Springboard Vacations

KimKim and our agent, Paula, provided a truly exceptional 5-star experience planning our South Island New Zealand adventure. Our trip was on the short side, 7 days, and we didn't know how to get started or what was best to pack into our stay. From the initial inquiry, Paula's communication was prompt, friendly, and professional. She patiently listened to our vague ideas, given we knew nothing about New Zealand and expertly crafted a personalized itinerary that perfectly matched our interests and budget. Paula's knowledge of New Zealand was evident; she offered insightful recommendations for hidden gems and must-see attractions, enhancing our trip beyond the typical tourist experience. The entire planning process was seamless, with Paula handling all the details, from accommodations to activities and transportation, along with some last minute changes along the way. Her responsiveness throughout, even during our trip when we had a minor query, was remarkable. Thanks to Paula and KimKim, our New Zealand vacation was unforgettable.

Through no fault of our planner, Paula, planning with three tavlers can be unweildly at times and arduous at best. She did well to manage the circus but spotty miscommunication had its challenges on both sides.

Once arriving at each location, mind you we had 5 intracontinental flights, pick up for hotel transport was easy, flawless, classy and often filled with city tips and history by our drivers.

Hotels were all amazing. 4.5-5 star. Great views of lakes, oceans or harbours, and amazing included breakfast buffets. Locales allowed for dining and shopping ease.

The itinerary was chalk full of each locations showcased must sees.

All our guides were professional, articulate and experts at their craft. Their delivery, authentic and genuine. A couple, also validated our next activities, going forward, saying that they were choice selections.

We found enough spare time to chill or create our own town, cultural or shopping experience.

The Intercontinental Sydney provided stunning views of the Harbour Bridge (whuch I climbed),and Opera House, ( which we attended La Traviata). Both were personally pre arranged by us.

The trip was so amazing and super memorable. A couple of things were weather deterred, cancelled or unviewable
but it did not dampen our efforts to see, alter or be flexible to a shift or just enjoy the moments and places we were visiting.

Each city,... not a bad meal or glass of wine.
Thank Paula, Mahalo for the great guidance and high level of activies. We appreciate the private transport, small group activities and the activities that were of high quality.

Hotel Reviews

M Social

Auckland

Great location and view. Very modern

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to ferry and restaurants

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scenic Suites Queenstown

Queenstown

Little quirky layout. One area for 4 elevators and long walk to our room

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Could do laundry. That was a plus

InterContinental Sydney

Sydney

Amazing 5 star hotel. You felt it in every aspect. Service, view food and rooms. I'd stay there again fir sure.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to opera house, botanical garden and Harbour Bridge.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crystalbrook Flynn

Cairns

Ocean view. Great rooms

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Afternoon Flavours of Our City (Shared Small Group Walking Tour)

Auckland

Our guide was authentic and entertaining. The foods were perfect. We enjoyed ourselves. Great set up.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Skyline Gondola Ride

Queenstown (NZ)

Great vistas but we had to buy three luge tickets minumum when only I wanted to do it in my group. We ended up not doing the luge

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Milford Sound Glass Roof Van/CruiseVan

Queenstown (NZ)

Epic. Our bus driver was flawless. Beautiful country. We opted, on our own, to fly back to Queenstown. Best choice. The experience in the 10 seater cessna was priceless.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Wilderness Safari - Jetboat

Queenstown (NZ)

Exhilarating. Great joyride with outstanding views. Should not be missed

Quality of Experience

9th

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The ride out and back let's you see more of the lake and countryside

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

So educational and worth an easy hour of your time. Behind the scenes of the structure and it's history

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Silverswift Cruise - Snorkel Great Barrier Reef From Terminal

Australia

Unfortunately it was cancelled due to weather. The 1 start rating is in no way indicative of the experience. We had none, but we were refunded. All good. We went to the Aquarium, lunch and shopped instead.

Liz was easy to work with and helped me plan my first trip to NZ. She was professional and knowledgeable about the cities I wanted to visit and recommended a few options based on my preferences. The local partner was extremely helpful on the ground to support my tours throughout the 18-day period. They were responsive and provided quick coordination when change was needed. I would highly recommend Liz for New Zealand trips and would love to work with her and the kimkim team again for another trip in the future.

