Kimkim Trip Reviews

This trip was amazing! We loved everything about Japan. Initial process with Terry started slow but our trip was well organized and the itinerary was very detailed & precise. During the trip everything worked according to the plan. Our guides Yumi Takasi and Tanaka Masaaki were excellent. They were very knowledgeable and helpful. They were very friendly and became like family members with us and went above and beyond duty to make our trip comfortable and memorable. Kigami Masako was also very good and knowledgeable.

Tsuyama Hiro seemed more reserved and like just a translator than a guide but he did make sure we got on the right train. We felt like we didn't get the benefit of a knowledgeable guide like the other guides.

Overall, we were very happy with our trip.

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Hiroshima

Hiroshima

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beautiful hotel right in the middle of town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel MYSTAYS PREMIER Dojima

Osaka

Authenticity & Character

The breakfast arrangement was very disappointing. There was very limited choice.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kyoto Tokyu Hotel

Kyoto

Authenticity & Character

Location

perfect

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hakone Suishoen

Hakone

Authenticity & Character

Location

Family style modern Riokan in a beautiful mountain setting

Staff

Extremely friendly, courteous, helpful and polite.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms, beds, bathrooms were amazing. The hot spring tub attached to private rooms were amazing!

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Tokyo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Staff was very friendly, courteous, helpful and polite.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

One Day Miyajima Island and Hiroshima Tour

Hiroshima

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day tour to Koyasan

Osaka

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Arashiyama and Kinkaku-ji Tour (Private English-speaking Driving Guide)

Kyoto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Drive to Hakone with Mt. Fuji Tour (English-speaking driving guide)

Japan

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tokyo City Tour with Imperial Palace East Gardens (Private English-speaking Driving Guide)

Tokyo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Odynovo Tours did a wonderful job planning and executing our trip to Japan. From the beginning, working with John to agree on a 2-week trip plan that was best for us, to Kalinda's travel coordination including obtaining transportation and tour tickets, it was all done very efficiently and with good and prompt communication.

Our individual tour guides as booked by Kalinda were all excellent and we learned a lot about the sites we visited with them. These guides were all very flexible and adjusted the tour visits to match our wishes and tastes. The group tours in Kyoto covered a lot of ground and were well explained.

The train stations were at times somewhat challenging to find our way around, but there was always someone to help us out very politely.

We would definitely book a trip through Odynovo again in the future.

We had an amazing adventure in Northern Morocco! Abdullah gave us great recommendations and our personal driver Soukaina went above and beyond. She’s the best part of our trip. Getting us to each city safely and effortlessly. The guides we had in Fes and Chefchaouen were both great. A perfect way to see a city. We couldn’t have done it without them. I highly recommend kimkim and Morocco! Thank you to all.

Activity Reviews

Fes to Chefchaouen via Meknes & Volubilis

Morocco

Our driver, Sukaina, was wonderful and provided excellent service during our journey from Fes to Chefchaouen. She was patient, accommodating, and ensured that we had a comfortable trip. We enjoyed visiting the city of Moulay Idriss along the way and appreciated Sukaina's knowledge of the area.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nature Seekers: Guided Hike to Akchour Waterfall

Chefchaouen

The hike to Akchour Waterfall was beautiful and enjoyable. The landscape was stunning, and we appreciated the peaceful afternoon spent exploring the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Exploration of the "Blue City" Chefchaouen

Chefchaouen

Our guide for the exploration of Chefchaouen was very knowledgeable, and friendly. He showed us around the city, helping us navigate its hilly streets and narrow alleyways. The tour provided us with a good understanding of the city's layout, which was helpful for the remainder of our stay. However, my daughters felt that two nights in Chefchaouen would have been enough instead of three.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half-Day Guided Sightseeing in Fes: Morocco's Spiritual Heart

Fes

The half-day guided sightseeing in Fes was a great experience. Our guide showed us around the city and provided us with valuable information about the area's history and culture. We enjoyed exploring the Medina and learning about the local way of life.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mathilde was very helpful with planning for the France portion of our 3 week France and Italy adventure. She made excellent choices with the hotels and tours she booked for us. And it was a real boon to have hotel and airport transfer during key points on our journey. It was a luxury to have this kind of assistance with travel planning as we typically do it all ourselves. Glad we made the investment for this first big post-retirement adventure.

