Kimkim Trip Reviews

Absolutely perfect trip top to bottom. White glove service all along. Alessandro was fantastic at both his plan for us and his willingness to work with us as the trip played out. Wonderful trip!

Wanting a stress free anniversary trip, we booked with Marina. It was smooth sailing until we got the documents 1-1/2 weeks before the trip and had to make changes. Marina had us in for a 10am food tour when we were flying in at 7am. The original plan was for a dinner food tour. She also had us in for a car rental on a day we couldn’t pick it up. We needed to have payments refunded for these 2 services, and the refund was 1/2 what you see as the retail rate. The lack of transparency with KimKim pricing meant that we didn’t know what we actually paid, or if the refund was a fair amount. Marina said it was.
After flying overnight with little sleep, we arrive at the airport at 7am and the private airport transfer to our hotel didn’t show up.. After an hour wait, we took a cab. Marina said they thought we were arriving close to noon, not sure why they would think that. Again, we were reimbursed for a private car at the same rate as a public cab That didn’t make sense to us as we could have just grabbed a cab to begin with. Why book a private transfer?
We had a lovely Jeep tour with Natascha to Set Cidades. Unfortunately it was foggy at the top of the crater, but we saw the blue and green lakes, and had a nice time with her. She was personable and informative.
We had a great day with Wilson, our guide for a 5 hour hike up to Lagos de Fogo. The picnic lunch was a bit meager, but we discovered these fabulous little cakes called quejadas, and then went to the shop in Villa Franco do Compo to eat more of them with some cappuccino. We also went to a swimming hole and drove along the coast on the way back to our hotel.
Our tour to Furnas with Paulo was very good, but he picked us up 25 minutes late. After our no-show driver experience at the airport, we were afraid that he wouldn’t come at all. It would have been great if he phoned our hotel to say that he was running late. However, Paulo was terrific, knowledgeable, and personable. We had a dinner of cozida in Furnas, and went to the the Ponca da Beira hot springs which were very relaxing.
Friday was our anniversary and Marina had booked us a table about 2 months ago, at our request, at the Associacao Agricola. When we arrived, they didn’t have our reservation! We were pretty upset as the restaurant was jammed. The maitre de took pity on us (it was our anniversary!) and we got a table after about a 1/2 hour wait. It would have been good if Marina confirmed the reservation a few days before the actual date.
All in all it was a lovely vacation but not stress free. We would have appreciated the itinerary a month before (as the original documents said) so that we weren’t going back and forth about arrangements and refunds days before we traveled, more fee transparency, and confirmation of our bookings so that we didn’t have to deal with no shows and back up plans.

Hotel Review

Octant Ponta Delgada

Ponta Delgada

The hotel staff was wonderful, very helpful and accommodating and there were plenty of them at any given time. The buffet breakfast was outstanding.

Authenticity & Character

Could have been a hotel anywhere in the world.

Location

On the harbor, a little bit of a walk into town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sete Ciudades Jeep Adventure

São Miguel Island

Natacha was wonderful. Too bad it was foggy, but that is not her fault!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Adventure to Lagoa do Fogo

São Miguel Island

Wilson was a quiet and competent guide. He took this at our pace, which is great because it was quite a climb! He offered some history and local context. The picnic lunch was meager and we carried it up ourselves. Somehow I was expecting more. Wilson was flexible in how we spent the rest of the day and we visited coastal towns. We were tired and happy at the end of the day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Hot Springs in Furnas

São Miguel Island

Paolo was a wonderful guide, setting the tone for a van full of strangers to have a good time together. He knows the island so well and shared his own story and knowledge generously. Dinner was great, the hot tubs were lovely. The only suggestion: he picked us up late, and could have called ahead to tell us that. Also, there were about 8 of us. After a private tours, we weren’t expecting 8 in a van. The drops offs at other hotels made it a longer night. But, the other folks were great company.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I can only highly recommend travelling to Ecuador with kimkim. My local agent, Alvaro, was absolutely incredible. There was no wish that he left unfulfilled and no question that he left unanswered- he was constantly available and I felt very much pampered and cared for. Moreover did the itinerary that he designed cover the best that this beautiful and diverse country has to offer: nature, wildlife, culture and history.
My local guides , who gave me exclusive tours and were shining bright with an impressive wisdom of their country's history, local customs, and nature's wonders enriched my travel experience tremendously. They made sure that I got the best shots of the sights and wildlife, since I love photography, but also ensured that I learned a lot and broadened my horizon.
Thank you to the kimkim team for making this trip unforgettable, and most importantly, thank you Alvaro, for exceeding all my expectations on customer service.

We can't speak more highly about Emanuela and the services she provided for us. We had originally planned our trip with her for May 2020, and when covid hit we needed to cancel . Emanuela checked in with us over the summer and the following year and was always respectful of our concerns about Covid and never pressured us to rebook sooner than we were comfortable. Our trip this past May/June 2022 was spectacular. Emanuela kept in touch with us by text to be sure our trip was going well. We loved our accommodations in small guest houses and she even booked us at a horse farm. She made many personal recommendations for restaurants that we loved. We enjoyed the tours that we pre-booked, the Lava Show in Vik was excellent, the Lava Tunnel tour was fun and educational, and the Ice Cave tour was challenging and exciting. We lucked out during our whale watching trip and we saw 3 whales coming to the surface, flipping their tails multiple times. We even saw a puffin skimming over the ocean while feeding.
Emanuela's knowledge and experience of Iceland was evident in the recommendations she gave us that highlighted the beauty of the country, the magnificent waterfalls and the volcanic lava flows. Unfortunately we caught Covid and two of the three of us had to stay an extra 3 days. Emanuela helped us extend our hotel stay and access medical care. We highly recommend using Emanuela to plan your trip to Iceland.

I decided to travel to Spain with my college friend and we had some unique requirements, which in turn led us to James.

