Secret Romania

I speak as the organizer of this bespoke trip to Romania. My late partner Linda was battling pancreatic cancer when she asked me to take over the arrangement of this trip to her native Romania. I think she wanted this trip in the works to have a peak experience to look forward to if she survived, and to give to her friends and family if she did not make it. Unfortunately, she passed away before the trip -- instead departing on another trip we are all signed up for eventually. Linda chose Romania because her paternal ancestors emigrated from there to Detroit, Linda's birthplace. Linda had been to Romania before to explore where she came from, but she felt she had missed some important experiences, among them the painted monestaries and particularly the village of Mihoveni, near Suceava in Bukovina, her ancestors' home. Irenne as the travel planner for Secret Romania did a wonderful job of asking me what we wanted from the trip, adding experiences that we did not know to ask for, and putting together all the logistics needed to make the trip successful and enjoyable. (Along the way, she was amaziningly patient and good-natured with all of our questions and requests.) Our guide Florin, was extremely knowledgeable about all things Romanian along our route, plus being patient, warm, and kind. Our driver Bogdan was excellent -- our safety and comfort were clearly his highest priority. Before the trip I was not sure that I would have chosen a trip to Romania as my top destination. But once I got there and experienced the history, the culture, and the people, I realized that this was a chance of a lifetime to experience an extremely beautiful country and an extraordinary culture. Our trip culminated with the opportunity to spread some of Linda's ashes on the lovely flowers in the garden of the church that played such an important role in the lives of Linda's forbears. All in all, six stars on a five star scale. The trip of a lifetime thanks to kimkim and the staff at Secret Romania.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Sonnenhof

Suceava

Comfortable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Dukat

Gura Humorului, Suceava Romania

Comfortable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Sighisoara Binderbubi - Hotel & Spa

Sighisoara

Comfortable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Armatti

Brasov

Comfortable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Continental Forum Bucharest

Bucharest, Romania

Comportable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near everything we wanted to see.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Free time in Bucharest

Bucharest

The museum regarding Romanian history, especially the communist period and the revolution against that government, were fascinating.

Quality of Experience

Visit Mihoveni

Suceava

This was a very specific add-on in response to a request. We wanted to see the Ciofus' and other related families' graves in the local cemetary -- and to spread some of our beloved Linda's ashes in the church flower garden. Linda made me promise, and Irenne as planner, Florin as guide, and Bogdan as driver make it happen. A promise made, a promise kept.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Very comfortable Mercedes minibus, expertly driven.

Visit Suceava

Romania

The village life and buildings museum was very informative. The city fortress, destroyed by the Turks and now beng restored, was impressive.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Discover Bucovina

Gura Humorului

The painted monasteries were unique and amazing!

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Viscri and Sighisoara

Romania

Loved the UNESCO World Heritage aspects of this wonderful places.

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Zarnesti Cliffs and Bear Watching

Romania

Seeing the bears in their natural environment as a treat.

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Transfer from Bucharest to Brasov with Peles Castle

Romania

Peles castle was like a mini-Versaille, but ina more spectular setting in the mountais.

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Sighisoara to Bucovina with the Red Lake and the Bicaz Gorge

Romania

The Bicaz Gorge was spectacular.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip guided by Florin and driven by Bogdan exceeded my expectations by far. It couldn't have been better.

Activity Reviews

Visit Mihoveni

Suceava

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free time in Bucharest

Bucharest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visit Suceava

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Discover Bucovina

Gura Humorului

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sighisoara to Bucovina with the Red Lake and the Bicaz Gorge

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Viscri and Sighisoara

Romania

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zarnesti Cliffs and Bear Watching

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Bucharest to Brasov with Peles Castle

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Bucharest city tour

Bucharest

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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The ten days in Romania was planned well ahead when my friend Linda was alive and hoping to join her family looking for its Romanian roots. We were sad not to have her with us but the spirit of celebration of her life remained with siblings, cousins and friends. Our guide Florin was phenomenal with his knowledge, experience, flexibility and friendliness. We had a great bus and driver, Bogdon, for our group of 11. We saw the highlights of Romanian castles, churches and history villages on the way north to visit the Ciofu ancestral home parish. Wonderful trip and a pleasure to meet Linda’s cousins and spend time with her siblings.

Florin and Brogon were fantastic. Florins recommendations were great

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Sonnenhof

Suceava

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Dukat

Gura Humorului, Suceava Romania

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Sighisoara Binderbubi - Hotel & Spa

Sighisoara

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Armatti

Brasov

Authenticity & Character

I’m

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Continental Forum Bucharest

Bucharest, Romania

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Visit Mihoveni

Suceava

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free time in Bucharest

Bucharest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Suceava

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Discover Bucovina

Gura Humorului

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Viscri and Sighisoara

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sighisoara to Bucovina with the Red Lake and the Bicaz Gorge

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zarnesti Cliffs and Bear Watching

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from Bucharest to Brasov with Peles Castle

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bucharest city tour

Bucharest

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bogdon and Florin were both awesome. Florin’s knowledge of Romania was fascinating. All was great. Linda would approve.

Amazing Tour of Romania

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Garden Inn Airport

Otopeni

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Republique

Sibiu

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Beyfin

Cluj-Napoca

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Mercure Sighisoara Binderbubi - Hotel & Spa

Sighisoara

Loved the authenticity, staff was friendly and accommodating. Excellent location.

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

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Villa Prato

Brasov

Quaint , staff was friendly and accommodating, excellent breakfast.

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Hotel Capitol

Bucharest

Accommodations were clean, staff was friendly and accommodating, restaurant food was delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Quaint

Location

Located close to restaurants and attractions.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Air conditioning didn't work well, room was small.

Activity Reviews

Goodbye Romania!

Bucharest Int. Airport (OTP)

Our last day with Florin and Romania was a wonderful way to finish our journey with KimKim. The museum tour is highly recommended to end your Romanian adventure. Followed up by a traditional lunch that we throughly enjoyed. Irenne was fabulous with coordinating throughout the trip.

Quality of Experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Transport

Welcome to Romania

Bucharest

Our trip was prepared flawlessly by Irenne and the KimKim staff. Our airport pickup worked well even though our flight was delayed. Florin met us on our first day and we enjoyed our introduction to Romania.

Quality of Experience

This was our first time using a private service and we highly recommend the experience. Irene and the KimKim staff are exceptional. Our trip was well planned and we could enjoy ourselves without worrying about anything. Florin our driver/guide was exceptional. He made sure everything was taken care of and our experiences were coordinated so we could enjoy them at a leisurely pace. Florin also added additional personal attention to make our journey comfortable. His local knowledge and suggestions made for a specialized experience. We would definitely recommend KimKim and Florin to future travelers. A definite 5 star experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sibiu to Bucharest with Transfagarasan road

Romania

Quaint town, the churches were breathtaking. Florin coordinated everything perfectly.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Visit the National Museum of History and leisure time in Bucharest

Bucharest

Quality of Experience

⁸

Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Walking tour in the Old Town of Bucharest

Bucharest

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Viscri and Sighisoara

Romania

Quality of Experience

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Day trip to the Corvinilor Castle

Sibiu

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Turda salt mine and Cluj

Romania

Unbelievable, spectacular attraction, highly recommend for future travelers.

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Bran Castle and Brasov medieval city

Brasov

Florin made sure ou r entry was coordinated so that we had plenty of time to visit without large groups. We were practically by ourselves and could enjoy the attractions thoroughly.

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Guides, Drivers and Staff

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Transfer from Bucharest to Brasov with Peles Castle

Romania

Travel was exceptional. Our guide Florin and the lovely Mercedes we had made the trip comfortable. Florin took extra time to make sure our excursions were timed so that we weren't with crowds and could enjoy the activities.

Quality of Experience

Irene at KimKim and Florin are both 5 star performers and would definitely recommend to traveler's for future KimKim adventures.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Florin was and exceptional driver and guide. He was very attentive and made sure we were well informed and taken care of. His local knowledge of the areas and attractions was outstanding. Irene at KimKim was at all times attentive to our needs, she was the best travel coordinator we've ever had.

Transport

Always on time , clean , and comfortable

Bucharest city tour

Bucharest

Our guide Florin was outstanding. Went above and beyond on all excursions. Found unique restaurants.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We recently returned from an unforgettable trip to Romania, and working with Irenne through KimKim made the entire experience seamless and stress-free.

As travelers coming from the United States, we were hesitant about renting a car and driving in a foreign country. Since KimKim had done such an excellent job planning our trip to Norway last year, I reached out again to see if they could help arrange a driver for Romania. I provided Irenne with a rough itinerary, and she took care of every detail. Her communication was outstanding from the planning stages through the end of our trip, and she was always available whenever we had questions.

Our driver and guide, Alin, met us at the airport right on time and accompanied us throughout our journey. We spent our first night in Bucharest, exploring the charming Old Town at our own pace. The next day, we visited Peles Castle and Bran Castle before spending the evening in Brasov. With Alin driving, we were able to rest in the car, check our phones, sleep, etc. He was also a great driver, didn't speed or drive rough, or play loud music.

Alin was exceptional. He never rushed us, encouraged us to take our time at each stop, and even became our family photographer, capturing some truly beautiful photos. His knowledge of Romanian history was impressive, and he shared fascinating insights throughout the trip.

On the third day, we stopped at the Sighisoara Citadel on our way to Sibiu. After arriving, we spent a relaxing evening exploring the city and recharging after several busy days of sightseeing.

One of the highlights of the trip came on Day 4, when my wife expressed interest in visiting Corvin Castle. Alin was incredibly accommodating and adjusted our itinerary, replacing the Astra Museum visit with Corvin Castle at no additional cost. It turned out to be a fantastic decision, as we felt Corvin Castle was the most beautiful castle we visited in Romania.

Day 5 was perhaps the most memorable of all. We drove from Sibiu back to Bucharest via the spectacular Transfagarasan Road. The scenery was breathtaking, and we frequently stopped to take photos of the mountains, lakes, snow-covered landscapes, and even bears. Alin was patient throughout the day, and we never felt hurried. It was the perfect way to conclude our Romanian adventure.

We arrived back in Bucharest in the late afternoon, giving us enough time to enjoy one final dinner in the city before heading to the airport the following morning.

Looking back, I am extremely grateful that we chose KimKim and hired a driver. Romania is a beautiful country, but the distances between destinations can be significant, and driving can be challenging. Having Alin behind the wheel allowed us to relax, enjoy the scenery, take naps during longer drives, and arrive at each destination refreshed.

I highly recommend Irenne and KimKim to anyone planning a trip to Romania. Their professionalism, attention to detail, and commitment to creating a memorable experience made this one of the best family vacations we've ever taken.

Our trip to Romania was amazing! The iterneary was perfect. Irenne did a wonderful job of planning out everything. We were never rushed or stressed. Our guide Andrei was wonderful too. We were filled in with so much information and history on this complex and facinating country.
I would highly recommend kimim and Irenne!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Capitol

Bucharest

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bella Muzica

Brasov

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

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MyContinental

Sibiu

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ibis Styles Bucharest City Center

Bucharest

Nice hotel. Had a little trouble with the AC and the front desk did not answer the phone when I called.

Authenticity & Character

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Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Brasov to Bucharest with Peles Castle Visit

Romania

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tampa and Brasov

Brasov

Quality of Experience

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Bucharest to Sibiu with Curtea de Arges Monastery

Romania

Quality of Experience

Under construction

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to the Corvinilor Castle and Alba Iulia Citadel

Sibiu

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Andre was fantastic and very informative about all the locations we visited! His driving was impeccable and if we wanted to stop and take more photos he was always very accommodating! There was so much to see and I appreciated his knowledge, insights and calm demeanor. The recommendations on places to eat by Irene and by Andre were spot on.
Thank you for taking such good care of us! KS

We had an amazing time traveling through Romania. Florin was always very responsive while planning the trip. He created a wonderful itinerary and then was also our guide. He was incredibly knowledgeable and very accommodating. Everything went as expected and I feel like we made a new friend.