Hotel Reviews

Palm Hotel

Nice

We were lucky enough to get the family suite which was really like a great small apartment. Sweet outdoor probate rooftop deck and tons of room very comfortable bed and well appointed. Perfect for our 3-night stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to everything!

Staff

Karine was super and really helped out. Enjoyed speaking with her and she made good suggestions. Also the owner was helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Escaletto

Aix-en-Provence

Well situated and beautifully appointed hotel with fabulous breakfast and a super-attentive and caring staff. Rooms are small but bed very comfortable and everything has been updated. The location in Aix is great and right in the older part of the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Elise was amazing and provided superlative service. But all the staff were good and truly friendly and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds great.

Activity Reviews

Cannes, Antibes & Saint-Paul-de-Vence Day Trip

France

This driving tour was a lot of in-car time and while the guide was knowledgeable and we learned - great deal, I’m not sure that seeing Cannes was so worthwhile if you aren’t into the glitz of the film fest. Best part was the time in Saint-Paul de Vence. This is a gorgeous medieval village with stunning views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver seemed a bit stressed out. She talked nonstop and could have been a bit more interactive rather than lecturing.

Transport

Latin Quarter Gourmet Food Walk

Paris

This tour with Akiko from Meeting the French was a memorable highlight of our trip. She was an outstanding guide who truly knows all the shops and many of the shop owners in the Latin Quarter. She introduced us to her favorite artisan vendors then selected fabulous cheeses, pates and bread for the picnic lunch we had at our wine tasting location. She also knew so much history and of the area and we really felt like we got to dive in depth into not just the food and market culture but architecture and history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Stayed above.

Cassis Village, Calanques Boat Ride & Provence Wines Day Trip

Aix-en-Provence

Gorgeous views and lovely boat ride. Cassis is a sweet small town and it’s truly amazing to see the beautiful blue water and breathtaking vistas from the hilltop park above the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Comfortable van with plenty of room for our small group. Good driver.

We had an amazing time in Vietnam, thanks to kimkim.
The reservation services and the options offered at the beginning matched and exceeded our expectations.
Everything went smoothly, transportation, internal flights, private transfers, the bus and the boat.
The experiences such as kayak, cruise, cycling into the towns, and boats were breathtaking. The nature and the cities are vibrant and rich in culture, history and wild landscapes.
A special thanks goes to our first and favorite guide Mr Binh, Mr Binh was outstanding and super passionate about what he does, you can see and feel his love for the country. He teached us a lot of what he knew, made us feel safe and welcome. The adventures with him are something we will always bring with us. We want to give the highest rating possible to him, he really made a big difference in our trip. The transfer guy (we don't remember the name sorry!) who was with us and Mr Binh during our trip was also very polite and gentle, we enjoyed his driving skills and company. The second guide Mr Huan was also very pleasant and prepared on Hue's history. We enjoyed his tales, stories and anecdotes. The driver together with Mr Huan was also very nice, we enjoyed the music he was playing and he was very courteous. Hue's history is full of wonders and we were glad to get a bite. So far the experience was amazing. Minh was always present for us, thanks to Minh we never felt alone and if something was happening he was on top of it. He was sending us messages to let us know flights/details or anything really. Top evaluation for him, not sure how much is the maximum but he deserves it!
The third guide, unfortunately, was not at the same level as the first two... we don't want to ruin his reputation or bad mouth him, however, we did not really enjoy the time with him for different reasons. On the other hand, the places where we went and the activities kept being amazing. So overall the experience with kim kim is a 4,9 stars out of 5!

Hotel Review

The Scarlett Boutique Hotel

Hue

suepr rooms and great servicies

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

great staff, the best in vietnam

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Can Tho - visit floating market then back Ho Chi Minh City for flight back home.

