Michelle was amazing.
New Zealand | Nov 10 - Dec 2, 2024

H
HERE AT H.
Canada | Reviewed on Dec 06, 2024

Michelle was amazing. She seemed to know what we needed even more than we did! The accommodations were exactly what we liked and their locations couldn't have been any better. The tours she arranged and extra suggestions she provided were wonderful.
Thank you again Michelle for everything you did to make this a perfect holiday.

Hotel Reviews
The Great Ponsonby ArtHotel
Auckland

Great breakfast and good location

Woodlyn Park

It may be ok if you have young kids as it is unique. As an older couple, it was very dated and needed some attention.

Timber Trail Lodge
Ongarue

Food was great, room was comfortable and scenery spectacular.

Mountain Heights Lodge
Ruapehu

The room was comfortable and had everything we needed. Good location. The only problem was the highway traffic noise at night.

QT Wellington
Wellington

Loved this place. So unique and wonderful breakfasts!

Pear Orchard Lodge
Nelson

Very unique accommodation. Our rooms were nice and we appreciated the use of the large kitchen. Quiet with beautiful scenery

The Vicarage Geraldine
Geraldine

This was one of our favourite accommodations. The renovation work and history behind it is beautiful. The best laid-out bathroom of all of our stays. Breakfast next door was great.

Aoraki Court Motel
Aoraki/Mt Cook Village

A pretty basic hotel room. The scenery was beautiful but getting around the village and finding parking with all of the tourists was a little crazy. But couldn't have asked for a better location

Distinction Te Anau Hotel And Villas
Te Anau

Having a hotel room that looks right out onto the lake was wonderful. Comfortable room and good breakfast provided. Good location.

Criffel Peak View B&B and Apartment
Wanaka

Room was nice and breakfast was ok. The hosts are a little 'intense', but nice enough. Parking was a bit of an issue.

Activity Reviews
Timber Trail Day 1
Timber Trail Day 1
Ongarue

An amazing ride. The electric bikes were a must for us...we couldn't have done it without them.

Black Abyss - Abseiling, ziplining and black-water tubing
Black Abyss - Abseiling, ziplining and black-water tubing
Waitomo

A truly unique experience. Our guides were fun and appreciated the warm drinks and food during the tour. The only down side was not being able to take your own pictures. They took some and you could buy them at the end, but let's say that photography is not their forte. :-)

Great Taste Trail (Bike day ride) self guided (E-bike Option) - Kaiteriteri to Mapua (43km)
Great Taste Trail (Bike day ride) self guided (E-bike Option) - Kaiteriteri to Mapua (43km)
New Zealand

The trail itself was ok. Unfortunately a lot of the little artisan galleries along the trail were closed which would have made things more interesting. A great little coffee shop and good restaurants though.

Aqua Taxi - Slice of Paradise (boat + optional walks) - full day
Aqua Taxi - Slice of Paradise (boat + optional walks) - full day
New Zealand

We were not exactly sure how this was supposed to work. We told the guide that we preferred to spend more time hiking than on the boat. He was excellent and pointed out some options that would work for us and it turned out to be a wonderful day. Great people running this and a small boat so you're not crammed into a big boat with a lot of other people.

The Road to Mesopotamia - High Country Station 4WD tour
The Road to Mesopotamia - High Country Station 4WD tour
Geraldine

Partly our fault. We had read the description of a different tour with a similar name. We thought we would be going on a tour of a sheep farm with a sheep shearing demonstration, etc. that included lunch and wine and all of the trimmings. This tour consisted of riding in a large touring van (4WD description was slightly misleading) for 7 hours, mostly on gravel roads, with short stops to point out trees and livestock. There was no sheep farm tour, no 4WD like we were expecting (Jeep or ATV), lunch consisted of half a sandwich with a piece of banana bread that we ate in a lawn chair at the side of a road beside a settling pond. The guide was nice and did his best to pass on his local knowledge but I think even he was bored. Perhaps if you were in your 80's, this may have been enough but for us, it was a complete waste of a day.

Cycling the Hawea and Wanaka Trails
Cycling the Hawea and Wanaka Trails
New Zealand

Loved this! The scenery was beautiful, the guide was informative and there was just enough easy and hard biking to make it interesting.

Doubtful Sound Day Cruise
Doubtful Sound Day Cruise
New Zealand

We lucked out in the fact that it was a beautiful sunny day after a rainstorm the day before. So there was still water in the waterfalls but clear skies so that you could see for miles. Enjoyed the catamarans (although it got a little long towards the end) and everything was run VERY smoothly. Good guides. Loved it.

Local specialist: Michelle Srzich
Michelle
Michelle Srzich
Local specialist in Auckland, New Zealand | Replied on Dec 09, 2024
Thanks so much for your feedback , I really enjoyed working with you to plan this active adventure.
I have had a response from the owner/operator of the Road to Mesopotamia tour - they do wonder if perhaps the description you found online was for a different tour they offer to cruise ship tourists. Nevertheless it is supposed to be in a 4WD vehicle - the vehicles were not available on the date you did the tour as they would have allowed access to the steeper farm tracks. For lunch the...
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Thanks so much for your feedback , I really enjoyed working with you to plan this active adventure.
I have had a response from the owner/operator of the Road to Mesopotamia tour - they do wonder if perhaps the description you found online was for a different tour they offer to cruise ship tourists. Nevertheless it is supposed to be in a 4WD vehicle - the vehicles were not available on the date you did the tour as they would have allowed access to the steeper farm tracks. For lunch the supplier has advised there would have been savoury bacon egg pie and fruit as well as a sandwich and banana bread . It's the same finger food picnic each time, from a caterer.
They have offered a partial refund which I will request Kimkim refund you for the tour.
All the best!
Michelle