After chatting with him and understanding his process, we knew we met the right person to guide us and get this trip pulled together, to cover the areas of Spain we wanted to visit.

With patience and knowledge, James created the trip of a lifetime for us.

I just returned, and wanted to share my feedback. If you want to travel to Spain, look no further. James and his team were phenomenal!

The itinerary was perfect, the details were executed with perfection and we were cared for from the minute we landed to the minute we departed. We will have lasting memories of an incredible week.

Thumbs up 👍🏻 All the way!!

I know some people who plan trips on their own and feel travel agents don't add value. I have to say that Marta and Karin proved their worth as travel agents every step of the way. it was easy to message them during the planning process. They figured out pretty quickly what kind of hotels I liked. They provided a very nice mixture of activities (in city food and cultural tours, hikes, day trips to surrounding areas, kayaking etc.). Every detail of the trip was planned perfectly. Having drivers already scheduled and ready to go saved us so much time and were hassle free. The app they used to store all of our travel plans was fabulous. During our trip, they were available by phone or by chat. Everything went off without a hitch. Our tour guide in Porto, Tommy, was entertaining, friendly and knowledgable. Our hiking guide Carlos, who to us to Peneda-Geres National Park was so knowledgable about nature. Bernardo our guide to our Sintra day hike was great! Ana-Luisa, our food and cultural tour guide in Madeira was fabulous too! Luis who led our kayaking snorkeling adventure was great too. Thanks for a fabulous trip. We can't wait to use you again when we travel to Spain!!!

Hotel Reviews

Lisbon Marriott Hotel

Lisbon

Perfect for our purpose. We had one last night in Lisbon and wanted to be super close to the airport to catch a 5 am flight in the morning. The only thing that just meh, was the restaurant. That is typical of Marriotts however. Anyway, this hotel was perfect if you need a place close to the airport and want a good night sleep.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado

Lisbon

The location of this hotel is its finest attribute. This hotel is within walking distance to a ton of restaurants, outdoor cafes, shopping, the waterfront, the tram.......pretty much everything! The rooms were beautiful. My only issue is the rooms were on the small side but other than that, this is a lovely hotel. The staff and concierge were very helpful in finding restaurants or anything we needed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Fabulous!!! It is so close to many attractions and we really did not have to get in a cab to go where we wanted to go. We walked everywhere from this hotel

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Yeatman Hotel

Vila Nova de Gaia

This is a first rate hotel. We would go back again and take advantage of the World of Wine tour. We didn't have time this time around. The only issue with this hotel is it is about a 17 minute cab ride to most places. Ideally I like to stay in hotels where I can walk to restaurants and shopping. Other than that, it was fabulous. Also, net time we will definitely book their one Michelin star restaurant. Also I did not realize until we got there that this is a Relais & Chateaux property. Every detail of your stay is thought out and fabulous! I forgot to mention the breakfasts, which are included, were the bomb. Everything was delicious and plentiful. My favorite detail was the decorations they would put on top of the cup of cappuccino!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful and spacious property. First class attention to all details of the stay.

Location

Beautiful views. Wish it were closer to town though

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Reid's Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Madeira

Funchal, Madeira

What can I say other than it was like I died and went to heaven. This hotel is soooooooo gorgeous. They were also very accommodating at this hotel and very attentive to service. We had an early flight to Madeira so we arrived at our hotel around 9:30am. They sent us to have a fabulous breakfast by the pool while we were waiting for our room. They were able to get us in our room by 11am. They also let us have a late check out on our last day of 1:30pm. I know these sound like small things but when you only have two days in Madeira, you want to maximize. The entire facility was gorgeous. It is set on a cliffside over looking the ocean. The rooms weren't spacious but so gorgeously decorated. Lovely gifts were left in the room, like a travel journal, a beach bag and a water bottle. They had two pools, a salt water and a chlorine pool. They were both large and gorgeous. The vegetation on the property was gorgeous. They breakfasts, which were included were fab. They had plenty of outdoor shaded seating for breakfast and lunch. The William, which is a one Michelin star restaurant was top notch. There was a deck down by the ocean, which you need to take a long stair case to reach. That was absolutely a gorgeous place to just to lounge!~ and watch the ocean and listen to the surf. This is such a special place! I can't wait to return!

Authenticity & Character

This is a renovated mansion. They kept photos and details of a previous area. You definitely felt you were at a very special place.

Location

Set on a cliff overlooking the ocean with absolute gorgeous views!

Staff

Attention to every detail and sooooooo polite and lovely!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perfection!

Activity Reviews

Porto Foodie Experience

Porto

We loved Sergio our tour guide. He was friendly, knowledgable and entertaining. It was a nice format so that we were able to chat with the other people in the small group. The wines we had were really good. My only criticism is that the food was just ok. The cheese and the sardine courses were good. The desserts/food they paired with the port were just meh. Some of the other courses, I plain old can't remember because they weren't memorable. In summary, the tour guide was great, the wine and port, really good and the food could be improved.

Quality of Experience

Food

Please improve the food that is paired with the port at the end.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sergio was funny, entertaining and knowledgable.

Privately Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

Tommy Hogg reached out two days before the tour via What's app just to connect. He was easy to find at our meeting point because we were already connected on What's app. He was knowledgable and entertaining. He asked us a lot of questions to get us engaged with the subject matter and the tour. At the end of the tour, he helped us with directions for our next stop, a restaurant which was close by. I would highly recommend Tommy and the tour!!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hiking & Cultural Excursion in Peneda-Gerês National Park

Porto

This was a lovely trip to add on to a City stay. Having a day trip to a national park day trip to be outside with nature was a nice contrast to restaurants, tours and shopping. Carlos was a great guide. He was very knowledgable about nature. Everything about the day went smoothly, including the picnic, which was a nice touch. Carlos found out we had never been to Spain, so he took a little extra time to drive over the border, so we could say we have been to Spain!

