Sebastian Prino

Our trip to France was absolutely amazing, and we came home with wonderful memories! We loved the thoughtfully planned excursions, and the cooking class was truly a highlight. The transportation was always timely, and every driver was polite, professional, and kind. We especially enjoyed the perfect mix of wine experiences, food, history, and free time to explore on our own.

This was our second trip using KimKim, and once again, we appreciated the overall planning and organization. We requested moderate-luxury accommodations, and two of our three stops were exactly what we had envisioned.

Our final stop was a family-run hotel. The staff was very nice, and the property was clean; however, the accommodations and location were not quite what we had requested. The hotel was removed from restaurants and shopping, and without an on-site restaurant for dinner, we needed to rely on Ubers and do additional planning for evening meals.

We want to emphasize that this is not a negative review of Hotel 96 itself. Rather, it is feedback about the fit between the accommodations and the experience we had requested for the final two days of our trip. As a group of women who travel together often, we value having a comfortable, inviting space where we can relax, enjoy a glass of wine, share food, and spend time together in the evenings. That was an important part of why we requested moderate-luxury accommodations, and we had hoped for a similar experience to the first two stops.

We made the most of our time and thoroughly enjoyed our overall French experience, but we felt this feedback was worth sharing for future travelers with similar expectations.

Overall, we had a wonderful trip and are grateful for the experiences and memories created. We would absolutely use KimKim again and appreciate the care that went into planning our journey. We simply hope that future accommodation selections will more closely reflect the requested level of comfort, convenience, and evening atmosphere throughout the entire itinerary.

Hotel Reviews

Hôtel Baume

Paris

Beautiful accommodations

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Saint Christophe

Aix-en-Provence

Beautiful hotel with a wonderful restaurant

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chateau St Roux

Le Cannet-des-Maures

Absolutely stunning views

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel 96

Marseille

This hotel is a little from restaurants and entertainment. It is family run and very quiet. There is even a sign up saying don’t disturb our grandmother living in the next room. Great if you have small children that go to bed early not good if you’re on a weekend with friends.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit and Wine Tasting at Château Saint Roux

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Provençal Market Visit & Cooking Workshop

Aix-en-Provence

This was an amazing experience with amazing food and host

Quality of Experience

The hose makes this a great learning experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Tour de France of Wine Tasting (cheese pairing)

Paris

This was a great way to experience meeting other travelers and enjoying great wine

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Enjoy the Chateau Saint-Roux

France

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Aix-en-Provence Food Tour

France

Our tour guide was so much fun. We really appreciated a wonderful evening with her.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Skip-the-line: louvre museum greatest masterpieces private guided tour

Paris

Quality of Experience

Review of KimKim trip for Henry Newman and Lisa Belvito France October 2026

Overall review – the trip was excellent. Most things went smoothly and were as planned, with a few exceptions that will be detailed following.
The process of working with Sebastian was good. It took a couple of calls for him to understand that we did not want to spend time in Paris. Once that was resolved he was very responsive to our interest, made good suggestions and replied in a timely manner.
We did have some trouble getting English tours for Mont St Michel and the oyster tour in Cancale. It seemed like we had to press a few times before getting alternatives. In the end it worked out fine.
Properties – all the hotels were lovely, well located for our needs and the staff was very helpful.
We did request at least a queen bed in each. In St. Malo and Bordeaux, we did not have queens – they seemed to be doubles. We would have preferred to discuss this in advance and explore the options (location, pricing etc) of upgrading to determine ourselves if we wanted to upgrade.
Note for people driving – we rented a car for the trip and needed parking. I believe Sebastian made sure that all the hotels had parking available. The location he gave us in St. Malo was especially well done since he kept us outside the old city where there is no parking but close enough to walk.
However – it is critical that guests contact each hotel well in advance to arrange for parking. The spaces are limited and if we had not reached out to each hotel early, we would not have gotten a parking space. You can assist future guests by advising them to make parking arrangement in advance.
Day by Day
We made a lovely stop at Giverny on the way to Bayeux – a nice alternative for those interested.
Villa Lara , a family-run hotel, was great. Paul and Julian were very fun and accommodating for our evening cocktails.
D-Day Sites Tour was very well done. Our guide Violine (??) did a great job giving is the history and creating a sense of what was happening during this period in history. She answered all our questions and accommodated our needs given a rather rainy day. The Airborne museum was also a highlight.
Sadly, the tapestry was on display in Britian, but we enjoyed a quiet day exploring Bayeux.
Mont Saint Michel - easy to get to and the directions look us right to the parking lot. Although it was a bit crowded the process was smooth and the walk to the Abbey was nice.
We ended up with an audio guide due to lack of an English tour. This was the best audio guide we have ever seen! It really provided excellent information and perspectives across the centuries. Perfect if there is not a tour in your language or for anyone who prefers self-guided option.
Saint Malo As mentioned – the hotel location was just the right place for access to parking and access to the intra muros district. We spent a nice day discovering the old town of St. Malo.
The suggestion to visit Cancale on our own since we could not get an English tour of the oyster farms was a great idea. We spent time at Pointe du Grouin and then visited Cancale. Lots of fun sitting by the water eating oysters and watching the oyster farming.
Due to rainy weather, chilly we didn’t drive as much of the coast as suggested.
Bordeaux – another lovely hotel centrally located for everything we wanted to enjoy. Excellent staff – very helpful especially since we were there when some of the riots occurred. They ensured that everyone was informed and safe, so we had no issues.
We had some mix up with our market tour which we have shared with Sebastian.
The itinerary said - Marché des Capucins Lénaïc, a local passionate wine-lover, is your guide to this emblematic Bordeaux neighborhood. You'll learn about its fascinating history while exploring the colorful market. You will stop at three different stalls to hear artisan producers explain their work and techniques and to sample local wines and season products, which could include cheese, oysters, stuffed cod, and more.
Your tour ends in a nearby wine cellar for brunch, enjoying wine and other local specialties. You will have the opportunity to taste six different wines matched with food purchased at the markets. This is a friendly and relaxed experience away from the hustle and bustle of the city above!
Unfortunately, this is not the experience we got. We stayed in the main area, visited 4 local shops for small tastes. There was no market and no brunch or food and wine pairing. It seems the local tour company switched out our planned tour for a different experience which was disappointing.
We did, however, visit Marché des Capucins on our own.
Sauternes Wine and Medoc Wine tours The next two days of touring Sauternes Wine and Medoc Wine were excellent. Ugo our guide was knowledgeable, engaging, informative and a great driver. We learned a lot about wine and life in the area.
Wine Tasting in St. Emilion Our guide for this tour (she did not tell us her name) was pleasant but not very engaging. We were in a rather noisy van with 4 other people, and it was impossible to hear what she was explaining in the back of the van. We did ask her to speak up a few times but to no avail. For small groups in a van, you might consider using a mike so everyone can hear.
The location and tasting were was enjoyable.
Le Monastère de Saint-Mont this was an amazing property with such a lovely family running it. Beatrice arranged a full day tour of the region with Armagnac and wine tastings and lunch with a local guide. KimKim might want to coordinate with these people for others who want Armagnac experiences as you didn’t seem to know anyone in the region.

We had an amazing experience with KimKim - all the way from all the hotel recommendations to the beautiful excursions and trips that were planned. We highly recommend booking your next trip with them, they were great and answered every question I had!

Sebastian’s help in creating a perfect honeymoon itinerary was amazing! The travel book was clear and easy to use. We had a great time in France!

The personalized detailed planning was excellent. Our hotels were just what we asked for as were the tours. We especially liked our unusual day in champagne with the Vintage Tour Company in “Marcel” with Coline. All our drivers were excellent.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Dame des Arts

Paris

Great service, friendly and helpful staff. The food is excellent. Modern and stylish hotel with ambience. Our room was small but very comfortable with a king sized bed and well organized.

Authenticity & Character

Great style and ambience

Location

Close to every thing sight seeing, restaurants, metro etc.

Staff

All the staff were very helpful. Isi went the extra mile

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was spacious and comfortable

La Poterne

EPERNAY

The welcome and personal service was like visiting old friends. Charlotte made the best cake and breakfast. Very welcoming and comfy B&B. Perfect location if you want to be in town within walking distance to shops transport and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely house and rooms

Staff

They make you feel like family

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loved the big tub and separate shower. Big comfy bed.

Activity Reviews

Guided tour of Paris and secret Montmartre in a Citroën 2CV

Paris

JR listened to us and gave us a very personal eclectic tour as we had been to Paris a few times and wanted to see some different places.

An unusual day in Champagne

France

The 'Unusual Day in Champagne' tour was my favorite activity. We were picked up from our B&B in a little Renault van by a local guide who was very knowledgeable and friendly, making me feel like I was out with a friend. We visited two very different wineries, enjoyed a well-done picnic outside one of them, and experienced a smaller, more intimate champagne house. The guide's deep knowledge and willingness to answer all our questions made the day really special and memorable.

We had a fabulous time with our 12 year old granddaughter on our recent trip to Paris and Amboise in the Loire Valley. Sebastian selected some wonderful activities for us beyond the 4 art museums that we expected and enjoyed. Our favorites were a wonderful Patisserie cooking class with Chef Mattieu, an amazing private tour of the Marais with Livia and a very special trip to the charming town of Amboise to see the Chateau de Clos-Lucé (home of Leonardo da Vinci) and a great visit to Chenonceau & lunch at a chateau cooked by the Countess. On that tour, our guide Alexane, was so engaging and full of fascinating facts. All of the private transfers went off without a hitch! We could never have planned such a great trip on our own. Sebastian listened to what we were interested in seeing and was responsive to our feedback. We would definitely use Kim Kim again.

Hotel Reviews

La Maison Rabelais

Amboise

So beautiful and we had a great room with a private patio and hot tub and kitchenette. Wish we could have stayed more than one night!

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful gardens. Rooms are well appointed and furnished.

Location

Easily walkable to town.

Staff

Very welcoming.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hôtel Littéraire Marcel Aymé, BW Premier Collection

PARIS

Charming hotel in the lively and interesting area of Montmartre. Our room was small but clean, comfortable, and quiet. The staff was super helpful and nice. And, the breakfast was an amazing with a delicious selection of patisserie and hot and cold items. There isn't a lot of closet/hook space for three people, but we were fine and the staff and service made up for it. The plus is that it's in a very cool area with numerous cafes and tiny shops. The minus is that it's a bit far from the center of the city with most of the museums and attractions. We enjoyed our stay.

Staff

Activity Reviews

Paris: Illuminations Seine River Cruise

Paris

Great way to start our trip - relaxing

Entrance ticket and Audioguide to the "Musée de l'Orangerie"

Paris

Of course we love the collection here, but once we entered, they said that our tickets did NOT include an audio guide. However, it was still lovely to see the Monet water lilies and there was a super exhibit of Rousseau and other artists on the lower level.

Guided tour of Paris and secret Montmartre in a Citroën 2CV

Paris

Very fun. Our driver, Niko, took us not just in Montmartre, but he took us by other things that we had not yet seen like the Moulin Rouge, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Pantheon. He also stopped the car and took a sweet photo of us popped up through the top of the car with the Eiffel Tower in the background. We thought that the "tour" would have a set agenda, but he wanted us to tell him what we wanted to see and we weren't quite prepared for that. He ended in Saint-Germain-des-Prés at a restaurant that he recommended and we had dinner there, but we had to find our way by taxi back to the hotel afterward. It was fun buzzing around and taking photos through the top of the car.

French Boulangerie Class in Paris

Paris

This was one of our favorite activities enjoyed by all of us. The chef, Matthieu, was energetic, engaging and a great teacher. And we ended up with bags of delicious pastries after the class. Highly recommended.

Quality of Experience

The "Pletzl", The Jewish District Marais Private Tour

Paris

Again, this was one of our favorite activities. Our guide, Livia, was friendly, engaging and very knowledgeable. She was great in interacting with our granddaughter. She gave us so much interesting history about the area and the history of the Jews in France. We had a wonderful visit to the Holocaust Museum and the memorials in the area. She also recommended several places to eat that we enjoyed on a later visit, especially La Du Felafel. Highly recommended.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Palace of Versailles Half day trip (Skip the line, audioguided & gardens) by minivan from Paris

Paris

Long trip in and out of town, but worth seeing. Our driver, Gabriel, was a charming young man, but unfortunately, he wasn't allowed to guide us inside the grounds as he had planned. He didn't have the proper credentials. The Palace was quite full of visitors. The audio guide was a bit perplexing to use, but we got the hang of it. I wish we'd spent less time in the Palace, especially the first floor, and more time in the gardens which are amazing!

Quality of Experience

Paris Museum Pass

Paris

Great - covers all the bases. Sebastian arranged timed entry for those we wanted that require it.

Chambord, Chenonceau & lunch at a chateau - Full-day

France

Fabulous. Wish we could have stayed for the entire tour, but we had to leave after lunch to catch our train back to Paris. Our guide Alexane was phenomenal. She was very knowledgeable, funny, and had all sorts of stories and history. She really engaged our granddaughter as well as the adults. The Chateaus and gardens were amazing. We really enjoyed our special lunch at Villesavin Castle. Highly recommend this experience. Thanks to Sebastian, we were able to get through at least 2/3 of it and he arranged a private driver to take us to the hotel and the train that made it possible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We absolutely enjoyed planning with our Kimkim team. Lisa for Holland & Belgium and Sebastian for France. Easy, enjoyable & they both know how to avoid crowds etc. our person tours were top notch and we were so glad to not be with the group tours!

Almost all the activities were amazing except the boat ride in Marsalie. That event should have been canceled. Very heavy wind and rocky boat. Everyone was soaking wet. Not enjoyable and we went back to shore early. Also, whoever books the tours is not putting our names down. Problem on boat trip as well as dinner in Lyon. The guide in Marsaie for walking tour was a highlight as well as trip to Eze and Monaco. All the drivers were excellent. We enjoyed all three wine tours. We also enjoyed the cooking class in Aix. She was tremendous 5 star performer.

Hotel Reviews

Boutique Hotel Cezanne

Aix-en-Provence

Terrific boutique hotel. Just what we expected.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Collège Hotel

Lyon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel de Cambis

Avignon

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maisons du Monde Hôtel Marseille Vieux Port

Marseille

Authenticity & Character

Location

Ok

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Villa Nice Promenade

Nice

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Half-Day Afternoon Cruise to Calanques National Park - small group

Marseille

Started out with tour operator not showing our reservation. Reservation made in name of tour coordinator with no reference to our names. Should have been an indicator. Very windy and boat rocky. Could not get to areas we were supposed to go. Should have been canceled.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

E-bike tour in Lyon

Lyon

We did not do this activity. Too difficult to operate e-bikes.

Restaurant | Food & Wine Pairing in Aix en Provence (4 dauphins menu)

Aix-en-Provence

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Provençal Market Visit & Cooking Workshop

Aix-en-Provence

Fantastic! Highlight of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Local Bouchon Lyonnais Diner

Lyon

Kim Kim agent did not put reservations in our name so we did not enjoy experience on day scheduled. We did work it out with restaurant and had an amazing meal.

Half-day Wine Tour - Northern Rhone Valley

France

Quality of Experience

I’m

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bistronomic diner in Avignon

Avignon

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full-day guided tour to Nimes, Uzes and Pont du Gard

Avignon

Uzès was incredibly beautiful. Loved it. Monte Carlo was terrific. Enjoyed a James Bond martini and saw the racetrack.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlight of Provence : Chateauneuf du pape & Luberon with wine tasting

Avignon

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loved the hotel and its location to really cool places in France! The pickups were also great and weather was beautiful!

A few suggestions for others:

The walk to Tower from Latin quarter was more like 1hr-30 minutes, we took uber back. We’re in great physical shape to do it except we almost missed our scheduled time slot.

Also, meet up with our guide for Luve tour was a miss and could’ve been improved. Another tour-guide saved the day and got on the phone to help us get to proper location.

We did not get to tour the steps up to Notre Dame towers, this could’ve been arranged if we had been more informed of our options.

Perfect hotel, perfect location, more casual “local” restaurants recommendations next time. We loved ARTABAN restaurant just steps away from hotel.

The City Tour was the highlight of our trip- we loved it! Finally, the drivers from train station and to Airport were excellent!

We will use Kimkim again!

Thank You,
Mike/Cathy

Was a good trip overall, one of that tour guides was not super knowledgeable about where we going, or how to use the metro to get there. At one point he jumped on the metro with few seconds to spare we followed him on quickly assuming everyone had enough time to get in the train. However one of my son’s got left behind as the doors closed before he could get on.

All drivers were pleasant and on time.