Kimkim Trip Reviews

We had the unfortunate experience of having our tour canceled the day we were leaving for our trip. In the end, in "forced" us to discover on our own. We ended up loving our time in Yamaguchi (less touristy, less populated)

All train tickets were as promised.

We oved our hotel in Yamaguchi.

This trip was a dream of a lifetime. It was my first trip to Italy . Our friends recommended KimKim so we contacted your company. Best move we could have done here ! Andrea was attentive and detail oriented and always answered whatever questions we had . The trip was perfect. Rome, Florence , Venice and Milan. The individual guides were a huge benefit . It was a custom tour and they could not have been better. We were very impressed. We will back and plan on using you often in the future !

Hotel Review

Sina Palazzo Sant'Angelo

Venice

Classy well appointed and nice accommodations close to everything . The only thing I didn’t like was the shower. An old bath tub jacuzzi set up that you had to step high to get into. Not a good barrier for water spraying out either. Many Americans don’t bathe we shower. Otherwise great in location , views, hospitality service.

Authenticity & Character

Right on the canal

Location

Gorgeous views.

Staff

Very nice and accommodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

The way we expected

Activity Reviews

Rome Private Guided Walk

Rome

First we were so lucky to have great weather. sunny and temps in the 70s everyday. You can’t plan that. I am a history buff and I love Ancient Rome . Our guide Mariapaola was amazing. Every sight was a wonderful journey into the past . She was so informative and interesting . I can’t imagine anyone nicer or better to have as a tour guide

Quality of Experience

The personal private guided tour

Guides, Drivers and Staff

On time and ready to help

Transport

On time and ready to help. Very nice

Colosseum and Roman Forum - Private guide

Rome

My favorite of the trip. This is right in my wheelhouse. I love ancient Roman history and this typifies it for me. Mariapaola is a superb tour guide. Love touring and viewing the forum and colosseum . It’s the best

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mizuho, our guide in Kyoto and Osaka was fabulous. She was so caring, and a true ambassador for Japan.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Groove Shinjuku

Tokyo

Room a bit small but the location was perfect. Great view of the Scramble. The Breakfast Buffet was fabulous!

Authenticity & Character

professional staff

Location

views - walkablilty

Staff

very attentive at check in

Cleanliness & Comfort

room a little small.

Cross Hotel Kyoto

Kyoto

Great location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rengejo-in

koya

A real treat

Authenticity & Character

a peak into a Budhist community

Location

loved the town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was beautiful and serene

Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu

Osaka

A very convenient location

Authenticity & Character

seems a bit old (I think we were in an older tower, multiple tower location was confusing.

Location

good for transportation

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

clean, but bed wasn't very comfortable, room quite small.

Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori

Hakone

Loved the personal hot bath.

Authenticity & Character

A true onsen.

Location

The view in the morning was breathtaking

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Experience the Sumo and Sushi-making Culture of Japan

Tokyo

Sumo demonstration was fun. Sumo wrestlers were great with the crowd. The sushi leaders were charming, but not sure I would recommend. l

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Tokyo City Tour

Tokyo

nice to have guide... we would have been lost otherwise.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

good and knowledgeable - kept us on track!

Transport

Full Day Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi Tour with Whisky Tasting

Tokyo

One of my favorite moments

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had to take a very crowded bus with a lot of baggage on the way down.

Kimono Tea Ceremony at Kyoto Maikoya with Nishiki market

Kyoto

Well done, something I would never do at home. They were crowded.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The hostess of the tea was so charming.

Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai

Osaka

It was nice to go to areas that we would not have ventured on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide - Duncan did a great job.

Full Day Kobe Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum and Himeji Castle Tour

Osaka

great guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

our guide lead us through very crowded subway rides. Added to our experience!

Full Day Kyoto City Tour with Fushimi Inari-Taisha

Kyoto

A lot of walking, but saw a lot!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

knowledgable

Sydney Blue Mountain trip was exciting with Guide Elliott who was very knowledgeable and polite.
Uluru the walk looking at the skies was good. Hotel stay was standard with lousy job by housekeeping.
In Cairns the Ocean Freedom trip was exciting well looked after by the amazing staff.
Daintree Wanderer tour was very interesting in the rain forest and teh guide was excellent.
Melbourne City tour was a waste of time except the MCG tour and the MCG guide was excellent.
The pick up to and from Melbourne Airport was very efficinet with the driver Pierre.
New-Zealand trip to Queenstown was interesting. The St. Moritz Hotel is good with the lake view unfortunately there were scaffoldings that blocked the view.
Milford sound Cruise was very scenic but the flight portion did not happen due to bad weather.
The TSS Earnslaw buffet lunch did not have good choice for vegetarian meals in spite of one requested beforehand.
In Auckland The Waiheke Island wine tour and lunch were excellent with a very knowledgeable guide from Ananda Tours.
The Rotorua tour could have been better with the inclusion of the Cultural presentation at Te Puija which was missed. The guide Harry was brilliant.
Special mention to be made of Raymond shuttle service to and from Auckland airport for their very timely and friendly service.
Thanks to Vicky of VIO travel Australia for arranging this trip at short notice and planned very well except for early morning pick ups as teh whole trip was fast paced.
I would

Hotel Reviews

Sir Stamford at Circular Quay

Sydney

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Desert Gardens Hotel

Yulara

Housekeeping was poor

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crystalbrook Flynn

Cairns

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Langham, Melbourne

Southbank

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fable Auckland

Auckland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel St. Moritz

Queenstown

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Ocean Freedom - Cruise to Outer Edge of Upolu Reef and Upolu Cay Reef (Departs from Cairns)

Australia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Daintree Wanderer Tour

Australia

Different kind of rain forest !!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

One of the best theatres in the world.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Blue Mountains Full Day - Private Tour

Sydney

Worth the full day trip.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Sydney Sights 4 hours - Private Tour

Sydney

Transport

Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise

Sydney

Very relaxing and good food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Field of Light Dinner | Indulge in a feast for the soul

Uluru

A sprecial place to celebrate my wife's 70th birthday.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip to Brazil more than met our expectations. We had a few glitches from weather and airline delays, but KimKim was great about rescheduling. I cannot remember the names of our guides, but all were great. The Rio guide was able to work around rain and clouds so we eventually got to see the Christ statue and Sugarloaf. The guide at Iguacu Falls was terrific, making sure we got to see everything. We spent four days at Turtle Lodge in the Amazon. This was amazing !! Finally we only got to spend one afternoon in Salvador because of a flight cancellation, but the guide made sure we got the full experience. We were met at the airports with no problems at all and our hotels were very nice. All in all, a great trip !! I give Sara lots of credit for putting it all together and being able to adjust our schedules as needed. We certainly will be using KimKim for future travels.

Wow! Kimkim did a wonderful job putting together a trip tailored to our specific interests and needs. The guides made Turkey’s fascinating history come alive and exciting. Kimkin’s accommodating our last minute requests for a hot air balloon ride and cooking class was especially appreciated.
The only suggestion I have is to rethink the “sunset wine tasting.” Because it was too cold, we had to move that activity indoors. Rather than the alternate location chosen you might consider a venue other than an enclosed space without windows. Maybe the courtyard of Murat’s hotel?
Overall, Kimkim made this a great vacation and provided seamless service. Thank you!

Bruno did an excellent job of curating the exact trip we asked for. Every person we were set to meet with (guides, car drop off, drivers) were on time, knowledgeable, and helpful. Small extra touches like parking links in larger cities were greatly appreciated.
Bruno was in communication daily, and was available to answer questions that we had. He responded always quickly and thoughtfully.
The overall trip was perfect!

