Kimkim Trip Reviews

We thorough enjoyed our time in Portugal and the itinerary that our local specialist, Pedro, put together. Each of the guides that were extremely helpful and wonderful travel companions, especially our main driver Eric. We have already recommended this experience to a number of our friends.

Hotel Review

Maison Albar - Le Monumental Palace

Porto

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discovering Belém's Charm on a Tuk-Tuk Ride

Lisbon

Scenic Voyage along the Douro River aboard an Exclusive Boat

Portugal

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

Portugal

Unveil the Fairytale Villa of Sintra with a Private Driver Service

Portugal

Sintra is so beautiful. Eric was great too in dropping us off in the right spots and giving us tips.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Immerse Yourself in the Portuguese Culture by Experiencing a Fado Dinner

Lisbon

The dinner was awesome. We even got to chat with the owner.

Lisbon's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Lisbon

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

Portugal

Our driver was great. He even added another stop for us at the end. The vineyard was excellent.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The driver was amazing.

Transport

Porto's Historic Odyssey on a Private Walking Tour

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Flavors of Port Wine - Sip & Discover

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We are two first-time visitors who wanted to see Norway’s spectacular fjords, historic towns like Bergen, Oslo, and Trondheim, and more. A friend suggested kimkim to help plan that trip and find out if we could drive the Atlantic Road (inspired by a travel article.) kimkim’s Tom Christer was quick to offer a good plan for us to travel from Trondheim to Oslo for 7-8 days including hotels and transportation along the way. Tom was quick to answer questions, adjust the plan, and develop alternatives before we traveled. Once we were on the trip, Tom helped with schedule changes, found individual guides and drivers when we needed them, and had perfect timing to get us on a shuttle to a scenic viewpoint when we thought it was sold out. Without Tom, we would not have experienced two of our favorite spots on the trip: staying on Håholmen island along the Atlantic Road and Aurland with its quiet magnificence. kimkim and Tom Christer provided great value and support.

I would like to explain why we are giving the trip a score of 2.5. The country of Iceland is such a great place to visit. The weather was cooperative and nice. We saw so many great sights everyday.

Unfortunately, some of the services provided by KimKim were fair to good. I have planned many trips in the US and Canada, some for up to 3 months. We never had so many issues as we did with KimKim's service. The reason we decided to use your services is due to the fact we were not familiar with the country, their culture and norms and we were looking for a hassle free trip. This certainly was not the case.

Problems started when we went to get our car rental. Avis charged us for the full rental. I was surprised but charged it to my credit card. I contacted Silvia with my concerns with the rental charge that evening. She said we should not have been charged. I also told her that we did not get the wifi due to the large unplanned charge on my card. She asked that we send her a copy of the bill. We did a few days later. I do not know why the confusion with the rental charge. Regardless, it was quite upsetting.

We then started our adventure and everything was going well until we arrived in Vik. The hotel did not have any reservations for us. They called Silvia who said she had been trying to contact us and had been unable. We had internet only when we were at our hotel, and Silvia had been made aware that the car did not have Wifi per our decision due to extra incurred costs. After over 1/2 hour we were told to go to a different hotel. Silvia had complimentary drinks for us at the other hotel which was a nice gesture. Silvia also told us to get Wifi on our son's phone and she would reimburse the cost, which she did.

In Seydisfjordur we arrived at our hotel and settled in. It was not a great hotel like we had had since our arrival but OK. After 1/2 hour several people arrived at our door and were trying to get the key for the rental. We did not open the door. A while later this man came knocking at our door and asked us to speak to his boss, Ingrid. She explained she had contacted Silvia re: the change in room which was not communicated to us. We had to repact everything and move to a different room. Silvia apologized for the mix up and lack of follow-up.

In Akureyri, the room and location were abysmal. We could not find out which room was ours as the front desk door is looked and unmanned. Luckily this very nice person let us borrow his cell phone so we could call Silvia. She said she forgot to send us the updated info to the rental. We finally got it and were able to get in only to find out that it was set up for 1 person. Texted Silvia and after several more texts we were told to go to the locked office which is unmanned and get some linens and towels and make our beds. Need I say more? At least we each had our towel for our shower..
The location was not good and the place was run down to say the least. Giving a score of 2 would be more than adequate. I would say it was a step above sleeping in the car... Silvia was made aware of the hotel conditions. She offered us complimentary drinks to compensate for the hick up.

