden Venice and cicchetti experience

Italy

The guide was friendly, enthusiastic and made the history interesting. I loved the cicchetti and wine at the place he took up. It was so special, so delicious. I would have loved to go there everyday to hang out.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Absolutely Perfect! James was spot on with all of our requests and interests in visiting certain spots in Portugal. All of our transfers ran smoothly and the tour guides Frank, Sophia, Daniel, Ricardo, Sonia, Fransisco, Malia and Valter were fantastic! They all were extremely informative, warm, friendly and provided lots of laughs! I would highly recommend Kim Kim's services. Our local contact Chaima, was always available and frequently checked in with us to be sure we were doing well. We would not have been able to cover so much had we done this on our own. We enjoyed every highlight from the history in old Lisbon, bakeries, walking tours, Fados, wineries, magnificent views of the Douro Valley, resort town of Cascais...the list is endless! Deepest thanks to James for organizing such a magical, memorable trip!

Hotel Reviews

Pestana Cidadela Cascais

Cascais

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

PortoBay Liberdade

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pousada Porto - Rua das Flores

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Take a Tuk-Tuk Tour to Spectacular Lookout Points

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Lisbon with a Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Fado & Tapas

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Food

more choices for dinner ...we only had 2 choices

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Trip to Sintra & Pena Palace

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Enjoy a Private Walking Tour of Porto

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Transfer from Lisbon to Porto

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to the Douro Valley for a Wine Tour & River Cruise

Porto

Amazing day with Fransisco! The vineyards and the Douro River cruise were just beautiful. The view were breath taking. The day was magical!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

everything!!!! Trip is a must on your visit to Porto

Day Trip from Porto to Coimbra & Nazaré, End in {{end_location}}

Portugal

Spectacular day with Valter! He made the day so much fun with stops in Coimbra, Nazare and then with final stop in Cascais. The views were amazing, the stops were great ...can not say enough !

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Melia who gave us the tour in Coimbra was delightful. She knew so much about the university ...it was all so interesting !

Transport

Our quick tour of Croatia set up by Antonia was absolutely perfect. We had started a day late due to a canceled fight and Antonia miraculously and seamlessly changed hotels and tour times. We began with a day in Split with our wonderful guide Krystina. She was very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. 5 stars! Next on to Hvar for two nights. Spectacular views and great food! Our tour of the countryside with Greg was fantastic. A special private rooftop dinner overlooking the sea made us feel like rock stars! On to Dubrovnik with a tour of the old town, cable car ride and walking the city walls. We finished with a cooking class in the country with a local family that really rounded out the trip.

This is a little belated, but the whole itinerary that Nathalie planned was just incredible. All experiences were very authentic and unique. It felt like they put some real thought into our activities save destinations. Highly highly recommended!

Domen and Slotrips put together a great itinerary and experience in lovely Slovenia. He customized a blend of hiking, biking, and rafting around my interests with many additional side options depending on time/desire. When the weather was rough the last part of my trip, Domen worked with local companies to rearrange times for trips. The GPS provided for hiking and biking was superior! Highly needed for some trails in the national park where trail marking can be confusing. Excellent accommodation selection and very good restraunt suggestions. Would strongly endorse letting Domen and Slotrips organize your next trip to Slovenia.

Our driver, Abderahim, was most excellent and attentive to all our needs..very satisfied. Hakim, the tour operator was also very attentive with prompt replies to any questions. We had only one riad in Essaouira we were very unhappy with ( not too clean) and he refunded our night stay there. The guides were sharp and well versed in the history of thier respective towns..all locals.
A few minor suggestions. While we stayed 3 nights in Marrakesh, one day was spent hiking in Imlil region of Atlas mountains and driving back & forth to Marrakesh. While this hike was spectacular and well worth the visit, consider next time arranging an overnight in Imlil region instead of driving back to Marrakesh. My understanding is the drive to Essaouira the next day wouldn't be negatively impacted. Another consideration is the very long drive from Fes to Merzouga...could it be broken up? Understand that perhaps due to our time constraints that was not possible.
Overall thoroughly enjoyed Morocco , it's rich culture and history and wonderful people. Will definitely recommend KimKim and the destination to friends and family.

