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Many of our guests can be contacted for direct references. Please contact us for details. The feedback below is unedited and uncensored. Our company philosophy is based on honest, useful and relevant information and applying this to your tour experience in New Zealand. If you have a specific question about any feedback comments don't hesitate to let us know.
Use the search box below to find all comments relating to a specific subject i.e. type in Milford to find any comments regarding Milford Sound.
David Martinelli and Alyson Lau, Custom Central Highlights Walking Tour , Travelled on 16th April 2012Hi there. Recently returned from our trip to NZ's north island. Fantastically fortunate with the weather enabling us to tour in glorious autumn sunshine virtually the entire 12 days. Enjoyed the Bay of Islands based in Russell. Arcardia Lodge was a lovely place to stay. "Hole in the Rock" Cruise at the Bay of Islands was well worth the cost. Saw dolphins as promised and enjoyed the views from Otehei Island on the stopover. Coromandel Peninsula was spectacular with so many beautiful beaches and places to explore, it seemed like we should have spent more time there. Colonial B&B very cosy and hosts very friendly. Rotorua was interesting with its thermal attractions and scenic waterways. Really enjoyed the hospitality at A-Kahu Lodge too. Highlight of our trip though, was the Tongariro Crossing, a long but rewarding day hike across a rugged volcanic landscape, under clear skies. Spent 3 separate nights at the Great Ponsonby B&B during our stay and especially enjoyed the breakfasts! Thanks for the fabulous organisation of our trip which went without a hitch. Voucher system worked very smoothly. Kruse GPS system was really informative. Overall, we had a great time! Thank you! David and Alyson |
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Nicky and Raymond Farnell, The Length and Breadth North to South , Travelled on 15th March 2012Thank you FineTours for a wonderful NZ experience. We customised one of your standard tours to spend some extra time with relatives in Wellington, so spent 32 days travelling round both islands. It was the holiday of a lifetime, as we had hoped. Amazing scenery, wonderful wildlife and friendly, helpful people. All the arrangements for motels, car hire, transfers and excursions were well organised and everything went like clockwork. We particularly appreciated the Kruse commentary (lots of useful and interesting information as well as history and Maori legends)and the mobile phone with credit (useful for confirming excursions 24 hours ahead and for making contact with relatives). The voucher system was a very easy way to pay for everything and the spiral-bound book of maps and directions was invaluable, and has been browsed through by friends and family on our return! We loved the art deco city of Napier, including our vineyard tour which happened to be on our wedding anniversary! Whale and dolphin watching off Kaikoura was a particular highlight, as was a helicopter trip to the top of Franz Josef glacier. Milford Sound is indeed one of the wonders of the world, although it is very difficult to capture the sheer scale of it in photographs. We have returned to England with wonderful memories of an amazing experience. |
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Bob & Bev Harrold, Auckland to Auckland Overlander Tour, Travelled on 31st March 2012Our New Zealand holiday organised by you went swimmingly well with no hitches in organisation. We were expected at everywhere we stayed and all bookings worked 100%. We only had one trip cancellation due to the weather and Fine Tours has assured us of a refund. All of our accommodation which ranged from hotels to motels and B & B was fine (one of whom commended Fine Tours for up-front payment for our accommodation) and all our booked tours and visits went well. The car hire was an upgrade from what we expected and the Kruse GPS travel guide was of great advantage for not only making our way to and around our destinations but also for the background and tourist knowledge it imparted - we nicknamed the voices Tom and Penelope (for obvious reasons). We certainly enjoyed a great tour of New Zealand's North Island and Fine Tours' knowledge of the places to go and stay and the patience of our tour organiser, Nicky Sygrove, took care of our changes as we felt our way to an itinerary we were happy with. Thanks a lot - we're sure we wouldn't have enjoyed our holiday as much without your help. Bob and Bev Harrold |
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Philip, Kerry and Emily Haselton, The Southern Circuit , Travelled on 12th March 2012What a terrific experience! Thank you so much FTNZ for organizing an excellent itinerary for our self-drive tour of South Island. Every facet went according to plan and was above expectations: Fine accommodations, thoughtful conscientious hosts and fun, exciting activities. The time went too quickly, but memories will hopefully last forever. |
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Gloria Cook and Alan Burtenshaw, The Southern Circuit, Travelled on 14th March 2012WE began our journey in Christchurch where we were very shocked at the extent of the earthquake damage.It was random and extensive. we went into the centre on Saturday, the last weekend it would be open to the public before wholesale demolition began. We wanted to pay our respects. The experience is so difficult to put into words. We visited Araoka, the scenic road was spectacular,lovely beginning to our travels. Did the tourist trip to see whales and dolphins,magical. Mount Cook displayed itself to perfection. We journeyed south to Dunedin, invercargill, enjoyed that part of the trip very much, empty ,spectacular scenery. Worried about the yellow eyed penquins chances of survival. Magical Stewart Island was a tropical paradise for the day, empty beaches and beaut |
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Robert & Margaret Marshall, Custom Fiords, Auckland to Queenstown , Travelled on 26th February 2012We have just returned to Canada after 16 great days in New Zealand. From the first welcome from "Uncle" at Auckland Airport to his final goodbye, our FTNZ Tour enabled us to see and do everything we wanted. The B & B's were exceptional, the people friendly and helpfull, the scenary beautiful and the weather fine. Bob & Margaret Marshall Burlington, Ontario Canada. |
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Irene Halpin and John Gangemi, New Zealand Discoverer North to South self drive tour , Travelled on 9th February 2012Kia Ora Nicky & FTNZ! To say that John and I had the most wonderful three weeks in New Zealand would be an understatement. We loved both the north and south islands, each beautiful in its own right. Every detail of the trip was well planned, from the welcoming greeting by Uncle on our arrival at Auckland airport to our warm and comfortable stay at Eliza's Manor in Christchurch on our last evening. We knew that New Zealand had a reputation for beauty but we were not prepared for its take-your-breath-away beauty. We hope we captured it in the more than 1,300 pictures. Thank you Nicky and Fine Tours New Zealand for your expertise, courtesy, patience, advice and competence. All of our accommodations, which ran the gamut from large hotels to boutique hotels, to B&B's and lodges, were excellent. The train ride from Greymouth to Christchurch was thoroughly enjoyable and the Milford Sound cruise was awe inspiring. Mt. Cook and Franz Joseph glacier were spectacular and unforgettable. And I would be remiss if I didn't give rave reviews to the vineyards and NZ wine? There was not one aspect of our trip that we did not enjoy. Even driving on the "wrong" side of the road was manageable and the roads were easy to navigate. The one thing that would have made the Kruse system better would have been for it to be able to interface with listening to music through the USB, I-Pod connection. I could go on and on but will end by saying thank you for helping us plan a trip of a lifetime. We would not hesitate to highly recommend FTNZ to any friends or family members who are intrested in travelling to New Zealand |
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Simon & Doreen Cort, Custom Auckland to Queenstown self drive tour motel version, Travelled on 2nd January 2012Enter your story here... Thank you for all your patience with all our questions and the many changes to our itinerary. We must commend your service - everything worked extremely well and we were never disappointed - we were met, transported, accommodation was as described, and the facilty of the cell phone and Kruse was great. We certainly recommend New Zealand Fine Tours to anyone who wishes to have a carefree and enjoyable holiday in New Zealand. Regards, Simmy and Doreen Cort |
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Karen Perry and Christopher Gilliss, The Length & Breadth North to South Version 5, Travelled on 16th January 2012We enjoyed a fabulous customized 6-week Length and Breadth tour in January-February, 2012. Organized fairly late in the game, we were very grateful for Nicky's patience and ingenuity as she worked closely with us to evolve an itinerary that met all our requests and provided many pleasant surprises. The recommended side tours were well worth it, and all suppliers were very happy to honour NZ Fine Tours' requests on our behalf, and to rebook or refund on the odd occasion when the weather didn't co-operate.Within the itinerary we also had time to explore on our own, and the location descriptions provided were helpful in that. At times, we tired a bit of covering a lot of territory in a few days, but we were privileged to see so much of New Zealand and fell in love with the country. We also found the Kruse commentary in our GPS most informative and helpful as we drove the countryside. We found we had learned more about local culture, geography and history from it than most other tourists we met. The only part where we had any issue at all was in a couple of the motels booked for us. Most were quite good and a couple excellent (eg. Bolton Hotel in Wellington and Kamahi Cottage near Waitomo), but a couple of the motels were cramped and not as close to the town centre as we had asked for. In at least one of those cases (Bluewater in Napier), we also found the management somewhat surly. We only mention it because it was so rare in our experience of all the bookings FTNZ had made on our behalf, and whenever we did contact Nicky to request a change in our reservations, she dealt with it most efficiently and pleasantly, to our complete satisfaction. We are very glad we found FTNZ to organize our introduction to New Zealand.We have so many fond memories, and explored a number of wonderful places we learned about visit thanks to them.Many, many thanks. Karen Perry & Chris Gilliss Toronto |
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Pat & Caitlyn Ryan, Auckland to the Southern Alps , Travelled on 22nd December 201115 glorious days in beautiful new zealand. a fine tour it was. the hotels were beautiful and the locations were well planned. i would not spend two days in christchurh as the city is very badly damaged and there is nothing to see in the city. we went to akaroa one day and it was beautiful. we had wonderful weather with only one rainy day. we missed out on a trip up onto the glacier but that leaves a window of opportunity to return to this beautiful country. the people are as friendly as advertised and we loved our self drive vacation. thanks for all the work you did setting it up. i highly recomend the te amawutu museum for any Finn Fans. a beautiful trip down memory lane. |
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Ruth Tan and John Kelly, Custom New Zealand tour, Travelled on 24th December 2011Our three week trip to New Zealand was seamless and pain-free - simply the best holiday ever. Great organization and planning by fine Tours - simply outstanding! Mike & Ruth Kelly - Singapore |
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Sanjay De Family, Custom North Island Tour, Travelled on 9th January 2012New Zealand is such a great country for a family holiday, such a variety of things to see and do. The roads are good, the restaurants are excellent and Fine Tours know exactly how to piece it all together. |
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John & Susan MacKenzie, Custom New Zealand Tour, Travelled on 2nd January 2012The Fine Tours representative met us at Auckland airport and helped us get our car hire sorted. Driving in New Zealand was easy because of good roads and the lack of traffic! The driving directions were clear, and we were glad of the security of knowing that accommodation was booked and waiting for us. Our first stop, in Paihia in the Bay of Islands did not disappoint: lovely warm sunny weather and a state-of-the-art motel unit with a dishwasher! We loved the area and would return there if we visit again. Other favourite places on our itinerary included Lake Tekapo, Mount Cook village, Kaikoura and Queenstown. We are keen walkers and were able to do some hiking on a modest level. New Zealand really manage the environment well and paths were well laid out and marked. The drive from Queenstown to Franz Joseph, which promised to be long and arduous, turned out to be breathtaking as we drove beside Lake Wanaka and followed the road up the west coast in sparkling sunshine. Queenstown was such fun and the enthusiasm for adventure is quite infectious: had we had more time there we would have tried ever more daring activities! While we were keen to see lots of New Zealand we did find it quite hard sometimes to tear ourselves away from a place we liked, but we were nearly always delighted by the next place, with the possible exception of Rotorua, which we found unattractive and smelling strongly of sulphur! The motel units varied a lot, but were mostly of a good quality. It would be helpful to know in your information booklet, however, what level of cooking facilities there are: some places, such as Kaikoura had only a microwave, and although there was a BBQ, it would have helped us plan our self-catering a bit in advance to know what was in the unit. Similarly, the farmstay at Lake Tekapo included breakfast, but we didn't know till we got there that they would also provide an evening meal by prior arrangement. This would have been welcome, as the journey there was long and it is some distance from the village. The manager there was really welcoming, and it was a nice homely place to stay. All our organised trips ran smoothly:the ferry crossing from Wellington to Picton, the Milford Sound cruise, the Shotover Jetboat and the Heli-hike on Franz Joseph glacier were all worth doing. The train journey from Greymouth to Christchurch, on our penultimate day, was a relaxing, informative way to bring our trip to a close: there was commentary along the way and an outside viewing platform on the train which allowed us to get fresh air and take photos. We liked being in Christchurch, though were saddened to see the earthquake damage, which has made much of the city inaccessible. However the spirit of the people there is wonderful: indeed all the New Zealanders we met were friendly, welcoming and positive. They clearly take a pride in their country also: there was very little litter! We are glad we went with Fine Tours: it was a great introduction to a beautiful and scenic country.John and Susan MacKenzie |
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Rory & Jeanette Blandford, Custom New Zealand Tour, Travelled on 27th December 2011We loved our trip to New Zealand. Although we had a lot of choice about things we wanted to see and do, after that Fine Tours New Zealand organised everything. From the time we landed until when the time we flew out, all our needs were anticipated and catered for. This meant that we had a very relaxing and enjoyable time. We cannot fault this company because they are brilliant. |
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Mark & Denise Nelson, Islands to Fiords, Auckland to Queenstown (version 3), Travelled on 27th December 2011We wanted a memorable visit to New Zealand, and trusting Fine Tours to arrange it turned out to be a great decision. We had eighteen fabulous days, and were thrilled with every hotel and excursion that Fine Tours helped us select. It was really nice to just enjoy our trip while not worrying about the logistics. I still had to contend with driving on the wrong side of the road, but that added a few thrills that even a touring company can't provide! |
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Kay and Ron Locke, South Island National Parks, Travelled on 24th October 2011Some Dictionary definitions of “FINE” are; of the highest quality, free from imperfections, excellent , admirable. Last week we returned from a “Fine Tours NZ Ltd” Self Drive 20 Day South Island National Parks Tour in our opinion they most certainly deserve to call their Company Fine Tours. I would have absolutely no hesitation in highly recommending this Company to intending travelers to NZ. To be honest we are a recently retired couple who take pleasure from our 4WD camping trips in Australia sometimes for months at a time. The freedom it gives us to do whatever we desire without any time restraints is wonderful. So initially we were apprehensive planning a fixed itinerary for our first overseas holiday. However, our doubts were set aside as Fine Tours delivered an exceptionally well planned itinerary which still allowed some flexibility. We had peace of mind that good accommodation was booked and paid ready for each night. Sure, there were many time restraints for tours etc. but overall we still had plenty of freedom to work around these bookings to sightsee, participate in other activities or just relax. It was easy. All our holiday was booked via internet with David Kettle who always promptly replied to our emails with sound advice. From the time we arrived to the time we left we could not fault the arrangements.Read the entire feedback from here |
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Cheng Piw Lau and family, South to North Customised tour, Travelled on 16th December 2011Overall we had a nice trip,sceneries were breathtaking, the itinerary was well planned and accomodations were better than expected. The local tours and meals were on the expensive side due to NZ's relatively high standard of living though. |
