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active 10 hours ago

Liz Neal

I have been involved in the travel industry since my first job out of college, working for hotels, airlines and travel companies which allow me to know the industry from all sides. I approach my customer's travel like I would like my own travel to be handled. I like to listen to what they expect from a trip and then offer suggestions to make their travel special. We partner with local suppliers (hotels, tours, transfers) that are trustworthy and professional with whom we worked with for many years to ensure the quality of service to our clients.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I specialize in creating customized itineraries throughout the South Pacific for singles, couples, families and small groups. I like to provide my customers with unique experiences in each country they visit. I enjoy helping my travelers create memories, more than just itineraries. "

How did you get involved in travel?

"I was fortunate to travel from a young age. The great experiences I had traveling with my parents made me want to be involved in traveling as an adult. I traveled with them, alone, with my husband and with my 4 children (now young adults). Now I travel frequently in the destinations I sell to be able to recommend places and experiences from a personal point of view. . I love the experience of understanding other cultures, speaking other languages, trying new foods....."

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"Flying over Sydney in a helicopter after having visited the wine country and hovering over the harbour because the pilot had to wait for clearance to land. He apologized profusely and I couldn't have been happier, I couldn't believe the view! In Kangaroo Island I had the most amazing picnic on a private farm while watching the kangaroos not farther than 70 feet from me ! Flying on a heli between Kata Tjuta and Uluru and seeing how much the landscape from above is similar to the dot paintings of the Anangu local artists. "

Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries
Luxury itineraries
Road trip itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Liz

Trip of a lifetime; thank you Liz!!
Australia | Oct 10 - Oct 28, 2025

Rosemary
Rosemary S.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Nov 04, 2025
Liz did a great job planning. Though there were some hiccups, she always did her best to resolve the situation and made us feel like we mattered. She is a gem. We loved snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef; the highlight of our trip. Ben, our guide in the Daintree Forest, was a wealth of knowledge and a pleasure to spend the day with. Gary, our guide for the Great Ocean Road, did a great job despite the rain and some challenging guests. Travis, our guide for the Phillips Island Day Tour,... Read more

Liz did a great job planning. Though there were some hiccups, she always did her best to resolve the situation and made us feel like we mattered. She is a gem.

We loved snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef; the highlight of our trip. Ben, our guide in the Daintree Forest, was a wealth of knowledge and a pleasure to spend the day with. Gary, our guide for the Great Ocean Road, did a great job despite the rain and some challenging guests. Travis, our guide for the Phillips Island Day Tour, was pleasant, knowledgeable, and passionate about the wildlife. All our tour guides were great as were all our limo drivers, too much to write here.

This was the trip of a lifetime. Very costly but treated so well and such a full, memorable trip we felt privileges to have had such an experience.

Hotel Reviews
Crown Towers
Melbourne

First class hotel. Beautiful room with lots of room, soaker tub and roomy shower. Incredible view of the river. Service was top notch. Pool is incredible but jacuzzi is part of the pool and not very hot. But pool overall was heated so it did not matter so much.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Close to a lot of activities, restaurants, etc.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Some confusion about cleaning policy (they said only if you called but came the first two day; when counting on it the third night, they did not come but were happy to bring us much needed coffee for the morning!
Sea Dragon Kangaroo Island
Willoughby

Great location if you want to be off the grid but not much nearby. It was all about the kangaroos and the incredible views. They even upgraded our room which was realty nice. Staff were pleasant and helpful. Hot water turned off on accident one morning but manager Joan (?) got it fixed right away and even offered a bottle of wine as compensation for the inconvenience. A wonderful experience.

Authenticity & Character
Location
The rural setting overlooking the sea.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Stamford Plaza Adelaide
Adelaide

Nice hotel, good service, good location. Pool was too cold for outdoor use.

Authenticity & Character
Nice hotel but no strong character.
Location
Close to a lot of activities and public transportation.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Meridian Port Douglas
Port Douglas

More like a condo than a hotel. Room was nice, especially nice balcony and a washer and dryer. Lots of rules made us a little uncomfortable (extensive charges if you get locked out, if you get reported for noise, etc.) . Pool was nice but jacuzzi was not hot (when we asked, we were told it was a “spa” because it had bubbles and owner did not want to turn up the heat. He said he’d check with management and adjusted the heat but it was only a degree warmer, if that. Bottom of the jacuzzi is so rough it hurts to sit on. As we specifically chose this one one to have a good soak after a long day, it was a definite disapppointment.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Jacuzzi needs to be hot and bottom needs to be smoothed out! Longer office hours would be helpful as no one was there before we had to leave for tours or by the time we got back.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room was clean. (Though having to clean it, take out the trash, etc. on departure does not add to the feeling of vacation.
Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney
Sydney

Most of the staff were amazing - made you feel special. Needed cream for morning coffee. Got half of an espresso cup at the bar. Next time they said they didn’t have it but I reminded them they did. This time they charge me $5! Not thrilled about. Pool not kept up (always had to get rid of other people’s towels, etc.). Otherwise pleased with the hotel and services.

Authenticity & Character
Nice hotel but not a lot of character. Well appointed. Not sure what you mean by authenticity of a hotel.
Location
With in walking distance of a lot of attractions and easy to access public transportation.
Staff
Very attentive.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room was clean and comfortable. As noted above, pool could have used more attention.
Activity Reviews
Full Day Phillip Island & Moonlit + Penguin Plus with Dinner
Full Day Phillip Island & Moonlit + Penguin Plus with Dinner
Australia

What a great day! Driver Travis was knowledgeable, pleasant, and passionate about his work. He was a true advocate for the wildlife and their habitat. The penguins were adorable, to say the least. Due to a no- show, we got an upgrade on seating for the best penguin viewing. It was pretty chilly in the evening. A long day but well worth it!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Great Ocean Road Tour with Lunch
Full Day Great Ocean Road Tour with Lunch
Melbourne

This was a great tour. Garry did an awesome job making sire we got to see all kinds of wildlife while being respectful of them and their habitat. It was an amazing day with lots of beautiful scenery, wildlife, etc. Bus was not so comfortable as seats were narrow and it was quite bumpy in the back. He did a good job of dealing with some challenging guests. Rain limited some of the spectacular views/photo ops but you can’t change that. One of our best days despite the challenges!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kangaroo Island -  at Sea Dragon Lodge - third day
Kangaroo Island - at Sea Dragon Lodge - third day
Kangaroo Island

Third day we did the honey tasting, lighthouse tour, Antechamber Bay tour, and gin tasting. Honey tasting was nice and lowkey. Lighthouse Tour was interesting with great views. Antechamber Bay was a nice hike with guide Paul who graciously took us last minute. He was pleasant to spend time with and knows all the plants. Gin tasting was interesting, though I don’t think it will turn me into a gin drinker! It’s hard to rate all these activities together.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kangaroo Island - 2 night experience  at Sea Dragon Lodge - second day
Kangaroo Island - 2 night experience at Sea Dragon Lodge - second day
Kangaroo Island

We did a full day nature tour. Saw lots of amazing things. Driver was knowledgeable and did a great job of getting us to see all the sites but being respectful of the land and wildlife.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Kangaroo Island - 2 night experience  at Sea Dragon Lodge - first day
Kangaroo Island - 2 night experience at Sea Dragon Lodge - first day
Kangaroo Island

The first day we did the Sheep Shearing and Kangaroo Experience activities. The sheep shearing experience included seeing the Kelpie dogs and actual shearing of a sheep. Very interesting and enjoyable. The Kangaroo Experience is basically a guided walk on the property to see the kangaroos when they come out in number in the evening. Learned a lot about the kangaroos.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Uncork the Barossa Valley
Full Day Uncork the Barossa Valley
Adelaide

This was a fun day! Visited four wineries, three for tasting and one for lunch. 7-9 tastings at each winery can be a lot of wine if you drink it all! We had a fun group of people and driver did a great job of remaining professional but enjoying our fun!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Dolphin Sanctuary Guided Kayaking
Dolphin Sanctuary Guided Kayaking
Adelaide

We did not see any dolphins and it rained most of the time. Did not even see fish! The mangroves were interesting, not so much the ship wrecks but since there were no dolphins, we had to see something. But, despite the rain, it’s always good to be on the water.

Quality of Experience
Part was uncontrollable due to poor weather.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
No transportation provided and getting there was a challenge.
Full Day Skyrail and Kuranda Rail  - Late Start 11:00am - 6:30pm
Full Day Skyrail and Kuranda Rail - Late Start 11:00am - 6:30pm
Port Douglas

Ours was not a skyrail tour; time in Kuranda and train tour. Fun train ride through beautiful country. History is interesting.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Mackay Coral Cay Great Barrier Reef Sail & Snorkel with Lunch
Mackay Coral Cay Great Barrier Reef Sail & Snorkel with Lunch
Port Douglas

The highlight of our trip! Snorkeling was beautiful! There was quite a current at the first stop but staff was very safety conscious and prepared you well. I used a noodle to make it easier. Did not need a wetsuit but they were available. A very special day. No underwater photos, unfortunately. The boat was awesome with a great non-slip deck.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Afternoon/Evening Private Daintree and Nocturnal Tour
Afternoon/Evening Private Daintree and Nocturnal Tour
Port Douglas

Please note: this review is for a different tour but it forced me to put in a star review. . We did not do this activity. We did the “Full Day Private Daintree & Cape Tribulation Exclusive Tour (Private Tour).” Tour guide Ben was awesome! Very knowledgeable and passionate.

Welcome to Port Douglas
Welcome to Port Douglas
Port Douglas

Please note: this review is for a different tour but it forced me to put in a star review. . We did not do this activity. We did the “Full Day Private Daintree & Cape Tribulation Exclusive Tour (Private Tour).” Tour guide Ben was awesome! Very knowledgeable and passionate.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Blue Mountains Hike the World Heritage
Full Day Blue Mountains Hike the World Heritage
Sydney

Great day! Animals at the farm were up close. 500 steps up at the end of the hike was tough but I needed the exercise! Guide Kathy was great, knowledgeable about history and wildlife/plants.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Morning Bondi Local Tour
Morning Bondi Local Tour
Sydney

What a fun time. A little stressful as it was my first time surfing at 65 years old! Instructor (Marty, I think) was very patient and took extra time to show us around.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Morning Brekkie with the Whales
Morning Brekkie with the Whales
Sydney

So much fun and saw a lot of whales! Would be a fun cruise even if you didn’t get lucky.

Quality of Experience
They made lots of attempts to make sure we saw whales!
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sydney Opera House Tour
Sydney Opera House Tour
Sydney

Interesting tour, including history and construction. Did not get to see one smaller theater because guide said there was popcorn on the floor - would have rather seen it before clearing than not at all. Had to check you backpack which was nice in a way but also a bit of a pain. Restaurants at the venue were very crowded!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Morning Panoramic Sydney Sights
Morning Panoramic Sydney Sights
Sydney

Great overall tour. Driver Nick (?) was pleasurable and knowledgeable, even suggesting photo opportunities, restaurants, etc.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Liz Neal
Liz
Liz Neal
Local specialist in Sydney-Auckland-Los Angeles | Replied on Dec 01, 2025

Liz Liz Neal
Local specialist in Sydney-Auckland-Los Angeles | Replied on Nov 04, 2025
Hello !!!

I'm glad you enjoyed the trip ! It was so fun to be able to meet you when you parked the car by my house and that gave me the opportunity to take you and pick you up from the airport so we could meet in person and chat before and after the trip !

I hope to be able to create another trip in the near future for you!

Liz

First time trip to Australia—Great experience.
Australia | Oct 17 - Oct 27, 2025

E
Edward B.
Boston, MA | Reviewed on Oct 29, 2025
I had a great experience with KimKim and with my specific advisor, Liz. My trip to Australia was my first trip to Australia and I had no prior ‘in country’ experience. With help from Liz I organized a trip that took me through Sydney, to Uluru, and then onto Daintree and the Great Barrier Reef that was spectacular. I was particularly impressed with the way Liz organized local support through an ‘in country’ partner Southern World. There were a couple of small issues that came up during... Read more

I had a great experience with KimKim and with my specific advisor, Liz. My trip to Australia was my first trip to Australia and I had no prior ‘in country’ experience. With help from Liz I organized a trip that took me through Sydney, to Uluru, and then onto Daintree and the Great Barrier Reef that was spectacular. I was particularly impressed with the way Liz organized local support through an ‘in country’ partner Southern World. There were a couple of small issues that came up during the trip (for example, an Uluru tour guide canceled at the last minute) and the Southern World team was easy to reach and incredibly responsive—got a replacement guide organized for me in less than an hour. Liz was also super responsive and helpful throughout the whole process, from early planning to confirmed details through to all the actual travel. I would happily recommend KimKim and Liz to anyone planning a comparable trip.

Hotel Reviews
PARKROYAL Darling Harbour
Sydney

This is a fine hotel, but in a city that is otherwise quite beautiful (Sydney) this hotel is located on possibly the ugliest quarter acre in town—it is built in between two freeway ramps and the view out the window is 100% freeway. Functionally it was fine—clean rooms, nice breakfast, good service at the front desk. But given what i now know to be the alternatives in Sydney next time I go I would prefer a different hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Desert Gardens Hotel
Yulara
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Peninsula Boutique Hotel
Port Douglas

This hotel exceeded expectations in every respect. The location is spectacular—in a quiet neighborhood directly across the street from the Four Mile Beach, with 5-10 minute walking access to the best restaurants and shops in Port Douglas. The service was excellent, including a very good included breakfast. And the facilities were excellent. The room included a balcony overlooking the beach and in-room facilities (fridge, stove top, microwave, etc.) and as a result was very comfortable to stay in. Indeed, the room itself was a great destination. If I go back to Port Douglas I will stay at the Peninsula.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel
Mascot, Sydney, NSW

This hotel is a classic airport hotel, and I judge aiport hotels by a different standard. When I stay at an airport hotel it is usually immediately before or after a flight and I’m looking for convenience and efficiency. The airport Rydges is super convenient to the international terminal and also just 50 meters from the T8 train line that runs every few minutes straight into Sydney. The room was clean and super functional, and an easy (flat, little car traffic) 5 minute walk from the international terminal. I would recommend it to other travelers looking for an airport hotel to facilitate their connections.

Authenticity & Character
It’s an aiport hotel—character is not its selling point
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Morning Panoramic Sydney Sights
Morning Panoramic Sydney Sights
Sydney

A great tour with a super informed and entertaining guide.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Full Day Outer Reef Mackay Coral Cay (from Port Douglas Hotel)
Full Day Outer Reef Mackay Coral Cay (from Port Douglas Hotel)
Port Douglas

A really well done experience from start to finish. A comfortable ship, really well informed and helpful staff, great food, and, of course, amazing snorkeling at the reef.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Afternoon/Evening Private Daintree and Nocturnal Tour
Afternoon/Evening Private Daintree and Nocturnal Tour
Port Douglas

Daintree is amazing, and I had a great experience with my guide who did a great job.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Sydney Opera House Tour
Sydney Opera House Tour
Sydney

A great tour of an amazing building. After the tour we had dinner in the opera house at Bennelong’s — it was superb.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
not really applicable, whole tour is within the opera house
Full Day Private Blue Mountain High Country Eco Tour
Full Day Private Blue Mountain High Country Eco Tour
Sydney

A good tour with an excellent guide.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
A Night at Field of Light
A Night at Field of Light
Uluru

This experience was okay, but not great. Food was a bit mediocre and venue was fine, but not really all that different than the hotel.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Uluru & Kata Tjuta Scenic Helicopter Flight from Ayers Rock Resort
Uluru & Kata Tjuta Scenic Helicopter Flight from Ayers Rock Resort
Uluru

If you like helicopter tours this is a good one.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Liz Neal
Liz
Liz Neal
Local specialist in Sydney-Auckland-Los Angeles | Replied on Nov 06, 2025

Hello Edward!!!

Thanks for your wonderful review. I’m happy you enjoyed the trip and hope to have the opportunity to create another great trip for you and your family in the future. It was a pleasure to work with you!

Liz

Australia journey late August to early September.
Australia | Aug 28 - Oct 12, 2025

Christine & John
Christine & John C.
Seattle, WA | Reviewed on Oct 16, 2025
Hi Liz, first off I would just like to say that our trip to Australia was just great. All of the plans that you made for tours and drivers went without a hitch. Everyone was on time, friendly, informative, and just fun to be with. Our time in Sydney was great, it is a beautiful city. The tour of the city and the sunset dinner cruise were great again. Everything was on time. No delays at all. Really impressed by the Opera House. The Blue Mountains are absolutely beautiful, the Echoes hotel... Read more

Hi Liz, first off I would just like to say that our trip to Australia was just great. All of the plans that you made for tours and drivers went without a hitch. Everyone was on time, friendly, informative, and just fun to be with. Our time in Sydney was great, it is a beautiful city. The tour of the city and the sunset dinner cruise were great again. Everything was on time. No delays at all. Really impressed by the Opera House. The Blue Mountains are absolutely beautiful, the Echoes hotel Spoiled us. Amazing food, staff, accommodations were comfortable and welcoming. Enjoyed walking around Kafoumba. Scenic world was very informative and fun. What I will say for some of the excursions it took some bit of driving to get there from Port Douglas. Drives were around an hour or a little more to get to The different sites that we were visiting. Outback tasting tour was fun and great, love being out in the country, yet again it was a long day and a long drive. Not sure we needed the Esplanade for a drink at the end of that day as we were tired and we were staying in a very similar setting in Port Douglas. The great barrier reef excursion was perfect. I can’t remember the name of the diving company, but they were very knowledgeable, made us feel very safe, very well informed staff which made the trip out to the reef more interesting. We had no difficulties with renting the car at the airport or returning it, although it was a little nerve-racking at the very beginning, but I think my husband did pretty well driving. I want to thank you for all the time and work you put in into planning our vacation, I think this was a once in a lifetime trip for us, but you never know. Thanks again. Christy

Hotel Review
PARKROYAL Darling Harbour
Sydney

The location was great and the breakfasts were very nice.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Close to shopping, the Harbor, Opera House and Queen Victoria Building.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Liz Neal
Liz
Liz Neal
Local specialist in Sydney-Auckland-Los Angeles | Replied on Oct 17, 2025

Dear Christy and John,
It was an absolute pleasure to work with you on this trip and I am so so happy you enjoyed it so much. Thanks for the thoughtful review.

Congratulations John for driving on "that" side of the road !! I'm sure having Christy as a co-pilot helped !

There is definitely more of Australia to see, and there is always New Zealand, Africa and Argentina which I specialize in. I will be an honour to work with you again.

Best to you and your family the rest of the year and the holidays.
Cheers
Liz

Liz our trip planner did a great job of pl
Australia | Sep 6 - Sep 16, 2025

J
Jean B.
Clayton, MO | Reviewed on Sep 23, 2025

Liz our trip planner did a great job of planning our trip. It took away our need to coordinate transportation and tours. Our accommodations were great in Auckland, Rotorua and Queenstown. The only downside to our trip was the 12 hour day to Milford sound and unfortunately it rained off and on all day.
Otherwise I had a great time in New Zealand. Thank you, Liz and Kimkim
Jean brown

Local specialist: Liz Neal
Liz
Liz Neal
Local specialist in Sydney-Auckland-Los Angeles | Replied on Sep 23, 2025

Hello Jean and Mary,
Thanks for your nice review. I enjoyed working with you and hope to be able to have the opportunity to do it again to one of our other destinations.
I am sorry that it rained during your trip to Milford. If I could control the weather and the airlines It would be amazing :) :)

Wish you a wonderful rest of the year!!
Liz

Kim was amazing and I would use her again to plan a trip
Australia | Sep 6 - Sep 16, 2025

M
Mary c.
Clayton, MO | Reviewed on Sep 21, 2025
Kim was amazing and I would use her again to plan travel. The problem was we didn’t read the itinerary carefully enough and some of the activities that we did weren’t what we really like to do. The day we went to Milford - our guide was a delightful young lady but it was a long day to see some waterfalls. In hindsight we probably should have gone to a winery. We very much enjoyed Water Peak Farm. We loved the Hobbiton and Mitai Cultural experience. We like the Auckland city tour but the bush... Read more

Kim was amazing and I would use her again to plan travel. The problem was we didn’t read the itinerary carefully enough and some of the activities that we did weren’t what we really like to do. The day we went to Milford - our guide was a delightful young lady but it was a long day to see some waterfalls. In hindsight we probably should have gone to a winery. We very much enjoyed Water Peak Farm. We loved the Hobbiton and Mitai Cultural experience. We like the Auckland city tour but the bush tour was not really our cup of tea. I have to stress - every guide we had was excellent. The hotel accommodations we wonderful. We did not go on the geyser tour and instead went to the Mitai spa for the day and I would highly highly added that to anyone’s agenda. All in all we loved New Zealand. Please let Liz know she did a wonderful job.

Local specialist: Liz Neal
Liz
Liz Neal
Local specialist in Sydney-Auckland-Los Angeles | Replied on Sep 22, 2025

Hello Mary,
Thanks for the nice review and the feedback and I'm very glad you enjoyed the trip.
Sorry that a couple of tours were not your cup of tea, and you are correct, it is a good idea to review the details of each tour before signing up for them. To be very honest I thought you had because we started planning the trip in June. But if you travel with us again, I'll make sure to send you personally youtube links to each activity to make sure you review them.

I enjoyed working with you and hope we can plan another trip in the future.
Liz

Sydney introduction
Australia | Jun 19 - Jun 21, 2025

A
Anne N.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Jun 22, 2025
Given our short amount of time in Sydney, the trip was wonderful. The Shangri-la hotel was lovely with a fabulous view of Sydney harbor. We were able to relax in our room before heading upstairs to the restaurant. Since my husband is disabled, sightseeing from the room was such a blessing.
Our city tour provided a glimpse of the parks, museums, and neighborhoods as well as friendly chatter about the city.
The harbor tour was sort of meh. No commentary, just chugging along in the dark
I...
Read more

Given our short amount of time in Sydney, the trip was wonderful. The Shangri-la hotel was lovely with a fabulous view of Sydney harbor. We were able to relax in our room before heading upstairs to the restaurant. Since my husband is disabled, sightseeing from the room was such a blessing.
Our city tour provided a glimpse of the parks, museums, and neighborhoods as well as friendly chatter about the city.
The harbor tour was sort of meh. No commentary, just chugging along in the dark
I would skip that
All the support staff and drivers were efficient and helpful.
Altogether, a nice couple of days

Local specialist: Liz Neal
Liz
Liz Neal
Local specialist in Sydney-Auckland-Los Angeles | Replied on Jun 24, 2025

Hello Anne,
I was a bit surprised of your 3.5 star review considering that you loved the hotel we selected for you and that all the support staff and drivers were efficient and helpful. Sorry you thought the Harbour tour was "meh". I hope you enjoy the rest of the trip in Australia and New Zealand.
Liz

This trip exceeded all our expectations!
New Zealand | Apr 18 - May 1, 2025

Chris
Chris T.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on May 11, 2025
This trip exceeded all our expectations, and gave our family a collection of memories we'll keep forever! Our local specialist, Liz, was so friendly, thorough, and responsive throughout our early trip planning as well as making sure we had everything we needed just before we got on the plane. The best thing about our 2 week trip to New Zealand is we had peace of mind throughout our entire trip, knowing we were well-supported and taken care of. Every single guide, driver, hotelier and property... Read more

This trip exceeded all our expectations, and gave our family a collection of memories we'll keep forever! Our local specialist, Liz, was so friendly, thorough, and responsive throughout our early trip planning as well as making sure we had everything we needed just before we got on the plane. The best thing about our 2 week trip to New Zealand is we had peace of mind throughout our entire trip, knowing we were well-supported and taken care of. Every single guide, driver, hotelier and property host we met were exceptionally friendly, professional, and wonderful! We can't recommend kimkim enough for taking care of us and providing us this trip of a lifetime!

Hotel Review
Adina Apartment Hotel Auckland Britomart
Auckland

The hotel is in a great location, within walking distance to many locations in Auckland. The rooms were serviceable and clean, best as a base of operations for city exploration rather than a relaxing retreat.

Authenticity & Character
Staff was friendly, but the amenities and appointments were sparse
Location
Great walkable distance to many Auckland attractions
Staff
Very responsive staff. We had a noisy party above us one night and the management dealt with it right away upon our request
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean, serviceable rooms.
Local specialist: Liz Neal
Liz
Liz Neal
Local specialist in Sydney-Auckland-Los Angeles | Replied on May 18, 2025

Hi Chris,
Thank you for the wonderful review. I'm so happy you all enjoyed the trip. It was great to work with you and if you need any travel needs in the future, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Hope the rest of the year is wonderful and that we hear from you for future travel.

Cheers
Liz

Liz is excellent.
New Zealand | Mar 27 - Apr 8, 2025

C
Clarysse N.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Apr 10, 2025
Liz is excellent. Knowledgeable, timely, patient, helpful. The hotels she recommended were spot on; great location, beautiful views, excellent customer service. All pick ups and tours went off without a problem. Read more

Liz is excellent. Knowledgeable, timely, patient, helpful. The hotels she recommended were spot on; great location, beautiful views, excellent customer service. All pick ups and tours went off without a problem.

Hotel Reviews
QT
Queenstown

Staff so helpful and accommodating. Views amazing. We were upgraded to a higher floor where the views were even more spectacular.

Location
Just a short walk to city center made for a peaceful location.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Bolton Hotel
Wellington

Loved the one bedroom suite with washer/dryer. Having a simple and leisurely breakfast in our room was very enjoyable. Appreciated the complimentary cable car tickets and the walk through the botanical garden.

Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
M Social
Auckland

Great location. Helpful staff. Beautiful views.

Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Liz Neal
Liz
Liz Neal
Local specialist in Sydney-Auckland-Los Angeles | Replied on Apr 16, 2025

Dear Clarysse,
It was such a pleasure to work with you planning this trip. I truly enjoyed it. I appreciate your review and I am very glad that you all enjoyed the trip so much. I'm also glad you enjoyed the cable car tickets and the upgrade in the QT. That's a fun hotel and you are correct, the staff is wonderful.

Please reach out if we can help in the future. I would love to work with you again.
Cheers
liz

Amazing trips, mediocre lodgings.
Australia | Mar 28 - Apr 5, 2025

Nicolette
Nicolette C.
Flagami, FL | Reviewed on Apr 08, 2025
A friend and I recently traveled to Australia and instead of doing the research and booking myself, I thought it would be nice to book through a travel agent instead. I honestly cannot recall the last time I have done so as I am a frequent, experienced traveler and enjoy the research process. While it saved me quite a bit of time to book through KimKim, I will go back to doing so myself. The trips the agent booked for us were quite lovely as we experienced excellent guides and saw the things... Read more

A friend and I recently traveled to Australia and instead of doing the research and booking myself, I thought it would be nice to book through a travel agent instead. I honestly cannot recall the last time I have done so as I am a frequent, experienced traveler and enjoy the research process. While it saved me quite a bit of time to book through KimKim, I will go back to doing so myself. The trips the agent booked for us were quite lovely as we experienced excellent guides and saw the things we had wanted to see. Unfortunately, the accommodations were of a much lower quality than we typically book, with limited amenities on site, loud and chaotic environments, and, for the most part, sub par customer service. The travel agent and I had agreed on “moderate” hotels and that is certainly not what we experienced. All in all, a valuable lesson learned. I would advice travelers considering KimKim to be extremely thorough in discussing their definitions of varying accommodation levels.

Hotel Reviews
Outback Hotel & Lodge
Yulara

The Outback Hotel & Lodge in Uluru was rated as one of the lower options in the area, which didn't quite meet our expectations of a moderate accommodation. It was somewhat below what we imagined for this trip, considering the limited choices in Uluru.

Hotel Ibis World Square
Sydney

Hotel Ibis World Square in Sydney had a great location, but unfortunately, it was situated right over a night club, which made it incredibly noisy until the early hours. This was not quite suitable for us as it affected our ability to rest. It was a bit disappointing given our expectations.

Activity Review
Mackay Coral Cay Great Barrier Reef Sail & Snorkel with Lunch
Mackay Coral Cay Great Barrier Reef Sail & Snorkel with Lunch
Port Douglas

Snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef was undoubtedly the highlight of our trip. We went out on a catamaran, and the experience was absolutely superb. The underwater sights were breathtaking, and it was an unforgettable adventure. Five stars for this phenomenal experience!

Local specialist: Liz Neal
Liz
Liz Neal
Local specialist in Sydney-Auckland-Los Angeles | Replied on Apr 16, 2025
Hello Nicolette,
Thank you for the feedback, I'm glad you were happy with the "experienced excellent guides" and you were able to see all you wanted to see.
I trust you will be able to book the hotels you want on your own next time, but I do recommend that if booking through an agent in the future, you increase your budget to be able to include moderate accommodations, which in the tourism industry accounts for at least a 3.5 star, probably more like 4 stars. (Luxury is 5). I do recall...
Read more

Hello Nicolette,
Thank you for the feedback, I'm glad you were happy with the "experienced excellent guides" and you were able to see all you wanted to see.
I trust you will be able to book the hotels you want on your own next time, but I do recommend that if booking through an agent in the future, you increase your budget to be able to include moderate accommodations, which in the tourism industry accounts for at least a 3.5 star, probably more like 4 stars. (Luxury is 5). I do recall talking about the hotels and insisting that you looked the reviews and pictures on line because in order to match the budget, we were booking accommodations that are below what we usually do. I apologize for not having insisted on you reviewing them further.

I wish you wonderful travels and adventures in the future!
Liz

This itinerary and trip was perfect from star...
New Zealand | Mar 14 - Apr 2, 2025

D
Donna P.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Apr 08, 2025

This itinerary and trip was perfect from start to finish! We met our son and DIL there and all traveled together throughout the North and South Islands for almost 3 weeks. Liz was responsiveness so helpful and put together an itinerary that was perfect for all of us! Excellent tours/excursions, fantastic accommodations, and wonderful private transfers enabled us to see and experiemce all of the major sights of the North and South Islands! The attention to detail provided was amazing! We cannot thank Liz and her team and KimKim enough for planning this wonderful trip for us!

Local specialist: Liz Neal
Liz
Liz Neal
Local specialist in Sydney-Auckland-Los Angeles | Replied on Apr 09, 2025

Dear Donna and family,
it was such a pleasure to work with you to plan this trip and I am truly happy that you all enjoyed it.
It was extra special because you got to meet your Daughter in Law. I am so happy for you.

I hope we have the opportunity to work and plan another trip in the future.
Liz