Vicky Steinhardt

This was our first experience with Kikmim, following directly on their Exploring 6-days Australia tour. My husband and I are delighted to give Vicky at Kimkim an "excellent" rating on this tour. From initial contact, to booking, to superb coordination by the tour organizers, the excellent knowledge and wonderful humor of our guides, and the selection of tour sites, the trip was organized and run smoothly and with the interests and comfort of the participants always kept in mind. They are by far the best tour operator we have traveled with.

Hotel Reviews

Vibe Hotel

Melbourne

Location is very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vibe Hotel

Sydney

Good location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside, an IHG Hotel

Cairns North

Little bit far from the pier and downtown areas.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Great Ocean Road Scenic Tour

Melbourne

Amazing tour and fabulous experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private City Kickstart Tour: Melbourne

Melbourne

Our tour was cancelled without a notice.

I don't know what we would have done without Vicky! When we started, we only knew we wanted to go to Australia, and nothing much else. Right from deciding which cities to visit all the way to rebooking our flights and hotels during our trip when we had an unexpected interruption, Vicky was along with us every step of the way, patiently helping us refine our plan and promptly making all the arrangements. She gave us valuable advice on the logistics of traveling with a child - where to rent strollers, what type of cookies she might like etc. The hotels were all in great locations with access to groceries as well as tourist attractions. Each hotel has a refrigerator stocked with milk, which was such a thoughtful touch.

This is the first time we've used a travel booking company and the experience was well worth it! The process of using kimkim was really natural. There was no pressure to commit so we had time to explore whether the process would work for us. The chat-based interface is its best feature, because it made the trip planning really lightweight.

Hotel Reviews

Mantra on Kent

Sydney

The location is great - with access to a convenience store and larger grocery store within reasonable walking distance. There are many attractions nearby - Hyde Park, Queen Victoria Building, Town Hall, Darling Harbor and the main shopping districts. There are tons of swanky coffee shops nearby as well. The breakfast is basic but good. Not much variety, but there are lots of eateries within walking distance.

Authenticity & Character

Location

We stayed in two rooms - one faced darling harbor and the other faced the city with a view of the atrium of the Queen Victoria Building. So, everything is very close by.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vision Cairns Holiday Apartments

Cairns

We had a large balcony with a view of the bay. Very close to Muddy's Playground and Muddy's Cafe, which are both very child friendly. The boardwalk is just off the building, which leads to many restaurants and other attractions. The bedding was very comfortable and the apartment was very clean.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sails In The Desert

Yulara

There's not many accommodation options in Yulara - but Sails is the best. The morning breakfast buffet was huge and satisfying. The restaurants on site have limited vegetarian dishes, so after a few meals, it gets repetitive. However, its a 2 minute walk to the town square where there's an IGA and other conveniences.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

1 Day Uluru with Sunset BBQ - Start/End in Ayers Rock

Uluru

Food

The trip advertised "fruit and snacks". The only thing that was given was an apple. The bbq has lot of vegetarian options, but they were constantly attacked by flies which make it less appetizing.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was not a good narrator/storyteller, so I really didn't follow most of the aboriginal stories or significance of Uluru, which is a shame.

Transport

Kuranda Scenic Railway and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway

Cairns

The cableway is great going in and the train is great coming back out (you can take a nap). The butterfly park was good but not really that spectacular. We skipped Reforestation.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sydney Sights 4 hours - Private Tour

Sydney

We say the harbor and the opera house from multiple vantage points. Bondi beach was way better than I had imagined. The guide/driver was very knowledgeable and gave us ample time of flexibility.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunlover Reef Cruises Cairns Great Barrier Reef Experience (departs Cairns)

Australia

This was definitely the highlight of our trip because for the first time we saw corals that were thriving! Once the catamaran docks at the pontoon, you have 4 hours to do anything - take a semi-submersible boat tour, snorkel, guided snorkeling, first time diving etc. It can get crowded at times.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Vicky was very helpful when we had an issue with a hotel that was sub par. All the tour guides we had were great, we felt so welcomed, entertained & learned so much about the land people & culture of Australia. Such wonderful, friendly people! However I need the following information to send to my Insurance Co. To try & get a refund for the Reef Palms Hotel Booking Confirmation from your Travel Supplier
Proof of refunds/credits (Any coresspondance saying they won't refund?)
Proof of Payment for Claimed Expenses (I need this)
Accident, incident, or police report: (I can fill out)
Evidence of Damage to home/destination and evidence of event ( I will do)
Photos (Which I have)

Hotel Reviews

Medusa Boutique Hotel

Sydney

Very quaint boutique hotel in a lively neighborhood, close enough to a train or a bus to get anywhere. Enjoy our stay there, highly recommend.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Great neighborhood, close to public transportation.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Reef Palms Motel

Cairns

Right after we checked in the manager left before we saw the room, on fist sight the couch had a rip, the A/C was off &?it was sweltering in the room, the sliding door was open, when we tried to close it to get the A/C going it wouldn’t lock or shut properly. They only had one plate & cup in the kitchen for two people. The bathroom had mold. We went back to the desk to complain & the manager was gone & office locked. My husband was able to get into our room from the deck due to sliding door not locking & there was no lock box to hide valuables when we were out of the hotel. We refused to stay. This is not a 3 star place more like a 1 or 2 star.

Authenticity & Character

Everything, especially their rating system.

Location

Had to walk a log way to find a restaurant that was open.

Staff

They could refund our money!!!!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything, clean it up, fix doors new couch, more kitchen supplies.

Activity Reviews

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney

Enjoyed the informative tour..

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Rocks Signature Walking Tour

Sydney

Fascinating experience to learn about the beginning of Sydney’s history with the Convicts.

Quality of Experience

Fascinating history of the conflicts and all they did to make it a city.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was so knowledgeable

Transport

Silverswift to the Outer Barrier Reef - ex Cairns

Australia

It was always a bucket list to see the Barrier Reef.

Quality of Experience

Once in a life-time experience

Food

They had a good variety for everyone.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They helped us when we’re sick, feed us great food, taught us about the reef

Transport

It was so choppy, otherwise a great day.

It was great working with Vicky planning our Australia/New Zealand trip. Vicky is very knowledgeable about the areas we visited and was available for us every step of the way both in planning and during our trip. Communication was very easy with the KimKim chat function and response time from Vicky was always very timely. Vicky helped arrange some of our tours (as we left some days open to allow flexibility to choose tours or things to do after we arrived), airport transportation, flights and accommodations. After a quick 24 hours in Fiji, we started our New Zealand adventure in Auckland. We landed in Auckland and were promptly greeted by our driver, who delivered us to our accommodations. The Adina Apt Hotel Britomart was conveniently located within walking distance to some great restaurants and coffee shops, grocery store, Britomart Shopping Centre, Takutai Square and the Harbour where the cruise ship port is. Most notably, our favorite dinner here was at Amano, which also has an amazing bakery attached and favorite coffee shop was 1920's Cafe. We were able to walk to Auckland Domain, a park which led us to some great gardens, the Auckland War Memorial Museum and then down into the city where we visited the Auckland Sky Tower. Day 3 in Auckland we had a Private Full Day Rotorua Tour booked. Our driver arrived on time that morning at the hotel with plans to take us to Te Puia Geothermal and Maori Cultural Experience and Kiwi House, a brief stop at the Redwood Forest for a 30 min walk and then a visit to the Skyline Gondola for some great views from above. We really enjoyed TePuia and learning about the Maori culture. My only regret in Auckland is not getting to book a trip to The Waitomo Gloworm Caves.
Day 4 took us from Auckland to Queenstown, South NZ. The flight into Queenstown was amazing. Flying in between the mountain's surrounding Lake Wakatipu was so scenic. We were again promptly met by our driver and delivered to Heritage Queenstown Hotel. Located up on the hill, it made for great exercise going to and from into town for shopping and dinners. Our first night there we promptly booked the steamship cruise to Walter Peak Farm, where we enjoyed a delicious BBQ dinner at sunset, and sheep shearing show. I highly recommend the TSS Earnslaw Cruise and BBQ Dinner tour. The ship itself is pretty neat too. The town of Queenstown is great! Lots of great restaurants and shopping. Fergburger is a must (the long line goes fast), as well as Patagonia Ice Cream and Chocolatier. Vicky arranged the best MIlford Sound Fly, Cruise, Fly tour with Air Milford. Tom, our pilot, was great! We can't say enough good things about this tour! It's a must when in Queenstown. The views were awesome!! Great experience! We also visited the Skyline Gondola here too for more amazing views.
Day 7 took us from Queenstown, NZ to Sydney, Australia. Our driver Osman sent us a text notifying us that he was waiting outside in the pick-up area. We arrived at the Pullman Hyde Park Hotel. This was another hotel that was in a good location, with great views of the city and Hyde Park (it's beautiful by the way) and walking distance to everything we wanted to do including the Botanical Gardens. Although I think if we were to go back, I might book a hotel near Sydney Harbour for water views and closer to more restaurant choices. We were told we should check out The Rocks weekend market and we had a great time shopping there. Highly recommend this to other travelers. Great vendors, lots of great local made gifts, jewelry and art. We also enjoyed high tea at The Tea Cosy and the Sydney Sky Tower. Vicky booked us a great Hunter Valley Tour for day 10. Another all-day private tour where our driver took us to a great little breakfast spot at the marina on the Hawkesbury River, then gave us 2 options for places to experience koalas and kangaroos. We ended picking The Australian Reptile Park. What a treat! Not only did he get a great price for entry, but also for a one-on-one koala experience. We finished off the day with a wine tasting at Pepper Tree Winery and great lunch at another local winery called Ben Ean Cellars. A few additional tours we booked on our own while in Sydney that we highly recommend are the Sidney Opera House, a private Sydney Harbour Night Cruise with Sydney Luxury Cruise, (Stephan our Skipper was an awesome guide) and lastly a sunrise hot air balloon ride with breakfast over Camden Valley with Balloon Aloft. All of the crew with Balloon Aloft were great!
Day 11 we headed to Ayers Rock by flight. We loved, loved, loved Uluru. What a great location to take a breather between big city adventures. Being in the desert away from the hustle and bustle was just what we needed. We were shuttled by air-conditioned large shuttle bus to Sails in the Desert. I should probably mention the FLIES, there are a lot of them, but it was a small price to pay for the amazing time we had. Buy the fly net at the hotel lobby desk. It's worth it. Loved some of the shops in the Town Square, we found some of our best souvenirs there. We were able to do our laundry at the resort. Vicky booked our Sunset Uluru Experience with BBQ dinner, and it was awesome. We stopped at the Anangu Cultural Center before heading over to watch the sunset on Uluru with drinks and appetizers, then off to the dinner set up. After dinner the lights went out for the most amazing stargazing experience. The next morning, we booked ourselves on the AATKings Sunrise Field of Lights tour which was also amazing. Our only regret was not having an extra night there and experiencing Kata Juta.
Day 13 We arrived in Melbourne via flight. Our driver was timely and delivered us to the Novotel Melbourne Central.
In Melbourne we enjoyed The Sky Deck for overhead views and all the cool alleyways where you will find some great cafes and gelato shops and even some cool street art. Our best meals were at Palermo's and Red Spice Road both done family style to get a good taste of it all. A visit to Haigh's Chocolates was a must too. We booked a couple tours on our own and loved them both. Loved the Great Ocean Road and 12 Apostles tour through Wildlife Tours. Steve, our guide was really great!! If offered, do the helicopter over 12 Apostles. It's worth it! Our grand finale tour was booked on our last night at the recommendation of another traveler. it sells out fast, so do the Penguin Parade with the bonus of a stop at Brighton Beach and Moonlit Sanctuary (which was ok, but good for a bite to eat and some really pretty birds). We did ours through Go West Tours and Bree was awesome!
Our trip truly was amazing. All of our tour guides and drivers were great. All transportation vans were of good quality and showed up on time. I highly recommend Vicky and the services that Kim Kim provides. Thank you so much Vicky! This was the best itinerary! Our family came back with so many great memories.

Hotel Reviews

Adina Apartment Hotel Auckland Britomart

Auckland

Great Location. Within walking distance to the Britomart, the cruise ship port and some really great shopping and coffee shops. The room was comfortable but just ok. Our shower had some mildew in it and the kitchen was lacking in utensils. We only had 1 fork, fortunately most of the eating we did was out. The hotel lobby was good and had a restaurant for breakfasts and late-night eating too.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

friendliness

Cleanliness & Comfort

shower had mildew, kitchen utensils were missing, only 1 fork

Heritage Queenstown

Queenstown

Great location. Within walking distance to all things downtown (if you don't mind hills), though plenty of local transportation available. Breakfast buffet was ok. Hotel was clean and beautifully decorated.

Authenticity & Character

Nicely decorated and fit the environment

Location

We love the town of Queenstown and found the walk both down the street and through the trail enjoyable!

Staff

Friendly and helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean rooms and lobby

Sails In The Desert

Yulara

Though you can tell the buildings are older they are well maintained for the nature of the environment, like the heat and the bugs outside. They are beautifully decorated inside and very clean. We enjoyed the pool and the ease of walking to the Town Square. It was nice having laundry facilities available to use.

Authenticity & Character

I love the decore using the Anangu dot paintings and I love the options in the gift shop.

Location

Closeness to town square and the tour operators pick up there and Uluru is not far. The views are great too!!

Staff

The service was fantastic at check in and in the gift shop. They cool towels offered and the cool drink at check in were a plus!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loved the bathroom tile and shower. Beds were comfy!

Activity Reviews

Private Full-Day Rotorua Tour

Auckland

The Visit to Te Puia and the Maori Cultural Experience were the highlight.

Quality of Experience

The Maori Cultural Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very kind and timely.

Transport

comfortable van

Milford Sounds - Fly / Nature Cruise / Fly - 9.30am includes morning tea

Queenstown (NZ)

Absolutely amazing trip from start to finish. From the coordination of the taxi (ride to Air Milford) that picked us up to Tom, our pilot who did an amazing job and the views were stunning. The tour operator was on top of communicating from the moment of booking.

Quality of Experience

Quality and cleanliness of the aircarft and the cruise

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Professionalism and efficiency

Transport

Fast, friendly and efficient

Explore the Hunter Valley

Sydney

We loved the visit to the Australian Reptile Park where we got to personally experience the koalas and kagaroos. It was a fun place. The winery was nice and the lunch at Ben Ean was delicious. The drive was very pretty.

Quality of Experience

The koalas.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was friendly and on time and made sure we got to experience the koalas and kangaroos. He also got us great rates for entry into the park.

Transport

Timeliness and comfortable ride for the long drive.

Milford Sound Cruise from Queenstown

Queenstown (NZ)

While my husband and I did the Fly Cruise Fly, it was my sister in law and her husband who were traveling with us that did this particular tour and they really loved it.

Uluru Experience with BBQ Dinner

Uluru

This tour far exceeded our expectations. We enjoyed the visit to the Anangu Cultural Center. It was so nice watching the sunset on Uluru. The dinner set up was fantastic as well as the food they prepared. When the candles went out after dinner, we were in awe of the stars that were out. The hosts knowledge of the constellations was impressive. What a wonderful evening! Well done!!

Quality of Experience

Tour bus was comfortable, guides were knowledgeable and friendly, quality of food and service was great!!

Food

well done! all of it!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

knowledgeable and friendly, chef and food service was great!!

Transport

clean, cool and comfortable rides

Just got back from a three week trip to Australia. What a beautiful country and such friendly people. Our travel advisor Vicky did a fantastic job. We could contact her anytime and she was willing to help. I would definitely recommend her!
We visited Sydney, Melbourne, and Uluru. Vicky took care of the transportation which made it so easy for us. She planned our local activities, which were a blast! It’s hard to choose a favorite, but probably watching the sunset in Uluru with a barbecue under the stars.⭐️

A company is only as good as its' talent. Vicky was an amazing resource every step of the way. From working with us on various options while planning a complex trip, to attention to logistical details, to working to recover from a last minute snafu, Vicky was a travel partner every step of the way. We had an amazing trip

The trip was planned very well , with a driver at the airport to drive us to our Hotel , Harbour Rocks Hotel . Fantastic location within easy walks to restaurants ,Sydney Bridge, Sydney Opera house etc. The hotel included breakfast which was excellent !! Nice 2nd floor outdoor sitting area at rear of hotel where we could enjoy a beverage or a meal . The Sydney Bridge climb was awesome . The sights were awesome ,guide talks you through entire procedure ,harnessed at all times . Photos available to capture the moment .

Hotel Reviews

Harbour Rocks Hotel Sydney MGallery

The Rocks, Sydney NSW

Clean rooms , deck 2nd floor at back to sit outside , enjoy the sounds ,weather & just relax ,maybe have a beverage or read a book . Happy Hour was nice ,staff were very courteous . A few stairs to get to things . Good exercise but if mobility is a problem .

Authenticity & Character

Old building with lots of character !

Location

Very close to all of Sydney 's finest

Staff

Very kind & available

Cleanliness & Comfort

The beds were lovely & nice bedding

Whitsunday Apartments

Hamilton Island

Large rooms ,good beds , necessary utensils in Kitchen . Staff warns you to keep sliding doors closed when not using as Cockatoos will walk into your room & destroy everything looking for food . Nice view from room , pool & Ocean . Coffee cart located outside lobby 7 am opening was nice to grab a great coffee to enjoy outdoor tables or on your balcony .

Authenticity & Character

Pool & Beach right across the street

Location

Little bit of walk to the Harbor but sidewalks are plentiful & clear well lit at night . Everybody uses golf carts to get around ,but walking is good as you see a lot .

Staff

No all were very good

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice to sit on balcony & enjoy the view

Pullman Cairns International

Cairns

Beautiful Hotel Great breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Clean & well kept

Location

Staff were great , walkable to sights

Staff

Courteous

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice bathrooms

Fable Auckland

Auckland

Clean very nice

Authenticity & Character

Location , breakfast was good the only negative was rooms were small

Location

Close to Ferry ,beautiful restaurants.

Staff

Very quick with a special request , brought up to our room quickly

Cleanliness & Comfort

All good

Activity Review

Sydney Bridge Climb Summit

Sydney

The bridge climb is very safe the preparation is good & all questions answered . The guide talks to you for the climb & tells you history of bridge & all interesting facts . Looks a lot tougher then it actually is . A few tight spots so if your a large person forget this adventure . Everybody on our climb had HUGE smiles after .

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thanks for a great trip. Our agent Vicky was great and provided many options. She had great attention to detail and was very prompt before and during our trip! Great work Vicky!!

Activity Review

Sydney Bridge Climb Summit

Sydney

Great experience. Loved it

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great planning and activities, we really felt Vicky helped us get the most out of our 8 days in Australia. Tight schedule for a country as big as Australia, but we feel we hit some memorable highlights. Staying 3 days at the rocks in Sydney was a great introduction and the hotel was in the perfect location for newbie’s like us. Trip to cairns was seamless and the scheduled activities were memorable. Loved the Great Barrier Reef, bucket list checked!

Hotel Review

Harbour Rocks Hotel Sydney MGallery

The Rocks, Sydney NSW

Perfect introduction to Sydney, extremely helpful staff!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Helpful and enthusiastic

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Blue Mountains Full Day - Private Tour

Sydney

Rebecca was a friendly informative guide, introducing us to a beautiful area of the country

Seastar Luxury Outer Great Barrier Reef Island and Reef Tour from Cairns

Cairns

4 hours of snorkeling available during the cruise, really nice staff and cruise

Kuranda Deluxe with Skyrail Rainforest Cableway (departs Cairns)

Australia

Pleasant drift over the beautiful rainforest.