Marina Courtaut

Entire trip met our expectations regarding hotel quality, logistics and service by Marina and The Espiritu team.

Our issues were all with booked events.
The coordinator, Carlos, for the Alhambra tour directed us to stand alone at the wrong meeting point without asking a question. Then he failed to look for us while we stood only 15 meters away. Luckily, we found Edo in the Alhambra and had a great experience.
The flamenco show started 30 minutes before our scheduled time.
The tapas tour started 30 minutes after our scheduled time.

Our recent trip to Portugal was amazing and exceeded our expectations! The trip started in Porto, and our hotel was nice, our city/culinary tour with Angela was great! We enjoyed the market, oldest restaurant in Porto, and all the food and knowledge that Angela shared with us. Emanuel was a great follow up and shared his perspective of the city , allowing us to explore on our own afterwards. Wilson and the Douro Valley tour was a true highlight with lunch at Maos vineyard. We can hardly wait... read more

Our recent trip to Portugal was amazing and exceeded our expectations! The trip started in Porto, and our hotel was nice, our city/culinary tour with Angela was great! We enjoyed the market, oldest restaurant in Porto, and all the food and knowledge that Angela shared with us. Emanuel was a great follow up and shared his perspective of the city , allowing us to explore on our own afterwards. Wilson and the Douro Valley tour was a true highlight with lunch at Maos vineyard. We can hardly wait for our wine to be shipped!
Marina really listened to what we wanted and the Portugal Boutique Hotel was a pleasure to stay in. Tony took us to Fatima on the way which we really appreciated. While in Lisbon, we had a great tour of the city, explored on our own, and were taken by Marta to the castle, stopped to look at cork trees, and finished the day at a roadside restaurant for a delicious lunch. With Marta, we felt as if we were with a friend showing us her country.
Final trip to Lagos in our rental was without incident, and we marveled at the landscape. Our final hotel was just gorgeous and we could not have been happier! Food, wine, and catamaran trip just highlighted the beautiful country of Portugal.
Final review? This trip was absolutely beyond our expectations on all levels! It checked all the boxes for us and we were sad to leave! Thank you to Marina for making it happen for us!

Hotel Reviews

The Editory House Ribeira

Porto

Nice minimalistic hotel. Very helpful staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to everything

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Portugal Boutique Hotel

Lisbon

Great large room with all the comfort of home!

Authenticity & Character

Location

One block from square. Near everything.

Staff

Helpful, prompt!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vivenda Miranda

Lagos

What a beautiful hotel and perfect location!

Authenticity & Character

Great good, great service, beautiful rooms!

Location

The views were incredible!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

TRYP Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

Walkable from airport, nice quiet room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Foodie Experience in Porto

Porto

No need for dinner after this experience. Wonderful, great tour all around!

Quality of Experience

So much to see, do, eat and drink !

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Angela was a great guide and took really good care of us. She shared life experiences and was very knowledgeable!

Private Guided Visit of Porto

Porto

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day Excursion to Douro Valley, Wine Tasting & River Cruise

Porto

Nelson was a lot of fun and knowledgeable. He changed our Douro River Cruise to happen prior to our tastings which was fine but the boat was full and we had to sit inside. Still great views though. Our tastings were wonderful and lunch at Maos Vineyard was beyond expectations! The owner Rafael joined us in his dining room and the food and wine was excellent! Can’t say enough about the whole experience! Fantastic!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Excursion to Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Lisbon

Great trip to Peña Palace, Sintra and lunch at roadside cafe!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marta was excellent, very knowledgeable about the towns, the surrounding area. She shared her life story with us, made us feel like friends, and made stops along the way to look at cork trees, visit a fire station, and enjoy a regional lunch. Great day!

Transport

Catamaran Trip to Benagil Caves

Portugal

Nice ride, attentive crew, great views of the caves from the ocean. Little bit too cold for us to swim but others took advantage.

