Kimkim Trip Reviews

Norway is a beautiful, clean, safe, amazing country. The natural beauty took my breath away time after time. The glaciers, fjords, Art, sculpture, gardens, waterfalls, ferries, trains, food, hotels, and people surpassed my expectations. The kayaking in the fjord in Eidfjord was my favorite day. The walking tour with Marianne in Oslo was terrific and professional. We were in Oslo Bergen Eidfjord Stavanger and Skei. All were different and exceptional.

WOW WOW WOW!!!!

We worked with Antonis to create the perfect honeymoon to Greece and let us tell you: IT WAS PERFECT. We spent 9 days there total: flying into Athens (2 nights), Mykonos (3 nights), and Santorini (3 nights). The amount of effort Antonis took to customize, prepare and execute our travel plans was truly astonishing. He left us nothing to worry about: all travel / to and from / check-ins / getting around, etc was completely taken care of. It's so clear Antonis is passionate about what he does, because there was so much care in the details. Below are some more details about our trip.

ATHENS:
We stayed at Villa Brown Ermou Hotel and loved it: it's new. The staff is so friendly and accommodating. It's located in Plaka which is "the spot" to visit - shopping, food, etc. Antonis was there to meet us in person the second we arrived to put a face to a name! He debriefed us on our itinerary and asked for any questions and made us feel so excited and safe. We did the Magnificent Athens tour of Athens with Zakia (our guide) and driver Marios. They were exceptional! Zakia is so passionate and knowledgeable. They even customized our tour of Athens to include the Grand Changing of the Guards (Sundays at 11am) which includes a parade of the Greek soldiers. (This is not normally on their schedule.) We visited the Acropolis Museum, The Panathenaic Stadium, and then the Acropolis itself. HIGHLY recommend this if you are staying even one day in Athens. 10/10

MYKONOS:
The pickup from the high-speed ferry can feel overwhelming with so many people, but we found our pickup very quickly and easily and was immediately brought to our hotel. We stayed at the Mykonos Imperial and cannot recommend a hotel more. It was the best hotel experience we've ever had. Two restaurants on property (Sushi and Mediterranean) which were incredible, and the kindest staff -- especially Giota and Victoria! The breakfast is unlike anything we've ever experienced -- endless options of every kind of breakfast option you could dream up. We also utilized the spa *couples massage* and really enjoyed relaxing at the gorgeous pool overlooking the Sea. *This hotel includes beach access* to Elia Beach, just outside the entrance to the hotel, which is huge. Most folks are traveling and paying 75-100 Euros for a daybed. You can use a daybed for free and charge everything to the room. *We also did the jetskis right there, and there are other water sports available. Amazing hotel. 10/10

The Sailing Yacht Cruise to Rhenia and Delos Islands was phenomenal. It's a large motorized sailboat with tons of space onboard and the shared experience with others was a great way to connect with people. At Rhenia jumped off of the boat, and snorkeled. We saw gorgeous fish. Delos is a historical uninhabited island where you'll get off the boat to do a one-hour walking guided tour (with Sia who is wonderful!) to explore the ruins from when the island was populated during the BC era. *Definitely bring a dry change of clothes and comfortable shoes for this! We also recommend towels / jacket / windbreaker on board because the waves produce lots of ocean spray and it can get chilly en route back. 10/10 experience for sure.

SANTORINI:
Our hotel, Secret Legend Suites, was heavenly. Right in the heart of Oia, which is a destination spot of Santorini for sure. There is a sister hotel, the Santorini Secret and with our stay, we have access to their infinity pool (excellent for your social media photos!) with a bar / restaurant and gym. Our room had a private hot tub which we used every day. The staff is wonderful, especially Elina. You are able to pre-select your handmade breakfast from never-ending options and it's delivered to your room at your preferred time. Between the service, the amenities, the views of the Caldera, and the location, this hotel worth every penny. 10/10

The Sunset Cruise is a must! You board in the afternoon, so there's great sun time to explore the different volcanic islands around Santorini (fascinating!) and jump off the boat / snorkel and then of course, you are set in the prime location to view the sunset. *Another picturesque experience* The food on board is magnificent, and the staff are amazing. 10/10

Overall, what set this trip apart from the rest was the incredible care and effort that Antonis put into both planning our trip, and making sure it was going smoothly along the way. We would work with him again in an instant!

Tomaz and Zala did a fantastic job planning our trip to Switzerland. Every detail was taken care of and everything worked out without any issues. The trip plan was exactly what we had in mind- great hikes, beautiful scenery, very great accommodations which were all very well located and clean, cozy and with great breakfasts! We would highly recommend Tomaz and Zala to anyone interested in exploring Switzerland. Thank you both!!

Hotel Reviews

Cascada Boutique Hotel

Lucerne

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Interlaken

3800

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Backstage Hotel Vernissage

Zermatt

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Angleterre & Résidence

Lausanne

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cheese Tuk-tuk tour

Lucerne

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Peru was amazing! Everything was perfectly organized.

Martina did a great job upfront ensuring that all of our excursions , hotels, and travels were booked and coordinated. She did a great job of listening to our requests and altering our itinerary to ensure that it was everything that we wanted. She was kept in great contact before and during the trip!
Lionel was our main contact once we got to Peru, he was very helpful providing us all of the detailed information we needed and ensuring we got from place to place. Our trip included 6 flights, 5 hotels, and over a dozen excursions, EVERYTHING was planned to perfection.
All drivers and tour guides were extremely professional and really made our experience the best that it could be. We loved exploring everything that Peru had to offer. Some of our favorite experiences included sand boarding and camping in the desert, visiting Machu Picchu, hiking to scenic waterfalls, and exploring the amazon via jungle cruise!

