Kimkim Trip Reviews for New Zealand

Chelsea and I started planning our family trip last July and it was a total success. My young grandson would say everyday that this is the best excursion in NZ and I would remind him he said that the day before. The trip entertained the 4 adults and the 2 kids. From Hanmer Springs to the whale watching to Huka Falls jet ride to Hobbiton to the glow worm caves it was all entertaining.
What Chelsea did best was the timing- we would get up in the am drive to our excursion view it and get to our next hotel just at check in time. We never waited for a room.
Overall I would give the trip 5 stars.

Hotel Reviews

Quest Rotorua Central

Rotorua

We spent two nights at Quest Rotorua Central and appreciated its central location, making it easy to explore the area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Quest Cathedral Junction

Christchurch

We had a great stay at Quest Cathedral Junction, with its convenient location allowing us to easily walk to various attractions.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The White Morph - Heritage Collection

Kaikoura

Our stay at The WhiteMorph was comfortable and enjoyable. The hotel's location was also convenient for exploring the area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Adina CityLife Wellington

Wellington

We had a pleasant one-night stay at CityLife Wellington, enjoying the hotel's amenities and location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beechtree Motel

Taupo

Our stay at Beechtree Motel was comfortable, providing us with a good night's rest after a day of activities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Waitomo Caves Guest Lodge

Waitomo

Although the room was a bit tight, with a queen, a twin, and a couch bed in one room, the hotel staff was very friendly, and the included breakfast was a great bonus.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nesuto Stadium Auckland

Auckland

We enjoyed our two-night stay at Nesuto Stadium Auckland, finding the accommodations comfortable and convenient.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Kaikoura Whale Watching Tour

New Zealand

We were fortunate enough to see a whale because the day before and the morning trip were not so lucky.

Hukafalls Jet

New Zealand

The ride was educational and fun with all the 360 turns. Forgot to bring raincoats so we did get a bit wet.

Quality of Experience

Staff very friendly

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mitai Hula & Haka Cultural Experience

Rotorua

Very educational and just down the street from our hotel.

Redwoods - Nightlights

Rotorua

Unfortunately we were there on the first day of fall break so the crowds were big. Our wait was 2 hours. We left and returned in the am.

Skyline Gondola Rotorua and 4 Luge Rides

Rotorua

Everyone loved the luge ride but it was tiring so some of us only did 4 rides instead of 5.

I recently returned from a trip to New Zealand that was, overall, a great experience. However, there were a couple of unexpected factors that left us feeling slightly disappointed.
One of the biggest challenges we faced was the unpredictable weather. We had planned to do several excursions, such as a zodiac trip at Mt Cook a helicopter ride to the Franz Joseph glacier, and a couple of others but unfortunately, the weather didn't always cooperate. We had to cancel some of our planned activities due to rain or wind, which was disappointing.
Another challenge we faced was with some of the locations where our trip planner had booked us. In a couple of cases, we found ourselves in small towns or rural areas where there was little to do and we didn't have our own transportation to get anywhere to do anything, including getting something to eat. This made it difficult to fill our time and left us feeling a bit bored and frustrated.
Despite these challenges, we still managed to have a great time in New Zealand. The natural beauty of the country is truly breathtaking, and we were able to enjoy many stunning vistas and landscapes during our trip. We also met some incredibly friendly and welcoming people and learned a lot about the history and culture of the country.
Overall, I would recommend a trip to New Zealand but would advise travelers to be prepared for unpredictable weather and to carefully consider their itinerary to avoid any areas with limited activities or transportation options. With a bit of flexibility and planning, however, I'm sure anyone can have a memorable and enjoyable trip to this beautiful country.

Hotel Reviews

Merivale Manor

Christchurch

This is a bit misleading unless you actually stay at the manor as billed. We stayed in what was basically some motor lodge-type rooms right on the main road. Room was okay the proprietors were nice enough, but I wouldn't call it a three-star location. Perhaps the actual Manor house is nicer

Authenticity & Character

Kind of cheap motor-lodge rooms

Location

Not really close to a whole lot if you don't have a car

Staff

Owners were nice

Marlborough Bed & Breakfast

Tuamarina

Unless you have a car do not stay here. It is not near anything, not that there is a ton in Blenheim anyway. We were stranded here for two days. Our included breakfast consisted of some fruit, yogurt, and 4 eggs that we had to make, ourselves and clean up all the dishes and that was it for two days. This place is nice, but in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do. Every day we would hear what sounded like a huge gun or cannon going off every few minutes starting in the early morning. Turns out it was grape harvesting time and the local growers literally had a gas cannon that they shot off to keep the birds away. This went on all day long at random intervals many times an hour. The proprietor was confused as to why we were even staying there considering we didn't have a car. We thought about trying to do some laundry as that was supposedly one of the perks only to find out that there was a washer but no dryer. We had to take taxis back and forth to town to eat which was costly and a pain because we were way in the back and could not tell when they were in the main driveway. Our pick up for transport to the train was not until late afternoon but the owner insisted that we check out by 10:30. With some back and forth with our travel people we got an early pickup but then had to sit around with our bags all day in town waiting for the train.

Authenticity & Character

The place was nice enough

Location

Far from town if you don't have a car. No good access to food, for the cost of the place the "included" breakfast was a joke

Staff

We felt like they just wanted to get us in and out of there. Really not an enjoyable experience

Millennium Hotel Rotorua

Rotorua

Staff was very professional and courteous, breakfast was very nice

Location

Easy walking distance to things

Staff

Top notch

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very good

Fiordland Navigator, Doubtful Sound

Manapouri

Location

Beautiful fjord!

Staff

great people good experience

Activity Reviews

Polynesian Spa Lake View Private Pool

Rotorua

Waste of time

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Twin Glacier 30-Minute Helicopter Flight with Snow Landing

New Zealand

Never got to go

Stargazing from Mount Cook

Aoraki / Mount Cook Village

Never got to go due to weather

Sounds Connection Half Day Wine Tour

New Zealand

This stop in Blenheim was a waste of two days

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The Essence of Waiheke Wine Tour

New Zealand

This was a lovely stop, loved the island and wineries. Everyone was wonderful including the driver who was nice enough to take us to one of the stops we missed because of the Ferry. The lunch at Three Seven Two was excellent one of the best meals on our trip

Quality of Experience

Lovely place, with nice people, good wine, and food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Driver and wine tour people were wonderful

Transport

Need to let people know to get to the Ferry early

Auckland to Rotorua, Hobbiton & Waitomo Caves

New Zealand

I enjoyed this more than I might of expected. The glow worms were quite interesting as was Hobbiton. Our driver was quite a character and kept us entertained on the long drive

Quality of Experience

Interesting and liked Hobbiton more that I though I would

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver was quite entertaining and made the trip fun

Transport

The driver

Eco Thermal Park - Eco Thermal Full Day Tour

Rotorua

This was an interesting excursion, but our guide was very rude to my wife at one point seemingly because he was trying to rush everyone through so he could get a sub-set of the group back by a particular time. Which made the experience less enjoyable for us as we had to dash from stop to stop. And as I said the treatment of my wife for trying to get a cup of coffee not knowing we had to leave right away because he was in a hurry, which was not communicated to us at all. Just set a very negative tone for the day for us

Quality of Experience

The guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guide was rude and rushed us the whole time

Transport

Ride was fine

All the hotels, transportation , tour activities and car rental were as described by Nichole. Overall I was very pleased by the whole experience.

Our first trip abroad was nothing short of amazing thanks to the excellent planning of our local specialist, Vickie. She called us ahead of our trip to ask questions and help us through some details as this was our first time traveling abroad. Once we arrived in Auckland and throughout our visit everything went smoothly. Our accommodations were perfect. When we arrived at 6:30 AM our first day, we were given complimentary early check-in at the reception. Throughout our 12 day stay we truly got to experience a wide variety of places and activities on both the North and South islands. Vickie wove together an itinerary that flowed well and allowed us to do something special and uniquely New Zealand every day. The only thing I would change if we have the opportunity to visit again is to stay longer! There still is so much more to see and do! We felt we easily could have stayed 2-3 days more in the cities we visited.

Hotel Reviews

M Social

Auckland

M Social was our first accommodation when we arrived to New Zealand at 6:30 in the morning. When our driver dropped us off at the hotel they had a room available for us and we were given complimentary early check-in. That was such a welcomed delight after 20 hours of travel! Everything was clean and the breakfast buffet had a wide variety of tasty offerings. The staff was pleasant and welcoming. I would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Everything was modern and the room had encouraging sayings on the walls. The sliding bathroom wall was unique.

Location

It was located downtown and right on the harbor.

Staff

Everyone was kind and welcoming.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scenic Hotel Cotswold

Christchurch

We stayed here for a total of three nights on our visit to the South Island. One night before we departed to tour the island and then for two before we caught our flight home. Our accommodation was roomy for 3 traveling adults. We loved having separate bedrooms with the living area to share. The heated bathroom floor was an added bonus! What ended up being the best we’re the e-bikes they have available for rental. We used them on our free day to explore Christchurch. Hagley park is located close by and has lots of trails to enjoy. Plus the botanical gardens is just over a mile walking distance away. All of the people working reception were kind, courteous, and welcoming.

Authenticity & Character

The place has the look and character of a little village.

Location

Close to amazing restaurants, Hagley Park and botanical garden.

Staff

Everyone is very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was very clean and looks as though it was recently remodeled. Their weight and exercise room and bathroom is hopefully their next place to update.

The Hermitage Hotel

Mount Cook Village

Being able to look out our window to see Mt. Cook was nothing short of amazing. The sky windows are awesome for experiencing sleeping under the breath taking night sky. We stayed in the motel that had a full kitchen for making your own meals. However we did not do that for our single night stay. We had breakfast and dinner up at the lodge. The timing was such that we had the buffet meals. The food was delicious with a wide variety of choices. The wait staff was outstanding!

Authenticity & Character

Modern comfort in the middle of natural beauty!

Location

Being right in Mt Cook National Park is spectacular. We could fit in a hike before dark.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our lodging had heated towel racks. Everything was spotless and welcoming.

Clearbrook Motels Wanaka

Wanaka

This place is truly a home away from home. Everything was clean and welcoming. Having a washer and drier was perfect as we were midway through our trip.

Authenticity & Character

It was a very relaxing place and we loved the loft and high windows.

Location

Located walking distance to the city center and around the corner from the food trucks.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rainforest Retreat

Franz Josef Glacier

A very unique place to stay. It truly is in the rainforest. They had a kitchenette in the room with Keurig coffee maker, hot water heater, electric frother and toaster available.

Authenticity & Character

It has a feel of being in the forest but still having our comforts and conveniences.

Location

It is walking distance to everything in Fraz Josef.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was welcoming upon arrival.

Copthorne Hotel & Resort Queenstown Lakefront

Queenstown

A nice place to stay. Accommodation is average.

Authenticity & Character

It has a lovely open reception area.

Location

Close to downtown and a park walking/running trail.

Staff

They responded kindly and curiously.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sudima Lake Rotorua

Rotorua

Our lodging was spacious and comfortable.

Authenticity & Character

It is a normal hotel environment.

Location

Located right near the geothermal lake and also walking distance to anything downtown. Once we had our car parked and were checked in we were able to do everything there by foot.

Staff

Everyone was friendly, kind and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Okarito Lagoon Guided Kayak Trip

Franz Josef Glacier

We were blessed to have a clear beautiful calm day! The whole experience was relaxing and magical. Our guide, native of Ohio, did a wonderful job sharing the history of the area and educating us about the environment and wildlife of the area.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We really enjoyed our guide. He was personable and very energetic. He seems to enjoy what he is doing.

Transport

It was a very short ride from town to the lake.

Wanaka Bike Tours - Hawea to Wanaka

Wānaka

This bike ride was one of the highlights of our visit. The trail was beautiful as it followed the path of the river.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our driver dropped us off after giving us a brief rundown of the trail. He gave us his phone number and was available for questions if we needed anything.

Transport

Milford Sound Coach/Nature Cruise ex ZQN + Lunch

Queenstown (NZ)

This day trip is nothing short of amazing! It is a must see for everyone visiting New Zealand South Island! Having a bus ride in allows for everyone to enjoy the view of the twisty turny drive to Milford Sound.

Quality of Experience

We were very fortunate to have some rain the day we visited. It made for spectacular waterfalls!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Brian, our driver was extremely knowledgeable about everything on this tour. He shared a wealth of information in a very interesting and entertaining way. Plus he definitely is an expert driver handling all the difficult motorways there!

Transport

Te Pā Tū Māori Feast & Performance

Rotorua

The entire evening is a delightful experience. The event is designed to make friends with the Māori village and fellow travelers. We learned much about the history and culture of the Māori people and enjoyed taking part in activities, listening to their music and enjoying superior hospitality for dinner. This is a must for a North Island visit to New Zealand. Added plus, they pick you up from your accommodation to take you to the village.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our hostess in the drive to and from did an awesome job making everyone feel welcome and did an excellent job explaining things. Plus she has a beautiful singing voice!

Transport

TSS Earnslaw Farm Tour & Dinner

Queenstown (NZ)

This was a wonderful farm to table experience. The sheep shearing and sheep herding demonstration is amazing for those of us unfamiliar with this environment.

Quality of Experience

Food

I highly recommend the sticky date pudding! It’s like a bit of heaven!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

All of the staff were top notch. Positive atmosphere and all were friendly.

Transport

The boat ride makes the experience special. However I can’t give it a 5 star because the sound system on the boat needs an upgrade or update. We couldn’t understand what was being said as it was all muffled.

Hobbiton Tour

New Zealand

This is a must for LOTR and Hobbit fans! And even if you aren’t this setting is like stepping into a magical fairytale land! It is something everyone who visits New Zealand should take in! Ending the tour having a drink at the Green Dragon is an opportunity to meet and talk with other travelers from all over the world if you so choose.

Quality of Experience

It was fun! Our guide was enthusiastic and this made the tour extra fun!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The bus ride was comfortable going out and the video does a nice job setting the tone for the experience.

Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari

Auckland

This was a great experience to get out on the waters near Auckland. However on our tour we did not see any whales or dolphins. But we did get a lifetime voucher to come back anytime to try again.

Quality of Experience

It was great to experience the water, but would be better if we saw whales or dolphins. However this is something you have to realize when you take these tours. The wildlife doesn’t show up on command or our schedule.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They stayed positive and were very kind and tuned into the needs of the passengers.

Transport

We felt safe and comfortable under their expert handling of the cruise ship.

Explore the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves

New Zealand

Kayaking in the moonlight makes this adventurous! We were able to experience seeing the glow worms in a few different caves. Another highlight was the beauty of the night sky! Our guides did a great job leading us in the darkness. This is a unique New Zealand experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim did an excellent job planning our 1-month NZ trip. Lydia organized our days with a variety of activities, such as biking, hiking and tours. When we had questions or concerns about our agenda Lydia was very prompt with responses and resolutions. The trip was well planned and we won’t hesitate to use KimKim in the future. We LOVED our trip, thank you!

We had a wonderful and fun New Zealand Holiday. Tried to see and experience as much as we could in 12 days. Our guides for cruising Aukland Harbor, visiting Hobbiton, ziplining Rotorua , kayaking Franz Josef , biking Lake Wanaka, bus touring Milford Sound were all competent helpful and friendly. The Māori culture and the Queenstown cruise / dinner events were excellent . Thank you to KimKim everything went smoothly.

My mom and I wanted to take a trip to New Zealand but we were really overwhelmed with where to start and how to plan to see as much as we could in a 10 day period.

Kimkim was a really cool website that was visually appealing and helped us easily select options of preferences from what kind of stay to activities and things to see. It gives a “like to do” and “must do” option so your specialist can get a really good idea of how to plan the perfect trip.

After Liz reviewed our preferences she came back with an awesome proposal! It had beautiful hotels and so many really cool activities. We had a couple suggestions on taking some out and adding in others and Liz was so quick to respond and accommodating everything perfectly.

Our trip was really SOOO amazing and unforgettable! Having everything planned out made the whole trip flow so smoothly and I have to say it was SO nice having transportation pick up to and from the airports. Transportation was always so friendly and on time :). We did have one activity that cancelled unfortunately due to weather concerns. When I called the local office for customer service they got back to me within 30 minutes and had another activity moved and substituted which worked out so well!

We loved our specialist Liz! The printed itinerary booklet was beautiful and such a good memory keepsake and we appreciate all the help and follow up before during and after the trip. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Kimkim and our specialist liz to anyone planning a memorable vacation :)

We had an amazing two week, 10 person, guided van tour of New Zealand! Our driver and tour guide, Robert Miernik , was excellent! He was extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and kind, with a great sense of humor. Robert also anticipated our needs and had great ideas for sightseeing and dinners. Franck helped finalize our tour, which had been delayed three years due to COVID. Our tour included both north and south islands, from Auckland to Christchurch. We saw green, rolling countryside with grazing sheep, geysers, beautiful fjords and lakes, glaciers in Mt Cook National Park in the NZ Alps.
Highlights from our group: Hobbiton Movie Set Tour, Rotorua with the incredible geysers, Maori Cultural Experience, Tongariro National Park, a helicopter ride to, and stepping out on, the Tasman Glacier, bike tour through beautiful wine country, bungee jumping, tram dinner in Christchurch.
It was a unforgettable trip!

Chelsea called me before the trip and tailored it to capture exactly what I wanted! She was very knowledgeable about how long to stay at certain places and limited long driving days (mostly less than 4 hours)!
Our favorite spot on the itinerary was the Wilderness Lodge—getting time to hang with the NZ local owners Jerry & Anne was so special.

Working with kimkim was absolutely fantastic. The trip was exactly what we were hoping for in terms of activities...we took our 17 yr old and his friend. There was a good balance between things they loved (ziplining, hiking, jet boating, and things we wanted to do (museums, cultural experiences) and we got a decent amount of downtime, given what we were trying to cram in two weeks! Ruth was awesome and took care of everything. When we ran into a ferry delay, our local contact was able to help us right away even thought it was early in the morning. I would highly recommend especially if you're traveling somewhere you're unfamiliar with.

We really enjoyed our 17-day trip to New Zealand. If we have one regret it is that we packed our itinerary so full that we rarely got time to relax and just enjoy being there. While we were there (I'm told it's typical of the late summer period) there were road works on almost every route we travelled, so published driving times were always optimistic, which added to the pressure. Though we enjoyed many wonderful experiences, it would be hard to beat the cruise on Medford Sound. We almost missed this altogether, as our itinerary included flights to and from there from Queenstown which we cancelled at the last minute due to weather conditions. Our wonderful travel specialist, Lydia, managed to reschedule the itinerary for that day and the next so that we could drive there to enjoy the cruise the following day. The heavy rain that prevented our flights turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it resulted in the walls of Medford Sound being covered in waterfalls during our visit which made for a special day. Our favorite meal, was a lunchtime barbeque at the Walter Peak Farm accessed by a steamship cruise on Lake Wakatipu. Our favorite hotel room, the Te Waonui Forest Retreat in Franz Josef. All our guides were friendly and knowledgable, and all the arrangments went without a hitch. Now we're back home, we just need to take a break to breathe...

Our trip to New Zealand was an amazing experience… the Country is so beautiful, from North to South. The people are warm and welcoming; it was was so interesting to learn about and see firsthand the cultural pride. The excursions, zip lines, etc. were so much fun, but even driving to these locations was one of my favorite experiences because we got to see the country. Liz was so great to work with… took care of our every need and was incredibly responsive. While in NZ, any unexpected changes to our itinerary (such as weather) was handled very timely by the Kimkim team. I can’t thank them enough for the attention to detail and handling all our needs and wishes. I highly recommend them and would absolutely use Kimkim in the future. Thank you, Liz, for helping us have an experience of a lifetime!

Hotel Reviews

The Hotel Britomart

Auckland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pullman Rotorua

Rotorua

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Novotel Queenstown Lakeside

Queenstown

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Auckland to Rotorua visiting Hobbiton with lunch

Auckland

I have never seen anywhere so beautiful…. fun to learn about the movies…

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mitai Cultural Experience & Dinner

Rotorua

I really enjoyed learning the culture and the food was amazing!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Te Ra Guided Experience (90 minutes)

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Twilight Glow Worm Kayak Experience - 3 hour guided

Rotorua

SO much fun and beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I had an amazing time. Our tour guide Robert was amazing. He kept us busy every day and when we had down time he assisted us in making other arrangements. The accomodations were excelent, the van was perfect. I don't know who Eloise is but Franck did a great job.

My Trip Was Amazing.
Sabina understood my requirements and tailor made an itinerary. My Itinerary had some tourist stuff, some road trip, some urban hikes and all.
Overall it was a great adventure and can't wait to come back to New Zeland Again.

If I plan it again, I would consult Sabina for a tailor Made itinerary.

Regards
Venkat Abhishek Davuluri

Well done in spite of the cyclone tragedy that impacted your teams add all of the NZ North Island.

Hotel Reviews

Ramada Suites Queenstown

Queenstown

Great location and helpful staff at both hotels in Queenstown.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Olivers Lodge

Clyde

Andy and David were awesome attentive welcoming hosts!

Authenticity & Character

Fabulous renovation and dedication to balancing the historical character and modern comforts of the Lodge and Stables!

Location

Staff

Welcomeness and passion for their hospitality.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Hermitage Hotel

Mount Cook Village

Authenticity & Character

Front desk said we we given one of the best suites on site. However, it was well past its time for an update.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fable Christchurch

Christchurch

Great convenient location. Surrounding neighbor was a mix of run down and well maintained properties.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Wonder hosts and exception breakfast chef.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Historic Steamship Cruise to Walter Peak Farm + BBQ Dinner

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Akaroa Dolphins Cruise

New Zealand

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Christchurch Tramway Restaurant

Christchurch

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hi Christina , we all had such an amazing time , so lucky with the weather, we saw some pretty fantastic sights , with a few off beat ones . The guides were equally knowledgeable , a lifetime of memories made. Thank you for your help.
Just have to sort the hundreds of photos and videos taken of all the breathtaking sites seen.

What separates the excellent from the merely very good is how they deal with problems. Sabina came through in spades.
Cyclone Gabrielle arrived the week before our arrival and disrupted our itinerary.
She worked overtime to ensure our trip was still wonderful.
While others were struggling with reservations and ferry crossings, everything went smoothly for us.
In addition, the hotels Sabina booked were great. As we had asked, she booked at various price points from moderate to luxury.
Each was unique and lovely. In no way were they cookie cutter rooms.
Finally, Sabina worked hard to include all the activities we wanted.
In conclusion we recommend Kim-Kim and Sabina very highly.

Activity Review

Hukafalls Jet

New Zealand

An adrenaline rush.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I was initially set up with a specialist who wasn't listening to my preferences and became increasingly more difficult to communicate with. Once I voiced my concerns though, I was matched with Sabina who was such a pleasure to work with! She was always quick to respond, worked with me on a good balance between budget and activities, and made my trip such an incredible experience. I'd love to work with her in the future when I go back to visit New Zealand and Australia!

Most of our trip was great except for a couple of stops. Our glacier hotel was a 45 minute walk from town. We had to call a shuttle every time we went to eat or wanted to do anything. Our last stop had issues with every excursion canceling or changing. The hotel did not have air conditioning, so we had to open windows up to Main Street traffic noise.

Phoebe and her team at Zip Line were amazing. Phil on the jet boat at Lake Taupo was particularly good with the younger children. The bus trip to the north of the Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga were enjoyable but too long a day. Accommodation was all good.

Hotel Reviews

Arista of Rotorua

Rotorua

Small hotel run by owners was extremely well run, very clean, well located and staff very helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Admiral's View Lodge

Paihia

The owner made us very welcome with a broad knowledge of the locale, restaurants and things to do locally. the hotel was very well situated for all the tourist activities.

Authenticity & Character

It was a small and pleasant beachside town.

Location

Locale was excellent

Staff

Very efficient

Cleanliness & Comfort

Excellent

Nesuto Stadium Auckland

Auckland

We felt there was a shortage of trained staff.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Cape Reinga & Ninety Mile Beach

New Zealand

The length of the all day trip was too long

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Free Day in Auckland

Auckland

Mostly we were recovering from the long overnight flight from Perth.

Quality of Experience

Good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

A good friendly driver collected at 06.00hrs and gave us some verbal guidance

Transport

Good size vehicle for six tired people.

Bay of Islands & Township of Russell

New Zealand

The weather was appalling so we gave it a miss

Quality of Experience

The weather

Hole in the Rock Cruise

New Zealand

Everybody enjoyed the experience in spite of inclement weather.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore Russell

New Zealand

The weather was too bad and we stayed in Paihia

Quality of Experience

Didn't happen

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Can't comment

Transport

The weather

Self-Guided Exploration of Rotorua

Rotorua

We went to the geo thermal park. Spent time at the luge park. Just generally enjoyed being being in Rotorua for several days.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The staff at Zip Line were very professional and caring

Transport

Rotorua Forest Canopy Tour

Rotorua

The organisation was superb and the staff exceptional most notably Phoebe and her crew.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hukafalls Jet

New Zealand

The jet boat and the staff were very experienced and caring for individual situations from Children to mature adults

Quality of Experience

The excitement

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Phil was excellent

Transport

Very safe and well monitored

Explore the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves

New Zealand

We were given a detailed explanation of the history and the local Maori involvement

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Depart New Zealand

New Zealand

We had a final short overnight stay and very early flights

Quality of Experience

Transport

Returning car rental was a challenge at the airport