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active 3 hours ago

Monika Vinsova

"Travel is an investment in yourself" is the quote that inspires me for many years now and I love to share my knowledge with others as I believe travelling truly is one of the best ways experiencing the life.

I am passionate about tailoring your best memorable trip in New Zealand - one of the most beautiful countries that I am honored to live in for 5 years now. I am based in Queenstown known as the "Adventure Capital of the World". I love an active lifestyle mixed with relaxation. I spend usually my weekends hiking, snowboarding, surfing, finishing with a yoga, relaxation massage or spa. I am a big food and wine lover and I like to recommend our travelers the best restaurants and wineries across the country.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I am specializing mainly in self-guided tours all over New Zealand. I design unique itinerary where every part of the trip has been created individually to suit your style, taste and budget. I like to show my travelers the hospitality of the locals and I am selecting for them unique boutique style of accommodations, cozy B&Bs and luxury lodges that will stay in their memory. I will custom tailor all types of travels from romantic, active/adventures, wildlife, scenic, wellness to golf trips, you name it!
I will assist you during your trip, and I am looking forward to hearing your stories. The most important is that I make your dream travel in New Zealand comes true. "

How did you get involved in travel?

"Since the young age I had itchy feet and was interested in discovering world. Meeting people from different cultures, learning foreign languages and exploring different types of landscapes lead me to choose tourism as my career. Born and grown up in Czech Republic, I moved to France to fulfill my dream to learn French and connect with its culture and people. Over there, I enrolled my university studies in international relations and after graduating I went travelling around Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia where I started my career in a tourism. I am constantly dreaming of discovering new places and continents, making new friends and absorbing the atmosphere of the place. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"There are definitely many, but one particular will always stay in my memory and in my heart as I love nature and wildlife. Probably two years ago when I was road tripping, I decided to visit Stewart Island located on very bottom of the South Island in New Zealand. The landscape and sceneries were amazing with bunch of rare species of birds. After my scenic hike around Ulva Island - which is a must do, I laid down on an empty little beach peacefully and start falling asleep. Suddenly, I heard splashing water noise and opened my eyes and looked in front of me. A big creature was coming out of the ocean. First, I thought was a diver as the head was black, but it was coming out too fast, I start running away as I got scared but soon, I realized it wasn't human but a sea lion that was going for his usual beach break. He didn't mind me and the other person staying on the beach, and he start sunbathing just few meters from us on the sand. I have never seen sea lion so close, and it was amazing to see how naturally he was behaving. Ulva island will stay in my heart because the place and the wildlife over there are really authentic and rare nowadays. "

Monika is part of the following groups: Fiji Travel Agents, New Zealand Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries
Luxury itineraries
Road trip itineraries

Recent trip reviews for Monika

Stress free booking and very attentive and responsive trip planner
New Zealand | Nov 6 - Nov 15, 2024

Trent
Trent G.
Atlanta, GA | Reviewed on Nov 21, 2024

Friend and I decided to book a trip to New Zealand somewhat last minute (roughly 2 or 3 months prior to the trip) and Monika was so accommodating and easy to work with throughout the planning phase. She made adjustments as we suggested them and informed us of any accomodations changing due to us waiting to book etc.

We truly had an amazing experience in New Zealand and Monika made the planning and travel portion easy and simple, plus she was always responsive and helpful during the trip when we had questions etc. Truly a stress free, easy, and amazing trip!

Local specialist: Monika Vinsova
Monika
Monika Vinsova
Local specialist in Queenstown, New Zealand | Replied on Nov 22, 2024

Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so glad to hear that you both had an amazing experience in New Zealand. It was a pleasure helping you plan the trip.

Your positive feedback truly means a lot to me, and I’m always here if you need any assistance in the future. I hope you both take away unforgettable memories from your adventure!

Thanks again for choosing to work with me, and I look forward to helping you plan your next trip someday!

Best regards,
Monika

Monica was the best!! She was always availabl...
New Zealand | Oct 6 - Oct 13, 2024

kim
kim G.
Columbia, SC | Reviewed on Oct 14, 2024

Monica was the best!! She was always available to answer questions and provide guidance. Her knowledge of the area was exceptional & the activities she arranged were perfect for us. All accommodations were exceptional, and her itinerary was thoughtful, allowing us to experience the ‘real NZ’ and its beauty.
Kimkim continues to provide extraordinary service & we have recommended them to others.
With many thanks, Gary & Kim Glenn

Local specialist: Monika Vinsova
Monika
Monika Vinsova
Local specialist in Queenstown, New Zealand | Replied on Oct 15, 2024

Hi Gary and Kim,

Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m thrilled to hear that you had such a great experience and that my itinerary helped you experience the beauty of NZ. It was a pleasure to assist you, and I’m glad you found the accommodations and activities to your liking.