I typically do not like booking with travel agents, but I would book with Kimkim again in a heartbeat!

Greetings, Christos. The trip you arranged for us through the Peloponnese was wonderful. I gave the trip 5 stars even though two nights' accommodations were less than we would have expected. The other reviewers have commented on the Bacchus and the apartment in Monemvasia. The excursions were good and the restaurant choices were all great. You all did a great job of anticipating the types of places we would like. Kostas did a fantastic job for us - both professional and fun to travel with. Thank you for great service and a fantastic trip. Julie

We loved our guide for Plitvice Lakes, Jelena (I think) however Plitvice was SO crowded, the scenery was impacted by the droves of people that were there - nothing on your end, just an observation that it is hard to go to a place like this and experience it when there are 100 people behind you, in front of you and passing next to you. I don't know that I would recommend going there to anyone even though the site itself was beautiful.
We loved our two guides in Hvar, Gregor and Jelena (hiking and biking) - both tours were great. However, the bike guide ending in the basement of Gregor's father and receiving wine, olive oil, bread and cheese was amazing.
We loved our guide in Korcula, Mislav (biking) - he took us to an amazing lunch experience where the food was divine and the hostess loved doing her job, explaining about her garden the grappa processes, the olive oils and the food!
The guide at Mljet was a darling person but not such a knowledgeable guide and then we had a strange experience at the restaurant on the island where they brought us an appetizer that we didn't order and then charged us for it with the explanation of "It is on the menu". After lunch, there was definitely tension in the air - like I said, an odd experience. After going through this, I would recommend KimKim suggests that people bring a picnic (sandwiches) and water (our guide had none for us) and go to the fire stand at the top of the island - that view and hike was quite memorable. The restaurant is a rip-off -it was our most expensive meal in 12 days and we had no wine with lunch.
The guide Nika in Dubrovnik was an absolute joy to be with and she had SO much information to share with us - she was an incredible guide and just very warm and easy to be with.
The cooking class outside of Dubrovnik was amazing - they provided a vegetarian meal for me without me even asking! The things they had us make were lots of fun and easy - that experience was also fantastic.
We loved our guide "Disco" who drove us to Mostar and the falls. He was also so knowledgeable about the area, the war, the history of both Croatia and Bosnia. He was so personable and gave a lot of good options. I could have spent 30 minutes less at the falls to have that extra time in Mostar.

We loved Villa Nora in Hvar - the hostess there, Natalie, was so nice and ready to help us at any moment. The room was great and the breakfast was so cozy in the walled courtyard. Her sister was also a great cook and also was ready to help us. Great location and we loved being in old town.

The hotel in Korcula Fabris Inn was in a good location, adjacent to the old town. The room was nice but nothing special, the breakfast was nice as well and we loved sitting near the waterfront every morning while we had coffee and breakfast.

The Hotel Lero was nice, clean and modern and offered a fantastic breakfast each morning (I don't think I have had better coffee) - we enjoyed staying there. We had an issue with the A/C turning off around 5:30-6am which resulted in us getting up to turn it back on. We asked the front desk about it and it was never resolved (they sent someone up immediately but they said it was fine). I would have preferred staying in the old town just because that is where we spent the majority of our time but I think that is something we realized in hindsight. The hotel was nice but again, nothing special.

Hotel Reviews

Villa Nora Hvar

Hvar

We loved Villa Nora in Hvar - the hostess there, Natalie, was so nice and ready to help us at any moment. The room was great and the breakfast was so cozy in the walled courtyard. Her sister was also a great cook and also was ready to help us. Great location and we loved being in old town. I also liked how the room was separate from the bathroom - that is a nice touch. As were the mints and dried figs that were everywhere - I would 100% go back to this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

I loved that it was in the old town - there is just a small sign with the name so it feels like it blends right in with all the surrounding buildings.

Location

Close to everything and not too many steps between the port and the hotel!

Staff

The staff was great - we loved Natalie and her sister, they would stop whatever they were doing to answer our questions.

Cleanliness & Comfort

the room was very clean, it was also spacious, it even had a couch to sit on which was very nice.

The Fabris Inn

Korčula

The Fabris Inn was in a very good location, adjacent to the old town. The room was nice and clean but nothing special (i.e. old with history). The breakfast was also nice, and we loved sitting near the waterfront every morning while we had coffee and breakfast. There was plenty to choose from at the buffet style and they had one or two different pastries each day.

Authenticity & Character

This was newly remodeled so it felt modern and clean. It blended in with its surroundings.

Location

Staff

They were always helpful when we needed them.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfy beds and linens

Hotel Lero

Dubrovnik

This hotel is clean and modern and has an incredible breakfast buffet. The rooms were nice though I didn't love the frosted bathroom door - I was traveling with a friend so that was a tiny bit awkward. Loved the towel rack and the soap and lotion. The front desk was very helpful and always responded to any requests we made. They lent us umbrellas when needed as well as boxed breakfast when we needed it. The coffee is fantastic.

Authenticity & Character

It is just a modern hotel - so nothing really stands out about it.

Location

It is about a 20 minute walk to the old town of Dubrovnik. Taking the bus was easy but I would have preferred something closer.

Staff

The staff was very responsive to our questions and needs.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very comfortable beds and linens. There was an issue with the A/C cutting off in the early morning so that was annoying but not a deal breaker - otherwise, we could set the temperature and it was nice and cold.