Hotel Reviews

Best Western Premier Hotel Astoria

Zagreb

Hotel is located close to the bus terminal, but a short walk to the city center (15-20 minutes). Friendly staff, very accommodating, great breakfast buffet. Rooms are slightly smaller than other hotels. We had to leave at 4:15 in the morning, and they had packed a breakfast to go for us. Enjoyed our stay there!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Hotel Union

Ljubljana

Amazing location, right off the city center square. Friendly staff, wonderful room. There are multiple hotels with a name close to this, and it is connected to another hotel, so we had some confusion as to exactly which hotel we were supposed to be at. Parking is under the hotels, and very, very tight. Lovely breakfast. Dinner was available, but we did not eat here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Martis Forum Heritage Hotel & Residence

Poreč

Super cute boutique hotel a block from the sea. Parking is off site, but they will come and pick you up with a golf cart. Located on the peninsula, it is very close to many restaurants and coffee spots. Nice breakfast in the morning. We also had a lovely dinner there in the evening. Stayed there as a jumping off spots to many areas in the region. We were there in October, so the experience might be different in the summer, but it was a quiet, lovely place to stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Degenija

Rakovica

We did not stay in the main hotel, but the house next to it. Room was fine. Nice breakfast in the morning, with a restaurant attached. They have a pool, but the weather was cool and it was closed. It looked very nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bastion Heritage Hotel—Relais & Châteaux

Zadar

Beautiful Hotel, right in the heart of the old town of Zadar. Walking distance to all the sights in the area and lots of restaurants. Wonderful breakfast, Michelin restaurant at the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Kind and welcoming. Always greeted us so warmly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Skradinski buk

Skradin

Cute hotel located in Skradin. Easy walking to everything in Skradin including the marina. No air conditioning, but large windows that opened and a balcony to sit on. End of season, so staff was a bit skeleton, but still kin and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Balatura Split Luxury Rooms

Split

Located about a ten minute walk into the main area of Split. It was nice to be slightly away from the busy city center. Large deck to sit on, large room with sofa and large bathroom. Parking is difficult if you have a car. tight area to get to (like all the big cities). Suit cases needed to be carried up a flight of stairs from the parking area. Lovely breakfast, with a few items sitting out, but a made to order (the day before) breakfast. I appreciated the desire to not waste food.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel More

Dubrovnik

Beautiful view of the Adriatic sea. Large deck to sit on and watch the sunset. Multiple restaurants on site, with an interesting Cave bar. Access to swim in the sea and two pools. Walking distance to other restaurants. 10 minute walk to the bus stop, and about a 15-20 minute bus ride into Dubrovnik.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Zagreb - Arrival

Zagreb

Picked up from the airport, and had someone waiting for us. He was friendly and full of information about the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bled and Bohinj

Croatia

Quality of Experience

Scenic Castles of the Zagorje Region

Zagreb

Easy drive through the countryside, which in itself was beautiful and interesting.

Quality of Experience

Walking City Tour of Ljubljana

Ljubljana

Our guide was informative and fun to talk to. He answered questions we had, and it was clear he loves his city! It was a great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Postojna Cave and Predjama Castle Tour

Croatia

Caves are beyond description. They have developed a great method to move a lot of people through the caves efficiently while still giving you an amazing experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Informative guide on the tour. We were with a large group who did not speak the language the guide was speaking in, so we needed to get close to hear him as they often spoke over him.

Cycling Inland of Istria,

Croatia

Driver picked us up and made sure the bikes fit us both properly. Mine was slightly too large and we popped back over to the shop for the right size. Ebikes were new and fun to ride! Great instruction on where to go and how to follow the trail. He mentioned which towns it would be worth riding into and seeing , and which to skip. Great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We were able to leave items in the transport van that we wanted for later in the day, and coats we thought we would need but didn't.

Rovinj and Pula

Croatia

Rovinj is a beautiful, romantic city. Toured a church, walked the narrow alleys and explored the city. Lots of cafes to have a coffee and people watch. There are boat tours to take and many restaurants. Swimming available in warmer weather. Had a cocktail beside the sea at Mediterraneo. Pula has an wonderous Roman amphitheater that is amazing to see, along with other numerous roman structures and sites to see, all within a short walk. Had a delicious three course meal at Backyard.

Quality of Experience

Inland of Istria - towns on hills and truffle country

Croatia

Truffle hunting was a fun experience. It was very muddy and they provided boots to slog through the mud. We walked around an area for about an hour. The dog found one truffle and quickly tried to eat it! We still got to see and smell it. The wet weather and time of year made for the less likelihood of finding truffles. Truffle tasting after was a unique experience as they served truffles many different ways. We did sort of get truffled out.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Leaving Istria, visit Hum and arrival to Plitvice lakes

Croatia

just commenting briefly on Porec, its a lovely seaside community, I loved being there in the shoulder season when the tourist numbers are low, but be aware that because of this, a number of restaurants were closed or closing for the season. We still thought there were plenty to choose from and enjoyed the less hectic time to visit. Same with day trips on boats, many were having their last trips or were done.

Explore Plitvice Lakes National Park

Croatia

What can you say about Croatia's oldest and largest national parks? The pictures do not do it justice, it truly is a sight to behold. We spent about 4-5 hours, walking and hiking the various trails, and there was beauty throughout the park.

Quality of Experience

Krka National Park - Split

Croatia

Took the boat over to Krka National Park. The boat ride itself was enjoyable and about 1/2 an hour. You can stay as long as you want, and the boats return every hour? I can't remember for sure. Hiked up the various tiers of the falls to see the water from different levels. We were on the first boat out, so the park was not crowded when we got there. There is food and drink available.

Quality of Experience

Cooking class in Split

Split

We met the instructors just outside the green market. As we walked through the market, they purchased some items that would be part of the meal and described the process of how vendors come to market etc. Also went to the fish market and spoke to us about the fisherman and they purchased fresh fish. We walked to the culinary school and the instructor also talked about Split while we walked. Four of us helped cook an entire meal, from cleaning the fish (yikes) to the desert. We made risotto, bread, sides, appetizers. It was a wonderful experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Split Walking Tour with a visit to Diocletian Palace

Split

Interesting walking tour of Split, learned a lot about the area. Not quite as detailed as other guides, but still always interesting to learn!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Visit to Hvar and exploring the Old town - one day trip from Split

Split

The fortress is interesting and had amazing views! Brought swimsuits, but did not go in the water. Walked along the sea trail. We did not take the side tour as suggested, but wish we had, as we had a bit too much time on our hands before our catamaran back to Split. The water is beautiful and again, sitting in the square having a coffee was very fun.

Quality of Experience

Pelješac penisula and Ston- triple atraction.

Split

The highlight of this was probably Klis and seeing the castle/fortress. GOT fans will recognize many aspects of this. But the walk and listening tour of this site was perfect.

Quality of Experience

Private Guided Walking Tour of Dubrovnik Old Town

Dubrovnik

Great guide, she was incredibly informative and fun to listen to. Learning the history and seeing the Mayor just added to the beauty of this city!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Trip to Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Croatia

Very interesting drive in the Bosnia area (with two very cool stops along the way). Mostar itself is smaller with a feeling like Turkey with numerous mosques to view and visit. The old bridge is the highlight of the visit. We had lunch over looking the bridge. It's very interesting to see the difference of how Croatia has recovered post war and how Bosnia has had a much slower recovery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was wonderful and had lots of history and information to share as we drove.

Transport

Goobye Dubrovnik- flight to Zagreb and Zagreb free day.

Dubrovnik

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver that picked us up, made a quick stop to see some areas affected by the war, and filled us in on history of that time.

Transport

Private guided walking tour of Zagreb

Zagreb

Bruno did an amazing job of walking us through the city of Zagreb. He's a wealth of information and shared it in interesting and entertaining ways. Always catering to our interests and questions.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Zagreb - Departure

Zagreb

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very early transport to the airport. The driver was on time, kind and awake!

Loved Cordoba and Grenada. The Mezquita and Alcazar were amazing, as was the Alhambra. People were friendly and we received an excellent overview of Spain which we can build on in future trips. Loved the Tapas tours and the opportunity to eat as the locals do. Appreciated all our guides and their passion for the history and culture of a nation who once claimed ownership of more than half the known world.

Jay interacted well with Erika to plan an itinerary that suited our requests. He also offered his advice with regard to what we should include. He was quick to respond to our msgs and emails and acted efficiently. On a separate note, Jay arranged and booked a separate trip for Wayne and I to visit Varanasi - an essential must do for any travelers who are considering visiting India.

The staff from Bestoke Travels who coordinated our visits to each city were outstanding. They assisted with local knowledge and provided personal interpretations when asked. They were punctual, friendly and knowledgable.

Most local guides were knowledgeable and provided an abundance of information. We were lucky to secure two "freelance" guides who I am guessing would be more expensive however they were great. In particular, our guide in Varansi and in Jaipur.

We were booked on two safari tours in Rathambore. The guide on the first tour (a.m.) appeared to be unfamiliar with the environment and lacked a basic understanding of English and appeared to lack experience. This feedback was given to our hotel concierge (as the local guide did not respond to our calls) and the afternoon safari was more "user-friendly". Both the driver and guide were exceptional.

Our driver (for the most part), Moni was amazing. We think he is the safest driver in India. In particular, driving us from Delhi to Agra to Ranthambore to Jaipur to Mumbai. Moni is an asset to your company. Highly recommend.

We chose to end our trip in Goa for some relaxation before returning home. The location of our hotel was south Goa at Candolim Beach. We stumbled across where the action was slightly north at Calangute and Baga Beaches two days after arriving. Sadly, our local guide did not advise us of this (nor the hotel staff).
Whilst the accommodation at Seashells was clean, and provided for our needs, perhaps for future guests you could consider accommodation at Calangute or Baga areas.

Hotel Reviews

The Suryaa

Delhi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

ITC Mughal

Agra

We chose to eat at the hotel one night and the restaurant was ordinary. The service was lovely but it appeared the restaurant may have been lease out as the staff were not in align with hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Mixed, a facade of the hotel impressed us but the rooms are dated.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ranthambore Regency

Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan

This hotel is a great location if guests are visiting the national park to view wildlife and tiger.

Authenticity & Character

Great open space and pool however the midgies and mosquitos were next level.

Location

It is the furthest away hotel from the national park but may be the most luxurious - not sure.

Staff

The restaurant staff were so attentive and helpful. In fact, at sometimes we thought the staff were too close as they were hovering around our table.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alsisar Haveli

Jaipur

This hotel is lovely. Very unique. Initially we were given a twin room even though the booking was for a couple. Luckily, we were able to be moved to a queen bedroom prior to a bus group arriving. Our room was on the 3rd floor which can only be accessed by stairs - no elevators in this hotel so for any guests with mobility issues, you will need to make sure you are accommodated accordingly. Wifi on the third floor is not available. The pool was being refilled as we arrived. The massage therapist provided a lovely relaxing massage.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The reception staff were complacent - we asked for information re laundry services and restaurant recommendation and they were non committal. Furthermore, we tried to change larger notes to small notes (to support tipping) and smaller notes were not available. You would expect there should be smaller notes available given the tourists using the hotel.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Trident Nariman Point

Mumbai

This was the pick of the venues for the holiday. Given it was 5 star, they derserve the rating.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Seashell Villas and Luxury Suites Candolim Beach Goa

Goa

The mosquitoes/midgies at this hotel were terrible. Maybe because they have an abundance of greenery around the pool spaces but perhaps, they could consider some pest control as it was difficult for any guests to enjoy the surroundings. Each morning, the owner, owner's son and owner's stepson would visit the restaurant and introduce themselves to the guests at breakfast. They were over the top and appeared to big note themselves. This was confronting. Its OK for "them" to introduce themselves but then not reappear the next day and then reappear on the same day adding more information which did not add to our experience. In fact, in some interactions, it could be categorised as inappropriate. In our case, given we had breakfast included for 4 mornings, we all kept our heads down when "they" hovered and in one case one of our parties moved away prior to "him" approaching.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We stumbled across a more active are just north so for future visits you should consider Cangulute.

Staff

Mixed views. The day to day staff were amazing and so attentive but the owner and co were inappropriate.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Full Day Sightseeing of New and Old Delhi

New Delhi

Too much in one day. It is difficult to take in and absorb the information given.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Early Morning Taj Mahal Visit

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Agra Fort and Mughal Heritage walk

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Yoga session facing Taj Mahal

Agra

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Agra - Ranthambore via Fatehpur Sikri (296 km- 5 to 6 hours by car)

India

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Morning Safari in Ranthambore National Park

Ranthambore

The guide appeared apprehensive and unsure. This impacted the driver.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Safari at Ranthambore National park

Ranthambore

It makes such a difference when you have an experienced guide who can work as a team with the driver. Our guide used previous experience to guide his direction with us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ranthambore village tour

Ranthambore

The guide has an unwell child at home so seemed aloof.

Quality of Experience

The guide to be more organised of what his intent is for the day.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver was great but guide needs assistance.

Transport

The communication with Kim Kim during both our planning phase and prior to leaving for our trip to Spain was fantastic. All of the activities that were planned by Kim Kim were fantastic. There was a scheduling problem with one of the activities while we were on site and the Kim Kim team handled it wonderfully. I would use them to plan activities on future trips.

It was a trip of a lifetime. Portugal had been on my list to visit for many years. It did not disappoint. The people were so welcoming. Everything was perfect the tour guides were knowledgeable and informative. My only regret is my time in Portugal was too short.

Hotel Review

Carvi Beach Hotel

Lagos

I would not recommend this hotel. The staff was rude and not welcoming. We did have dinner in the restaurant and it was excellent. The location was ideal. It was just the staff that was the issue.

Location

Easy access to beach and transportation

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private Day Excursion: Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Portugal

My favorite tour. I wish I could have spent more time in these quaint cities.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dolma was really great, I loved having a young woman as guide. She was gentle and kind, but also feisty and fun. And Sanjeev our Porter went above and beyond, helping me descend Kyangjin Ri which was slippery. Langtang village was beautiful and the Flavours Hotel clean and lovely.
Our accomodation in Kathmandu was very nice, the breakfast delicious and the room a nice big size!
Amanda also did more than expected with helping us post trek, organising flights.

We had a wonderful experience on our custom tour with KimKim to Australia and New Zealand, enjoying all of it and every place we visited. It was so nice to have all our accommodations, flights, transportation and tours taken care of so we could relax and enjoy. We balanced the tour with a mix of group tours and free time, so were able to see things outside the cities such as rainforests, beaches and wildlife, while allowing days to just sleep in, go for a run or swim and spend the morning at a local cafe.

I also appreciated the menu-option like format where Vicky provided several activities for us to choose from. While we'd love to do them all, it worked out perfect to have free days so we weren't on a bus every day for hours. The moderate level hikes for us were easy and shorter than expected, however most still allowed us to experience spectacular views and forest. Our favorites were the penguin parade at Philip Island, the Blue Mountains hike outside Sydney, the Auckland rainforest/beach hikes, and renting bikes in Rotorua through single track trails and redwood forest. Our accommodations had amazing locations, all very close and walking distance from the center of town, lake and beach. Most had kitchenettes and 3 had laundry in the room - amazing!

The interaction all online with Vicky worked out perfect. She was very quick to respond, very flexible with making changes to our original itinerary, as well as updates while on the trip. The ability to cancel tours with a couple days notice for a refund was a plus, given changes in weather and our preference once we were in-country.

All in all, a very well organized planning, booking and service from Vicky. The online site is also very easy to use and collaborate on. I would definitely recommend or use Kim Kim again for this type of tour.

Hotel Reviews

Park Hyatt Auckland

1010

Over the top accommodation on the waterfront docks of Auckland. Amazing pool and the best spa I've ever been in a hotel. The cafe/bar was nice and relaxing, with a really wonderful local musician playing soulful R&B. The breakfast spread was spectacular and offered many healthy options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adina Apartment Hotel Melbourne Southbank

Melbourne

Great location with fantastic lap swim-able pool and good sized gym. The room was clean and modern.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The White House Port Douglas

Port Douglas

Perfect location just a block from the gorgeous 4-mile beach and a few blocks from downtown restaurants and shops. Easy walk to the pier to catch the boat for the Great Barrier Reef tour. The fans and AC worked well. The only feedback would be to change out the lighting from stark, overly bright LED overhead to softer white light and/or optional lamps. We turned the lights off most of the time. A night light would have also been good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pullman Rotorua

Rotorua

Very nice accommodation with great location near restaurants, lake and parks. The breakfast was wonderful and offered a variety of healthy options with fresh fruit, pastries, breads, chia pudding and gluten free muesli. We liked the convenience of renting e-bikes right from the hotel lobby, however it did take a long time for the staff to get us registered and set up. Still, they were super friendly, accommodating and flexible. One tip: The hand soap dispenser is very highly mounted to the far right of the sink, so I had to literally reach over and get on my toes to reach it every day. I would recommend making it lower, putting it on the sink or swapping the soap and the lotion (which is used less).

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scenic Suites Queenstown

Queenstown

This accommodation had nice views of the lake and gondola ridge, however was right on the main road so was quite noisy. The temperature was quite cold when we arrived and the room was very cool, as if not used for some time. The main wall heater did not put out much heat so took a long time to warm the room and keep it warm. The bathroom and bedroom heaters worked much better. The windows are not well insulated, so the heat was not retained especially at night. Thankfully it warmed up and the sun warmed the room in the afternoons. If it was raining or snowing, we would have been uncomfortable in the room. The breakfast spread was very good with lots of variety and healthy choices.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Walking with us through the maze of lifts, hallways, outside byways and ramps to our room upon arrival with all our bags. It's very confusing.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Sebel Quay West Suites

The Rocks

Beautiful hotel in a perfect location near the Rocks. Just 2 blocks from my company's office which was a pleasant bonus as I was meeting friends there while visiting. Everything about the hotel was wonderful. Gorgeous pool area (albeit not a lap pool unfortunately). The hot tub and sauna could have been hotter. The gym was very small for a hotel this size. Breakfast was very good and a lot of food. Good strong coffee drinks.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Small Group Bus Tour Phillip Island Wildlife and Brighton Beach

Melbourne

I didn't know before the tour what the penguin parade was all about, and this ended up to be one of the highlights of my entire 21-day vacation! The boxes beach was interesting. The wildlife park was ok, nothing special. However, once we got out to Philip Island everything changed. The views are spectacular. We saw dozens of wild wallabees and sea birds. Our tour guide was fun and informative. Even getting in late after 11pm, it was worth it. I would have only preferred more time at the penguin information center/shops as we only had maybe 10-15 mins to look around including using the restroom. There were some nice exhibits I would have liked to read through in more detail.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

It was a 20 min walk from my hotel to the pickup hotel location. This made me nervous getting back into the city after 11pm at night. The driver dropped me off a little closer, but I still had a 15 min walk. To my surprise, the streets were very busy even at that hour on a week night so I felt relatively safe.

Waitomo and Hobbiton Experience (Auckland to Rotorua)

Auckland

Wished the glowworm cave experience was longer and the Hobbiton experience was shorter. Ideally, Hobbiton as a self-guided tour would have been much better. Our guide had over 30! people in the group so we had wait for everyone to take photos and selfies (ugh) before moving on to the next attraction. I would suggest smaller groups and a self-guided option. We had to suffer through a long time before getting to the restrooms and something to drink at the end.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coast & Rainforest Walking Day Tour

Auckland

Gorgeous rainforest with a very informative and personable guide who knew every tree, fern, bird and bit of the ecosystem. Very interesting Maori center. A little more time at the center would have been nice. Nice light hike. Spectacular black sand beach walk without shoes and to see the magnetic essence of the sand. Not too much bus time so all in all a good trip. There was one trail I would have preferred to go down farther, but the guides cut it short due to warm weather. That was a disappointment.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had 3 days in Cusco before we joined our yoga retreat and decided to work with KimKim to come up with an itinerary for us. We have used KimKim twice before and have always had excellent customer service as well as a great itinerary! Anne Godoy was wonderful and didn't mind the many questions I had or the changes that we made. She responded promptly to our inquiries, made excellent suggestions, and was always available to chat via WhatsApp when we needed it. KimKim is the best! Anne booked a local company in Cusco to set up our excursions and we couldn't have asked for a better time. It's great to have locals because they know the city, the people, and the history. Our amazing guide, Julio Quispe Fernandez, was the best. He was right there to meet us at the airport and took us to our hotel where check in was super easy. Then we were off. We went on a walking tour of some of the city and his knowledge of the city and it's history was so impressive and interesting. He was so enthusiastic. We later met with Seledonia, who owns Mama Seledonia's restaurant, and we went shopping in a local market to select ingredients for the dinner we would be cooking later at her restaurant. What an experience! All the vegetables, fruits, meats, spices, potatoes on display--it was incredible, and beautiful. We made a delicious dinner and Pisco Sours (yum!) and had the best time with Seledonia and Julio at dinner. We even took several of our yoga group back on Friday night for dinner--and it was even more delicious! The next day we went kayaking on Lake Piuray and had a fabulous lunch all cooked in a clay fired oven outside by some local women. After lunch, we rode a bit and then took ATVs to the Inca Experimental Agricultural Lab in Moray and then we visited the Maras salt flats and learned about the past and present operation of those. So incredible. Our final full day was spent riding bikes along the Urubamba River (approximately 20 miles). The weather was perfect, the scenery gorgeous. We were thoroughly pleased with all of our excursions and the level of detail that was taken to make sure we were picked up at the right times, had knowledgeable guides and responsible drivers, given water and lunch, and then returned to our hotel. We also felt safe the entire time. KimKim has always been great about providing you with excellent guides and very detailed and efficient itineraries and they will work with you to the level of "adventure" that you are looking for. Highly recommend and we will be using them for all of our travel needs.

Hotel Review

Antigua Casona San Blas

Cusco

This hotel was a jewel. It's tucked in a narrow street and you don't know how beautiful it is until you go through the door. The patio is the first thing you see and it's so pretty-lots of seating and firepits for cool nights. The restaurant is right off the rear and the bar as well, both of which are great. Our room was perfect for us. A comfortable king size bed, several bottles of water throughout the room, space for our clothes, and coffee/tea if we wanted it. The room was very clean and the waters were replaced several times each day and there is also a filtered water fountain in the lobby. Everyone was very friendly and personable. We had a spa treatment our last day (massage and then they hyperbaric chamber--so great!) and that was wonderful. The lobby has a neat little room off to the side that has waters, teas, and coffee for you. The restaurant was great too--we ate breakfast there each morning which included a delicious buffet with fruits, oatmeal, breads, salads, fresh juices, and coffee or you could order from the menu. They also served lunch and dinner, and everything we ate was yummy. The bar staff was so friendly and made drink recommendations for us. We loved sitting at the open window at the bar and watching the activity on the patio. The location was great--within walking distance of so many restaurants, shops, market places. The entire vibe was wonderful and we would definitely stay there again.

Authenticity & Character

It used to be a multi family home (it was actually our guide's childhood home!) that has been transformed into a beautiful hotel. Very cozy and comfortable.

Location

Close to all you need-shops, restaurants, city squares, markets.

Staff

Everyone was friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was very clean and cleaned each day. The bed was comfortable and it was great having filtered water available in our room all the time.

Activity Reviews

Cooking Class with Seledonia Mesa

Cusco

This was one of the best things we did. Seledonia was so much fun and although she couldn't speak much English and we couldn't speak Spanish, we could communicate wonderfully through smiles, laughter and gestures. She took us, along with our guide, to a local market that was incredible. All the vegetables, fruits, spices, meats, potatoes--it was mind blowing. And so beautiful!! We picked out the items we needed to make our dinner and then walked to her restaurant, Mama Seledonia's. We chopped and diced and had a grand time. We also got to make Pisco Sours, a delightful cocktail that was delicious. We had so much fun shaking those and dancing around. Our first course was a lamb stew that percolated on the stove while we chopped more veggies and spiced our filets for the main course, a delicious Peruvian-Asian fusion dish served with rice. We sauteed all that up on an open flame and didn't burn the place down. For dessert we had fresh fruit, fresh cheeses, and this amazing bread that we dipped in some sort of magical melted chocolate drink. The whole experience was absolutely incredible. We laughed and hugged and had the absolute best time. Her whole staff was so friendly, even though you know we were in their way (the restaurant was open for business). We met her husband and 2 of her children and they were delightful as well. We loved it so much, that later that week when we met up with some of our retreat group members, we all went to dinner at Mama Seledonia's and it was by far one of the best meals we had while in Peru. I highly recommend you do the cooking class.

Quality of Experience

Everything! The food, the people, the atmosphere. It was great.

Food

The different things we made--I normally don't like lamb, but the stew was delicous. It was great trying different fruits and spices. And the cheeses were incredible!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They were all so friendly. Our guide through Peruvian Soul, Julio, was terrific. And Seledonia was a jewel!

Transport

We had a private transport so it was very easy to get around and to ask questions, talk to our guide and driver.

Piuray Lake Kayaking

Peru

The lake was so pretty and our guide was a very passionate young man who loved the outdoors and taking us on our kayak journey. We were given wetsuits and taken to the water to start paddling. It was a very quiet lake, we were the only people on it for the longest time. Our guide told us about all the mountain ranges, the different birds that are there, some of the history, and at the end I jumped off and went swimming. The water was so refreshing! Oh, we also so flamingos. It was a great trip. Not very strenuous at all. After kayaking, we went back to shore and showered (they have a rudimentary outdoor shower) and were given a wonderful lunch cooked totally outdoors in a clay oven. It was so good, along with fresh fruits. Again, the people there were so kind and friendly. We were lucky and the weather was perfect!

Quality of Experience

Beautiful place to spend a relaxing day. So peaceful and the scenery was gorgeous.

Food

Everything was so fresh and delicious, even the things I wasn't crazy about. We tried everything and went back for seconds on most items. Try it all!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone was so friendly and kind. Our guide was very knowledgeable.

Transport

We were till with our guide Julio and then our guide on the lake was a young man who loved what he did--very enthusiastic about nature and his job.

Quadbike Tour Maras & Moray

Peru

This was a lot of fun--ATVs are a great way to get around! We had a little "training" session first before heading out and then we followed out guide off to Moray to see the Incan Experimental Lab. There wasn't much traffic and he went slowly so we didn't have to worry about keeping up. He gave signals to us when to change gears and when to slow down/stop. We were able to stop and take photos and ask questions. The Experimental Lab was incredible to see--the ingenuity of the Incans is mind blowing. We were there for about 15 minutes and then we went back the way we came and dropped the ATVs off. The whole ATV experience was probably 1.5-2 hours. We definitely enjoyed it. We then got back in our van and went to the Maras salt flats. There weren't many people there as it was late in the afternoon, so that was nice. The salt flats are beautiful, and the reflection of the sun just enhanced their beauty. Julio, our trusty guide, filled us in on the history, past and present, and it was fascinating. We saw some women actually scraping the salt into piles to let it dry. On the way out, we bought some salt to bring home with us. Definitely worth visiting.

Quality of Experience

Something different to do and a neat way to see scenery.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Fun driver and very friendly.

Transport

We had a private tour so it was easy to follow our guide and talk to him/ask questions.

Our whole trip was wonderful! Our driver, Ismail Sadiki, went above and beyond to make sure we saw all the things we wanted to, some of which were extra things not spelled out in our trip plan. Example: Based on our memories, he found the military base near Sidi Slimane where my husband lived as a young child, the neighborhood in Casa Blanca where friends lived, and the beach they went to. This was so very special for my husband. Ismail gave us clear directions for meet up places and was always on time to pick us up and drop us off . He was as interesting and knowledgeable himself as our guides were. And on our last night, my husband had a medical problem that turned out to be serious. Ismail took us to a clinic and stayed to make sure we were communicating with the medical staff. He's the best!
Our other guides were also good. Wadee in Assila gave us a good tour of the city and helped us find a book store with children's books. Our Tangier guide, Hashid, gave us a good tour there and also gave us tips for the rest of the trip. He took us through the medina and took us to a shop that found some small lamps like I wanted for me. Hamid, the man who ran our bed and breakfast in Chefchaouen was also helpful and took us to the rug shop where we bought a rug. Our Fes guide Ahmed was a fount of history and information as was our guide in Marrakech ( I can't remember his name) The man that showed us Volubilis was good also, Hashid. All the guides helped us pose at just the right places for really nice pictures. We liked the stop to see the monkeys.
We loved the stay at Saida Berber house. What an amazing young woman! Her brother guided us on a walk up to the village and back, and her mother prepared amazing food. In fact, the food everywhere was amazing!
Our cooking class in Essaouira was so much fun! Khadija, Khadija's Kuzina, was a good teacher, and her husband helped entertain us also. Khadija shared recipes, and we felt like we could go home and prepare the same meal. I bought a tagine on the trip and have cooked a dish in it since we returned home! The meal with the young family in Fes was also a very pleasant evening with delicious food. The overnight in the desert and the camel ride over the dunes was a highlight. The only problem there was that the saddle was very uncomfortable. We saw everything we wanted to, and it was wonderful that you could put together a trip for us so we could do exactly what we wanted to. The photo book that is coming was a nice surprise ! We will enjoy that very much.

Hotel Reviews

Dar Laman

Chefchaouen

We liked the interesting layout and the view of the city

Authenticity & Character

The varied rugs and pillows in our room and on the deck

Staff

Very helpful to us in finding our way around

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Oasis d'Asilah

Asilah

Lovely room!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Farouzi Fes

Fes

It was a very pretty place and room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

They had breakfast ready for us earlier than their usual time, which helped us get started on a long day's drive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Tiziri Luxury Camp

Merzouga

I keep saying "amazing", but this camp and our tent were amazing, and again, the food was wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

The tents in the dunes, beautiful lamps, and the sunrise.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Grand Canyon Lodge Dades

Boulman Dades

The room had beautiful furnishings and decorations. I loved the lamps! The food was so good! There was a nice place to walk behind the hotel along the vegetable gardens and the river

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Caravane

Ouarzazate

The pool was a nice addition to the terrace.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Touda

Marrakech

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Riad Perle D'Eau

Essaouira

Wonderful view of the ocean from the dining terrace!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Odyssee Center

Casablanca

Clean and very comfortable. The breakfast buffet was nice. The staff was helpful when my husband was sick. The desk sent someone down the street to a pharmacie to ask about urgent care. They recommended the international clinic which is where we went.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was near a nice restaurant that we could walk to.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Essaouira – Oualidia – Casablanca ( 5 Hour Drive)

Morocco

We stopped on the way for wonderful oysters

Quality of Experience

Food

All the food was great. We loved the mint tea!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ismail's car was very comfortable

We used kimkim to help us organize a 2-week trip for 4 (2 couples) to Greece, and we had a fabulous time! Irene was the specialist we worked with and she put together a full plan in a very short time that included hotels, tour guides, entry tickets to museums and sites, ferry tickets, private ground transportation and driver, and experiences such as sailing, a cooking class, wine tasting, and more. We were primarily in Athens, Delphi, Galaxidi, Nafplio, and the island of Hydra, but saw many historical sites and other points of interest along the way, such as Mycenae, Epidavros, the temple of Poseidon, and the Corinth Canal.

Everything went smoothly at every step in the planning and during the trip. We were interviewed early on to establish a price range for the trip and Irene stayed within the agreed-upon range delivering on everything we requested. Communication was very good as we worked out the plans, with daily communication by email as well as phone. Once the trip was underway, kimkim provided both a WeChat group and a support number where we could quickly reach them in the event of any issues.

One of us is gluten intolerant and Irene took care to ensure that every hotel we stayed at provided gluten-free alternatives for breakfasts, the chef for the private cooking class adjusted the menu accordingly, and that the restaurants she reserved for us (which were excellent) had gluten-free options.

It cost a bit more to have someone make the plans for us, but we felt the quality of the service and the trip were well worth the additional cost, not to mention the ease of having someone who knows the country help line up all of the plans and make sure they worked together seamlessly.

We will definitely use them again!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Miramare

Galaxidi

We stayed at this hotel for 2 nights and loved it. It is a small hotel in Galaxidi, a block from the harbor and restaurants. The staff are friendly and they serve a wonderful breakfast in the courtyard of the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Charming, great staff, wonderful breakfast in the courtyard.

Location

Central location a block from the harbor and restaurants.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Herodion Hotel

Acropolis, Athens

Very nice hotel in a great location at the foot of the Acropolis on a quiet street. There is a rooftop restaurant and bar with a great view of the Parthenon. The Acropolis museum is a block away as is the Plaka neighborhood. Would definitely recommend it and stay there again. Delicious and extensive breakfast buffet.

Authenticity & Character

Nicely updated. In addition to the rooftop view of the Parthenon, it has a beautiful bar and restaurant area in an atrium on the ground floor.

Location

At the foot of the Acropolis with an amazing view of the Parthenon from the rooftop restaurant and bar. One block to the Acropolis museum and the Plaka neighborhood. On a quiet street, so not a lot of noise.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hydroussa Hotel Hydra

Hydra

Beautiful old (but updated) hotel in a central but quiet location. Friendly and helpful staff. Extensive breakfast buffet with indoor and outdoor eating areas. The queen bed was 2 single beds pushed together.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful old hotel, nicely updated.

Location

Centrally located and short walk to the port and restaurant area but also away from the noise of the nightlife so it was quiet at night.

Staff

Staff was very pleasant and went out of their way to offer help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

Leto Nuevo Hotel

Nafplio

Very nice, clean, and updated hotel in the old town. The old town is on a hill and the hotel is up the hill, so there are many steps to climb to get to it when on foot, but there is an area where cars are allowed a block away which makes it easier to move luggage to/from a car or taxi. Furthermore, as it is on the hill it is much quieter than other hotels in the area would be. The steps lead down to the historical area and waterfront, where there are many good restaurants. The hotel provides a very nice breakfast buffet. It also offers same-day laundry service at a reasonable price, which is very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very good location for exploring Nafplio, but steep staircases to get into the central area and back.

Staff

Very friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Avra Hotel Rafina

Rafina, Athens

The main attraction of this hotel is that it is located by the port where the ferries come through and near to the airport (to which it offers a shuttle service) o it is good for people in transit. Rooms are small, but clean and comfortable, and there is a nice breakfast buffet. Wifi was poor and intermittent, so we constantly lost connection and had to reconnect.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location supports people in transit to/from ferries or the airport, it is not a destination hotel.

Staff

Front desk staff were perfunctory. Staff in the restaurant were warm and welcoming.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Lunch with Olive Grove View

Greece

We did not know what to expect from this activity and were pleasantly surprised. One of the owners sat with us to talk us through the history of the family olive farm. He explained to us differences in olives based on when and how they are harvested and talked about differences in olive oils. He provided samples of olives and of the oil to taste so we could appreciate the differences, along with a nice lunch that included olive preparations and wine. The lunch was in a beautiful location overlooking a valley of olive trees and, out over the water to Galaxidi. We were on a shaded veranda, which provided a nice break from the sun.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Acropolis Hill & Museum Tour

Athens

Our tour guide Tina met us at our hotel and walked with us the short distance to the Acropolis. We were scheduled to be with her for 4 hours to tour the Acropolis hill and the museum, but she stayed with us for over 5 hours. Tina is very knowledgeable and gave us a detailed explanation of everything we were seeing, putting it all in a historical context. She pointed out places of interest in the city that could be seen from the Acropolis Hill and patiently fielded many questions from our group of 4. She was the best of the 4 tour guides we had during our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Tina was excellent.

Half-Day Nafplio Sailing Tour

Nafplio

This was a semi-private outing for 5 hours. The 4 of us were joined by 3 others. They picked us up at the port very near by our hotel. There was ample room on the boat. We sailed out from Nafplio around the coast to Tolo and back, stopping in several places to allow for swimming, though it was too cold for most to get in. Teodoro and Mario were wonderful crew and made us all at home. They served fruit, snacks, and lunch with wine or beer. It was a beautiful day to be out on the water. We motored for 3/4 of the trip and went on sail power for the balance. Overall it was a great way to spend a day in Nafplio. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Cooking Class in Nafplio

Nafplio

This private class was one of the highlights of our trip! Costas and his wife were welcoming and warm. We prepared 4 dishes with everyone participating and Costas provided pointers on food prep that we will continue to benefit from. One of our party is gluten-free and Costas had adjusted the menu accordingly and also provided them with gluten-free bread. Two of our party never cook or do food prep, but he made them comfortable with slicing and dicing as well as braising and making a delicate lemon sauce. They discovered how enjoyable cooking can be. The food was absolutely delicious, and possibly the best meal we had in Greece. We made stuffed zucchini with lemon sauce as an appetizer, a lamb dish (with the lamb falling-off-the-bone tender), a Greek salad, and a frozen yoghurt desert. My husband does not like lamb but loved this dish, making him re-think his approach to lamb. Costas had us prepare a special take on a Greek salad that included a cool cucumber and basil soup, and it was fabulous. We had 4 Greek wines paired with each of the four dishes, and Costas explained to us how and why each wine was appropriate for that dish.

Quality of Experience

A fabulous experience with the best meal we had in Greece!

Food

Fabulous food with a great wine pairing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Costas and his wife are warm and great teachers. He is a professional chef so he really knows what he is doing and shares tricks of the trade.

Summary with details following: I would not recommend Bruno. He can be cranky and short tempered. This was a second trip with Kimkim and they were a disappointment also. I was planning another trip with Kimkim, that I have cancelled. Thankfully, I had not paid the deposit.
Bruno was good during the planning phases with customizing our trip. The trip was a 5* trip for a group of 6 seniors (3 couples). One of the main reasons for using Kimkim was that they had someone local that we could chat with whenever we needed to. Once when I was asking Bruno questions he came back with a response "You are not my only client". I was not expecting an instant response. I don't know why he got annoyed.
He scheduled us, based on our request, to go to Vrsic pass. The roads had been closed for a while and we just happened to find out when we mentioned it to the person at the hotel desk. As my agent there, he should have known this. We could have spent a couple of hours driving there and found out, but we lucked out.
We had rented a van that turned out to be a diesel van. Not understanding the nomenclature, we ended up pumping regular gas in the van. In the US, the nozzle typically will not fit, but apparantly not in Europe. Lesson learned. It was a Sunday evening and the van started sputtering and we got an "engine failure likely" warning. Luckily, we got off the highway and managed to get to a gas station in the boonies. Bruno was very irritated and kept telling me it was my fault and wanted to make sure to tell me that I had to pay for it. I never had an expectation that he would cover it. He later told me that because of this he lost family time and wanted me to feel sorry for him. Remember, it was 6 senior citizens stranded in some unknown village not knowing the language and dealing with an irritated specialist, Bruno. We lost a day of site seeing and Bruno had to do some re-arranging of our itinerary due to this. Yes, it was not his fault for sure, but shit happens. If family time is more important, get a 9 to 5 job.
One of the hotels (Pallazo) was a disaster. We stayed there for 2 nights and we had AC and internet issues the whole time. I had to move rooms twice (3 different rooms in 2 nights) and another couple had to move once and the third couple had to put up with boiling temperatures for one night. Remember, we had requested the best hotels and this was a disaster. The total cost of the 11 day trip was over $28K and I insisted on some compensation and the best they could do was a total refund of $340 plus $100 Kimkim credit for each couple. We were paying about $2500 per day ($5000 for 2 days) and the best they could do was $340. The credit is useless, since I don't plan on using Kimkim anymore. When I told Bruno that I would follow up with Kimkim, he told me to not bother and that they could not do anything. He was right. So having Kimkim as the parent organization buys you nothing, You just pay more since they take their commission off the top and provide no value when it comes to issues like this.
Kimkim's planning online interface is nice until you need to remove people that may have dropped out. The emails continued going to the people that dropped out and the message authors were mixed up with some message. Basically it seems to have some annoying issues. The group organizer cannot add and remove people. Simple email questions in the chat window ends up going to everyone creating a lot more communications than necessary. I could not send a chat message to Bruno privately.

Better than expected.No compliance price was a little bit high, but it was still worth

Hotel Review

Marqués De Tojo Hotel

Purmamarca

What's my least favorite stop and hotel. Rather rustic and not much to do in the city

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half day City Tour - Private service with English speaking guide

Buenos Aires

Excellent guide very flexible

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tigre Delta Excursion - Private

Buenos Aires

Very pleased with this excursion

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tango Show and Dinner at Café De Los Angelitos

Buenos Aires

Least favorite excursion. Could have done without this

Quality of Experience

Food

Food was good but that's all

Guides, Drivers and Staff

No guide

Transport

Uco Valley Experience - PRIVATE

Mendoza

Excellent excursion good food nice wine

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Travel through the heights 2 days - 1st day Salta to Purmamarca🏜️

Argentina

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was quite a long excursion, salt flats and historic pre Inka site was wonderful

Travel through the heights 2 days - 2nd Day Purmamarca to Salta🏜️

Argentina

A bit long but still informative. Salt mine great

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From Cusco Airport to Sacred Valley: On the road, visit to local markets in Pisac 🧶🌼🚗 - Private

Argentina

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Lima: City Tour + Visit to Larco Museum 🕍

Argentina

This was okay but not my favorite

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

"Asado Experience"

Buenos Aires

Very nice and authentic

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cusco: City Tour + Nearby Archaeological Centre

Cusco

Good excursion good guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day tour to Vineyards: Wine and Olive - Private

Mendoza

Excellent excursion great food nice winery

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

 Visit to the sacred city of machu picchu⛰️ - private

Sacred Valley

Excellent what's excursion, good coverage good food good transport

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My daughter and three year old granddaughter arrived in France on 9/5/24 and were picked up and brought to our Hotel in Paris. We stayed at the Grand Hotel DeTurin, triple room with breakfast included. The staff were very kind and spoke English which was very helpful. We arrived quite early and changed into new outfits and checked our bags so we could go out and about in the City. It was nice not having to drive, we took taxi’s and UBER’s to get around. We started at the foot of the Eiffel Tower at Port De La Bourdonnais to take a pontoon down the Seine River on the Bateaux Parisiens. The one hour cruise took us past the mini Statue of Liberty, Notre Dame and many other sites on the River . Notre Dame was spectacular, you can see the scaffolding where they are repairing it after the devastating fire. It was a little rainy but we had our rain gear. We then strolled the area near the Eiffel Tower and had lunch in a lovely Cafe’. The chocolate with crème fouettés (whipped cream) was to die for! I felt like I was in a movie.
We visited shops and made our way back to the Eiffel Tower for a private night tour. Ayla woke up a half hour before the tour and had chips and a drink to hold her until dinner. We took the lift to the second story and could see all of the city quarters, the Special Olympics was still going on and we could see the stadium. Our guide gave us the history of the city and the building of the Eiffel tower. Then up to the top on a second lift. I would not recommend a private tour guide for the Eiffel Tower. She was one and half hours late to meet us and that interfered with feeding my granddaughter, you can only go so long without feeding a three year old. The guide seemed annoyed when I rushed the tour so we could go eat. If she arrived on time that evening may have been different.
Took some great photo’s of the Tower at night. Taxi to our hotel and off to bed. magnifique journée.
The
Great night sleep, the Hotel was fine, breakfast was average. We took a taxi to get our car rental to drive to Saint Malo, Long ride, 4 hours, my daughter did the driving in France.... Thankfully they drive on the same side as we do! We stopped in the small town of Combray half way through our ride for lunch; Sadly they were not very welcoming, the restaurant we had planned told us “take away” when we asked if they spoke English! So we left and found a little pizza shop. Pizza shop was welcoming, we ordered pizza from the pictures on the menu…. big mistake the one that looked like a white pizza was in fact all cheese but it had goat cheese and not ricotta as expected. My daughter hates goat cheese so we immediately found the word in French for goat cheese so we don’t make that mistake again! Du fromage de chèvre.
Back on the road for 2 more hours and we arrived at our Hotel Les Charmottes in St. Malo, lovely property right on the ocean. No lift to the second floor made it difficult with our luggage but once we up there the room was great . We settled into our room then went for dinner at the Hotel’s restaurant which was right on the board walk with the ocean view. I enjoyed the meal very much…spectaculaire. . We all showered and went off to bed.
I woke early and went to breakfast, beautiful view of the ocean with my coffee and croissant, great breakfast. The girls sleep in until 10am, the little one had her breakfast in the room, something new…banana and peanut butter! LOL! We then packed up the stroller and headed down the board walk to the center of town, St. Vincent Gate, about 2.5 miles. The weather was perfect and we stopped for for my daughter to have breakfast. The little one and I sang and danced on our journey. Beautiful Villa’s , Cafe’s and Hotels along the boardwalk. When we arrived to La porte Saint-Vincent (Saint-Vincent gate) there were beautiful gardens and a Carousal. We had a ride before entering the interior of the old town. Inside has been renovated with up scale shopping and all sorts of food and sweets. We walked and window shopped until lunch. Sunny and beautiful, great strolling. Inside the walls of the old town is the CATHÉDRALE SAINT VINCENT; it is known for their stain glass windows and since it was so sunny the interior was magnificent. The main theme was “The Blessed Mother and Child” it brought both my daughter and I a feeling of great peace and joy. The little one lit candles at each Blessed Mother statue. We sat and took in the beauty and thanked God for the blessings he has bestowed upon us. Wonderful end to our visit to the old town. We did take one additional ride on the Carousel before our walk home. The dark clouds were approaching from behind us but we made it back with just a few sprinkles. McDonald’s for dinner because it was raining and the easiest option and they had a drive thru ….the little one was very happy with our choice! On our ride back there was a double rainbow and the sun setting behind a building that was awesome. We ate in the room and relaxed until bed time.
Breakfast then we drove to Dinan pouring rain! we hoped to have lunch but all cafe’s close from 2pm and reopen at 7pm… heading back to Malo and going to the Aquarium. Then McDonalds for Ayla and a nice Cafe for Bailey and I to have lunch. Not bad that we have gotten to day 21 and only had to cancel our plans due to rain once. We found that on Sunday’s most places are closed so no Aquarium, we found a bakery on our ride back to the hotel and had decadent pastries and a latte’. Yum…. We all took a nap and went to dinner. We depart St. Malo and head towards Normandy tomorrow.
St. Malo to St. Michel, Sadly another rainy windy day here in France. We packed up after breakfast and are heading to La Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey, hoping the rain will have stopped by the time we arrive! Forty minute ride and it is a steady drizzle, 30 minute walk out to the best viewing area. We decided not to go out to the Abbey due to weather and the little princess napping.
Back on the highway to head to Bayeux another 50 minutes to our hotel. Ahhh! Low tire pressure comes on in the car, oh no! Thankful it is not a flat, time to find a Petrol Station!!!
We fill the tires and figure out how to reset the pressure and back on the road. Lovely ride into Bayeux, gateway to the D-day beaches. We are doing a private tour tomorrow of Normandy and the beaches….so excited, I have been waiting for this experience since we got to France. 🇺🇸
Unpacked and settled into the room at Hotel Le Bayeux. The staff were friendly and accommodating; the little one loved the room it had bunk beds. She picked the top bunk of course and invited me to stay in the bottom!
Still raining so we are rested while we wait to go to dinner at 7pm. Most shops and restaurants are closed on Sunday and Monday’s here, plan ahead and make your dinner reservations the day before you arrive. The rain has stopped and we see some blue sky, right on time to walk to dinner.
Breakfast was average at Hotel Le Bayeux. The CATHÉDRALE DE BAYEUX is one block from our hotel. The cathedral - which was consecrated in 1077 by Bishop Odo de Conteville, the half-brother of William the Conqueror - was the original showcase for the Bayeux Tapestry. Revealing the Romanesque and Gothic splendour of the church, which includes access to the Treasury and Chapter Room. We plan to visit tomorrow morning after breakfast.
Breakfast and off to the CATHÉDRALE DE BAYEUX, beautiful architecture and Chapel’s throughout. I did my morning prayer and meditation in the Cathedral, so peaceful, great start to my day. I then visited a few shops and went back to the hotel to go to lunch with the girls. We tried a Galettes, which is buck wheat crepe. We chose the ham, cheese and eggs. Très délicieux!
Back to the Hotel to get ready for our tour of Normandy and the D-Day Beaches. No sun and very windy so we layer and wear our rain gear! Our guide John, who was so great, met us at the Hotel….we started our tour at Pointe Du Hoc-Pointe du Hoc was a strategic site in the German fortifications on the Normandy coast that was attacked by Colonel Rudder's 2º Ranger Battalion on the morning of 6 June 1944. The site stands 98 feet above the sea with remnants of the German artillery battery. It is a seven mile span between Omaha and Utah beach, this was the mid point between the two. Fascinating to see the holes in the landscape from the American bombing.
Then off to Omaha Beach! The sea side has been rebuilt with summer homes. Prior to D-Day the Germans destroyed all but one home below the 60-80 foot natural barge of the land scape. The one house that remained was for the German Officers to sleep. The American Soldiers were being fired on from above once they entered the beach, the amphibious tanks that were deployed to protect them prior to hitting the beach all sank due to the 6 feet swells. They were made to sustain 1 foot or maximum 2 foot waves, they all sank. It took most of the morning to identify a plan to get the soldiers off the beach. Very sad to think about how afraid they must have been with no cover from the German’s. Now stands the Monument for Freedom, Fraternity and Hope. Our final stop was Normandy, for 12 years our soldiers were buried at La Cambre, In 1956 all American bodies were moved to Normandy. La Cambre is now the burial site of the 21,300 German Soldiers who died during the D-Day invasion.
The Cemetery overlooks Omaha Beach, 9387 soldiers who fell during the Normandy campaign rest in peace here. The Chapel Memorial and wall of the Missing honor their memory. (4 woman are buried here, three died when their jeep went off the road while delivering mail to the soldiers and one was an American Red Cross Worker one of three "girls" who were assigned to a Clubmobile that provided coffee, freshly made doughnuts, chewing gum, cigarettes, magazines, newspapers, and records to GIs while they were in the field. But perhaps more importantly, the girls' primary responsibilities were to bolster the spirits and the morale of the battle weary soldiers by chatting with them. For as Elizabeth wrote to her parents, "If you only knew what combat does to these boys--not in the physical sense, although that's bad enough--but mentally.") She died in a Plane Crash going from La Havre to Paris.
Quite an emotional day but well worth the visit. 🇺🇸🙏🏻
Touring the Tapestry, Street Markets and Bayeux D-Day Museum.
Sun was shining that morning, breakfast in the room. Visiting two museums in Bayeux today. LA TAPISSERIE OF BAYEUX -THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY OR THE STORY OF A CONQUEST
is a masterpiece of 11th century Romanesque art, which was probably commissioned by Bishop Odo, William the Conqueror’s half-brother, to embellish his newly-built cathedral in Bayeux in 1077. The Tapestry tells the story of the events surrounding the conquest of England by the Duke of Normandy. The story told by the Bayeux Tapestry begins in 1064, when Edward the Confessor, King of England, instructs his brother-in-law Harold Godwinson to travel to Normandy in order to offer his cousin William the succession to the English throne. Although the end of the embroidery is missing, the story ends with the Anglo-Saxons fleeing at the end of the Battle of Hastings in October 1066…. Interesting but not a favorite!
We then strolled the open Markets and bought fresh kiwi and supplies for the little one’s PBJ’s…. Lunch in a Cafe’ and back to the Hotel for rest time. later in the afternoon we went to the Museum of the battle of Normandy, this was a great visit that explained the entire invasion and ended with a 20 minute video of the entire Battle of Normandy. Bayeux was never bombed so their town remains as it was back in 1944. They were very grateful to the British and American troops for their freedom from the Germans. Highly recommend Bayeux.
Left Bayeux headed back to Paris.
Up early to head back to Paris. 8am…Car is packed we depart onto the street and the Car dies, battery alert message! Ahhhh! The entire car shuts down! Thankfully we were right across the street from the Hotel. We got in touch with our KimKim representative and he contacts the car rental for road side assistance….40 minutes until they arrive. The Hotel clerk was kind enough to type up a sign to put in the vehicle window and we went back in for breakfast while waiting. Got a new vehicle for our ride back to Paris but sadly we did not make our reservation at the Louvre! sorry Mona Lisa !!
Did not arrive in Paris until 6:30pm, checked back into Grand Hotel DeTyrin and ventured off to dinner. Long Day!
Off to The Palace of Versailles then back to the City.
Up early for our visit to the Palace of Versailles, about 40 minutes outside of Paris. 8:15 am departure! The Palace was extraordinary and the Gardens magnificent, we had 2 hours to tour and could have spent the entire day. The Palace: Soon after taking the throne in July 1830, King Louis-Philippe I decided to restore the Palace of Versailles, transforming it into a museum of French history known as the "Historic Galleries of Versailles".
He called on architect Frédéric Nepeu to convert the apartments on the upper floors of the South Wing into a vast gallery chronicling the main military battles that shaped the history of France.
Drawing inspiration from the Grande Galerie of the Louvre Museum designed by Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine under the imperial regime, the Gallery of Battles features a metallic framework concealed by wood panelling and stucco, with glass ceilings providing natural light. The battles, ranging from Tolbiac in 496 to Wagram in 1809, are depicted in thirty-three monumental paintings, while eighty busts celebrate heroic officers killed in combat over the centuries.
Works began in 1833 and was completed shortly before the inauguration of the museum, dedicated "to all the glories of France", on 10 June 1837.
The Musical Gardens: Has 600 water features, 55 pools & fountains with a team of 13 fountain engineers. The Groves: 15 groves open, 77 acres of formal French gardens in an 850 acre park. 700 topiaries and 300,000 flowers planted each year, 155 statues and 235 vases. Magnificent art and gardens.
Back to Paris to go to a fabulous Cafe’ Carette known for its fresh berries and Crème fouettée (whipped cream) as well as their hot chocolate. That gave us the energy we needed to head to the Louvre, we could not get tickets but walked the grounds on the beautiful sunny day.
We then visited the Officine Universelle Buly founded in 1803 by Jean Vincent Buly and it is still open today. They are known for brushes and combs made especially for curly hair, and we all have natural curly hair. My daughter wantef to get one engraved with her name to remember her trip to Paris. There was a que to get in to the store, once we got in we found they did not have the comb or brush she wanted! ☹️ She purchased a lip balm case with her initials.
Back to the hotel, ordering Japanese take out so we could eat in the room.

The little one’s day - Disney in Paris! The Tinker Bell brigade.
First time in Disney we arrived at 11am and departed at 8:30pm, long but wonderful day with our little Tinker Bell 🧚
Her favorite ride: Walt Disney Studios Park - Worlds of Pixar “Cars Quatre Roues Rallye” like a teacup ride but with “Cars” it spun great and Ayla loved it
Favorite moment: Toy Story Playland where she met Woody: Woody was so impressed with her that he brought her over to meet Jesse! Jesse and Woody thought she was the real Tinker Bell 🧚 Highly recommend if traveling with children.
We departed early the next morning 9/15/24 for Sicily.
Trip of a lifetime being able to have 3 generations travel together…from 63 to 3.
Thank you to the KimKim Team, your hotel selections and destination suggestions were fabulous.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel de Turin

Paris

Staff were great, a little far from where all the sites we visited were. Room was tight with two queen beds and our luggage. Neighborhood was great to stroll around. Breakfast was not the best.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Far from most visited attractions.

Staff

Friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean but a little tight walking around in the room.

Hôtel Les Charmettes

Saint-Malo

Great location and views.

Authenticity & Character

The views were great and the room was very comfortable. No lift to the second floor but once we got all our luggage up the stairs it was great.

Location

Right on the boardwalk.

Staff

Breakfast staff were fabulous, dinner staff not so friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Le Bayeux

Bayeux

Great size room and we were on the ground level. The staff were friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Cute pictures of American Soldiers on the windows.

Location

Righ near the Cathedral and center of town.

Staff

So helpful and friendly. Best staff of all the hotels we were in.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and plenty of room.

Activity Reviews

Evening Eiffel Tower Tour

Paris

Enjoyed the Eiffel Tower but the tour guide was 1.5 hours late.

Quality of Experience

Great experience, seeing sites I have only seen on TV.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was late.

Transport

From Bayeux to Normandy D-Day U.S Sector & Omaha Beach (Private/4Hours)

Bayeux

This had always been on my bucket list. Unforgettable and John our tour guide was fabulous.

Quality of Experience

Very touching.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

John was amazing, knowledgeable and spoke perfect English.

Transport

On time and drove safely.

Commented Cruise on the Seine River (Group Boat/1Hour)

Paris

Perfect Amount of time, one hour, and saw fabulous sites from the river. Head phones to describe all the sites as you passed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We are not young couple, that decided to visit Galapagos islands and Ecuador for our annual vacation.
I want to thank our local specialist, Isabel, for the perfect organization of this vacation. The positive experience started from a mutual planning of the trip, half a year before the vacation: Isabel was sensitive to every word and wish and we changed and adjusted the plan a number of times, until we were absolutely pleased.
In our case, I preferred to book the hotels and flights by myself, however, most of the hotels were selected according to Isabel's recommendation and they answered our expectation and even, in two locations (in Isabella Island and in Quito), exceeded them.
The trip was organized in a way that we were followed by a guide or a driver most of the time. So, we could feel relaxed and enjoy the scheduled activities. Everything worked according to the plan, on time and without unpleasant surprises. It happened that by mistake, we took a wrong car to the airport and had to pay for it. Although it was our mistake, the agency returned us the price of this trip that was pre-paid.
The ongoing communication with Isabel continued by WhatsApp during the entire trip, which was very comfortable. However, the internet in Galapagos is poor in some places and not always the connection was possible.
The English of local guides in Galapagos was not always clear, sometimes it required effort to understand, but they were patient, and we normally repeated the question and understood the answer.
In Galapagos we selected the option to stay in hotels rather than at yacht, and it was a good choice for us, because we were free to go around the island anytime and performed snorkeling, kayaking and hiking to the extend we wanted. The only detail that was not properly addressed was the size of the wet suit for my husband: he is unusually big person, so, in one place we could not get a suit for him. I would recommend addressing this information in advance.
In continental Ecuador we were accompanied by a local guide, Rodrigo, who took us to Banos, Cotopaxi and Quito. Rodrigo was a very informal, calm and knowledgeable guide, and we learned a lot about the country, its history and nature, both are fields of our interest. The country is amazing and rich in resources and nature!
Although, we encountered, unexpectedly, the electricity shutdowns in the continental Ecuador (I hope, temporary), the vacation could not be better!