Quality of Experience

Hiking and being outdoors with nature. The hike was challenging enough but not overly so.

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Carlos is just a very nice likeable and knowlegable guide!

Transport

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}}, Guided Visit of Coimbra

Portugal

This was a nice way to get from Porto to Lisbon and squeeze in a day trip to Coimbra too. The only glitch we had was the driver didn't really know the game plan as to where we should be dropped off and he didn't speak much English, which would have been ok, we were just thrown off because most of the other drivers were able to communicate well. Anyway, that was the only hiccup. Fabiana was a great tour guide and she also went out of her way to make sure we got reconnected with our driver as the tour was done. Coimbra is a university city and home to the country's most prestigious university. It was a nice bonus that Fabiana was a graduate of that University and she also is returning in the fall for her Master's degree. Coimbra is another picturesque city in Portugal! What is not to love! Fabiana was multi lingual (Portuguese, Spanish, English and I'm sure other languages). She was very knowledgeable! Thanks for the great tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fabiana receives 5 stars, the driver receives 3 for not knowing where we were supposed to go and not reaching out to the company for information.

Transport

The drive was fine but as stated above, it is important that the driver be sure about where to drop tourists off in Coimbra. He just dropped us off at a random gate and it was really hard to figure out where to go from there.

Guided Tuk-Tuk Tour

Portugal

This was a fabulous way to get around Lisbon. If you haven't been on a Tuk Tuk tour, it is essentially being driven around on a golf cart type vehicle. This is the perfect way to get around Lisbon to see the highlights. I love walking but Lisbon is pretty spread out and very hilly. Ines was our tour guide and was so friendly and knowledgable. I know the tram (cable car) is famous and really cool but I have to say it was super crowded, which doesn't seem like a good idea during COVID times. The Tuk tuk tour was still ourdoors/open air but it was just the three of us and our driver. They essentially followed the same route as the tram tour. This trip was definitely worth doing and I would recommend it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ines was great!

Transport

Loved the Tuk Tuk. It is perfect for the narrow and bumpy roads of Lisbon !

Sintra Heritage Hike: Hidden Secrets

Portugal

Sintra is a must see if you are in Lisbon. The car ride was only 35-40 minutes. You could do the bus tour to get up to the palace and the fortress but hiking was much more enjoyable and we really had great weather. The line to get into the palace was insanely long/crowded so we opted not to go inside. People were packed in like sardines. It was still well worth the trip to see everything from the outside however. Bernardo was knowledgable and guided everywhere so we didn't get lost. Hiking the stairs up to the fortress was a little scary. Once you make it to the top, the stairs back down are way less scary. People without guides didn't know there was a back staircase to get back down. Our guide was very helpful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Introducing Funchal - Food & Cultural Tour

Portugal

We had only a few days in Madeira and this tour really hit all the food and cultural highlights. It was a small group and a nice way to meet tourists from all over the world. It is essentially a walking tour throughout Funchal with several stops at restaurants and cafes along the way. The quality of the food was great. Ana Luisa, our guide was very welcoming, knowledgable and fun. She was multi lingual also able to switch from English to German to Spanish. Don't eat much before you go on this tour because you will be absolutely full by the end!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Garajau Nature Reserve: Kayaking, Snorkeling & Cliff Diving

Portugal

The description of this made it sound like we were going somewhere remote. It actually started from a hotel water front. This was fine with us however because our hotel did not have this option. This was a fun activity and my first time kayaking. The guide was great and I felt safe. Going out was easy because we were with the current. Save you energy for the way back against the current. The water was a little too rough to snorkel at the half way point (which was a more remote location)so we snorkeled close to the hotel when we returned. It was still lovely and the guide was very smart to be safe.

Quality of Experience

Super fun, out in nature

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Luis was great and entertaining and he kept us safe

Transport

Driver who picked us up and dropped us off was great

I'll start by saying that I have never used a tour guide or a tour company prior to working with Robi through KimKim. But, once I started sharing the type of vacation we were looking for, it was immediately obvious that we were in excellent hands. Robi planned a customized itinerary that exceeded all expectations! We are a family of three (mom, dad and 14-year old teen) who wanted a multi-sport adventure that would be fun for all and avoid the touristy areas. Robi exceeded all expectations! It was SO much fun and he took care of EVERY detail and all the logistics--from airport transportation, to hotels, to activities and everything in between. We swam in beautiful sea caves, toured the coast by boat, e-biked the wine country, kayaked among the oyster farms, had the most delicious grilled calamari, went to a secret beach (shhh!) and raced around on jet skis in Zuljana! I asked Robi if there were places I could go for a run in Ston (where we stayed) and he was kind enough to map out a new run for each day were there. Robi is also extremely knowledgeable about all-things-Croatia, so we learned so much about Croatian history, politics and people. Suffice it to say, there is no way I could have planned this much fun on my own. I can't imagine going back to Croatia unless Robi came with us! :)

Activity Reviews

Dubrovnik and Elaphiti islands - Lopud and Koločep private boat trip

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Pelješac penisula - multiactivity

Ston

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Turkey was excellent and had a great balance between history, culture, and relaxation. Trail Travel did a great job of making sure our transfers were seamless and ensuring we had the best experience at our hotels and sites. Berat was extremely helpful in going through multiple itinerary iterations after receiving feedback on the type of trip we wanted. What is great about this platform is that you really are able to personalize your trip rather than needing to fit into a rigid, fixed pre-existing itinerary. Berat was also prompt with her responses while we were in Turkey to troubleshoot any issues we experienced with our hotels and logistics.

