Lena Sluga

This trip was delayed for 3 years, due to Covid, but it was worth the wait! The organisation by the Kimkim team, the suggested itinerary and the help, advice and support from our guide, Emad, all contributed to a fantastic trip. Our plan had been to see the obvious sights of Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea, but, as suggested, we also saw wonderful historical sites at Jerash, Mount Nebo, Kerak, Ajloun and elsewhere. Our accommodation ranged from large chain hotels to Bedouin camps, but it... read more

This trip was delayed for 3 years, due to Covid, but it was worth the wait! The organisation by the Kimkim team, the suggested itinerary and the help, advice and support from our guide, Emad, all contributed to a fantastic trip. Our plan had been to see the obvious sights of Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea, but, as suggested, we also saw wonderful historical sites at Jerash, Mount Nebo, Kerak, Ajloun and elsewhere. Our accommodation ranged from large chain hotels to Bedouin camps, but it was all well-organised and without any hitches.

We were happy to go along with any minor changes of plan suggested by Emad, as his knowledge and patience were extremely welcome; we never felt we were being forced into anything, and every small suggestion turned out to be worthwhile, including a walking tour of the souks of Amman and lunch at the institution that is Hashem’s houmus and felafel restaurant.

Hotel Reviews

La Locanda Boutique Hotel

Amman

A quirky boutique hotel with a welcoming bar and restaurant attached. A great place to spend our first 2 nights in Jordan

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Old Village Resort

Wadi Musa

As the name suggests, this was a former village converted into a large, well-designed and luxurious hotel. Our room was spacious and comfortable and the outdoor pool was very welcoming after a day of walking around the wonderful ruins of Petra

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Hike from Little Petra to Petra

Jordan

I’m really glad we did this hike through “the back door” into Petra first, as we travelled through the entire site, ending with the Treasury, before returning the next day from the main entrance and seeing the main sights from a different angle. It felt really special coming into the old city from the lesser used side first and I would recommend this to anyone.

Quality of Experience

Transport

Take the shuttle to get to the start

2 hour jeep tour in Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum

2 hours barely touches the surface of Wadi Rum, but Mohammed, our driver, knew where to take us to see some spectacular sights, including the Seven Pillars, the location of filming of several films, and a large camel caravan heading off into the desert

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our local specialist, Lena, was very impressive. She created an itinerary that perfectly met our objectives, and gave knowledgeable answers to all of my questions. After we finalized the plan and paid for the trip, she continued to provide assistance via email as we prepared for our Jordan adventure.

Our drivers, Jamal the first day and Medhet the other four days, were very professional and accommodating. They always arrived on time (early, in fact) to pick us up, and were eager to help in... read more

Our local specialist, Lena, was very impressive. She created an itinerary that perfectly met our objectives, and gave knowledgeable answers to all of my questions. After we finalized the plan and paid for the trip, she continued to provide assistance via email as we prepared for our Jordan adventure.

Our drivers, Jamal the first day and Medhet the other four days, were very professional and accommodating. They always arrived on time (early, in fact) to pick us up, and were eager to help in any way possible. In fact, when I left my phone in Medhet's car one evening, he made a special trip to our hotel to return it that night.

Our 5-day tour included Al Maghtas on the Jordan River (the baptism site of Jesus), the Dead Sea, Petra, Wadi Rum, Amman, and Jerash. Petra was the most amazing and impressive attraction, but we would highly recommend visiting all of them. In particular, Jerash was much larger and more interesting than we had anticipated, so it was a special treat to go there on our last day and carry that memory home with us.

If we were planning the trip again, I think we would want to spend 2 days at Petra (making a total of 6 days in Jordan). The extra day at Petra would allow time to explore more of this very extensive site, and also permit spending more time in the museum at Petra, which is by far the best museum we have seen in our visits to Middle Eastern and African countries.

First of all, I want to say thank you to Lena for sticking with us! We took months to plan and finalize our trip, and she was with us through it all, changing our itinerary multiple times and answering our seemingly endless questions promptly!

Jordan was full of natural beauty and we LOVED our hike in Dana and our guide Mohammed. Will never forget having Bedouin tea and freshly warmed pitas with him over lunch. Equally lovely was Wadi Rum. Aicha Camp was gorgeous (and they upgraded us to... read more

First of all, I want to say thank you to Lena for sticking with us! We took months to plan and finalize our trip, and she was with us through it all, changing our itinerary multiple times and answering our seemingly endless questions promptly!