Quality of Experience

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Coimbra

Portugal

We changed the stop and visited Fatima instead. Tony was a good driver who was very agreeable!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Good walk about in Lisbon with a stop to taste some Eduardino!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I had the absolute pleasure of working with Marina at KimKim to plan our honeymoon to Spain, and I cannot express enough how grateful we are for her exceptional expertise and incredible dedication. Marina made the entire process a breeze, taking away any worries or stress that we had about planning a trip to a country we had never visited before.

From the very beginning, Marina's warmth and professionalism shone through. As first-time international travelers, my husband and I were feeling... read more

I had the absolute pleasure of working with Marina at KimKim to plan our honeymoon to Spain, and I cannot express enough how grateful we are for her exceptional expertise and incredible dedication. Marina made the entire process a breeze, taking away any worries or stress that we had about planning a trip to a country we had never visited before.

From the very beginning, Marina's warmth and professionalism shone through. As first-time international travelers, my husband and I were feeling a bit overwhelmed by the logistics and intricacies of planning a honeymoon. However, Marina's extensive knowledge and experience put us at ease. She patiently listened to our desires and aspirations for our honeymoon and took the time to truly understand what we were looking for.

We explained to Marina that we wanted a romantic and immersive experience, where we could truly soak in the beauty of Spain's nature, architecture, and culture. And let me tell you, she exceeded all our expectations. Marina's deep understanding of the country, combined with her innate creativity, resulted in a meticulously crafted itinerary that catered perfectly to our desires.

One of the aspects that made working with Marina truly outstanding was her invaluable insider knowledge as a native Spaniard. This added a level of authenticity and depth to our trip that we would not have achieved otherwise. Marina was able to suggest activities and private tours that were "off the beaten path," allowing us to uncover hidden gems and experience Spain in a way that felt more intimate and personal.

In fact, two of our most memorable experiences during the honeymoon were activities that Marina initially suggested, and at first, we weren't particularly drawn to them. She encouraged us to visit a Sevillan olive oil estate, where we learned about the intricate process of olive oil production and indulged in a tasting that left our taste buds dancing with delight. Additionally, Marina arranged for a private tour of Granada's St. John of God Basilica and St. Bruno Monastery, led by the remarkable Ruth. We were completely captivated by Ruth's deep knowledge of history, art, religion, and culture, and her engaging storytelling and sense of humor made our tour truly enchanting.

Throughout our journey, we were continually impressed by the quality of the tour guides Marina had in her network. Each guide was not only incredibly knowledgeable but also passionate about sharing their love for their respective regions. They went above and beyond to ensure that our experiences were immersive, informative, and truly unforgettable.

Thanks to Marina's impeccable planning, attention to detail, and unwavering dedication, we had the honeymoon of our dreams. Every aspect of the trip, from the carefully selected accommodations to the seamless transportation arrangements, worked harmoniously to create an experience that exceeded our wildest imaginations.

As we reflect on our time in Spain, one thing is certain: Marina's expertise and guidance were instrumental in making our honeymoon an unforgettable journey. Her professionalism, creativity, and genuine care for our experience truly set her apart. We are eternally grateful for her tireless efforts in crafting a trip that perfectly encapsulated our desires and allowed us to fall even more deeply in love with Spain.

In the future, without a doubt, Marina at KimKim will be our go-to resource for all our travel needs in Spain. Her unparalleled expertise, unwavering commitment to excellence, and ability to create personalized and extraordinary experiences make her an invaluable asset for anyone seeking an unforgettable adventure in this captivating country.

Thank you, Marina, for curating a honeymoon beyond our wildest dreams. Your passion, dedication, and exceptional service have left an indelible mark on our hearts, and we eagerly look forward to our next adventure with you at the helm.