My son texted Silvie after the next place as it also had the reservation for 1 person. We then had to wait in the lobby until it was set up for the third person. Silvia texted back and said she would notify the next places we were staying at. It was good for 2 nights then again, the agent at the desk had reservations for only 1 person. We again had to wait for the extra linens and beds to be made. Very inconvenient. Gave up notifying Silvia and it was towards the end of the trip.

On the positive side, the itinerary was great with strategically placed hotels with not excessively long driving distances so we could enjoy the day and do many on the spur of the moment things. All but 2 of the reservations were very good to excellent. Silvia was always very pleasant when we interacted with her.

I am very disappointed in the services that were provided and which we paid for. Not what we expected.
Renee S.

Hi Liz,
The trip to New Zealand and Australia was probably one of the best we've ever had. The highlights were the Women World Cup soccer games we attended in both countries. In addition, Helen, Alexa and I enjoyed the town and activities you planned for us in Queenstown (Milford Sound and wine tasting). The city that we were unexpectedly pleased with was Nelson. At this city we were able to enjoy a cruise along the coast of the Abel Tasman NP and hike a portion of the great walk at this park. Our driver in Nelson was also very good in giving us a good education of the area and we enjoyed our conversation with her during the trip.

In terms of hotel accommodations I believe City Life in Wellington was the best It was both spacious and very comfortable. However, in retrospect we could have decreased the number of days we spent in this city and spent those days elsewhere. The hotel we liked the least was the Nasuto Stadium hotel in Auckland. While the location gave us easy access to the downtown area, the additional bed placed in the middle of the living room contributed to our luke warm review, although on our return visit to the hotel before leaving for Sydney, we were given a room that had two separate bedrooms.
We enjoyed our trip to Rotorua. The Maori cultural venues (teaching school and village experience) were very interesting. Helen and Alexa went to a new spa in Rotorua that you might want to check out. Its called Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa. Its right on the lake and they enjoyed their experience at the spa,,, it was new and not crowded. I found the Hobbiton experience a little underwhelming, and probably would not recommend it to the casual visitor. However, we really enjoyed or visit to Sydney. We were able to attend a symphony in the Opera House and the tour. We found the restaurants in Sydney to be plentiful and varied. Our trip to the Blue Mountains was okay but I probably would not recommend it if time is a consideration. There are so many other activities to attend to in Sydney..
All in all, we believe your recommendations help us enjoy our trip to these two countries. Thank you so much.
Jim

Hotel Reviews

Tides Hotel Nelson

Nelson

Given the budget restrictions placed on the trip, the hotel was adequate for our needs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adina CityLife Wellington

Wellington

This was the best hotel on our trip. Very specious and comfortable

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central location in the middle of the city

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Copthorne Hotel & Resort Queenstown Lakefront

Queenstown

Given the budget restrictions placed on the trip, the hotel was adequate for our needs. We thought we had a lake view room and had to asked for a different room from the one initially assigned

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Millennium Hotel Rotorua

Rotorua

Given the budget restrictions placed on the trip, the hotel was adequate for our needs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Oaks Auckland Hotel (Prev. Nesuto Stadium Auckland)

Auckland

See written review

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

90 Minute Weta Workshop Unleashed

Auckland

We learned this Weta Workshop was not the same as the one in Wellngton. We heard from others the the one in Wellington was better than the one in Auckland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Thailand was a bit short, but it was great. Every city that we visited was amazing, but there was something unique being in Chiang Rai and so we would like to give a special shout out to our guide and driver - Nok and Dee. They simply went above and beyond and made it extra special.
From the moment I requested information for our trip to Thailand, Thao knew exactly what we were looking for. Our entire itinerary was done within a week. Thao was always on top of everything and she would always get back to you as soon as you would send her a note or a question. We were so impressed with her service.
As soon as we landed in Thailand, we had a dedicated team in case we ran into any issues or had any questions. Thank you Adam, Moruecha, and Orn for taking care of us! You were always on top of your game.

Hotel Reviews

The Slate Phuket

Phuket

Absolutely the best. The resort was luxurious and comfortable with excellent customer service. The property was well-maintained and it was convenient to get out of the resort. The security was also top-notch.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Art's Riverview Lodge

Khao Sok

This place was a bit too rustic for my liking. There was no WiFi and our shower was not working. However, it was nice being out in nature and felt like a tree house.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nak Nakara Hotel

Chiang Rai

This hotel was also very nice, providing a comfortable stay!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

De Charme Hotel

Amphoe Muang, Si Phum, Chiang Mai

It was awesome and really nice. I had a great time staying here with no issues.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Phi Phi Island by Speedboat

Phuket

It was beautiful and the boat ride was a good experience. The weather was amazing