Jordan was full of natural beauty and we LOVED our hike in Dana and our guide Mohammed. Will never forget having Bedouin tea and freshly warmed pitas with him over lunch. Equally lovely was Wadi Rum. Aicha Camp was gorgeous (and they upgraded us to a panoramic tent - superb!), and our driver on our Jeep tour, Adam, was wonderful. We loved our driver for the first portion of our Jordan trip, Hasan. Always on time and very kind! The only thing I wish we had done differently is make sure that we had transportation arranged for our day at Petra, as our hotel was a bit off the main Tourism Street (Petra Quattro). It was easy to hire our own guide for Petra at the Visitor's Center, but I'm sure Lena could have arranged this for us in advance had we wanted! I also want to note that we loved our cooking lesson at Beit Sitti in Amman our first evening!

Lena was very helpful in prepping us on what to expect during the border crossing at King Hussein Bridge. We were a little nervous, but it went smoothly and our driver Awas was waiting for us on the other side.

Jerusalem was an overwhelming city, but we had the most wondeful guide two days in a row for it and Bethlehem (I loved that we got the same guide as it really allowed you to make a connection). Ibrahim was one of my favorite tour guides ever, anywhere. If I am back in Jerusalem, I know who I am calling. He even checked in on us a few days later to make sure we were okay and ask if he could help us with anything more! The location of our hotel was pretty great too (Gloria on Latin Patriarchate Street near Jaffa Gate). It was definitely older (the dining area is currently being remodeled), but the location makes that worth it.

I thought the price we paid for the trip was quite fair, and appreciated the flexibility Lena showed in booking everything for us.

Thank you again for an unforgettable trip!

In response to your request:
As to my Rami, He was great and I recommend him without reservation. As to Wadi Rum, worth it and am glad that i went. Petra, Town Seasons Hotel, a great place, one that you want to keep. the Jerash trip was really a delight. The only down side, my guide in Petra, Gul. He knew his history but I had been under the impression that he would be with me for 3 hours: he was not. After 2 hours and 15 minutes he told me I could find my way, and he left. Not what I... read more

In response to your request:
As to my Rami, He was great and I recommend him without reservation. As to Wadi Rum, worth it and am glad that i went. Petra, Town Seasons Hotel, a great place, one that you want to keep. the Jerash trip was really a delight. The only down side, my guide in Petra, Gul. He knew his history but I had been under the impression that he would be with me for 3 hours: he was not. After 2 hours and 15 minutes he told me I could find my way, and he left. Not what I expected.
I did the Jordan Museum on my last day, took a taxi. You should tell visitors not to miss the exhibition 1001 Inventions, currently there. It is a not miss.
Marilee Jantzer White

We had a stunning trip to Jordon and our visit to Petra, our KimKim specialist Lena put together exactly what we wanted and her communication and responses were first class. Haytham was our local tour guide and we can really recommend him and his company. Over all it was a great trip and hugely enjoyed. Thanks to everyone involved

I never met Lena. During planning she was very helpful and responsive in answering questions. I do not know where in the process there was break down in communications. Lena was given the details of arrival - 2 separate flights. airlines and arrival times for the party of 7. The first flight to arrive had no one to meet them. They sat 3 hrs before the arrival of the remainder of us. The person who met the second group paperwork was based on all arriving together on the later flight... read more

I never met Lena. During planning she was very helpful and responsive in answering questions. I do not know where in the process there was break down in communications. Lena was given the details of arrival - 2 separate flights. airlines and arrival times for the party of 7. The first flight to arrive had no one to meet them. They sat 3 hrs before the arrival of the remainder of us. The person who met the second group paperwork was based on all arriving together on the later flight but was asking where the first 2 were as he couldn't find them. He was very anxious and thus confusing us. Our tour guide Hassan was the worst guide all 7 of us have ever had. All of us have been traveling throughout Europe, Asia, Canada and Australia for many tears.

Lena was amazing at helping us to plan a trip that perfectly fit our family's needs and budget. A fabulous trip to Jordan with so much diversity. We will recommend to our family and friends.

Lena is an amazing trip organiser!

We worked closely together to create the perfect 3 day tour beginning in Amman and finishing in Aqaba. Lena is an amazing communicator and made sure all of our requests were met.
After I stuffed up some of the dates, Lena was quick to re-book everything smoothly without too many excess costs - seriously amazing!
We had a fantastic time in Jordan thanks to Lena and the convenience of Kim Kim personalized tours.
Great value, great service... I couldn’t recommend it enough!