Activity Reviews

Visit an Andalusian Olive Oil Estate

Seville

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided visit of Monasterio Cartuja and Basilica de San Juan de Dios

Granada

Marina arranged for a private tour of Granada's St. John of God Basilica and St. Bruno Monastery, led by the remarkable Ruth. We were completely captivated by Ruth's deep knowledge of history, art, religion, and culture, and her engaging storytelling and sense of humor made our tour truly enchanting. Our experience with Ruth was one of the highlights of our honeymoon, as we learned so much from her!! 10/10 recommend Ruth for all tourists visiting Granada!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great trip well organized Marina is amazing

Our trip to the Dominican Republic was amazing thanks to Kimkim and our local travel specialist Marina. The trip was well-planned and customized appropriately to our needs and wishes. This service allowed us a stress-free trip preparation experience and enabled us to enjoy traveling to a country where we we not fluent in the language. All of our accommodations, drivers and excursions were awesome! We got the authentic travel experience we wanted, and learned so much about Dominican history... read more

Our trip to the Dominican Republic was amazing thanks to Kimkim and our local travel specialist Marina. The trip was well-planned and customized appropriately to our needs and wishes. This service allowed us a stress-free trip preparation experience and enabled us to enjoy traveling to a country where we we not fluent in the language. All of our accommodations, drivers and excursions were awesome! We got the authentic travel experience we wanted, and learned so much about Dominican history and culture during our stay. We much appreciated the included meals, which featured nutritious, locally grown products, and enabled us to sample Dominican cuisine.

An important note to mention however is, if you are like us, and want to support small local businesses, it is good to come prepared with a mindset on what you want to purchase or how much you can spend prior to entering shopping spaces, and being prepared to negotiate on price (or even politely say no). Although the majority of the vendors we encountered were easy-going and helpful, several of the vendors at Tres Ojos National Park were overly aggressive and tried to overcharge for their products. Being prepared for this and having basic level Spanish helps the traveler immensely in these situations. This was a minor issue however, and did not detract from what was an overall great trip to the stunning Tres Ojos limestone caves.

Our most memorable excursion was the hike adventure to El Limon Waterfall, where the views were breath-taking. We were fortunate to have a wonderful guide Andres, who took great care of us on this challenging trek through the forest and rocky landscapes.

Our day trip to Playa Rincon and Caño Frio was also memorable for the natural beauty of the Samana region and our knowledgeable guide Frank, who gave us a wealth of information on Dominican life. This was a relaxing way to spend the last day of our trip.

On the last morning of our trip, we encountered a problem when our driver had car trouble and was not able to pick us up for transport to the airport. It was a simple process for us to contact our travel specialist Marina, who came through for us and arranged for an alternate driver (Cabayeron), who was diligent about getting us to the airport safely and on time. Kudos to Marina for exceptional local travel specialist support during this trip. We love the Kimkim business philosophy and would definitely use Kimkim again for future trips. We whole-heartedly recommend Kimkim to other travelers.

Hotel Reviews

Hodelpa Caribe Colonial

Santo Domingo

Great hotel for a stay in Santo Domingo. It is conveniently located in the Colonial Zone area with many restaurants and historic places to visit within walking distance. Our room was clean and comfortable. Hotel front desk staff were professional and very responsive to our needs. Complimentary breakfasts were delightful and featured many local dishes.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mosquito Boutique Hotel

Las Terrenas

Mosquito Boutique was delightful place to stay. Located right on the beach, the views were exquisite, especially at sunrise and sunset. The onsite restaurant was very convenient for dinners, and also provided an awesome daily breakfast for hotel guests. The overall vibe of the place was very relaxed and friendly, and hotel staff were very accommodating. Our room was clean and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Los Tres Ojos National Park Excursion

Santo Domingo

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Adventure to El Limón Waterfall

Samaná

Quality of Experience

Food

The Dominican lunch provided by Restaurante Santi after our hike was awesome!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full day excursion to Playa Rincón

Samaná

Quality of Experience

Food

The local lunch provided onsite at the beach was wonderful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Amazing trip! Guides that deserve special mention were Teresa, our bike tour guide in Seville and Vincente our guide at the Alhambra. read more

Amazing trip! Guides that deserve special mention were Teresa, our bike tour guide in Seville and Vincente our guide at the Alhambra.

Hotel Reviews

Only YOU Hotel Atocha

Madrid

Great location opposite train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Opposite train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Smart Suites Albaicin Apartments

Granada

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private City Bike Tour

Seville

Very good tour with Teresa. Great having a local showing us around. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Tour of the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens

Spain

Needed more information about where to meet our guide. We didn't have a voucher and were told where the meeting place was. There were so many guides and it was confusing trying to find which group we were with.