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ho Chi Minh City - Cai Be - Vinh Long - Can Tho

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fly to Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi and walking street food tour

Hanoi

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hue to Hoi An Ancient town

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hue City Tour, Bike to Rural Villages

Hue

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bai Tu Long - Thien Canh Son Cave - Return to Hanoi - Flight to Hue

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Ha Long Bay - Bai Tu Long Bay with Swan Cruise

Vietnam

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pu Luong Natural Reserve - Hanoi

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hidden trails of Pu Luong - Hieu Village

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanoi - Mai Chau - Pu Luong Natural Reserve - Kho Muong village (trek & homestay)

Pu Luong Nature Reserve

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All the guides were fabulous.
We really enjoyed the food, wine walking tour in Lisbon. Marta did a wonderful job.
We liked Caiscas and walking along the beach, in addition to a marvelous lunch at Nortada.
Our hotel, Palacio Ludivice Wine Experince Hotel, had a great location, attentive staff, and every night a different treat was left in the room, from candies, pastry, port, etc.
Great breakfast and very nice bar.

Our guide for the 2 tours we did in Evora, Telma was super. Very knowledgeable and gave us a wide variety of experiences, including visit to Cork Farm, Olive Oil tasting and lunch with the owner of Blinded by Love, wine tasting and visit to her family’s watermelon and melon farm.
Staying at the 15th Convent was unique, but the coffee was horrendous and breakfast was just average.

We enjoyed our cruise of the Douro river with Paulo and Barb.
The visit to Croft for a Port tasting was average. The picnic lunch, although with an abundance of food, was below average in quality.
We had a delicious dinner at Quinto Nova and enjoyed their pool. We were disappointed that coffee was not available early in the morning prior to excursions.

Our hotel in Porto was wonderful. Gift of champagne and fruit on arrival. Breakfast was excellent with numerous options and eggs to order. Our guide Michael was excellent. Very knowledgeable about the history and took us to a jam tasting in addition to our walking tour of the town. We enjoyed our antique car tour down by the river at the tour’s end.

Azores
Hotel Marina Atlantico Ponta Delgado
Very good location, had ocean view, accommodating staff, enjoyed the bar area. Rooms were average, they could use some refreshing, especially the availability of outlets that can accommodate chargers.
Our sunset cruise with Louis and Marco was wonderful. We saw not only a beautiful sunset but a large group of dolphins. Our host did supply wine, although we also brought our own.
The whale watch we did through Terra Azulejo was a highlight. We saw dolphins, numerous, and a sperm whale who we actually saw do a dive.
Our food and wine tour with the Hungry Whale was fabulous. The stop at the restaurant Tasca us a must when in Ponto Delgada.
We did 2 days of tours with Natacha covering the island from end to end. She thoughtfully set up lunches for us at places that had original Portuguese food. She was also very knowledgeable and able to flex our tour to meet our requests. She did a wonderful job.

All in all our trip was a wonderful experience. The people in Portugal and Azores were open and welcoming.
Thanks to Marta for doing such a wonderful job!

All the tours were in incredible and especially loved the intimate groups!

- Cooking Lisbon was such a treat and an incredible experience.

- Joanna was an exceptional tour guide touring us through historic Lisbon.

- Loved and adored the food and wine tour with Joao in Porto! He too was so personable and genuine and truly passionate about his tours.

- Joao gave us such a memorable day in the Douro Valley and went above and beyond to take care of all our needs!!

Hotel Reviews

Jupiter Lisboa Hotel

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Fortaleza do Guincho Relais & Châteaux

Cascais

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Moon and Sun Porto

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Douro Valley Tour from Porto

Porto

Quality of Experience

Joao, our guide!

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

6 Bridges Cruise & Monumental Porto with Wine Tasting

Porto

Quality of Experience

Very good but prefer the smaller group tours!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Porto Food & Wine Tour

Porto

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joao is incredible and his passion is evident.

Transport

Best of Lisbon Walk

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joanna is an exceptional guide!

Transport

Cooking Class with Market Tour

Lisbon

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

OMG, that is the best way to described your services and our vacation, Your team made our vacation unforgettable I have so much positive to say about all the work your team put together for us there is not enough space on this comment section to writhe them all!!!!

I don't know how you did it but we thank you, Chris you are the BOMB!!!