Our driver in Jordan was Hassan, but I don't know his last name, He was an excellent driver and a thoroughly nice fellow. Our driver in Israel was also very nice and accommodating, even walking us through the exciting towns of Caesarea and Akko - his name was Rami, but again, I don't know his last name. I'd recommend both of them. Our guide in Jerusalem was called Jacob, but he also has a Palestinian name. Fantastic, and super knowledgeable about all the places we went. I have his name to... read more

Our driver in Jordan was Hassan, but I don't know his last name, He was an excellent driver and a thoroughly nice fellow. Our driver in Israel was also very nice and accommodating, even walking us through the exciting towns of Caesarea and Akko - his name was Rami, but again, I don't know his last name. I'd recommend both of them. Our guide in Jerusalem was called Jacob, but he also has a Palestinian name. Fantastic, and super knowledgeable about all the places we went. I have his name to recommend to anyone I know who will be coming to Jordan.

The hotels were all fine, the best ones being in Jerusalem and Haifa. That said, the food in general in Jordan and Israel was not fabulous. Maybe we should have asked for better hotels, but that is certainly not your fault. We realize that hotels have to consider that their guests come from all over the world and it's impossible to please everyone. The best restaurant in Jordan was the one Hassan took us to in Jerash, owned by someone he knew. It was lovely with fountains and a great menu. The food in Wadi Rum at the place we stayed was also good. The neighborhood in Haifa was delightful and lots of good restaurants nearby, I wish we'd spent another day there. Next time...

I will certainly recommend your company if I have any friends who are traveling to your region. I also see that you do tours in other parts of the world, too, and will keep that in mind for the future, as I still plan on traveling even after both of us got sick and had such a long, agonizing trip home with lots of layovers, etc. Again, not your fault, just bad luck. Thanks again for your kind and helpful suggestions and we have great memories of Jerash, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, Dana,and of course Petra. Our guides at Dana and Petra back door were also excellent. Your country has so much history and stark beauty I think your tourism numbers will improve. Jordan seemed very safe while being surrounded by turmoil in all directions. Good luck in the future, and thanks again, Lena!

Sincerely,
Kim and Bob McGregor

Everything was terrific, Lena did an excellent job planning this, the accommodations, food, people, experiences were all terrific. Everyone went over and above the call of duty. We loved our drivers Ziad Qaryti and Ahmad Alsuwi and Osama Manaseer! My wife and I had an excellent down to earth, home cooking lesson experience with Nesreen Ali, Osama's wife with their family in their home. Sherrin's review of the cooking lesson is below:

"My cooking lesson was an A+ !
It was a pleasure to have... read more

Everything was terrific, Lena did an excellent job planning this, the accommodations, food, people, experiences were all terrific. Everyone went over and above the call of duty. We loved our drivers Ziad Qaryti and Ahmad Alsuwi and Osama Manaseer! My wife and I had an excellent down to earth, home cooking lesson experience with Nesreen Ali, Osama's wife with their family in their home. Sherrin's review of the cooking lesson is below:

"My cooking lesson was an A+ !
It was a pleasure to have dinner with Nesreen and Osama and their beautiful, sweet children. They provided not just a generous and warm example of Jordanian hospitality, but also an enjoyable loving, family experience. I learned how to cook traditional Maglouba with Nesreen who is a force of nature with a stunning smile. She exudes joy, happiness and the essence of motherhood. My cooking lesson was decorated with cardamom brewed coffee, family experiences and Arabic lessons. Eight year old Zain smiled shyly and helped when asked to and one and a half year old mischief maker Cadi (whose name means white flower on the mountain) pushed the kitchen chair around, walked around in my shoes and enjoyed herself dancing while mommy sang and clapped. Dave and I had a priceless experience and I learned to watch Nesreen’s left hand fold and tuck the parsley and mint as she chopped and about a new vegetable Jarjeel, water lettuce! I recommend this cooking lesson experience highly." Sherrin Bernstein

All pretty special. Hasan, our driver for all our longer trips was fantastic. Helpful, informative and very safe driver.

Thank you and your team for putting together a wonderful experience for Fiona and I through Jordan and Lebanon. There were so many memories made that will recall for years to come. Jeita Grotto Limestone Caves in Lebanon, Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead See in Jordan are great examples of what these countries uniquely offer.

Our drivers were very good and conversed well with us about life in Jordan and Lebanon.

Jordanian food was excellent and we tried everything. The “mansaf” that... read more

Thank you and your team for putting together a wonderful experience for Fiona and I through Jordan and Lebanon. There were so many memories made that will recall for years to come. Jeita Grotto Limestone Caves in Lebanon, Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead See in Jordan are great examples of what these countries uniquely offer.