Valencia Urban Wine and Tapas Tour

Valencia

Guide Maria was lovely but didn't have much information about us or what we were expecting from the tour. From our perspective, we thought we'd be part of a bigger group going to a variety of tapas bars. We enjoyed the tour, due to our lovely guide, but probably needed more information about this tour.

The guides we had were all excellent and most of all very kind. Marina did a great job for us. The only hotel that we found to be just ok was the Don Carlos. Uber drivers we contacted for a ride to some of our tours did not want to come to our hotel but asked us to come out to a very busy circle. The problem with that was that we had no internet out there and had a difficult time identifying our drivers. The traffic around the Don Carlos is very congested. We might have preferred staying... read more

The guides we had were all excellent and most of all very kind. Marina did a great job for us. The only hotel that we found to be just ok was the Don Carlos. Uber drivers we contacted for a ride to some of our tours did not want to come to our hotel but asked us to come out to a very busy circle. The problem with that was that we had no internet out there and had a difficult time identifying our drivers. The traffic around the Don Carlos is very congested. We might have preferred staying closer to the start of our food and walking tours.
We were challenged by driving directions. Our GPS in the rental car did not work. Because we are of a certain age this was our first time traveling with our phone as our primary guide. My understanding is that Portugal Trails does map out your trip with specific directions via GPS which would have been helpful. My big takeaway from Portugal was the kindness of the Portuguese people.

Our trip to Madrid and Barcelona included several great private and small group tours which were almost all very kid-friendly and enjoyable. Our Boqueria tour and paella cooking class was the most engaging and fun, while our tour with Matt to Costa Brava and Girona was a beautiful and relaxing chance to visit the quieter parts of Catalunya. Our Madrid hotel was great and centrally located, while our Barcelona hotel was located in a grafitti-filled neighborhood with tons of homeless people... read more

Our trip to Madrid and Barcelona included several great private and small group tours which were almost all very kid-friendly and enjoyable. Our Boqueria tour and paella cooking class was the most engaging and fun, while our tour with Matt to Costa Brava and Girona was a beautiful and relaxing chance to visit the quieter parts of Catalunya. Our Madrid hotel was great and centrally located, while our Barcelona hotel was located in a grafitti-filled neighborhood with tons of homeless people which was a bit of a long walk from all attractions. Overall, everyone enjoyed Madrid and the day trips to Toledo and other smaller cities the most.

Marina planned an excellent trip to Spain that was truly off the beaten path! For all of our excursions, we had local guides who were personable, knowledgeable, and extraordinarily helpful for any questions we had or recommendations for places to eat. We greatly enjoyed our bike tour of Barcelona that hit many of the famous Gaudi houses, our small group tour of Montserrat accompanied by a wine tour, our private tour of La Sagrada Familia, our cooking class where we made paella, and multiple... read more

Marina planned an excellent trip to Spain that was truly off the beaten path! For all of our excursions, we had local guides who were personable, knowledgeable, and extraordinarily helpful for any questions we had or recommendations for places to eat. We greatly enjoyed our bike tour of Barcelona that hit many of the famous Gaudi houses, our small group tour of Montserrat accompanied by a wine tour, our private tour of La Sagrada Familia, our cooking class where we made paella, and multiple private walking tours that got us quickly acclimated to each city we visited! Marina was always available for any questions we had and offered additional recommendations for places to go and eat.

Our trip was everything we had hoped it would be and Marina made it happen! I had a very limited amount of time to plan this trip and she made herself available to answer any questions or concerns we had. I will absolutely use kimkim again and highly recommend it. Marina is the icing on the cake!

Response time while in Spain was also exceptional. We had a couple of questions during our travels and we received help almost instantly.

Thank you for making our trip so memorable! read more

Our trip was everything we had hoped it would be and Marina made it happen! I had a very limited amount of time to plan this trip and she made herself available to answer any questions or concerns we had. I will absolutely use kimkim again and highly recommend it. Marina is the icing on the cake!