Activity Reviews

Small Group Island of Hvar Cycling Tour

Croatia

We loved our biking guide Jelana - the ride was beautiful and she kept a nice pace - not too slow nor too fast. She pointed out some really great things along the way (the old roman roads, the path that the parades follow near Easter, little Venice etc.) She would stop when asked to allow for photos. I loved stopping near the end for gelato - that was the best gelato we had on the trip! Ending in the basement with wine, cheese, olive oil, meats etc was an amazing finish to an already amazing bike ride. Would do this trip again and again.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Hiking Tour on the Island of Hvar

Hvar

This was a great experience - we enjoyed Gregor's company and vast knowledge of the area. We had a great walk through all sorts of places - there was nothing strenuous about the walk which was nice since it was pretty hot. We ended with coffee in a cafe overlooking the sea - not as nice as the day before with the wine, cheese and bread but nice nonetheless.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to Plitvice National Park from Split (group tour)

Split

Plitvice lakes are amazing the amount of people there is ridiculous. I wouldn't go back here simply because of the number of people. The infrastructure around the park is great, very beautiful but you are sharing it with a constant stream of people before and after you. I don't know how to resolve this but I really felt like the numbers of people took away from the experience of it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Korčula Bike & Food Tour

Korčula

We loved this experience. Our guide, Mislav, was great! He was very knowledgeable and took us to some beautiful places that we never would have found on our own. We then went for lunch at a small place and the hostess was wonderful about sharing her garden, telling us about the olive oils and liquors they made on the property. The ride was simply awesome and the lunch spot was delicious, relaxing and so fun.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mislav was great - so entertaining, we felt like we were with a friend. He offered so many great tips about Korcula that we didn't have enough time to do them all!

Transport

I love e-bikes - I would not want to do this tour and a regular bike. Especially after that lunch!

Monica helped me begin planning the trip over a year ago. Sonia helped with last part. So organized and outstanding communication. I had never used a company like this. I was so pleased with how everything worked. Alessia was our Concierge assistant that met us at airport in Venice and escorted us to beautiful hotel. She also took us out for food tour on the evening. She checked in with us daily .
around 5 by Whats App to assure we had plan for the next day. Communication was outstanding. It was such a stress reliever. Our drivers were great. Michela came to hotel in Florence to pick us up and also our guide for Tuscany. So fun having lady private driver. Boat ride to Capri was beautiful . Peppe and Luca did a wonderful job explaining sites. Serving drinks, and snacks. It was such a great day.
We enjoyed each city. Venice, Florence, Sorrento, Rome. All so different. In Rome we had Apertivo tour with Valeria to Jewish Ghetto area and Pizza making class arranged by Kim Kim at Grotinno's. In business 35 years.Both so fun and educational. Train transfers went smoothly with help of drivers and Lucia. Marino, Deborah and Daniela to meet us and or get on. Next train. I can not imagine planning a trip like this without Kim Kim. It allowed three women to feel safe and have less stress. A mothers dream come true and Kim Kim and others above helped make it happen. We will be using Kim Kim again to plan a trip. Thank you.

Hotel Reviews

Bonvecchiati Palace

Venice

Authenticity & Character

Vaporetto pulled up to door of our hotel to take us to train station

Location

Easy walk to all sites. Central location

Staff

Polite

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Cavour

Florence

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful entry and restaurant breakfast area.

Location

Loved the view from roof bar. Also central location for enter city

Staff

Answered many questions. Patient and kind

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had extra Bed in room. Some of slats fell out when I turned overr in the night.

Hotel Corallo

Sorrento

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful views

Location

Had shuttle since not in easy walking gdistance of town

Staff

Spoke English well bit did not understand and try to meet me on concern I had on bill. Marianna very helpful to get shuttle to lemon farm for us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

47 Boutique Hotel

Rome

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to Jewish Ghetto, Collesium

Staff

Kind of stuffy. Didn't go the extra mile to help with questions re walk and restaurants. Good view from roof top bar. Service and bill very slow

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

"Bacari" local street food tour

Italy

Quality of Experience

Alessia was fun, shared good info.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walking

Explore the Chianti Wine region

Florence

Quality of Experience

Food

Wine tasting and food at each location

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Michala was excellent. Took us back wY into Tuscany. Beautiful scenery. Fun to be with. Dropped us for walk through of small village about e Greve .

Transport

Mercedes van very comfortable. Easy to see out

Sorrento Coast & Capri Boat Tour

Italy

Beautiful boat ride with Peppi and Luca and app 10 others to Capri. Tour of shoreline and explanations of sites. Swam in water before and after Capri. Was not aware of15$ bus to Anicapri. Very organized. It was not part of KimKim. Drinks and snacks and sandwich provided along the boat ride. Day was a dream.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Aperitivo Tour

Rome

Valeria was our tour guide. Very informative. Since I follow WW II history, I liked the tour of Jewish Ghetto.

Quality of Experience

Valeria was very knowlegabke

Food

Liked trying artichokes and stuffed zucchini blooms

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Pizza-making class

Rome

Tony made our experience so authentic. He had owned business 35 years. He and sister are partners. His business is in a Residential area with large market outside door. He was so patient with us. Explained details of Ingredients and temp, time and chemistry. We made 10 pizza between my two daughters and I. His assistant was so nice to make the experience move along by assuring supplies available . She took pics for us. His wife daughter and grandbaby dropped by.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Good communication and when we had to make changes due to forest fires the team came thru!!

Everything was great!

Really enjoyed how seamless the process was. Our trip was exactly what we wanted. Our rides all showed up on time, the drivers were all fantastic. Our guides were local, knowledgeable. Not associated with any company, which we liked.

