Kimkim Trip Reviews for Ireland

My daughter and granddaughter and I took a self drive trip in Ireland. We chose to experience the West coast from the Dingle Peninsula north to Galway. We flew into Shannon which was the perfect airport for us American drivers to start. We used the GPS on my iPhone for navigation. Used ApplePlay instead of Google, although Google works too, and was spot on everywhere we wanted to go. We went off the beaten path many times. Planning was great, until it was not. My original contact listened to what I wanted the trip to look like, planned an itinerary that was not the normal cookie cutter trip, found lodging where we had a triple rom, sent her a glowing review, made final payment then she went silent. I had a question that went unanswered, finally called Kim Kim to get my question answered also had to call the get my vouchers and tickets 10 days before we left. At that point I was put in contact with Svetlana and she was amazing. I understand life happens and things get off track. All my correspondence was going thru the company system, and when my original travel agent was not longer doing her job, I should have been assigned a new contact not my having to make phone calls asking for help. I chose KimKim because I had a great experience planning a trip to Nepal then Covid hit and cancelled the trip. Yes I would use Kimkim again but could not give a 5 star review.

Activity Review

Farewell

Ireland

Aleksandra was extremely easy to work with and easily reached. She responded almost immediately both before and on the trip. She picked excellent experiences for us based on our interests.

Hotel Reviews

Maldron Hotel

Galway

Very nice room, shower worked well

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Shannon Springs Hotel

Shannon

The resturant was excellent. For Shannon it was cenrally located to Cliffs of Moher, Bundraddy Castle was close, and Ennis

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lansdowne Hotel

Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Small rooms, and tiny bathroom, although other rooms had larger bathrooms.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Some hard to understand

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Introducing Joyce’s Dublin Walking Tour

Dublin

We loved it and Liam was wonderful and extremely knowledgeable. It was actually emotional at times when he read passages written by Joyce.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

No transport just walking

The Legendary Walking Tour of Galway

Galway

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Just walking

Wolfgang helped coordinate and plan a family finding trip to Ireland. The trip was wonderful and all the planning for transportation and hotels was invaluable. Thank you Wolfgang.

Great suggestions from Wolfgang and the team. Hotels were fabulous. Even wrinkles with car rental quickly solved by team. Really appreciated the expertise allowing us to enjoy Ireland and London with no worries. Will definitely use Kim Kim in the future and highly recommend your team.

When thinking of the best trip imaginable, I had nothing but ideas and no direction. Thats where the travel team came in ! They brought to action all my Irish dreams. This trip was full of adventure and beautiful sights, and it was coordinated beautifully by Claire. From the pick up at the airport to every nights stay, all accommodations were book, confirmed, and enjoyed without problem. The places we visited were beautiful and the drive around the country was filled with spectacular views. The first few days were spent in Dublin, and the local rail system was well utilized. It was advised that we go to a small fishing village Howth, and while there I wish we would have known to do the cliff walk.... this was a missed opportunity. We also visited Malahide (not on our itinerary) and we wish we could have spent an entire day here. There is a castle worth seeing with paid admission, adding this to the itinerary would have been a great addition. The hotel in Dublin was comfortable with great breakfast options. We did partake in the cocktail tour at Roe and Co distillery, and this by far was the most fun part of Dublin. Next stop was Galway, and this was wonderful. Highly recommend we-wheels electric bike tour, and the authentic Italian restaurant "Osteria". Next stop, Cliffs of Moher. I would reccomend seeing the cliffs from a more local point of view, and booking a Doolin cliff walk tour. This would have been about a 5 mile walk but really worth it. This night we were supposed to stay in Doolin but our hotel was actually in Ennistymon. We stayed at "Falls House Hotel and Spa" and I would not recommend this town or hotel for a stay. The bed was not comfortable and the dining was less than impressive. Next stop, Dingle. We loved dingle and exploring the town, next trip I would love to stay multiple days here. Slea Head drive is the most beautiful of the country and highly recommend taking your time driving it. The cliffs of Kilkee, which start and end at a coffee shop, were absolutely stunning. Defiantly recommend! Kenmare was a cute town, but would have rather stayed in Killarney or had a few nights stay in kenmore to drive to surrounding towns. We did hear of a night time kayak on a bioluminescent lake which would have been an amazing addition that we did not get. There are also nightly shows in Killarney of Irish dancing, which I would have liked to pay, book, and watch. Last stop, Waterford. Highly recommend a private tour of the factory. Overall, we really enjoyed the trip and the travel team !

Hotel Reviews

The Fleet

Dublin

Great room with comfortable beds and large breakfast selection. This hotel is great location for walking the city.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easily walkable

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Hyde Hotel

Galway

Breakfast here is great, hotel was clean and comfortable, staff is wonderful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

There is no onsite or free parking.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Falls House Hotel and Spa

Co Clare

This Hotel is not in a great location. While the surrounding is pretty, the town does not have much to offer. The beds were very uncomfortable and the room temperature was too warm. The food was available, but was not tasty for the price.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Stay in Doolin and not here.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean but not comfortable.

Dingle Bay Hotel

Dingle

Loved this hotel. Staff very friendly, and easily walked to dinner and shopping. Also, parking is available.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Happy Pig

Kenmare, Co. Kerry

Lovely bed and breakfast ! The owner was friendly and cooked an amazing breakfast. The rooms were clean and very comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cute and quaint, can drive to town for dinner or shopping.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Butler Townhouse Kilkenny

Great hotel, Breakfast was tasty. Easily walk to the castle.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Roe and Co Distillery Cocktail Workshop Experience

Dublin

This was the most fun experience in Dublin. I am not particularly fond of whiskey, that being said this experience was exceeding expectations and served delicious cocktails. Our tour guide and bar master was not only charming, but knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this activity.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

uber/taxi to location

Guided E-bike Tour Of Galway City

Galway

Electric bike tour is highly recommended. Our tour guide was great and the bike was easy to operate.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dingle Food Tour

Ireland

I don't think this tour was worth it. The food was not impressive. I was expecting more of a local flare to the offered food, that was not what was provided. However, we did enjoy the guide and the stop at the local brewery to learn more about irelands beer market and his local business.

Quality of Experience

We did not enjoy the stops on the tour and food offered.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very nice tour guide

Transport

Walked the town, easily walked.

Waterford Crystal Factory Tour Private Tour

Waterford

I would highly recommend this activity. The factory was very interesting and intimate.

Quality of Experience

Being alone with the tour guide allowed us to ask questions and take time with each stage of the process.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Kilkenny Castle

Kilkenny

This was a nice experience, I would not spend a whole day at the castle but I would spend a whole day in Kilkenny exploring other things. I wanted the castle to show more history or to tell a story, but many of the rooms were empty from character.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We received great service from Wolfgang when planning our trip to Ireland and England. He provided great options for activities and wonderful hotels with great locations. Everything was really easy to plan and follow-up to questions or issues was always very prompt. The planning and coordination made for seamless travel and we had a great trip.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin

Dublin

Great location close to all the top spots in Dublin. Service was exceptional and staff was very attentive. Breakfast in the morning was really good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location is close to key spots in Dublin.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Menlo Hotel

Galway

Really nice hotel. Rooms were really comfortable and the staff was helpful. Breakfast was great.

Authenticity & Character

Nice hotel that has rooms that have been updated and were really comfortable.

Location

Easy to access hotel a bit outside the central area of the city.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Plaza London Riverbank

London

Absolutely beautiful hotel with incredible views of London right along the Thames.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kilbeggan Distillery

Kilbeggan

The tour was great. Our tour guide Rose provided great history of the property and was very knowledgeable about the process. She gave us a great tour.

Quality of Experience

The distillery is quite historic and really beautiful.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our tour guide, Rose had a wealth of knowledge and answered all of our questions.

Tower of London & Tower Bridge

London

There is so much to see here and so much history it is definitely worth the time.

Quality of Experience

The guides that are available every half hour provide a really good tour. Make sure you see the towers where prisoners were held and the messages they carved into the stone walls.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thank you Jane for arranging a very nice trip! We had a great time on the Emerald Isle.
Here's some thoughts/feedback:
- Transportation to and from the airport was on time both ways. The drivers were friendly and easy to find.
- The Maldron Hotel Shandon was in a great location. The breakfasts were good and beds comfortable.
- We did have a bit of a glitch getting to the train station on Tuesday morning. I had arranged a taxi from the hotel the night before, but they didn't show up in time due to rain. The hotel's general manager drove my dad and sisters to the train station - my daughter and I had a mad 1 mile dash through the rain to make the train in time. We really appreciated the general manager stepping in to help! The mad dash made for a good story once we dried out.
- The Cork City History Tour City Ramble was pretty good. Don't know that I'd recommend it again, although it did give us the lay of the land.
- We did have a night at Sin e listening to Irish music. This was a real highlight!
- We did go to St Anne's church and ring the bells. Another highlight.
- The Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham Dublin was a very nice place to stay, too. Comfortable and busy. Good breakfasts. It would have been a different experience to stay in a smaller place, but this worked well for us. The location was good!
- The Hidden Homes of Dublin was good! Ruth was very accommodating of my dad, making sure to stop in places where he could sit. We had a very nice cup of tea with her in a fancy tea shop! She gave us the lay of the land.
- The Literary Pub tour was a real highlight, too. Perfect! The actors were very entertaining - loved it!
- The EPIC Interactive Museum was a real highlight, too. We spent a lot of time in here. Every visitor to Dublin should stop here. We all learned a lot! Great museum.
- The Famine Ship was also another real highlight. Would recommend this one to everyone too. The guide provided us with a lot of history - and walking on the ship - below deck - really gave us a sense of what the journey across the Atlantic.
- Another highlight - the Irish Dancing & House Party. Real highlight, too! Wonderful to see the unusual instruments.
- Trinity Trails and Book of Kells Guided tour - this was a bit underwhelming. The guide was just ok. She walked us around Trinity's beautiful campus. Once we got into to see the Book of Kells, we were on our own. We were expecting a guided tour through the exhibits.
- For the Dublin Castle, we did pay for the guided tour instead of the self guided tour. I'd highly recommend the guided tour - EXCELLENT! - We saw the original Viking fortress walls and the Chapel Royal, which wasn't on the self-guided tour. We ended up spending a couple hours there.
- Didn't make it to St Patrick's Cathedral! A reason to return someday.
- Highly recommend Theresa, who took us on the Guinness & Jameson Irish Experience Tour. Jameson was small and intimate. Guinness was like Disneyland. On the walk from Jameson to Guinness, Theresa provided all kinds of Irish history, a stop in John's Lane Church, and the oldest pub in Ireland ;). I loved the walk!

All in all, we had a wonderful time. Thank you, Jane, for setting all this up. I will definitively use kimkim again!!

Really great suggestions for our driving trip and great locations for all of our hotels. Thank you to Dean for helping create a great trip! The restaurant recommendations were all very good too!

The trip was fantastic. Justine did a wonderful job with the itinerary including all the necessary details. We enjoyed the cities of Dublin, Cork, and Galway and the towns of Kinsale, Dingle, Doolin and Killarney. Too many highlights to mention them all but a few of them are The Guinness Storehouse, the Middleton Distillery tour and premium tasting, Kinsale, the Perryville House and Don and Barry‘s walking tour, Inasheer Island and Ollies Tours with Phil, the Pax Guest House in Dingle, the music at Sin E bar in Cork, the Irish dancing in the Dingle Bar, the Galway Food Tour, the Cliffs of Kerry and our final night at Ballyfin.
Also, the people in Ireland were so nice and accommodating.

We wanted to experience multiple areas of Ireland as a family but didn't want to drive. Emily set us up with stays in 3 cities and got us to each by train.

We started in Killarney with stunning scenery and a charming, vibrant downtown. Our Ring of Kerry Tour was the perfect length and Michael was an informative guide but didn't dominate the trip. Cannot recommend the Kells Sheep Dogs demonstration enough. Highlight of the trip. We took a carriage tour of the Killarney National Park - Mikey, our guide, was a hoot and turned us on to the local pubs to try.

Cork was a quick stop and a colorful city with people who are very proud of their heritage. Blarney Castle is impressive but don't miss out on the gardens. We wanted Irish Session Music and we got it at Sin e'. Our cab driver also recommended the Corner House and those two both had tremendous atmosphere and music.

Dublin has yet another vibe than the other areas. We went on several tours - Molly was great at the Jameson experience. You can't go wrong in Temple Bar but hit THE Temple Bar early. We really enjoyed the Palace Bar and its adjoining Whiskey Bar. JR Mahon's also had great session music. The EPIC museum felt like the best way to end the trip.

We took a 13-hour bus trip from Dublin out to the west coast for the Cliffs of Moher, the Burren and Galway. Barry, our driver, gave us enough breaks and a lot of interesting history along the way. You cannot beat the majesty of views. It's long day to cross the country and back so we were glad we scheduled it in between Dublin days.

Cannot thank Emily enough for building a trip that was exactly what we wanted while making it seem effortless.

Hotel Reviews

Castle Lodge

Killarney

Friendly staff, great location, good food charming decor. Just a little trouble regulating the heater in the room. Wonderful for walkability to the part and the downtown pubs, restaurants, shopping and the train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maldron Hotel Shandon

Co. Cork

Bit of a hike from the training but we had a lovely turret room. Room was very clean and the views were expansive. Bathroom was very updated.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Academy Plaza Hotel

Dublin

Great value in Dublin right off O'Connell street. Quick walk to the river and pubs. Lovely staff. We found our normal double room spacious and updated. Others in our party had a small double and a single that were very tight, so understand what you're booking. Would stay there again for sure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Leon at the desk could not have been more welcoming. The bartenders were very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided tour to the Ring of Kerry

Killarney

Michael as an excellent guide. The Kells sheep dog demonstration was a highlight of our whole trip. The tour was paced well with enough time to enjoy multiple areas.

Quality of Experience

Kells Sheep Dog Show, View from lunch in Waterville

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We were stopped for quite a while by and accident on the road. Michael somehow made up the time so we didn't miss anything. He was very informative without distracting from us taking in the views.

Transport

Very nice bus

Visit Blarney castle and kiss the stone

Ireland

We were lucky to visit in the afternoon when it wasn't so busy with tour buses and cruise excursions. Got right through the VERY steep climb to the top of the castle to kiss the stone. Had a great time learning about the castle and touring the amazing gardens.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dublin Castle

Dublin

State rooms are nice but you don't get to see much as it's not large. It's not an expensive ticket, but if you're expecting Windsor Castle, this isn't it.

Quality of Experience

Cliff of Moher tour from Dublin

Dublin

The Cliffs are stunning and worth the long drive from Dublin. We enjoyed our lunch in Doolin - the staff at McGann's was ready and waiting for us. Doolin itself is a lovely village. The Burren is like nothing we've seen before. Wish we could have spend more time in Galway but we did get to spend time in the quaint shopping area and hear busker and see murals. The people could not have been nicer. Barry, our driver, was very accommodating and kept us informed of the schedule. But it was a long day.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bus didn't have charging ports. The pocket in the seat in front of us was ripped.

Trinity College Library : The Book of Kells Experience

Dublin

Really well done tour of the facilities even though the books have been decanted. Enjoyed the interactive presentations

Quality of Experience

Free time in Dublin

Dublin

The Temple Bar area was colorful and fun with the pubs and restaurants. We sampled many and saw Irish music sessions in some places along with modern performers at others. The city center is every walkable. We found that cab drivers and bar tenders were great sources of intel on places to try.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Jameson Distillery Dublin - Bow St. Experience

Dublin

This was so much more than we expected. The facility itself is very cool with shops and a unique bar. Even though Jameson isn't distilled here, they celebrate the heritage so well and so a great job of interactively demonstrating how the distillation process works. The tasting room was so well done and our tour group was so friendly thanks to our excellent guide, Molly. Will recommend to everyone to gets to Dublin.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Molly was great!

Wolfgang, our KimKim guide planner did an excellent job planning our trip to Dublin and Galway, Ireland. Then on to Edinburgh, Iverness, Isle of Syke, Ft Williams, and Stirling Scotland. He listened to our wish list and provided activities accordingly. In Ireland we enjoyed the ferry ride to Inis Mor and met our guide Thomas for a horse drawn carriage tour of the island. Back to Galway for an entertaining Celtic dinner show. Next up, Scotland whose beauty was remarkable (we said "wow" a lot). In Edinburg we toured the city and the castle with our private tour guide Kieran of Local Eyes Tour. All of the accommodations planned were spot on. A little less driving time would have been appreciated, but we were able to see so much of the country, I shouldn't complain. Kudos to Wolfgang

Hotel Reviews

Sheraton Athlone Hotel

Athlone

Parking close, rooms clean, and staff was great. Restaurant was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

In middle of town.

Staff

The staff was outstanding took very good care of us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Western Hotel

galway

Parking provided a big plus. Staff was very helpful, room was clean and the breakfast was very good. In the heart of the city easy walk to city square, with pubs, shops, and restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Iveagh Gardens Hotel

Dublin

No where to check in to start, city tram tracks in front could not stop to unload luggage. parked a block away had to unload on curb wait for wife to take half our luggage to Hotel where someone was suppose to meet her and take in while she returned to get the rest. No one helped. I had to park the car 7 or 8 blocks away in a massive parking garage. then walk to hotel. Staff not concerned at all with all this. Hotel was fine accommodations were clean and room was spacious enough. Will not stay again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

no parking close, no where to unload luggage.

Staff

Attentive to guest needs.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Residence Inn by Marriott

EDINBURGH

Parking next door, rooms were clean and efficient. Breakfast was good. Staff was friendly.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good for business trip, ok for family on those on vacation.

Staff

Could have been a little more helpful with parking arrangements and information.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Skeabost House Hotel

Portree

One our favorite places we stayed. Plenty of parking, great restaurant and great staff. The grounds are breath taking. Do not pass up a stay here. It's away from everything which after staying in the cities we were visiting the country was a nice break. Loved it, would stay again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Surroundings were amazing

Staff

Great staff, felt like we were in Downtown Abbey, they really make you feel special.

Cleanliness & Comfort

River Ness Hotel, a member of Radisson Individuals

Inverness

Amazing staff, the concierge was so helpful and accommodating can not say enough nice things about him. Rooms were clean. we lucked up being able to park on the street in front of hotel, as it was Saturday afternoon only had to pay a couple hours then rest of week end was free. Close to shops and restaurants. Would stay again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Downtown, close to everything.

Staff

Great staff, we really liked everyone.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Garrison

Fort William

parking was a plus, but room was too small. It was clean and staff was nice, good for one night and move on.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Inglewood House & Spa

Alloa

What an amazing hotel. Room was very spacious and clean. Loved staying here , close to the city with ample parking. Very beautiful grounds. Great restaurant. Great staff. Would stay again. This was our last night and it was a welcomed stay at this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Shared Horse & Carriage Trip

Galway

You will fall in love with Thomas. I could listen to him talk all day. Being borne and raised on Inis Mor he is so knowledgeable of it's history and shares his history. Can't say enough nice things about him. I would go back to Inis more just to do a tour with him.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Experience Edinburgh Walking Tour: Unveiling the Historic Charms

Edinburgh

Kieran our tour guide met us for a magical tour of Edinburg. So very knowledgeable of the city and it's history. We were so educated and entertained of all the things we would have never known if not for this tour. He took time to answer all of our questions. Can not say enough good things about the guided tour. One of the highlights of our vacation, or as they call it holiday. Thank you very much, and we highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions.

Loch Ness

Ireland

This was a great ferry ride to Urquhart Castle along side the famous Loch Ness, no we did not spot Nessie but it was fun looking out for her. The Castle was one of the many castles we saw in Scotland and this one was one of our favorite. Take the ferry there and back Jacobite Tours did a fabulous job.

Quality of Experience

You get to see so much from the ferry, when you get off and tour the castle and back to the dock was very impressive.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone is so friendly, we fell in love with the 2 ladies at the gift shop at the Loch ness hotel.

Transport

Ferry is in great shape so no worries.

Kilbeggan Distillery

Kilbeggan

Would have been an amazing tour but we were exhausted from flying in that day from the US. So, we left for the hotel before the tour later that day. Facility was very impressive and we toured the grounds and took pictures. Would recommend the staff were very nice and would go again when we could stay and do the tour.

Blair Athol Distillery's Whisky Connoisseur Experience

Pitlochry

This was a pleasure to tour the guide was quite entertaining and knowledgeable. Would highly recommend tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide made the Tour

Stirling Castle

Stirling

Getting to the Castle was an adventure but once there it is massive and impressive.

Quality of Experience

Our travel specialist, Claire, planned an absolutely amazing trip for us! We decided to try kimkim based on a friend’s recommendation and I’m so glad we did. Having never been to Ireland before, we were unsure of the best way to maximize our time and choose places to stay. Claire provided an itinerary that checked all our boxes and took the stress of trip planning out of our hands. Even the locals we spoke to told us we were seeing the best parts of Ireland within our allotted time. There’s no better feedback than that!

We plan to use kimkim again on future trips and I highly recommend them for anyone who wants to make the most of their time in an unfamiliar place.

Thank you, Claire, for an unforgettable experience!

Hotel Reviews

Harbour Hotel

Galway

Wonderful location in Galway, walking distance to everything. Delicious breakfast also!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Foley's Townhouse Killarney

Killarney

This was a unique hotel with a lot of charm. The front desk staff was wonderful and gave us excellent recommendations of places to eat during our stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clayton Hotel Cork City

cork

Huge room with an amazing view! Very modern and easily walkable to lots of places in the city. Excellent breakfast as well. We loved our stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Brooks Hotel

Dublin city

Fantastic location just outside the Temple Bar District. Close enough to walk to everything, but not right in the middle of the touristy bar scene. A ton of restaurants nearby. The staff and accommodations were top notch.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cork Foodie Tour

Cork

This was our favorite walking tour of the whole trip. We were the only ones who booked, so we got an amazing private tour around the city with a local, Carrie (sp?) We got to taste so much amazing food at the English Market and a hearty lunch afterwards at a local pub. Some of the best, freshest food I’ve tasted!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Traditional working sheep farm and Sheepdog demonstration

Ireland

I’m so glad Claire booked this tour for us. It was a highlight of the trip! We got to feed baby lambs and watch an unbelievable sheepdog demonstration. The guide (PJ) was so friendly and he taught us so much bout the experiences of working on a sheep farm and training the dogs.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dublin Highlights and Hidden Gems Walking Tour

Dublin

Our guide, Alan, was fantastic. He was overflowing with knowledge about the city, as well as the history of the Irish language, which was fascinating. Dublin wasn’t my favorite place on our trip, but the tour was excellent thanks to Alan.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Doolin Cliff Walk experience

Doolin

The only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is because I feel the description of the tour is not representative of the experience. It was advertised as a 3-4 hour walk on a gravel path, when in reality there is quite a bit of strenuous, off-path hiking in potentially challenging conditions for someone not in good shape and/or not an experienced hiker. There were some pretty steep climbs and a lot of the path is rocky and slippery, requiring very sure footing, balance, and stamina. Also, if you’re afraid of heights at all, be aware that you will be walking a foot or two from the edge of the cliffs at times. With the gusty wind, it can be a bit unsettling. Having said that, it was definitely an unforgettable memory and we got amazing photos. I didn’t enjoy all of the hike while I was doing it, but I’m glad I had the experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Celtic Night Show & Dinner

Dublin

I thought this was going to be super cheesy, but it was actually really fun. The musicians and dancers were superb, and the food was better than expected. Great service and a fun experience!

Quality of Experience

Tickets for St Patrick Cathedral, Dublin

Dublin

This was our least favorite “tour” of the trip. St. Patrick’s is undeniably beautiful, but it’s so touristy and commercialized, we didn’t really enjoy it. The gift shop selling cheap souvenirs right in the main room of the cathedral was off-putting.

Welcome to Doolin

Doolin

Doolin is a charming little town. We were only there for a little while after the cliff walk, but we had lunch at O’Connors on the recommendation of a local and it was excellent.

Jameson Distillery Tour and Premium Whiskey Tasting in Midleton ( Cork Co.)

Ireland

Great tour! Our guide (Bert?) was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions. The additional premium whiskey tasting experience after the main tour was well worth the extra ticket! Plan to buy a bottle or two in the well-stocked gift shop when you leave!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self-Guided Guinness Storehouse Experience

Dublin

This experience was less personal than I’d hoped. I understand that it’s a huge tourist stop and the exhibits are clearly thoughtful and well-designed, it was just very commercialized. We did enjoy watching reels of old Guinness commercials through the years, and the video showing a master cooper making a barrel from start to finish was pretty impressive. The Gravity bar upstairs was packed. I would recommend paying the additional 4 euros to have your picture imprinted on a Guinness! It’s definitely a unique experience!

We had an amazing trip in Ireland! We travelled from Dublin to Cork to Killarney to Dingle to Galway and finished in Athlone. We met lovely people, ate great food and stayed in comfortable accommodations. One tip is to be prepared for any kind of weather although we had mostly sunny skies 😊. We can’t wait to visit again!

Hotel Reviews

Dingle Skellig Hotel

Farran, Dingle

The Dingle Skelling was very comfortable and beautiful. The staff was friendly and the restaurant was delicious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Menlo Hotel

Galway

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Green

Dublin

We loved the Green and immediately felt welcome and comfortable in our accommodations. The green is centrally located and had lovely staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The hotel is centrally located

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Ross

killarney

The Ross has a lot of character, friendly staff and we stayed in a beautiful suite. We were able to use the swimming accommodations at their sister hotel and the hotel is centrally located.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clayton Hotel Cork City

cork

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hodson Bay Hotel Athlone

Athlone

The Hodson Bay Hotel was very beautiful and full of character. The staff was friendly and suggested and offered reservations for complimentary whiskey tasting which we enjoyed.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Entry into the Emigration Museum EPIC

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Irish Dancing - The Irish House Party

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hidden homes of Dublin

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly.

Transport

Self-Guided Guinness Storehouse Experience

Dublin

Quality of Experience

Sailing in Kinsale Harbour

Kinsale

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Owen was very patient and knowledge and made sailing great!

Gap of Dunloe & Lakes of Killlarney Boat Tour

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cliffs of Moher Visitor Center tickets

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Galway Cathedral

Galway

Quality of Experience

We did a 15 day tour of the Republic of Ireland, and our local specialist Justine was amazing! From the very beginning, she listened to where and how we wanted to travel, and took into consideration all of our needs. Her communication was fabulous throughout the process, including video explanations, texts, app and even a video conference before we left. The places she set up for us were spot on and stunning, all with great service. The flow of the trip was set up perfectly as well. We would not hesitate to recommend kimkim, and specifically Justine, to anyone venturing to Ireland or any other of her specialty areas!

Hotel Reviews

Wilder Townhouse

Dublin

Clean, great service, small boutique hotel. Food is great too!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Walking distance to a great shopping and dining street with great pubs.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dromhall Hotel

Killarney

Authenticity & Character

Location

A bit of a walk to the town center.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Imperial Hotel

Cork

Older hotel with great character. Location is perfect.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Perryville House

County Cork

Love this place! Right in the heart of Kinsale. Beautiful place and beautiful people.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pax Guest House

Dingle

Best place we have stayed ever! The owner, John, and his staff are beyond great. The House is amazing, and the views...oh my! Do not miss staying here!

Authenticity & Character

Location

The view from the top of the hill says it all.

Staff

Nicest people on the planet and they will go out of their way to help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Hardiman Hotel

Galway

A little beat up, but clean and in a good location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

West Haven House

Clean and new. Pretty basic B&B.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ballyfin Demesne

This stay was amazing. the entire experience was over the top. From the first glimpse of the place when you drive up, gives you the feeling of staying at Downton Abbey!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cork City History Tour

Cork

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Aran Island Tour - Day Trip to Inisheer from Doolin

Ireland

Amazing tour with Phil, our guide. He made the trip!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Don & Barry's Kinsale Historic Stroll Walking tour

Kinsale

Barry is amazing! Ask him anything and he'll know the answer. Must do tour in Kinsale!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dublin Food and Drink tour

Dublin

A great way to get oriented to the city. Really good choices for varied food stops.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private transfer

Dublin

Lucas was great! On time, friendly, knowledgeable...all good!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kinsale Walking Group Food Tour

Kinsale

Not impressed with the food choices...especially for the self-proclaimed foodie capital of Ireland.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jameson Distillery Tour and Premium Whiskey Tasting in Midleton ( Cork Co.)

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dingle Distillery Tasting in a Local Dingle Pub

Ireland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Storytelling experience in Doolin/Lisdoonvarna

Ireland

So this was not what we expected! It wasn't as much a storytelling experience as it was a conversation with Peter Curtin, but it was so fun! Peter is a character, and so fun to interact with!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Galway Evening Food Tour

Galway

Really good food tour! Food choices, quality and quantity were all perfect! Paired drinks with each stop. Michelle, our guide, was knowledgeable and super friendly!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self-Guided Guinness Storehouse Experience

Dublin

A must do in Dublin...as indicated by the crowd!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Killarney National Park Walking Tour

Killarney

Richard, the guide, was great. The walking tour wasn't much of a tour, but a really nice walk through the park, which we could have done ourselves. But it was fun talking to Richard!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Discover the essential of Connemara

Galway

Long day on a bus. the two stops we made were great though!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A Stay at Ballyfin Demesne

Ballyfin

Over the top luxury experience! If you can work this in, and afford it, do it! This place is amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We booked a self-guided driving tour of the coast of Ireland. Dean put together a great itinerary for us and the whole experience was amazing.

We had the most wonderful and magical time in Ireland. The trip was organized in an appropriate and flexible way for us.
Justine did a creative and spectacular job in arranging beautiful and comfortable hotels, and all the employees there were professional, friendly, and easy to connect with. A special thank you to Justine and Eva for responding quickly to our questions regarding schedules and transfers from airports and hotels.
Maeve, our tour guide, was most informative, friendly, supportive, and just a gift to spend time with. We enjoyed every moment of each of the attractions and sites.

Thank you to KimKim for creating such a beautiful experience for us.

Barbara and Bill Killeen

This trip was specifically planned to exclude places we'd been before and INCLUDE some small towns where our respective families came from, two generations back.

That said, thoughts about this trip:

1) We took it in February. The plus side was that there were much fewer crowds, and a lot more locals to chat with in the pubs, restaurants, hotels, etc. The minus side is that a number of attractions were closed, partially closed, or just a lot less fun/interesting in the cold, wet, rainy weather. But we chose that, and we knew what we were getting.
2) If flying from the US, definitely fly home from either Dublin or Shannon airports, and not Belfast or anywhere else. Dublin and Shannon have US Customs pre-authorization. You go through the process on that end, which I think is nice, so when you arrive in the US, exhausted from a long flight, you don't have to deal with Customs there.
3) There was very little here that we wouldn't recommend. If we had to pick something, we found Armagh City to be both much less friendly and much less accommodating to special dietary needs than most of the other places we went. We also can't comment much on Dublin, as we didn't venture into the city but only stayed overnight after a late arrival, and overnight prior to an early departure.
4) The Western side of the country is amazing. The Ring of Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula, Randles & Rose and Wyatt hotels, Killarney, Tralee, Westport. Galway was also amazing, but as we're more rural people, it was slightly less to our liking, although still great. The Hardiman hotel's beds weren't really comfortable, and while the people were very friendly, there's no on-site parking, so you have to park 3 blocks away and pay for it (make sure you get the voucher so it's merely a cost and not an expensive one).
5) If you do travel into Northern Ireland, remember that the prices are now in pounds rather than euros, and the speed limits are now in MPH rather than KPH.

All in all, the team was fantastic and checked in regularly to see how we were doing.

Claire, our kimkim guide curated an amazing holiday for me and my partner. Highlights included an e-bike cycle on the Waterford greenbelt, something we thoroughly enjoyed and would never have thought of doing. Clair organized a drive to help us see the countryside around Cork. The drive through Kinsale, Cobh and to Blarney Castle was lovely, but even more interesting was talking with our driver about life and politics in Ireland. We were able to spend time with a local, getting a local's perspective. Thank you Claire and kimkim!

Hotel Reviews

Trinity Townhouse

Dublin

We spent 7 nights ant Trinity Townhouse. The location was perfect - we could walk to everything we wanted to see. The breakfast that was included was exceptional. The hotel staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. I would recommend this hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Granville Hotel

The hotel was charming and well located, the hotel staff were very friendly and helpful. I would recommend this hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clayton Hotel Cork City

cork

We spent 2 nights at Clayton Hotel. The location was perfect - we spent half a day walking around and visiting sights and enjoying the restaurants.. The hotel staff were always available with friendly help and advice. I would recommend this hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Ross

killarney

The location of The Ross was perfect - the national park was across the street and we spent half a day walking around. The hotel staff were friendly and help and helpful. I would recommend this hotel!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Discover Portmarnock beach

Ireland

We spent a few hours at Howth. I am so glad out KimKim guide put this on the agenda. We loved getting out of Dublin and exploring the outskirts, eating superb fish and chips. Definitely a highlight of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Extended Killarney National Park walk, private guided tours with local guide.

Killarney

We really enjoyed having a local walk us through the park. We saw parts of the park that were lovely and we would have missed had we done this on our own.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide knew every nook and cranny in the park.

Discover Blarney, Kinsale and Cobh

Cork

This day trip was one of the highlights of our trip. Our guide was knowledgeable and was happy to discuss life, culture and politics in Ireland. Kinsale and Cobh were lovely, and Blarney Castle was interesting, but the real highlight was the conversation with our guide. Thank you!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cliffs of Moher tour from Dublin ( small group)

Dublin

We enjoyed spending a few hours seeing the Atlantic side of Ireland. We stopped at a couple of places along the way that were also interesting.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We thought the lable small group was a bit misleading. The bus capacity was 39, which is smaller than a coach that seats 55, but I wouldn't call this a small group tour.

Fantastic experience for our first trip to Ireland- the accommodations were excellent, all of the suggested locations, excursions, and travel itinerary were outstanding- Dean listened to what we were looking to do, and really came through with excellent recommendations that made for a memorable vacation and lifetime memories- Thanks again - highly recommended ! We will book our 2024 trip soon- this time to Italy

What an amazing experience. My wife and I were seeking a trip off the beaten path where we could direct our destinations. We didn’t want to get on and off tour bus or be places on a schedule. In stepped Clare and Stephen who just kicked major butt for us.(that’s an American idiom for they did a fantastic job). Over the course of 11 days we stayed at eight different hotels and castles, drove 1200 miles, and truly understood what it feels like to be a part of Ireland.

Of particular highlight is the hike up the other side, the non-tourist side, of the cliffs of Moher as guided by our farmer, friend, and his sidekick historian. Close to the edge is the only way to experience this and to understand it’s connection to Ireland.

One cloudy day, Clare arranged a bike rental on Achill Island. We picked up the bikes in the back of a bed-and-breakfast. Then rode and rode. we saw a surprise Banksy. We stopped for lunch and a pint to watch an Irish World Cup rugby match.(the locals helped us with the rules.).

As properly guided, we’re glad we saw Dublin, but it didn’t hold a candle to the rest of the country. The majesty and the joy was everywhere else.

We drank pints of Guinness and local brew. Enjoyed our whiskey and watched it being distilled in Dingle.

We are adventurous, and Clare was right there, helping fertilize our desire to discover. We will take another trip and will do it with Kim Kim. Thank you so much for this wonderful experience.