Response time while in Spain was also exceptional. We had a couple of questions during our travels and we received help almost instantly.

Thank you for making our trip so memorable!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel España Ramblas

Barcelona

Don't recommend. Location is good but that's it.

Authenticity & Character

Location

in the center of the gothic quarter

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Windows fogged and mold. bathrooms not comfortable and could be cleaner. Not great

Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona

Barcelona

Perfect location in Barcelona. Safe, friendly, beautiful, clean. We'd love to visit again. They treated us like royalty! Food was terrific as well.

Authenticity & Character

They keep true to the history and it's exceptionally maintained

Location

Staff

Can't compliment enough

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Aiguablava

Costa Brava · Girona

Beautiful location and private beach. Very helpful staff

Authenticity & Character

Location

Beach! Views!

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, comfortable. I wish they had more food options. Breakfast was great but after our first night, we left for meals elsewhere. Only drink service at pool. It would be awesome if they offered some kind of food service poolside instead of chips and prepackaged icecream.

Activity Reviews

Day Trip to Montserrat & Penedès Region Wine Tasting

Barcelona

Our guide made it special for us. Super friendly. Llopart winery was very fun!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayaking Excursion

Spain

Guide was great! Beautiful day and plenty of time to jump off of rocks and swim. Beautiful way to experience the seaside of Spain and it's ocean wildlife.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We’ve traveled extensively through Europe and always planned our own trips but we didn’t have time to plan this year. Luckily we found kimkim which focuses on independent travelers.

Our journey started in Barcelona. We flew to southern Spain rented a car and stayed in Granada, Seville and ended our trip in Madrid.

Marina planned a wonderful trip for us. From the moment we started planning and throughout the actual trip Marina and her team were very responsive and always available to... read more

We’ve traveled extensively through Europe and always planned our own trips but we didn’t have time to plan this year. Luckily we found kimkim which focuses on independent travelers.

Our journey started in Barcelona. We flew to southern Spain rented a car and stayed in Granada, Seville and ended our trip in Madrid.

Marina planned a wonderful trip for us. From the moment we started planning and throughout the actual trip Marina and her team were very responsive and always available to answer any questions.

All the activities Marina organized went off beautifully. The guides we had for each walking tour of the cities were on time and excellent.

In Barcelona we enjoyed a tapas dinner and Marina got us excellent seats at a concert in the marvelous Palau Música and tickets to Gaudi locations.

Loved the Scents tour of Granada and all the recommendations given of what to do and where to eat in each city. We had a particular interest in Pedro Almadovar and Marina provided lots of information from film locations to where he lived and personal background.

The app was incredibly helpful and easy to use so all four of us knew the itinerary. The tickets were easy to pull up in the app and guides phone numbers available.

Thank you Marina for all your help. We look forward to using kimkim again.

Hotel Reviews

Midtown Apartments

Barcelona

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eric Vökel Boutique Apartments - Madrid Suites

Madrid

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chez Moi - Plaza Nueva Luxury Apartment

Granada

Incredible views of Alhambra from apartment and rooftop. Meticulously cleaned. Management very helpful. Loved this place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Luz de Sevilla Apartment

Seville

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tapas Culinary Experience

Barcelona

Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Guided Visit of Granada Through Its Scents

Granada

Tour of the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens

Spain

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Flamenco Show

Granada

Quality of Experience

Guided Visit of Seville

Seville

Self Drive {{start_location}} to {{end_location}} via Córdoba

Spain

Cordoba is a wonderful stop along the way to Madrid.

Guided Visit of Toledo

Spain

Take this day trip. High speed train excellent. Cathedral fabulous. Toledo incredible.

Guided Visit of Madrid: History, Culture & Architecture of the Capital of Spain

Madrid

Great experience- everything met or exceeded our expectations. Marina and staff were accessible and responsive to any questions or concerns during the planning and the trip itself. We loved our custom itinerary and the travel app they provided us for the trip. We’ve recommended Kimkim to a number of family and friends. read more

Great experience- everything met or exceeded our expectations. Marina and staff were accessible and responsive to any questions or concerns during the planning and the trip itself. We loved our custom itinerary and the travel app they provided us for the trip. We’ve recommended Kimkim to a number of family and friends.

Marina was fantastic. The organization and transports really took the stress out of planning and traveling. We absolutely loved every city, especially Granada and Cádiz where we had the opportunity to relax and really take in the amazing history and culture. Fantastic tour guides, great hotel locations even with a smaller budget. I also loved that even with some downtime and free afternoons, there were a ton of great recommendations and literature about each city on the itinerary. We never... read more

Marina was fantastic. The organization and transports really took the stress out of planning and traveling. We absolutely loved every city, especially Granada and Cádiz where we had the opportunity to relax and really take in the amazing history and culture. Fantastic tour guides, great hotel locations even with a smaller budget. I also loved that even with some downtime and free afternoons, there were a ton of great recommendations and literature about each city on the itinerary. We never felt lost, stressed, or like we didn’t have hundreds of exciting options, even on free afternoons. We were also having trouble getting tickets to some of the Gaudí sites in Barcelona and Marina was able to quickly get us tickets at great times. If we had a question about anything, she always responded quickly and was able to help us in record time. Thank you so much Marina and KimKim for a fantastic trip!

Hotel Review

Palacio de Santa Inés Hotel

Granada

This hotel is lovely and comfortable with amazing views. We also loved the breakfast. The location is fantastic, right next to a bustling plaza with some of the best tapas we had the entire trip. Thanks so much for making our stay in Granada even more beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful, great location, incredible views.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tour of the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens

Spain

Jaime was an amazing guide! His passion and excitement for the Alhambra was inspiring and apparent throughout the tour. He was patient and answered any question we had. Highly recommend this experience. It was a main highlight of our trip!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Visit of Seville

Seville

Pablo was a wealth of information. He is so clearly passionate and knowledgeable. His energy was infectious and the 3 hours flew by!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a fantastic trip to Spain and it was largely due to the planning and thoughtfulness of our agent Marina. She helped us plan a fantastic anniversary trip while staying on budget! She also kept us informed and up to date on any changes and was consistently responsive to any questions we had both in planning the trip and while we were there! Would definitely use her for a trip in the future!

Mauel in Porto, Sara's replacement in Coimbra, Jose in Lisbon, and Paulo in Sintra all did a wonderful job. Filipi did an okay job in Bragga---but the concept of driving us to a location to let us walk around on our own was not really beneficial to us. Duro Valley boat trip did not happen because the guide was not at the location we were told to meet him---that experience was disappointing and also the discussion with KimKim regarding the guide proved very frustrating. read more

Mauel in Porto, Sara's replacement in Coimbra, Jose in Lisbon, and Paulo in Sintra all did a wonderful job. Filipi did an okay job in Bragga---but the concept of driving us to a location to let us walk around on our own was not really beneficial to us. Duro Valley boat trip did not happen because the guide was not at the location we were told to meet him---that experience was disappointing and also the discussion with KimKim regarding the guide proved very frustrating.

Hotel Reviews

Rossio Boutique Hotel

Lisbon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Overall nice hotel

The Editory House Ribeira

Porto

Very friendly and helpful group.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quinta de Casaldronho Wine Hotel

Lamego

Very narrow and winding road to access. Would not really recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Nothing....just difficult to access

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautiful views

Sapientia Boutique Hotel

Coimbra

Very nice view and nice room

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Vintage Car Tour of Porto

Porto

Okay but the vintage car really did not add anything

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Excursion to Braga & Guimarães

Porto

Since the guide just drove you to a location and dropped you off....not really of much value.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

River Boat Experience in Douro Valley

Douro Valley

Guide was not where we were told to meet him and therefore missed tour on boat. As with all guides they should have a KimKim sign or some other way for the traveler to recognize them. We were very vigilant in trying to find guides and did use the phone to locate....this guide did not answer his phone or text.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Guided Visit of Coimbra