Our drivers were very good and conversed well with us about life in Jordan and Lebanon.

Jordanian food was excellent and we tried everything. The “mansaf” that our driver Jamal arranged for us to try was outstanding; plus the lots of hummus, falafel, salads and local delicacies that we tried as well. We will be making at home “lemon juice with mint” this Australian summer, now that we the traditional recipe.

The time that we spent with Farris, our Bedouin guide at Wadi Rum, was undoubtedly the highlight of our trip. He was just amazing! Our 'back door' hike in to the Petra monastery with our Bedouin guide was also a memorable experience and not too difficult / stressful a climb; perhaps it was actually easier that the walk up the stairs to the monastery!!!

The 'float' in the Dead Sea was also a unique experience.

We cannot recommend highly enough the countries of Lebanon and Jordan to visit and based upon our personal experiences with Lena, we would encourage people to book their tailor-made trip through KimKim Travel.

Stuart & Fiona
Australia
October 2019

There were so many memories made that we will recall for years to come. Jeita Grotto Limestone Caves in Lebanon, Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead See in Jordan are great examples of what these countries do uniquely offer.

Our drivers were very good and conversed well with us about life in Jordan.

Jordanian food was excellent and we tried everything. The “mansaf” that our driver Jamal arranged for us to try was outstanding; plus the lots of hummus, falafel, salads and local delicacies... read more

There were so many memories made that we will recall for years to come. Jeita Grotto Limestone Caves in Lebanon, Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead See in Jordan are great examples of what these countries do uniquely offer.

Our drivers were very good and conversed well with us about life in Jordan.

Jordanian food was excellent and we tried everything. The “mansaf” that our driver Jamal arranged for us to try was outstanding; plus the lots of hummus, falafel, salads and local delicacies as well. We will be making at home “lemon juice with mint” this Australian summer, now that we the traditional recipe!

The time that we spent with Farris, our Bedouin guide at Wadi Rum, was undoubtedly the highlight of our trip. He was just amazing! Floating in the Dead Sea was also a remarkable experience.

We could not have been happier with the arrangements made for us by Lena at KimKim and we will tell all of our friends that are thinking of travels to Jordan and middle-eastern countries to contact Lena first!

Stuart & Fiona
Australia

It was a great 2 week adventure. It exceeded my expectations. The trip went flawlessly. The highlight for us was the hike up Wadi Mujib. There is no where else in the world quite like it. I rate the company A+, driver was great. Hotel in Dana was breathtaking. I didn't like the Dead Sea resort. They forbade bringing water on site, then charged 3 JD for water. The rooms were well worn.

Thanks again.

Lena was fabulous at organising our Jordan trip- it made the whole process very smooth and easy. She was always available to reply to queries at short notice. The itinerary was well prepared and all our hotels appropriate.

Our trip to Jordan was excellent, exciting and quite dramatic. Everything went off like clockwork. We were met at the appointed times and places by our drivers without fail. All instructions were clear, and we were often given extra time just to be safe.

We were picked up at 7:45 am near our Jerusalem hotel and taken to the Border Crossing, where we were dropped off by our Israeli driver. Then after crossing we were met by our Palestinian driver, Haithan, and cossed into Jordan where we... read more

Our trip to Jordan was excellent, exciting and quite dramatic. Everything went off like clockwork. We were met at the appointed times and places by our drivers without fail. All instructions were clear, and we were often given extra time just to be safe.

We were picked up at 7:45 am near our Jerusalem hotel and taken to the Border Crossing, where we were dropped off by our Israeli driver. Then after crossing we were met by our Palestinian driver, Haithan, and cossed into Jordan where we took the long drive along the Dead Sea to Petra. Haithan kept us entertained with stories about the people and customs of the area, stopped and let us take pictures with camels, showed us natural springs and gorges, and much more. His car was cool and clean and equipped with wi-fi, which made it nice.

Petra was a remarkable place to see. We visited Little Petra first then we went on to the main Petra at about 11 am. We chose to visit it at our own pace and to read the clear and informative signs ourselves. The natural rock formations were stunning. We went from a hot and sunny environment to a cool and shady one in an instant, preferring the latter.

Walking through the gorges was quite an overwhelming experience, and seeing the elegantly carved monumental buildings really moved us. To think that an ancient civilization lived there! The Nabuteans were very industrious people and we came to admire them. The primitive holes carved out of the caves and used for wine making and water storage and holding staircases and artwork were all eerily mundane. Stony remnants of the everyday labors of a long-vanished people surrounded us and we were mesmerized by them.

We unfortunately were there on a very hot day, and on our way out we were very very warm and could hardly wait until we reached the Visitor Entrance. The sun was beating down on us very hard, but we made it on foot without a donkey ride. We felt quite victorious!

We stayed at the Petra Moon Hotel, which was itself a dream -- a lovely boutique hotel with all the amenities. .After our exertions, we went out to dinner in the evening after on the rooftop at the buffet there. It was delicious and bountiful. The breakfast buffet was another delightful experience, with all kinds of bread, an omelet bar, fresh fruit, yogurt, nuts, dates, juices...everything! The service was wonderful. They held our luggage and called our driver for us because we did not have cell phone service. I would recommend this hotel to anyone.

Our driver picked us up on request at our hotel and drove us the two hours to Amman, with stops on the way, and dropping us off at our hotel, the La Locanda, another boutique hotel -- this one with a music theme. The rooms did not have numbers, but rather the names of a famous middle eastern singers or musicians. Our room was named Sabah Fakhri, a Syrian tenor. The next morning Azzam picked us up and took us to the Citadel and then we sat and had a relaxing tea at a restaurant that overlooked the main street. We wanted to get to the airport for our flight to Cairo that night so he obliged us and took us there. Jordan was a great trip.

But it wasn't over because we had to fly back into Amman from Cairo, then cross over the border again into Israel. This was a challenge, because it was a Friday and the Israel border closed at 11 am and our flight was scheduled to arrive at 9 am. But thanks to our tenacious driver Azzam, who picked us up at the airport (and said we got through in only 15 minutes!) and told us he was quite sure we would make it in time as he ferried us through the confusing mass of people on the Jordanian side of the border, we made it! Amjad picked us up on the other side of the border and drove us to the Jerusalem bus station and needless to say we made it to the rest of our destinations. It was quite an experience, that border crossing day. Sometimes we didn't know what was being said among the parties involved. All I know is Azzam said to take care of the bus driver, which we did. A couple on the bus behind us did not know what was going on, had shelled out a hefty "tax" to somebody and were quite bewildered by it all. Thanks to Kimkim I feel like we were quite spared. Thanks so much to Lena, who answered every email and every question I had. Mary

Our only complaint was that our driver, Azzam, suggested that we leave Petra earlier than the itinerary called for because we didn't need that much time Petra and so that we could have more time at the camp in Wadi Rum before sunset. We found we did want that additional time, and there was nothing gained from getting to the Wadi Rum camp earlier. It was mid-July, and our tent was barely habitable in the heat, but we couldn't be outside. Otherwise, Azzam was great, but this suggestion was not a good one.

great tour, organization and communication with my agent Lena

We had a great Driver in Jordan who was quite knowledgable and personable. Our tour guide for Bethlehem was amazing and provided with the knowledge and experience we were hoping for on our trip.

Lena was great to work with, providing guidance to meet our needs in terms of timing and sights.

Jordan:
Akram Halabi is a fantastic driver/guide. We were so fortunate to have his advice, descriptions of sights, and recommendations. Highly recommend Akram!

We found the day at Jerash and Um Qais to be long and tiring, with the focus being solely on ancient ruins. The lunch spot, Green Valley, which Akfram recommended was the highlight of the day.

The La Locanda Hotel is quite nice, but... read more

Lena was great to work with, providing guidance to meet our needs in terms of timing and sights.

Jordan:
Akram Halabi is a fantastic driver/guide. We were so fortunate to have his advice, descriptions of sights, and recommendations. Highly recommend Akram!

We found the day at Jerash and Um Qais to be long and tiring, with the focus being solely on ancient ruins. The lunch spot, Green Valley, which Akfram recommended was the highlight of the day.

The La Locanda Hotel is quite nice, but some rooms have limited electrical outlets for guests' use.

Visiting Madaba, Mt. Nebo, and the Dead Sea was fascinating and fun. The Dead Sea Spa Hotel was a bit "worn around the edges," in need of updating. The dinner and breakfast buffets are clearly focused on large tour groups, and we found the food to be largely inedible, devoid of flavor and quality. Brad got very sick the day we left, from eating improperly washed fruit for breakfast at the Dead Sea Spa Hotel, which had a vastly negative effect on his enjoyment of the first day at Petra.