Connie from KimKim helped organize an amazing trip to Australia for my family this past summer. We had a lot of special requests and specific activities we wanted to make sure to include in our 4-state trip. Connie was very patient with us, gave us lots of suggestions and worked closely with us to ensure that every detail was planned perfectly. Me, my husband and two adult children had the time of our lives. This was an amazing, stress-free trip thanks in a large part to our KimKim travel rep.

My wife and I just completed a wonderful trip to Australia. It's been a lifelong dream of mine to visit ever since my sixth-grade teacher showed us slides of her trip to the other side of the planet.

I worked with Paula to plan our trip. Paula is a superstar! Her expertise in planning our lifelong bucket-list trip to Australia was invaluable. She took the time to determine our capabilities as an active couple in our 60s, as well as our travel preferences, including our preferred level of hotel accommodations and general interests. The information she gathered led to a perfectly paced trip. Long daily excursions were interspersed with shorter ones, and a day off around the middle of the trip was greatly appreciated. The accommodations Paula booked were wonderful, ranging from very nice to luxurious. Breakfast was included at several of the nicest hotels, providing an incredible start to our day. To be honest, some of the best food we had was found at these hotels. Another area where Paula exceeded our expectations was transportation. Throughout our entire trip, our transportation was expertly planned. Buses, air travel, and personal car service went flawlessly; not having to rent a car and drive on unfamiliar roads was a huge stress reliever.

Highlights of our trip included riding camels, interacting with kangaroos, snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, and viewing sunrise and sunset at Ayers Rock/Uluru. Most importantly, we learned more about Australia, its people, and its history. We found the people of Australia to be, in general, more polite and at ease than what we are used to experiencing. Our trip preceded Australia Day by one day, so we saw some of the preparations for their annual day of national celebration. The theme this year was "Reflect, Respect, Celebrate" – we found these three words very refreshing. Our trip, thanks to Paula, has led to a deep fondness for Australia and its people.

Hotel Reviews

Grand Hyatt

Melbourne

Great Hotel with an unbelievable breakfast buffet. We were there for the Australian Open and the venue is walkable from the hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The Australian Open is walkable from the hotel.

Staff

Everyone is so very helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

Park Hyatt

Sydney

This is my all time favorite hotel. The location, style and service was some of the best I've experienced in my 66 years.

Authenticity & Character

Amazing architecture, the building is shaped around the Harbour.

Location

We were able to walk to the world famous Sydney Opera House as well as dozens of restaurants and ferry services.

Staff

Top notch. Everyone treated us with a smile and an offer to help.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our room was spectacular, the shape and amenities were exceptional. The most interesting and complete room I have ever stayed in.

Sails In The Desert

Yulara

Sails in the Desert was a nice stay. The outdoor area was beautiful, and I appreciated the complimentary breakfast. However, it didn't wow us like the Hyatt hotels did, but that might be due to the desert setting. The hotel had some minor issues with the doors not fully sealing shut, but we've experienced that in desert hotels before, so it wasn't a big deal for us.

Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa

Port Douglas

The Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa is a gorgeous place with lots of potential. We loved the plunge pool in our room and the main pool area was fantastic, but the resort was terribly short staffed during our stay. Staff were eager to help, but there were issues like a broken safe, non-working phone, and bugs on the counter. The food quality was exceptional, though there were only two servers who struggled with the demand. I believe they are hiring and will improve as they sort staffing issues out.

Activity Reviews

Sunset Camel Ride

Uluru

I highly recommend this activity. The camel ride at dusk is spectacular. You also have time to interact with the camel you rode after the excursion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Wildlife Habitat Experience

Port Douglas

We absolutely loved interacting with the Koalas and Kangaroos.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Enric our guide was fabulous!

Uluru Sunrise with Breakfast

Uluru

Well worth having to get up very early. The quiet and peacefulness was amazing.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Max our guide was amazing. He is from Germany but acted like he was from Australia...A great personality.

Full Day Snorkelling Outer Reef (from Hotel)

Port Douglas

We very much enjoyed our time on the boat as well as in the water. The company did an amazing job taking care of all our needs.

Full Day Daintree Cape Tribulation (was & 4WD Bloomfield)

Australia

The Full Day Daintree Cape Tribulation tour was very nice despite some road delays due to a cyclone that had hit the area previously. Our guide was friendly, and we had some engaging conversations. It was a peaceful way to explore the rainforest, though waiting in one-lane traffic was a bit tedious.