Portugal

we enjoyed and guide was very informative

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Architectural & Historical Highlights of Lisbon

Lisbon

enjoyed and guide was informative.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Day Excursion to Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Lisbon

Guide was good and informative....but the hype of visiting Sintra was overrated in my opinion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We continued to be pleasantly surprised throughout the trip by all the information and experiences and local guides that Kim Kim sourced and provided for our trip. We felt like we had the most exciting and authentic experience and it felt very much tailored to the style and taste of travel we were looking for.
in the planning stages, Marina was great at adding and altering the trip to our needs as we figured out the days, pacing and activities we wanted to do. Marina was also very... read more

We continued to be pleasantly surprised throughout the trip by all the information and experiences and local guides that Kim Kim sourced and provided for our trip. We felt like we had the most exciting and authentic experience and it felt very much tailored to the style and taste of travel we were looking for.
in the planning stages, Marina was great at adding and altering the trip to our needs as we figured out the days, pacing and activities we wanted to do. Marina was also very accommodating and managed to make changes to the trip while we were in Portugal which was amazing to be able to do this and allowed us to alter our travel stress-free.
Although the pre-planning and documents provided were amazing and easy to understand. I wish that we organized a call to discuss the trip with Marina, that was an oversight on our end. I think it would have been great to go through each day and be able to ask general questions.
It was amazing to have an App available with all travel information in one place. This is time-saving and made the trip easy to navigate while we were on the go!
I have already recommended Kim Kim to friends who are looking for some help booking their next vacation.

Hotel Reviews

Sapientia Boutique Hotel

Coimbra

Very cool hotel in the perfect location for a trip to Coimbra! The chef and staff very friendly and welcoming. I wish that they had a bellboy service to help with the bags to and from reception to the main streets, it is a little tricky coming in and out of the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vila Galé Douro Vineyards

Armamar

The exterior of the property and view is outstanding! The staff were very nice, friendly, and informative. The food was only OK, I recommend going out to dinner if possible. The rooms also had a great view but were also more on the basic and smaller side. I think it would help if they put less furniture in the rooms, we found it hard for 2 people to put our bags in the room and get ready to go out.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Porto Cooking Class & Market Visit

Porto

This was a true highlight of the trip! Our guide and chef were personable and knowledgeable. The food was OUTSTANDING! and tailored to our tastes.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Get to Know Lisbon with a Local

Lisbon

Our guide was very knowledgeable and we felt like we learned so much! She had great stories and antidotes of the past and present.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Get to know Porto by E-bike

Porto

Our guide was so cool and sweet! A local that loved his city and showed us some of the most beautiful beaches and parks in the city, it was a treat to see this on bike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Day Excursion to Sintra, Cascais & Estoril

Lisbon

We got a great showing of the area and our guide was very personable and knowledgeable! A wonderful day with lots of great spots and yummy food.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wine experience in the Douro Valley

Douro Valley

Our guide was fantastic! We had the best lunch experience, one of the best of the trip! and we were able to cater the day to our specific needs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was wonderful and the timing each day went off without a hitch. We had good communications with Marina in planning the trip and when we added another couple to the original 6 travelers very late in the process she was able to change things around to accommodate the drivers and the hotels seamlessly.
The tour guides were knowledgeable and flexible when we wanted to deviate from the planned program. Their language skills made us envious, and we were never at a loss to understand what... read more

The trip was wonderful and the timing each day went off without a hitch. We had good communications with Marina in planning the trip and when we added another couple to the original 6 travelers very late in the process she was able to change things around to accommodate the drivers and the hotels seamlessly.
The tour guides were knowledgeable and flexible when we wanted to deviate from the planned program. Their language skills made us envious, and we were never at a loss to understand what they were conveying or asking questions to better understand what we were seeing.
The hotels we stayed in were very nice and always located in great areas for restaurants, sightseeing and shopping. All in all, it was a wonderful experience for the four couples, and a memorable experience for four brothers and their wives.

Our trip far surpassed our expectations. Marina listened and executed our 2-week adventure. She did an amazing job. She was there all the way from start to finish . I have never used KimKim before, but they are my go to for all my international travels. read more

Our trip far surpassed our expectations. Marina listened and executed our 2-week adventure. She did an amazing job. She was there all the way from start to finish . I have never used KimKim before, but they are my go to for all my international travels.

Marina was exceptionally helpful and responsive in working with me to plan this 2 week trip. We visited Lisbon, Évora, Funchal (Island of Madeira), Porto & Cascais. All of our daytime tours and intercity transportation came together like clock work. Our hotel properties at each stop were well located and provided comfort with nice amenities. Everything was great but we especially highly recommend a visit to Madeira. We won't hesitate to use KimKim for our future travel planning. read more

Marina was exceptionally helpful and responsive in working with me to plan this 2 week trip. We visited Lisbon, Évora, Funchal (Island of Madeira), Porto & Cascais. All of our daytime tours and intercity transportation came together like clock work. Our hotel properties at each stop were well located and provided comfort with nice amenities. Everything was great but we especially highly recommend a visit to Madeira. We won't hesitate to use KimKim for our future travel planning.

This is the 3rd time we've used Kimkim for our travels and it was a bit disappointing. Our first hotel, the Casual Belle Epoque was supposedly 4 star and it should have been a 3. The room, the breakfast, it just was not a 4 star hotel. The last day we came in and the room smelled of sewage. We contacted Marina and said we would like a different hotel for our last night in Lisbon but it was going to be yet more money and a cancellation fee.
The drivers were another issue. We had a day... read more

This is the 3rd time we've used Kimkim for our travels and it was a bit disappointing. Our first hotel, the Casual Belle Epoque was supposedly 4 star and it should have been a 3. The room, the breakfast, it just was not a 4 star hotel. The last day we came in and the room smelled of sewage. We contacted Marina and said we would like a different hotel for our last night in Lisbon but it was going to be yet more money and a cancellation fee.
The drivers were another issue. We had a day excusion to Sintra, Cascais & Estoril with a guide/driver named Paulo. We felt we were being hustled the entire time. He had us go to this port wine place for a tasting in Sintra. Obviously he had an interest there as he was pouring samples for people. Somehow we let them talk us into buying a way overpriced bottle of port (we later learned from an actual winery owner in the Douro Valley that we were scammed). Then he wanted us to go to this specific restaurant on the coast, near Cascais. We went in and waited then decided we simply didn't want to wait and left to walk the beach. He wanted to know what happened, why did we leave, clearly he had an interest there too.
We had another driver take us from Lisbon to Porto via Coimbra. The problem here was the driver spoke no english and did not understand we had a 3 hour stop in coimbra. We had to call our Kim kim consultant Marina, she had to call him, then we got it straightened out. Problem two arose because he got lost in Porto trying to find our hotel. Heavy traffic, he had a hotel in his phone with the same name but it was in a different city and he could not get the phone to refresh. We pulled up the address in our phone for him, then changed the language to portuguese, all the while he's trying to drive in rush hour traffic, it was not fun. We called Marina and requested english speaking drivers and she said she couldn't guarantee that as they were just there to get us from point A to point B. Well that's not exactly true when he had no idea about our scheduled side trip to Coimbra and he gets lost trying to find our hotel.
We did a day trip to the Douro Valley which was nice. The driver we had for this was Rui, very nice and did a good job. We had told Marina that we did not want to do this riverboat ride down the Douro River, just not our thing. She insisted and said "everyone does this". We told her in another conversation we didn't want to do this. At that point we assumed we had to because it must be the way to get us from one destination to another, it wasn't. It was simply a riverboat ride up and down the river in a packed boat in the pouring rain. We would not have had to do this at all. It made us wonder, she must get a kick back from putting us on the boat.
Our last day in the Porto we had a fantastic guide, Sandra, she was informative, fun and was the kind of guide we were used to getting when booking with Kimkim.
The only time Marina was in contact with us (not including the many times we had to contact her with problems with drivers, etc) was the night before our departure. This certainly was unlike any other trip we've done with you before. This trip was our most expensive and the least well run, we're very disappointed.