We spent 2 weeks in Turkey, going from Istanbul to Cappadocia to Antalya to Izmir before returning to Istanbul. During this time we developed a great camaraderie with our guide, Onder, who was very receptive in tailoring our activities and content to our interests and styles. He was extremely professional, always making us feel like we were welcome, and introducing us to many locals in each of the spots we visited. I also want to thank all of the van drivers (Mustafa, Ramazan, Erdogan to name a few), who presented us with clean, spacious vans and supplied us with water. Each spot that we visited had a wonderful charm of its own. If we had more time, I would have loved to add one extra day in Kas and a couple more days in Istanbul to fully experience the city. For our packed trip, it was helpful to have some later starts to balance out our very early ones in the beginning of the trip.

Our trip was wonderful, and we would definitely book again if we had the chance. Some suggestions for improvement for an even better experience via Trail Travel/KimKim:
- When booking domestic flights, ask about estimated luggage quantities/explain airline policies on luggage beforehand
- Ask about preferred flight timings when possible
- Develop some form of guide matching based on travel style and interests
- As much as possible, provide pricing breakdowns (esp. for hotel rates to compare)

Hotel Reviews

Otto Palace

Kumluca, Antalya Region

Otto Palace is a cute, no frills attached b&b that makes you feel like you are staying with family friends. This means that the hosts have good vibes and senses of humor, but service is very "chill" and relaxed, even when you require a little more assistance as guests. This serves as a decent base if you are planning a night in Adrasan as a launching point for a boat tour, but it might also be worthwhile to check out AirBnBs in the area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The hosts are friendly, kind, and relaxed with good sense of humor.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were very comfortable and the rooms large. However, the rooms did smell like cigarette smoke and the AC was not working in either of our 2 rooms. We did mention the AC problem to our host and they were able to fix it. It seemed that the filters in both rooms were old and not properly maintained. When in Turkey it is expected that cats are going to be your new neighbors wherever you are. However, the cats on this property were much more aggressive than we were accustomed to. As we were eating our meal, they were consistently propping themselves on the table, scratching at us, and eventually jumped onto the table on the food we had ordered. For hygiene reasons, we didn't feel comfortable finishing our food that the cat had touched and had to leave an incomplete dinner. This caught us off guard especially since the cats seemed to be pets of the owners. However, when we asked if the owners could keep the cats away from the food (through broken Google Translate communication), there wasn't anything done.

Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by Hilton

Fatih Istanbul

We were greeted with warmth and friendliness at our first hotel in Turkey. I would like to specifically mention that Betul was particularly helpful. She escorted us to a restaurant for lunch just after we arrived and showed us around the property. Definitely venture out for food rather than sticking to the hotel's restaurants, as you can certainly find all sorts of food for a variety of prices in Istanbul. This hotel is tastefully decorated in an Ottoman style and is in a prime location near the most famous sites in Istanbul!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Do note that due to the strategic location, it can get noisy during the day and at night. This is a great base to see the important sites in Sultanahmet, but if you have more than a couple days in Istanbul, perhaps it may make sense to move to another neighborhood for the remainder of your time.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bathroom was spacious and modern with consistent hot water. It was a pleasant surprise to find a hammam sink in our shower. One note - as a family of 4 sharing a small suite, we had one king bed and 2 makeshift twin beds. There was not a proper sofa bed - the staff just added sheets on top of the existing sofa and gave us a rollaway bed. For the purposes of our short stay, this worked out just fine, but these makeshift beds were probably not as comfortable as proper mattresses for a longer stay.

Kayakapi Premium Caves

Urgup / Cappadocia

Staying in a cave hotel was one of the highlights of our trip. Kayakapi is a beautifully kept, guest-centric hotel, with large, clean, and luxurious cave suites. We enjoyed using the pool and spa facilities, as well as exploring the hotel as a whole. We are frequent travelers and our stay at Kayakapi was definitely one of our best hotel experiences.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff are very open to input as they are continuously trying to make the hotel better. When we provided some feedback on how the already excellent rooms might be improved further (small things like adding more privacy to bathroom doors, adding fans, ensuring showerheads do not make bathroom floors wet, including more storage space in the bathroom), they noted every suggestion down in detail.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were very comfortable for a 4 person family (1 king and 2 twins).

Ruin Adalia

Antalya

This hotel was included last minute to our itinerary due to an issue with our original hotel. It was a surprise treat, a gem in the middle of the Old City. The quaint property in the middle of bustling Kaleici is built over an archaeological museum open only to guests. We not only experienced comfortable rooms with a semi private terrace overseeing the beautiful grounds and mountains, but also were given a mini tour through the underground museum by Marcus, one of the archaeologists staffed at the hotel. We saw the layers of Antalya - Hellenistic, Byzantine, and Ottoman - wonderfully preserved.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Keep in mind that as it is in the middle of the most busy part of town, it can get noisy. This would probably apply to any hotel in Kaleici.

Staff

We did get stopped from entering the hotel a couple times due to their strict security, but didn't really see any of the other guests face this issue. However, they apologized immediately once the misunderstandings were cleared up.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nisanyan Houses

Selçuk

A very cute hotel in the cute town of Sirince. We received a friendly welcome, loved exploring the town from this hotel, and spending the evening on our little private porch.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

This was another hotel where we had 1 king bed and 2 somewhat makeshift twin beds. The twin beds worked well for our one night stay, but may have been a little uncomfortable for a stay longer than that.