Review of Our Recent Australia & New Zealand Trip using KimKim

The planning process with our KimKim representative, Paula, was excellent. She was knowledgeable about both Australia and New Zealand. I usually handle trip planning myself, but since this trip was over four weeks long and covered two countries, I felt it was complex enough to need expert help. Paula worked to ensure all our objectives were met and provided some valuable suggestions we wouldn’t have known otherwise.

Australia

Sydney
If I were to optimize our time in Sydney, I wouldn’t have scheduled the harbor cruise, e-bike tour, and food tour all within three days. The history and sights were somewhat repetitive. I would recommend only the harbor cruise and the bike tour, spread over two days. Spending two days at the beaches of Manly and Bondi over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day was enjoyable, but I wouldn’t have stayed a fifth day in Sydney.

Cairns
Cairns was beautiful. Visiting the Great Barrier Reef and snorkeling is a must-do. However, the reef wasn’t as colorful as I expected, so it’s important to set realistic expectations to avoid disappointment. I recommend spending a couple of days here and visiting one of the islands to explore different parts of the reef. Instead of our second day in the rainforest—which required a long drive and wasn’t particularly interesting—I would have preferred an additional day on the reef. Perhaps a guided tour would have made the rainforest visit more engaging, but we rented a car and explored on our own.

Brisbane
Brisbane was one of our favorite cities, with its beautiful winding river serving as a key mode of transportation. We spent New Year’s Eve there, and it was the perfect size for the occasion. Our twenty-something daughter also enjoyed the nightlife. The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was a good experience, though it was disappointing that you can no longer hold the koalas. We spent close to $1,000 on the extra koala and platypus experiences, which were not worth the money. On our second day, we drove to a national park in the Gold Coast hinterland, which was fantastic—we even swam in a waterfall. The Gold Coast itself, however, was underwhelming—very commercialized, similar to Fort Lauderdale, FL, with hotels lining the beach.

Tasmania
Tasmania was one of our favorite places in Australia. While Hobart itself isn’t particularly special, the nearby animal sanctuary was a highlight, especially the nighttime tour. Driving around the island at our own pace was great. Due to limited hotel availability in the Freycinet area, we stayed in a house called Little Wren, but I wouldn’t recommend it for just two nights—we missed the convenience and comfort of a hotel. The Wineglass Bay boat tour was great, though if you’re prone to seasickness, you might want to skip it. In hindsight, we should have cut one day from Tasmania—there was no need to stay an extra day in Launceston.

Melbourne
Melbourne was good, though our experience was affected by one member of our group coming down with a cold/flu, which lowered our energy levels. We missed the penguin experience and instead spent time in urgent care. We took a four-hour e-bike tour of the city, which was enjoyable, and an eight- to nine-hour wine tour of the Yarra Valley, which was also good but felt a bit long, especially after three weeks of travel.

New Zealand

After Melbourne, my husband and I continued to New Zealand while our children returned to college. New Zealand was even more beautiful than Australia.

South Island (Queenstown & Beyond)
Queenstown was our favorite destination of the entire trip—you could easily spend five days here. The town and lake were stunning, and highlights included Milford Sound, Mount Cook, the Shotover Jet speedboat ride, and four-wheel driving along historic gold-mining roads. I recommend spending a night in the mountains, possibly in Arthur’s Pass. Christchurch, on the other hand, was just okay—nothing particularly notable.

North Island (Rotorua & Auckland)
Rotorua itself was just okay, but the mountain biking in the Redwood Forest and the whitewater rafting over a waterfall were incredible adrenaline rushes. The Mitai Maori dinner was worth experiencing, though it felt a bit cheesy at times.

Auckland was a good city with a nice harbor, though it lacked a strong identity. Our day trip to Waiheke Island was a highlight. We stayed at the beach after the tour and had dinner on the island before returning to Auckland.

Overall Reflections & Learnings
1. Trip Length – Four to five weeks was too long. Three to four weeks would have been ideal, as we could have covered all the highlights with less downtime and wasted travel time.
2. Hotel Quality – The moderately priced hotels were lower-end than we would have preferred, especially in the cities. In major cities, we often ended up in Chinatown, on a steep hill, in tiny rooms, or in hotels with limited services (e.g., no gym) and slightly outside the main areas. Next time, I would upgrade to a higher-tier hotel in the big cities for better comfort and convenience.
3. Flight Scheduling – Since the local travel agent booked our flights, I assumed the flight times would align with our agreed itinerary, but in some cases, the flights left much later than expected. This led to some destinations feeling too long, others too short, and significant shifts in planned activities. I would pay closer attention to flight schedules next time.
4. Local Travel Agent Support – The local travel agent in Australia was not very responsive, especially on weekends and holidays, which was frustrating at times.

Would I Use KimKim Again?

Probably—especially for a more complex trip, a destination outside of my usual experience, or a trip longer than 10 days involving multiple countries.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Ibis World Square

Sydney

Neighborhood not great, very small rooms, overall a bit worn. Not concierge so little guidance on navigating the city or restaurants etc. Four block walk to major transit which is fine unless you have a person in your group with disabilities related to walking.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed and pillows comfy

Oaks Cairns Hotel

Cairns City

Updated and close to GBR attractions. Due to handicap would have preferred uogeade to hotels right at docks to avoid walking again 3-5 blocks. No valet or parking of rental. Street packing was not ideal. Breakfast included was good but not sure what we paid for it so value unknown.

Authenticity & Character

Fairly vanilla

Location

Not ideal for walking Handicap

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed, pillows and size of room all great.

Mercure Brisbane King George Square

Brisbane

Good overall. Valet was on and off. Self parking city not ideal. The hotel and rooms were a bit worn. Roomy enough in size. Breakfast was included and very good. Again unclear on cost so not sure if value.

Authenticity & Character

High rise.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed and pillows

Ibis Styles Hobart

Hobart

No food available after 8pm. Not much service. Gym and pool were nice. Breakfast included was good again not sure on value.

Authenticity & Character

High rise

Location

Staff

Limited

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bed and pillow comfy. Nice bathroom.

Little Wren

Coles Bay

As shown but very small. One small bathroom on different floor than bedrooms not ideal with handicap. Shower broke and fixed but late for dinner because of it. No extended checkout was a bummer.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Too small and limited bathroom.

Mercure Welcome Melbourne

Melbourne

Location in Chinatown not great. No valet or Parking which was super challenging. Small rooms, limited services, breakfast included was good but not sure if a good value.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Leisure Inn Penny Royal

Launceston

A bit quirky and dark.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

A bit too run down and quirky.

Scenic Suites Queenstown

Queenstown

Hotel hallways were uphill and a bit of a maze. Room was big and good shower. Bed and pillows comfy. Nice balcony overlooking mountains and lake. On the top of a massive hill which wasn’t convenient to restaurant and bars and tours as a handicap person. Lots of Ubers to go 3 blocks. Downtown would have been better.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Scenic Hotel Cotswold

Christchurch

Quirky and awkward. With the trolley being the main source of transit it would have been better to be closer. We were far out of central town. Big room a bit run down.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds and pillow comfy

Millennium Rotorua

Rotorua 3040

Very old and run down

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Voco Auckland

Auckland

Best room overall. Again on top of mountain very down on the harbor which was tough for a handicapp walker. Limited just going out down the street to an uber ride. Confusion on check in and parking of car expensive.

Authenticity & Character

High rise

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Wineglass Bay Cruises Morning Wineglass Bay Cruise - Sky Lounge including Lunch

Freycinet

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rough seas cause vomiting

Yarra Valley Food & Wine Day Trip Private

Australia

4 winners are too much. I bit too long.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Mitai Cultural Experience & Dinner

Rotorua

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Walter Peak Farm and Gourmet Barbecue Lunch

Australia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Milford Sound Coach/Nature Cruise/Fly (ZQN return)

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Essential Queenstown

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Rotorua

Rotorua

The town is run down. The geysers were sort of commercialized and cheesy compared to something like Yellowstone, Wyoming USA. The redwood Forest was amazing and we ended up renting mountain bikes riding through them, which was great. We also took a white water rafting trip over a waterfall, which was a great, adrenaline rush and super fun and safe.

Quality of Experience

Private Taste of Sydney Experience

Sydney

No driver promised, too much walking, not very knowledgeable, had already heard it all in harbor cruise so repetitive. Food not that interesting.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Sydney Classic Tour - E-Bike

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Mount Cook Tour (Queenstown to Christchurch)

Queenstown (NZ)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Harbor Experience Cruise

Sydney

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Couldn’t hear guide very well on outside decks

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary Night Visit

Hobart

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day Michaelmas Cay Cruise (from Hotel)

Australia

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Welcome to Brisbane

Brisbane

Quality of Experience

Taste of Waiheke Island

Australia

Great day however this trip didn’t go to brewery and subbed in another winery which was a bummer. They said your info was a year old.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport