Kimkim Trip Reviews for Australia

Nice boutique hotel and centrally located. However, the room we ended up getting was extremely small. Literally couldn't open up two suitcases at the same time.

The cruise was nice - food was decent. The duration of the cruise was perfect (not to long - my personal preference). The "sunset" part of the cruise didn't really exist -- the sun was still fairly high in the sky when the cruise ended.

This was one of our favorite activities during the trip. We asked for and got a private driver that was very friendly and knowledgable. The hike in the Blue Mountains was the best!

This was a great way to see a lot of Sydney in a short amount of time. The only complaint we had was that the final part of the tour was through a heavily congested (by pedestrians) trip on the boardwalk by the harbour. My wife and I both felt a little unsafe during this and I'm sure we totally annoyed numerous pedestrians. Probably could be easily solved by starting the tour earlier the morning.

Totally glad we did this tour - BUT felt a little unprepared for the skill level/fitness needed for the tour. I'm sure the "mountain biking" aspect of the tour was at the low end of average of skill/fitness for mountain bikers - but I felt a bit terrified during part of the tour (sharp rocks, narrow tracks, steep hills). I'm a semi-fit 60 year old that bikes quite a bit (albeit not mountain biking) and was pushed from a fitness perspective to complete the tour.

We saw dolphins (which was great!) though they were from quite a distance away. However, I was really looking forward to seeing the ship graveyard and picked this tour because of it. The tour guide decided to cut the ship graveyard from the tour - because he said we spent too much time looking for/viewing dolphins. We did have a nice trip through the mangroves. The tour guide was very monotone and did not speak very loudly. I'm sure most of the people on the tour gave up on trying to hear him - he seemed oblivious.

This was a big surprised - but we loved it. We never got the sense from reading the tour description that this was actually a tour of graffiti in alleys. Loved the artwork and the chance to see some sights you normally don't see walking through a big city.

Really have mixed feelings about this tour. We loved the sights. We had a private driver. The mini-van we were in was a bit run down. Both my wife and I had trouble hearing the driver due to the road noise from the van and the driver not speaking loud enough. The driver wouldn't stop talking even after we told him we couldn't hear him. We told him a couple times to save his voice and stop talking, but that didn't stop him. Since about 60% of this tour is driving, this became awkward at times.

One of our favorite activities on our trip to Australia. Both the railway and cableway were outstanding!

The boat ride was very rough and I learned that snorkeling isn't for me (neither of which is the fault of the tour operator). Many people we sea-sick for the entire cruise. We paid extra for the Gold Class VIP treatment with a private stateroom - and very happy we did this. The staff was wonderful. The food good.

Another highlight from the trip! We had a private driver who was very knowledgable. He actually walked with us on many parts of the tour which was nice. Never felt like his presence was intrusive. Newer mini-van. The only part of the day-long tour that was a bit of a dud was the one hour Crocodile Boat Tour. There were no crocodile sightings. The boat driver said that he had had several trips out with no crocodiles to be found. I don't think the other crocodile tour operators were having any better luck.

Housekeeping was poor

Different kind of rain forest !!

One of the best theatres in the world.

Worth the full day trip.

Very relaxing and good food.

A sprecial place to celebrate my wife's 70th birthday.

Over the top accommodation on the waterfront docks of Auckland. Amazing pool and the best spa I've ever been in a hotel. The cafe/bar was nice and relaxing, with a really wonderful local musician playing soulful R&B. The breakfast spread was spectacular and offered many healthy options.

Great location with fantastic lap swim-able pool and good sized gym. The room was clean and modern.

Perfect location just a block from the gorgeous 4-mile beach and a few blocks from downtown restaurants and shops. Easy walk to the pier to catch the boat for the Great Barrier Reef tour. The fans and AC worked well. The only feedback would be to change out the lighting from stark, overly bright LED overhead to softer white light and/or optional lamps. We turned the lights off most of the time. A night light would have also been good.

Very nice accommodation with great location near restaurants, lake and parks. The breakfast was wonderful and offered a variety of healthy options with fresh fruit, pastries, breads, chia pudding and gluten free muesli. We liked the convenience of renting e-bikes right from the hotel lobby, however it did take a long time for the staff to get us registered and set up. Still, they were super friendly, accommodating and flexible. One tip: The hand soap dispenser is very highly mounted to the far right of the sink, so I had to literally reach over and get on my toes to reach it every day. I would recommend making it lower, putting it on the sink or swapping the soap and the lotion (which is used less).

This accommodation had nice views of the lake and gondola ridge, however was right on the main road so was quite noisy. The temperature was quite cold when we arrived and the room was very cool, as if not used for some time. The main wall heater did not put out much heat so took a long time to warm the room and keep it warm. The bathroom and bedroom heaters worked much better. The windows are not well insulated, so the heat was not retained especially at night. Thankfully it warmed up and the sun warmed the room in the afternoons. If it was raining or snowing, we would have been uncomfortable in the room. The breakfast spread was very good with lots of variety and healthy choices.

Beautiful hotel in a perfect location near the Rocks. Just 2 blocks from my company's office which was a pleasant bonus as I was meeting friends there while visiting. Everything about the hotel was wonderful. Gorgeous pool area (albeit not a lap pool unfortunately). The hot tub and sauna could have been hotter. The gym was very small for a hotel this size. Breakfast was very good and a lot of food. Good strong coffee drinks.

I didn't know before the tour what the penguin parade was all about, and this ended up to be one of the highlights of my entire 21-day vacation! The boxes beach was interesting. The wildlife park was ok, nothing special. However, once we got out to Philip Island everything changed. The views are spectacular. We saw dozens of wild wallabees and sea birds. Our tour guide was fun and informative. Even getting in late after 11pm, it was worth it. I would have only preferred more time at the penguin information center/shops as we only had maybe 10-15 mins to look around including using the restroom. There were some nice exhibits I would have liked to read through in more detail.

Wished the glowworm cave experience was longer and the Hobbiton experience was shorter. Ideally, Hobbiton as a self-guided tour would have been much better. Our guide had over 30! people in the group so we had wait for everyone to take photos and selfies (ugh) before moving on to the next attraction. I would suggest smaller groups and a self-guided option. We had to suffer through a long time before getting to the restrooms and something to drink at the end.

Gorgeous rainforest with a very informative and personable guide who knew every tree, fern, bird and bit of the ecosystem. Very interesting Maori center. A little more time at the center would have been nice. Nice light hike. Spectacular black sand beach walk without shoes and to see the magnetic essence of the sand. Not too much bus time so all in all a good trip. There was one trail I would have preferred to go down farther, but the guides cut it short due to warm weather. That was a disappointment.

Old charm. Very centrally located. Good service.

Many staff spoke English poorly and communication was difficult.

This hotel is centrally located. Hotel personnel where very helpful. It's easy to walk to our parts of the city. Chinatown is right across the street. I would definitely recommend this hotel.

Dave was fantastic

Allister was fantastic

The Pacific Hotel Cairns was a great base for our adventures in Cairns. It was conveniently located within walking distance to many restaurants and shops along the waterway. The hotel was also very close to where we boarded the boat for our Great Barrier Reef adventure, making it extremely convenient.

The hotel we stayed in Sydney was right down in the middle of walking distance to everything, which was great!

Spending the night on the Oceanquest was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The accommodation was comfortable, and being surrounded by the reef was surreal. It was an incredible way to immerse ourselves in the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef.

Good way to get an overview of Sydney. We explored Manly beach the day before on our own(took public ferry from Sydney harbor), saw Bondi beach with the Big bus tour, had the opportunity to see many parts of the city we would not otherwise would have had time to get to. The only partially negative point would be if you change lines on the bus, you need to pay attention to the times of last trip offered.

If you like animals, this was an amazing opportunity to see and learn more about them from the zoo staff. The retreat is located in the middle of the zoo ,which is located at the end of a community of "high end" homes. The rooms are spacious and have a great view of different parts of the zoo. I got up early in the morning and actually saw a koala bear right outside our room! Close enough to get a few great pictures but not close enough to touch.

So, initially our room was not ready (we arrived around 10AM,it wasn't to be ready until 2) hotel staff kept our bags for us and gave us guest passes to access the zoo from a "retreat" entrance (this particular gate not available to non guest of the retreat). When room was ready, the AC didn't work, however, the staff quickly found a different room, same view for us. Check out was around 11 , staff again kept our bags for us and allowed us guest access to the zoo again.

We got off the plane, there was a driver waiting for us, perfect timing !

Tia had arranged this flight for us on Jetstar airlines, flight from Sydney was on time and full. When we arrived in Cairns, there was a private driver waiting for us at baggage claim, again, perfect timing !

We were picked up from the hotel a little later than we had planned, had to have desk staff call tour operator for us ( about 25 minutes late). river ride was fine but no crocodiles for us to see, oh well. The Daintree rainforest and Cape Tribulation was beautiful, unspoiled wilderness. The guide told us 'it's where the rainforest meets the sea". We also got a stop for beautiful pictures and free sample (3 scoops!) of homemade ice cream made in the area from fruit.

We got picked up from our hotel (but the Pacific Hotel is maybe 3 short blocks from the dock, we could have walked), boarded the boat at the dock, seemed quite crowded. We went for a short ride then whoever wanted to dive could get outfitted with gear (after filling out liability/medical questionnaire) or snorkel. We stopped two places on the reef , beautiful. Snacks onboard included muffins, fresh fruit. Coffee, tea, and a few other items were for purchase. There was a photographer onboard who dove and took pictures,made later for sale at a reasonable price, beautiful quality. After the second stop, those of us who were going to spend the night on the reef with Diver's Den were taken to a point where we were assisted from one boat to the other. Safety briefing aboard catamaran done, rooms assigned, safety rules presented. Daytime dive/snorkel opportunities offered. A night dive was available as well as "sharks in the dark" for those who wished to use a mask and snorkel and stay on the dive platform to see the fish and sharks at night.

This was my husband's 65th birthday wish, to dive the Great Barrier Reef...He was NOT disappointed ! Coral for the most part was healthy and colorful, not too many larger fish, many small ones, the occasional turtle or shark. Meals were simple and the cook was very open about giving a different option to those with dietary restrictions. When we were on board there were 3 different classes going on, one group becoming dive masters, one learning more about rescue diving and one getting open water certification. Mixed ages, more younger then older ,every body was welcomed with same enthusiasm by the crew. We had the opportunity to do 2 more dives that day, then we were given lunch and our bags were transported back to the other boat first, then we were assisted over. My husband did 7 dives over this two day trip, I did 5 and a snorkel trip .back on the transfer boat fresh fruit was offered as well as other snacks ,some for a fee.

Tia had arranged a private driver to take us to the train station, We just had to show our information on the KimKim app(New Zealand Touring Company) to receive the train ticket and ticket for the Skyrail. Nicely maintained "old style" train cars with narrated information of places passed and history of the railroad in that area. Post train ride we were in the mountain village of Kuranda that offered a butterfly farm, a koala viewing area (they had other animals as well), a bird aviary ,, shops and restaurants. When we were done walking around, eating and seeing the sights, we got on the Skyrail for the trip back down the mountain. The skyrail makes a few stops where you can get out and look at a large waterfall we saw from the train earlier.

Beautifully located with Friendly and attentive taff. a mix of old and new.

In Port Douglas, the hotel was great! Our apartment was fantastic and the hotel offered free laundry services which was wonderful. The location was convenient and the breakfast, although not included, was amazing with people coming from outside just for it.

The Vibe Hotel in Melbourne was a pleasant stay with a modern look and a great location. Laundry services were available, which was really helpful.

The Hermitage Hotel at Mount Cook was extraordinary and the highlight of our accommodations. It was a splurge but worth every penny for the breathtaking location. Note that it's a cashless hotel, something to be aware of if staying there.

Sudima Lake Rotorua was disappointing due to the strong sulfur smell that woke us up at night. The hotel was under renovation, with construction noise all day. We received a complimentary drink, but it didn't quite compensate. The pool was closed, which was another letdown.

The Hobbiton tour was surprisingly enjoyable despite not being a huge fan of Lord of the Rings. We watched the movies before going and found the experience to be a lot of fun.

Couldn't do the Big Sky Stargazing Adventure due to clouds, but the company was prompt with a refund. Appreciated their efficiency, showing great customer service.

The Kalbarri Edge Resort was within 5 to 10 minutes walking distance to the waterfront to see the daily feeding of the Australian pelicans & lots of restaurants & take away foods to choose from. And a delicious ice cream place. The living room was very adequate size as was the kitchen & a separate bedroom.

Easy small town to drive in especially if you are not use to driving on the left side of the road. Getting to & from the airport was also easy. Beautiful explanade to walk just a few blocks from our hotel.

we were just here for a quick overnight before our international flight early in the morning. We liked the location and ability to walk to many restaurants and sights.

hotel room was tired (in need of a refresh) and dirty, especially bathroom with a soiled toilet. Lots of construction and the location was average...not much near by. Would not recommend staying

we really liked this!

enjoyed the farm visit as this is where we spotted our first koalas and kangaroos. Learned a bit about the state/national rehab and breeding program of the koalas. The mountains are beautiful. This trip was primarily a drive and see with little opportunity to get out and explore. We would have loved an hour or so to do a hike. lunch was delicious.

it was a long day and not much opportunity to get out and explore, with the exception of the boat tour.

Luxury at its finest - we will never forget our nights spent in the Dune Pavilion at Longitude 131! We loved every minute of it!

If you can have Ben as a tour guide, you will have the best time! Such beautiful scenery and a fun trip to a local zoo on the way there! Our first full day in Australia was so much fun!

Clean spacious rooms; wonderful breakfast, friendly helpful staff.

Very nice and clean accommodation. Our room was quite small and looked into a nearby wall, but we were mostly gone. The breakfast was quite good and friendly helpful staff.

What a story! Our guide Michael was knowledgeable and an excellent presenter.

Karyn is super knowledgeable and made us feel extremely comfortable. Great stories about the mountains and the towns within them.

Well worth the time and money. The Great Ocean Road is awesome and our guide Bluey was very personable and entertaining! A few points for improvement for a kimkim customer: 1. Our pickup at the Great Southern Hotel was one of the very last meaning we had no choice but to be at the very back of the bus. We were concerned that the winding roads might be uncomfortable from there but that aspect turned out okay. 2. The meal stops were too rushed.

We had our guide Judy all to ourselves, and spent three hours getting to know wonderful Melbourne and her. It was like visiting with a local friend - we loved it.

We loved it. An easier pace than the Great Ocean Road and more relaxing stops, especially at the Wildlife Park. Graeme was another wonderful guide! Like the Great Ocean Road, our Great southern Hotel pickup spot was one of the last, so we did not sit together. But we were more up front on the single side, which was better.

This is one of the best hotels we've stayed. We have been pampered from the moment we landed at the Hamilton Island, the hotel staff greeted us at the airport and a porter (how amazing) picked up our luggage. We were served Champagne and a cold towel when we arrived in the lobby while the staff gave us a brief introduction of the hotel. Our room is upstairs with breathtaking ocean view. The infinity pool is right below our balcony but very quite. The room is well decorated, roomy, well equipped and clean. Bathroom has a nice modern tub and sizable shower room. Food in the hotel restaurant is surprisingly good, comparable to the fine dining restaurants we've been to. We had the breakfast delivered to our room two days in a row so we could enjoy the beautiful sunrise and serenity in the morning. Staff is very attentive. Shuttle service is very convenient to get around the island. We were in heaven.

Right in the heart of Brisbane downtown, walk to all the nice restaurants, shops, South Bank, and shops. The apartment hotel is well equipped with washer/dryer, laundry detergent and full kitchen. Room is a bit of small but it's adequate.

Nicely located in the heart of CBD.

It is pure paradise. The lunch provided in White Haven is very good. Tour guide is knowledgeable. Boat transfers was efficient.

Smooth ride to see the crown jewel of Great Barrier Reef, the heart shaped reef. It's about 1 hr heliride.

A bit underwhelmed. May be because of the winter, the mountain is not as green and waterfalls are ok. I would suggest to go to the Gold Coast instead.

This is the best animal sanctuary among all the sanctuaries we visited in Sydney and Melbourne. Most of the Koala are awake!!!

This is the highlight of our entire trip. Those precious penguins are soooo cute. The coastline of the island is spectacular!

Truly luxury bus tour. The Benz Sprinter has phone charger!

Wow wow wow-loved this hotel. The location was perfect and the service was spectacular. The staff were so friendly and helpful and the views from our balcony were unbeatable!

Crystalbrook Riley was perfect for us. It was a high quality hotel that was close to the Esplanade, but not in the middle of all the action. It was nice to walk 5 minutes down the road away from the noise and chaos of the tourist area to have a more peaceful place to stay. The breakfast was fantastic and the pool was so fun with the white sand beach. I would definitely stay here again!

This is a must-do in my book for Sydney. The views were spectacular and our guide taught us so much. My only complaint is that for the exorbitant price they charge, they should give you the photos they take. Instead, they charge an extra $65 at the end. You aren’t allowed to bring your own camera or phone (which makes sense) so you are forced to pay the extra price at the end if you want a photo.

Great trip to to Upolu Reef. The staff aboard the boat was top notch and the diving/snorkeling was great.

We ended up having a full day at Fitzroy Island since they cancelled the Moore Reef part of our trip. It was a nice day but I think a half day would have been enough. We climbed to the summit of Fitzroy which was a nice way to get a good view. It took about 40 min to climb to the top, walking nonstop uphill. The snorkeling wasn’t great due to high winds and choppy waters, but that was just our luck for the day.

Our trip to Hartley’s Crocodile Park was very good. We learned a lot about crocs and the other animals and got to pet a koala and a wallaby and a snake. I’m not sure the breakfast with koalas was worth missing our awesome hotel breakfast for, but it was nice to pet a koala and ask questions from the naturalist who was there.

Loved our bike trip through Sydney. Our guide Dylan was so knowledgeable and gave us great tips on what to see/do the following day when we had a free day to explore on our own. The biking is not strenuous at all and you stop often to learn about various sights.

The Cairns Lagoon was closed for repairs for all of July so we didn’t get to experience it.