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Jon & Jane Binner, Custom South Island Tour, Travelled on 27th December 2011Toured the South Island from 27th Dec 2011 to 7th Jan 2012 and had a brilliant time. Many thanks to Fine Tours for some spot on organisation; all of the accommodation was super though the best was undoubtedly in Wanaka. We thoroughly enjoyed every day, but the best was the Siberia Experience from Makarora. The flight was excellent; the walk beautiful and the final jet boat ride exhilarating. Would recommend every aspect of the tour, and the use of Fine Tours, to anyone. |
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Koh Bee Bee Party, Gold, Lakes, Mountains, Volcanoes & Caves including Napier, Travelled on 26th November 2011We had a great time in NZ Nth Island from 26 Nov to 8 Dec 2011. Thanks to Kerry for the help in organising the trip, the accomodation and his patience in answering our queries. The phone provided was really useful for communication between 2 cars and for booking of activities. All of the accomodation we stayed at were up to expectation. We enjoyed our stay at Tarata Fishaway (Taihape)the most. The view at the Tree House is fantastic and the host (Stephen & Trudi) were friendly and helpful. We had a wonderful time with Stephen rafting down the river. |
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Finzel and Alan Martin, The Southern Circuit , Travelled on 30th November 2011The tour was superbly arranged down to the finest detail. The B&Bs we stayed at were all wonderful and the hosts were very friendly and attentive. The Kruse navigation system in the hired car was a great idea. The route that was planned for us, was well thought out and we saw many splendid sights. We did not know that New Zealand is so breathtakingly beautiful. Thank you, fine tours for taking the hassle out of the planning of the trip for us and for doing such a professional job. I definitely recommend this company to anyone wanting to visit New Zealand. |
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Jane and Paul Healey, Christchurch to Queenstown West Coast Explorer, Travelled on 30th October 2011Paul and I enjoyed our trip to the South Island immensely. Your organisation of a very brief stay was without fault. Your staff who greeted us at Christchurch airport were so welcoming and informative. Picking up the hire car at Greymouth went well and I would recommend the Kruse GPS to everyone. The standard of accommodation was very good. Our hosts at Camelot Motor Lodge in Christchurch were fabulous and very attentive. The apartment at Garden Court in Queenstown had the most spectacular views over the lake and the Remarkables. Thank you and we will be back. Regards Jane and Paul Healey. |
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David Hickey and Michael Hoult, Southern Alps & Southern Lakes , Travelled on 15th September 2011Very well organised and flexible tour. The little extras such as sat nav, guide books for each area and NZ mobile phone (with credit) made the trip effortless. Would happily recommend to friends. |
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Peter & Geraldine Dent, Custom Taste of the South Tour, Travelled on 5th August 2011Hello Angela I wanted to let you know how pleased we were with the organisation of our recent trip to New Zealand. From the minute we landed at Christchurch until the minute we left, we could not have been looked after any better. Everything was absolutely spot on. The drivers were courteous and professional, the information and assistance provided before and at the start of the trip was brilliant, all the accommodation was comfortable and we received such lovely, friendly welcomes, particularly at Brown's and Springs at Lake Wanaka. The rooms at The George and Westwood Lodge were splendid and luxurious. We loved the Kruse GPS, and felt it really added to the experience. It gave us a great insight into the culture, the landscapes and the history of the places we visited. The directions and driving times you provided were very accurate. I know we were very lucky with the weather, but I do believe that the organisation was a major contribution to a superb trip to South Island. If there are any travel sites that you would like me to contribute to, I would be more than happy to do so. Thank you very much. We will treasure our memories of New Zealand |
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Rohmat, Wan Halijah, Luqman Hakim & Mustaqim, Custom North Island short tour , Travelled on 5th July 2011Our family holiday in New Zealand is over and are now back safely in Singapore. We thank you and NZ Fine Tour for arranging such a wonderful holiday. All accommodations were good and itinerary went well as planned. We were on our way to Rotorua, when our car had 2 flat tyres. It was raining and we were very fortunate when a fabulously nice lady, Kath Davies, gave us shelter in her lovely home and served us hot tea and biscuits. After help arrived, we continued our journey but unfortunately had to miss the Hobbiton Movie Set and Farm Tours. We made it safely to the Fenton Court Motel in Rotorua at 5:15 pm with barely enough time to settle down before they picked us up for the Mitai Maori Village tour. I understand that any cancellation may incur a fee and would like to thank you if there is any refund. We were really disappointed for missing the Hobbiton Movie Set and Farm Tours which we were looking forward to. Overall, we had a wonderful holiday and all thanks goes to you for doing a great job in making it possible. |
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June Hayles and Barb Rimene, Dunedin to Auckland tour, travelled June 2011I am delighted to have the opportunity to tell you how FANTASTIC I think your company is. |
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Mary & Erwin Jones, Coast to Coast (custom), Travelled on 17th April 2011We just wanted to let you know that we have had a wonderful two weeks in the South Island. Everything was just lovely and the weather which none of us could control was perfect. Our accommodation was great (although I must remember another time to make sure we have ground floor as Erwin fund it a little hard climbing stairs). Best B&B was Dunedin tied with Te Anau. Both were lovely hosts and very comfortable. Kaikoura was possibly our least favourite stay although the people were very nice. It was a bit cramped. We should have stayed at Hanmer Springs as you originally said but as the only day of less than perfect weather was at Kaikoura meaning we couldn't go whale watching we did a day trip to Hanmer Springs instead. It would have been a long drive if we had left it 'til our trip to Akaroa. My only comment was that a Honda (whichever sort we had) is not a good car for a Kruse system. After enormous acrobatics to get it on the windscreen it was then too far away to see ! The commentary was a wonderful asset to the trip though. Thank you again for your help. We WILL be back (if only for the Black Doris plums which I had nearly every day as we can't get them in Australia !!) |
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Joyce Mitsunaga, Winifred Tatsuta, Nolan & Jennie Ahn, Alan & Chizue Goto, John & Eileen Miller, South Island tour, February 2011Thank you again for a most wonderful trip to South Island. We have the most fantastic memories of beautiful places, wonderful people, good food, good wine, good fun and adventure. We are looking forward to returning to New Zealand again, and again. Aloha. |
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Lyn, Terrence, John Garrard and Maureen Freeman, South Island Self Drive Tour, January 2011Our much anticipated holiday is now over. We had a wonderful time and I want to convey our thanks to you. Everything went according to plan. We all loved Nelson and would happily have spent more time there. None of us had been there before. Greymouth and the Transalpine trip were great. We enjoyed Christchurch and would also loved to spend more time there. Mt Cook was a highlight and we had a clear view of the mountain, something that Terry had not had before. We’re very glad that we had some extra time in Queenstown and we enjoyed the Milford Sound trip. You may be interested in some random comments. 1) The Kruse commentary, which we have had before, is great but didn’t work well on the West Coast. 2) We were disappointed with the service offered at Garden Court in Queenstown. Their limited room service, such as a daily bathroom refresh, was disappointing. |
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Paul and Sue Errington, South Island Self Drive Tour, February 2011Our holiday in New Zealand was fabulous But we're wondering how the people of Christchurch are doing. We left Christchurch the day before the earthquake and heard about it in Aukland. Are you located in an area that was affected by the quake? When we got home we checked the Heritage Hotel website and found that they are closed but that no one there was injured. Are they closed because of structural damage or because of rubble in the street? It was so sad to see the pictures of the cathedral. I had taken a picture of Paul in front of it while we were there. We also wondered if Lyndle was ok. All of the people we met were friendly and professional but she went above and beyond. She didn't just drop us off at the airport curb, she led us through the construction to the Air NZ ticket desk. Another person who was especially helpful was the desk clerk at the Te Waonui Forest Retreat. When we drove our car to the front after checking out, she met us there with the maps that Paul had left behind on the front desk. We would have been lost without them! Thanks for making our holiday special. We enjoyed every minute of it. If we had to pick out one thing we liked best, I think it would be the glacier climb on Franz Joseph. It was an awesome experience. A small thing that was a nice touch was the Kruse commentary. We enjoyed hearing the Maori legends and origins of the points of interest along the way. We've already started recommending Fine Tours New Zealand to friends who are considering a trip to your country! |
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Bruce and Anne Oelman, New Zealand Self Drive Tour, December 2010This to say a big thank to you for organising our tour and looking after our issues while we were there. Despite Anne breaking a bone in her foot on our first day (!) we had a great holiday and everything worked smoothly and well. The break did not disrupt things too much and we were able to do virtually everything that we wanted - bar a few of the walks we had planned. Ironically the one thing we could not continue with (heli-hike/tour) was cancelled because of the bad weather anyway. Everyone (hotel/motel staff, medical staff, people at attractions, people in shops and the ordinary people in the streets) was most helpful and did all they could to make our holiday an enjoyable and memorable one. It would not be right to single out individuals for particular praise as everyone was so good, but I like to mention Brian and Penny at the Camelot Motor Lodge in Christchurch, they were just so kind and helpful. You may also like to know that a number of motels praised your company for the quality of its work and how well it worked with them. We would certainly recommend Fine Tours. One little point. At both the Auckland and Wellington stops we were charged for car parking. We were not the only people staying to be surprised by this. Given that we were on a car touring holiday, we had assumed that all costs were included. Even if the charges could not be prepaid, I think a warning would have been in order. Also the parking at Wellington was difficult and chaotic - though we were lucky in that they took pity on the broken foot and gave us one of the few nearby parking places. |
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Yvonne Lee and family, Singapore, 10 day South Island self drive tour, August 2010Hope your family, staff of Fine Tours and yourself are well and safe in Christchurch.
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Vine and Pat Cassisi, USA, 14 day Self Drive tour, North and South Islands. April 2010Please excuse this late email thanking you both for an excellent tour of NZ. Two items we would like to note. In addition to the wonderful stays and sightseeing trips, we suggested, and you scheduled, Auckland Wine Tours New Zealand and Larnach Castle. We would like to say that these both were great and we enjoyed them very much. The wine tour of Auckland, not only covered the Villa Maria Winery, explaining and showing with a walk-thru the details of their operation and a luncheon with wine tasting, it also provided us with a city tour of Auckland. We otherwise would have not had the experience of a city tour in our short stay. We HIGHLY recommend that you suggest this to your guests, we do not think they will be disappointed in the least. http://www.nzwinepro.co.nz/. |
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Sarah Ennion, NZ, 9 day self drive tour, South Island, April 2010Hi DavidJust wanted to drop you a quick note to say thanks for arranging such a fantastic tour for us. We all had a fantastic time. The accommodation was great and the hire car was perfect to fit us all in with our luggage. I loved the Map book with the highlighted route and the itinerary made planning activities and stop offs really easy. |
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Joan and Richard, USA, 17 day self drive tour, North Island, March 2009Hello David,I meant to write to you much earlier about our NZ tour. We really had a wonderful time. Wonderful is not strong enough. We were again amazed at your beautiful country with fantastic, friendly people, great sites and walks, great food and wine...We really didn't have any complaints. The sites you selected for us to stay were very beautiful and the people really helpful and pleasant. Thanks and hello to your wife and children! Joan
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James R. & Carole K. Erwin, USA, 16 day self drive tour, North and South Island, March 2010David, we had a great trip, thanks much for all the wonderful planning and arranging. We had no delays and no problems during the entire trip. Having the GPS and the CRUZE both was great, the pre-programmed GPS meant we always knew where we were and could plan our time along the way to arrive when required or desirable. We feel we learned much more about the country and its rich history with the benefit of the CRUZE. The weather was not good along the West Coast particularly around Fox Glacier and Franz Josef(more about that later), but otherwise we were very lucky with the weather, including our initial day in Doubtful Sound - beautiful place and we enjoyed the overnight on the Sound.Read the entire feedback from here |
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Darrel and Helen Ling, Australia, 25 day self drive tour, New Zealand Discoverer, March 2010Both Helen & I were very impressed with your planning, arranging & documentation of the whole trip. Right from our pick up in Auckland through to the pick up to Christchurch airport this morning, everything went flawlessly.If we had, at the time realised we were passing your door, we would have loved to have given David & his wife, a personal thank you. Kind regards, Darrel & Helen |
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Wai Tung and Wai See, Canada, 9 day self drive tour, South Island, March 2010Hello David,Just want to let you know that Wai See, Casey and I had a wonderful time in New Zealand. The arrangement and support that you have given to the Dawson party are terrific. I will not hesitate to refer my friends or book a future a trip with your company. Many thanks! Wai Tung |
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John and Lesley Harrison, 28 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, February 2010 Dear David, There is much of New Zealand that we have still to discover and are now saving up madly to re-visit your lovely country. |
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Judy and Ken Palich, Australia, 23 day self drive tour, North Island, February 2010Dear DavidWhat a superb holiday you organised for us. From Day 1 everything went like clockwork. We were grateful that we had all our accommodation organised or we would probably still be working our way around the Bay of Islands. You live in a beautiful country. We ended up driving a Nissan Tiida sedan which was quite comfortable. The Kruse system was amazing. It acted like our own personal tour guide, provided so much information and alerted us to things we might be interested in following up. The accommodation - on the whole brilliant. We both need to go on diets after so many wonderful breakfasts! We are glad you suggested the Cliff Richard concert, it was great. Thank you once again for arranging such a wonderful, enjoyable, stress frree holiday. We will be recommending you to all our friends and can't wait to organise our next holiday - to the south island. Cheers, Judy and Ken |
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Paul Pringle and Val Nicholson, Canada, 9 day self drive tour, North Island, February 2010Hi JulieThank you for a wonderful trip in New Zealand, we loved the country and the accommodations. There is a couple of typo in the instructions, I do recall the directions were to turn left when it was to turn right in Waitomo. Other than that it was awesome and the itinerary was great. Thank you for all the attention to detail. Paul |
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Paula and Mike Bransfield, Canada, 21 day self drive tour, South Island, February 2010Hi David,We'd like to say thank you for helping plan and arrange our recent trip to New Zealand. We had a fabulous time and everything went off without a hitch. We would highly recommend your services to anyone travelling to your beautiful country. One observation we might make is that anyone doing the Milford Track - which as you know includes the boat cruise through the Sound, may find that also doing the Doubtful Sound overnight dinner cruise too much of the same. Having done both within a few days of each other and both under dreary, drizzly skies made us think we should have chosen a different excursion. Thanks again, Paula & Mike |
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Joan and John Lofts, UK, 8 day self drive tour, South Island, February 2010Hello ThereI just wanted to send you a very big thank you for an absolutely fantastic trip to NZ! We had an amazing time and everything apart from the car in the beginning - which was sorted out very quickly - worked like a dream. Everything you recommended was superb - and we saw just enough to make us want to come back again next year. Big pat on the back for your company - you certainly know your business and even at arms length provide a fantastic service. Thanks you so much again and have a wonderful 2010. Wamest and Best Wishes, Joan.