The planning in advance of this trip was great. Irene answered all of my questions and made me feel super comfortable with the plans that we made. My suggestions and whims were taken into account which made me feel heard. My mom had never gotten a passport or traveled out of the country and was nervous but are itinerary and detailed schedule made her feel a lot more comfortable. Our tour guide of Acropolis, Michael, was so knowledgeable and friendly. A great person to me at the start of our trip. He took photos for us and taught us so much about Greek history. The first hotel that we went to was also lovely. I really appreciate that they held my mom's passport when she forgot it. Another great reason to use a travel agent - communicating and resolving the issue with our travel team made it an easy fix. I'm so grateful for the expertise of our travel team. Renting a car was so scary but so worth it for the day trips we got to have and landscape we got to see. The suggestion to stop at the Corinth Canal on our way to Nafplio was so great! A sight I definitely would have missed on my own. Our time in Nafplio was lovely. Our hotel was immaculate. The town is so beautiful and peaceful. I was glad for recommendations by the concierge at the hotel. I was able to make a last minute appointment for a manicure and my mom got a massage. The private chef was amazing! Costas and his wife were so friendly and the food was absolutely delicious. It was a treat to learn about Greek food and wine. I also really enjoyed our cooking class. It was so intimate to go into Katarina and her mother's home to make recipes that are so close to their heart. An experience I won't forget. We also go to sample olive oil nearby which was a treat. Our flight to Naxos was so seamless. I was also so pleased to find that we had lounge access before our flight. Every person who picked us up from an airport was also so kind and helpful. Yanis at our hotel in Naxos was amazing!! He helped us in so many ways and I really appreciated his service. Ippokampos is such a lovely hotel. All the amenities were perfect for our time there. Sitting under those umbrellas is a great way to spend the day. Sailing was also so fun and breathtaking. A beautiful way to see the sea and landscape of Greece. The snacks and food on the trip were lovely. The other guests with us were all so lovely. We were even able to make some friends. My only small improvement would be around the ferry ride back. Our tickets wouldn't download on my phone so I had to go to the ticket office on the island and it was somewhat unclear where/ how to get on. Once we were on the ferry was no problem. The hotel near the port was a great choice. Very convenient for our day of traveling and to have a shuttle to the airport the next day. Overall this was one of the best vacations my mom has ever taken in her life. It was such a blessing to be able to spend time with her and get to see and learn about Greece. I'm so grateful for the support of Irene and our travel team to create this magical experience for her. Can't recommend y'all's service highly enough!

Hotel Reviews

Athens Cypria Hotel

Athens

This hotel is super clean and the staff are all very friendly and helpful. I loved the view from our balcony of the city. The rooftop bar was amazing for a great view of the Parthenon at night. They also were so accommodating when my mom accidentally left her passport in our room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

This hotel is right in the center of everything a brief walk to acropolis. Near to a lot of shopping and great food.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

I bet here was super uncomfortable. Everything else was very clean and modern and comfortable

Avra Hotel

Rafina, Attica

Very close to the port and very convenient for a one-night stay before our flight in the morning. The breakfast here was not as great or impressive. The staff were very direct and kind but not warm.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just a 5 to 10 minute walk from the port. Was a bit of a challenge with our luggage but nothing we couldn't handle.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

DeSoto was clean. The room is very small. The bed was somewhat comfy. There were some bugs in our shower.

Ippokampos Beachfront Hotel

Naxos

This hotel was amazing. Similar to many beachfront resorts in the best ways. Our room had a fabulous view of the sea. This hotel is located just on the edge of the center of town which makes it quiet and pleasant but also easy to navigate from. You get a discount on the chairs with umbrellas as a guest. They have complimentary beach towels for you. They clean your room every day so no need to worry about sand everywhere. This room was not super spacious but it didn't need to be as we were out exploring the island at all times.

Authenticity & Character

Very charming hotel with modern touches. The breakfast everyday is amazing.

Location

Close to shops and restaurants. Amazing view of the sea.

Staff

Yanis is amazing and goes above and beyond to support your request. He helps schedule a taxi for us helped us drop off our laundry helped us rent an umbrella. All the staff was kind and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Impero Nafplio Hotel & Suites

Nafplio

This hotel is so lovely. It is clean. It has charm. It's close to the center of town. The view from the balcony is beautiful. The staff are so helpful and willing to give suggestions or help make a reservation. The breakfast is delicious and has so many options. Our room was very comfortable and spacious. There is a lot of space for parking close by.

Authenticity & Character

This hotel is a very charming. It's modern but still has rustic touches that make it feel warm and welcoming. There's also a pleasant scent that lingers in my memory.

