Monika has so much patience.

New Zealand | Mar 10 - Mar 24, 2026

I really don’t know how to describe the level of this place. Their sustainability efforts are remarkable, the staff are a joy to be around and the food was delectable. Absolute favorite of all the places we stayed.

It was a hotel. Nothing special and that’s okay.

Very cute and comfortable place.

The people running this B&B were so kind and welcoming! I’m incredibly grateful for their patience dealing with our disoriented, jet lagged selves.

The glowworm caves were magical. Using red lights instead of the bright white for cave features in the way in could have helped our eyes adjust to the dark better and would have improved the experience. I loved the lack of cell phones and the request for silence. It made the experience a lot more memorable. I would have appreciated more time to read all of the info signs that are up everywhere and enjoy the put part of the cave. I felt very rushed and a bit like cattle being herded.

Our stargazing tour in Mt Cook was surprisingly spectacular. We actually dropped it from our trip and re-added it after more consideration. It turned out to be one of our favorite activities. The guides were knowledgeable and fun to interact with. It was truly a surreal experience I’d recommend to anyone and everyone.

The Banks Track was a delight! It felt like walking through several different worlds. We did the quicker paced option which was a perfect taste of the area. I’d love to return for a full meal…or 2…or 3.

Cruising the Milford Sound wasn’t really our cup of tea. It’s a beautiful fjord, but the boats were overcrowded and moved too quickly to really allow us to soak it in. It felt more like a cell phone photography tour than anything special. Everywhere we tried to just exist and enjoy the ride for a while, someone else's phone ended up in our faces as they tried to get their perfect photo. It did have a small magical moment where the boat got close enough to the falls to get everyone very very wet. It was chilly so everyone (except my husband and I) ran for shelter. We loved the feel of the water and the seclusion it allowed. It was well worth being cold. Just for that moment, I’d recommend doing it once especially if you have limited mobility. The little walk was lovely though and I really enjoyed learning so much about the local plant life. Our guide for that was a joy to be around and really seemed to have a wealth of knowledge to share. She tried her best to make it a memorable experience for us. Also, the lunches were delicious and well balanced!