Manoa Arenal - oh my god. What an amazing hotel. Stunning. Beautiful. Great service. Would go back.
San Bada in Manuel Antonio - Not my favorite. It sells itself as very convenient as it is attached to the national park. However, this puts you right in the middle of the tourism central, which isn't the relaxing beach vibe I was looking for. Kinda tacky and stressful. It definitely sells itself as more of a party location, and the facilities are a little run down. Service was excellent. Maybe a good choice for some, but looking back I wish I had spent the money for something a little nicer, especially with the convenient bus system.

9/10 great visit to costa rica, will be back
will use kimkim again

:)

We are so grateful for finding Ina, our local travel expert, and the KimKim Travel Management team for our amazing road trip around Central and North Greece. Our entire experience was awesome and we want to thank you and your team very much for helping us make all the arrangements within our budget. It was our first time using the travel service.
Ina and your travel management team provided us with accurate pricing of all the things that we would experience in Greece. We can tell everybody without hesitation that you are the primary reason for our great time in Greece! You took care and paid attention to everything about our trip’s planning and even during our trip. We were in awe to experience the Greek culture and history; to explore its nature of abundant mountains, seas, and olive trees!
The places that you choose for us to go - the hotels, the guides, the island day cruise, the tours, ferry rides, and the stopping points between Athens, Nafplio, Nafpaktos, Ioannina, Corfu, Meteora, Thessaloniki, Lithochoro, and Delphi were top-notch except driving on lots of winding roads. We have recommended your name to a few other people who were in our contacts and who love to travel as well.
We shared the photos of our trip on Facebook and they were very well received. We have fond memories of the amazing food, people, nature, and attractions that we saw in Greece and were surprised that most Greeks are able to speak English as well!
We are looking forward to planning another trip with Ina and your KimKim team and we want to thank both of you again for such a great trip.

Hotel Reviews

NJV Athens Plaza Hotel

Athens

Authenticity & Character

Location

Next to the Parliament Athens

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Amalia Hotel Nafplio

Nafplio

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful welcome treat in the room!

Location

Not nearby the old town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Lake hotel Ioannina

Ioannina

Authenticity & Character

Location

Far from the central town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eleals Boutique Hotel

Corfu

Beautiful boutique hotel. We had a pleasure meeting with Sofia and Tasos, owners. Private Beach!

Authenticity & Character

Wonderful owners.. Fantastic Breakfast Menu

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tsikeli Hotel Meteora

Meteora

Love the sauna in the room!! Beautiful breakfast buffet. We are in awe to see the views of the high cliff on the front of the hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Wonderful staff!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Daios Luxury Living

Thessaloníki

The best of overall!

Authenticity & Character

We were treated very well! Beautiful welcome treat with champagne and food and farewell treat-panacotta with berries!

Location

Right across of the gulf. Great location

Staff

Extraordinary!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kastalia Boutique Hotel Delphi

Delphi

Authenticity & Character

It indicated that it is a 4 star hotel and for us is 2 star hotel. The hotel needs some improvement. We were upgraded to a larger room with the view..

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vouliagmeni Suites Athens

Vouliagmeni

Fantastic!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful room with a sea view..

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Tour of Delphi

Greece

Quality of Experience

We were amazed with the ancient history of Delphi!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Penny is a local private tour guide and provided her tremendous knowledge about Delphi archeology.

Saronic Islands Day Cruise

Athens

Amazing cruise trip to 3 islands! Hydra is the best-car free island!

Quality of Experience

Food

Beautiful lunch presentation in VIP room of the ship.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff was very accommodating.

Transport

Round trip transfers should be by luxury black vehicle as promised and paid for.

Acropolis Afternoon Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was very informative...

Meteora Sunset Tour

Meteora

We are in awe to explore the monasteries built on the top of the high cliffs. Breathtaking sunset!

Quality of Experience

History of Meteora and Byzantine Church

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The tour guide including 17 tourists were amazing! He spoke English fluently! Driver as well!

Transport

Salonica Jewish Heritage Tour

Thessaloniki

We walked with Ilona Stefani, our private local tour guide where the Jews lived in the Jewish Quarter and unbelievably she was so informative about its history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ilona Stefani is amazing! We were fortunate to her guide.

We had a great trip to England during a very unprecedented time of the Queens passing. Owen literally took care of every detail of our trip from the time we stepped off the plane until the time we stepped back on. It was such a relief to be able to have someone handle all the details and for us to just be able to enjoy our short time there. I would recommend Owen and his team over and over and I would not hesitate to use him again when I return.

My daughter and I enjoyed a great trip to Argentina and Brazil that we booked through KimKim. It was easy to work with their pre-set itineraries and customize as necessary. We had an outstanding trip and saw a great deal of Argentina in only 12 days and then enjoyed 3 days in Rio. On balance, we were pleased with the service and support we got from KimKim and their local agent in Buenos Aires. Patagonia was amazing!! This was the second trip I booked through KimKim (Morocco - highly recommend!). The reason for the 4 star rating versus 5 star is two-fold. If I contrast the speed and specificity of responses I received from Oleksandra vs. my other trip it was not as good. The second point is it would have been good to have a heads up on the economic challenges in Argentina. We would have brought more US cash as trying to get local currency from bank machines was a continuing challenge and the government fee on withdrawals was up to 35% of the value of the transaction. There were also a lot of places that would not accept credit cards. Knowing this would have made a big difference in how we would have prepared for the trip.