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Marie and John Lynch, 22 day self drive tour, New Zealand Discoverer, February 2010Hi Thank you so much for putting together a wonderful itinerary. On arrival in Auckland at midnight, it was great to be met, transferred to our hotel & to be given everything we needed for the trip. Everything first class apart from 3 of our overnight accommodation. We particularly enjoyed staying at the White House Russell, the Ridge Puhoi, & the Te Anau Scenic. Westwood Lodge FZ was perfect for our last 2 full nights in NZ - a great choice & we felt our trip had ended on a high. The itnerary & map book great ideas - will help us relive some very happy memories. Great to meet you & the team as we passed through Fairlie . We will be recommending you to family & friends |
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Timothy and Julie Miller, Hong Kong, 24 day self drive tour, New Zealand Discoverer, February 2010Julie,I'm not sure where to start so I'll begin with a simple 'thank you'! Firstly, thank you regarding the phone and I'm really sorry that it found its way into a washing machine. Many thanks for not charging, that's a very kind gesture. The holiday was phenomenal and we are currently suffering huge New Zealand withdrawal symptoms! We took 3,691 photos in your spectacularly beautiful country, along with large quantities of video footage. It seemed like every corner we turned brought us to another awesome sight. The arrangements were flawless for which I thank you. We enjoyed all the accommodation (best hosts - Christchurch, best accomodation - Franz Josef) plus the coach trip to Milford Sound, the interislander ferry etc. Julie's birthday was special, with wine waiting for us at the treehouse on arrival the evening before and then we floated down the river on a dinghy in an area filmed for Lord of the Rings. Sensational. We also had a superb time in a helicopter at Franz Josef, Dolphin spotting in the Bay of Islands and jet boating in Queenstown. Many thanks for making it so easy for us and for the support both prior to our arrival, during our time in New Zealand and for your note today. It was a truly special time and we certainly intend to return to New Zealand in the future. When that time comes, we'll be in touch! Very best wishes, Tim |
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Becky and Michael Graham, Beijing, 13 day self drive tour, North & South Islands, February 2010David and Julie,We arrived back in Beijing a couple of days ago and I wanted to write to tell you about our New Zealand tour that you helped us with. New Zealand is an amazing place to visit. We had a wonderful time. The minute we arrived we felt cared for by your staff. The voucher system made everything so easy. Even when we misplaced one of the vouchers a simple call to you made everything right. You were very helpful when we wanted to change our itinerary...you didn't even blink, you just said give you an hour and you would have everything taken care of...and you did!!! Everywhere we went people were very friendly and helpful. The staff at all of the places we stayed were wonderful, happy and willing to give advice on the area. We only wish we had had more time...we missed seeing so many things. That just means we will have to come back! We will be giving your name to several of our friends who are interested in traveling to New Zealand. You are the best! Thanks again, Mike and Becky |
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Brian and Dorothy Robertson, Australia, 15 day self drive tour, South Island, February 2010Dear Kerry/David,Arlene/John/Dorothy and I would like to thank you for arranging our holiday. We all think that the south island of N.Z. must be the most scenic in the world. We were very impressed with the arrangements you made including, accommodation, the car, the Kruise system,the N.Z. map book with the suggested route highlighted. It seems you even arranged for beautiful weather!! The technology used for the Krusie system is amazing and the commentary interesting and helpful. We would like to commend Robin at the Lakefront Lodge in Te Anau for his enthusiasim and helpfulness. The itinerary you prepared for us was brilliant. Not much more to say except thank you once again. Brian |
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Amy Tanmorel, Singapore, 17 day self drive tour, North Island, December 2009Hi DavidWe are back! After the very first good trip that we had in South Island- Jan 2009, we decided we’d be back in New Zealand again. So this year, Jan 2010, we’re back and this time we visited the North Island. There’s no guessing who we planned our trip with, it’s Fine Tours with David! Read the entire feedback from here |
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Jane and Anthony Pearson, UK, 7 day self drive tour, South Island, January 2010Dear David,I just wanted to thank you for the tour of the South Island that you organised on our behalf. We came to Fine Tours because an English friend recommended you and I must say I would also recommend you to anyone going to New Zealand for the first time. Everything worked very well and we had a brilliant, trouble-free time in a beautiful country. Best wishes, Jane |
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Stuart Brown, Australia, 12 day self drive tour, Southern Circuit, December 2009"Fine tours New Zealand. Many thanks for a wonderfully planned holiday. I would recommend your service to anyone waiting to travel to New Zealand". |
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Robyn, David and Ira Mabel, USA, 26 day self drive tour, Auckland to Dunedin, December 2009David, we've been back for a little over a week and I apologize that it's taken me this long to thank you for the great trip that you arranged for us.We enjoyed every minute of our visit to your country. All of the arrangements, except for a couple of minor snafus with Europcar, went smoothly. All of the details that you thought to include (cell phone, Kruze, GPS, maps and brochures, etc.) were wonderful. These things made our travels from place to place relaxing and extremely enjoyable and left us with nothing more major to decide than where to eat and what to see. And, as a result, we were able to see and do just about everything. Our hotels/motels/bed and breakfasts were excellent. The hosts at all of these places couldn't have been nicer. We enjoyed listening to Kruze although my son who did most of the driving expressed that he would have appreciated more lively music at some points instead of mostly calming classical music. Unfortunately, when we had to downsize our car in Greymouth to a Ford Focus, there was only one outlet and we chose to use the GPS. So we weren't able to listen to Mr. Kruze from that point on. Our visit to New Zealand has to rank as one of our most, if not the most, fantastic vacations that we've taken. And we will recommend your company to everyone we know if they're planning a trip down under. Thank you very much. Robyn |
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Bruce and June Knight, USA, 11 Day self drive tour, Southern Alps & Southern Lakes, December 2009
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Stephen and Ann Tall, USA, 13 day self drive tour, South Island Coast to Coast, December 2009We are back from the trip and had a great time.Thanks for arranging everything, even at the last minute. The car rental company didn't have the car we reserved (that's nothing new) but other than that everything went exactly according to plan. All the hoteliers were friendly and helpful, especially at the Camelot Motor Lodge, the Motel on York and the Lakefront Lodge. The room we had at Garden Court had an excellent lake view. The A2B drivers were all friendly and prompt and the provided map book with the route outlined was a pleasant surprise. We would definitely recommend Fine Tours to any of our friends who might think of doing the same kind of trip. Thanks again, Steve & Anne. |
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James and Paula Pritchett, 17 day self drive tour, Auckland to the Southern Alps, September 2009David, Kelly, AllJust wanted you to know that everything went amazingly well. There was not a single hangup, detail lost, or even a hint of an issue along the entire way. The Kruse was a very nice touch and should be continued. There is quite a lot of work in putting a system like that together. It made a lot of difference in our ability to understand the area and to know when to be on the lookout for an upcoming sight. All of the hotel and B&B choices were great. No where could we find fault with anything. |
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Pierre Dubois and Lyne Bonin, Canada, 7 day self drive tour, November 2009Hello Kerry,We had a very nice trip, very well organized. Everything went according to plan including the nice weather that you scheduled. We had blue skies to visit the Milford fjord, I think that is a feat in it self. It was nice to be greeted at the Auckland airport to switch to the domestic flight. The hotels/restaurant were all very nice. We got a free room upgrade in Te Anau with a view on the lake. We did not know if our rooms included the view. We had it almost every where except in Queenstown. It was very nice to have the cell phone and cost estimates to make calls. Seeing that it was inexpensive and that we had not used it, on the last day we made 5 or 6 short calls to familly and friends staying well within our 50$ budget... Read the entire feedback from here |
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Manni and Gordon Knight, Canada, 19 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, November 2009Good Morning David, We posted the mobile from Christchurch from the post office near the Heritage Hotel. There should be loads of time on the mobile because we did not use the phone very much, approximately more than $35.00. We had made prearrangements with our son to stay in touch via email and/or calls, he made using a prepaid cheapie phone card from Canada. The other reason for the loads of time was we wanted to ensure we had phone time available for any emergencies that might crop up. You were quite right about telecom costs as I saw a woman frantically feed the payphone with coinage at Greymouth and the posted hotel charges for local calls. Having a mobile at our disposal was a real blessing and comfort.I don’t know if you send out surveys to your clients for their customer experience but I am in the process of writing about the good and the few glitches that happened along the way that were either resolved by us or by you. Overall, David and Kerry, Fine Tours did a wonderful job of introducing their country to first time visitors. We were told a number of times by fellow travellers that we could have probably made our own arrangements for less expense, but they forgot to include value in terms of enjoyment vs. money out. We avoided having many of their frustrations i.e. hotel arrangements, getting lost (GPS and wonderful maps) and it was good to know we knew someone in NZ who we could contact in the event of an emergency. Fine Tours made our holiday an adventure of a lifetime and that is what we hoped for and experienced. Thank you. FYI - We were fortunate we did not get jet lag as we managed some sleep on the overnight flight sitting in the cheapie economy. The first activity we did upon our arrival in Auckland was tramp (yes walk) up to the top of Rangitito Island and back with our new “American friends” introduced to us by Gerry. What a strange way to spend your first day in Auckland, tramp up a dormant volcano after being in transit for 26 hours. But, as we were later to learn, this is a typical Kiwi – they are very physically active people and they always are on the move because it is so beautiful in New Zealand. We had 16 days of brilliant sunshine out 19 days and this included Milford Sound and Franz Josef. Go out and enjoy a few moments with your daughter. Merry Christmas from Manni and Gord Knight |
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Maureen and Tom McMullen, California, USA, 16 day Self Drive tour North and South Islands, October 2009As you know we got back yesterday from NZ though it was hard to leave & we hope to return in the not too distant future now that we have an idea of what it has to offer. The views were magnificent & the people are wonderful & we had a great time. We loved the Great Ponsonby & it was the perfect place to start our trip, Eliza's was wonderful & so friendly we would have loved to stay a few more days with Ann & Harold. We are so glad we stayed in the Dock Bay as the views were amazing, actually the whole place is to die for & Dawn, Mark & Diane were such lovely people. Westwood lodge was so modern & the helicopter trip we took there was amazing. With your help & expertise we saw a lot & stayed in many wonderful places. The exception was the Heritage on our last night/day in Auckland it was awful if it hadn't been so late & we hadn't been so tired we would not have stayed in that room. The carpet was stained, the paintwork was shabby and needed touch-up, the armoire was so warped that the door wouldn't close & the room decor itself was depressing, it overlooked the restaurant & was obviously in the old part of the hotel. We did tell the front desk when we were checking out, they didn't seem that bothered but we told them they should have a manager look at the room because it reflected very badly on their hotel. When we checked in there was confusion about our booking & the late check out seemed to be one hour later but we did eventually get the room until late afternoon. Had we stayed there on our first night instead of the Great Ponsonby it would not have been a good first impression of the country & I wish we had stayed with them on our last night too. |
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Kathleen and Mitchell Cheeseman, Virginia, USA, 27 day self drive tour, North and South IslandsThis is a belated, short thank you note and recommendation for FTNZ. You may remember that I first contacted you in late 2007 for a trip my husband and I wanted to take in March/April of 2009. Most folks think I’m nuts that I start planning that far out, but you were more than willing to start working with me. We did some work – then it appeared I wouldn’t be able to take the trip. I promised you that I would contact you when my financial situation changed and I was able to take the trip. Sure enough situations do change, and when I recontacted you in around Sept of 2008, you were able to pick back up where we left off and put together a trip in roughly the same time period that was original envisioned that was amazingly suited to our interests, desires, and price range. In particular, this insane planner, appreciated your superb logistical support which allowed me to focus on planning the sights we wanted to see and the time frames we wanted spend – while you dealt with the details of accommodations and various other reservations. Even with 20-20 hindsight there are very few changes I’d recommend to someone else who had the same interests (lots of history and nature at a leisurely pace in nice B&Bs). I have recommended you to others since I’ve been back and will continue to do so. Thanks again |
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Jan and Lew Watson, Brisbane, Australia, 8 day self drive tour South Island, July 2009David, Just a short note to say "thank you". Our trip to NZ was the best and more than we could have hoped for. Apparently the best snow for 5 years!!! what is this about global warming? The reason we went was to see snow and that we did. It was absolutely beautiful and where there was no snow the scenery was awesome. What a lovely country you have. Why are you all over here? |
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Richard and Joan Hannah, Salem, MA, USA, 17 day self drive tour, North Island, April 2009We have been back to the United Sates for a little over a month--still basking in the afterglow of our wonderful visit to your country. We had a wonderful trip--thanks to New Zealand Fine Tours. |
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Rick and Jacqui Wood, Australia, 23 day self drive tour North & South Islands, March 2009Both my wife Jacqui and myself wish to thank you for arranging out trip of New Zealand in February. I must say that everything flowed extremely well and the itinerary that you prepared was exceptional. I initially thought that to visit both the North & South Islands in 23 days was going to be tight however was surprised at what we were able to fit in and did not feel rushed at all. The accommodation although neat & tidy varied and I must compliment the Pebble Beach Motel in Napier – absolutely stunning and also Punga Grove in Franz Joseph. Next time we visit we may try a motor home experience and take a little longer exploring certain areas. We have already passed on your details to a number of our friends and would have no hesitation recommending your service to anyone contemplating a visit to your wonderful country. |
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Les and June Diamond, Hertfordshire, UK, 28 day self drive tour, North & South Islands, Feb - Mar 2009Firstly thank you for the prompt refund for the cancelled Mount Cook flight, due to poor weather. Fine Tours have been very helpful from the first tentative enquiry. The arrangements that you organised went without a hitch, we found the instructions and maps you supplied very easy to use. The Bed & Breakfast stays were exceptional. Comfortable, spotlessly clean, and our hosts friendly and helpful beyond belief. Coupled with stunning scenery and friendly people; we are truly delighted with the tour that you arranged for us and we had a super holiday. We found the Kruse GPS commentary system very useful if repetitive at times. I have several friends who have asked me for a copy of my itinerary, which I will let them have and recommend they use your services. I can guarantee that we will be back. |
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Ann and Joe Kasparek, Texas USA, 21 day self drive South Island tour January 2009A much belated "thank you" for arranging such a perfect driving tour for Joe and me. Each South Island destination was exactly as advertised and well-suited to our traveling expectations. You also balanced our itinerary between rigorous sight-seeing adventures and much-needed "down time." We're still trying to determine our "favorite" experience. We have fond memories of every place we visited. Without hesitation, we agree that The Kruse System was the single most surprising and enjoyable feature of the trip. We looked forward to every tidbit of info that suddenly sounded forth through the radio. Now we're spoiled and will miss Prof. Kruse on future trips.Below are several reminiscences of the different places we visited: We loved Christ Church, especially the highly informative and manageable museum. We were also awed by the enormous and exotic trees and flora in the botanical gardens. The George Hotel was very comfortable and the service first-rate. FYI, we do think we might have been housed in a lesser room than you had booked. When we were working with you in planning our accommodations, we requested balconies or terraces to facilitate Joe's afternoon cigar. We did not have either at The George, though they were available. At all other lodgings, we did have a "smoking area." Enroute to The Hermitage, we felt like we were adventuring into the wild, so seeing such a historic hotel at the base of Mt Cook was a pleasure. We definitely recommend the dining room of the hotel. Our evening meal was one of the best on the trip. And, of course, the helicopter ride with landing on the glacier was a first-time experience for both of us. I don't think we fully appreciated Wanaka after our fabulous, but really tiring, fly-fishing week. We leisurely strolled through the town, but spent most of our time napping. Just know that the room at The Stone House was very cozy and the young couple were excellent hosts. Teanu turned out to be one of our favorite little towns. The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly and each restaurant meal was delicious. We enjoyed the Milford hike and - of course - the cruise on Doubtful Sound. But since we also had boat trips in Akarora and enroute to the Milford, I think an overnight was probably more boat time than we needed. We discovered that we prefer hiking through the spectacular scenery rather than sailing by it. Without question, Sails Away was the most beautiful B&B on the entire trip and Iris and Peter impeccable hosts. We did decide Stewart Island was a one-day, not a two-day destination. After we went on Peter's informative bird walk (more flora than birds) and strolled around the village, we were out of exploring ideas. If the weather had been warmer, we might have enjoyed sea kayaking or hiking farther from town. But, you saved one of the best for last. Our three days at the Wildlife Film Lodge were delightful. We thoroughly enjoyed Rob and Christina's hospitality and Rob was an extraordinary guide. We'll always remember our two days hiking across beaches and hills in search of that perfect animal photo. What would we do differently??? Not much. Perhaps by-pass Wanaka and spend a full 24-hours in both Queenstown and in Dunedin. A 2-hour stroll in each of those vibrant cities just wasn't enough. We loved the Southern Coast highway drive from Bluff to Dunedin and were so glad you suggested it. Every valley was like a picture postcard. Our memories - and photographs - go on and on. Thanks again for all of your help. When we tell our New Zealand adventure story, I sing your praises. In appreciation, Ann & Joe Kasparek |
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Janet and Leslie Yates, England, 23 day self drive North and South Islands February 2009Many thanks for a wonderful trouble free holiday .New Zealand is a spectacular country.Your selection of accommodation gave us a chance to meet some very friendly helpful people and rest our heads in some beautiful and comfortable settings. For all our accommodation, car hire and tours your vouchers were all we needed to have us installed or on our way. The Kruse system was an informative and a helpful addition to your route maps. Providing a mobile phone was a useful and reassuring extra. Once again we would like to say THANK YOU for helping us have a very happy memorable holiday in New Zealand. |
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Claire and Alistair Neilson, England 10 day South Island self drive tour March 2009I just wanted to thank you so much for arranging our trip around the South Island. We had the most fantastic time and it all went very smoothly. The hotels/studios/b&b were all great, with the possible exception of the one at the glacier which was 'okay'. It was most helpful having the Kruze system although unfortunately there was obviously no reception in the Milford Sound area which was sad. We will certainly recommend you if we hear of anyone visiting NZ and will hope to return ourselves before TOO long! You even provided wonderful weather, again with the slight exception of the Glacier where it was wet and cloudy but I guess we can't blame you for that!! Many thanks and best wishes Claire Neilson |
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Sergio Conti and Alessandra Collucci, Brazil, 15 day South Island self drive tour February 2009I am writing this email to thank you both for the amazing effort you have made to make Alessandra's and my vacation in New Zealand a fantastic experience. We are already recommending Fine Tours for everyone here in Brazil! We have enjoyed every minute of our journey, with highlights to Christchurch (Ann from Eliza's Manor on Bealey was very friendly & kind and her B&B hotel was superb), Mount Cook (the motel was great, David) and Queenstown (including our trekking in Milford Sound + Nevis 120m swing jump!). Thanks again. Regards Sergio. |
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Rosalind Godwin and friends, England 21 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, February 2009We have been back from New Zealand for a couple of weeks now and I have some feedback for you regarding our trip. I have asked my friends to let me have their comments and our collective comments are below. Our overall comments are all on the very positive. We all had an absolutely wonderful time and the organisation managed by you and your team had an awful lot to do with our enjoyment. All the accommodation was very adequate for what we needed but there were 3 outstanding spots that we would recommend. One was the Punga Grove at Franz Joseph, one was at Punakaiki and the other was Paku Lodge at Tairua. The locations were beautiful and the accommodation lovely. We all thoroughly enjoyed the Tranz Alpine train and we purchased the DVD for the ‘birds eye’ view of the journey. We had a fabulous Heli-hike even though it was very overcast. We were lucky to have our cancelled morning trip rearranged for the afternoon and it was beautiful and well worth waiting for. The hire van was great although we had to swap the one given to us at Wellington for another van as the first one had a very annoying noise. We also had a lovely Dolphins boat trip at the gorgeous Bay of Islands, even though we were unable to actually swim with the dolphins as they all had babies with them. We were lucky to see 2 small groups of dolphins and then one very large group of about 50 dolphins who performed a range of jumps and dives for us. All really great to see. Anyway, I and the rest of the group, would have no hesitation in recommending your company to anyone else travelling to New Zealand who would like a smooth and relaxed holiday organised with your help. Thank you so much for helping us to enjoy superb New Zealand at its best. Very best regards Rosalind Godwin and friends. |
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Eberhard & Christina Pauck, Sweden, 30 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, February 2009Home again after a wonderful trip through New Zealand we will thank you for the excellent arrangements you prepared for us. |
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Steve & Cecilia Ridlington, 10 day self drive tour, North & South Islands, March 2009I have been meaning to write to you since our return from New Zealand to say thanks for organizing such a great trip. We really enjoyed the holiday and a large part is down to your team. From the time we had to shift the trip a few days until we returned to Singaporeit felt that no issue was too small to be dealt with and no problem to big to solve. Thanks very much indeed! |
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Mike & Glenda Rodd, South Africa, 9 day South Island self drive tour, February 2009Apologies for only emailing you now, but we would just like to thank you for organizing our trip for us. It was excellent and everything organized perfectly. We had a great time!! Thanks. Unfortunately it seems like a distant memory already. |
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Jan Graves & Tracy Young, USA, 16 day self drive tour North & south Islands February 2009We’ve been back for a week and a half now and are loving telling everyone about our adventures!Overall, we loved every place we stayed. We had some of the rooms with the best views (like at the Chalet in Mt. Cook and Brown’s Boutique in Queenstown) which we really enjoyed. Thank you if you had anything to do with that. A breakfast highlight was at the Martinborough Hotel. Incredible French toast. Most B&Bs only offered eggs as a hot breakfast, so I got a little tired of fruit and cereal and would have liked a French toast/waffle/pancake option. I also don’t think we met a grumpy person in the whole country, everyone was so nice. Actually the only slight exception was at the Grandview in Lake Tekapo. The hostess didn’t seem overly thrilled about letting us do laundry, but I think it was more that it was late in the afternoon and she was still pressing linens. Laundry did turn out to be a bit of an issue. Val in Rotorua was kind enough to do a load for us, but we didn’t find another place until Lake Tekapo. Even through their website advertised guest laundry, they acted surprised that we’d want to do laundry. But we were desperate at this point. As for activities, the Lost World caving adventure was a little more “real” than we expected, but we are glad we did it now that it’s over. The seal swim was the only thing I wish I hadn’t done. The water was just way too cold, I was miserable. It didn’t help that it was raining too so there was no way to warm up. I was super impressed with NZONE and felt very safe skydiving with them. The plane trip to the glacier in Mt. Cook was fantastic! It also helped that it was an incredibly beautiful day. |
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Mike, Fiona, Joseph, James, Kevin and Sai, UK and New Zealand, 6 day Self Drive Tours, South Island, February 2009We all had a wonderful holiday and would like to thank you. You took all the hassle out of organising a trip like this.The Kruse audio guide was great and really added to the driving parts of the holiday. We were all taken by the stories and legends that were on there, especially the boys. I just wish we had had more time for this part of our New Zealand journey. We did eventually hit some rain but it did not affect our enjoyment it may even have added to it as we were in a RAIN forest! |
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Laura Watson, Dee Ann Johnson and Sharon Cripps, Canada, 19 day self drive tour North and South Islands, January 2009I would like to thank you for the excellent advice David, and looking after us so well while we were visiting New Zealand. From accommodation choices, to suggested activities, to maps and driving distances that were manageable - you were excellent. From the time we arrived in Auckland on an early flight, Fine Tours was there for us. "Uncle" was awesome - he made sure we had transport, and our travel material right away. It was our fault that we didn't have the flight info corrected, so I really appreciate your assistance and ability to change plans "on a dime" to help us out. The Abyss, Black Water Rafting in Waitomo was a highlight, and our 'day in the sky' in Queenstown. From para-sailing, to para-gliding, to sky diving - all in the day we had to experience Queenstown - awesome! Your accommodation choices for 3 singles travelling together were perfect! Thank you for the pre-arrangements you made for extra beds at each of our stops. It worked out so well. And the Doubtful Sound overnight was amazing! What a special, unique country you have, and it was our pleasure to spend a couple of weeks exploring. We were disappointed we didn't get on the Heli-Hike at Franz Joseph, but that was our only cancellation, and given some of the weather in the neighbourhood, that was pretty good. The only 'glitch' we had, the Kruse thought we were done on our first stop at Christchurch, and never came back on. We had enjoyed listening to the stories and history of the areas we were travelling in while it lasted. I would highly recommend Fine Tours to anyone. The self-drive for 3 Canadian women used to driving on the 'other' side of the car and the road, was no problem! We were pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get around, and everyone we met was so helpful and nice. I can't wait to come back. Thanks David - it was the trip of a lifetime for us, and we enjoyed every moment without any worries. |
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Amy, Bruno, Jeanne & Jean Morel, Singapore and France, 16 day Self Drive Tour, South Island, January 2009All four of us had such a beautiful, memorable, relax, well-organised, wonderful trip, I find it difficult where to start telling you about it. I'll try to keep it short. We found the tour to be wonderfully well organised, well thought and thank you again for the taking the initiative to put forward suggestions, advise and giving me input on some of our trip decisions. Thanks again for your patience and time for discussing with me our options and taking me through and trying out different ways on how we could accomodate our "wish list" for our (now seem too short trip) to the South Island. Your patience and good suggestions made it a easy for me to decide to make our reservations with you. We found the vouchers very straightforward to use (also sad when they got lesser coz it meant our trip was ending). The map was excellent! It's great you thought about highlighting the route for us, it was so so so easy to know where we were heading! We also appreciate that there were already the tourist information hand-outs for all the places that we wrere going to visit, that helped us plan during the night before what we will do the next day. (Small suggestion, instead of a bag for the map & guides, a disposable carrier would be sufficient cause I dont' know what to do with the bag now and it's a bit of waste?) Bon, the KRUSE system is another super idea too. The music was easy listening, the stories were interesting and we truely appreciate having the commentaries and information about the places that we visited or drove past. We have learned so much more about New Zealand. Personally, I found it easier to remember the facts about the places this way, then by reading them through a book. It's much more interactive. Adding the phone was a very good idea too and thank you for taking our calls when we had to call you. :-). The organisation of returning these equipment was so well planned too, hassle-free! All the B&Bs that you have arranged for us were lovely. Each place has its own distinct charm and the hosts were so warm, friendly, helpful by giving us visiting tips, good restaurants to go to. Oh, we have had dined so very well! We have been to many really good restaurants and food is so fresh too. Back to B& Bs, we would like to comment that Matt at The Te Anau Lodge was the star and he really stood out. He had such warmth, enthusiasm, so spirited and if I may say, refreshing, even though he must have seen so many of us - tourist - come and go, and he makes these so so so delicious chocolate-banana muffins, yummy. Having to had to end up staying at the The Owner's Cottage at Grasmere Lodge was a blessing in disguise. It took our breath away! We had a very good surprise. It is very well decorated and view from the cottage was lovely. We had really wished we had more days. Another personal favourite of mine is the Hapuku Lodge, I love their furniture, artistically well designed and beautiful wood. Before we visited New Zealand, we were told it is beautiful and it is only after being there that we truly understood just how beautiful it is. People (locals) that we have met were so warm, friendly, civil and helpful too. The roads were so well signed, well made, that driving was just such a breeze and what considerate drivers there were! What we were really amazed to see was that there were even road signs that says "thank you", WOW. We saw irrigation made for roads that were likely to clog up water and that these too were even made it for the walking paths used by tourists, impressive. For such a beautiful place, it was heart-warming to find that people do care about their environment and do take care of this great place that they live in. I have so much more wonderful things to say about New Zealand but I'd better stop here. Once again, we had such a relaxing, enjoyable, beautiful holiday. We truly wished we had more days. It had been a hassle-free, well thought through, well organised trip. Thank you for the organisation and putting this all together for us. We would definitely love to visit New Zealand again and when we do, we will call on you :). We wish everyone very well. Bravo et Merci! |
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Lee and Mal Hawkins & family, Australia, 13 day Self Drive tour, South Island, January 2009Just wanted to send you a quick email to thank you for the wonderful arrangements you made on our behalf - it made our trip go so well - and we fitted so much in (perhaps a little too much in retrospect). However, wonderful holiday and I will certainly be recommending your service to others. |
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Juan Santamarina, USA, 9 day self drive tour, South Island, December 2008-January 2009Again, many thanks for setting up our New Zealand trip and also for putting me in touch with Daria in Australia. Everything worked perfectly and the trip was wonderful. Some highlights: It was great knowing that you were available at all times to organize things (like the change from airplane to helicopter at Franz Joseph).
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Joanna and Jean-Jacques Camus, 19 day self drive tour, North & South Islands, December 2008 - January 2009We have now returned from our 3 week holiday in New Zealand and I would just like to say thank you to Fine Tours NZ. Everything worked perfectly and without a hitch and we had the most amazing time. Now I can't wait to come back again. The hotels and bed and breakfasts that were picked could not have been better and all the people - both at the accommodations and elsewhere - were extremely friendly and welcoming. The weather was mostly warm and sunny, particularly the last week between Christmas and New Year. In Roturua a slightly stormy morning meant that our floatplane trip had to be postponed for a day. However this gave us the opportunity to visit Te Puia and Hell's Gate, where we saw geysers and had a mud bath - both activities that were totally new and exciting for us. We particularly enjoyed the Kruse commentary and had it on all the time. |
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Jane, Andrew, Ashleigh and Matthew Smith, South Africa. 11 days self drive tour, North & South Islands, December 2008We arrived home safely after a wonderful holiday in New Zealand. We really enjoyed the tour you had mapped out for us. The South Island is stunningly beautiful!! Queenstown is probably our family's favourite place. We would love to come again and have more time in the area. It was wonderful to have our route and accommodation all mapped out and planned for us. It made for a stress free holiday, as touring vacations can often be quite stressful. It was also such a bonus to have our road map highlighted with each day's route - we didn't even have to work out which road to take. You really seem to know what the foreign traveller needs! The accommodation booked for us was also great. To have transfers arranged for the days we did not have a car meant we did not have to worry about arranging a taxi to get to our hotel or the train station. The Kruse commentary was great as we learnt not only about the sights we were seeing, but a bit about New Zealand's history and culture. This added so much more to our experience. We were dissappointed not to be able to do the helitour on the Franz Josef glacier due to bad weather, so we will have to come back to see that.Thanks again for a great tour. |
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Martin & Barbara Le Winter and Michael & Carol Sesnowitz, USA. 17 day self drive tour, North & South Islands, December 2008 -January 2009We just returned home today. The only significant problem during our entire trip was our very last flight from Newark airport in the New York area to our home in Vermont. It was cancelled due to weather, necessitating a one night stay at the airport Marriott. We are used to this in winter time.With the exception of that slight rental car glitch in Picton all went very smoothly during our time in New Zealand. We all loved your country and look forward to returning in future - I'm sure you hear this all the time. Thanks for arranging a wonderful itinerary. In addition to the specific stops along the way we were especially pleased with your B&B selections. If we had to pick one that was the very best it would be the Pepper Tree in Blenhiem. An exquisite spot with wonderful hosts. |
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Val, Dale and Chris Martini, Las Vegas, USA. 12 day self drive tour, South Island, November 2008I will try and keep this fairly short but just want to let you know about all the positives from our trip last month. Our 1st 2 nights at the Crowne Plaza were fabulous. The rooms, staff and breakfast buffet were A++++. I have to rate this breakfast buffet the best of them all! We ate all other meals in town so did not try their in-house restaurants. Our stay at the Hermitage Hotel at Mt Cook was good but we had an unusually long dinner wait. I mentioned this to the receptionist but never received an explanation as to why such a long wait. The chalets were clean and tidy and the staff very accommodating. The Luxmore Hotel in Te Anau was incredible. We had the triple room which was perfect for the 3 of us. The breakfast buffet was nice but not as good as the other hotels. The staff, location and cleanliness were superb and I would highly recommend this hotel. As Claire recommended the Doubtful Sound Cruise, we were glad she did. Real Journeys did a fine job and had a friendly and knowledgeable staff. We did Milford Sound the very next day on our own and it was awesome due to the heavy rainfall which provided hundreds of waterfalls (more than normal). I preferred Doubtful Sound due to the remoteness but Milford Sound was worth seeing as well. The Millennium Hotel in Queenstown was super too but they had us booked for November 2009 but they said it was a computer error and upgraded us. Bella assisted us with our tour plans and couldn't possibly do more. Great location but a definite climb up the hill back from town. Our stay at the Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat was phenomenal (except for the cancellation of our heli- hike). Loved everything about this accommodation but it was a good few minutes out of town. Pleasant staff, very very clean and my 2nd favorite breakfast. The staff here was more than accommodating in every regard and thanks to the wonderful staff , they located a camera lens that we left behind and notified Fine Tours New Zealand. This gesture could happen in the US but I just don't think it would be likely. The car rental company was A+ and the cell phone was useful in calling hotels for late arrival. But best of all, thanks to the staff at Finetours for making our holiday a memorable one! We will have to return for our Franz Josef HELI - HIKE! |
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Nimala Balsubramanian & family, USA. 19 day self drive tour, North & South Islands, December 2008When i sit back here, at home, and think about the last three weeks, they seemed to have whizzed past right by, leaving me wondering whether i ever got on board. |
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Bernadette & Mervin Williams, USA - 9 day self drive tour, South Island, October 2008"Dear Kerry and Dave, Thank you so much for planning and organizing our tour of the South Island New Zealand. We had a great time thanks to you both and found the accommodation first class as well as your help with maps cell phone and the gadget that talked us around all the beautiful places that we visited. I would recommend you highly to anyone wanting to organize their own private driving tour." |
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June & Jim Tilton, USA - 17 day self drive tour, North & South Islands, November 2008"Hi Kerry: Well we made it home and everything was perfect from start to finish. All the drivers showed up on time and were very helpful with all there information. We really liked having the cell phone and the Kruse navigation was really helpful. We always stopped at the points along the way that they talked about. It was helpful knowing what we were looking at. All the folklore added to the ambience.The only motels that we didn't like were the ones in Queenstown and Christchurch. The one in Queenstown really was bad. The unit was nice but the smell was so foul we kept looking under the bed to see if there was a poopy diaper lying there. We asked to change our room but the next room they showed us was equally as bad. They tried to convince us it was from peoples cooking but everytime we left and came back it really hit you. We had to go by so room freshener just to survive the stay. Unfortunately all the places we stayed one day were perfect and the two day ones were less appealing. The Camelot in Christchurch was clean and the owners quite friendly and helpful but the place is quite old and very dark and dingy. And a bit of a walk to town. My favorite part of the trip ended up being the hiking. If I knew what I was doing I would have preferred to stay another day in TeAnu and hike the Milford Sound or go to Doubtful sound or stay another day in Franz Joseph and hike up to the glaciers. The area is soooooo beautiful. We got really bad weather for the milford sound trip. Pouring rain but we got to see some fabulous waterfalls. It would have been nice to hike the next day there and then try to go to Doubtful Sound the third day and then maybe we could have at least one day with better weather. You never know these things. I was glad we decided to hike. The golf was fun at the beginning of our trip but I didn't need to golf the second week. There are so many beautiful places that it seemed silly to be playing golf. We really liked Kelvin Heights. It really has a great setting. Our flight home was uneventful except for the flight from Christchurch to Auckland. I didn't realize they considered that flight an international flight. I thought it was a domestic flight and then an international flight. They made us check in internationally so we really were pressed for time. We only got there 45mins before our flight. The plane had some electrical problems and so we taxied out of the gate only to return again and wait another hour. We did make our connecting flight and all our luggage arrived at home with us. We were really surprised due to the late check in. Anyway. I'm rambling. So I' ve enclosed a picture of us on our Routeburn Hike. I hope you get the attachment as my computer skills are a little suspect when it comes to attachments. Thanks again for everything." |
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Mike & Nancy Darden, USA - 20 day self drive tour, North & South Islands, October 2008"Congratulations on planning a very sucessful trip for us. All went well, and was so much more that we expected that we are still in awe of your beautiful country, its people and their kindness towards us. All the activities went off as planned, all the motels were just what we needed, and I eventually did learn to drive on the "correct" side of the road.We live on a 45 acre landscaped marina condominium complex on Mobile Bay in Gulf Shores AL, USA. We came to NZ in the spring to that we could see the beauty of the country. My wife Nancy is in charge of the annual flower plantings where we live, and she fell in love with the botanical gardens in Rotorua, Wellington, Christchurch etc. I have a feeling our "semi tropical" paradise is going to have a distinctly more organized look to the plantings next year. Thanks also for giving us the name of the "Travel on Q" agency in AU. Everything went smoothy there for us in Australia thanks to their work on our behalf. If you decide to travel to our part of the world someday we invite you to check out the Gulf Shores Alabama area, and give us a call." |
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Dean & Rebecca Schaffer, USA - 8 day self drive tour, South Island, October 2008"We spent 8 days touring the South Island for part of our Honeymoon. Thanks to David and Fine Tours New Zealand it was truly an amazing and once in a lifetime experience. Their organization, professionalism and knowledge allowed us to coordinate the perfect trip to enjoy as much of New Zealand in a short amount of time. They were also always available to help us when we wanted to alter our itinerary both before we arrived in New Zealand and while on the trip. New Zealand is one of the most spectacular places on earth that everyone should try to visit. I would highly recommend working with Fine Tours if anyone is ever planning on visiting New Zealand." |
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Jenny Ng & Teong Hooi, Borneo, 22 day self drive tour North & South Islands, October 2008Just want to say a big "THANK YOU" - We really, really enjoyed our holidays in New Zealand.
Your hotel arrangements for us were fantastic! - Comfortable, good scenic view and good location and the hotel services were above average eventhough most of them are only 3-star hotels. We also appreciate your prompt attention and arrangements on our last minute change in itinerary at Queenstown. |
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Larry, John and Christine MacDonald, Canada, 24 day Self Drive tour, North and South Islands, October 20008We wish to let you know how very satisfied we were with all the arrangements you made for us from last September 29th to October 25th |
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Andrea, Mark and Brock Pace, Huntington Beach, California - 14 day private guided tour, North and South Islands, December 2006/January 2007.We just got back from our trip this past Sunday. As I tell all of the stories to my family and friends, I continue to describe the experience as a "trip of a lifetime" :) I have been wanting to go to N.Z. for several years now and this past holiday, was when we finally got to go. When first trying to plan my trip, I was completely overwhelmed, because I had never been to that part of the world, nor did I have any idea on what kinds of things I wanted to do when I got there. While digging through several web pages trying to figure out what I wanted, I came across the New Zealand Fine Tours website. It was a breath of fresh air, because my options were laid out right in front of me. While starting to dig into what I really wanted to do while in N.Z., my husband was unfortunately diagnosed with brain cancer. The uncertainty of what the future held made me more determined than ever to make sure we got to go on this family trip and make it the best ever. David at New Zealand Fine Tours was my saviour! He was very patient with all of the questions I had to ask and gave me tons of options that would fit into the budget I had planned. Because of his fine service, I decided that I wanted to go all out and do a private guided tour during our 2 week stay. David listened to every little detail about the kinds of activities and preferences that each member of my family was interested in and he planned an itinerary that guaranteed everyone got to experience New Zealand in a way that was important to them. For example, I wanted to see volcanic wonders and get learn about the Maori, my husband was interested in water fun and "Lord of the Rings" sites, and my 10 year old son wanted to ride horses and a train. David planned the perfect trip that included all of things and more! He even was conscious about making sure our food choices through the days was "vegetarian" friendly to our new cancer diet! Before our arrival, David made me very comfortable with what we were going to experience, he sent me day-to-day details on where we would be going and staying and outlined the pricing as well. Once we arrived in Auckland, David was right there to whisk us away on our Southern Hemisphere Adventure! We felt like royalty, because David would take care of all of the details of transportation, checking us in/out of hotels and activities, and taking care of making sure we were well fed. All we had to do each day was get in the SUV and get ready for new experiences! He was always prepared with the day's events and always had a plan B, just in case we didn't want to do a particular event or if the weather kept us from the day's fun. Each day was action packed, along with some surprises too, and we felt that we got to do so much more than we ever would have on our own without him. Because David grew up in N.Z., he was full of interesting stories and facts that you just wouldn't get without a local kiwi at your side. David himself was quite genuine and personable and the whole family loved him, especially my son. We actually were a bit sad when we had to leave, because we really enjoyed his company :( I hope you can tell from this little write up that we highly recommend David's group for anyone that wants to see New Zealand, you definitely won't be disappointed. We're now completely spoiled and will want David to go with us on every trip we plan in the future :) |
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David & Susan Barry, Maine, USA - 27 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, January - February 2007First let me say we were very well satisfied with the tour you organized and we would be happy to recommend your company to anybody visiting New Zealand. Your prompt replies to all our questions was a good indication of the level of service you provide as was the clear indication that you had visited most if not all the Hotels and B&B's so Fine Tours Service – Exceptional. Itineraries and other systems were Excellent. Comments - Mobile phone was a nice touch the driving times and distances and directions were excellent. The only distance which I think was wrong was Rotorua to New Plymouth which I think was 100 km's more. The Tranz Alpine train was a bit disappointing as you could not get near the observation coach. Budget Rent a Car was very good only issue was the long wait in line at Picton. A tip for other travelers' don't wait for the luggage, go directly to counter to beat the line. Hotel's and B&B were excellent except the Copthorne at Auckland needs a redo as does the Bay Plaza in Wellington. Thank you and the rest of the team for a truly wonderful tour of your lovely country. |
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Nick and Irene Heaslewood, Lancashire, UK - 33 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, January - February 2007Well here we are safely back in wet and windy England. Thanks for arranging a memorable trip. From the moment we were met by Uncle at Auckland airport to the moment we flew out of Christchurch everything went smoothly. The accommodation was impressive and our hosts really friendly and informative. We met many interesting people, hosts, fellow travellers and kiwis along the way. You were spoken of highly everywhere we stayed. We would certainly recommend you and your company to anyone contemplating touring New Zealand. We may well be back! |
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Marcel & Daniele Tournereau, Henry and Albane Thebault, Phillipe Cherel and Joelle Laporte, Paris and Martinique - 18 day private guided tour, North and South Islands, February 2007We would like again to tell you how satisfied and happy we have been with the whole tour. The program was very good and timing of activities such that we never got bored but at the same time had always time to relax. Your services were top class and your dedication can only be commended. You made us feel like friends visiting and not only clients. And that made a real difference!! Should any of your future potential clients wish an opinion, we would be more than happy to provide direct references. It will be hard on future vacation to best that one!!! Again, many thanks for a great vacation. |
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Bruce and Dagmar Michel, Ohio, USA - 20 day sef drive tour, South Island, February 2007Fine Tours service: Exceptional. I like your way of doing business and the special assistance provided. As noted earlier, the providers like that you pre-pay. I think that cannot help but have a positive impact on the way the customer is treated. Itineraries and other systems: Excellent. I liked being able to get a detailed itinerary and suggestions early on in the process. You might want to provide a summary of the text as it is not so voluminous to read. Also, anyone without a high-speed connection would find the itinerary too big. Your method of handling payments is good as it removes any potential anxiety about dealing with a relatively unknown entity on the other side of the globe. I think you have done a good job of harnessing computer tools to make everything clear. Vehicle: Excellent. The car performed as expected. I felt comfortable with the handling and braking of the Mondeo even when driving through some difficult alpine roads. There was no hassle in picking up or returning the vehicle. Lodging: Good to exceptional. You provided a good mix of types of lodging. Obviously, a place like Tighnafeile House is exceptional (but correspondingly expensive). Our one minor disappointment was at the Westhaven in Fox Glacier. It was hot and if we opened the rear patio door (removing any privacy) we became snacks for the sandflies. The design of the rooms makes ventilation difficult. I suspect that was also the least expensive lodging of the trip. We enjoyed Trelawn's beautiful grounds but we could do without the killer corgis. We had some good visits with other guests there. A highlight was our stop at Wilden Station. We were treated very well and given some interesting tours. The dinners were exceptional and a bargain at $40. They provided wine also in the price. The Blue Thistle in Te Anau was also a very comfortable place with fine hosts. The Fino Casementi was well-located and incredibly spacious. We got good service the morning of the train trip as breakfast would have been served too late due to the holiday, but they provided an excellent cold breakfast. The TranzScenic train was a bit of a disappointment. The scenery was not quite as grand as expected. The train was packed because of the holiday and we were located next to the cafe car, there was a constant stream of people walking through. But, it did save me from having to do some heavy-duty driving so early in the trip. The Doubtful Sound trip was exceptional. Our accommodations were excellent and we were favored with one of the 100 clear days plus the dolphins were quite willing to visit. Wilderness House in Akaroa was very pleasant. Jim, the host, was most gregarious. We had a good time drinking wine on the lawn with the other guests. The Routeburn Encounter was well run. Dagmar had some problem with the hills and some other people had leg issues. The young Japanese lady that was our guide was most accommodating and did everything she could so that everyone had a good experience. The dolphin swim at Akaroa was also well done. We had problems as we were not used to the buoyancy of the wetsuits. Dagmar is usually a good swimmer (better than me) but she did not feel comfortable. The crew was most accommodating. She went back into the boat and I mostly hung on the ladder. This piqued the dolphin's curiosity so we did see a lot of them close up in any case. We might have done better than the other swimmers in seeing dolphins. You delivered essentially what we asked for: a good flavor of the South Island. In hindsight, we had to spend too much time driving and would have liked to stay longer at some of the places. But, until we went there, how were we to know what we liked??" |
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Andrew and Roberta Greller, New York, USA.- 24 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, February - March 2007It was a great pleasure to work with David in setting the itinerary. The trip was smooth and we were able to keep to the reasonable schedule of drives and stops. Every motel we stayed in was clean and comfortable and near to the town and rooms accessible. The Hermitage at Mt. Cook was exceptional, both in comfort, views and food quality. The choice of venues that David planned for our itinerary was exceptional. We were especially pleased by our stay in Nelson and the Aqua Taxi drop off, 3 hour hike that we elected to take in Abel Tasman National Park. Other highlights were the Tamaki Village tour in Rotorua, Whale Watching in Kaikoura (4 sperm whales sighted) as well as dolphins and later NZ fur seals. As a professional naturalist I was not impressed with Napier although the wine was exceptionally good (and throughout the rest of our tour). Fiordland National Park was perhaps the easiest and most enjoyable of our tours. The choice of Doubtful Sound with Real Journeys was exceptionally good. In addition to magnificent scenery we sighted NZ fur seals, bottle nosed dolphins and even penguins. We shall never forget our tour of the natural areas of New Zealand and we thank Fine Tours for all the wonderful arrangements. |
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Julie & Peter Gray and Dawn Brooks, Essex, UK - 19 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, February - March 2007Thanks to Fine Tours New Zealand, we not only had a fantastic time in New Zealand but when we made a mistake on our itinerary they were there to fix things! We were met at Auckland, as promised, with a portfolio of information, a fully marked up atlas, hotel/motel and trip vouchers, a set of flyers about trips etc., our printed itinerary and a mobile phone. We travelled up to the Bay of Islands first and did a trip on a Tall ship which was brilliant. We definitely preferred Russell to Pahia, a recommendation from David. On to Rotorua where we stayed at a lovely old colonial hotel and did a float plane over the volcanoes - fab! Then down to Wellington for a couple of days and on across the Marlborough Sounds to the South Island. We nearly had a problem when we left our ‘portfolio’ containing maps, itinerary and vouchers in the trolley when we picked up the car! Having realised this, we returned to Picton and someone had handed it in - such lovely people! Our trip around the South Island was great - we saw whales in Kaikoura, swam with dolphins in Akoroa, saw Milford Sound by helicopter, landed on a glacier and did the Tranz-Alpine train. The train was a bit disappointing as it was summer and there wasn’t much snow around to make the scenery but the helicopter was brilliant. Our recommendation would be to choose this in preference to a fixed wing flight as they sometimes cannot fly. We didn’t manage to do our ski plane or the Milford Sound flight due to the weather but the helicopter made up for it! Anyway many thanks again and we will be recommending you to everyone who asks. |
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Mike Merrifield, Nottingham, UK - 8 day self drive tour, South Island, March 2007Thank you for a great tour. Even when things didn't go quite to plan, it all came out for the best. The delay in the glacier flight gave me time for a glorious afternoon walk up the Hooker Valley at Mt Cook, and the next morning was perfect weather for flying. The cancellation of the Franz Josef valley walk meant that I ended up on their half-day glacier hike, which was also excellent. Also, as you promised, Doubtful Sound was beautiful, and those I spoke to who had done both said it was far more fulfilling than Milford Sound. The accommodation all worked very well. Comparing notes with another of your clients whom I met on the way, the chalets at Mt Cook seem a much nicer experience than the main hotel, and The Dairy and the lodge at Franz Josef was both lovely. Your commentary book and directions were first rate, and the highlighted atlas worked very well. Anyway, thanks again. If you ever need someone to provide a personal recommendation for your services please feel free to give them my name and details. |
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Bart & Karen Brett, Knysna, South Africa - 29 day self drive tour, North and South Island, February - March 2007Just a quick note to say thank you for a truly stunning experience. I am particularly impressed by the way you managed to lay on sunshine every day but firstly, on behalf of Karen and I, thank you. We had a great time and its down to your organization and choice of locations/places to stay. I have been busy extolling your virtues to all and sundry here. I think we are vistad out such a beautiful country, with such a range of scenery in late summer where else can you sit on beaches and go heli-hiking on a glacier! What a sight Karen and I togged up with boots with ice talons and holding ice axes cutting steps on a gloriously sunny day. The 4x4 were a good call. We did 5000km with minimum fuss. Lost two windscreens (Is March National road gritting month in NZ?). Found, very irritating, the 30km speed limits on such roadworks and 99pc of the time the guys are not there at all or having a smoko on the roadside. Just waiting for the speeding tickets to arrive. Actually, think we are okay. But 100km is a joke on some of the long open roads Karen loved it. A big highlight was Quad biking at Apihara beach at 70km an hour and then zooming up and down 100ft sand dunes, swimming with Dolphins, Dart River jet boating (8 litre V6 Chevvy engine) running at 50 knots in 4 / 5 inches of water, clipping the gravel on the bottom and skimming past huge rocks and doing 360 degree spins. We had a glorious day on the Franz Josef Glacier. Karen has become an adrenalin junkie!! Hard to say what was my greatest pleasure but probably the Te Anau glowworm caves, a very good choice, thanks. Read the entire feedback from Bart & Karen Brett here |
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orma and Jim Begley and their 12 friends - 18 day self drive tour North and South Islands, February 2007I have to say that all my party had a really super time in N.Z and we would all recommend your company to anyone. We were away with a few of our N.Z.travellers last week in Devon and they were all saying it was the best holiday ever!! That is all down to you and Kerry and I thank you both very much from the bottom of my heart for all the trouble you took and I know we were a difficult group!!! It was great to meet you both and I wish you every success in the future. You never know, we may return - look out for two very old people!! |
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Fran & Mike Kirby, Australia - 18 day self drive tour, South Island, April 2007We really had the most wonderful time! Nary a glitch and although we have managed that before booking things ourselves, there was definitely a special touch with the accommodation choices...and having everything sorted out. Our hosts and accommodation were outstanding - thank you. Read the entire feedback from Fran & Mike Kirby here |
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Bonnie, Scott, Jill and Murray, USA - 13 day self drive tour, North & South Island, March 2007Very knowledgeable, excellent suggestions re the itinerary. Answered our many questions in a timely fashion. Best customer service of any company we have dealt with. The Cape Kidnappers Tractor tour was fantastic and made Gannet lovers of us all. The Kiwi Encounter tour in Rotorua was so informative and we all learned so much and ill adopt a kiwi when we return to the USA. Also really enjoyed the Walter Peak Farm tour, the interaction with the farm animals, the sheep dog demonstrations and shearing. Also the tea was well done and the Earnslaw ride excellent. Thanks again. |
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Luke & Pattie Dion, USA - 10 day self drive tour, South Island, August 2007Overall we had a great time. We really liked our accommodations in Christchurch, Mt. Cook, and Franz Josef. We like the B&B in Te Anau, and our hosts (Wendy and Rob(?)) were also very nice. Pattie (I learned when we were in NZ, unfortunately) was really interested in seeing penguins in the wild. Not your fault that we didn't see any, but I'd recommend playing this up some for winter visitors. Especially going to Southland. Knowing what I now know, I'd have preferred staying in Wanaka instead of Queenstown. We found Queenstown to be too much of a "tourist trap." We only stopped in Wanaka for coffee and found it to be very pretty and the people were quite friendly. We really liked Arrowtown, even though it was also a tourist trap. It reminded us of 49er towns in the California gold rush country. Milford Sound was everything we expected it to be. And, being off-season it was great not to fight crowds. Read the entire feedback from Luke & Pattie Dion here |
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Ralph Sinclair & Kim Von Flotow, South Africa - 10 day self drive tour, South Island, August 2007Thanks all you help and effort for the organization of our trip around South Island! We had a GREAT time, EVERYTHING was really nice and you did an awesome job with all the hotel locations etc! I can honestly say we could not have expected more from you and we are 100% satisfied with the job you did for us! THANKS! We would have loved to have had more time to see more of your beautiful country but hope to be back again for that somewhere along the line - maybe in 4 years time for the next Rugby World Cup ;-)) We do want to come back and probably re-visit Te Anau and Queenstown, maybe see the rest of South Island up north and definitely to check out North Island as well, and I would only deal with you for our bookings after this great experience! I have attached a picture of us for your guestbook - taken in the ice bar in Queenstown. Hey, what do you say about the Rugby WC so far?? I think we will play you in the final!! Attached a little something for you to show Dave - its the new rugby jersey for England after their game against South Africa the other day ;-)) Take care, thanks again for organizing a dream holiday for us, we really appreciate it! Good luck with the rugger, hope you demolish Aussie in the Semi Final!!! |
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Wendy, Jennifer and friends, Australia - 8 day self drive tour, South Island, October 2007I am just dropping you a quick note to say thank you for your organisation of our holiday. Mark & I were part of the Jenny Mienert tour group. We had a wonderful time and would certainly recommend your company to any of our friends should they wish to travel your beautiful country. We thought the Kruse GPS guide was a really good idea and most informative. Thanks again, |
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Rob and Mark, Canada, - 7 day self drive tour, South Island, October 2007Hi David, I just want to send a short note to thank you for helping us have a great trip in New Zealand. Everything went really well and we were very happy with all the accommodations, the car and all the information you gave us. We had a great time in New Zealand. Mark and I both liked the Kruse system. We had it on all the time we were driving. Iit was a nice way to learn about New Zealand. We had one problem with the system early on in the trip. For some reason, it seemed to repeat one specific text (about Maori war canoes) every now and then. After the third or fourth time, we figured something was wrong so we unplugged it and plugged it back in. That did the trick, and we never had another problem with it. Thanks again for everything. |
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Dot & Barry Parker and Mary & Leslie Nicholas - 17 day self drive tour, South Island, November 2008Thanks again for our second holiday under your guidance. All four of our party had a great time especially Mary & Les who had not experienced New Zealand before & were amazed at its beauty & diversity, not forgetting its enviable low population, compared to the UK. Even the weather was on our side with only a couple of wet days. |
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Jack & Lisa Pepper and Frank & Jennifer Gannett,N.C., USA - 8 day self drive tour, South Island, October 2007"We are back from our trip and recovered from jet lag. We wanted to thank you for arranging such a wonderful tour. The rooms were great, the places we toured were beautiful, and the people in New Zealand were wonderful hosts. Fine Tours New Zealand showed us a great time. The only thing we regret is not being able to stay longer. Thanks for refunding the car rental overcharge. I'm sending a picture of us enjoying a bottle of pinot noir from from the French Farm near Akoroa. Lisa and I are on the left and that's Frank and Jenny on the right. We hope to use your services again in the near future. Jack, Lisa, Frank and Jenny." |
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Bryce & Pat Segar, San Antonio, USA - 26 day self drive tour, North and South Island, October, November 2007"Pat and I just wanted to thank you for putting together a most incredible month long New Zealand holiday. Our original intent was to set up a u-drive trip of both islands and book the cars, accommodations and tours on the internet on our own. However, finding Fine Tours New Zealand definitely made planning the trip a whole lot easier! Having you take our requests and develop a trip plan and then do all of the booking was wonderful. Our B&B's and hotels were exceptional! Having Uncle available in Auckland to meet us and get us on our way certainly added to our trip. Please thank him for us - he was even a great asset at the end of the trip. Your availability and help during our trip with the provided cell phone went above and beyond anything we could have expected! We took over 3,000 pictures on our vacation and it will probably take me a few months to go through them, but I have included one of our favorites. Again, thank you Kerry and David, you made our trip a success!! " |
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Florence & Bob Brodkey, Virginia, USA - 10 day self drive tour, South Island, November 2007"I want to thank you again for the arrangements you made for us. Bob and I are used to travel independently, and this compromise was most successful for us.We enjoyed being picked up at the airport, the hassle-free transfer to the hotel, as well as the transfer to the airport just in time to check in for the flight back to United States. We liked the bed and breakfast accommodations. We would love to stay again at the Dunluce Bed and Breakfast, at the Wanaka Lodge. The only place we didn’t enjoy as much as the others was the Cranbury Court in Queenstown as it lacked character. As far as the itinerary, we would have traded the two nights in Queenstown for two nights in Te Anau with the opportunity to drive up to Milford Sound, if only to enjoy the spectacular drive. Queenstown and the surroundings do not warrant two days if you don't engage in the outdoor extreme activities. We did not find the Kruze system to be very helpful. (By the way, we were supposed to hear from Mr. Kruze, and never did, about the problems we encountered with the unit. Thank you for the refund of this service.) Not only did the unit malfunction, but when we were able to catch some information, we found that in several instances, it was not timely. Had it not been for guide books that we had with us, we would have missed a few things that were of interest to us. Two instances that come to mind. The clay cliffs around Omarama. They are mentioned when you can see them from the road, but much further than the spot where the road allows you to get to them and hike to see them up close. Likewise when in Arrowtown, there are several options to leave the town and get to Queenstown, and they are mentioned quite a while after one has to decide on the road. So we didn’t think it was a useful device. The Doubtful Sound Cruise was a highlight, an absolute must. We also enjoyed the Glow Worm Caves Tour. Both activities were great recommendations of yours, and it was good having bookings that we obviously could not have arranged on the last minute, upon arrival to the places. We appreciated your being a phone call away to solve any problems we could encounter. Thank you. Altogether, it was a great trip. We wished we could have had more time, but maybe we will be back to the area. Then we would definitely call on your services again. We will also recommend the formula to any of our friends who consider visiting the South Island of New Zealand." |
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Adrianne & Jared Blake, Japan - 10 day self drive tour, South Island, December 2007"We really enjoyed our trip-especially the Lord of the Rings Nomad Safari/4WD tour with gold panning.It was easy to get around the country and the guidemaps really helped us out. It was wonderful to use Fine Tours New Zealand because it took all the hassle out of planning. The cell phone idea was ingenious as well. Thanks! Attached is a photo with The Remarkables in the background. |
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Nancy, Shaun & Eric Toole, USA - 11 day self drive tour, South Island, December 2007"So this probably is way more detail than you wanted but I thought it would be nice for you to get feedback after all your hard work at getting this together for us. And I want to thank you, here, from the bottom of my heart for that. This trip came at the most painful time of our lives. I am glad we did not succumb to despair and took the trip despite everything. We will never forget it and it will serve as a beautiful memory of the starting point for our family as it is now. Thank you for giving us this experience. You made it easy and wonder-filled! Read the entire feedback from Nancy, Shaun & Eric Toole here |
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Peter and Julie Fossum, California, USA - 16 day self drive tour, South Island, November, December 2007"We are very grateful to Kerry for putting together a wonderful holiday. This was our first trip to New Zealand, and I'm sure it won't be our last. We enjoyed the variety of accommodations, from luxury hotels to B&B's. Our favorites were the White House in Dunedin, The Convent in Te Anau (Te Anau Lodge), and the Mount Victoria home-stay in Wellington. The hosts were all very helpful and friendly. There were so many highlights from our trip, the road to Milford and the Milford Sound boat cruise, horseback riding at Glenorchy near Queenstown, The Moreki Boulders, the blue penguins, wine tasting, and many others. The cell phone came in quite handy, and the Kruse system was helpful and enjoyable, but we did have to re-boot it many times. Thanks again!" |
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Robin and Elaine Johns, Hampshire, UK - 31 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, December 2007 - January 2008"Apologies for not replying earlier, but we has been busy learning how to upload all our photos (around 1000) on to our computer, and then how to edit them down to a manageable number before we embark on a series of presentations to friends and family.....Elaine is in control of IT and I am going to pour out the wine, (on which subject , I managed to find a UK shop which sold some of our favourite, a Marlborough Riesling from Framingham, together with some excellent Pinot Noir ) - these are all waiting to be tested, as soon as we can finish the packaging of the presentation.Eventually then please find attached a picture of us taken on South Island........as you may remember, after we left you (and many thanks for the lunch) we enjoyed around 6 days in Christchurch staying with friends, which included a weekend at Hanmer Springs, and visits to Akaroa and Diamond Harbour in addition to the wine tasting etc. Now for some quotes for your website. We have had a memorable holiday, and while we were lucky enough to have taken advantage of advice from two sets of residents/friends, we are indebted to you both for the high quality advice, guidance, accommodation, scheduling, and rapid response throughout the planning, and indeed the holiday itself. Accommodation highlights : Pepper Tree Blenheim, and the Martinborough Hotel; outstanding friendly reception and service at Te Wanaka Lodge and Punga Grove, Franz Josef; magnificent ambience of Punakaiki Resort. Outstanding memories: the skiplane ( not helicopter) trip up on to the glacier, taken with just the two of us and the pilot, in perfect weather, was to quote Elaine " one of life's defining moments". The cruise on Doubtful Sound, made in large part by the complementary skills of the crew of the Fiordland Navigator. The tractor trip along the beach to see the gannets at Cape Kidnappers, again an example of nature enhanced by humans, in this case the excellent rapport and wit of the drivers. The quality of your package, with highlighted maps, Kruse, mobile phone, and an array of advice which informed us through our travels. You should already have dealt with the first of our referrals since as luck would have it from your point of view, it seems that several members of our golf club are planning a trip to NZ..... When we return, we will certainly liaise with you, and until then best wishes with the business, and with the imminent increase in the family! |
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Peter & Maureen Thorndyke and Helen & Chris Davies, Yorkshire, UK - 7 day self drive tour, South Island, January 2008"Only just returned home, we stopped over in Australia (Melbourne) and KL for a while. Although our time in NZ was necessarily short, we had a terrific holiday. Your organisation was first class, everything went like clockwork, and the accommodation was invariably better than our expectation. The Kruse system was a delight - though if its ever upgraded, I would suggest a warning light or buzz when it is about to start. Currently it has to be left audible all the time, to ensure nothing is missed, which means you can't listen to news or sport on the radio, without background music. But that's just a minor quibble. We will certainly recommend you to any friends considering the trip. And maybe we can 'do' North Island in the next 2 years. You have a beautiful, clean, fresh country (So why does everybody seem to want to throw themselves off bridges?)." |
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Iliana Brodziak & Ernesto Staroswiecki, California, USA - 14 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, January 2008"I just wanted to let you know that we were very happy with our trip to New Zealand, we liked everything!!!!! The cell phone was of great use, and the Kruise was also nice to have. We were really pleased with all the hotels, my only comment would be regarding the Copthorne in Auckland. It had a great location but the rooms do need a little revamp.Thank you so much for helping us out." |
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Alyson & Richard Wise, Norfolk, UK - 26 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, January 2008"Many thanks for the tour of New Zealand that you organised for us.We had a lovely holiday and think your country is great, especially South Island." |
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Anne & Bob Khan, Chicago and Raj & Marie Pillai, New Jersey, USA - 17 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, February 2008"We had a lovely time and I would like to provide feedback on the various accommodations and tours. |
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Helen & William Ayre, Ontario, Canada - 18 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, February 2008"We had a wonderful vacation, thanks in large part to your assistance with the details. We wanted to provide you with some feedback regarding the various accommodations etc. that you set up for us. You already know about the issue of picking up our rental car in Auckland, so I won’t repeat that. Auckland - Uncle Harding was punctual and helpful, a very nice introduction to NZ." Read the entire feedback from Helen & William Ayre here |
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Tessa & Simon Sutton, France - 21 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, February 2008"First may we congratulate you on brilliant organisation. We were unable to fault it. The country and scenery is beautiful, the people wonderful and so friendly and all added to making it the most wonderful holiday and Kerry, the icing on the cake was that you managed to get Kiri Te Kanawa to sing to us in the park in Nelson, a wonderful piece of organisation! Advice to others would be not to rush it. We took three weeks when six weeks would only just do the country justice. Most places need a very minimum of two nights stay, three or four would be preferable. You don't realise the distance between places and it always takes longer that expected. The car rental through Budget and the choice of cars was excellent, (could have done without the speeding fine) . The Kruse commentary system is the most wonderful piece of technology and is a must to anyone touring, not only was it informative, but it was made so interesting by the insertion of local information and Maori history. Your choice of hotels and bed and breakfasts was very good. In hindsight we should have opted for more B & B's as these are of such good quality and it is also a chance to meet fellow travellers. We will most definitely recommend you to anyone we meet who is intending to visit New Zealand. After Tessa's back problem we are also now able to recommend a lot of very good osteopaths around North and South island. Once again, very many thanks" |
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Madeline Bailey & Steve Wyant, California, USA - 14 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, March 2008"We had a GREAT time! Thank you so much for putting our fabulous itinerary together. Everything worked out great. No hassles with the car, the GPS, the transfers, the activities or the lodging! We would recommend you to anyone and everyone who's travelling to NZ, especially someone going for the first time. We especially liked the places you booked for us in Napier and Kaikoura. This may not come out right but I mean it in the best way... it was great that we didn't know the prices of the individual elements of our trip or we probably wouldn't have selected the Hapuku Lodge in Kaikoura. We generally wouldn't book something quite as extravagant so it was SUCH A TREAT to arrive there and find such a spectacular place. I hope you know what I mean. We are DELIGHTED that you booked it for us! Here's a picture of us at Mt. Cook visiting the Tasman Glacier.Thanks again for everything! We'll be back!" |
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Frank Yeung, Hong Kong - 10 day self drive tour, South Island, March 2008"We were very pleased with the arrangements made by Fine Tours New Zealand. It is exemplary of the country's hospitality and in particular, that of the South Island. The choice of accommodation for us was marvellous, and the touring kit supplied is just fabulous. Our agent, Kerry, is most prompt in her assistance, and really make us feel secure and well looked after, given it is our first time to the country. We would not have the slightest hesitation to recommend anyone to book through Fine Tours New Zealand when quality, prompt service, and friendliness is sought after." |