I really appreciate your recommendations and look forward to helping you or anyone you send my way in the future!

Many thanks,

Monika

Trip of a lifetime!
New Zealand | Apr 14 - Apr 20, 2024

Scott
Scott H.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Apr 27, 2024
Monika, we can’t thank you enough for helping us plan a trip of a lifetime. After a couple itineraries, you were able to put together one that fit exactly what we were looking for. We got to see the beautiful South Island of New Zealand by doing the “fly-cruise-fly”, renting a car, glamping and multiple hikes/walks. We had an amazing time!!! Read more

Monika, we can’t thank you enough for helping us plan a trip of a lifetime. After a couple itineraries, you were able to put together one that fit exactly what we were looking for. We got to see the beautiful South Island of New Zealand by doing the “fly-cruise-fly”, renting a car, glamping and multiple hikes/walks. We had an amazing time!!!

Hotel Review
Valley Views Glamping
Kurow

What an awesome way to view the night sky!! The view from our dome was amazing!! We had all the comforts of home. The owners were great. Patrick knew we were looking for off the beaten path kind of sight seeing. He gave us directions to “Danseys pass”. Wow! Is all we can say. A one way gravel road that allowed us to view the mountains of New Zealand. Our glamping experience was awesome!!

Authenticity & Character
Had all the comforts of home while “camping”
Location
Staff
Made you feel very welcomed
Cleanliness & Comfort
Every thing was fresh and clean
Local specialist: Monika Vinsova
Monika
Monika Vinsova
Local specialist in Queenstown, New Zealand | Replied on Apr 28, 2024

Hi Scott, Amy, Angela, and Kev! Thank you so much for your kind words! It was truly my pleasure to assist you in planning your dream trip to the stunning South Island of New Zealand. I'm thrilled to hear that the itinerary we crafted together turned out to be just what you were looking for.

Warm regards,

Monika

New Zealand 16-day Auckland to Queenstown
New Zealand | Mar 2 - Mar 17, 2024

Thomas
Thomas T.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Apr 16, 2024
Our Travel Pro, Monika, was very patient with us while we worked through the itinerary for our New Zealand trip. In fact it took us (not Monika) 3 months to finally settle on the detailed schedule. We just kept asking questions and Monika developed options for us to consider. In the end her original itinerary was close to what we chose; well we added a few excisions and some of the hotels and B&B's changed. I will say all the options Monika provided were excellent. Monika was very... Read more

Our Travel Pro, Monika, was very patient with us while we worked through the itinerary for our New Zealand trip. In fact it took us (not Monika) 3 months to finally settle on the detailed schedule. We just kept asking questions and Monika developed options for us to consider. In the end her original itinerary was close to what we chose; well we added a few excisions and some of the hotels and B&B's changed.

I will say all the options Monika provided were excellent. Monika was very responsive to reschedules (due to weather) and in fact moved an excursion up a day, to keep us on schedule and allow us to do a challenging hike the next day that got cancelled because of weather.

If I had one recommendation to the reader, 16-days is not enough; if you are driving. We saw many highlights and are already thinking of our next visit to New Zealand. Monika was very cognizant of the travel times and provided us guidance to minimize our hours on the road and provide useful, fun, entertaining, & amazing stops along the way.

Monika will be our go-to for our next New Zealand adventure. It was so helpful having a local (she is based in Queenstown) expert.

Thanks,
Tom T

Hotel Reviews
Naumi Hotel Wellington
6141

Quirky mid-town hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Quirky, what more is there to say! In a really good way.
Location
Well except the parking, but we were RIGHT DOWN TOWN
Staff
Pointed us to a few interesting things to see.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Great bed and linens
Kamana Lakehouse
Queenstown

Excellent location, great view of the lake. Great Staff

Authenticity & Character
It is called Lakehouse and it didn't disappoint with the Lake Views
Location
Staff
Came to get us when one of our excursion drivers showed up early!
Cleanliness & Comfort
The staff was responsive to a messy towel day
M Social
Auckland

Modern Hotel in the middle of everything! The first 2 days we just walked everywhere we needed to go.

Authenticity & Character
Modern and Modern
Location
Right on the waterfront
Staff
Helped with some tech issues and made recommendations
Cleanliness & Comfort
just great
Beaufort House Akaroa
Akaroa

The hostess and host were excellent and this is an incredible B&B

Authenticity & Character
French town with this chateau feel
Location
Small town and this was a walk to the waterfront.
Staff
Excellent Omlete
Cleanliness & Comfort
These linens I really want to know where they get them, was unbelievable comfortable!
Activity Reviews
Redwoods treewalk by night
Redwoods treewalk by night
Rotorua

Just fun and interesting in the evening!

Starlight Gourmet Kayak Tour - Glowworm Caves
Starlight Gourmet Kayak Tour - Glowworm Caves
Rotorua

Really glowworms only exist in 3 locations in the world, our guide was excellent and we really enjoyed the adventure.

Zealandia - Night Tour
Zealandia - Night Tour
Wellington

Everyone should do this excursion because it tells you about how New Zealand is reintroducing native birds.

Fly Cruise Fly – Queenstown to Milford Sound by scenic flight
Fly Cruise Fly – Queenstown to Milford Sound by scenic flight
Queenstown (NZ)

Everyone has pictures of Milford, but you need to experience it yourself!

Local specialist: Monika Vinsova
Monika
Monika Vinsova
Local specialist in Queenstown, New Zealand | Replied on Apr 16, 2024

Hi Tom and Terry,

I truly appreciate your thoughtful feedback! It was such a pleasure assisting you with your New Zealand journey, and I'm delighted to hear that you had a memorable experience.

I'm thrilled that you're already considering another visit to New Zealand! There's so much more to explore, and I'd be honored to help you plan your next adventure whenever you're ready.

Thank you again for choosing me as your travel consultant, and here's to many more incredible adventures ahead!

Warm regards from Queenstown,

Monika

Working with Monika was a pleasant experience...
New Zealand | Jan 17 - Jan 24, 2024

T
Tyler B.
Denver, CO | Reviewed on Feb 28, 2024

Working with Monika was a pleasant experience. She did a phenomenal job helping us plan our trip. Once we arrived in New Zealand we had a few changes to our itinerary due to weather and Monika was quick to respond and help us with our updates. We would highly recommend working with Monika if you are looking to travel to New Zealand.

Local specialist: Monika Vinsova
Monika
Monika Vinsova
Local specialist in Queenstown, New Zealand | Replied on Feb 28, 2024

Hi Tyler and Ashley!

Thank you so much for your kind words! It was truly a pleasure assisting you with your trip to New Zealand. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the planning process and that I could be of help with the adjustments during your stay. Your recommendation means a lot, and I'm thrilled to have been a part of your travel experience.
If you ever plan to visit New Zealand again or need assistance with any future travels, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Wishing you many more memorable adventures ahead!

Kim Kim is not for me
New Zealand | Dec 29 - Jan 5, 2024

C
Connor M.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Jan 16, 2024
Knowing what I know now, I will never use Kim Kim again. To be fair, it has a market. If you aren't willing to do any trip planning and want someone to do everything for you for a 50% mark up, then Kim Kim is the tool for you. My main complaint: if a company is unwilling to give you an itemized bill for what they are charging you, then it is at least in a grey zone in terms of scams. I stumbled upon this service when trying to plan our honeymoon to New Zealand and Fiji. I was simply looking... Read more

Knowing what I know now, I will never use Kim Kim again. To be fair, it has a market. If you aren't willing to do any trip planning and want someone to do everything for you for a 50% mark up, then Kim Kim is the tool for you. My main complaint: if a company is unwilling to give you an itemized bill for what they are charging you, then it is at least in a grey zone in terms of scams.

I stumbled upon this service when trying to plan our honeymoon to New Zealand and Fiji. I was simply looking for things to do and before I knew it, I had a lovely Kiwi helping me plan a trip. The time zone challenge was not her fault and to be fair we were running up against the clock for a popular holiday time in New Zealand. This made communication difficult. I felt rushed and that all my feedback into proposed itineraries was not acknowledged. For example, I wanted to use Marriott points, but I'm sure they don't have a deal with that brand and couldn't make money off it so they kept pushing us elsewhere. I felt pressured to do things I had zero interest in doing. They weren't able to book a rental car so I had to do that myself anyways. I think my main frustration was being in the dark of what we were paying for. I asked for a itemized bill, but they would only give total cost. So when we would remove things from our itinerary and our price didn't go down correspondingly, a lot of red flags were going off in my head. My wife and I literally booked the final itinerary separately and saw just how much we were paying for the service. We ended up going along with it out of guilt for the time spent by our specialist than anything else.