Location

Very close to the center of town + lots of restaurants and shops

Staff

One of the concierges helped us make a reservation for a manicure at the last minute. I was so grateful for the recommendation and the manicure was lovely.

Cleanliness & Comfort

This bad was extremely comfortable. The bathroom has a very fancy shower with lots of options. I really enjoyed how spacious our room was and the access to outdoor space to see the view or sit and have privacy.

Activity Reviews

Cooking Class in Naxos Villages

Naxos

We really enjoyed getting to know Katarina and her mom. It was such a treat to be learning in their home which felt intimate. The food was amazing obviously. It was great learning about their lives and customs around food.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sailing Tour around Naxos

Naxos

Very fun adventure! This was a lovely excursion. It was fun too swim to lounge to eat the snacks food and wine that they brought. To chat with other travelers.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Chef experience in Nafplio

Nafplio

Costas is amazing! It was so great to learn about Greek food from such a masterchef. Both he and his wife were so friendly. I loved the wine tastings with dinner. I love talking to them about Greek food and history. I had a really lovely time. It's also so impressive that he cooked nearly all the food in front of us. Everything was so delicious.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Acropolis Afternoon Tour

Athens

Michael was amazing! Can't recommend him highly enough. Having grown up in Athens and having a master's in history made him an amazing tour guide. He answered all of our questions and some. He took photos of us. He was extremely friendly and would highly recommend a tour with him. It was also easy to find our meeting point.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walked and found the meeting point easily.

The experience with KinKim was amazingly great. From the very first contact with Pedro we were pleased and satisfied completely with the planning, personalization of our trip, and the quality of hotels , drivers and the local guides and vendors. We could not have had a better i experience
. You won’t be disappointed if you use KimKim. Definitely will use them again. Abrigada!

Hotel Reviews

Heritage Avenida Liberdade

Lisboa

Small delightful hotel with the perfect location for Lisbon. The staff was so helpful and the breakfast delicious!

Authenticity & Character

The decor is intriguing and its smallness makes it comfortable!

Location

Right on the the avenue and easy to to places of interest!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean!

Hotel Baia

Cascais

Room are small or at least ours was bur friendl staff a great view of water.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

NH Collection Porto Batalha

Porto

This a nice hotel and had a friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good central location .

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

The Flavors of Port Wine - Sip & Discover

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Exploring Porto's Rich History on an Exclusive Gastronomic Tour Through Time

Porto

It was great but there was not much to the Gastronomical side of tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Not to be missed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Seamless Discovery - The Ultimate Douro Valley Experience with Private Driver Service

Portugal

Quality of Experience

The good weather added to the enjoyment

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Indulge in Elegance on a Guided Winery Tour Infused with Tastings and a Delicious Lunch

Portugal

Amazing meal. Best we had.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The driver and staff for lunch.

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

Guide was very knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

Very authentic it seemed. Don’t miss it

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The ambience. Food also good.

Discovering Belém's Charm on a Tuk-Tuk Ride

Lisbon

Wonderful guide and driver

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All were topnotch and personable.

Transport

Right on time.

The KimKim Team was great to work with in planning our Athens/Rome/Florence vacation - our family of 4 was me and my husband and our 20 and 23 year old children. They booked some wonderful tours with experienced guides and all the hotels were centrally located so we walked to almost everything. It gave us great comfort knowing we could reach out to the KimKim team during our visit but everything went so smoothly we had no issues. We highly recommend this company for planning trips. Thank you!

Wonderful service , I never used to book through an agency but Lucy really changed that for us… the recommendations the support and service all throughout our travels was on the highest levels and worth every penny paid..

Highly recommended

Our twelve day trip was simply amazing. Helena and team were wonderful to work with. Especially since we started planning our trip in 2019 and then had to delay it due to COVID. So this was a much anticipated trip. The team was responsive, friendly and helpful with all our questions and thought through even the smallest details. Once we told them a little bit about what we thought we'd like to do, they planned a fantastic itinerary. We had the perfect balance of busy tours to enough "free" time to wander and explore on our own. From tickets to museums and trains to city tours, everything was just perfect.

Regarding the tour guides, they were all wonderful in their own way. Our Madrid walking city tour guide was very knowledgeable about the city, and during our private tour was able to share lots of history that I don't think we would have gotten from a standard tourist tour. He was patient, loved answering our questions and shared information about local habits. We had a day trip to Toledo and our private guide, Sonia, was perfect. She had a passion for the city, because she lives there and was a history major in college, was incredibly knowledgeable about the city's history and how today is a reflection of that history. Sonia was so delightful, she seemed like a genuine friend. We had another private tour in Granada, with our day trip to Las Alpujarras Mountains. Marta was our guide here and again, she had a background in history and a deep love of this mountain and the many communities. She was also able to pivot easily because while we came prepared for a hike, she had to explain that our time would be spend driving from village to village with some walking at each place, not an actual hike with an easy or hard route as was stated in our Trip Plan. We didn't mind it either and because the villages were so steep, we still got in some hiking! :-)

We had another tour guide, this time it was a small group tour in Sevilla. The guide was wonderfully knowledgeable about the city history and our fellow tourists were delightful and we really enjoyed their company. We also had a lovely tour guide in Tangiers, Morocco. All of the tour guides we had were simply amazing and the highlight of our trip. Well done with selecting these professional tour guides.

Other highlights were the flamenco show in the cave. That was an amazing and spiritual experience, something where we thought we just be entertained, but the performance was way beyond that. This experience surprised us both and we loved it.

Lastly, a note about our hotels. We stayed in four different hotels and they were all great. The staff at the Granada hotel and the tower room was probably the most unique stay with great hotel staff. And of course the staff at Hotel Alcazar in Sevilla were wonderful as they worked with you to get my bag back that was left on the train. Thank you for the upgraded room! The balcony room was simply stunning - looking out over the park across the street. It was amazing and we could have stayed there forever.

Thank you thank you thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Only YOU Hotel Atocha

Madrid

Fantastic room and rooftop restaurant. Staff was very friendly and location was near lots of activities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Alcázar

Seville

Great location near lots of things to do and see. our 6th floor room had an large balcony that faced a city park. Perfect for sitting with a glass of wine and watching the activity go by. The room was large and very comfy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gar Anat Boutique Hotel

Granada

The history of this inn alone was amazing. The staff was super friendly and helpful, warm and engaging. We stayed in the tower room which had views of the Alhambra.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Petit Palace Posada del Peine

Madrid

Great location in the middle of lots of activities. Hotel staff was fine. Our 1st floor room was clean and neat, though very small. A large person would struggle using the toilet room as it was very narrow.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Tapas & Tradition: A Madrileño Evening

Madrid

Our tour guide was great and chose 4 places to visit, carefully explaining the differences at each.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

People:

Driver Mohammed was very good. Also guides in Fes and Marrakech. People were friendly and helpful when we got lost in the medinas.

Hotel Reviews

Barceló Anfa Casablanca

Casablanca

Good modern hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

OK I guess, but we weren't there long enough to walk around.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Tiwaline

Marrakesh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Caravane

Ouarzazate

Good hotel in isolated area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Away from noisy city.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Luxury Camp Chebbi

Merzouga

Camel ride to the camp was great experience.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Edge of Sahara desert.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Luxurious for a tent.

Riad Mazar Fes

Fes

Authenticity & Character

Location

Within walking distance of good restaurants.

Staff

Staff friendly and helpful with directions through medina and miscellaneous minor difficulties.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Kalaa

Rabat

Authenticity & Character

Location

Convenient to walk to a recommended restaurant.

Staff

Helpful with directions.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Ourika Valley: Hike to a Waterfall

Morocco

Did not do this. Went to an alternative location that was recommended. This survey is too long. I will not go further.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Overnight in the Sahara Desert with Sunset Camel Ride

Morocco

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Never would have been able to put this together myself. When I tried to determine where to go/what to do on my own I just got overwhelmed, but Yuliana put together an unforgettable trip. We had a great time with Mauricio (guide) and Fernando (transport). Really appreciate the expertise of all involved in planning and execution of this trip. Thanks so much!

Hotel Reviews

Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel

San José

Cute little hotel for an overnight stay. Didn't get the opportunity to explore the area, so unable to report anything outside of rooms, receptions, and restaurant. Rooms were a little small for the amount of furniture in the room, but not a significant negative, just an opinion. Dinner in the restaurant was REALLY GOOD!!

Authenticity & Character

Staff

kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Had a good night sleep and was clean

Parador Nature Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

Was everything you wanted in a vacation stay -- food, drinks, pool, beach access, central to other places you might want to visit

Authenticity & Character

It was very comfortable even for a large "upscale" environment

Location

Central to area places to visit

Staff

Very kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable

Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

Loved the atmosphere and the individual cabins. Walking the hills to the cabins was the only drawback, when you were already sore from hiking.

Authenticity & Character

Loved the atmosphere and the individual cabins

Location

seemed pretty centrally located to the activities that were planned

Staff

all were very kind and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

were very clean, beds creaked a little and the hills to walk to the cabins were a little steep when sore from hiking

Activity Reviews

Visit to Costa Rica Animal Rescue Center

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Although it is stated that drivers may not be bilingual, if the tour group is not bilingual, would be great to try to be sure there was a way to communicate. Makes it difficult to know what is going on when you can't converse with the person driving you to and from locations.

Transport

There was a mishap with the transport from the hotel where we were ready to go at the designated time and got picked up 45 minutes later. I had the hotel call to find out what was going on and had we known we could have stayed in the air conditioned room vs waiting in the open air (pretty warm) reception area. That transport took us to the Rescue, then we changed to another transport that was unmarked -- a little creepy when neither driver was biligual and we were not, so we really didn't know what was going on.

Catamaran Adventure with Snorkeling

Manuel Antonio

Always love these...so relaxing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal 1968 Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

The hot springs were awesome and relaxing, especially after 2 days of hiking. Was less impressed with the Arenal 1968 Hike, if I had know what it was fully, I would not have opted to do it, but thought it was a "had to do" activity....spent most of the time watching my steps to make sure I didn't slip and fall so even if there was a lot to see (which I don't think there was) I wasn't seeing anything but my feet. One of the younger member of our group did fall

Quality of Experience

Hot Springs was fun; 1968 Hike, not so much

Food

Dinner was good, but wasn't fully ready for a 6pm dinner (we had not eaten since breakfast) and some items were not at a proper temperature.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mauricio and Fernando were great!

Transport

Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was my favorite feature although the steps to get there and return were intimidating, it was worth it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The amount of knowledge of the area and the history....it was an educational experience

Transport

Fernando our driver

Our 15 day cruise was amazing! We enjoyed many islands and an abundance of wildlife. Birds, tortoises, sea lions, iguanas, lizards, whales, dolphins, penguins. Our naturalist, Pablo, was an encyclopedia of information. Excellent English, and very personable. The crew on the Monserrat always had a smile on their faces, and were very helpful. Most crew spoke Spanish only, which did create some communication breakdowns at times. The meals were delicious with a lot of variety. Our boat did have a bug problem however. (Roaches) Never having been on a Galapagos cruise, we do not know if this is common on most boats. Our local specialist, Tamer, with KimKim, seemed to be available 24/7. He was always very responsive with answers to our questions. Tamar did a fantastic job keeping us informed each step of the way with our planning. We would highly recommend the services of KimKim . We cannot emphasize enough the beauty of the Galapagos Islands. It is definitely a large piece of paradise.

This was such an amazing trip!

We really enjoyed the hotels in both Lisbon and Evora. The staff in each were friendly and accommodating.

Every tour guide was incredible. They were all willing to share about themselves and their culture, making each one truly special.

We had Gisella for the walking tour. We really connected with her, and she showed us a TON of Lisbon. She gave us tips and ideas for food and drink that we used during our free time. She was friendly, and easy to understand.

On Monday, we had Vitor for the day. He added a lot of personal details, and took us to some of his favorite spots near Setubal. He gave us a great intro to Evora as well. He was super friendly and accommodating.

Telma gave us a very informative walking tour through Évora. She really knew her stuff, and it was wonderful to learn about the area through her knowledge and experience.

Daniella on the Food Tour in Lisbon was captivating. She has such a way about her, and gave us so much more info and history about the area AND the food/drink. We wish we had more time with her. She made a small group tour seem super friendly, and encouraged connection between the other guests.

We really enjoyed getting to know Nuno on our Sintra/Cascais day trip. He was so much fun, and shared not only info about the amazing areas we were visiting, but about himself and his family. There was a great connection there as well. He was a lot of fun, and gave us great suggestions.

We spent our last night in the home of Sofia and Carlos in Lisbon. That was such a fantastic way to end this trip. They were warm, funny, and the food/drink was incredible as well. While it’s hard to pick a favorite thing for the week, getting to spend time with them in their home was something we will never forget.

Beatriz was very easy to work with through all of it, and super responsive. We always felt like we had our own, personal team working to make this trip a fantastic experience before and during the week. She planned such great things for us, we would absolutely use the service again.

We had an excellent trip to Lisbon, Coimbra, and Porto. Carmen was very helpful, professional, and easy to communicate with. If you prefer not dealing with trip planning, feel more comfortable having someone taking care of connections and logistical details, or need someone to coordinate with multiple parties, Carmen and her team will do a great job in both putting together your trip and supporting you while traveling.

A great taste of Morocco for our family of 6 adults. All aspects of the trip were good. Particularly memorable were: (1) our stay and morning walk with Salam at the riad Kasbah Roseville who took us through the roses and around town, (2) our cooking class and visit to a home in the Valley of the Roses where we cooked and enjoyed Berber pizza on a wood-fired oven in the with the family, (3) touring Fez with our extraordinary guide Said, and (4) our riad in Fez was a beautiful place and great guys with an extensive breakfast.

Hotel Reviews

Riad Al Makan

Fès

Authenticity & Character

Very beautiful place.

Location

Right where you want to be.

Staff

Consumate hosts that helped with everything and prepared extraordinary breakfasts!

Cleanliness & Comfort

well-appointed recently remodeled place

Kasbah Roseville

Kalaat M'Gouna

Fantastic. The host Salam is a wonderful and gracious human. He took us on a lovely walk through the roses, countryside and about town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Guided Tour of Fes

Fes

Quality of Experience

The alleys and markets of Fez are extraordinary, particularly when paired with our most excellent guide Said.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Said was the best guide ever. Extremely articulate, thoughtful and informative.

Transport

9 fantastic days with Florin! Travels through Bulgaria , Romania and Hungary were very spacious & comfortable in his large passenger van, we named “Bluey!” Florin is very knowledgeable with the history of the castle & citadels & the beautiful cities we got to explore. We began to feel like he was more a friend / younger brother than tour guide! We shared dinners together, stories of places we’ve traveled & yet to visit! He was mindful of my getting carsick, stopped at all the best gas stations for restroom, coffee, & a coke! Oh and lots of stops if I wanted a photo of flowers!!! Also, found me the best asiago cheese bread for snacks on the road trip between cities!
Florin is the “BEST TOUR GUIDE” in our experience! We hit 71 while on this trip. Already talking with him about our next adventure! He only works with top notch drivers & local guides if he needs someone with more expertise of a city than he.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Tresor le Palais

Timisoara

The Hotel Tresor le Palais in Timisoara was extremely nice and upscale. We had a great stay there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Noblesse Boutique Hotel

sibiu

Florin booked us at the Noblesse Boutique Hotel which was very clean. We enjoyed our stay there and had no problems.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Yantra Hotel

Veliko Tarnovo

The Yantra Hotel was in the heart of Veliko Tarnovo and was very luxurious. We loved our stay there.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Marvel at the Citadel of Veliko Tarnovo

Romania

The Citadel of Veliko Tarnovo was fabulous! The town is built into a mountain and is full of quaint stores and restaurants. We really enjoyed our time there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from the airport and Sofia tour

Hungary

Florin picked us up from the airport and gave us a tour of Sofia. He was very attentive and informative, making it a great start to our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On the way from Brasov to Sibiu visit the Bran Castle Sighisoara Citadel

Hungary

Florin took us to Sibiu and we were amazed by the beautiful, storybook-like village. We really enjoyed our time there.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bucharest city tour

Bucharest

Florin took us on a city tour of Bucharest and specifically catered to our interests in the communist history of the country. We even visited Ceausescu's mansion which was fascinating!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bucharest to Brasov with Peles Castle, Bran Castle and Brasov walking tour

Romania

Florin heard me say I collect rock everywhere we go, especially ones that are shaped like a heart! When we came down from exploring the castle, he handed me a rock that had a heart on the rock!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport