Kimkim Trip Reviews for Spain

We had a wonderful visit to Spain with thanks to our travel planner Alfonso through Kim Kim. Alfonso worked with us to develop an itinerary based on our desires to see new places in Madrid and Andalucia - we visited Madrid, Toledo, Córdoba, Ronda, and Granada. Alfonso organized great guides in each location for part of a day and we had ample free time to explore on our own, as well. We've normally done most trip research and planning on our own using a guide book for sights. Alfonso did all the leg work this time, finding really well-situated hotels and superb guides who were knowledgeable and enjoyable to spend time with. I learned a ton and got so much more out of places like the Alhambra and Miskita in Cordoba, and the Plaza de Toros (without having to witness a bullfight) in Ronda!

Along the way, there were a few situations where we had questions, and either Alfonso or Uhaina responded so fully and quickly. Working with Alfonso and Kim Kim really added to the total experience - we had a wonderful trip.

All the local guides were amazing - excited to speak about their city and history.

The hotels were good choices as well.

We were not prepared for the congestion in parking in four cities and wonder if travelling by train or bus would have been a better option for us.

We had trouble getting taxis at the horse show and flamenco show and wondered if there was a way you could have addressed this. Are shows offered in the day or could we have booked a taxi in advance?

We didn't have time - one week only - to go over the whole itinerary and prepare for the trip. This should be sent at least a month ahead.

Activity Reviews

Discover Granada’s Iconic Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Spain

Great guide and tour

Monumental Seville on Foot & Visit Real Alcázar

Seville

very interested talk and tour

A Night of Flamenco in a Sacromonte Cave

Granada

Excellent. Would have liked to learn more about the history of flamenco and how it is part of Spanish culture.

Spain's Liquid Gold: Visit an Andalusian Olive Oil Estate

Spain

We thought we would see production underway but nothing was working or happening.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Taste Seville: Where Locals Eat Tapas, Drink, & Live

Seville

This was excellent. A fun group and great guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Boutique Wines Among Ronda’s Hills

Spain

Mostly was a promo for this brand of wine. Shorter than expected and of course, nothing was happening as we were out of wine production season.

Quality of Experience

Private Guided Visit of Córdoba

Spain

Great guide - interesting and knowledgable.

First time with KimKim and it will not be our last!

Our trip to Spain began with no planning other than a good value on plane tickets to Madrid. We approached KimKim and lucked into Coraima who took our blank slate and put together an amazing trip package that left us wanting more. Each day seemed to build upon our knowledge and enjoyment from the previous day. Our expert guides added an accelerated depth of both which could not have been achieved without them during our 8 day visit (way to short by the way):

-Irene, born and raised in Toledo, knew all of the short cuts
-Elena brought the Prado to life
-I will not attempt to spell our Grand Palace guide's name, she delivered more than just a "big house" by filling it with many fun royal anecdotes
-Avila and Segovia and all points between were handled expertly by Martin
-Lorena brought sun to a rainy day in Seville showing us the Acalzar and Cathedral
-Yohanna made us feel like family during our Triana Flamenco and Tapas experience. Is there anyone she doesn't know in that town?
-Carlos was a pleasure guiding us through Ronda and Zahara de la Sahara's rich history while finding us local treats and securing a Puento Nuevo view table by a fire for lunch on a chilly day

Our itinerary did leave some time for self-exploration, and we took full advantage of that time: Tapas, parks, Tapas, squares, Tapas, casino, Tapas, shopping...and Tapas. Averaging nearly 15K steps each day we actually lost weight on the trip. Accommodations were convenient, friendly and clean (Cetina in Seville, Regina in Madrid). Transports were on time with strong communication and friendly drivers.

Coraima and Lea were diligent in communication throughout the entire journey, they felt like angels on our shoulders!

Hope this comes off as a positive review, as it is meant as nothing less!

Our guides were very well informed and most of them provided detailed histories of Spain and details of the Spanish culture. I thought our guide for the Prado was especially impressive with her knowledge of art and Spanish history. It was a phenomenal experience. Our guide in Toledo and the two drivers/guides for the trips to Avila & Segovia and the White Villages & Rhonda were also very knowledgeable and provided an enjoyable tour for our group. Also loved the Royal Palace and intriguing stories from our guide.

Our accommodations were also first rate and everyone was very friendly. I would recommend your company to anyone interested in obtaining help with their tours. Thank you.

Activity Reviews

Short Prado Museum Visit with Skip-the-Line Ticket

Madrid

Our guide was impressive!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Ronda & White Villages Day Trip

Seville

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Toledo Day Trip

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Visit to Seville's Cathedral & Alcázar

Seville

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Royal Palace Visit

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private Day Trip to Ávila & Segovia

Madrid

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Flamenco, City & Tapas Experience

Seville

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our family had an outstanding 12 day trip to Spain. The experience booking the trip through Kimkim was great, and exceeded our expectations in just about every way. Their local knowledge and availability throughout the trip eliminated the stress and work of planning a vacation, and made it easy for us to enjoy our time together.

Our local specialist, Adam, was knowledgeable and accessible and did good work tailoring our experiences to our preferences and making our itinerary teen friendly. Matching our itinerary to friends traveling on different but overlapping schedule was seamless. I can't imagine how difficult it would have been to coordinate everything on our own.

Our operations specialist, Lea, was very responsive during our trip and usually responded to chats within just a few minutes. She helped with a number of small issues and questions over the 21 days. A mistake with a hotel booking at one of our stops was immediately handled and addressed in the most professional way. Lea is a gem!

A highlight of the trip were the private walking tours scheduled at each stop. Adam set us up with personable and knowledgeable guides that each gave us an experience that would have been impossible if we'd joined a larger group. Ona was our guide in Girona, and we really liked her relaxed and approachable style. Our teens really had a good time with her, and learned a ton about the history of this ancient city.

In Barcelona, our guide showed us around the Gothic Quarter and made us feel like locals. She was clearly well liked by the restaurateurs at the stops we made for tapas along the way, and we felt like we were catching up with an old friend more than rushing from stop to stop on a planned tour.

Ruth, our guide to Alhambra in Granada, did a fantastic job showing us around the grounds and helping us skirt around the crowds. We felt like we were getting some of the smaller historical details that the larger groups don't hear about, which was a lot of fun.

The hotel and airport transfers made moving between our stops much easier with our luggage. Large, clean Mercedes vans were comfortable and the drivers were professional.

Each of the hotel selections were perfectly located and within walking distance of all of the main sites we wanted to experience.

We will definitely be using Kimkim to book trips in the future, and would recommend it without reservation to any of our friends!

We had a great time visiting Barcelona and the Canary Islands. We had a long list of points of interest in each location and our coordinator Helena did a great job helping us consolidate and organize everything into a few guided tours while still including enough free time for us to rest and explore on our own. Our itinerary included multiple walking tours and a cooking class in Barcelona, walking, trike, and ATV tours in Tenerife, and two full days of private tours in Lanzarote. It was a big help to have all of our hotels coordinated ahead of time and when there was any questions during the trip the local team with Espiritu Travel was quick to respond by text. This is our second trip booked through Kimkim, but the first time we've used the Trip Planner app which was a nice addition to centralize our itinerary and communication with the team.

One thing that could have been improved was communication around transportation. There were a couple of transfers that were not scheduled ahead of time and we had to figure out for ourselves which wasn't made clear in our itinerary (one pickup from the airport and pickup/drop-off for the ATV tour which was available through the company but hadn't been booked). A couple of times we had to ask for clarification or details for the next day's activities even though the itinerary said these details would be updated ~24hrs before the event. We understand the details are sometimes in flux until the last minute, but this was a source of stress a few times throughout the trip.

Two out of three of our hotels were very nice, but we found one of them (in Tenerife) to be poor quality and not to our liking. We went with the initial recommendations, but we now know for next time to be more specific in what we're looking for in a hotel booking.

As with all travel, there were a few hiccups such as transportation and changes in schedule due to cancellations, but we really appreciate the work Kimkim puts into planning on our behalf. We have and will continue to recommend Kimkim to anyone planning an international trip.

Hotel Reviews

Casa Bonay

Barcelona

Great location, very close to public transit and easy to get around. Our room was comfortable and the included breakfast in the hotel lounge was excellent. Bottled water was provided in the room and service was prompt when we requested anything. Our only issue was that we had difficulty setting the water temperature in the shower. Some days it was difficult to get the water hot enough or the hot water seemed to run out after one shower, but other days it was ok.

Authenticity & Character

The vibe of the room, lounge, and attached restaurant all felt authentic to the area and it was nice to open the curtains to people watch along the street.

Location

Less than 5 min walk to metro and bus stops. Super easy to access.

Staff

Staff was courteous and responsive.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was comfortable and clean and nice robes were provided. Our only issue was adequate hot water in the shower.

H10 Costa Adeje Palace

Adeje

We did not like this hotel at all. The average age of the other guests skewed much older than us, so we were perhaps not the intended demographic for what this hotel offers. The rooms were sparsely decorated and didn't feel welcoming. The pillows in the room were lumpy and uncomfortable. The thermostat was so old and worn that the markings on it were not visible and we had to set the temperature by trial and error. The Wi-Fi service was so slow that we just turned it off and used data on our phones. The hot tub was barely heated and access to it was closed at 6pm, severely limiting its usefulness when we were out exploring during the day. With the exception of one very friendly and helpful woman at the concierge desk, the staff didn't seem particularly welcoming. We had booked the breakfast-only option and we got the impression that we were not treated as well as the all-inclusive or higher tier guests. The hotel seemed to upcharge for everything including pool towels, use of the in-room safe, and they offered to sell us water when we inquired about filling our water bottles. There was no drinking water provided anywhere in the hotel except for a small machine in the gym which had a sign specifically prohibiting the filling of water bottles! The breakfast buffet featured an overwhelming amount of choices for food - and everything we tried was mediocre at best. Many were outright poor. There were some restaurants nearby but to find any local cuisine or food not exclusively geared towards tourists required a cab ride or a long walk. The one thing we did enjoy at this hotel was the entertainment. In the evenings they had shows in the bar area where we saw 2 very good acro / circus / dance performances and one mediocre magic act. Those were definitely the highlight of our stay. If you don't care about location, comfort, or food any your goal is only to lay in the sun until you are burned to a crisp, this hotel may be for you. Otherwise, we would not recommend it.

Authenticity & Character

Decor was sparse and uninviting, lacking in any particular character.

Location

There was not much within walking distance from the hotel and we were further from the city and other attractions than we would have liked. All the food in the immediate vicinity was too touristy and not to our liking.

Staff

Staff was not particularly helpful with the exception of one woman at the concierge desk who helped us book tickets for Siam Park. We ate at one of the restaurants one night and felt like we were inconveniencing the staff.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pillows were lumpy and uncomfortable. Wi-Fi was so slow it was unusable. Hot tub wasn't hot! Not great for relaxing.

Sandos Papagayo Beach Resort

Yaiza

We enjoyed our stay here, but it wasn't outstanding. The room was nicely decorated and featured a private balcony with a nice view, and the staff was friendly and helpful. Only downside was that we would have preferred a king size bed instead of 2 twins pushed together, and the pillows were lumpy and uncomfortable. A light fixture in our room had loose wiring but maintenance was quick to repair it when we asked. The food at the breakfast buffet was ok and we found some great local cuisine within walking distance of the hotel. The hotel does offer a bus to and from the nearby Marina area but the times were not convenient so we took taxis to and from which was easy enough to manage. The hot tub was barely heated so we weren't able to use it and we didn't spend any time in the pool, but we did make use of the rooftop mini-golf course which was fun. We tried to use the provided air hockey tables in the game area but they were both broken and ate our coins.

Authenticity & Character

Rooms had good lighting and decor and the private balcony was nice.

Location

Really nice views and some small shops and restaurants in walking distance, but we would have like to be a little closer to the marina area.

Staff

Staff was generally friendly and helpful including when we had maintenance requests.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Would have preferred a king bed instead of twins and the pillows were uncomfortable. Hot tub wasn't hot!

Activity Reviews

Barcelona Highlights: Guided Walk & Iconic Sagrada Família

Spain

We had a private tour for my wife any myself. Our guide Miguel was fantastic. He was very knowledgeable about the city and told stories in fun and engaging ways. In some tours we've done it feels like the guide is just running through their script, but with Miguel it felt much more like a conversation. He was very attentive to what we were interested in and catered the tour specifically what we wanted to cover. This was not my first time visiting some of the attractions, but I definitely learned new things at every stop. There was a good amount of walking, but the pace was comfortable and the length of the tour seemed just right. Highly recommend this tour!

Quality of Experience

The itinerary was adjusted specifically for our interests so we got to see everything we wanted to. Having a private guide and getting to skip the lines made everything very smooth.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Miguel was one of the best tour guides we've had. He was funny, engaging, and attentive to our interests.

Taste Barcelona: Authentic Tapas & Neighborhood Walk

Barcelona

We had a good time on this tour. Our guide was energetic and enthusiastic which set a good tone for the group. The variety of food was great and we learned some interesting history around the traditions of tapas culture. The length of the tour was good we definitely felt full by the end. We got to sample various drinks and found that we liked red vermouth, although not every stop on the tour offered it. Some stops had only wine or beer and we're not wine drinkers so it would have been nice to have more options.

Wine Tasting & Tapas Trike Tour

Tenerife

This was a fun and unique excursion. We got to ride on the back seats of the trike on the highway and then a winding road up into the mountains where we made a few stops to learn about the area, see an aloe vera shop, and then visit a bodega to learn how grapes are grown for wine and ending with a wine and food tasting. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable and the trike was surprisingly comfy - although it does get cold when you get to higher altitude, plus the wind in your face, so dress warmly. The aloe vera shop was disappointing as there wasn't much information about how the plants are grown or harvested. It was much more of a captive sales pitch as we were the only ones there and our guide just sat by the side while the proprietor gave us way too much detail about all the products for sale and how aloe vera is a magic solution for all your ailments. We weren't interested in buying anything and would have been more interested in learning about how aloe is harvested. The bodega, on the other hand, was a fun experience. We're not big wine drinkers but it was interesting to see how the vineyards are cultivated in a place that doesn't get much rain. We got to try some hearty local cuisine including a chickpea stew and Canarian potatoes with the local mojo sauces. We did taste a few wines and knowing our preferences, our guide selected one sun-dried and fermented grape drink that we really liked. Overall a fun experience, but we would have skipped the aloe shop portion.

Quality of Experience

The trike ride and the bodega were fun but the aloe shop was too much of a high pressure sales pitch

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was fun and knowledgeable and made some good recommendations

Transport

The trike is what makes this tour worth it. It's very fun to sit in a comfortable but exposed position on the road and get to really see the landscape clearly.

Quad Adventure Through Teide’s Volcanic Landscapes

Tenerife

We had a blast riding quad bikes. After a brief tutorial our party rode up a winding road into the mountains. One guide led the way and another went on ahead to position himself to take photos at scenic turns. The quads were pretty easy to handle but we had to pause frequently to let car traffic pass on the 2 lane roads. We took a couple breaks to stretch and admire the scenery before entering the national park and reaching the volcanic crater. We took some photos at the top and then turned back. On the way back we pulled off the road into a dirt area to do a bit of off-roading, mostly to take photos, then headed back to the garage. Photos were available for €20. The photos weren't great and they just sent us every shot taken, no editing or filtering so we got everyone's photos together, but for €20 it was worth is to get a few memorable shots. Overall a good excursion - would recommend.

Quality of Experience

Fun to drive quad bikes and the scenery was beautiful. I'm glad we got to do a bit of road driving and bit of off-roading.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guides were friendly and good at directing the group and managing allowing other traffic to pass us on roads. We felt safe the entire time.

A Guided Walk Through Santa Cruz

Spain

Our guide Laura was very knowledgeable about the unique history of the Canary Islands and Tenerife in particular. She shared a ton of history with us through a combination of stories, pictures she had prepared in a binder and videos on a tablet. She mostly stuck to her script, but we appreciated how prepared she was. The highlight was her demonstrations of traditional Canarian musical instruments and Silbo Gomero, the whistling language which she "spoke". We walked around a lot of the Santa Cruz area learning about history and then ended at the local market where she gave us a gift of some local snacks, recommended some foods to try and a local drink called a barraquito - a layered coffee and liqueur drink that quickly became our favorite. For the rest of our trip, we tried the barraquito at every establishment that offered one!

Quality of Experience

Very informative tour with a good mix of stories and visual aids. We learned a lot and got some good recommendations.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Laura was very skilled at relating history and giving context. Her demo of local instruments and whistling language was definitely the highlight.

Guided Visit to the Iconic Auditorio de Tenerife

Spain

I'm a fan of the architect Santiago Calatrava and visiting this building was the main reason for our trip to Tenerife. We had a semi-private tour of the building (just 3 people) and got to spend a lot of time taking photographs. Our guide was friendly, spoke great English, and we learned some fun new facts about the building and its history. We also spent some time after the tour enjoying a drink and the view from the cafe. There are some areas around the rear plinth that were fenced off and not accessible to the public so unfortunately we didn't get to take photos from those area, but it was fun to get to see the full interior.

Quality of Experience

Great tour and fun to get to see the full interior and take photos.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very friendly and informative.

A Day Explore the Highlights of East & North Lanzarote

Lanzarote

Fantastic tour. Our guide Nick and driver Ramon took us through the best spots around the north of the island. We visited Cueva de los Verdes - a lava tube cave that is beautifully illuminated and features a concert hall with cool acoustics, Jameos del Agua - an architectural intervention by local artist César Manrique that is built into another area of lava tube caves, and the César Manrique Foundation which is located in the artist's former home built into an old lava flow and uses natural voids in the rock to create a network of rooms. We also stopped in the town of Haría where we had an amazing lunch at Michelin star restaurant Tacande. Our guide Nick was very informative and we learned a lot about the geology of the island and the works of César Manrique. He would tell us about the locations we passed and the attractions we were going to see while on the road, then we were self-guided through each attraction where we were encouraged to spend as much time as we liked. We appreciated the atmosphere and never felt rushed, despite our full itinerary. Cueva de los Verdes is the only attraction which requires a timed entrance so we did that first to ensure we would arrive on time.

Quality of Experience

Amazing locations, great food, and we learned a lot about César Manrique.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Nick was excellent we really appreciated the relaxed pace of the tour. Shout out to our driver Ramon for taking us around all day.

Transport

We had a small tour bus which felt a little overkill since there were only 2 of us, but Nick used a microphone system so we could hear him very well during the ride, which was a nice addition.

A Day Exploring Lanzarote’s Iconic Landscapes

Lanzarote

We spent about half a day with our guide Daniel. He picked us up from our hotel and we visited Timanfaya national park where we took a tour bus ride through the volcanic landscape. The views were stunning, although it was a bit difficult to take photos through the bus windows and there is no place to stop on the narrow road. Next we stopped to go on a short camel ride (€11 per person). The ride was quick but well worth it for a fun experience and some amazing photos. Then we visited Los Hervideros, a beautiful area of the coast where crashing waves have carved interesting formations into the volcanic rock. Next stop was El Golfo, a green tinted lake in an isolated volcanic crater. We stopped at a bodega where we learned about how wine is cultivated in the volcanic soil with unique formations that take advantage of condensation in the air for irrigation, then we stopped at Monumento al Campesino, a beautiful compound and monument to farmers designed by César Manrique, the island's most famous architect and artist. Finally we got some lunch at a local restaurant and headed back to the hotel. We covered a lot of ground and got to see and learn a ton in a short time. Our guide Daniel was very knowledgeable and fun to talk to throughout the day. He had some great insights into how to navigate the popular tourist spots - arranging the order of our activities to avoid crowds and making sure we saw all the highlights. It was nice to have a private tour and it was efficient to have a car to get between destinations.

Quality of Experience

Great tour - we covered everything we wanted to see and more! We felt like we got a really good sense of the variety of landscapes on the island.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Daniel was entertaining, engaging, and had good insights into making the most of the tourist spots.

Transport

Having a private car was great to get us between destinations.

From Market to Table: Cook Authentic Spanish Dishes

Barcelona

Wonderful experience. We met up with the group (7 people total) and our chef took us on a walking tour of the market just up the street. After exploring the market a bit and learning about common Spanish ingredients, we returned to the kitchen for our class. Each participant had the option to cook or just to observe. I decided to cook while my wife took photos. As a group, we made Spanish omelets, pan tomate, crema catalana, and 2 different paellas (one seafood and one veggie). Our chef was funny, engaging, and informative. He was also great at managing everyone's activities, keeping everyone on track with their various tasks and keeping the 2 younger kids in the group engaged the whole time. Afterwards we sat down to enjoy our meal! Definitely recommend this experience.

Quality of Experience

A comfortable environment, easy pace, and great food. We learned a lot and got to enjoy a nice meal.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our chef was very funny, engaging, and great with the young kids in our group.

Coraima was very responsive and helpful in creating our itinerary. We had a good combination of free time to explore (with suggestions) and guided trips. We spent time in Barcelona, had an audio guide of the Sagrada Familia, then to Pamplona, then San Sebastian where we did three tours: Pinxtos food and wine tour at night; bike tour of coastline; hiking the Camino de Santiago for half day. Last few days were in Bilbao without scheduled tours, but we did visit the Guggenheim. She also arranged for private transfer between cities and a train ride. It was all smooth.

Hotel Reviews

Gran Hotel La Perla

Pamplona

Very comfortable rooms, great breakfast, perfect location.

Authenticity & Character

Very modern

Location

Right in the center of the city; perfect location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Catalonia Gran Vía Bilbao

Bilbao

Great room for 3 ppl because the cot had its own room. No views. Breakfast not included. I would have prefered to be closer to old town, though this is close to the Guggenheim.

Authenticity & Character

modern

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gallery Hotel

Barcelona

Comfortable room, great breakfast

Authenticity & Character

quite modern

Location

I would prefer gothic area, but it was a very nice neighborhood

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Catalonia Donosti

San Sebastián

Very nice rooms in modern hotel with great breakfast. It was a hike to old town, where we spent most of our time. Our room was large and comfortable for 3 but we did not have a great view. I think if you stay over on top of this hill it's worth it if you view the bay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Camino de Santiago Hike to San Pedro

San Sebastián

Our guide was great. We enjoyed his company for the day and he was really knowledgeable about the Camino and the Basque Country. The beer and snack at the end was a nice reward, too.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pintxos & Wine Walk

San Sebastián

Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. The stops were interesting. It was ok for our 14yr old son, but better for guests who can enjoy the drinks. I liked the private room for one stop. The group was nice and friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

City & Beaches Bike Trip

San Sebastián

Great way to see a lot of the city in a short amount of time.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

This was the worst trip I've taken with KimKim. The activities felt impersonal, one of the hotels canceled on us, I had to point out the flight information was wrong so our driver was going to pick us up late for our flight home. This trip has made me question whether I will use KimKim in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Cortezo

Madrid

Very average accommodations. The location was noisy. The room had no character. The bed was VERY uncomfortable.

Authenticity & Character

There is no character.

Location

Central location but VERY noisy.

Staff

Not overly friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Palacio de Santa Inés

Granada

The hotel had lots of character. The views were amazing and location was perfect. But the photos didn't accurately portray the room we were in and the plumbing was about to rip from the wall. The staff was fabulous.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great location and views.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was clean. But the shower plumbing was about to rip out of the wall and the shower surround was coming off the tub.

Joya del Casco Boutique Hotel

Seville

Wonderful facility. The staff was accommodating, the hotel was super cute, the location was close to everything. My favorite of the trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A Night of Flamenco in a Sacromonte Cave

Granada

Very cool experience. The dancers were very talented and the environment was super unique.

Quality of Experience

Madrid Tapas Experience: Eat & Drink Like a Local

Madrid

Just an average food tour. The guide was lovely but I didn't like that we had to cram into most of the places. We only had a separate area for our group in one place. Everywhere else we went the guide had to compete with the crowd to talk to us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Train Madrid to Toledo, Guided Visit of Toledo, Train Toledo to Madrid

Madrid

My rating is only based on our guide. He was lovely and very knowledgeable. He was so great even someone who was nearby asked how to book him :).

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Visit: Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Granada

Again I'm only rating our guide. Rocio was fabulous. I was EXTREMELY disappointed to learn however this was a free tour considering how much I paid KimKim/Espiritu to put together this trip.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Art of Andalusian Cooking & Visit Traditional Market

Seville

The market was really cool. The experience was a nice mix of education about the market, the ingredients we were going to use and the actual cooking. The hosts were very cool. But I didn't like the way we were set up in our groups. We ended up paired up with a family that monopolized the process.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Overall the trip was extremely well organized. All the guides were very knowledgeable and friendly. Once or twice, in Cordoba and Madrid we felt a little rushed, as the guides seemed focused on making their next assignment. We had a wonderful time, in spite of the weather. All the hotels were great. Our favorite was the h10 in Sevilla.

Hotel Review

H10 Casa de la Plata

Sevilla

The H10 Casa de la Plata in Seville was my favorite among all the hotels we stayed at during the trip. The staff was exceptional, the location was perfect, and the room met all our expectations. While the breakfast wasn't the absolute best, it was still quite good, adding to the overall enjoyment of our stay.

Activity Reviews

Discover Granada’s Iconic Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Spain

The guided visit of Alhambra and the Generalife Gardens was astonishing. The guide was excellent, bringing the rich history of the place to life and making the entire experience enjoyable and enlightening.

Madrid of the Bourbons & Prado Museum Private Tour

Madrid

The Madrid of the Bourbons and Prado Museum private tour was a bit of a rushed experience for us. Our guide didn't give us time to fully appreciate or absorb each part, and due to a late train, our overall schedule was compressed. Unfortunately, this made the tour feel hurried.

All the local guides were quite good. They all seemed very knowledgable about a number of things of interest to us. We should have been more specific that we needed guides who knew plants, birds, trees, etc., but for the most part they knew enough to help us understand the environment. And their knowledge of the landmarks was quite extraordinary! We cannot find fault with anyone.

I had a great time in Canary Islands. It was my first time using Trip Plan app. I liked it. It allows to plan without surprise. I visited Tenerife first. The accommodation was strategic between the south where are the beaches and the north where is the capital and the natural park. I liked the day at Anaga park with spectacular views and the visit of Santa Cruz. The guide Irma was nice and knowledgeable. There was a small bump with Barranco Del Inferno. I appreciated that you offer a reimbursement right away. Very professional. I liked also the day at Teide volcano.
I really liked the choice of Lanzarote as the second island. I didn't know what to expect. A very pleasant surprise with a different feel from Tenerife. All small white houses. I liked the scenery and the Timanfaya national park especially.
Everything was well planned to the details.
Thank you again

Alain Giguere

Hotel Reviews

La Casona del Patio

Santiago de Teide

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Finca Isolina Hotel Boutique - Adults Recommended

Macher, Lanzarote

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Marco is a superstar

Cleanliness & Comfort

Barceló Tenerife

San Miguel de Abona

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

A Guided Walk Through Santa Cruz

Spain

Irma was a great guide, dynamic and knowledgeable

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hiking Route to Adeje and Barranco del Infierno

Spain

Good hike. Unfortunately i was supposed to meet a guide which i never saw. I could still do the trek on my own and it was well appreciated I was reimbursed right away and i thought it was really professional

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

never saw him

La Graciosa by Sea: Luxury Catamaran Cruise with Snorkel & Kayak

Lanzarote

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We just returned from a fabulous trip thru Southern Spain planned by KimKim. Marta was our travel specialists and she did a wonderful job.

Itinerary--Malaga-Granada-Ronda-Seville
Had tickets for the Picasso museum in Malaga, which is far better than the Picasso Museum in Barcelona. Tickets were wonderful as we walked right in past a very long line of people waiting who had not purchased pre-timed tickets. Stayed at the Only You Hotel. Hopping place with very lively bar.

Granada was our favority city. Very walkable. Stayed at AC Marriot Palace, centrally located by the University. Marta arranged a flamenco show in Sacremonte, which is not to be missed. Daytime tour of the Alhambra with our guide Marta was fantastic.

Travelled to Ronda via private car. Although countryside was beautiful, it rained most of the way.

Our hotel in Seville was amazing--the Palacio Villapanes, an SLH hotel. The bathroom was luxurious and my daughter appreciated the full soaking tub.
Took a walking tour of the Triano market with cooking class--made paella from scratch. That was also one of the highlights of our visit.

We never needed to use the emergency phone # as every single driver, transfer, guide, ticket etc were expertly arranged in advance by our agent. Hassle free vacation. Loved it.

All guides were knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The guide at the Alhambra was somewhat difficult to understand. There was a snafu in Cordoba- no guide met us. It took almost one hour for a guide to appear. None-the-less she was excellent.
All hotels had central locations. The hotel in Madrid was noisy. The hotel in Granada was charming and our favorite. The "boutique" hotel in Sevilla had very small rooms and dangerous bathrooms. In addition to a slippery shower floor (not safe for an older traveler) the shower faucets were difficult to use and very hot. The hotel is aware of this problem and tries to provide a tutorial when you check in. This hotel provided a champagne celebration which was appreciated.
All of the hotel breakfasts were excellent. All of the drivers were courteous and professional. Your support staff was helpful- especially when the EWR-LIS TAP Air flight misconnected and when the SEV-LIS-EWR flight was cancelled entirely. Based on this I have learned that TAP Air is an unreliable airline.

I can't mention specific guides by names because they were only listed on the Trip Plans app which apparently deletes the trip after our return. That's unfortunate--I really found this app so helpful while we were traveling--very easy and clear organization, easy to locate tickets, maps to hotels, suggestions, etc.

Marta did an amazing job of planning the trip taking into account our preferences! She was quick to respond, answered all of our questions, and provided good advice. The hotels were all terrific and had wonderful locations. When one of our trains was cancelled, we were promptly notified and rebooked seamlessly--much appreciated!

The private guides that were arranged were all wonderful--prompt, knowledgeable, engaging, and passionate about their cities. The only one that was disappointing was the Seville tour which was supposed to be a small tour of 8 and was a tour group of 25. It also just covered the Cathedral and the Alcazar, not allowing for seeing much else of Seville.

One suggestion--it might be helpful in arranging tours to consider if participants are 65+. While we were waiting in a very long line at the Reina Sofia Museum with our tickets in hand, we learned that for people 65+, you could skip the line and get admitted for free!

Overall, the services provided by KimKim were terrific! Thank you so much!

First I want to thank Raquel for planning this wonderful trip, everything went as planned. It was beyond our expectation. Very organized, sites are fantastic, the best! The hotels are superb within walking distance to anywhere. We were also able to experience to dine at a Michelin restaurant which is one block from our hotel in Madrid. The guides were amazing, very friendly, knowledgeable. Amara in m Madrid for the tapas tour, Gaza very informative, and helpful, Rocio in Alhambra knowledgeable as well. And of course Ramon who took us to El Caminito del del Rey which I been dreaming of hiking! We rate this trip 10 out of 10. Really fantastic, we are very satisfied.

Hotel Review

NH Málaga

Málaga

Beautiful modern, close to everything we need to be.

Authenticity & Character

Modern

Location

Location

Staff

made us feel welcome! Very nice, helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything

Activity Reviews

Discover Granada’s Iconic Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Spain

Tapas & Tradition: A Madrileño Evening

Madrid

The food & drinks are all delicious very authentic

Quality of Experience

Food choice!

Food

I like them all!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amara is very informative and interacts well with us!

Transport

We took the metro from our hotel, easy and quick with some walking which is fine.

Walking Madrid’s Old Town

Madrid

An Afternoon of Flamenco in Granada’s Traditional Patio

Granada

Private Transfer {{start_location}} to {{end_location}}, Hike the Caminito del Rey

Spain

Experience of a lifetime! If you like hiking, this is unique.

A Free Day to Explore Málaga & Beyond

Málaga

Nice to walk around the city. Lots to explore. Again food are excellent

Booking a trip via a travel agent is something new to us as we’ve been the type who like to book flights and hotels only and keep the day flexible.
Boy was I glad I gave kimkim a try mainly because:
- it’s a bit last minute and I didn’t have a lot of time to do research
- we have a teenager son and it’s getting to a point where a successful trip means letting him bring a friend along (which tend to be super hard to coordinate a multi-family trip), or involving more local guides and planned activities so I can delegate shepherding him along to the tour guides
- I was also hoping he can practice the Spanish he learned in school in a safe space 1:1 with a local guide on private tours.

- Helena and team took care of all the hotel and train bookings saving me a lot of hassle entering passport info and lining up train and hotel logistics
- Helena was able to recommend activities based on our interests and timing of arrival, as well as lead time for heading to train stations and airport which was super helpful (googlemap timings doesn’t take into account for time for getting lost/not knowing exactly where to turn/going through security etc)

Helena went through iterations of planning and also identified a bug in the system with pricing (I got a little suspicious when updating the itinerary didn’t change the price) and got everything resolved in a timely fashion.

We are super happy with the cooking class (the food was some of the best we has while in Spain! And the guide to the market took a lot of stress out which stall to pick to get our shopping done!)

Our next favorite was our Seville tour, our guide was superb exposing us not only to history and architecture, but also fun facts and hidden gems. She’s also a great listener and made helpful recommendations from dining to shopping.

I am so glad Helena recommended the Segovia tour (such a dreamy historical town!) and our tour guides was very knowledgeable.

Our Madrid local guide was awesome trying to speak a little Spanish slowly with my son, and gave us recommendations which areas he wouldn’t recommend for tourists and where to eat if we want the local experience.

It was also helpful the espiritu local agents checked in with us during the trip and was super responsive when we had questions, even on a Saturday!

Highly recommend if you want to pamper yourself saving time on research/comparing tour options and pricing, yet still want a tailored experience (instead of big group bus tours where you are just rushed along).

Hotel Review

7 Islas Hotel

Madrid

Location was perfect in a trendy area, yet still close to a lot of the tourist activities as well as museums and Retiro park. Staff was courteous and helpful, and breakfast variety was great. I took off one star mainly because of: 1) the hotel should really invest in renovating the bathrooms to include ventilation- otherwise the steam and smell is just permanently trapped which wasn’t pleasant 2) if you are staying on a Fri or Sat night the noise from nearby bars at night can be quite loud.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to everything and a few mins walk to Gran Via metro that lands us in chamartin or Atocha station for day trips without needing to connect to a different line.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Issue without bathroom vent per overall comment

Activity Review

The Art of Andalusian Cooking & Visit Traditional Market

Seville

Going around the Triana market for specialty stores and products was awesome! Very fun to learn about local foods and spices. Instructions for cooking class was clear and great pacing. Chef also kept things entertaining and very informative. And the best spinach with chickpeas dish and chicken paella I have tastes!

Quality of Experience

Food

Loved the chicken Paella and spinach chickpeas!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Marta prepared a southern Spain (Andalusia) trip for us. She covered everything except airlift--private guided tours, Food tours, transport and hotels. Our expectations were exceeded, particularly with the choice of hotels that they made. I was specific in the type of atmosphere and location that I wanted to stay in each city, and each hotel was better than the other.

The Trip Planner app made staying aware of each days' activities VERY easy. In the past KimKim would just put it in an email. The App makes it available anywhere. PLUS there's an interactive chat feature which allows me to communicate with the agent--this alone made us always feel connected.

There were really no hiccups and I'd recommend using KimKim as I've done several times in the past. They really are local experts and saves you the hassle of fooling around with multiple website and blogs. Recommended.

Hotel Reviews

Only YOU Hotel Malaga

Málaga

Amazing location directly across the street from the Old Town, and next to a large urban park and the marina. Very safe neighborhood. The staff is AMAZING. They were friendly, very attentive, and accommodating. The hotel has great amenities, a phenomenal breakfast (included), and the lobby even has 24hr snacks like drinks, fruit and candy to tide you over. The rooms were spacious, quiet, and cleaned every day. This truly is a great chain of boutique-style accomodations. There is a coin-laundry right behind the hotel, by the way. Recommended.

Authenticity & Character

Charm and elegance of the rooms. Modern amenities throughout.

Location

Right in the old town, and next to a large peaceful urban walking park, the marina, and cafes and restos. Public transport is also right there. And a coin laundry behind the hotel if you need that.

Staff

Friendly, down to earth, understanding.

Cleanliness & Comfort

CoolRooms Palacio de Villapanés

Seville

If I could give it six stars I would. The hotel was an old castle or something in the olden days, but it's thoroughly modernized. The rooms we got upgraded to a suite--holy smokes. Unbelievable with living room, bedroom, and large bathroom. This hotel give luxury a new meaning. Breakfast was excellent every morning as well...I mean, it wasn't even a buffet. It's a la carte but you get incredible selection. It's included in our package. Staff was SUPER friendly. Rooftop pool and lounge, with nice views of Seville. Located about 20 min walk to the center of the old town. Lots of charm, character. HIGHLY recommended.

Authenticity & Character

Older legacy building thoroughly modernized, with beautiful decoration and feel.

Location

In the old town, but still about 20 min walk to the center.

Staff

Front desk and porter were always helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleaned rooms every day. The entire hotel was spotless. Felt very comfortable.

Hospes Palacio del Bailío

Córdoba

A modern, boutique hotel built on top of old Roman ruins that you can see beneath you in the dining room. Great, incredible breakfast. All the amenities in the rooms. Location in the old town--about 10 minute walk to the center. Quiet area, but safe. Room was spacious, cleaned everyday. No air conditioning that I can remember--we just had to open the window and it was cool enough. Beds were very comfortable, plenty of pillows as well. Highly recommended.

Authenticity & Character

I mean--it used to be Roman ruins! How much more authentic do you want!

Location

Nothing really...it's a quiet area of the old town.

Staff

Friendly, accomodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Parador de Cádiz

Cádiz

A modern hotel right on the waterfront, with incredible views, large rooms and wonderful staff. All the amenities you could want in the room. We didn't eat there, since the town is right across the street. Bed was large, comfortable and lots of pillows. They also have a large patio on the top floor with great views. The hotel overlooks a large urban park as well. Great breakfast as well, hot and cold foods. This hotel was luxe--but it didn't feel snobby at all. The Minister of the Interior was using it for a few days to hold a big important conference--that's how luxe this place is. Recommended!!

Authenticity & Character

Very modern and updated. Clean, spacious, well lit.

Location

Right on the water, next to an urban park as well. Close to the old town.

Staff

The front desk and the porter were exceptional.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The rooms were cleaned daily, and the lobby and ground meticulous.

Activity Reviews

Tapeo Like a Local: A Tapas Walk Through Málaga

Málaga

Meeting great other travelers, with the guide Andrea who was so friendly and knowledgeable. You don't really have to walk far to enjoy the SIX different locales we went to savour local tapas and drink. You really do learn about Andalusian cuisine!

Quality of Experience

Food

Discovering Sherry was neat!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We walked.

Guided Visit of Historic Málaga

Spain

A great tour of Malaga, at a leisurely pace. You get to see all the highlights of the old Towne. The guide really knew her history. Spoke English very well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

No transport--they met at the hotel and we walked.

Private Walking Tour: Mosque & Jewish Quarter

Córdoba

Great guide. Lots of good history knowledge. Guide didn't really focus as in-depth on the Jewish history as I had hoped, but maybe that's just my expectations. The areas we did visit were incredibly. I'd recommend this trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My trip to Spain was amazing any questions I had were always answered right away! All my hotels were in perfect locations to see sites. All my tour guides were very knowledgeable and kept it fun as well. It was a seem less process so I could sit back and enjoy the Beauty and history of Spain. I will definitely use kimkim when planning future trips.

It was our first time to use Kimkim. Coraima was the perfect planner. She understood what experience we were looking for and iterated with us. All the logistics were beautifully handled

Thank you coraima

The good
The hotels were top notch (although having an add on breakfast on the day we had a 6 am train seems like poor planning)
Las Alpujarras Village tour was fantastic. The guide realized early in that shopping and lunch were not really of interest and changed things up to include a hike. One of the highlights.
Kayaking in Costa Brava was fantastic and the other high point
Our kimkim trip planner worked with us and did a great job hearing what we wanted and booking the things we wanted to do. Kimkim is not responsible for the poor service we received from some of the guides

The really really bad
Rides -
our train driver in barcelona was in the wrong place and we spent over an hour trying to find him
Our driver to the train in Granada never showed up. He eventually called 30 minutes late to say he was on his way but by then we paid for a taxi and barely caught our train

Wine tasting in Granada
The guide went into a monologue about how wonderful it was that the jews and Muslims were chased out of the country by the great queen Isabelle. While there is historical accuracy (ham was adopted as a national dish in part to drive out certain cultures) having the guide extoll the virtues of racism, and explain to us that we were wrong in being appalled because it was wonderful to have certain cultures driven out l those cultures were removed from the country came across as racist, offensive, and disgusting.
The bar tender also made a big deal about one member of the group who only wanted to taste the wine, telling her she has to drink, insulting her, and not allowing anybody else to try the next one until her glass was empty.

The rest of it was okay but the wine tasting was offensive on many levels and overshadowed much of the trip.

Hotel Review

Hotel NH Collection Granada Victoria

Granada

Gorgeous room. Breakfast was amazing

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to everything

Staff

Suggestions on where to eat, what to see. Help with taxis when our ride service did not show up

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Private La Alpujarra Villages Day Trip

Granada

The guide had a set itinerary based on what most groups want (shopping and lunch) but switched it on the fly to include hiking down to a waterfall when we showed no interest in the quaint shops.

Quality of Experience

8

Transport

Good company on the drive, pointed out landmarks and helped me practice spanish