Our Iceland trip was amazing. Terry did a great job of putting together a great itinerary with a good mix of planned and optional activities. Some of my favorite things were: Vatnshellir Lava Cave Tour, Husafell Canyon Baths and Jokulsarlon & Diamond Beach. The Geldingadalir volcano hike was really interesting.

The best meal we had on the trip was Narfeyrarstofa in Stykkishólmur. Amazing scallops. The food was presented interestingly and it was all very tasty. We also enjoyed Englendingavik in Borgarnes.

On our day back to Reykjavik we discovered Rósakaffi, a restaurant in an old greenhouse. We had a very nice snack here.

When there was a question about whether breakfast was included at one of our stays, the local KimKim staff was quick to help us resolve it.

There were easily enough activities to do and things to see that we could have stayed for several more days.

Activity Reviews

Vatnshellir Lava Cave Tour

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

I found it really interesting to compare a lava cave to a limestone cave. Our guide, Andre, did a very nice job of explaining what we were seeing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Husafell Canyon Baths

Iceland

I really enjoyed being down in the canyon and the baths were lovely.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We worked with Eleni to plan this memorable and special trip to Greece and I cannot stress how fantastic she was to work with. From day 1, she listened and adjusted schedules and basically gave us an experience that we will never forget. I made numerous changes to the itinerary and she was always pleasant and professional. She also worked with our budget and was able to include some phenomenal experiences based on our requests and desires. The entire trip flowed flawlessly. All the hotels were AMAZING and the experiences were definitely UNFORGETTABLE. Our trip to Metoera was so unique and seeing the monasteries in their unique environment was fantastic. Each of our transfers was there on time and we never had any issues. Finally, our favorites were some experiences in Mykonos and Santorini...in Mykonos we had an amazing sailing cruise for 7 hours and we loved it. In Santorini we had a sunset sailing cruise with delicious food and also this great wine tasting experience. I cannot recommend Eleni highly enough and we would definitely go back again and use her for planning our trip!

Hotel Reviews

Andronis Athens Luxury Suites

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Royal Myconian

Mykonos

Great spa and beautiful views!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Elia Ermou Athens Hotel

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dome Santorini Resort & Spa

Santorini

Small boutique hotel and extremely personalized experience. Loved this one!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Acropolis, Private Guided Tour

Athens

The guide was phenomenal and made it so much fun and interesting. Her name was Chrisyis and we loved her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

🍴 Athens Food Tour

Athens

Delicious food stops and got to try lots of food...we were stuffed!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

🚆 Day Trip to Meteora by Train

Greece

Absolutely stunning location and the monasteries are awe-inspiring. Our guide and driver, Khristine and Nikos were wonderful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

⛵ Sailing Cruise to Delos archaeological site & Rhenia islet

Mykonos

This was one of our favorite experiences of the trip! The boat, the amazing weather and views, the food! Everything was phenomenal

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

🍷 Santorini Wine Roads, Sunset Tour

Santorini

Savas was our sommelier and we had a fun time. We were only a group of 5 so that made it even more special! Learned so much about the Santorini wine and enjoyed some yummy varieties.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

⛵ Sunset Sailing Tour & BBQ on a luxury catamaran

Santorini

Another amazing experience. We saw a beautiful sunset and the crew went out of their way to make it special for us. The food cooked on board was delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Terry did a great job of managing things we wanted to see, downtime and our route. We enjoyed having a couple things planned the first few days then relaxed into our own schedule and our own pace for a few days. It was perfect!

Sonia helped us plan a wonderful, personalized trip to Italy. Our itinerary was full, but everything went smoothly. From driver’s meeting us at the airport, to train stations etc - everything was wonderful. She also provided us with a concierge who took care of us during our trip when we had any questions or concerns. All the hotels and excursions booked were great! I would highly recommend booking your dream vacation through KimKim and using Sonia’s services. She was terrific.

Norway is such a magical place, and this trip allowed us to burrow in further than our previous trip. Our trip had a nice flow, and our accommodations were excellent. We stayed in both an incredible boutique style hotel suite, and a fishing cabin in the Lofotens. Our overnight on the Hurtigruten Ferry gave us a taste of cruising and allowed us to take a RIB trip to the Saltstraumen Strait. We liked having 2 nights at our hotels so we could get there, explore and relax. Linda was attentive to our needs with many great suggestions. Thank you for your organization and ease of planning.

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Nidelven

Trondheim

Central location by the flower bridge with easy access to outside terrace restaurants and bars. This hotel had the best breakfast buffet ever!!!! It's hard to call it a buffet as there were stations set up with personal service for everything. The room was comfortable. The hotel staff was extremely helpful. We had an issue with our power cords and they were able to advise us on how to fix our access.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location and breakfast

Staff

Helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hustadvika Havhotell

Fraena

I wish I had read the driving instructions to this hotel that you provided more thoroughly before I panicked. Turns out we were only 3 minutes away when we started asking directions. The room was comfortable and cozy. The staff was very pleasant. It was a bit isolated if you didn't want to eat at the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

MS Kong Harald

Tromsø

This ferry ride was great exposure to what cruising must be like. Our room was small but had everything we needed. We were only onboard 1 night. If we had gone further it would have been nice to have a room with a larger window. We sat on the observation deck most of the time. It was amazing how closely we navigated through the islands. We signed up to take the RIB Saltstraumen excursion. This may have been the highlight of our trip. For some reason we thought we had our room until we reached Svolvaer. But when we were paged we found out we should have checked out by 11. We were hoping to come back from the RIB adventure, take a warm shower and gather up our belongings for our departure. That was our mistake. The scenery along the passage was incredible!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nordis Apartments

Svolvær

Wow!! What a great little boutique hotel!!! We loved our corner suite with a lovely view of the harbor and mountains. Our bedroom was spacious, and we appreciated having the sitting area and outside balcony as well. We would definitely stay here again. Thank you for getting us such a lovely space.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Corner suite with balcony on the harbor

Staff

Friendly and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Reine Rorbuer

Reine

Quaint fishing cabin right on the harbor. Lovely space with lots of character.

Authenticity & Character

A true fishing cabin outfitted as you would hope, but with modern amenities

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Trollfjord Cruise

Norway

Amazing time on the water. The guides were informative. The scenery was stunning.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable and friendly. Enjoyed the underwater drone images.

Transport

Diverse scenery

Audrey and I planned this trip together over a period of a couple of months. She was responsive to my questions and requests in a timely and intelligent manner.
All arrivals and departures were handled with lovely attentive drivers.
We were traveling for 11 days in Barcelona and Marseilles with a 1 day stop in Sete, France.
In Barcelona we went on a tour of Montserrat with Vincent. He was a wonderful tour guide. Friendly , personable attentive, aware of the differences in his group of people. We had a wonderful day with a group of people from many different places because Vincent made it enjoyable and informative.
In Sete we met Marc for a private food tour. It was one of the highlights of our trip. Marc was knowledgeable, informative and extremely personable.
On the whole this trip worked for two older women exploring 2cities in Europe.
We thank Audrey for assisting us in this adventure.

Nadia did a fabulous job of planning our vacation for us. Everything was on point and on schedule from the hotels, transfers and excursions.

THE BEST TRIP !! Every aspect was top notch. All of our drivers were wonderful very nice, friendly and leaving us with so much information and history. So many great moments.
Thank you!