La Kumsal Hotel

Kaş / Antalya

Sadly our stay at La Kumsal was the only hotel experience that was not overwhelmingly positive. We were excited about our 2 night stay at Kas to be close to the ocean and were told that the rooms that we had paid for were sea view rooms. When we reached the hotel, the staff member at the front desk was a little confused about our room types. Despite not knowing English, however, she was trying her best to communicate with us and let us know that the issues with our room would be resolved the next day. Unfortunately, our rooms smelled of smoke, the tables/desks were quite old with stains and markings. One of our rooms was looking right out in the main bar area with no privacy or view of the sea and the other was looking out at a small pathway with a sliver of a view from the balcony. The doors were a bit hard to open/close. The shower water was cold to lukewarm. However, the rooms as a whole, though very simple with some need for maintenance, were clean. We immediately notified Berat about our experience, just as feedback, and she promptly contacted the hotel's manager. The manager called us up afterwards. He seemed a little upset over our complaints but assured us that the problems would be resolved the next day and sent us a fruit basket. The next day we met the manager. He was a little cold and passive aggressive while explaining that the hotel was completely booked and that they could move us to a villa for extra money. Berat helped us navigate this conversation, and eventually we were able to move to their villa for our second day in Kas, without paying extra. The villa had a beautiful view with a private pool, beach area, and 3 bed/3 bath. This was definitely more than we were expecting for our room change at the hotel. While we had some unfortunate experiences with some of the staff and our expectations of the rooms, the outdoor areas such as the pool and dining areas are quite pretty. The villa was also great, and we enjoyed using the private pool. If you decide to stay at La Kumsal, be clear on what type of room you are getting - "seaside" or "sea front" or "sea view"!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

We felt that the manager was a little cold and passive aggressive. He was placing most of the blame on us and our travel agency, without trying to understand our situation fully. While we appreciate him moving us to the villa, he seemed a bit disdainful and disingenuous of our concerns, employing false sympathy, rather than just being authentic with his thoughts. Most of the waiters at breakfast and dinner were not paying us much attention. We would like to thank the staff member at the front desk who greeted us and one of the waiters, as they were very kind and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

There is more effort placed on maintaining the outdoor spaces than on the indoor ones. This is fine for a simple beach town stay, but it did feel there was a disconnect between online images and what you see in person. Even the villa, which had beautiful outdoor spaces, was a little old in the interior. The showers were cold and the bathrooms were a little rough around the edges.

GAIA Alacati

Çeşme/İzmir

Wonderful boutique hotel in a great location. Breakfast was great and the attention to detail for decor was noticeable. Feel free to do your own research on restaurants and other services in the area, as some of the recommendations given by the staff were helpful, but possibly overpriced. We were also recommended a salon that overcharged us and actually hurt my mother's fingers during a manicure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

One thing to note - the showers were cold after sundown

AJWA Sultanahmet

Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Another hotel we loved. Wonderful staff, well designed rooms, and some of the comfiest beds we've slept in! The breakfast was also delicious, and we enjoyed getting to know the restaurant staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Eminönü Heritage Tour: Explore the Historical Bazaars and Ottoman Architectural Sites of Istanbul

İstanbul

Onder did a great job of introducing us to Istanbul!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Public Boat Tour on the Bosphorus

İstanbul

Great way to get a different perspective of Istanbul

Sightseeing Around Uçhisar and Discovering the Cappadocian Valleys

Cappadocia

We thoroughly enjoyed our three days in Cappadocia, and all the activities - hot air balloons, hiking, pottery making, etc.

Explore the Ancient City of Ephesus

Turkey

The ancient sites of Aspendos, Perge, and Ephesus were marvelous, but in the middle of July it was extremely hot, which limited our ability to explore as much as we may have wanted.

Quality of Experience

Nothing - it was just hot!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Turkish Bath and Spa at Hürrem Sultan Hammam

İstanbul

Loved it! The Ab-ı Hayat treatment was one of our favorite activities of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discover Byzantine + Ottoman Istanbul

İstanbul

In retrospect, I would have moved our itinerary around to give us 2 full days in Istanbul before heading off to Cappadocia. This would have been a great activity for the 2nd day of our trip. Unfortunately keeping this for the last day of our trip meant that we were a little too tired to fully appreciate the magnificent sites. With a little more energy, we definitely could have spent much more time at Topkapi Palace.

Our trip to Italy was a bucket list trip for us without the kids to celebrate an anniversary milestone. Sonia, our trip planner, was diligent in putting together an itinerary that suited what we were looking for and diligently tweaked the plan until it was perfect. She found a real balance of city/lake/mountain that we wanted.

We thoroughly enjoyed our private organic Prosecco tasting overlooking the hilly countryside, private pasta making class taught by the most personable chefs, and hiking in the Dolomites with tour guide.

We usually plan trips ourselves, but in addition to putting together the trip plan, an unexpected benefit arose when our flight from the US was delayed by a day and Sonia’s team scrambled to adjust all of our arrangements without us having to do the extra work.

We highly recommend KimKim and Sonia in particular!

Liz Karen did a great job organizing a wonderful trip to Peru. Liz was patient in answering all my questions during the process and there were no surprises when there. All guides/drivers were on time, hotels and trains were as communicated. Quick support was available, and can highlight that when I had to use it twice the response was efficient and took care of the matter. Will recommend! Thanks

Our trip was awesome. We had zero issues, it went very smoothly.

Sunday , July 31, 2022

To Tasos, Georgia, Irene, and the entire Travel12 Support Team,

I just wanted to let you know how pleased, happy, and ultra-satisfied that I am with my KimKim/Travel12 experience.

You all are the ultimate professionals-everything was handled and executed perfectly!

Rebecca was a GODSEND with all she did to assist me in putting together this custom-made luxury Greek Honeymoon! She was an absolute joy to work with! I’ll never forget the relationship we forged. I am so grateful that I was fortunate enough to work her with on this labor of love. We spent hours and months planning and preparing-and then COVID hit and we felt compelled to postpone their honeymoon exactly one year later(Their 1st Wedding Anniversary was Sunday, June 12, 2022). I so appreciate all that you did to keep the prices the same for the trip, even a year later. They boarded their first flight of 3 to get to Greece at 0600 Monday, June 13! They returned from an ultimate luxury Greek Honeymoon on Wednesday,June 29 at 2100.

I had booked them first class seats on all of their flights-and they continued to get the “Royal Treatment” since they were picked up at the Athens airport! Precisely what I wanted!