Petra is, of course, the crown jewel of Jordan. The hotel, The Petra Guesthouse, is lovely and has a great location right next to the entrance of the Petra Archaeological Park. The included breakfast at the Petra Guesthouse was excellent.

I would suggest asking clients whether or not they want to have a family visit in Petra. We were exhausted from having spent the day visiting the sights in the archaeological park, so we would have preferred to just stay at the hotel. Since Brad was very sick, he did not attend the family dinner. I was not provided with any contact information for the driver in Petra to go to the family dinner; and, since "outside" drivers are not permitted in the security gate to the hotel, I had to search around for a driver. The driver and the father of the host family did not have any signs that indicated that they worked with In2Jordan, so I was a bit leary about getting into a car with two total strangers and heading off onto local roads to a nearby village. Everything worked out OK, but the family visit was quite awkward in that only the father of the family spoke English, and he seemed more interested in smoking cigarettes incessantly than in engaging with me or his family. I reeked with smoke by the time I got home, so I had to shower and hand-wash my clothes. Frankly, it seemed that he wanted to get the family meal obligation over with as soon as possible, and I was OK with that approach since I was not enjoying myself at all.

The back tour of Petra to the Monastery was excellent, and the guide (Tariq?) was quite good.

We then went to the Memoriet Aicha Luxury Camp in Wadi Rum. Do not book guests into the "Panorama" rooms, which are miserably hot, to the point that Rich almost passed out. In addition, the plastic domes are worn and torn, with the clear panels for the panoramic view clouded and cracked to the point that you couldn't really see out of them. The front desk manager had told us before we went to the room that the air-conditioning wasn't working very well, and that we would be upgraded for free if we found the rooms too hot. Fortunately, we were able to move to another tent. The camel tour was quite fun.

The jeep ride the next day was very interesting, but lasted 2.5 hours instead of 3 hours because the driver said he had to get to other guests.

By the time we got to Aqaba, we were exhausted and had little interest in going snorkeling or other beach activities, so the time at Aqaba became a day of rest for us. For being a seaside town, Aqaba did not have many decent restaurants that focused on fish or seafood. The La Costa hotel was quite good, except that there were no chairs (including no desk chair) in the room.

Israel:

Our Israeli driver, George, explained that he was not a guide, but only a driver, so he didn't even explain the basis importance of sights on the first day, e.g., Masada and Qum Ran. We would have skipped both those sights since the signage at both places was limited and lacked any real information about the historical significance of the location. Both seemed more focused on shepherding tourists towards their gift shops and restaurants than on the archaeological and historical significance of the sights. Both sights are overrun by tour buses. We then traveled to Jerusalem to stay at the Gloria Hotel, which is in a great location with comfortable beds and good bathrooms/showers. No bottled water is provided by the hotel (unlike every other hotel we stayed in), and the wifi service is very weak and spotty. Since the Gloria Hotel is focused on tour groups, the meals are buffet-style with OK, but not great, food.

There was some mix-up on which day we were to have a private guide for Bethlehem, but once that issue got sorted out, we were SO fortunate that Khadra Zreineh was our guide. She is magnificent! She's knowledgeable about the historical and religious significance of the various sights; she's excellent at knowing how to navigate sights to avoid standing in long lines; she explained the Palestine/Israel political issues clearly; plus, she's friendly, professional, and intelligent. We enjoyed her so much that we engaged her for another day to guide us in Jerusalem. We recommend that you strongly suggest that future guests hire a guide for both Bethlehem and Jerusalem. And, if you can book her services, we suggest that you always engage Khadra as a guide. By the end of the two days, we were referring to Khadra as our Palestinian sister!

We liked having a free day in Jerusalem to get outside the Old City walls.

We liked the Dizengoff Avenue Hotel, which is in a great location (15-minute walk to the beach; 2-minute walk to dozens of restaurants). The rooms are large (except for tiny bathrooms), with two stools at the desk area, which we appreciated. The KimKim/In2Jordan itinerary indicated that breakfast was included, but the hotel had no records or vouchers for us, so we paid independently for our breakfast. If your clients are "foodies," we recommend that they book a table - or better yet, a seat at the bar overlooking the open kitchen - at Claro. While it is not cheap, it is a top-notch, world-class restaurant, worthy of an evening out.

All-in-all, we were very pleased with the KimKim/In2Jordan trip. With a few minor tweaks (eliminating spending the first day visiting only ruins; reserving tent rooms - and not space bubbles - at the Bedouin camp; and eliminating the home dinner with locals in Petra), it would have been a fantastic trip.