We enjoyed touring Rome with Maria. She was very knowledgeable and interesting as she explained the history and pertinent details of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Vittoriano Monument, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Vatican. The Hotel Raffaello was a beautiful and quiet hotel that was centrally located in a safe neighborhood. We enjoyed the breakfasts at the hotel and were treated well by the hotel staff. Our rooms were clean, spacious, and comfortable. The small shower was the only challenge we encountered.
We loved our trip to the Amalfi Coast. Luigi picked us up at the Naples Train Station to drive us to Amalfi, and he is a safe driver who is kind and easy to talk to. On the way, we stopped at Pompeii for a tour with Antonio. We enjoyed him very much. He explained everything so well, but was also hilarious in doing so with lots of laughs and jokes throughout.
We arrived at La Bussola hotel in Amalfi and loved our stay here with a beautiful view of the coastline and harbor. We loved our boat trip to the island of Capri and had a wonderful captain who informed us of the various landmarks along the coast and would drive the boat up into caves and grottos so we could get a better look. The island of Capri is beautiful and our only complaint is the lines were so long with people waiting on cabs, buses, or tram tickets to get to the city center. It seemed like everyone had arrived at the island at the same time, and the accommodations for transportation were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people. We ended up just renting some beach chairs and enjoying the sea because it was such a hot day, instead of traveling to the city center. If we come back and it's possible, we'd like to have our tickets to the tram ahead of time so we don't spend hours waiting in line on the island.
Our free day on the Amalfi coast was spent enjoying the beach. We rented chairs with umbrellas and enjoyed cooling off in the water and skipping rocks.
Thank goodness for Andrea! There was a train strike on the day we were supposed to travel from Naples to Rome, and then Florence. Andrea arranged for our driver, Fabio, to pick us up at our hotel and then drive us to Rome to drop off our sons, who were flying home the next day. Fabio then drove us to Florence. He was a safe driver who did so well managing the steep and curving road leaving Amalfi, even though the roads were slippery and wet. We were really grateful that he drove us all that way, knowing he had had a long day starting from and returning to Naples.
Florence was beautiful, and we were grateful our guide, Lucia, was able to get us in to see the David sculpture at the Academia Gallery. There was some question that this might not be possible due to the strike. We walked around Florence, and she did a great job of detailing the history and landmarks of this marvelous city. The next day we rented a car and drove to Pisa and throughout the Tuscan region to see the beautiful countryside. Driving outside of Florence was easy, but it was a little nerve wracking trying to leave Florence and avoid the no-auto zones. We hope we did it right, and dont' receive a surprise ticket sometime in the future.
We took the train to Venice the next day and met our guide Natasha for our behind-the-scenes Venice tour and Cinchetti. We enjoyed this walking tour so much and Natasha was a fantastic guide teaching us about the history and interesting landmarks of Venice. We, especially loved St. Mark's Square and the view from the bell tower. The next day we cooked with Gioia in her private apartment, and made homemade Tiramisu and pasta with tomato/bell pepper sauce. It was delicious, and we enjoyed talking with Gioia and learning more about Venice and Italian culture. We took a gondola ride later in the day, and then rode the water ferry to tour Venice.
We returned to Rome by train the next day, and took a walking tour to see the famous sites once again. This time, we took the lift on the Vittoriano Monument to see the city from above. Well worth it, even though we climbed many, many steps.
Our driver picked us up the next day and took us to the airport, and we headed back to Texas.
Andrea did a wonderful job in planning our trip. He picked wonderful hotels and we really enjoyed our personal guides. We were so grateful for his personal attention before and during our trip, letting us know when schedules were altered, and arranging a car with driver for us when we couldn't use the train. Italy is a beautiful country with so much to see and do. We look forward to returning soon!

Hotel Reviews

Raffaello Hotel Rome

Roma

We enjoyed our stay at this lovely and conveniently located hotel. Our only criticism is the very small shower. The ladies that served and worked the breakfast buffet were so exceptional. They kept everything neat, tidy, and well-supplied, and were so kind and helpful each morning.

Authenticity & Character

The decor seemed appropriate for the age and period of the building.

Location

We enjoyed that we were in walking distance to many great restaurants and sites.

Staff

Very helpful at the desk and with the breakfast buffet.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our rooms were nice and cool with comfortable beds.

Hotel La Bussola

Amalfi

We loved the breakfast buffet with so many wonderful choices. The upstairs bar area was so comfortable and inviting. Our balcony view was spectacular.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We loved the view of the coastline and harbor and were in easy walking distance to the shops and restaurants.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our rooms were clean, comfortable, and spacious.

Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco

Florence

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ca' Pozzo Inn

Venice

We loved our quiet hotel in a good central location.

Authenticity & Character

Modern and neat room with plenty of space.

Location

Staff

Very kind and helpful staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Rome Private Guided Walk

Rome

So much detailed history. Maria was kind, professional, and thorough in her explanations.

Quality of Experience

Loved the history and beautiful architecture.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seeing so many sights

Colosseum and Roman Forum - Private guide

Rome

Loved the amazing history of this area!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel - private guide

Rome

We loved seeing this amazing city and country! What a beautiful and holy area! The amazing artwork and architecture were exceptional.

Quality of Experience

Wonderful tour.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great job Maria on educating us about the Vatican!

Transport

We took a cab, and our driver was aggressive. We arrived safely after a thrilling ride!

Pompeii ruin visit with a private guide

Italy

We loved Pompeii. Amazing archeaological site! Antonio was fun and humorous as he educated us in Pompeii's history, archaeology and culture.

Quality of Experience

So cool to see this amazing city preserved throughout the centuries by volcanic ash.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved Antonio's sense of humor and instruction method. He does a great job!

Transport

Luigi was a kind and safe driver. Enjoyed talking to him and learning more about Italy!

Day trip to Capri Island from The Amalfi Coast - small group

Italy

This was our favorite day because we loved being on the water and the coastline is so beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Loved the water, coastline, and island. Got to see the coast up close with our captain driving the boat into some caves.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

He pointed out local landmarks and drove the boat to interesting points along the coast and island.