Jacob and Anna loved the upgrade you provided for them for the Welcome dinner and they got an upgrade for their rental car to a Mercedes. They thoroughly enjoyed the private tours with fantastic tour guides. The trip included Athens, Corinth, Epidaurus, Mycenae, Nafplio, Mykonos, Naxos, Santorini, Heraklion, Rethymno, Chania, and Elafonissi Beach, and the area around Chania. This was a the perfect custom-made, fabulous island hopping trip with what I think was a very good representation of your heavenly and gorgeous country!

All of the hotels(all 5 star hotels) gave Jacob and Anna the Honeymooner’s special touches(flower petals on their bed in the shape of a heart, complimentary wine, desserts, candy, bowls of fresh fruit, etc) upon arrival to their hotel room. The breakfasts in each hotel were amazing. They loved every detail of every day that we planned, but still had plenty of free time to do what they wanted and enjoy the restaurant cuisine and shopping at all of the places they went.

I believe their favorite was their time in Naxos-they had a beautiful hotel room with a private enclosed deck with their own jacuzzi-that opened up to a private courtyard. They loved the tranquil beauty of Naxos, and of course, the food! It was so nice that they were able to be at Agia Anna Beach(especially for Anna!)-what a nice touch!

Also they thoroughly enjoyed the small group(6 other people besides them)experiences of the Cooking Class and also the Olive Oil and Wine Tasting Tours in Crete. Just all the way around fantastic!

I can’t tell you how much happiness this trip has given me to have things go so smoothly and have all of the details taken care of by your team! They had a most memorable honeymoon and most certainly the trip of their lifetime! Jacob is my only child and I wanted to give him and his wife Anna the VERY BEST; and I want to thank you for providing that experience for them.

Tasos, I want to thank you for answering the phone on that Day 1 at a time that I’m sure was after hours for you and giving me the information and clarification that I needed-you were so patient and calming. Thank you to all of the support staff that responded to my questions and also reaching out to Jacob and Anna with details and guidance for everything they needed!

The other thing that I want to thank Tasos for is that even with Rebecca no longer being part of Travel12, and with the Covid pandemic and all of the resulting things that were affected-you were able to flawlessly and seamlessly make sure everything in the original trip remained the same-or even better!

You have an excellent system of communication! It is greatly appreciated.

Jacob and Anna kept in touch with me and sent pictures during the time they were there-they looked so happy in every photo. And Anna told me that this trip was a dream come true for her. They loved every minute of this 16 day trip.

I was really able to enjoy this trip vicariously-first by planning it and making sure all of the details were taken care of with your help-and then being able to see the joy and excitement that Jacob and Anna experienced-it was everything I hoped for and more!

By the way, the week that Jacob returned home, he told me how much he missed the Greek Food!

In Gratitude,

Cindy Henert

A huge thank you to all the people involved in our amazing trip to Morocco 🇲🇦!
First let’s start with Yassine who planned the whole trip! Thank you ! You listened to everything we said and made our adventure perfect for us!
Arrive in Casablanca and Amine our driver is there and waiting for us with a big smile on his face which is how he greeted us every day or night! We can not say enough about Amine! He was always available and sssooo very helpful and sweet and kind! His driving was exceptional! We always felt save even in the mountains and the narrow streets in the medinas! He became a part of the family!
We asked Yassine to book us into the Four Seasons in Casablanca and next time I would have let him pick the hotel. It was fine but not up to the Four Seasons standard.
Amine suggested La Sqala for an authentic Moroccan dinner and it was perfect! We had tagines and the food and entertainment were a perfect start to our Moroccan journey!
Amine picked us up the next morning and we were on our way out of Casablanca! Yassine you were right to see the Hassan Mosque but then get out Casablanca! Amine drove us to Rabat with a few highlight stops and then we were on our way to Meknes and we stopped there but our first highlight of the trip was at the Roman ruins in Volubilis!!! Our guide Rashid was incredible!!! He was so knowledgeable and patient with me and how very slow I am at walking! He spent hours with us and we basically closed the place!❤️❤️❤️
Onwards to Fes and our spectacular Riad Fes! Yassine this was a perfect choice! You arrive at a nondescript door in an alley and then you walk into this stunning palace! Loved this Riad so much we canceled our tour of Sefrou so we could just relax by the pool at our Riad! The next day Amine picked us up and introduced us to our guide Hassan! Hassan was amazing! Again he was knowledgeable and took us to the tannery which was an eye opening experience! It was like going back in time 1,000 years! Thank you Hassan!
Our three nights in Fes was the perfect length of time. We explored the Medina with Hassan and then on our own! I can’t say this enough, the people in Morocco are so warm and helpful and kind! Going through the Medina without a guide was not scary and when we got lost anyone we asked was helpful in helping us find our way home! There are miles and miles of alleyways in the Fes medina!
The next day was our long long drive to the Sahara desert 🐪! There’s no way around this but I will say it’s totally worth the drive! This was my favourite part of the entire trip! Because of my hips I was not able to go into the desert on camel but Rob did and he loved it!❤️❤️❤️ I went to our campsite in a 4x4 vehicle and our driver made it so much fun riding over the sand dunes!!! 🤪 The campsite was amazing and the staff were great!!! I climbed up the sand dune and watched the sun set in the Sahara desert!!! The most memorable part of the trip !!
Onto Ouarzazate the Moroccan Hollywood! Poor Amine this was tough and long driving for him but he was always smiling and focused on the road! He is the best!! We enjoyed touring the movie set!
Our Riad was quiet and in the middle of nowhere but the person there was sweet and kind and helpful. The next day we visited Ait Ben Haddou and I think this was the highlight of the trip for Rob! Our guide was a character and as there was a lot of climbing and I had only brought sandals - Amine lent me his running shoes!!! 🥰 God bless him!
We had tea with a Berber family and climbed to the top of the site! It was breathtaking and Rob just wanted to stay at the top all night! ❤️❤️❤️
Now onto Marrakech and the long and winding road!!! Amine is an exceptional driver and he did an amazing job driving through the high Atlas Mountains on those narrow and winding roads!!! 👏🥰
Marrakech is a city like no other in the world! Rob loved the pulse! I loved our Riad Jardines de la Medina! Again a nondescript front door in a very narrow alleyway (poor Amine trying to get this big van down this alleyway!)You walk through this door into an oasis!!! This was my favourite Riad!!! Our room was incredible with two private terraces on two floors!!! Thank you Yassine for booking this treasure!!! I didn’t want to leave!! Our tour of the Medina the next day with Siad was good. It was too long for me but that’s not Siad’s fault! We walked for four hours through the Medina! I took the afternoon and the next day off and sat by the beautiful pool! It felt like a resort at Jardines de la Medina! We did go to La Tanjia for dinner and loved it!!! There was great Moroccan food and entertainment (belly dancers) and we were on the third floor overlooking a busy square! We had Tanjia which is different from Tajines. It was delicious! The hotel recommended this restaurant and I would highly recommend you add it to your list of restaurants in Marrakech!
The next day I had my Moroccan cooking class and this was another highlight for me!!! I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️
That night Amine took us to the big market with snake charmers and dancing and singing and stall after stall of everything imaginable. Rob loved it but I was overwhelmed!!! I definitely wanted to see it but it was too much and too crowded for me!
The next day we were back on the road again and headed for Essaouira! Our Riad Chbanate was very rustic and the staff was so sweet and warm and welcoming! I however, was done with markets and alleyways and medinas so I personally would have preferred a large hotel with a pool on the beach! Sorry this is nothing against the Riad Chbanate! I just wanted to go back to Jardines de la Medina! Rob went out exploring and came back for me in the afternoon and we walked for miles on the beach! It is a spectacular beach and the highlight of Essaouira!!! If we had started our journey in Essaouira I would have enjoyed our Riad but at this point I was tired of the markets and alleyways and medinas - sorry 😞. We ate at Il Mare and enjoyed the views of the rugged side of the Atlantic and enjoyed a fresh fish dinner! The beach and boardwalk along the beach was spectacular!
On the road back to Casablanca Amine took us along the coast and it was breathtaking but then we went inland and caught the highway to Safi which is nothing to see unless you need to stop for a bathroom break otherwise I would continue on to El Jadida! Beautiful fortified city and great stop to walk along the ramparts! Our next stop was not necessary and would eliminate it from the itinerary.
Continuing on to Casablanca where we arrived during rush hour and Amine tried to find us a restaurant to eat dinner but it was so busy and traffic was a nightmare and he could not find a place to stop so we simply went to our hotel by the airport and we ate there.
We had to be at the airport for 6:00am so staying at the airport made sense.
Thank you to everyone involved in the making of this once in a lifetime adventure to Morocco 🇲🇦!!! Special thanks to Yassine for all the planning and changes !!!
And the biggest hug and thanks goes to our incredible driver and friend -Amine!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
You are a special person and we miss you already!!! Follow your heart and let it guide you!!! You have friends in Canada now!!!🇨🇦🥰❤️

Terry was great to work with and very patient as we tweaked our plans. Her advice was helpful and she made great suggestions we might not have discovered on our own. We had a relatively short time before jumping on a cruise in Reykjavík and Terry helped us make the most of it. We even squeaked two days on the Westman Islands, which was fantastic. We appreciated having all the arrangements made for us and there were no glitches or lost reservations.

It was awesome to have Othman help me piece together this trip for our family! He patiently guided me through every question I had and we pieced together a trip that was manageable and well priced for our budget. Each day was an astounding adventure. The guided day with Midgard Base Camp was flawless, Magnus and Steph gave us a perfect day. We returned to the base for dinner which was our favorite meal in 6 days! One of the best parts of working with Othman and kimkim was the clear itinerary we ended up with. kimkim made all of our reservations and purchased tickets for our 3 biggest day trips. We rented a car and drove 600+ miles with the added bonus of easy short side trips listed for us to consider, we hit most of them and every one was breathtaking. They also kept in touch to make sure that our trip was going well and to contact them if need be. I HIGHLY recommend kimkim for any trip anywhere in the world. It would've been a daunting and stressful task for me to put together this trip of a lifetime!

Our trip to Iceland was nothing short of amazing! Our Kimkim specialist, Duncan, suggested that we follow the Ring Road, and we are so glad that we did.

Every hotel that we stayed at was lovely, with a delicious breakfast included each morning. We loved the flexibility of our itinerary; we felt like there was a perfect mix of guided tours and self-guided exploring. Everyone in Iceland was incredibly hospitable and we were so impressed at how little language barrier we experienced.

The Dettifoss waterfall was definitely our favorite sight of the trip. The view is absolutely breathtaking--but definitely bring a rain poncho as you will get soaked :). Our horseback riding tour at Skorrahestar Icelandic Horse Rental was perfect: the guides were friendly, knowledgeable, and gave us a great restaurant recommendation for Hofn called Hafnarbudin. The Solheimajokull Glacier Hike was a great way to push us out of our comfort zone and is perfect for anyone looking for an adventure.

Overall, the Ring Road should not be missed because of the views and relaxing lagoons, made even better by amazing tours and guides. Thanks again to Duncan for an incredible itinerary!

Hotel Review

Blue Hotel Fagrilundur

Bláskógabyggd

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Blue Hotel! The staff were incredibly welcoming and were great sources for information about the area. There is a lovely hot tub for guests to enjoy. Overall, the rooms were very comfortable and we would absolutely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

The property felt very homey with amazing Icelandic hospitality.

Location

Easy access to restaurant, gas stations, groceries, and lagoons.

Staff

The staff were great for recommendations and answered all of our questions!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was very clean and comfortable (and even had Netflix, which is always a plus)!

