Tricia Cantlon

It was my first time using KimKim and I would definitely do it again! My travel advisor, Tricia, was fantastic! She was super responsive and made planning our first trip to Norway so easy and enjoyable! With a little information from me, Tricia put together a fantastic tour that took us from Oslo to Flam to Bergen. Our hotels were fantastic! Even with a little blip in the plan in Oslo, she easily changed our hotel to The Thief which was wonderful. Our tour guide in Oslo, Stig, made Oslo come... read more

It was my first time using KimKim and I would definitely do it again! My travel advisor, Tricia, was fantastic! She was super responsive and made planning our first trip to Norway so easy and enjoyable! With a little information from me, Tricia put together a fantastic tour that took us from Oslo to Flam to Bergen. Our hotels were fantastic! Even with a little blip in the plan in Oslo, she easily changed our hotel to The Thief which was wonderful. Our tour guide in Oslo, Stig, made Oslo come to life (and the city was closed due to the Easter holiday!). The train to Flam was stunning! Tricia took care of our tickets for everything - it was 5 star from beginning to end!

Thank you Tricia!

WOW. We just got back from our honeymoon of a lifetime! Since my husband and I started dating, I always told him of the cold wonders of Norway - the sparkling snow, sharp mountains, and crystal blue ice water of the fjords - and was so excited when we decided to go for our honeymoon. Knowing I would also be planning a wedding, there was no way I would have planned a successful 2-week trip around the beautiful country and that's why I'm so overjoyed I found KimKim. Being able to have a local... read more

WOW. We just got back from our honeymoon of a lifetime! Since my husband and I started dating, I always told him of the cold wonders of Norway - the sparkling snow, sharp mountains, and crystal blue ice water of the fjords - and was so excited when we decided to go for our honeymoon. Knowing I would also be planning a wedding, there was no way I would have planned a successful 2-week trip around the beautiful country and that's why I'm so overjoyed I found KimKim. Being able to have a local specialist with such great knowledge - of both the country and what we were looking for in a vacation - Tricia gave us memories we never would have thought to ask for.
Tricia's kindness and willingness to work with us really made all the difference when planning. She was able to take our initial ideas, such as enjoying ice fishing, food, and beer, and give us things like a Viking dinner at a microbrewery, a walking food tour of Oslo (loved Stig!!), and getting us to see so much more of the country than we had anticipated.
If I could do it all over again, the things I would say you absolutely could not miss would be having an amazing dinner at the Bergen Bors hotel in Bergen, a sleddog ride in Lyngen, and a walking beer tour in Tromso.
We cannot thank Tricia enough for putting together such a wonderful adventure, and Norway for being so awe-inspiring and full of the best people.

Hotel Reviews

Lyngen North Glass Igloo

Lyngen

The Lyngen North hotel is such a unique and incredible experience. You cannot beat the view out into the fjord, and you absolutely cannot beat the talent of the chef there. Out of our vacation across Norway, the dinners at Lyngen North were hands down some of the best food we've ever had. The atmosphere is very calm and clean and the other staff are more than happy to help at any time.

Authenticity & Character

Although the main attraction is the glass igloo, we adored the main hotel area. It was a very modern and tranquil area to relax in.

Location

LOVED the view, but it is very out of the way and would be difficult to do anything outside of your scheduled activities.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfort Hotel Karl Johan

Oslo

The hotel staff was very kind, the breakfast was incredible, and it is very centrally located. The room was quite small but I think having the charming character and decor while also being a few minutes from the train make this a great place to stay.

Authenticity & Character

Very cute and quirky!

Location

Very easy walk from the train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

If you have the chance to stay here, DO. This amazing hotel was nothing short of incredible - very kind and professional staff, the food was delicious, and the building is so beautiful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The view from our room overlooked the harbor and was about a 10 minute walk from the train station.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Oslo Food Trail With a Local Guide

Oslo

We loved our tour with Stig! We had a great time walking around and learning about the city's history and culture.

Dogsledding Evening Tour

Lyngen

Out of two weeks worth of Norwegian adventure, this tour was our favorite! Riding along with the dogs was so easy and it was an absolute joy to see their excitement for running. The trail we went on was perfectly worn in so the dogs did all the work! We were able to have fish soup and coffee by the fire to warm up and really enjoyed the company of the guides.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

So kind and funny!

We had a fantastic trip! It was an experiment travelling with both my kids, and my ex-husband. But it worked out really well. Tricia (my 'secret weapon'!) was a great help organizing and booking everything, suggesting wonderful places to stay, and giving inside advice to help us navigate along the way. I particularly appreciated the in-country support both from Tricia, and from Tom when Tricia was away. read more

We had a fantastic trip! It was an experiment travelling with both my kids, and my ex-husband. But it worked out really well. Tricia (my 'secret weapon'!) was a great help organizing and booking everything, suggesting wonderful places to stay, and giving inside advice to help us navigate along the way. I particularly appreciated the in-country support both from Tricia, and from Tom when Tricia was away.

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Terminus

Oslo

The most amazing breakfast ever! The staff at the hotel were very friendly and helpful, and the rooms bright and colourful. There was tea and coffee in the reception area at any time.

Authenticity & Character

loved the colours!

Location

just a few minutes walk from the central train station, bus and tram lines

Staff

very helpful with directions and using public transport system

Cleanliness & Comfort

beds were really comfortable

Grand Hotel Terminus

Bergen

Excellent location, helpful staff, very comfortable beds, full of character, a little dark. We left very early in the morning to catch a flight, and they provided us a packed breakfast - unfortunately this included bottles of orange juice which didn't make it through security :-(

Authenticity & Character

very grand, vintage hotel, grand piano (very out of tune!) on one floor, interesting artwork

Location

a few steps from the main station (just go under the arch and you're there)

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

super comfortable beds

Havila Voyages

Fosnavåg

A relatively new cruise ship - so new that there were no signs at the harbour in Bodo, so we were a little confused as to where we should wait/embark [it comes in to the Hurtigruten quay]. We only went from Bodo to Tromso, but it was quite an experience to get a little taste of what life on cruise is like. The ship itself was beautiful, the cabins were bright, clean and comfortable, there was plenty of deck space to wander and to enjoy the scenery from. There was an interesting film about the Northern Lights, and interesting information panels about the history of Havila, fishing in the area, the Sami women's lives etc. There was even a sauna and jacuzzi on the top deck that anyone could use! The food was very good, though the portions a little small for a 6ft 3" 15 year old boy [we were allowed to order several breakfasts :-) ]

Authenticity & Character

We passed a southbound Havila ship outside Svolvaer and there was great excitement - fog horn blaring, sweeping search lights, and lots of people on deck waving flags and shouting!

Location

Incredible scenery especially the Lofoten Islands (unfortunately, being winter it was dark), and the narrow passage through the islands to Tromso

Staff

Very welcoming, friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The cabins and the observation lounges, everything really

Sommarøy Arctic Hotel Tromsø

Sommarøy

Stunning location looking out across a beach, over the bay, towards the mountains, with a row of windmills along a ridge on one side. The beach house we stayed in was huge, with unobstructed views from giant windows. The main bedroom was amazing with cathedral windows (the other two were are little small and cramped). The food was beautifully prepared and very delicious. There was a superb breakfast. We were very appreciative of a place to charge an electric car (which we had), which meant that it could charge overnight and we didn't have to spend time during the day to charge it.

Authenticity & Character

It seemed too fancy for us, but I'm so glad we ended up spending a night there. It was quite high-end, with a very elegant dining room, waited on by very attentive staff. There was breakfast right over the water, a sauna and outdoor jacuzzi (and we were lucky enough to be treated to an amazing display of the Northern Lights from the jacuzzi - I will never forget that experience!)

Location

Not far from Tromso distance-wise, but quiet and surrounded by beautiful countryside and ocean. Also very close to the ferry to Senja with its incredible mountains

Staff

Very patient with all my many questions

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beach house was literally right on the beach. There were a number of others, but the way they were arranged one wasn't aware of the others. It was very well appointed with kitchen and dining area as well as comfortable places to sit, very comfortable beds, nice bathrooms, a deck, and amazing views

Svinøya Rorbuer

Svolvær

Loved this place! It was the first part of Svolvær to be settled (1828) and comprised a whole village of original fishing rorbuers, a telegraph house, a general store filled with everything you could ever want (in the 1800's!) now the reception, and a very atmospheric dining area with beautiful wooden beams, on two levels, with windows looking out over the boats in the harbour and Svolvær beyond. We stayed in the telegraph house with its two comfortable bedrooms, an excellent kitchen space (with appliances/drawers hidden behind elegant panelling), and comfortable chairs/sofa/table. There was an art gallery, but it wasn't open.

Authenticity & Character

Everything! See my main review for specific comments.

Location

Set apart from the main town, over a small bridge, but still very accessible on foot. Amazing views of the harbour and the mountains behind the town.

Staff

Very helpful and accommodating. If they didn't have someone else coming into the rooms we were in, they would have let us hold onto them until the evening when our boat left. They told us about an excellent hike that we went on (one of the best of the trip). They let us leave our bags in the general store, and didn't seem too upset when we totally repacked at the end of the day!

Cleanliness & Comfort

MS Trollfjord

Tromsø

I think that we were spoiled with our trip on a Havila boat. Hurtigruten was also very nice, but older, and darker, and felt a bit more claustrophobic. There was less outside deck space, but there was an outside jacuzzi, though we didn't use it. I can't comment on the cabins since we travelled deck class, but we did find some long, cushioned window seats outside the dining room, so actually got some good sleep before we disembarked at Bodø at 2:30am. This was probably a lot more comfortable than the deck class lounge on Havila which looked like it only had reclining chairs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A good way to get from place to place without flying, and with getting to see a different perspective of this beautiful country.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Jacuzzi and Sauna

Sommarøy

Fortunately we were the only people to use it that night, so we had the place to ourselves. It felt very indulgent, and we were able to change the time that we went. It was nice that use of the jacuzzi and sauna were included in the price of the hotel. The best bit was that we got to see an incredible showing of the Northern Lights from the jacuzzi!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very flexible with timing, and helpful with setting up the sauna and the jacuzzi

Silent Trollfjord Cruise

Svolvær

The Trollfjord was beautiful, as was the whole trip along the Lofoten Islands. We saw lots of White Tailed Eagles, and even an eagle nest. Our guide pointed out other interesting things along the way (including a llama!). I appreciated how long we spent in the Trollfjord and how quite it was with the electric motor.

Quality of Experience

Incredible scenery

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was a marine biologist from Italy. She studies orcas and was very knowledgeable, and interesting.

Transport

The boat was very comfortable and the windows were large. We enjoyed being on deck, but eventually it got too cold, but you could get a good view from the inside too. There was good food on board, but we also brought sandwiches.

Tricia planned an amazing trip for our family. We had very specific things on our wish list that she was able to work into a plan. Tricia chatted with all of us and listened carefully to our priorities. She offered us a few different plans. She also worked with us to keep the cost down and work within our budget. I have to say, I was at first nervous about engaging KimKim. I had never used them before and randomly picked them from the internet because of the reviews. We travel... read more

Tricia planned an amazing trip for our family. We had very specific things on our wish list that she was able to work into a plan. Tricia chatted with all of us and listened carefully to our priorities. She offered us a few different plans. She also worked with us to keep the cost down and work within our budget. I have to say, I was at first nervous about engaging KimKim. I had never used them before and randomly picked them from the internet because of the reviews. We travel extensively and have used many other agencies. I would definitely recommend KimKim and Tricia to others who like assistance in planning the trip and details. Our trip was very complicated with many tickets, boats, trains, planes, guides and drivers and it felt seamless. They even include all walking directions to activities.
We had a few questions along the way and the team was very responsive. We had one tight connection and they checked in with us and reminded us of our options if we needed to modify the day. This was all extremely helpful and comforting. If you are planning on going to Norway, don't hesitate to use KimKim.

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Watch at the Hamn i Senja Lighthouse

Senja

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Remote Ski Tour in Senja

Senja

Our guide, Kjell, was amazing. We had very different levels of skiers and he made it fun and manageable for all.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Winter Snowshoe Hike

Norway

This was our first time snow shoeing and I have to say I was not disappointed . I love hiking and the scenery was breathtaking.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dogsledding in Senja

Senja

This was a bucket list experience. When we signed up for this activity, I thought there would be a guide taking us on a dog sled. Much to our surprise, we each had our own sled with our own dogs. At first, this was a bit intimidating but that quickly passed once we got started. This activity was a lot of fun! The dogs are so happy and excited to go for a run. They are super friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Northern Lights Sailing Cruise

Tromsø

This is a great choice for a night cruise on a fjord. The night was cloudy and there was a very small chance of seeing the lights. Halfway through, the captain of the boat starts yelling that there is a sighting and everyone ran up on deck and we were lucky enough to see the lights. His reaction to the lights was contagious. It was though it was his first time too. He was so excited that we were getting this experience. The boat holds 12 people and feels very intimate. They serve a Reindeer stew or a vegetarian soup for dinner which was good. They also have a hot tub on deck. I think I would have preferred it to be 3 hours instead, especially being cloudy.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We've always planned our own vacations, but this time decided to get help with Tricia and Kimkim. It was one of the best decisions we could have made. The vacation that Tricia planned for us was tailor made for us and was truly the trip of a lifetime. Everything we did felt like a personal experience, the guides and folks that we met were amazing. The adventures and experiences we had were things we couldn't have done without Tricia's help. It was a trip that we won't ever forget. read more

We've always planned our own vacations, but this time decided to get help with Tricia and Kimkim. It was one of the best decisions we could have made. The vacation that Tricia planned for us was tailor made for us and was truly the trip of a lifetime. Everything we did felt like a personal experience, the guides and folks that we met were amazing. The adventures and experiences we had were things we couldn't have done without Tricia's help. It was a trip that we won't ever forget.

Hotel Reviews

Trasti & Trine´s Lodge

Alta

This is the most personal and amazing dog sled trip that you'll ever find. Here you aren't just a number, you're a friend and a fellow traveler.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

GLØD Aurora canvas dome

Alta

Want to glamp under the northern lights while eating 5 star meals? This is your place.

Activity Review

Northern Lights Sailing Cruise

Tromsø

You can tell a lot about a captain by his boat, and this is one of the most well maintained vessels I've ever seen. You won't find a better boat or a more experienced captain in Norway.

Kimkim Review

Dear Tricia and Christina,

We had a wonderful time in Norway! Everything went smoothly, all the guides were most personable and the cooking class was fantastic.

To make my response more precise, I am going to organize my comments in accordance with our daily schedule

Days 1 & 2, Oslo: We took a taxi from the airport to the hotel, as recommended, and all went well. The Thief is a lovely hotel with an amazingly good brunch. Best gravlax we ate on the entire trip!... read more

Kimkim Review

Dear Tricia and Christina,

We had a wonderful time in Norway! Everything went smoothly, all the guides were most personable and the cooking class was fantastic.

To make my response more precise, I am going to organize my comments in accordance with our daily schedule

Days 1 & 2, Oslo: We took a taxi from the airport to the hotel, as recommended, and all went well. The Thief is a lovely hotel with an amazingly good brunch. Best gravlax we ate on the entire trip! Stig met us at the hotel as anticipated and we planned the next day. Our time on Day #2 at the folk museum was well spent. After several hours walking around, we ate at their restaurant and then walked along the Oslo harbor while I took photographs. Stig was a very knowledgeable and enjoyable guide.

Day 3, Sigdal: We met Einar as planned and he drove us out to Sigdal where we met with our prearranged contacts. Again, we found Einar a very pleasant companion for the day and I’m sure he’s very knowledgable re: hiking expeditions. We enjoyed a nice lunch together and he found a place where we could buy needed umbrellas (as well as some fun socks for gifts that said things like, on the bottom of one foot “The wife is always right” and on the bottom of the other, “The husband is always wrong” . . in Norwegian.) He was very patient with my photographic needs.

Days 4 & 5 Oslo to Bergen: The train ride was beautiful and I imagine it’s even nicer in the summer. John met us at the station and helped us to our hotel. Again, John was an exceptionally nice guide and showed us around the city - commenting on its history and directing us to the best reindeer sausage in Bergen. The weather was not good so we didn’t do the Funicular. The hotel was very interesting although we missed the extravagance of the buffet in Oslo.

Day 6, Bergen to Bekkjarvek: John was so kind - he came down to help us take our luggage to the ferry. We enjoyed the ferry very much - even though the seas were a bit rough. A driver from the hotel was waiting for us when the ferry landed and we were pleased to have the opportunity to see the island. The hotel at Bekkjarvek has a quasi-museum in it, as well as stores and a library - so it was really fun to walk around. The cooking class went well beyond our expectation. The chefs were extremely nice and we sipped on white wine while we watched them cook and learned about life in the kitchen. Ken even got to do a bit of the chopping himself. Afterwards, during dinner, we were invited back to watch as each separate course was prepared. Needless to say the food was delicious and the entire experience was really fun. Highly recommend this for future guests - especially once Chef Johanssen’s new facility is completed.

Day 7: Bekkjarvek to Tromso: The ferry stop is right outside the hotel - so convenient - and the bus was waiting at the conclusion of the ride to take us to the airport. Again, it was an easy transition for us to navigate. We took a taxi to the Edge - a most wonderful hotel - and then had a lovely evening on the sailing cruise. In all honesty, we could have used a bit more food on board the ship i.e. I’d recommend they serve cheese and bread with their soup. We were able to see a bit of Northern Lights but the cloud cover was substantial. The captain and his crew were very congenial - we really enjoyed talking with them and the other guests.

Day 8, Tromso: Bernard, our guide in Tromso, was extremely knowledgeable about the city and answered all of our questions in detail. He took us to some interesting shops and showed us the Sami market. I enjoyed talking with him very much. That evening we went Northern Light hunting with Dan - who did his best to find a break in the clouds so we could get photographs. We drove 3 hours into Finland, where he prepared a camp fire and served us stew. He then took pictures of us under the Northern Lights and processed all of them that night (impressive since we didn’t get back until after 1 AM). He wanted us to be able to see the photos when we woke up the next morning. Again, I think he is a top pro at what he does.

Day 9: Tromso: The breakfast buffet at The Edge (thanks to Marcus Samuelsson - the world renowned chef) was the best I have ever had anywhere. (The gravlax was not quite as good as that at The Thief - although the scrambled eggs were better). We loved being able to try the incredibly wide variety of offerings. We spent the day at the reindeer races, the art museum and buying presents to take home. We wished we had more time to see the other museums as well.

Day 10: Back to Oslo where we enjoyed returning to the Thief and walking around the harbor. Had a nice (although expensive) dinner at a nearby restaurant and packed up to head out very early in the morning for our flight home.

In summary; 1) All beds were very comfortable, 2) All guides were most congenial, 3). All transitions occurred smoothly, and 4). We had a great time! Thank you for all your work in putting this together for us. We are recommending you to all of our friends.

Moving on - do you offer a similar service for Iceland? We’d love to visit Iceland this September. Particular interests include photographing fishing villages and sheep round-ups. Also, we are trying to convince Ken’s brother and his wife (who is of Norwegian descent) to join us in Norway in late spring or early summer of 2024. When should we start working on that trip?

Best regards,

Robin and Ken

Amazing trip! We loved everything about Norway and couldn’t have asked for a better experience. My husband and I have traveled extensively and used several travel companies, our experience with Kim Kim far exceeded anything we’ve had before. Trish, our guide, put together the perfect itinerary. When we had a few glitches she was on top of it! And very accessible when we needed her! We have already started to plan our next adventure! read more

Amazing trip! We loved everything about Norway and couldn’t have asked for a better experience. My husband and I have traveled extensively and used several travel companies, our experience with Kim Kim far exceeded anything we’ve had before. Trish, our guide, put together the perfect itinerary. When we had a few glitches she was on top of it! And very accessible when we needed her! We have already started to plan our next adventure!

Hotel Reviews

Scandic Ishavshotel

Tromsø

Stunning view from our room! Nice breakfast with good variety. Comfortable bed. Bus stop out front makes traveling to the airport convenient. Within walking distance to several museums and shops.

Authenticity & Character

Lobby congested at times, not enough seating

Location

Close to ferry, bus stop and shops

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was spotless

Mefjord Brygge

Mefjordvær, Senjahopen

Nice on-site restaurant/bar. Staff incredibly helpful and friendly. When our dog sledding trip had a glitch they were on it and found us another tour. They also arranged drivers who were extremely safe which put us at ease considering the road conditions in the snow!

Authenticity & Character

Charming decor

Location

Close to ferry, off the beaten path

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sommarøy Arctic Hotel Tromsø

Sommarøy

Room was very nice, comfortable bed. Staff helpful and available. Restaurant very nice, lovely breakfast with lots of choices.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Northern Lights Park

Sommarøy

Highlight of my husbands trip - he really enjoyed his time at the Northern lights park with the owner. Unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate but that just means we will be back!

Quality of Experience

Havlar’s stories!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All very safe drivers!

Transport

Dogsledding in Senja

Senja

Wow! Wow! Wow!! Loved this tour!! Especially driving the dog sled! That was very unexpected.

Quality of Experience

A meme pry not to be forgotten

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Friendly, helpful

Transport

Aurora Dinner Cruise

Tromsø

Beautiful boat, incredible meal, and gorgeous scenery!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Silent Whale Watching

Tromsø

If you haven’t done a whale watching trip before this is a very good one. The staff were extremely educated on Norway, the fjords and whales. On top of that we saw humpbacks and orcas!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Northern Lights Safari

Senja

Our guide drove everywhere trying to find the lights - but the weather didn’t cooperate. We can’t control nature! But our guide gave 100% effort!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful time cramming a lot of activities in multiple cities into a 12 day period. I am a stickler for excellent communication. Tricia lived up to my expectations. She consistently followed up and did a good job making adjustments to unexpected difficulties.

I wasn't sure how trip would unfold as I haven't used KimKim before however, all turned out aces! Tricia was extremely helpful in putting it all together. Norway is an extremely beautiful country (even in the rain!) and if you are an outdoor person you will appreciate the amazing countryside. Oslo, Bergen and Stavanger are great very manageable cities with a lot to see. All said, a wounderful experience.

Our trip was exactly what we wanted. Tricia was very helpful in providing information and making adjustments where needed. She also went out of her way to keep in touch while we were on our trip to try to ensure we saw the northern lights (which we did!). The staff at Mefjord Brygge were helpful. Sebastian was knowledgeable and kind and made several suggestions regarding the best way to experience this beautiful country. We thoroughly enjoyed our time!

I had a spectacular trip through the country of Norway. Tusen Takk Tricia!!! You made my first international (solo) trip everything it could be and more! The route worked out perfectly and the activities were spot on for what I was looking to see and do. The trip plan went so well and removed much of the stress that may happen, for me at least, with planning everything myself. Tricia's knowledge of Norway and recommendations all came together to make for a smooth, easy to navigate... read more

I had a spectacular trip through the country of Norway. Tusen Takk Tricia!!! You made my first international (solo) trip everything it could be and more! The route worked out perfectly and the activities were spot on for what I was looking to see and do. The trip plan went so well and removed much of the stress that may happen, for me at least, with planning everything myself. Tricia's knowledge of Norway and recommendations all came together to make for a smooth, easy to navigate itinerary. I couldn't have asked for more. She checked in to make sure I was well on my way and was super supportive and responsive if/when I did call for help. I can't recommend using kimkim, and Tricia enough and will tell everyone and anyone the same.

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Terminus

Oslo

Great location, enormous breakfast buffet, comfortable bed. A little noisy into the night but not too bad. Jet lag had me up anyway. I did change my room to the 2nd floor with a window which happen to be on a bus route. The 1st room on the 6th floor would've been much quieter but the view was non-existent.

Authenticity & Character

It was a typical hotel which was all I needed here.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

Quaint, unbelievably quiet, comfortable bed, nice breakfast and functional room with an unchanged classic charming style. Cool place to stay in this old sleepy town. Close to trails and good access to Flam. Good restaurant on the grounds too and the view of the fjord was awesome!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bergen Børs Hotel

Bergen

Upscale, busy popular hotel. The location doesn't get much better than this. Beds were comfortable and the room was quiet from all sides. This is classic Bergen in all it's history.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

I so very much enjoyed this walking tour with John. I think we covered the whole city in a matter of 2-3 hours! He imparted his vast knowledge of his hometown everywhere we went with great suggestions to take in all of Bergen following the tour. I love Bergen, Norway!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Oslo Food Trail With a Local Guide

Oslo

I enjoyed this tour around the city eating some local foods Oslo is known for. Walking and talking with Stig through his favorite parts of his hometown, eating the local treats along the way was truly a good time. Go Liverpool! :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Heritage Taste Fjordsafari

Norway

This unique experience was fun. Our guide, Erick (apologize for any misspelling here) was awesome on this tour. Zooming around the fjords, learning interesting, sometimes fascinating things about the history of the people who settled in and around the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Really good suggestions and organisation. Picked venues I would never have chosen and activities that were all top rate. Would definitely recommend.

Tricia helped create a trip in Norway focused on time in the fjords (including half a day of guide-led kayaking and another going out on a small boat to poke around a second fjord). Both experiences and the hotel we stayed at (the historic Kivknes, which may have one of the best fjord views possible) were amazing. The arrangements she made for train, ferries, hotels, experiences in Oslo, Flam, Balestrand, and the lovely Bergen all worked perfectly. She also, at my request, left us plenty of... read more

Tricia helped create a trip in Norway focused on time in the fjords (including half a day of guide-led kayaking and another going out on a small boat to poke around a second fjord). Both experiences and the hotel we stayed at (the historic Kivknes, which may have one of the best fjord views possible) were amazing. The arrangements she made for train, ferries, hotels, experiences in Oslo, Flam, Balestrand, and the lovely Bergen all worked perfectly. She also, at my request, left us plenty of time to do activites that we planned on our own (sauna and swim in the Bergen fjord for instance). The daytime temperature was usually mid-70s and even the famous summer rain stayed away all but one day. (One minor glitch involving a pullout couch at the initial hotel was worked out very quickly using the KimKim emergency number -- and our own efforts with hotel receptionl.) If Tricia is typical of KimKim we would definitely use KimKim again. Norway was really wonderful

Hotel Reviews

Clarion Hotel The Hub

Oslo

A large hotel in the very downtown port area. Convenient if not that scenic an area. Everyone in the hotel was extremely nice and helpful. And the rooms were comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kviknes Hotel

Balestrand

The hotel has an amazing setting in the middle of the fjord in the tiny town of Balestrand. We stayed in the old historic section, which has tremendous character and great balconies with stunning views, but be aware that the rooms are small. No king-sized beds here! Also since this part is "historic" the rooms are decorated in an older style but with all the basic amenitites. We loved the rooms and would happily have stayed longer. The dining room, where an emormous buffet is put on for breakfast, is open and glassy and overlooks the water. You can also dine there. We lunched one day on the long back porch overlooking the water. The activities did -- kayaking, boating, cidering -- were all within a 5 minute walk. There are a couple small restaurants nearby. We saw lots of hikers, but did not do that ourselves.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Norge by Scandic

Bergen

I'm giving this 5 stars because we had 2 rooms on the top floor with amazing balconies overlooking a very scenic part of the center of town. The hotel is very convenient, very helpful and has great beds. They arranged a pullout couch in one room that I'd love to find for my own house. Really comfortable. The hotel has a great location for walking around Bergen, which is a very pretty cobblestone-y city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kayaking in Balestrand

Balestrand

We had a guided kayak tours from the town of Balestrand which is so fantastic. A reason to visit again. Our guide "JT" was wonderful, helpful and just fun to kayak with. We were experienced kayakers and so he responded to that, but he often takes out people with no experience and clearly is a great teacher. There were 3 of us (adults) on this excursion and we all thought this was a highlight of our time in Norway.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Scenic Boat Trip to Fjærland

Balestrand

This was a private trip for just 3 of us with a captain --Tor -- whose family hails from Balestrand for generations. As a result he was a wealth of info throughout the trip about places and people. Tor was really fun and intersting, slowing at certain places to talk or let us drink from a waterfall (without leaving the boat or getting wet--very impressive). Extra info: he has great warm jumpsuits for all his clients. He also does fishing trips, though we did not do that part.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Balestrand Orchard Walk & Cider Tasting

Balestrand

Fun to hear about and see how cider is made. And then taste some of the ciders afterward.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bergen Walking Tour With a Local Guide

Bergen

John was our guide and despite having to walk in a downpour a lot of the time he was humorous, interesting about places and the history of those places and led us gently around the whole, mostly cobblestoned city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Depart Norway

Norway

A huge shout out to Tricia Cantlon and her team for making my family’s three week trip to Norway an experience of a life time. My 11 year old son and I were travelling with my 90 year old mother on this family adventure. Putting an itinerary together that would work for all of us required something different and Tricia’s work on pace, variety and activity selection really worked. We appreciated the opportunity to experience the character of Oslo, Stavanger and Bergen but were REALLY blown... read more

A huge shout out to Tricia Cantlon and her team for making my family’s three week trip to Norway an experience of a life time. My 11 year old son and I were travelling with my 90 year old mother on this family adventure. Putting an itinerary together that would work for all of us required something different and Tricia’s work on pace, variety and activity selection really worked. We appreciated the opportunity to experience the character of Oslo, Stavanger and Bergen but were REALLY blown away by the beauty of the Fjords on our 10 day road trip out of Bergen. Having the flexibility to experience the fjords at our own pace for this portion of our trip was great. Tricia’s attentiveness to us while we were in Norway was also really helpful. She and her team were always super responsive and helpful when I had questions or concerns. They continued to gently guide us through the entire trip and this contributed to a sense of ease along the way that was lovely.

Loved our experience with KimKim and Tricia. She was so adaptive to our needs, and she went above and beyond to make sure everything was set up perfectly. Made for an actually enjoyable holiday, not stressing our about all the details! read more

Loved our experience with KimKim and Tricia. She was so adaptive to our needs, and she went above and beyond to make sure everything was set up perfectly. Made for an actually enjoyable holiday, not stressing our about all the details!

Hotel Reviews

Thon Hotel Cecil

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gudvangen Fjordtell & Apartments

Gudvangen

Basic accommodations in a beautiful setting. Limited dining options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Rosenkrantz

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Preikestolen Fjellstue / Preikestolen BaseCamp

Jørpeland

Excellent base camp hotel for hiking. Dinner was fabulous! Rooms are basic but comfortable. Shower/bathroom combo is a little weird and messy but again, functional. Beautiful setting.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loved all the pillows!

Activity Review

Ferry from Bergen to Stavanger

Norway

Great experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

When I think of a tour, I think I’m paying someone to do for me what I don’t have to do myself. At each leg of this trip we were left wondering and scrambling, causing a lot of anxiety. For example, the itinerary would say the name of the hotel but not tell us how to get there or even if it was walking distance In one town we paid $50 just to taxi ( the only option) back and forth from the bus. Other towns told us to meet somewhere but didn’t indicate if it was an address or a place.... read more

When I think of a tour, I think I’m paying someone to do for me what I don’t have to do myself. At each leg of this trip we were left wondering and scrambling, causing a lot of anxiety. For example, the itinerary would say the name of the hotel but not tell us how to get there or even if it was walking distance In one town we paid $50 just to taxi ( the only option) back and forth from the bus. Other towns told us to meet somewhere but didn’t indicate if it was an address or a place. That meant each night I’d have to go over the itinerary and figure out the next day with a map in hand. It was stressful. This happened in nearly every location. When we ran into hiccups our local specialist offered sympathy or wasn’t available. Finally there were four things “included” on our itinerary that were not included.— our trips to and from the airports and the excursion to Rosendal with lunch. Very disappointed. I will pursue compensation.

Hotel Reviews

Zander K Hotel

Bergen

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Trolltunga Hotel

Odda

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

Aurland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Thon Hotel Opera

Oslo

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Short Hike with a Local in Bergen

Bergen

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

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Norway

This felt like a ferry cruise, nothing spectacular. Trish said Rosendal wasn’t included and yet you are including it here. Please advise.

Guided Hike to Trolltunga

Norway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tricia and the entire Kim Kim Team
Please accept our sincere appreciation for all the work you and the KimKim team put in to make our travels so enjoyable. We had a wonderful trip exploring Norway (and a wonderful three days in Stockholm!). All the logistics, the accommodations across Norway and tours were first rate. But most importantly, we appreciate the extra work that went into scheduling this entire trip at least twice and perhaps even three times. Everyone understands the... read more

Tricia and the entire Kim Kim Team
Please accept our sincere appreciation for all the work you and the KimKim team put in to make our travels so enjoyable. We had a wonderful trip exploring Norway (and a wonderful three days in Stockholm!). All the logistics, the accommodations across Norway and tours were first rate. But most importantly, we appreciate the extra work that went into scheduling this entire trip at least twice and perhaps even three times. Everyone understands the unprecedented disruptions to travel that COVID cost, but none the less, it caused organizations like yours to deal with unique and daunting scheduling, cancellation and rebooking issues. Through all those stressful times, you and Hilde and your other co-workers kept us informed, and did so with a professional, pleasant and positive attitude which was very much appreciated by both my wife and I. The Norway we experienced was a beautiful mixture of colors, from midnight sun on costal rocks and waters to the shine of rosy cheeks and friendly smiles, from multi-colored Bergen store fronts to deep red isolated barns, all never far from the deep greens of spring grasses and just the right amount of mountaintop snow. Thank you for all the effort that went into making our experience one we will never forget.
With deep appreciation
Dan and Jane Brannegan

What an amazing trip! Tricia’s itinerary was spot on and more importantly she was always there to help us along the way. When SAS cancelled our flight to Svolvaer, Tricia found a solution that kept us on schedule so we would not miss a single minute of this beautiful country, kudos to Tricia and the Kim Kim team!
Peter

Tricia was absolutely incredible! From the beginning, Tricia listened to and checked off everything I asked for making my Norwegian bucket list adventure come true! She was amazing in helping us with flight changes due to SAS being on strike, was able to extend our car rental and get us last minute accommodations because of the strike. My dream vacation would not have happened if it weren't for her. Thank you for the most memorable, awesome, amazing, dream vacation of a lifetime!!!!

I absolutely loved it! We saw many wonderful places and the detailed planning especially regarding transportation was impressively done. Everyone I communicated with was very helpful esp Tricia and Hild earlier on as this has been a trip long in making.
Trolltunga and Lofoten were our favorites! read more

I absolutely loved it! We saw many wonderful places and the detailed planning especially regarding transportation was impressively done. Everyone I communicated with was very helpful esp Tricia and Hild earlier on as this has been a trip long in making.
Trolltunga and Lofoten were our favorites!

Activity Review

Midnight Kayaking in Svolvær

Norway

We missed the experience because we were not notified to meet at 930 instead of 10pm. Disappointing.