Transport

Loved the boat ride - safe and relaxing

Florence private guided walk including Accademia Gallery

Florence

Florence is beautiful with so many wonderful sites to see! Most things were in easy walking distance.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lucia was easy to listen to and so informative! Great job!

Transport

Hidden Venice and cicchetti experience

Italy

Loved seeing areas of Venice that were less familiar.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Natasha was great! Very informative and interesting.

Cooking Class

Italy

Loved getting to see a local's apartment and visiting with Gioia as we cooked.

Quality of Experience

Loved getting to make Tiramisu and homemade pasta!

Food

Delicious!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gioia is very knowledgeable and kind. Her home is lovely, and our lunch was delicious.

This is the 3rd time we've used Kimkim for our travels and it was a bit disappointing. Our first hotel, the Casual Belle Epoque was supposedly 4 star and it should have been a 3. The room, the breakfast, it just was not a 4 star hotel. The last day we came in and the room smelled of sewage. We contacted Marina and said we would like a different hotel for our last night in Lisbon but it was going to be yet more money and a cancellation fee.
The drivers were another issue. We had a day excusion to Sintra, Cascais & Estoril with a guide/driver named Paulo. We felt we were being hustled the entire time. He had us go to this port wine place for a tasting in Sintra. Obviously he had an interest there as he was pouring samples for people. Somehow we let them talk us into buying a way overpriced bottle of port (we later learned from an actual winery owner in the Douro Valley that we were scammed). Then he wanted us to go to this specific restaurant on the coast, near Cascais. We went in and waited then decided we simply didn't want to wait and left to walk the beach. He wanted to know what happened, why did we leave, clearly he had an interest there too.
We had another driver take us from Lisbon to Porto via Coimbra. The problem here was the driver spoke no english and did not understand we had a 3 hour stop in coimbra. We had to call our Kim kim consultant Marina, she had to call him, then we got it straightened out. Problem two arose because he got lost in Porto trying to find our hotel. Heavy traffic, he had a hotel in his phone with the same name but it was in a different city and he could not get the phone to refresh. We pulled up the address in our phone for him, then changed the language to portuguese, all the while he's trying to drive in rush hour traffic, it was not fun. We called Marina and requested english speaking drivers and she said she couldn't guarantee that as they were just there to get us from point A to point B. Well that's not exactly true when he had no idea about our scheduled side trip to Coimbra and he gets lost trying to find our hotel.
We did a day trip to the Douro Valley which was nice. The driver we had for this was Rui, very nice and did a good job. We had told Marina that we did not want to do this riverboat ride down the Douro River, just not our thing. She insisted and said "everyone does this". We told her in another conversation we didn't want to do this. At that point we assumed we had to because it must be the way to get us from one destination to another, it wasn't. It was simply a riverboat ride up and down the river in a packed boat in the pouring rain. We would not have had to do this at all. It made us wonder, she must get a kick back from putting us on the boat.
Our last day in the Porto we had a fantastic guide, Sandra, she was informative, fun and was the kind of guide we were used to getting when booking with Kimkim.
The only time Marina was in contact with us (not including the many times we had to contact her with problems with drivers, etc) was the night before our departure. This certainly was unlike any other trip we've done with you before. This trip was our most expensive and the least well run, we're very disappointed.

We have returned to London after a trip of a lifetime in Iceland. We wanted to say a huge thank you to Lisbet and the team for such an unforgettable holiday. Iceland is so breathtakingly beautiful and unique; we were lucky to have your experience and guidance to help us enjoy it! We’re both well-travelled but had never used a service like Kim Kim’s until now and we know that without your expert guidance, planning and speedy assistance, we wouldn’t have gotten as much out of Iceland had we planned the trip on our own. Your help in planning the days so we got the most out of it was excellent. Every day was packed with lots of activities and options yet felt nicely balanced. You also adapted quickly when we asked for adjustments or when we felt like we needed a break.

Asking us to pick the most memorable spots is probably like asking someone to pick a favourite child, but off the top of our heads our favourites were: Studlagil Hike, Reykladur Hike + warm river, glacier kayaking, glacier hiking, and Myvatn Nature Baths. The driving was also amazing, but like I say too many places to list!

Hotel Reviews

Berjaya Hotel Mývatn

Mývatn

The favourite hotel of the bunch of one of the two travellers. Loved just how stylish everything was, the breakfast was superb, and the room to me just felt like it had the most style/character of the bunch. Only wish is that it was perhaps slightly bigger.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great - very easy and quick drive to all of the main points of interest in the area.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Greenhouse Hotel

Hveragerdi

Superb spot to spend our first two nights in Icleand, and the favourite of the bunch for one of the two travellers. Especially appreciated the roominess, staff, and location. Very stylish, too!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Super convenient - one of the few places that was proper walking distance to useful things like a bakery, other restaurants, etc.

Staff

Just wonderful - even gave us free sandwiches when were at a loss where to get dinner one night!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Klaustur

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Great all around. The room was perhaps not as full of character as the other places we stayed, but very comfortable and clean. Probably the best breakfast of the lot of hotels we stayed at :D Also had cool design in the reception/lobby area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Fine - close enough to the ring road and nothing much we were going to see in the nearby town anyway, so proximity to highway was what really mattered here.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Duus

Reykjanesbær

This was a lovely place to stay and, relative to the other places we stayed, had the bonus of having a couple of "airport hotel" amenities, such as a shuttle to the airport (which we did not use) and breakfast from as early as 4 am (which we definitely did use, as our flight was at 8:30 am). Also liked having the adjacent cafe as our own breakfast room for the early breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Room definitely felt like it was converted from areas initially made for other purposes, so the layout was a bit strange, but there's nothing really of substance to fault here!

Location

Very quick drive to the airport as well as main points of interest in Keflavik.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Brunnhóll Country Guesthouse

Höfn

A lovely spot full of character and with great amenities. Great service from staff and nearby to some small baths facilities !

Authenticity & Character

One can tell that this place grew up as a family-run business. Felt very homely, yet stylish and without sacrificing anything on the amenities front.

Location

Just off the ring road, but might be better if it was slightly closer to Hofn. We found we had to backtrack to the hotel after visiting Hofn.

Staff

Extra bonus points for telling us where to find a particular kind of beer in Hofn !

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Laugarbakki

Laugarbakki

Great all around, loved the very large room and windows to be able to take in the views outside! Useful as a kind of halfway point between Akuyreri and Reykjavik

Authenticity & Character

Location

Nearest we could tell, this place largely trades on being halfway between Akuyreri and Reykjavik. That was useful for us as a stopping off point!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Hallormsstadur

Egilsstadir

Great place all around!

Authenticity & Character

Room lacked a bit of character but was very comfortable!

Location

Added bonus here - forest walks possible right from the hotel!

Staff

Receptionist and restaurant staff were the loveliest, most helpful people!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Jokulsarlon Glacier Kayaking Adventure

Iceland

One of the absolute highlights of the journey and something I have never experienced elsewhere. Just an amazing experience coupled with top-notch service.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nothing to improve! Guide was very clear, witty, and informative.

Transport

Not much to comment on here, as we drove ourselves to the activity and there was a walk from the check-in to the kayaking jumping off point.

Solheimajokull Glacier Hike

Iceland

Amazing experience and unique to be able to hike a glacier also covered with volcanic ash/dirt! Unforgettable stuff :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Provided a lot of great information around what made this glacier experience unique

Transport

Nothing much to comment on here - we drove ourselves to the starting point and otherwise it was a walk from the check-in to the glacier.

Myvatn Nature Baths

Lake Mývatn

We did this at the end of a long, wonderful day and it was just spectacular. So many delightful moments, from getting a beer from a bar on the lagoon itself, to resting while leaning on a rock (putting beer on said rock) and admiring the sunset over the lake in the distance. Totally dreamy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We just returned from the Middle East, visiting Israel, Jordan and Egypt. Kim Kim handled the Jordan/Egypt portion. It was an amazing experience. We visited Wadi Rum (The Desert, with beautiful landscapes), Petra, and Amman. We were originally scheduled to go in March 2020, so of course that didn't happen. We had a whole itinerary laid out. It was re-scheduled and canceled twice more due to Covid. During that time, Sarah, who was most helpful, left Kim Kim, and we were handed off to Nada. Nada worked so hard, dealing with airline schedule changes to change the itinerary. I believe this happened three different times, but every time, Nada came thru. Our driver in Jordan the first two days was Bayan, and he was funny and friendly and showed us the sites as we drove thru Jordan. We spent the first night in a Bedouin Camp in the desert, and while rustic, it was beautiful and everything we expected (including Air Conditioning and a full bath!) The next day we were taken to Petra where the sites are just incredible. Buildings carved right into the mountainside. We were escorted thru the Petra site with a guide named Basil, who was very friendly and learned, and explained how the people (The Nabateans) here lived and worked. Then we were driven to Amman, where because of flight delays, we asked the driver to show us a little of the city before taking us to the airport. He (Ali) was most accomodating, and we saw the Blue Mosque, and the Citidel, a fort built by the Romans 2000 years ago. Then we flew to Egypt

In Egypt, we were met at the airport, taken thru security and had a car (driven by Mustafa) take us to our hotel. We were supposed to have a dinner cruise on the Nile, but couldn't make it because of flight delays. No worries, Nada rescheduled it for the next night. Mustafa and our guide Ibrihim picked us up the next day and took us to the Pyramids, Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum of Civilization. A wonderful place with many artifacts some as old as 35000 years. It also had mummies, some were 5000 years old. An Ibrihim explained it all. Very cool. That night we had our dinner cruise on the Nile, which was a lot of fun.

The last day we saw the Alabaster Mosque and the Hanging Church, and learned of their historical significance. Another wonderful day. At midnight, Mustafa was back to pick us up and take us to the airport.

The things to take away from this is
1. For 2+ years and two local specialists, Kim Kim organized and re-organized the perfect tour designed just for us.

2. The Drivers and Guides were friendly, kept us safe, kept us informed to changes along the way, and truly added to the value and enjoyment of our trip. We feel most fortunate that we had them with us.

3. Most of all Nada, our specialist was a great asset. She helped us with finalizing things, suggesting changes, and setting everything up. And as I said this was over the course of 2+ years.
Everyting worked. We were never stuck, and we always had someone with us.

We HIGHLY recommend Kim Kim Tours, and Nada in particular. We will certainly use them again

Everything was seamless. Harris is an amazing local
Specialist! Drivers were always on time and courteous. The only struggle was the train from Rome to Naples - but it’s only because the train system is a bit nutty and we’re new.

We loved our tours with LivTours as well. We suggest the Vatican and Colosseum tour with them. Six people max for each tour. So you really get a chance to ask questions and hear what’s going on.

We really liked the location of our hotel in Rome (Campo de Fiori) although we would have preferred to stay in the main part of the hotel instead of the apartment. Excellent breakfast in a really beautiful hotel.

Our time in Sorrento was lovely. The hotel was very uniquely located - down on the beach at the Marina - and the view was fantastic.

The hotel was very nice and the staff were excellent! Marina Picolla 73. I wasn’t sure at first, the beach isn’t swimmable out front because it’s a marina - but the beach clubs were a quick walk. And this hotel is in a quiet area compared to the hustle and bustle up top in town. We needed a quieter place to come back to. If you like the busyness of the square, you might prefer a hotel up top.

There’s a lift to get you up there, staff will fill you in on this.

Again, the tours were very good. We took an all day boat tour of the Amalfi Coast (8 hours stopping at Amalfi and Positano and then a swim). It was great, but a bit long. The boat was overcrowded and we were told we needed to lie down on the bow of the boat while in transit so the captain could see. That wasn’t ok with us - so we figured out a way to prop ourselves up. The boat wasn’t comfortable and there were too many of us. That was a miss. But we do suggest a trip down the coast.

Also a few hours on Capri is a must. The ferry is an easy ride. Expect LOTS of people everywhere. We were definitely peopled-out by the end of our time in Italy.

There is a lot of walking to be done in Italy. Bring comfortable shoes.

A home run by Harris. Both Greece and Italy were well organized and everything met and exceeded our hopes and expectations.

Hotel Reviews

Marina Piccola 73

Sorrento

Liked the location and the staff were excellent. Food was quite good. Silly rules about not being able to drink our own wine on the rooftop terrace. Room was quite nice. But the bed was very uncomfortable. Kind of like sleeping on concrete and made for some very long nights. A hotel in this price point should have better beds. We wouldn’t stay here again because of the beds.

Authenticity & Character

A really unique and lovely hotel.

Location

Unique location away from the busyness of the main area of Sorrento.

Staff

Helpful and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

While it was clean, the bed was very uncomfortable. This is a huge miss on the part of the hotel.

Boutique Hotel Campo de' Fiori

Rome

The location of this hotel, right in the market is fantastic. The roof top terrace is wonderful! The main hotel is absolutely stunning with so much character and charm. We didn’t see the rooms in the main hotel because we had booked a suite. Oddly, the suites are in a different beholding across the square. And that building deserves a 3/5. While it was nice to have a bit more space, the suite lacked character and charm. The three flights up to our room were ridiculous and the lighting in the place meant we did the stairs with our phone flashlights. If you have any mobility issues at all this part of the hotel is not for you. Honestly, it was very frustrating. No real view and located in a dirty back alley. Limited hot water was also a problem. The bed was comfortable though, which is important to us. Breakfast was held in the basement of the main hotel and it was excellent. A beautiful building and perfectly located. While we recommend this hotel, we advise against the suites in the other building.

Authenticity & Character

The main building is lovely. The suites lacked character or convenience.

Location

Right in the market. So much to do and see.

Staff

Pleasant. Professional.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The hotel was clean. Access to and from our suite was uncomfortable.

Activity Reviews

Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour

Rome

Excellent. A must do! Our tour guide Juicey was amazing! Wear very comfortable shoes and be prepared for weather.

Quality of Experience

Easy to find out tour guide. Excellent information.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Professional and pleasant.

Transport

We walked to and from this tour from our hotel.

Vatican Guided Tour

Rome

Maria was amazing! This tour was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amalfi Coast Boat Tour From Sorrento

Sorrento

Quite a pretty tour of the coast. Adequate time in each location.. The boat was too small for our group. And it was an uncomfortable 8 hours.

Quality of Experience

Smaller group.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lovely staff.

Transport

Bigger boats or less people per trip.

Robi was an incredible guide who went above and beyond to make sure we had an unforgettable week in Croatia. He's funny and light-hearted, friendly, experienced, and very knowledge about the local history and ecology. He worked incredibly hard to make sure we had the experience we wanted, and was very flexible to accomodate things we wanted to do or change. He knows a lot of people, including wine makers and restaurant owners, and will take you to hidden gems that you would never have found on your own. Really a phenomenal person and guide to spend a week with.

Sarah helped navigate our girlfriends trip through Croatia-starting in Split, stopping in Hvar and ending in Dubrovnik. She lined up transportation from airports, hotels and excursions. She stream-lined our vacation so we could enjoy all our requested sites. Marco was a fun Skipper that took us on an island tour and diving into a blue cave. Especially loved our wine tour in Hvar at Matkovic winery. Croatian people are so kind and respectfully and very proud of their heritage. It was a fun and inspiring trip.
Debbie Dean

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Bellevue Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

Beautiful views an relaxing setting. Great location to nearby downtown and historic fortress.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Proximity to Game of Thrones Walking tours

Staff

Friendly helpful staff, offered directions and suggestions

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cornaro Hotel

Split

Delicious breakfast and relaxing rooftop bar.

Authenticity & Character

Pictures in hallways

Location

Walking distance to sights, shopping and sea

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel

Hvar

Bathrooms were quite small and tight and room needed more light. Location was awesome and beds were comfy. Roof top bar was fantastic.

Authenticity & Character

Harbor location and view of yachts and boats

Location

Proximity to shops and fortress

Staff

Helpfulness with luggage and directions.

Activity Reviews

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Split

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Motor Boat Excursion to Brač & the Pakleni Islands (end in Hvar)

Split

Marco was an intelligent guide and good entertainer.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hvar Wine Tasting Excursion

Hvar

Our driver was super funny and friendly. He shared his island knowledge and ancestry.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

His enthusiasm

Transport

Clean vehicle

Game of Thrones Tour

Dubrovnik

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

My 60th birthday bucket list trip was spectacular! Johanna, Edwin, Miguel and guide Valeriano all made us feel welcome and looked after us like honoured guests. The sites we visited were breath taking and beautiful. Machupicchu, Rainbow Mountains, Maras salt flats and Incan ruins to name a few were the highlights of our trip. All of our hotels were lovely , very comfortable and full of Peruvian flair and hospitality. Gotta try the Guinea pig!!!!