The Good: accommodations were great, insight into what activities were available, and ideas.
The Bad: everything else

Hotel Reviews
M Social
Auckland

Super cool with a robot butler. Loved it

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tongariro Suites
Horopito

Staff was the highlight. Loved everything about this place. Very homely

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
QT Wellington
Wellington

Botique but odd. Not my cup of tea, but memorable

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Martinborough Hotel
Martinborough

Super cute

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Waiheke Explorer Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
Waiheke Explorer Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
New Zealand

Must do in Auckland

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Star Safari Group Tour
Star Safari Group Tour
New Zealand

Super cool just pray for no clouds

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
I drove
Ahi Restaurant - 4 snacks and 4 courses
Ahi Restaurant - 4 snacks and 4 courses
Auckland

Good but not great

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Monika Vinsova
Monika
Monika Vinsova
Local specialist in Queenstown, New Zealand | Replied on Jan 30, 2024
Dear Connor,

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with me — I'm always striving to provide our travelers a 6-star experience and hearing about your experiences helps us to continually improve. It seems there were some misunderstandings that I hope I can help clear up!

We specialize in booking full end-to-end packages so we can ensure both the quality of your experience and be able to step in to coordinate on your behalf while you're in-country, should you need it. While I...
Read more

Dear Connor,

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with me — I'm always striving to provide our travelers a 6-star experience and hearing about your experiences helps us to continually improve. It seems there were some misunderstandings that I hope I can help clear up!

We specialize in booking full end-to-end packages so we can ensure both the quality of your experience and be able to step in to coordinate on your behalf while you're in-country, should you need it. While I can definitely understand the benefits of booking with points, booking accommodation on your own doesn't allow us to ensure a seamless experience for you as we wouldn't be able to step in as your authorized representative with the hotel should the need arise.

In terms of itemized pricing, our pricing structure includes not only the cost of activities and accommodations but also encompasses the expertise, guidance, and assistance provided by our specialists. While we understand your desire for an itemized bill, all of our trips are entirely customized based on your preferences and our expertise, as well as availability and seasonality. The final quotations we offer for you to consider before booking reflect not only the activities, transportation, and accommodations we feel would be best for you based on your trip request, but also the countless hours we dedicate to selecting, vetting, and ensuring the quality of our suppliers and our continuous in-trip support for our travelers—all these factors combined make it challenging to truly itemize the final cost.

I apologize if you felt pressured at any point in the process—that was certainly not my intention, but rather, to help you secure the trip you wanted by sharing changes to availability in real-time and suggesting trade-offs as hotels and cars booked up while you made updates to your trip. It's worth noting that in New Zealand, especially in rural areas, availability is often limited, and pre-planning becomes imperative, particularly during festive periods and the New Year when your trip took place. Requesting your trip so close to the New Year's Eve period meant that availability was already low, and the few cars accessible were not suitable for the locations you were visiting, you told us you had already secured a rental on your own before we could find a solution. We're constantly working to expand our offerings and improve our services, and your experience will help shape our ongoing efforts.

We appreciate your feedback, and it's essential to us as we identify areas for improvement. If you have any specific concerns or additional insights to share, please feel free to reach out to us directly. We value your input and hope to have the opportunity to assist you more seamlessly in the future!

We wish you and your wife many fantastic travels ahead!

Warm regards,

Monika

Mixed experience
New Zealand | Jan 1 - Jan 7, 2024

J
Joanne B.
Harrison, NJ | Reviewed on Jan 14, 2024
Monika did a great job thinking through the pacing of our trip. This was a last minute decision to go to New Zealand, we only had a week, and we were pretty tired so not up for a lot of driving. Because it was high season Monika told us from the start that she couldn't book a South Island trip for us since their service providers were already booked up. While we had to limit ourselves to the North Island, we wish she had suggested some off the beaten path options such as going North from... Read more

Monika did a great job thinking through the pacing of our trip. This was a last minute decision to go to New Zealand, we only had a week, and we were pretty tired so not up for a lot of driving.

Because it was high season Monika told us from the start that she couldn't book a South Island trip for us since their service providers were already booked up. While we had to limit ourselves to the North Island, we wish she had suggested some off the beaten path options such as going North from Auckland for a day or two. The advantage of booking with an agent is that you are all set and don't need to think about it when you travel - the disadvantage is that you are all set, and it's hard to adjust when you learn about things that you might rather like to do. That said, Monika was mostly available throughout the trip and made some effort to try to accommodate us.

There were some snafus with the trip:

1. The instructions that Monika provided to us once we booked the trip were difficult to decipher. There were two PDFs: One had the vouchers with the times and the location for pick up and the second was the "Travel Book" with day to day activities and descriptions, but no times or pick up locations. In order to figure out what we were doing, we had to toggle back and forth. Also neither PDF gave us an indication of how far the activity is from our hotel, leaving us to figure out on our own how much time to leave. With the extra surcharge that KimKim charges, I had expected better.

2. Because of the difficulty in making sense of the logistics of the itinerary, we didn't realize until the last minute that Kim Kim had failed to provide transport to our evening kayak trip in Rotoura which was 35 minutes from our hotel. I had to figure it all out on Google maps and when I did I called an Uber. Only when we were in the Uber did Monika get in touch to say that there was a mistake and that she would reimburse me for the Uber. But that again made for unnecessary stress.

3. We loved the evening kayak trip and our guide, but the description had some errors. Besides not arranging for the service provider to pick us up, the Travel Book (or Voucher) told us to arrive at the launch spot 20 minutes early. When we got there 20 mins early we didn't see anyone - they arrived at the start time instead and told us they never stipulate arriving 20 mins early. Finally, the even is billed as providing a "gourmet BBQ with special Kiwi dessert." It was a basic BBQ with no dessert.

4. Monika didn't ask me during the planning whether we are into adventure sports. The Mt. Tawarera crater walk near Rotoura is very cool, but as soon as we got the launching spot and I saw what it was, I decided not to do the walk. I am afraid of heights and not at all interested in walking on the ledge of steep crater in the wind and rain. My daughter went ahead but was only able to get through it by holding on to the back of the only guide. So a little more communication from Monika around our adventure tolerance level and what is involved in each activity would have been better - this turned out to be a wasted day and a wasted expense.

5. For the final day Monika had not planned anything and provided no options even though we had all morning until about 2 pm to do something. When we saw the problem we let her know and she created an option, but told us that it would be an extra expense. We learned, unsurprisingly, that the amount she would charge is 50% more than had we booked it on our own. That's a steep price for this kind of service!

6. Also on the final day, Monika had the car come about an hour early to pick us up which made us have to wait nearly 3.5 hours at the airport for our flight.

All in all, while we were relieved not to have to do all the research on our own and are mostly pleased with the activities Monika set up for us, we are not sure we'd book with Kim Kim again.

Hotel Reviews
The Prince's Gate Hotel
Rotorua

We liked it a lot - good location and nice atmosphere. Our room was small though.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Most of the people were great, except for one woman who's name we don't know.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Sudima Auckland City
Auckland
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Starlight Gourmet Kayak Tour - Glowworm Caves
Starlight Gourmet Kayak Tour - Glowworm Caves
Rotorua
Quality of Experience
Food
It was okay - Kim Kim billed it as a gourmet BBQ dinner. We were expecting more.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Jamie, our guide, was fantastic.
Transport
Kim Kim forgot to set up travel from our hotel
Mt Tarawera Crater Walk Experience
Mt Tarawera Crater Walk Experience
Rotorua

This is a great experience if you are not afraid of heights and like adventure. Tour agents should be clear with clients about what this is before booking it.

Ahi Restaurant - 4 snacks and 4 courses
Ahi Restaurant - 4 snacks and 4 courses
Auckland

The food is overrated. Two of the dishes were bad, a few were okay - only one was actually very good. It's located at the end of a cheap food court in a mall, which is odd.

Quality of Experience
Food
Local specialist: Monika Vinsova
Monika
Monika Vinsova
Local specialist in Queenstown, New Zealand | Replied on Jan 29, 2024
Hi Joanne, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with me. As a travel consultant, my top priority is to ensure that all my clients have a wonderful and memorable trip, and I am sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. Regarding the travel book and vouchers, I have received mainly positive feedback from our clients, and I will certainly consider your comments as we continue to refine our materials. I am glad that we were able to quickly resolve... Read more

Hi Joanne,

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with me. As a travel consultant, my top priority is to ensure that all my clients have a wonderful and memorable trip, and I am sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations.

Regarding the travel book and vouchers, I have received mainly positive feedback from our clients, and I will certainly consider your comments as we continue to refine our materials.

I am glad that we were able to quickly resolve the issue with your transportation to the kayak activity, and I am sorry that the activity did not meet your expectations in terms of the advertised dessert. I'll be speaking to the activity provider to make sure their descriptions are accurate and up-to-date.

While the Mt Tarawera Crater walk is for all ages and is not an adrenaline activity, we understand that it may not be suitable for everyone. I will take your feedback into account when recommending activities to future clients.

Regarding your last day in Rotorua, I apologize if my recommendations did not meet your expectations. I always aim to provide our clients with a range of options that fit their preferences and schedules, and I continue to do so.

Joanne, thank you again for your feedback. We will use it to improve our service and ensure that we continue to deliver exceptional travel experiences to our clients.

Best regards,

Monika

Monika did an amazing job of planning our New...
New Zealand | Dec 9 - Dec 17, 2023

Paul
Paul H.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Dec 18, 2023
Monika did an amazing job of planning our New Zealand vacation and choose the perfect itinary for us to follow during our trip. It felt like we had a good friend who was available to help us during our stay so we never felt concerned abut the trip logistics or other events. There were several times where we needed to make changes to the original plans (weather cancelations, etc) and Monika took care of everything for us so we were able to see everything that we had envisioned.
We...
Read more

Monika did an amazing job of planning our New Zealand vacation and choose the perfect itinary for us to follow during our trip. It felt like we had a good friend who was available to help us during our stay so we never felt concerned abut the trip logistics or other events. There were several times where we needed to make changes to the original plans (weather cancelations, etc) and Monika took care of everything for us so we were able to see everything that we had envisioned.
We particularly liked the many activities she planned in Rotorua and the Hobbiton tour. The Sudima hotels we stayed at in Auckland and Roturua were exceptional.
The Waitakere Resort & Spa was a bit of a disappointment. It seemed like it was in need of significant updating and repairs. The people were very nice and helpful but overall it just seemed very dated.

Hotel Reviews
Auckland City Hotel
Auckland

Our stay at Sudima Auckland City was pleasant. It boasted clean accommodations, friendly staff, and good layout. The hotel's location was perfect and accessible, making our traveling and exploring of the city uncomplicated. However, the breakfast wasn't up-to American taste, but that could just be due to different customs. Overall, the service and facilities were commendable!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Waitakere Resort
Waiatarua, Auckland

This resort wasn't quite up to our expectations. While it was clean and had promise of nice hikes, and waterfalls, many roads were closed and the hikes were hard to find. The wifi was weak and the hotel felt a bit outdated overall. Despite the resort's potential, it didn't quite live up to its prime. Regardless, it was a clean place to stay!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Sudima Lake Rotorua
Rotorua

Much like the Sudima Auckland City, the Sudima Lake Rotorua was an excellent place to stay! The location was superb and the staff was extremely friendly. Our rooms were clean and comfortable. The breakfast was similar to the sister location, the bacon came off as a bit raw which was disappointing. Despite this minor hitch in the breakfast, our stay in Sudima Lake Rotorua was pretty good!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Waitomo Glowworm Caves + Ruakuri cave combo
Waitomo Glowworm Caves + Ruakuri cave combo
New Zealand

This activity was truly incredible. Exploring these unique caves was a blend of learning about stalactites and stalagmites and experiencing the wonderful light show created by glowworms. Our tour finished with an unforgettable boat trip in the cave river lit only by the glowworms above. Definitely a surreal and must-try experience!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Mt Tarawera Crater Walk Experience
Mt Tarawera Crater Walk Experience
Rotorua

Walking around the edge of an extinct volcano! Words can't describe the majestic views and raw natural beauty of the crater. The walk was a highlight of our trip and proved to be a thrilling experience!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Redwoods treewalk by night
Redwoods treewalk by night
Rotorua

The night walk through the Redwoods was an incredible, one-of-a-kind experience. The Redwoods were beautifully lit up, creating an enchanting atmosphere. The platforms and bridges made it a unique treetop adventure. This shouldn't be missed!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
Hobbiton Movie Set Tour
New Zealand

This was an absolute treat for movie buffs like me. Getting the chance to explore the beautifully recreated Hobbit village from the movies was fascinating. The place was full of the furniture details like in the movies. This addition is new and is something exclusive which made our visit special!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Monika Vinsova
Monika
Monika Vinsova
Local specialist in Queenstown, New Zealand | Replied on Dec 21, 2023

Hi Paul,

Just wanted to say a big thank you for your awesome review! It was an absolute blast working with you to plan your trip. I'm thrilled to hear that you had a great experience with Kim Kim and that our team was able to make your trip-planning process so much easier. Keep us in mind for your next adventure!

Warm regards,

Monika