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlights of Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai

Absolutely the best. The guide, Nok, went above and beyond in explaining things to us. The White Temple was amazing to see in person.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Spend a Day with Elephants in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai

It was great but a bit too long. The waiting time for our ride back was unnecessarily long and resulted in us getting stuck in traffic.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

DAMNOEN SADUAK MARKET – MAEKLONG MARKET – KANCHANABURI

Bangkok

I did this on my own and it was an interesting experience. However, it seems to be more for tourists now.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Christina was amazing with all aspects of our Norway trip preparation, itinerary, local guides and transfers. She was able to help us right away when our train was cancelled due to Hans and book us on a flight to Ålesund. All hotel recommendations were great. We couldn’t have asked for a better travel planner. Thank you!

I found kimkim when I was thinking about how to plan my family’s trip to Norway. Knowing very little about the country and not wanting an itinerary created by a U.S.-based travel agent who knew similarly little but would just farm it out to a Norwegian agency, the prospect of getting connected to a Norwegian agency directly through kimkim was very appealing. And what a good decision.

I can’t say enough about Christina and Ethical Travel, the Norwegian travel company kimkim connected me with. She worked tirelessly and so patiently with me, answering my innumerable questions, tweaking the itinerary and creating a trip that seven of us will never forget. “No” was not in Christina’s vocabulary.

Further, once we were in Norway and there were a couple of weather-related changes that needed to be made, Christina was absolutely “on it”! She smoothed out all wrinkled and we did not skip a beat.

And Christina made superb choices in terms to f accommodations and guides that left us feeling that we received great value for money. She was an absolute dream. I would plan any trip with her again.

I am two for two with kimkim, having had a similarly excellent experience with a trip to Portugal this spring. I look forward to using kimkim again.

Planning the trip was smooth and The KimKim team responded to questions and a few glitches during our trip very quickly.
Gareth, our walking tour guide in Edinburgh was amazing—very knowledgeable, provided a lot of history and great info.
Steve Reddick, our safari guide in the Cairngorms National Park was wonderful. He took us to all of the habitats and we saw many birds and animals; we especially enjoyed Murdo, the Scottish cow. Steve was passionate about being a guide and protecting the environment and even provided us with tea/coffee and delicious Scottish butter cookies.
Overall, it was a memorable trip and we enjoyed the various experiences and the majestic scenery of the Highlands.

Hotel Reviews

GreyFriars Hotel Inn

St Andrews

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eden Locke

Edinburgh

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff were friendly and very accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Motel One Glasgow

Glasgow

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Glencoe Inn

Ballachulish

A quaint Inn with comfortable rooms. It was warm and the staff provided a fan to help us sleep comfortably. The staff were friendly and very service oriented!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff were friendly and went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Royal Hotel Portree

Portree

Please don’t advertise “free parking”. There was only 8 “free” parking spaces. Difficult to find any parking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Receptionist was not very friendly when we arrived.

Cleanliness & Comfort

It was warm and there was no A/C and no fan.

Atholl Villa Guest House

Pitlochry

A quaint Villa in the heart of Pitlochry.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Destiny Scotland - Q Residence appartments

Edinburgh

Comfortable, spacious 2 bedroom apartment. An elevator would have been nice since our apartment was on the third floor, but we managed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to the Royal Mile.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Stirling Castle Tickets

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Phd level guided tour of Bannockburn

Stirling

Our guide was knowledgeable but he wasn’t the individual who I believe was originally booked (he said he was asked to step in because the original person was not available). The tour lasted about an hour, much less than what was listed in the itinerary.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit the Kelpies

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Falkirk Wheel Boat Ride

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Private Guided Walk in Glencoe

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide didn’t provide much info about the area.

Transport

Car was filthy, literally had to brush off crumbs and trash from the seats before we could get in.

Mallaig Wildlife Boat Trips

Mallaig

I expected the trip to be longer and see more. It basically was a quick trip to an area where we saw a few porpoises and supposedly a whale or two. The entire trip took less than 1 hour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Isle of Skye Whisky immersion at Torabhaig

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private guided tour with driver/guide in Skye

Scotland

Our guide was really just a taxi driver. He was very polite and courteous but he did not tell us about the area or provide insight or history.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Provide a true guide, not just a driver.

Transport

Cairngorms National Park Wildlife Tour with a Specialist

Scotland

Our guide, Steve Reddick, was amazing. Very knowledgeable and passionate. He took us to all of the habitats and we saw many birds and animals. He was a joy!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Steve Reddick was the best guide we had during our entire trip. His enthusiasm of the beautiful area was contagious and he loved showing us each of the habitats.