Activity Review

Horse Riding Tour

Iceland

Our horseback riding tour was amazing! The guides were very knowledgeable not only about the horses but also about the area. The views were absolutely incredible and it was easy to see that the guides truly considered the horses their family. We cannot recommend this tour enough!

Quality of Experience

Once in a lifetime views and experience!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Super friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable.

Julia helped with planning our Norway trip. She listened to my interests and preferences and arranged an amazing trip plan with carefully picked hotels and a variety of activities that made the trip memorable. In addition, she gave recommendations for other activities based on our discussion. She was also very accommodating to changes. I highly recommend her for any Norway trip planning.

Hotel Reviews

29|2 Aurland

Aurland

This place is amazing and so special. Beautiful complex with a beautiful garden. Has interesting history. Lots of nature activities around the area. The staff was amazing. It was hard to leave this serene place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

Spacious room and nice view. Bathroom had weird design

Authenticity & Character

Uniquely beautiful dining room

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ascot Hotel

Copenhagen V

Nice hotel but I don’t think we got the room we were originally booked for . The room location was not favorable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vøringfoss Hotel

Eidfjord

The view was beautiful. Very comfortable parking and nice dining room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dragsvik Fjordhotell

Balestrand

Great boutique hotel. We had the room with the balcony and sitting area and we loved it. View of the fjord. Also the dining room was so welcoming with an amazing view of the fjord and mountains. Highly recommended. Also nice grounds for strolling . Food and service was great

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotell Utsikten

Geiranger

We had the double room with the amazing view of the fjord. They graciously upgraded us to the family room for the second night which was a much more comfortable room. Location was very nice and convenient for hiking trails.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Røisheim Hotel

Lom

Historic hotel with lots of character. Ample parking and spacious room. The windows were tiny but that goes with its historic nature . I liked the dining experience and the many social rooms available in the complex .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

We had a very spacious room. It was across from the train station. Close to city center

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nordic Light Hotel

Stockholm

Modern hotel. Very nice lounge, bar and dining area

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Finnafjord Safari by RIB

Balestrand

Very pleasant guide and experience. The vessel was solid and comfortable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drive to Flåm - Flåm Railway

Flåm

Quality of Experience

Aurland experience

Aurland

This place is very special and serene with personal attention. The landscape and surroundings instill ultimate relaxation

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Norwegian Forest Hike & Organic Dining at Riverside Farm Lodge

Aurland

We had a guided hike with lunch. Amazing experience in a beautiful forest landscape next to the waterfall with gorgeous views of the valley and fjord. Our guide Eilif was so pleasant and knowledgeable and we had a great time with his company

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mostraumen Fjord Cruise

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Orchard Tour & Cider Tasting

Balestrand

Educational . Very pretty dining room with beautiful view. Great cider tasting

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip was great. All vendors on time to pick us up. Ease in booking on website. The rock climbing/ zip line trip was phenomenal and the guides were patient with me (never climbed and bit of fear of heights)
Liz was great.
The only thing I would say was that it might have been a bit better with more transparency of individual pricing and more discussion of options but that might have improved had I done even more research on my own as well.

Hotel Review

Tika Wasi Casa Boutique

Cusco

Pretty cool up on a hill with a great view. Lovely staff. Tough if not in great shape or with altitude sickness. Nice breakfasts. Slow wifi and hard beds.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Amazing view - high up on steep hill

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Shared Ziplining & Via Ferrata in The Sacred Valley

Sacred Valley

Amazing adventure and view. Very patient with me (never climbed/mild fear of heights) Delicious lunch

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great itinerary! Suggest the counter-clockwise direction for circumnavigating the island.

My wife and I booked a 10 day customized tour through KimKim who work with Egypt Promotions, and we have to say it was simply amazing. Egypt has so much to see and do and 10 days barely does it justice, but without KimKim we would never have had a chance to see what we did and feel as well supported and hosted as we were.

At every location we were met by people who really know their business and were incredibly capable, professional and there to make sure we had everything we needed. The people working with KimKim and Egypt Promotions are simply the best and we made a number of new friends during our tours.

In 10 days we managed to see the Suez Canal, pyramids/sphinx, the high dam, take a 4 day Nile cruise, saw so about 15 different temples and burial sites from Aswan to Luxor, spent a day and a bit in Alexandria seeing catacombs, the library and forts, spent a day and a half driving through oases and the desert with camping in the middle of the desert and finally ended back in Cairo for an evening before heading home.

All in all it was a trip and coordinated effort among many people in each location that we could never have pulled off on our own and KimKim made it all seamless and incredibly enjoyable. Company representatives constantly checked to ensure everything was good with our trip and accommodation, the Egyptologists who gave us the tours were incredibly knowledgeable and adapted to whatever we wanted to do with our time, and anything we asked about was “consider it done”

We rarely use travel agencies versus doing our own thing when we reach a destination, but in a country like Egypt where there is so much to see, time management is critical and we do not speak the language at all, having KimKim and Egypt Promotions work with us was absolutely the way to go.

Thank you to everyone involved in our trip. You all made it extremely special, memorable and we want to come back and when we do we will absolutely work through this company again.

Activity Reviews

Aswan - Kom Ombo temple

Aswan

Sites are great and sailing on Steigenberger Legacy was fantastic

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Edfu temple & Luxor temple and Karnak temple

Egypt

The trip to the valley of the artisans is a must see. Incredibly special and few people go there.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pyramids, Sphinx, Sakkara, Memphis and camel ride

Cairo

Great pyramid is spectacular. So many mysteries still associated with it but incredibly impressive and thought provoking

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cairo - White Desert

Bahariya

Camping in the white desert and seeing the diversity of all the different desert types is a trip not to miss.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cairo - Ismailia

Cairo

Beautiful location and seeing the ship traffic in the canal is rally special

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

overday Alexandria

Alexandria

Fantastic tour of catacombs, Pompeii pillar and city

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport