Kimkim Trip Reviews for New Zealand

Beautiful old time classic hotel right around the corner from Trafalger Street. We ate at a great restaurant with a fun vibe, Hawker House about 5 minutes walk away.

Looked like all the rooms had a view and is right on the ocean. They get big bus tours that take over the restaurant (that has a great view) Should hold out some tables for independent travelers.

Quirky fun hotel. A-frame rooms with exposed beams. If you get a room with a view it's amazing. Not sure what the experience would be like without one. Was at the top of a steep hill so anyone going into downtown like we did a couple times a day would need to walk up that. We were fine with it but we did see a lot of winded people slowly walking up to the hotel.

Beautiful hotel tucked in the trees. Everything was amazing. The restaurant was excellent. But they had two large bus tours come in and take over. It was super loud and the independent travelers were complaining. We sat outside to get away from it a bit. Would reco holding out some seats in a quieter place for independent travelers. Only other hitch was that the bartender had no idea how to make a manhattan.

There was a lot of angst and confusion to start about what to bring and wear on this first day. We weren't aware that we were doing the trip backwards so we'd planned to hike, which was usually the way day 1 started but we started kayaking. Had to quickly unpack and repack on the floor of the tour company and the change. Feel like that could have been better communicated before so we could have planned better. Not a great start to the trip. We started a bit later so the winds had whipped the waves up (as they do most afternoons). We wound up bikin g the last sector because the guide said the next leg was going to have waves 3 times as big.

Easy day on a boat tour and bus back to Queenstown

This was a tough day of hiking. We had prepared for the uphill over the pass. It was tough but the path was generally well taken care of. The downhill side of the pass was way tougher than we expected. Endless large rock steps were tough on the muscles and joints. My wife fell a few times and this is where most of the injuries occur. The first 1/3 is above the tree line so can be windy. Once into the forest it gets steep and rocky. There are stairs around the waterfall to start but the the trail descends into miles of rocky steps. If you wear knee braces then put them on for this one. Springs and wet trails just add a slipping factor to the fun.

This was the longest day of hiking. Started out with more of the same rocky downhill then leveled off more to a wider path downhill. Was pouring rain to start so tough going and had to cross some knee deep water crossing the path. Got back wet and soggy but not as tough a day as the one before.

This was easily the most beautiful hike we've ever been on. We had the benefit of great weather. It felt warm but like we were hiking in air conditioning. And the moss covered forest was unlike anything we'd seen in our lives. Sounded like this was the dryer side of the hike but still must get a lot of rain. Something like 200-300 inches/yr and 200 days annually of rain. The grade is slowly uphill with a little difficult rock scrambled caused by a slip near the end. Marking the trail across the slip was a little tricky but they had a guide posted to show us the way. Hidden Lake off-shoot was OK but the Prairie Lake swim was great. Take the plunge and swim quickly under the waterfall. Then swim back quickly before your limbs go numb from the cold!

An easy day with a bus ride from Queenstown to Lake Te Anau. Then an hour boat ride to the start of the trail. Less than a mile hike to the lodge. After dinner they offered an easy nature hike behind the lodge which was a great basis for everything we'd be seeing in the next couple of days.

This was the perfect thing to do after hiking the Milford Track. My wife and I are both not huge massage people but after this experience we might be converts. I think the hiking tour companies would be smart to sell this as a package with their hiking tours.

What a unique and spectacular property. Staff was incredibly accommodating.

Perfectly located and loved the amenities and staff. Only negative was no chair in the room; the only place to sit was on the bed. That said, I would not hesitate to go back.

This was truly a great day. Our guide, Wayne, was extremely accommodating and his knowledge of the area was impressive.

Don’t truly have a rating for this as weather cancelled the trip and we were told this is not an infrequent occurrence. I am sure it is an excellent experience but I would have a back up plan and it would have been nice to know in advance there was a chance of not getting to go.

Nice relaxing excursion filled with beautiful sites and great accommodations. Staff was excellent.

No better way to hot tub than the view you get at Onsen. Simply jaw dropping.

This is a basic hotel with all that we needed. I would give it a 5 but some folks may disagree with me because it is not 'high-end'. We needed a room for 2 nights knowing we would use it only to sleep and do a final pack. It more than accommodated us. We had room to spread out, washer/dryer to help deal with soaked dirty clothing before packing for a 28 hour flight. It is a 10 minute or so walk from the grocery store, Subway, local movie theater (see the short documentary about the fjordlands). We were totally happy and had no complaints

Clean, convenient, steps from all the restaurants we wanted to try and staff was super helpful and available

For us, this was all we needed but it is in an area where everything is basic so someone looking for 'glam' would not be happy. We loved the space, the nearby washer/dryer (much needed by this time in the trip), proximity to hiking trails and wonderful drives to scenic spots.

Such a wonderful experience. The room was spacious, had a lovely lake view and the manager and her family added so much to the experience. This lodge is a little off the beaten path but what we were looking for and we loved chatting with other guests who added so much to our trip experience.

Right where you want to be to experience downtown

Easy check in, spacious home with amazing views

Such a unique experience. We hope to return again. We cannot say enough wonderful words about the Eco Lodge.....

Service and room were top notch. We needed to arrive early and they were so gracious and accommodating. Thank you to all of the staff at Millennium!!

It was raining the day we did this BUT we learned that if it is not raining, the falls are not nearly as amazing. Our guide, Rob, was top-notch and we loved being able to walk a small part of the Milford Track and to see the Milford Sound up close.

This tour is first off, something you will never see anywhere else. It is so well organized, very informative and the staff are totally engaged. We went at dusk and it was awesome!!!!

What a hoot to go out with a real sheep/cow/deer rancher. Truly an authentic experience

Lots of gorgeous views

We'll be back. A great location, with a very helpful staff. So much better than staying in a hotel.

Our time at the Lakestone Lodge was amongst the very best highlights of our time in NZ

This experience was life-changing. An absolute must for anyone wanted to truly experience NZ's South Island.

What a great way to see the city!

Beautiful Hotel.

Very unique rooms literally said in a rainforest. The big draw for our room was the hot tub.

We arrived and learned that our reservation had been erroneously canceled. The staff at the hotel could not have been nicer in working with us to try to get suitable accommodations. In their facility. Plus overall the staff went out of their way to make us feel at home including the cocktails in the evening and the absolutely spectacular breakfasts. This is definitely the place to stay in Queenstown.

A very nice train ride on a beautiful train.

A very peaceful boat trip with a small boat of only 12 passengers. Lots of birds and interesting plants to see. You actually get very close to the shoreline. Great commentary by the guides.

Once in a lifetime experience. The glacier is spectacular. He will not get closer than you do on this trip.

Great experience! A highlight of our trip.

Loved this hotel and setting! Beautiful views overlooking Lake Rotorua and the staff was so friendly and helpful. Added bonus was their adorable mini ponies and donkeys!!

Coolest place ever! It was our first PurePod experience and we absolutely loved it! They had provisioned us with breakfast and dinner as well and they were delicious!

The service, location and food were all excellent! Would highly recommend staying here!

Really enjoyed learning more about Kiwi birds and seeing them!

Such an interactive and fun evening!

Wow, so worth doing as the views from the helicopter were so gorgeous!!!!

This was such a fun evening despite the rain! The caves are so beautiful!

Sadly we had a lot of rain while we were out on the peninsula, but did have a great time on the train ride and shopping around town.

Such a perfect way to start our trip and such pretty views of the city and surrounding areas!

Loved the walkability to anywhere! Centrally located but away from the crowds and so quiet.

Lovely stay! A bit busy and crowded but overall wonderful location, walkable, and the laundry was really nice to have.

We had a lovely stay in the purepod once we found it. The instructions to find it from where you part need to be updated as we had a hard time finding it for a bit. There is no sign for the car park as listed in the instructions and the directions for the track point you downhill when you really need to go uphill. The track should itself is overgrown to chin height so we were covered in grasses and very itchy by the time we found our way to the purepod itself. There was also a cannon (for birds in the vineyard is my guess) going off every few minutes until 9pm and starting again at 6am which makes the environment slightly less tranquil. The purepod itself is a dream, the food was amazing, and we had a lovely night, just a few details that were a surprise disappointment.

Loved this location, views, and walkability to everything!

Lovely, quiet spot on a pear farm. It’s warm and charming with a beautiful view. Hosts are attentive and kind.

No kayaking due to river level being too high but they quickly rearranged our trip and did the jet boat portion for us instead. This was a super fun a beautiful experience and we are very grateful they were able to accommodate some adventure for us despite the weather not working for kayaking.

Beautiful views. Luge is very crowded, recommend going at a weird time to avoid crowds and lines. Staff were unfortunately cranky and rude.

Incredible experience. On the first leg piece driver was so fun and knowledgeable. He made the 4.5 hour drive pass by so easily and was a joy to spend time with. Cruise and fly were equally amazing and it was so cool to see the national park from so many different angles.

Didn’t have a clear night unfortunately so did virtual reality experience. Still learned a lot but different than authentic experience. Can’t control the weather so no one’s fault!

Had to be rescheduled due to storm but reschedule was smooth and efficient and we had a wonderful time both on the boat and hike back!

So fun! And Nikki was great to work with. She loved the route she scoped for us and really showed us so much character of the area from the rolling hills to the beaches.

Seemed nice, but it was pretty hot in Auckland when we arrived. There is no A/C and the windows only open about 3 inches, so no way to cool the room. We did appreciate that the laundry facilities are free for guests to use. Staff was very nice about accommodating a change to our reservation, offering a refund way after the change deadline.

Noce hotel. Pretty busy area of Rotorua. No restaurant and not much to walk too. However, the room was spacious and clean. There was A/C in the main area. Had a big jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. Lots of onsite activities. We used the pool which was quite nice.

Convenient to the tour, but a little run down. No A/C, fans only. We had ants. Not much to do in this town other than the Forgotten World tour. The shower bottles were marked incorrectly (shampoo, body wash). Not great washing hair with body wash. Staff leaves early, so if there are problems, no one onsite to help.

Nice hotel with a (not free) shuttle to the Tongariro Crossing.

Highlight of our trip. Exactly what we expected a "glamping" experience to be. If you want to see native birds, can't imagine a more location. Accommodation included food and snacks which were tasty.

Loved the location and ambiance of this hotel. We liked the neighborhood and thought their signature cocktails were creative and fun.

Felt very safe and the walk back though the old growth forest was fabulous.

We all agreed that this was much better than we expected (and heard that from other travelers as well). The sets are beautifully preserved and the house you go into has an amazing level of detail. They allow you to touch and enjoy the house fully (you can get in the tub, the bed, etc) and take pictures. After the tour, you get drinks at the Green Dragon where they also have snacks if desired.

This was a fun evening. We were a small group 6 = 2 guides. We kayaked a doable distance across a lake where we had dinner (sausages and salmon) and had use of thermal pools. Once it was dark, we went back across the lake to the cave. The glowworms are great. We also got some of the myths surrounding them during the activity. The stars on the return paddle, were the best I have ever seen.

This was a fun day. The trails are nicely maintained and have good information. The carving experience isfun and worth stopping for. The spa was fun. Can now say I've done a mud and sulfer spa. Really nice gift shop.

This was a great experience. I thought the pre-dinner activities were fun, well done and just the right length. The show part was again fun and just the right length. The food was excellent. We ended up purchasing the non-alcoholic pairing and would recommend.

Very interesting

This was a good experience. The lunch was basic, but adequate. This area is really beautiful and seeing it by rail is probably the best way.

We had a great time on Kapiti Island. We all agreed that it was one place that we could have spent more time if our itinerary allowed. We arrived in the afternoon and had time to do the hike from the resort to the top of the hill. We did the night time Kiwi spotting walk. We did end up spotting a kiwi! Though, the KaKa's and Weka's really stole the show. We left in the morning. We did not have time to do the hike on the other side of the island, or swim in the cove. Take a flashlight with a red light option if possible. That way you can continue looking for KiWi after the guided tour is over.

We had a great day on this tour. Ended up being just our group which we appreciated and didn't expect. Guide, Dean, was knowledgeable about Wellington and LOTR. We saw a number of filming sites and also learned a lot about NZ and Wellington. Appreciated the Stansborough tour. Much more interesting than we expected. Weta Cave was also fun, but I expected more LOTR content there. Not this tours fault.

Ben was an amazing driver/guide. He was knowledgeable and charming, loved this tour!

Alex was the best driver and hostess EVER!

Perfect in every respect. Great staff, terrific room, great restaurant and in the very heart of city by the docks. Wonderful experience!

Phil was a great guide. We enjoyed the day with him. We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch at the vineyard -- the views and ambiance as well as the amazing charcuterie platter that the winery prepared. The tastings were all good. The final tasting at Kinross with Brian was by far the best. Brian was skilled as well as knowledgable on the wine he was sharing.

Breathtaking views and scenery. Katy our guide and driver was exceptional.

Exactly what we had in mind. Grant the guide was perfect for the role. The entire day flew by.

Great location. Easy walk from the bus depot. This is the largest hotel room we have ever stayed in. It had two levels and a washer dryer. The staff were friendly. We did not eat on site, but there were a few lovely options. We did take advantage of the pool and fitness room. Those staff were also very friendly. I especially liked being able to watch the Australian Open in my room.

Historic. Charming. We enjoyed the owners (Michelle (?) and Ross). We ate dinner and breakfast here. Our room was clean, comfortable and updated. We would stay here again.

This was on our Alps to Ocean bike tour. The location is perfect. Great view and two hot tubs (spas). The included dinner was served as a group. You met fellow travelers while seated at larger tables. It was heaps of fun.

Great staff, clean rooms and onsite laundry facility. The best part is the restaurant. Relaxed with a beer in the lounge then on to the buffet dinner with the best selection of salads, appetizers, Asian and local dishes and a roast carving station. We also hade a delicious breakfast the next morning. We needed to leaver early and they opened early.

This place is very quaint with great food and staff. Comfortable clean rooms. Slobodan checked us in and really made us comfortable.

So the check in process was the fastest of any hotel I have ever stayed in. I wish all hotels were ran this way. The staff are competent and chill. The room was clean and comfortable! We loved exploring Oamaru and then relaxing and getting a good night's sleep here.

This hotel was on our way along the Alps to Ocean bike tour. The breakfast in the morning was very delicious.

The view of the lake is amazing. The staff were very kind and brought our breakfast to our room. Very comfortable hotel.

Off the busy street. Friendly staff, clean and comfortable. I just wish the pool was working. Also, the staff and the food in the restaurant where we ate breakfast were wonderful. Delicious!

We got to see so many filming locations as part of this tour. The guides made sure to calibrate their tour based on who was in attendance, so the super LOTR fan and the casual enjoyer (i.e., my husband and myself) could both appreciate and enjoy their time. They brought a flip book to show the scenes and how they were staged for the film, and Pure Glenorchy was also able to get us onto a privately owned location for the Hobbit and to get a better view of Isengaard. And of course the photo opportunity at the end was an awesome touch. It even included a break for afternoon tea in the park in Glenorchy!

Ash was an amazing tour guide for the Kai Bites tour. She took us around to her favorite spots, taking care to point out important history, art, and buildings around Christchurch, including spots that we would not have thought to check out or would have noticed on our own. Ash made sure to point out shops that features local artisans so we could bookmark them for our own time, and when we mentioned our dinner reservation plans, she helped pick out a menu of must haves (which were, to no surprise, amazing recommendations). She clearly has a love for her work and sharing great food with others, and it was such a delight to spend the time with her, which made this a top excursion on our trip.

This was the best part of the trip as someone looking forward to the diverse bird wildlife of New Zealand. The guides were so informed and clearly passionate about their work, so the audio tour component was very informative. We were able to see little spotted kiwis in the wild, a Ruru, and multiple tuatara. And it felt more intimate as a small group walking through Zealandia after dark with provided red flashlights to be able to search the brush for wildlife.

The experience of this rewarding hike was phenomenal. The guides were kind and so fun, helping take photos and explain everything you could see from the top of the crater. The skree down into the crater was the highlight, with the best part being able to go quickly at the bottom.