Transport

Very nice, comfortable and clean car.

Blair Atholl Tour at Blair Atholl Distillery

Pitlochry

Great guide and tasting at the end of the tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Play at the Kittocks Course

St Andrews

Quality of Experience

Play Golf in St Andrews at either the Jubliee, Castle, Eden, New or Strathyrum courses

St Andrews

We played the castle course which was the hardest of all the St. Andrew’s courses. It took 5 hours to play and we had to use a push cart. It was a beautiful course! Recommend reserving a cart, but not sure if any are available on this course.

Quality of Experience

St Andrews Walking Tour of the Old Course

St Andrews

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private transfer from Hotel To Train station

Scotland

The driver was very helpful and patient. It took awhile to get the car that we needed and he waited with us until everything was finalized.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Tea at the Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh

Quality of Experience

Private Walking Tour of Edinburgh with a Top Local Guide

Edinburgh

Gareth was amazing. He was very knowledgeable, provided a lot of history and great info.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private transfer in town

Scotland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

There are just no words for out trip, it was truly amazing! Everything went seamlessly and Deb and her team were absolutely wonderful to work with. We had wonderful guides, and drivers, and the staff at our lodgings were world-class.

When we told Deb and her team that we wanted to see all the nature that South Africa has to offer and do it within a comfortable setting, they really nailed it. The Tree House Boutique Hotel and the Ivory Wilderness Resort were the perfect places to rest our heads at night and the staff were some of the kindest people I have ever met. Our guides were always on time for our pickups, had so many interesting facts to tell us along our journeys, and really made us feel taken care of. Everyone just went above and beyond to ensure that we had a wonderful time in South Africa.

A huge thanks to Deb and her whole team who constantly checked in on us and even met us in Hermanus and took us to a local winery! I managed to find that wine here in San Francisco and bought a few bottles the other night...what a memory!

When we boarded the plane to go back home, we found ourselves extremely sad to leave this beautiful country and so appreciative that we got to have a once-in-a-lifetime trip as mother and daughter. Seeing all the animals and learning about their daily lives and habits was truly such a pleasure and privilege. It won't be my last trip to South Africa, and I will 100% use Deb and her team again in a heartbeat.

Hotel Reviews

Ivory Wilderness River Rock Lodge

Hoedspruit

There really are no words! When I messaged friends back home to tell them about our days and game drives, they simply could not believe the experience we were having...because they had all been on safaris and not had the personal touches, care, and intimacy with the animals that we were having! We saw so many animals very up close and got to observe their habits and routines. Our guide Craig went above and beyond to answer my constant questions and educate us on the conservation, flora, fauna, and animals from birds to buffalos! I felt like I not only saw the animals but truly understood them after our drives. Prudence, Xoli, Origin, Craig, Warren, the maids and the gardener were outstanding hosts, I really cannot emphasize enough how kind and attentive they were. This is an intimate lodge with only 6 rondavels, so it was perfect to experience the authenticity of the area and really gave us a chance to get to know the staff well. Origin made the most delicious and nutritious meals for us and Xoli and Prudence somehow always knew what you needed and wanted. I am so incredibly grateful that Deb and her team chose this lodge for us as it really was magical!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tree House Boutique Hotel

Cape Town

The staff at this hotel was wonderful! They were constantly eager to please us and make sure we were having a great time. The location was perfect and the rooms were spacious! Their breakfasts were out of this world good! It was so great to feel so taken care of and highly recommend this hotel to any travellers passing though Cape Town!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Lunch at Crofter's Kitchen

South Africa

Nicky is amazing! DO NOT MISS THIS ACTIVITY! She welcomed us into her kitchen and made us a 6 course meal that was out of this world! She also walked us through her garden where we tasted leaves, flowers, and berries and we even got to take home a spice blend from her! This was so special...a must do!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My wife, 16 year old daughter and 12 year old son had a wonderful trip to Paris and southern France in early August. Since it was our kids' first time in France we wanted the trip to be fun as well as educational and were really happy with our experience!

Lise quickly understood what we were looking for and organized small group or private tours for us in Paris including the Eiffel Tower, Norte Dame/Sainte Chapelle, Versailles and the Louvre. All of the guides were knowledgeable, personable and passionate about the places we visited. They also helped navigate around the crowds and thanks to them we were able to see the sites more efficiently and learn much more than if we'd gone on our own. We stayed at a boutique hotel just off the Champs Elysees with easy access to lots of great restaurants as well easy subway access to many of the popular sites. Lise provided a set of wonderful looking restaurant recommendations, although quite a few of these were closed as many restaurants that cater to local French were on holidays for a few weeks. Lise was super-helpful in calling restaurants and we found some good restaurants in the more popular tourist areas, but if there is anything I'd change it'd be to make restaurant reservations in Paris a little earlier when traveling in August.

After Paris we stayed in Nice and took guided half-day tours of Monaco & Eze one day and Cannes, Antibes and St. Paul de Vence another. These were more sightseeing vs educational tours, but we'd never have seen so much of southern France in such a relaxing way on our own and got some great pictures and memories. We stayed in an apartment just off of old-town in Nice which is alive with activity in August and enjoyed lots of time at restaurants and the public markets.

Overall, we really had a wonderful trip and hope to book future trips through kimkim. The local guides made a big difference in getting to know France in the limited time we had and Lise made the whole experience including all transportation seamless.

Hotel Reviews

L'abeille Boutique Appartements

Nice

Nice apartment in the heart of a bustling area of Nice, great for people looking to hit the restaurants and social scene of Nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Nothing bad, just didn't interact with staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel du Rond-point des Champs-Élysées - Esprit de France

Paris

Cute boutique hotel, delicious French breakfasts, helpful English speaking front desk staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Montmartre & Sacré-Coeur walking tour

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Versailles Palace & Gardens Private Tour

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Medieval Paris - St Chapelle, Notre Dame & Conciergerie

Paris

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nighttime Seine River Cruise with Dining Experience

Paris

This just seemed "As Paris as you can get". Seeing Paris by night is just wonderful, the food and service was excellent and it really was the perfect way to cap off our trip in Paris.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a great experience in Kenya and South Africa. Joseph did a very good job finding a driver (Alex) and booking us in a lovely and comfortable hotel (the Fairview). Our driver Alex drove very safely. The only glitch was that he was not present when we arrived at the airport, and that is a key moment to be on time and in the right place. Our time in Lake Nakuru was fabulous (love Camp Mbweha), and Alex did a great job connecting us to tours at Lake Naivasha. We really enjoyed our hike in Karura Forest and highly recommend the cafe there. Thankfully we ended up with a guide there (David), and he was able to provide some fascinating info about the Mau Mau caves.

Our time in Cape Town and its environs was terrific. We had a very safe and knowledgeable driver and guide, Graham. The tours we did were very well planned although I did more of the planning for our time at St. George's Cathedral.

There were some details that were oddly off (a dinner was scheduled for when we were flying), and I would have appreciated a more detailed itinerary with more explanations. We also were not informed until the day before we left that all of our transfers to the airport were not included in the package (although the cost for an Uber was reimbursed to us). Even so, overall, the trip was a wonderful success.

Hotel Reviews

The Commodore Hotel

Cape Town

This is a very comfortable hotel with friendly staff. It's a bit hustle-bustle, but it's in a great location. Our rooms were very comfortable, and the breakfast was delicious. We ate at the restaurant one evening and were delighted at the quality of the food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mbweha Camp

Nairobi - Kenya

This camp is absolutely lovely. The service is fabulous, and the rooms were very comfortable. The food was delicious. We also had a wonderful experience taking a night safari.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fairview Hotel, Nairobi

Nairobi

The grounds of this hotel are beautiful, and the staff is very friendly. The breakfast was delicious, and we had two great meals in the restaurants. The rooms are simple, but comfortable. My only concern would be that the hotel doesn't have a/c, and if the weather had been hot, we would not have enjoyed our stay as much.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The only reason I did not give 5 stars is due to the hotel not having a/c. We didn't need it during our stay in August.

Activity Review

Dine at GOLD Restaurant

Cape Town

This restaurant provides a unique experience. We really enjoyed the celebration of African culture and cuisine. The service was quite off, but we attribute that to having a new server.

We had a wonderful trip thanks to Alberto! We enjoyed all the activities he planned for us, especially the private tours in Florence and Rome and the amazing boating excursion in the Amalfi coast. We also had a magical day in Tivoli visiting the Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este. All our travel, including private transfers and high-speed trains, was well-planned and went off without a hitch, and the hotels he chose for us were excellent. We especially loved the Glance hotel in Florence, with a rooftop pool and amazing views of the Duomo and the city, and the Hotel Manfredi, with its lovely rooms and attentive staff (particularly Delalia, who enthusiastically helped us with sightseeing tips and great restaurant reservations) located on one of the prettiest streets in Rome walking distance to the Spanish Steps and the Villa Borghese. As a special treat, Alberto also arranged for a unique dinner for us at Baja Roma, a restaurant on a docked boat on the Tiber, which served delicious contemporary Italian food in a pretty setting complete with a gorgeous sunset over the river. I could go on and on about the high quality of the talented tour guides, especially Giulia and Chiara, who brought Italian history to life in Tivoli, the Colosseum and Forum, and Fabio and Caterina who highlighted the masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery and Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, not to mention the early morning tour of the absolutely beautiful Sistine Chapel at the Vatican museum. We also enjoyed an exquisite afternoon visiting a family vineyard in the hills of the Amalfi coast, including a private tour and delicious lunch accompanied by their many wines. In sum. Alberto did a magnificent job and our trip was glorious!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Panorama

Maiori

Nice hotel with a beautiful beach view. Very helpful staff, who even found tennis lessons for my son which was absolutely wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

Very welcoming and helpful staff.

Location

Right in center of Maiori and beautiful view.

Staff

All staff very helpful and attentive.?

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room and bathroom were clean and bright, with nice balcony that afforded a wonderful view.

Hotel Manfredi Suite

Rome

Lovely rooms and great location. Super attentive staff.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely and comfortable rooms, beautiful decor.

Location

Great location near Spanish Steps and Villa Borghese.

Staff

Very attentive and helpful. Delilia (unsure of spelling) was the best and gave us great recommendations for restaurants and sightseeing. My son left his phone in a taxi and she was able to track it down for us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was pretty and clean.

Hotel Glance

Firenze

Beautiful hotel with rooftop pool and amazing views of the city! Lovely breakfast and attentive staff. Great restaurant recommendations.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right by the Duomo.

Staff

Very friendly and great recommendations for restaurants.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Early Access Tour of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel

Rome

Skipping the line to the museum was the best. We greatly enjoyed the tour and the Sistine Chapel.

Quality of Experience

Food

The breakfast was great. Future travelers should know that there is a large delicious breakfast at the end of the tour, complete with croissants, bacon, and eggs!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide that we got seemed a little bit rushed. Also, as noted above the tour was only of the museum, and the guide did not provide much information about how to get into Saint Peter’s itself.

Transport

Half day boat tour in Amalfi Coast

Italy

Seeing Amalfi from the water was just an incredible experience. Our guides pointed out the highlights of the Amalfi coast, including where various celebrities, writers, and artists had lived. They took us to a cave that we were able to swim in, and it was just magical. This was perhaps one of our favorite experience of our whole trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine Tasting and Lunch in Amalfi Coast

Italy

We loved this tour of the vineyards and the delicious lunch! The wines were also terrific. Our host was so welcoming, and it was a pleasure to meet him and his family.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rome to Amalfi Coast with visit of Pompeii

Italy

Our visit to Pompeii was amazing! Our guide was also terrific!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very knowledgeable and it was a pleasure meeting him.

Transport

Our driver was great and really went the extra mile. We asked if we could make a stop in Positano for the afternoon on the way to Maori and he was so helpful in arranging that and then picking us up. Seeing Positano made a huge difference in our trip. Going that way afforded us amazing views of the Amalfi coast and we were able to have a very pleasant lunch in Positano and walk around.

Day Trip to Tivoli

Italy

We had a wonderful day visiting Tivoli! We really enjoyed seeing Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este, and our guide Giulia was the best! She was very detail oriented and provided lots of great information.

Quality of Experience

Food

Our guide Giulia recommended a wonderful restaurant and we really enjoyed the delicious Italian food!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Giulia was a talented and extremely knowledgeable guide! It was also a pleasure to meet her.

Transport

Guided Walking Tour of Rome

Rome

Lovely tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Giulia was a great guide and provided a wonderful tour!!

Transport

Galleria dell'Accademia private guided tour

Florence

Wonderful tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Caterina was a wonderful guide and provided a lot of great information! We enjoyed meeting her.

Guided Walking Tour of Florence

Florence

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Galleria degli Uffizi private guided tour

Florence

Great guided tour with lots of good information.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fabio was pleasant and provided great information.

Transport

Our trip to Spain was wonderful, from start to finish. Beatriz (Bea) helped us plan an amazing itinerary based on our preferences, which allowed for a combination of traditional site seeing along with some adventure. We visited Madrid and Barcelona over the course of 7 days, and did day trips from each of the cities to Toledo and Girona. There was so much history to learn and beautiful architecture to see in all of the cities. Not to mention the delicious food and drinks!

Bea was available whenever we needed her to answer our questions, and all of the tour guides were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. The entire trip felt seamless. We would love to go again and visit more of the country. We would definitely use kimkim again ... it was well worth it :)

When I started to plan a trip for me and my fiancé to London and Paris the thought was so daunting, however, Stephen and William at Kimkim made the whole experience so easy and stress free!! Stephen worked with me to tailor make the trip to suit me and my fiancés interests and we had an absolute blast on all of the tours and events that he planned for us. He made sure we got to see all of the highlights and major attractions in each city and we couldn’t have been more happy with our experience. Stephen and two of his associates at Kimkim were also available the entire time I was in Europe to answer any questions and help me with any issues I had. I would definitely recommend Kimkim to anyone planning a big trip for the first time as it truly was a great experience.

Ashley did a great job helping us to plan this trip and was very organized and responsive. Our guide Mr. Tu was very good! I would highly recommend the Soleil Hotel and Boutique - it is a very nice hotel and the spa there is great. Tina does an amazing massage.

Hotel Reviews

La Pandora Cruises

Hai Phong

The rooms were very nice and well appointed. Unfortunately our reeked of sewer gas and we had to be moved.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was clean and very spacious with a private deck. The top deck did not have a place to get out of the sun which was a negative on a hot August day.

Soleil Hanoi Boutique Hotel

Hanoi

Very clean and room was well appointed. The front desk staff was super helpful and the spa is top notch. Breakfast was included and the food was quite good with a lot of variety. I would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right in the heart of the old section with many places to eat and shop.

Staff

All of the front desk staff was great and Tina from the spa was amazing

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were good and room was nice and very clean. Only downside was that there was not much room for luggage for two.

Activity Reviews

Ha Long Bay - Lan Ha Bay (La Pandora)

Vietnam

The bay is indeed very beautiful and it was fun doing a cruise. I think that we were lucky to be able to go out far enough to get away from the crowds. A day trip might not be good. I loved swimming in the South China Sea and going to the caves.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The two guys that were the tour operators were just great. They gave up their bedroom for us as it was the only room that we could move to. I felt sorry that they had to sleep with the sewer gas odor. They were friendly, organized and kept things moving. I appreciated there good service. Food wait staff were very pleasant.

Transport

Drivers to and from Ha Long Bay were very prompt and careful drivers!

Day Trip to Ninh Binh (Hoa Lu & Trang An)

Hanoi

Temples were amazing and boat ride was very nice (although a bit long on a hot August day).

Quality of Experience

Food

Food tour was great! Be prepared though to sit on very tiny stools and being very close to the street with motor scooters whizzing by.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Knowledgeable, friendly and prompt.

Transport

Very comfortable

Franck planned a great trip that left the whole family happy, which is saying a lot! We felt like we saw as much of New Zealand as we could in the time we had and had some adventures we never would’ve thought to do on our own.

Amazing trip!!! So much to see and do and you all definitely made it a lot less stressful to plan!! I appreciate all your help and answering all my questions! There is no way I could have figured out where to stay, how far to drive each day, and book and time all our excursions accordingly! It was an amazing trip that we will never forget!

Hotel Reviews

Berjaya Hotel Mývatn

Mývatn

Great hotel! They had two spas/hot tubs. They also had a restaurant and a bar. The food in the restaurant was very good. The breakfast at the hotel was also extremely good! Lots to choose from!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hestheimar

Hella

It was a nice hotel. They had a spa/hot tub. They have a restaurant, but we didn’t get to eat there because you have to let them know ahead of time if you want dinner. There are not any restaurants nearby so plan accordingly. We did eat breakfast and it was very good! I would stay here again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Skógá by EJ Hotels

Skógar

This was a good hotel. It had a spa/hot tub. The room was very spacious, but the shower was kind of small. It was clean. They had a pretty decent breakfast. The restaurant at their main hotel down the street was really good! Highly recommend the lasagna!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Höfn Inn Guesthouse

780 Hornafirði

The hotel was clean, but I feel like we were staying in a hospital room that had been redone into a hotel. It was clean and it was fine to stay one night, but I would probably try to find someplace else to stay if we were to stay in the town again. I would not get the breakfast again. Your options were toast, a bowl of fish, or boiled eggs. We had to go find breakfast somewhere else. :(

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Baron

Reykjavík

The hotel was fine. It is definitely older. I did not feel like it was real clean. I would probably pick a different hotel if I was going to stay in the area again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Albert Guesthouse (Hotel Hvammstangi)

Hvammstangi

It was a good hotel. We did not spend a lot of time here because we got to the hotel late and left early. We did not stick around for breakfast as we needed to be somewhere early. The lady at the hotel did help us find a restaurant in town that was open, and the food was extremely good! Overall, it was a good stay

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Seydisfjordur Guesthouse

Seydisfjordur

Cute little hotel. There is a kitchen there that you can use. There are a couple of restaurants in the town that were open as well. They do not serve breakfast, but there is a grocery store in town if you get there before it closes. They did have a washer and dryer that you could use, which was absolutely amazing! We were needing to do a load of laundry, so that worked out perfectly

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Núpar

Kálfafell

Very nice hotel. There’s a bar and a restaurant. The food looks good at dinner but we didn’t try it because we ate before we got there. The breakfast was really really good! Probably one of the better breakfast that we had on our trip

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Volcano Huts Þórsmörk

Thorsmork

We did not know that you had to reserve sheets, blankets, and towels ahead of time. We did not have any with this, so we just had to use jackets and stuff that we had. If you stay here, make sure you reserve sheets and blankets ahead of time. The showers did not have any hot water so if you’re up for a cold shower, then you can reserve a towel too. There is a restaurant on site, which is nice! It is the only place to eat anywhere remotely nearby

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

ION Adventure Hotel

Nesjavellir

It is a beautiful hotel! There is a restaurant and a bar and they do have a spa (soaking hot tub). You need to make reservations for the restaurant for dinner. We were lucky that we arrived and they had a time available because there are no restaurants anywhere nearby.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It is out in the middle of nowhere, but it is pretty countryside

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Katla Ice Cave Superjeep tour

Iceland

Very cool!! One of my favorite things we did!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Silfra Snorkeling

Iceland

Very cool experience! Highly recommend doing it!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

It is something that you have to do, but there are similar options in Iceland that you could do, so do your research.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Solheimajokull Glacier Hike

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had an amazing trip to Italy! From start to finish it was so easy working with kimkim! Cecilia was great! She literally took basic information on things we wanted to see/do and areas we thought we'd like to go and she mapped out the entire trip! She sent us a full itinerary including the stops along our trip, area info for each stop, hotel info, transports, train info, all our excursions, and additional recommendations for each location! It was awesome! We made little to no changes in the itinerary. And every step along the way was exactly as described! And we were a group of 10 so not an easy feat to move 10 people around in another country we weren't familiar with at all lol! It all went smoothly. We loved each place, all the hotels, and every excursion! kimkim was knowledgeable on the areas, was in contact with us while in Italy, and responded to us timely before and during the trip. And our guides for each excursion were wonderful~ highly recommend the guided tours :) We have already said we are going to use kimkim again for future trips! And we definitely recommend kimkim to others! Thank you!

Hotel Reviews

The Republic

Roma

La Tonnarella

Sorrento

Absolutely Beautiful~ the views are stunning!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Roma

Florence

Liassidi Palace

VENEZIA

Activity Reviews

Private tour of Colosseum, Roman Forums and Palatine Hill

Rome

Our tour guide was great~ Her name started with an R... Rosalina maybe? Having a hard time remembering it now as we had lots of different tour guides along the way of our trip, but she was wonderful!

SMALL GROUP TUSCANY WINE AND OLIVE OIL TOUR

Florence

Our tour guide Antonella was Great! And the girls at the wineries who guided us at each of the 3 wineries we went to were awesome too!

Pompeii Excavations half-day Tour

Italy

Our guide Umberto was great!

Private tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and Saint Peters Basilica

Rome

Our guide Barbara was great!

Pasta and Tiramisù lovers workshop

Rome

Chef Jess was awesome! They also accommodated one in our party who needed a meal that was gluten free and vegan... so that person made the pasta and dessert but was able to order something off the menu that they could eat for dinner!

Murano, Burano and Torcello Excursion

Venice

Private Gondola Ride

Venice

Kimkim did an excellent job advising us of places to stay in Norway and booking the accomodations. We were very happy with the hotels they booked us at. Krista and Fenne were also helpful on transportation tips, ferry schedules and getting around. We really enjoyed our trip and recommend Kimkim to other Norway visitors.

We had an amazing time in England and Scotland!! Thank You Stephen and your team for working with us with adding people to our trip last minute. We appreciate all your hard work, and we were able to have a memorable experience we will remember forever! The locations and hotels you picked were so fun and we feel we would have missed out on seeing so much of it weren’t for your recommendations. We have already recommended KimKim to friends and family based on our experience and we will continue to use you for future travels. Thanks Again,
Zane and Jamey Norris