Profile photo for Jon Andrews
2037 messages

Jon Andrews

I will be going on leave from April 5th - April 18th, if you need anything the team will also be here to support and answer any questions you may have.

I've been working in Australia and New Zealand travel for 9 years and lived in multiple locations throughout so please feel free to ask me if I have any local secrets to share about these places.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"Luxury travel, family holidays, road trips, Maori culture, Aboriginal experiences, The red center, The great barrier reef, Diving, Surf trips, Ski trips"

How did you get involved in travel?

"After backpacking for months through New Zealand and Australia I found a career where I could share all this knowledge and send people to see some of the amazing things that I've seen."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"Diving with a sharks in Byron Bay (no cage required) "

Jon is part of the following groups: Australia Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries
Luxury itineraries
Road trip itineraries
Honeymoon itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Jon

Australia trip 2024
Australia | Feb 5 - Feb 16, 2024

NZ
NZ Z.
Harrison, NJ | Reviewed on Mar 19, 2024
Jon created a trip plan that tailored everything perfectly as we wanted to do! Everything....down to the times and places were precisely as written in my plan! Everything was so perfectly set for us, all of the pick ups and tours and flights etc. I can't say enough about how well this was done, I am truly thankful I planned this part of our trip with Jon. During the trip, if I asked a question on the app, they responded right away, no questions left unanswered. Again, everything was... Read more

Jon created a trip plan that tailored everything perfectly as we wanted to do! Everything....down to the times and places were precisely as written in my plan! Everything was so perfectly set for us, all of the pick ups and tours and flights etc. I can't say enough about how well this was done, I am truly thankful I planned this part of our trip with Jon. During the trip, if I asked a question on the app, they responded right away, no questions left unanswered. Again, everything was absolutely perfect and I would definitely book with Jon and KimKim again. Thank you!!

Hotel Reviews
Vibe Hotel Sydney Darling Harbour
Sydney

Great Hotel in the heart of darling Harbor! Easy to walk around the city and shop. Could use laundry facility in the hotel otherwise it was a great hotel and beautiful area.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Desert Gardens Hotel
Yulara

Lovely hotel in the desert, WIFI could use a little boost otherwise everything was beautiful and as expected. Very clean. Free Laundry facilities a plus!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Pacific Hotel Cairns
Cairns

Great hotel in a wonderful area, we felt like we were in the rainforest every morning with the bird sounds. Great location, close to the Esplanade and Marina.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Uluru - Camel to Sunrise
Uluru - Camel to Sunrise
Uluru

Great experience! So fun watching the sunrise and having the experience of riding the camels through the desert!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Wintjiri Wiru Aboriginal Drone Show: After Dark
Wintjiri Wiru Aboriginal Drone Show: After Dark
Uluru

Drone show was cancelled due to the winds. Laser light show instead

Quality of Experience
Staff still tried to make it a wonderful experience, drinks and food were superb
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kata Tjuta Sunset Tour
Kata Tjuta Sunset Tour
Uluru

Lovely sunset experience, There was sparkling wine and cheese and crackers given out during sunset

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Desert Awakenings Tour with Voyages
Desert Awakenings Tour with Voyages
Uluru

Excellent breakfast and morning watching the sunrise, then over to to Uluru

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Down Under Cruise Evolution
Down Under Cruise Evolution
Cairns

Snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef experience was amazing! Long day, could have used it to have been a little shorter of a day otherwise it was perfect

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Jon Andrews
Jon
Jon Andrews
Local specialist in Wanaka, New Zealand | Replied on Mar 19, 2024

Thank you Nancy, was lovely working with you and I am glad you have had a fantastic trip, some major bucket list items ticked here!

Jon planned an exceptional trip for us to Au...
Australia | Mar 1 - Mar 10, 2024

Debbie
Debbie M.
Canada | Reviewed on Mar 11, 2024
Jon planned an exceptional trip for us to Australia with our timeline and costs in mind. Read more

Jon planned an exceptional trip for us to Australia with our timeline and costs in mind.

Hotel Reviews
Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Darling Harbour
Sydney, NSW

Excellent location!!! Hotel could use a refresh.

Authenticity & Character
Had a coastal feel
Location
Darling Harbour had so many options and was close to get to everything.
Staff
Very nice and helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rooms are tired.
Pacific Hotel Cairns
Cairns

Excellent location!!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Close to pier and many dining places.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Sunset Dinner Cruise
Sunset Dinner Cruise
Sydney

Wonderful tour of the city. Service and food very nice.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Day Tour
Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Day Tour
Sydney

Lovely day out with a nice small group. The venues we went to were nice and the hosts were informative. Lunch was especially nice at a golf club with quick service and scenery.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Friendly and informative
Transport
Clean and on time.
Down Under Cruise Evolution
Down Under Cruise Evolution
Cairns

The cruise was definitely a highlight of our vacation. The staff were exceptional and very helpful. The gear provided was in great shape and we appreciated the stinger suits with the jelly fish in the area. The morning there were a lot of waves/rain but it didn't stop the adventure. The staff were very considerate to those that were experiencing sea sickness. The lunch provided was ample and tasty. The second location was particularly exciting but more because the weather had shifted and we weren't combating the waves as much so we were able to enjoy it a bit more. We took advantage of the glass bottom boat ride and appreciated the marine biologist giving us further insight into what we were looking at below. Overall a 10++ experience.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
A lot of staff to help make the day move effortlessly with many people on board.
Transport
Nice boat - even though we had huge waves going out to the reef, the boat handled them with ease
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway + Kuranda Scenic Railway
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway + Kuranda Scenic Railway
Cairns

We took the skyrail both up and down as the train was out of commission due to flooding.

Quality of Experience
Seeing the rainforest from up above was special. The day we went had a lot of fog/rain so the experience kept changing throughout the ride.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
We did a free walk with a guide and we learned a lot about the rainforest trees/spiders/snakes etc..
Transport
The Cable car was comfortable had lots of windows to view below.
Spirit of Cairns - Dinner Cruise
Spirit of Cairns - Dinner Cruise
Cairns

It was a pleasant evening. The food was good and the staff very pleasant. As it was a rainy night we didn't really get to enjoy the outside view.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Daintree, Cape Trib & Bloomfield Day Tour
Daintree, Cape Trib & Bloomfield Day Tour
Cairns

Great day out exploring the rainforest.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Ride was comfortable.
Local specialist: Jon Andrews
Jon
Jon Andrews
Local specialist in Wanaka, New Zealand | Replied on Mar 19, 2024

Glad you had an amazing time Debbie! Definitely some fantastic memories made, Thanks for working with me to get everything perfect for you.

Jon was very patient in helping us plan the t...
Australia | Feb 24 - Mar 4, 2024

B
Barbara O.
North Charleston, SC | Reviewed on Mar 05, 2024
Jon was very patient in helping us plan the trip and called us several times for in depth discussions. He was conscious of our budget and time constraints. He promptly replied to our emails and even phoned us in Cairns when there was a glitch in our plans. We really loved using the app Jon provided us with, it was very easy to keep track of all the steps of the trips. Read more

Jon was very patient in helping us plan the trip and called us several times for in depth discussions. He was conscious of our budget and time constraints. He promptly replied to our emails and even phoned us in Cairns when there was a glitch in our plans. We really loved using the app Jon provided us with, it was very easy to keep track of all the steps of the trips.

Hotel Reviews
Pacific Hotel Cairns
Cairns

Great location. Had the all basics and a pool. Not luxurious but clean and comfortable

Authenticity & Character
Nothing unusual about the hotel. Bar was never open
Location
Very Close to wharf, tour locations and restaurants
Staff
Helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rooms attended every other day. Had to bring towels down and pick up new ones in the opposite days
Rendezvous hotel Melbourne
Melbourne

Good location. Hallways and rooftop were not clean. Rooms and bath were small but comfortable

Authenticity & Character
Location
Near city
Staff
Everyone was very nice and helpfuk
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rooftop, halls and elevator needed attention
Rendezvous Hotel Sydney The Rocks
The Rocks

Very large room with kitchen. Location was excellent. Some deferred maintenance needed...peeling paint on ceiling and around sliding door; rust on hinged glass over bathtub

Authenticity & Character
Lovely exterior that fit into neighborhood
Location
Central to everything
Staff
Helpful
Cleanliness & Comfort
Great towels
Activity Reviews
Reef Magic outer reef cruise
Reef Magic outer reef cruise
Australia

We had a fantastic experience on the Reef Magic outer reef cruise. All of our trips were excellent, and this one was no exception. The tour was well-organized, and we got to explore the beautiful outer reef. The entire experience was smooth and enjoyable.

Quality of Experience
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway + Kuranda Scenic Railway
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway + Kuranda Scenic Railway
Cairns

Our day with the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and Kuranda Scenic Railway was mostly great. We had a funny incident with the train, but our guide, Jon, handled it brilliantly. Despite a small hiccup, we were impressed by how well everything was managed. The scenic views were breathtaking, and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Great Ocean Road Day Tour
Great Ocean Road Day Tour
Melbourne

The Great Ocean Road Day Tour was a memorable experience, although it was quite a long day. The tour guides worked hard to ensure we saw everything, and the sights like the kangaroos were amazing. We felt the tour could have been condensed a bit as it was a full day excursion, but overall, we were happy with the experience.

Local specialist: Jon Andrews
Jon
Jon Andrews
Local specialist in Wanaka, New Zealand | Replied on Mar 18, 2024

Hi Barbara, I'm glad you had an amazing trip! It's been wonderful working with you and as I mentioned you were great at letting me know exactly what you wanted to experience so I could build the perfect trip around that for you.
These hiccups do happen now and again on a trip (A bit of confusion on the pick-up location for a tour) but I'm glad you knew I was a message/phone call away so could jump straight on it and get you back on track immediately.
Thank you so much for joining us and if you ever find yourself on this side of the world again please feel free to reach out.

I am saddened to say that while the planning ...
New Zealand | Dec 26 - Dec 30, 2023

M
Marissa S.
Far Rockaway, NY | Reviewed on Jan 05, 2024
I am saddened to say that while the planning experience was good, the support during our trip was lacking and we will not be using kimkim's services going forward. We were booked an a FlexiToursNZ trip from Rotoura to Auckland on Dec 28th. Not only were we not notified in advance about having to change vehicles twice, but when we brought this us to Jon he was not helpful in helping us understand why this happened (I'm actually still waiting on his feedback from his contact at the tour... Read more

I am saddened to say that while the planning experience was good, the support during our trip was lacking and we will not be using kimkim's services going forward. We were booked an a FlexiToursNZ trip from Rotoura to Auckland on Dec 28th. Not only were we not notified in advance about having to change vehicles twice, but when we brought this us to Jon he was not helpful in helping us understand why this happened (I'm actually still waiting on his feedback from his contact at the tour company). After a long day (made even longer by the issues experienced from Rotoura to Auckland) we arrived at a hotel that was old, moldy, and far below expectations. Again in mentioned this to Jon, his answer was that he will take it up with the product team. Needless to say, we did not spend the night there and transferred to another hotel. I am not looking for a refund, but I would like answers as to what happend on our tour and how the product team could send a family (with small children) to hotel with moldy ceilings and peeling paint that is down the block from two strip clubs!

Local specialist: Jon Andrews
Jon
Jon Andrews
Local specialist in Wanaka, New Zealand | Replied on Jan 17, 2024
Hi Marissa, Thank you for the feedback and for letting us know about your experience. For the Flexi Tours Rotorua to Auckland tour through the Waitomo caves, I called to check what happened and they mentioned that as it is such a long day the driver from Rotorua can't drive over his legal hours so they do a vehicle swap halfway to a new driver that can drop you to your Auckland hotel, sorry if this caused any disruption to the day. Apologies again for the quality of the hotel, we use the... Read more

Hi Marissa, Thank you for the feedback and for letting us know about your experience.

For the Flexi Tours Rotorua to Auckland tour through the Waitomo caves, I called to check what happened and they mentioned that as it is such a long day the driver from Rotorua can't drive over his legal hours so they do a vehicle swap halfway to a new driver that can drop you to your Auckland hotel, sorry if this caused any disruption to the day.

Apologies again for the quality of the hotel, we use the Copthorne brand regularly as they are usually such high quality and great service, I'm sorry for your experience with them and as mentioned we have this being investigated as any drop in standards we take very seriously.

I'm glad all round your family enjoyed the tour around New Zealand and please reach out if you ever need anything

A dream down under
Australia | Nov 8 - Nov 16, 2023

Brittany
Brittany T.
College Station, TX | Reviewed on Nov 17, 2023
We loved every part of our trip to Sydney and Cairns! It was a breeze traveling around Australia with the private transfers and accommodations set up. We visited the Great Barrier Reef, the rainforest, the opera house, multiple beaches, museums, shopped, ate and drank our way down under on our free days. We never had to take an Uber or order a taxi as everything was within walking distance, our excursions picked us up directly or we had a private car to and from airports. The app Jon had has... Read more

We loved every part of our trip to Sydney and Cairns! It was a breeze traveling around Australia with the private transfers and accommodations set up. We visited the Great Barrier Reef, the rainforest, the opera house, multiple beaches, museums, shopped, ate and drank our way down under on our free days. We never had to take an Uber or order a taxi as everything was within walking distance, our excursions picked us up directly or we had a private car to and from airports. The app Jon had has download after booking was amazing. Every trip was laid out with contact information and booking details. Recommendations for everything and assistance ready if needed. Jon was easy to reach and even called personally twice to confirm our wishes. 10/10 will work with KimKim again.

Hotel Reviews
Rendezvous Hotel Sydney The Rocks
The Rocks

Hotel staff up front was wonderful- answered all our questions and gave us suggestions. Housekeeping was less than stellar- sheets/ towels were clean. Floor not so much, lots of fuzz and white hair (we do not have that hair color) on the floor- despite being reached out to vacuum on a survey after check in. Was not vacuumed when cleaning was requested via door handle flyer. Lobby has been updated and is great- rooms and pool really need it next. Great view of harbor when cruise ships don’t block the opera house.

Authenticity & Character
Updated all rooms.
Location
Walking distances to most things.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Mold in the bathrooms, broken bathroom vent with tape on it, hair on the carpet in rooms. Overall updated- I’ve read in the reviews it’s in the plans- but I don’t see any updates happening as of this week.
Ramada by Wyndham Cairns City Centre
Cairns

Easy location, walking distance to almost everything. Felt safe, housekeeping was great. Easy to get in and out, clean rooms and clean pool. Friendly staff.

Authenticity & Character
Updated rooms
Location
Walking distance to shops and food. Boardwalk
Staff
Kind and attentive
Cleanliness & Comfort
Bathrooms and bedding very clean.
Local specialist: Jon Andrews
Jon
Jon Andrews
Local specialist in Wanaka, New Zealand | Replied on Dec 12, 2023

Hi Brittany,

I'm glad you had an amazing time in Australia! Please reach out if you ever need anything again.
Hope to see you soon.
Jon