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Frank & Joan Eikenberry, York Town, IN, USA - 38 day self drive tour, North & South Islands, March - April 2008"From Cape Reinga in the north to Half Moon Bay in the south Joan and I thoroughly enjoyed our journey in New Zealand. Our objective was to see and learn about the fauna, flora, geography, geology, peoples, and history of New Zealand and that was accomplished far exceeding our expectations. We now have a more profound respect, even affection, for New Zealand and a better understanding of its past and, perhaps, its future. We admire greatly the environmental policies and quest for social justice pursued by the New Zealand peoples through their elected officials. I think Joan and I are better persons for having visited. The variation and beauty of the country are amazing given that they exist in such a relatively small package. We drove over 5100 kilometers and walked several more km on tracks and sidewalks in our 39-day stay. I think it is fair to say that we saw much of the countryside and several urban settings and talked with many of your citizens in our travels, certainly enough to form opinions almost all of which are positive.Together Joan and I took 1200 pictures. We have family and friends who are very excited about seeing our pictures (and suffering through the accompanying commentary.) It will be a pleasure sharing them and reliving our days there. I suspect that many will entertain plans of making a visit themselves at some future date. Nothing we have to show or say will discourage them. The freedom and flexibility afforded us by driving ourselves was worth the early anxiety of learning how to drive in New Zealand, though I would have preferred not to begin on a rainy morning in Auckland. But, we persevered and could soon maneuver the roundabouts like a native. The Kruse System proved to be a valuable asset contributing much to our understanding and appreciation of what we were seeing and experiencing and alerting us to upcoming opportunities. Our only complaint would be some of the music selections. Summarizing, we obviously loved New Zealand. One of the best things we ever did. And Fine Tours helped make it a care-free and memorable experience. For this we are sincerely grateful" |
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Tracy & Denice Nunnery, San Francisco, USA - 14 day self drive tour, North & South Islands, March 2008"Thanks for a wonderfully planned and organized adventure! All of your suggestions were on the mark and fit our style of vacation perfectly! There were lots of hiking, nature and photography opportunities - we really felt like we succeeded in having an immersive trip. Some of our favorite places to stay include the Great Ponsonby in Auckland, Teichelmann's in Hokitika and the Wilderness Lodge in Lake Moeraki. The locations, hosts, food and hospitality couldn't have been better. Driving was a breeze, the supplied materials and guide book were indispensible, the phone came in very handy, the Kruse system was a valuable addition to our trip and the organization could not have been better. Our most memorable activities have to include hiking in Abel Tasman, visiting the Farewell Spit, taking a helicopter over the geothermal areas, hiking, kayaking and exploring the breathtaking scenery of the west coast of the South Island and getting really in-depth experiences with our two-day wildlife photography workshop. We were so sad to leave and have already started planning a follow-up trip to see the areas we missed and to re-see some areas we loved." |
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Linda & Brian Bissonnette, Ontario, Canada - 16 day self drive tour, North & South Islands, March- April 2008"First of all, as Canadians who commute to work 50 km one way every day, we underestimated the adjustment period to driving on the opposite side of the road. The steep grades, combined with hair-pin corners, certainly tested our driving skills and our navigational anxiety. It took 3 days to pry my wifes fingernails from the dashboard. We hope this was covered under the insurance. By the fourth day our new found confidence allowed us to better appreciate the beauty and wonders of the New Zealand topography. Our favourite scenic view was during a side day trip to Cape Reinga and the Ninety Mile beach with Dune Rider tours. The view from the lighthouse where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean join was breathtaking. We recommend to any other travelers to visit the Waitomo Glow-worm and Aranui caves as well as the Wai-o-tapu Thermal park. There was also the Akaroa boat cruise which we enjoyed and saw many hector dolphins and fur seals. The fur seals on this cruise did not compare to the opportunity we had to walk amongst them at a pull-out just before Ohau Point. This was again another memorable experience. The arrangements from beginning to end went smoothly. The timing of connections and the individuals who met us to transport us to various locations were perfect. New Zealander's are obviously strong ambassadors for their country. Everyone we met through our travels were engaging, helpful and quick to offer suggestions of "must-sees "in the area. There was an interesting competitive pride between the locals of the North and South islands. Each felt their end of the world was the better place to be. From our perspective having traveled both the North and South island, each area was notably different but equally beautiful." Read the entire feedback from Linda & Brian Bissonnette here |
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Anne & David Wallace, Linda & Alan Forster,UK - 18 day self drive tour, North & South Islands, March - April 2008 (The Old Farts & Tarts World Tour 2008)"Anne & David - We're back in the UK now after our wonderful adventure. The whole trip around the world went really well, all exactly to plan. However, our tour in New Zealand was a definite highlight made especially good by the work you put in on our behalf. We couldn't fault any of the plans you made on our behalf. The accommodation, the route planning, the tours were all absolutely fabulous and we had the comfort of knowing that you were at the end of a telephone whenever we needed you. We have recommended you to everyone we met on our trip so I hope you get some more business as a result. The Kruse Commentary System was wonderful. We spent many happy hours listening to the Maori stories and the geographical info about where we were. My husband, Dave, was a Geography Teacher so he was particularly interested in all the info. We would also recommend Kruse to anyone doing a tour like ours. We had the benefit of a guide without the inconvenience of a bus load of other tourists. Any way, I just wanted to say a very big thank you for everything you did on our behalf. It really was very much appreciated.Linda & Alan - We have recently returned to the UK after a three month long world trip and the 17 day New Zealand tour was organised by Fine Tours New Zealand. We would just like you to know that we had the most amazing time in New Zealand thanks to the itinerary you put together for us. We were delighted with the choice of hotels and cars, and we were thoroughly entertained by the Kruse system. We would have no hesitation in recommending you to our friends. Once again many thanks for making our time spent in New Zealand so memorable. " |
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Gene & Martha Theriot, USA - 21 day self drive tour, North & South Islands, April - May 2008"Martha and I had a wonderful time in NZ and are now back in the US, making our way east from California. We marvel at the beauty of God's creation at every turn. We enjoyed each place we visited. Among those we enjoyed most, were Auckland and Queenstown, wishing we could have spent more time in each. The B&B's in Auckland (Great Ponsonby B&B), Hokitika (Teichelmann’s) and Te Anau (Te Anau Lodge) were the best. All of the people we dealt with were very friendly and helpful. If we have the opportunity to return and now that we know the lay of the land, we'll probably use an option that will allow us more flexibility in accommodations and itinerary."Read the entire feedback from Gene & Martha Theriot here |
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Ann & Peter Turnbull and Mary Powlseland, Australia - 18 day self drive tour, South Island, April - May 2008" We are home at last from a remarkable and very enjoyable trip around the South Island. Thank you for all your suggestions for accommodation and tours. We all had a wonderful time as a result but I do want to give you some feedback." Read the entire feedback from Anne, Peter and Mary here |
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Anna & Tony Mackin, California, USA - 5 day self drive tour, North Island, September 2008" We are now in Sydney awaiting our flight to Ayers Rock. I wanted to thank you for the lovely itinerary. Some comments and suggestions; Kruse was nice to have for music, would have preferred more touring info, basically did not have a lot of info on most area's and just played music. Phone was nice and easy to use, both were easy to drop off at airport, the Budget gal took the Kruse for me and the phone easily slid into the post box. Kamahi Cottage was precious, she is an excellent cook, lovely time there. Highly recommended. The Chateau was very nice, lots of skiers. My husband's back was hurting so we did not get to do very much hiking. Excellent little road cafe "Licorice cafe" excellent food! Driving was very nice, beautiful countryside everywhere. Lucky for us weather was beautiful. Waitomo Caves were great, In Aranui we were the only 2 and so had a private tour. Huka Lodge - what can I say "Heaven on Earth" most unbelievable" so glad I changed for 2 nights. Everything in bloom, staff unreal and great, got my husband a massage right away while I went on the Jet Boat. Huka jet boats - so nice, I didn't even ask about a refund and they offered it when my husband couldn't make the ride, they even dialed you up and did the credit (very nice, and I didn't expect it). Volcanic air, sooooooo NICE. My husband's back was still hurting and we got there early, the young woman at the desk dialed up a friend and Chiropractor and got my husband a treatment there in the office before our flight, so gracious. Please let her know my husband is feeling much better today. The flight was wonderful, our pilot was great and of course we had the luck of a sunny beautiful day. Had to cut short the Buried Village, but very interesting and a definite must see, especially the museum, very well done. Loved the trip, will be back to do South Island. Again thank you so much for the maps and info, all very helpful. |
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Leslie & Erin Gawkoski, USA - 22 days self drive tour, North & South Islands, September 2008"I wanted to thank you for the terrific trip Erin and I had in New Zealand. We loved every minute of it. The accommodations you arranged were great and the booklet (especially liked the maps and directions to each hotel), trip map, brochures, and Kruse commentary system were perfect. The whole trip went off without any problems - even the weather cooperated for most of the three weeks. We especially wanted to thank the owners/managers of the hotels in Paihia (Casa Bella Motel), Abel Tasman ((Ocean View Chalets), and Christchurch (Camelot Motor Lodge). All of them were so helpful in arranging excursions and recommending places in the area. Thank you again for making New Zealand such a memorable trip." |
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Peter Yates, Essex, UK - 17 day self drive tour, North and South Islands, November 2006I really had the most fantastic trip back in November, which was all due to your experience, hard work, and patience (where I'm concerned). The whole experience was great, and your accommodation choices were all outstanding and added immensely to my enjoyment.I really did have the most fantastic time exploring your beautiful country and - as I predicted - I will definitely be back to see more, or perhaps just try to see a bit more of some of my favourite spots though choosing these will be difficult! The support you provided in planning, booking and executing my trip were outstanding as was your attention to detail with items such as the mobile 'phone and the highlighted route maps, which were invaluable. A HUGE (and now well overdue) THANK YOU for putting together a truly memorable vacation tour for me - rest assured I'll be back in touch to plan my return visit although probably not until next year. |
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Aymeric and Jacqueline Fraise, Zentral healthy eatery,Shanghai China - 14 day private guided tour, North and South Islands, September 2006Thanks again for the most amazing honeymoon! Stay in touch and look out for some of my friends contacting you in the near future |
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Continued...At the Airport a friendly woman was there to greet us and drive us to our motel. The next morning right on time the rental car was delivered, almost new only 11,000km. The overall service provided was excellent. I was very impressed with the detailed copy of our itinerary complete with driving instructions, maps, points of interest and suggestions for daily activities. Informative supplied brochures and NZ book. No complaints about accommodation. We requested kitchen facilities. David delivered and we enjoyed everywhere we stayed. One host even upgraded us to an ocean view room , others late check-outs or early check-in. The voucher system worked well - no problem with any bookings. Some highlights we really enjoyed were viewing the pup seals at North Kaikoura, relaxing at Hanmer Springs, an Abel Tasman Aqua Taxi cruise and walk, unique pancake rocks, a Franz Josef Glacier hike and later the thermal pools, Kiwi Haka Show, a great buffet meal with spectacular views over Queenstown. Just in the first 9 days – lots more to come. David booked two Real Journeys cruises . We were impressed by their organizational skills and friendly, efficient staff. We enjoyed the Doubtful Sound Overnight cruise remote wilderness experience , the cabin was larger than expected and food was delicious. The friendly Captain allowed us into the wheelhouse and was willing to answer our questions. This cruise is a great way to spend 24 hours. On the eve of our Milford Sound Cruise we became aware that snow was forecast so at late notice we rang Real Journeys (on mobile provided by Fine Tours – Thanks) and with no hassle booked a coach from Te Anua. We relaxed and enjoyed the commentary and the beautiful scenery in the snow instead of worrying about chains, etc. We did not expect snow in November so the Milford Sound cruise was really more scenic and the recent rains had the waterfalls running well. Another great day enjoyed on the waterways of NZ. Just a few more highlights Stewart Island (2 nights). The hosts were friendly and Peter Tait’s Ulva Island nature walk was a great experience. If you like a train journey I can recommend taking a very scenic trip from Dunedin Railway Station to Taieri Gorge and return (4hrs). To try and cut a long story short I’ll just mention one more highlight. At Mt Cook we booked a Glacier Explorers boat trip on Tasman Lake. Very well managed by the tour guides, informative and well worth the visit to get up close to icebergs. I overheard one tourist say everywhere you go NZ has the wow factor ! Just what I was thinking at the time. From what you have already read there is probably no need to sum up our holiday and tell you it was fantastic. We loved the relaxed South Island and the beautiful scenery. Well done Fine Tours. The itinerary was just right, including the distances driven each day, the points of interest we viewed, the activities we participated in, the accommodation, etc. not easily arranged without your valuable knowledge of NZ. - Apart from the holiday feedback I would like say to potential travelers to NZ that another plus for us was the website. It was mind boggling searching the internet until I discovered the Fine Tours website. I instantly gave up trying to organize it myself. I selected a holiday that I thought we would enjoy at a cost within our budget. David was able to modify this tour slightly to meet our desires. The beauty of Fine Tours was that David somehow manages to fit all these wonderful options into your tour at a price you are happy to spend overall without needing to know the actual costs of any individual item. If we did we perhaps would tighten our belts and miss out on some wonderful options. Congratulations and a big thank you from Ron and Kay. Hope to contact you at another time to visit the North Island. |
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Continued...We had no problems with rent cars which were picked up and returned with ease. We really enjoyed our time with the owners of Cobden Garden in Napier, their friendliness and hospitality was second to none. Fiordland Lodge and Peppers were other favorites, but we found all accomodiations very satisfactcory. The hotel room view at Hermitage Aoraki Wing Mt Cook was spectacular. While at Queenstown we did the Dart River Safari and thoroughly enjoyed it. We didn't need the phone often, but it was useful on occasion and made us feel more at ease. The only outstanding item of which I am aware is that the Heli Flight at Franz Josef Glacier had to be cancelled because of low cloud and rain - it was not possible to reschedule in the time we were there.Thanks again, we will be referring all our friends who have an interest in New Zealand to FineTours. Best regards, Jim |
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Continued...As before, it was easy driving with the very detailed map, easy move from destination to destination. Learned so much about the history and culture of this country. Rotorua was fascinating with its geothermal areas. And again, how well we have dined. There is really really great food in New Zealand.It was for us, another great trip in New Zealand. I would recommend anyone to book their tours with Fine Tours. Just take it from us, we came back the 2nd time round. The very best to everyone at Fine Tours. Merci! |
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Continued...The detailed itinerary booklet was appreciated by the copilot as she read it on the road towards the next hotels every day. Helping us out to choose activities. We will keep it as a souvenir. it will remind us very good memories.The trip was just too short, all together we drove 1,300km in New Zealand (1,700km in Australia) and had no issues with the car except that the wipers would turn on every time that we wanted to turn left or right:). (our flashers are on the left hand side of the stirring and I kept forgetting to use the right hand side for flashers) The one very small thing that we had to look for because the locations were not pre-entered in the GPS were Milford sound and the car rental return at the Queenstown airport. A heads up warning for gas shortage would have been appropriate for the Milford drive as there is no gas station for the whole drive to the terminal. The gas tank better be full before someone leave, there is a warning on the road just outside Teanau (if it was documented somewhere, Sorry we did not see it and there is probably lots of other stuff that we skip over unfortunatly) I hope that you received the cell phone and GPS intact. We were not sure if we should have mail it from Auckland or Queenstown. Thanks a lot for the memorable trip. |
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Continued... Bart & Karen BrettOnly place that we weren’t mad keen on was Auckland which we felt was a typical big city but with no real centre just lots of trendy suburbs.. Preferred Wellington and Christchurch. Anyway, the trip was about the countryside mind you, we loved Napier for the Art Deco style buildings. Went on the guided walk to see the Art Deco places and whilst in the Theatre saw that they were having a Motown revival night. Great fun all the Napierites in the aisles dancing and 4 guys singing the Four Tops and Temptations songs wearing very dodgy zoot suits. We had all ages there and some 70 year old’s were dancing along or in one case moving his head in time to the music. They had us singing along. Or worse they said do you know this one and stopping singing for us to carry on. Great Night. Yes I know hokey but I am a babyboomer so its my time and music.As regards comments about places we stayed. I am going to take you at your word and try and give you some considered comments. Restaurants absolutely to be recommended
Other food comments Auckland Euro, Auckland waterfront - very disappointing. Some serious problems between kitchen and room staff - food sitting for ages on pass and not great when served. Sunshine Restaurant, Auckland - excellent authentic Dim Sum - mind you surprisingly quiet for a Cantonese filled restaurant. Must be NZ changing them -normally can’t hear yourself speak. Apihara - Beachcomer restaurant in Kaitaia (near Apihara) okay provided you have the salad bar, which was good, and/or fish but not much else in either town apart from KFC! The Mangonui Fish Shop - you were right - great! Russell - Sally’s good home cooking - friendly service, Kamakura - good interesting food but indifferent service. Warkworth area - new complex just opened in Matakana - Brasserie - setting on river great - food poorly presented and amateur service - but .. locals loved it and only just opened so can only improve once tourists and Aucklanders use it. Maybe we were unlucky. Coast road from Russell south - Gallery and Café Helena Bay Hill - run by Austrian family great snacky lunchtime food and fantastic view to the ocean. Greytown - French Baker - great cakes and snacks for lunch Wellington - Simply Paris - pattiserie wonderful chompy things Wellington - Museum Hotel Allen St - Great Malaysian Restaurant - food authentic but especially liked the box on each table - you can press for fast ordering, drinks, the bill etc and your table number and request come up on a LED screen that the waiters can see - nifty. Napier - Provedore, Napier waterfront - fine for Tapas and a beer, okay for dinner. Dunedin - Lanarch Castle food cold and generally disgusting we walked out. The Hungry Frenchman - very good bistro food Accommodation my biggest mistake was to suggest Lanarch Castle - nightmare - they are running a walkers/cyclists B&B and their clients will put up with what they offer. The ‘upmarket’ boutique Lodge with dinners by arrangement doesn’t work - the rooms poor and the staff (though willing) have no idea what is required. Even the gardens were disapointing and full of day trippers from 9am. Mia Culpa. B&B’s / LODGES AACHEN HOUSE, AUCKLAND Excellent start to holiday. Very professional staff, well equipped and organized. One of the best B&B breakfasts with chef in attendance. Perfect choice. SIESTA LODGE APIHARA - you know our views on this place. The owners are playing at running a B&B. How can you run a place on a tourist visa leaving neice and boyfriend (who are in NZ for a fun filled year) to run things whilst you are away. The rooms were dirty and rundown. Bathrooms full of dead and live insects and a rotten carpet in the bedroom where the weather has come in over several years is not acceptable. The breakfast was a joke. Okay no cooked meal as ‘none of their clients wanted it’ but fruit salad cut the night before, slices of toasted sliced bread are not good enough. Good location and a host willing to go quad biking with you is not enough. KAURI CLIFFS lovely location, excellent restaurant and food, beautiful rooms but whole place a little too pleased with itself. Got my back up as the only place insisting on a jacket for dinner and supplying one. Pity – ended up as our least favourite of my fancy choices!! The newly opened Spa was good tho, especially after the quad biking! ARCADIA LODGE, RUSSELL Nice guys, very helpful, excellent location, nice atmosphere and well equipped. Rooms a bit noisy but that’s the price you pay for old places so not problem as expected. Very good choice. SALTINGS, SANDSPIT Very well run, probably our favourite B&B suite. Lovely location. We see why its on your list. Excellent MATARANGI LODGE, MATARANGI Well what to say. Great setting, beautiful house, expensively furnished in interesting taste (furry high heeled shoes and feathered tea cosy’s not our thing but rooms very well equipped. Slight quibble. If you have noisy fellow guests (as we did) who drink late into the night, then the internal walls are very thin. The managers are nice people but the food is something else. Apparently, the managers have not heard that the Spice Islands have been discovered. Best not eat dinner there but even breakfast is not great but bearable. What didn’t affect us as we were leaving but was not acceptable that morning was the insistence by the manageress at the end of breakfast that the three other couples vacate their rooms immediately as ‘we have things to do today and need to service your rooms’. Pity Due to illness, I imagine that there will be new managers in the foreseeable future. SOLITARE LODGE, LAKE TARAWERA - This is a place that definitely should be on your list for ‘upmarket’ Lodges. Stunning setting, excellent rooms (if a little small by comparison with the suites in the other lodges). Food first class. Loved the atmosphere no check-out time, no breakfast time, no jackets for dinner!! Not mad keen on communal eating although they offer option of eating in room. Nice efficient staff and lots of ‘free’ activities on lake etc. HUKA LODGE, TAUPO I guess you know this place. Actually, its not our favourite as when you get to this standard you are dealing with very small differences, as all these ‘boutique’ Lodges have stunning locations and pander to every whim. Cottages on riverside lovely (bathrooms perversely are smaller than they should be). No Jackets, dinner where ever you want – we ate dinner outside and they set up two braziers, put mohair blankets over our chairs in case we should get chilly!! Breakfast outstanding. Food generally excellent. Quibble noisy from Helicopters not only from guests arriving but mostly from others hovering over the nearby falls. COBDEN VILLA, NAPIER Great Location, pretty house and expensively furnished with Art Deco stuff. Perhaps that’s the cause of our one complaint. Cannot for the life of me see why guests not allowed to make tea in their rooms or in living room unless its because of the ‘antiques’. Whatever the reason, it is not good enough to say ring the bell by our door and we will make tea/coffee for you. The net result is that you don’t ‘ring’ them to make you tea/coffee at 0630am or at 2130 when you come back from the ‘Motown Revival’ show. Otherwise, excellent rooms especially the bathroom, nice helpful couple but not sure how long they will be running as B&B as A) place for sale B) the husband reckons that he has given her ‘dream’ a shot and now it’s his turn to have a farm! Good choice thanks WHAREKAUHAU This has to be our favourite boutique Lodge. It’s a close thing with Eichardt’s in Queenstown but this place has everything. Lovely location overlooking Palliser Bay,, of course, sublime cottages, eat where you want, first class food. No check-out time or breakfast time. Loads of facilities but most of all its down to the people and the relaxed atmosphere strangely the three senior people were South Africans. We really regretted not spending two nights here. A great place to do as little or as much as you want. MUSEUM HOTEL, WELLINGTON Perfectly okay hotel but the colour scheme inside and out very dark and drab which gave it an undeserved seedy feel. It had everything a hotel should have and nice touches such as giving you fresh coffee on arrival for your room. We liked its central location and helpful staff but it was a shock after Wharekauhau and I think, next time we would opt to stay out of town centre at a 4-5 star B&B and drive in. UNO PIO, BLENHEIM Without doubt our favourite B&B. This place has everything. I guess in essence it felt like you were a guest in their home. It didn’t have the feel of a business. House and gardens in great condition and, although not our taste, very well furnished. Great room with loads and loads of nice touches and excellent bathroom. Charming couple and his dinner and breakfast was by far the best we had in a B&B. We cannot praise it or our hosts highly enough. Great choice thanks. HAPUKU LODGE, KAIKURA Nice place, liked the way the room was decorated and equipped. Wasn’t encouraged to eat there and went to Pier restaurant instead. Breakfast rather disappointing may be we were late and definitely no sign of a cooked breakfast. Apart from that enjoyed our stay and receptionist a hoot (& she posted on our walking shoes and laundry that we somehow managed to leave behind). ELM TREE HOUSE, CHRISTCHURCH GRRR I think we have said it all on the fone. Didn’t like their attitude, didn’t like the gloomy public rooms and our bedroom (with pokey bathroom), The owners answer seems to be to put 100 watt bulbs in every light socket. The chandelier over the breakfast table was so bright I had to have my sunnies on and the food wasn’t worth it. The bedroom was extremely noisy from the passing traffic, and as people who sleep with windows open the magnetic secondry double glazing didn’t really work for us. Didn’t help that I was feeling lousy the whole time as otherwise we would have moved out after the first night. HERMITAGE HOTEL, MOUNT COOK great setting, you got us a wonderful corner room on top floor. Well run hotel and considering the turnover they get it runs smoothly. By the way, seems strange that they separate the ‘higher paying’ guests into the a la carte restaurant for dinner but they chuck them into the mob for breakfast. Dinner was at a completely different standard to mass catering breakfast. But .. good hotel and you can’t knock the setting Mt Cook even put in an appearance for breakfast so a success all round. LANARCH CASTLE, DUNEDIN , My fault - a complete disaster. Looked good on paper but great setting is not enough when the management have mixed up hoardes of day trippers, with over night cyclists and walkers at the same time a masquerading as a ‘Boutique Lodge’. Okay is much cheaper but they haven’t got a clue about running or equipping a place for a more upmarket clientele. I have had my say about the food and at the managers request (as he said you are not the only ones to complain but they don’t listen to us) written my comments on it to the ‘high up’s owners’ with, predictably no reply. One to avoid except as a day trip to see the gardens (which were crap anyway bear in mind I am not a gardener but suffice to say Karen (who is) was disappointed that they were not as extensive as she was expecting but maybe better to view in the Spring. TE ANAU LODGE, TE ANAU These guys get our vote as the best B&B team. Kiwi guy, English girl friend and a French girl and they set just the right tone. Homemade muffins on reception desk, and cakes with the tea/coffee in the Lounge. No check-out or breakfast time. They couldn’t have been more helpful breakfast ranked with Uno Pio. The house is interesting and well furnished/equipped. The owner should try and hang onto to that team, although I have already suggested they move to Knysna where their talents would be appreciated as well. Probably second in our overall B&B ranking – they don’t have the setting of some but the atmosphere makes up for it. Liked the fact that we had use of laundry facilities without charge. FIORDLAND NAVIGATOR, DOUBTFUL SOUND - A very well run operation (we notice same high standard on the Te Anau Glowworm thingo as well). Really an outstanding experience, great food, excellent cabin and helpful and hardworking staff. Very pleased that you organized this rather than something on Milford Sound. EICHARDTS HOTEL, QUEENSTOWN - Nearly our favourite Boutique place but although beautiful location over looking the lake, it slightly looses out as its in town. With only 5 suites you really feel that you are miles away from your neighbour and they are really beautiful with fantastic bathrooms. Breakfast like a first class restaurant and the staff couldn’t be more helpful or professional. Even I had to cringe when two women rushed off with our heaviest bags to take them to the car. Another place surprisingly with free laundry facilities. WESTWOOD LODGE, FRANZ JOSEF - Nice place, well equipped and generously sized suite and when the clouds cleared in the morning , with a view of the Glacier from our room. Very helpful manager and okay breakfast. Biggest drawback, due the the log construction the doors are very noisy and the bedhead shakes when other guests pull their doors firmly to close them but apart from that (about which they can do nothing as inherent in design) and good place. WAPITI PARK, HARI HARI - Walter Mitty is alive and well and living in Hari Hari. If everything he has planned ever gets done it will probably be okay. But the real problem is that he thinks that what he likes and knows is what everyone else will want. He should go to stay at Uno Pio. Frankly, I would be careful about putting people in there without making sure he has ‘done’ the things he has ‘on hold until the end of the season’. Having sacked his builder he is doing up the place himself and there’s piles of stuff on the porch and the bathroom and wardrobe in our room had net curtains covering the openings. He has gone for cheap fittings and one can only hope that he intends to gut the bathroom and start again. Rather than a 5 course dinner we luckily opted for a 3 course affair. He does the cooking (probably like his mother did). The soup would have supported the spoon vertically for several hours. Normally, bulk is a virtue in my eyes (if not Karen’s) but not 6 enormous bowls of vegetables, venison medallions, a gutenous sweet and sour chicken. I think it was chicken but as (in common with everything else) it had been cooked to death, and so it was difficult to tell if the strands of meat were originally chicken. My favourite is desert but not stodgy rice pudding which surprise surprise is his favourite. Frankly, if you stay more than one night you are better off driving back to Franz Josef to eat. Actually, you are better off going back to eat in Franz Josef on the first night as well, if you value your digestion. Don’t get me wrong he is a nice guy and his wife is pleasant enough although not involved. He tries hard, what with the loss making Elks (a loss leader apparently to attract the Americans), showing guests glow worms, giving guests fishing gear and is happy to chat about the world (as seen from Hari Hari) but as to running a B&B, he hasn’t got a clue what is required to reach 5 star standard. According to him, he even managed to fall out with the Heritage and Character inspector as he knew better than she what was required. We had fun, although probably more so thinking and talking about it after we had left! Karen got the impression they live off the leftover food at the expense of the paying dinner guests, which may explain why there was so much of it ! But they did also offer free laundry facilities. CHARLOTTE JANE, CHRISTCHURCH After our experience at Elm Tree House, we were a little jumpy how noisy the Charlotte Jane may be. We had nothing to worry about, room was well appointed, bathroom spacious and no problem with traffic noise. Evening dinner in the conservatory restaurant was very good and breakfast too. Reception staff were efficient and helpful, we actually left one of our suitcases with them on our way through Christchurch first time in order to cut down on our luggage and the case was already waiting in our room when we arrived. It must be a New Zealand thing as like Eichardts it was two women who carried our suitcases from our room to the waiting shuttle. HILTON, AUCKLAND Fine good standard international chain hotel. Ideal for our final night. All in all we have had a fantastic time in New Zealand which is mainly due to your suggestions and organization. We certainly have had a holiday to remember." Thanks & our best wishes |
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Continued... Fran & Mike KirbyChristchurch: did all the usual tourist things, as the city is beautiful and very easy to get around. But we DO recommend your travellers use the outstanding bus service! On the Sunday (our second day) we jumped on a bus to New Brighton from right near our hotel (great driver stopped when she saw us between stops!) and enjoyed the very interesting trip through the suburbs (as to and from the Gondola the day before - came and went on different routes). On arrival we wandered down to the pier and chanced upon the last bit of a marvellous sand drawing being done by Peter Donnelly (being filmed by TZNZ too)....watched it being completed and had a long chat with a lovely woman about his background, half way through she admitted she was his Mother! Such a grand thing to see, let alone chance upon.,...and we stayed around to watch the tide come in too....part of the ephemeral nature of his work. Just a magical thing, with the chance aspect making it more special.Then bused back to the city and down to Lyttleton (we'd bused to the gondola the day before), to mooch around the harbour, the museum I(what a corker!) before busing back. $10/pp for anywhere for a day.....and cruising around any city by bus is a fine way to see the place, without actually Looking For Things To See. The Charlotte Jane was absolutely splendid as a special place for the anniversary, glorious room, glorious surroundings, great restaurant (un)fortunately with a fine wine list so we spent an alarming amount on suitable imbibements (?!) to accompany the meal. Met lovely people there too. Couldn't have been nicer. Cant praise Ulva Godwillie at Ulva Island too highly - hadn't told Mike the cost of the tour until afterwards, but it was just marvellous.....Ulva is a real evangelist and expert, a wonderful guide, and we we saw lots and lots of birds (didn't just see the guide see lots of birds, as can happen), and she was a font of knowledge and a delightful expert - I wholeheartedly recommend you take a tour with her while you're there. It was a real highlight of our trip. He agreed without demur that it was worth ever penny (he IS an accountant). Doubtful Sound cruise was another knockout - Real Journeys really have such a professionally tight and slick operation that doesn't feel pushy, just effortless, friendly and expert.. Crew were splendid, wildlife was co-operative, mists were (again) magical.....steady rain the night before meant excellent waterfalls, and misty morning on the second day was just perfick in keeping the mood mysterious and not-human (hooray). We lashed out and went up on a helicopter flight from Fox ( in addition to the plane flight from AorakI) ...amazing to do the complete tour and wonderful to contrast the rainforest perimeter with the dry rocky surroundings on the eastern side. Worth the extra $$ (even when the Visa account comes in). The Kruse system was a great addition, though Budget in Christchurch were less than helpful. Despite the clear request on the packaging "Notice to all Hire Companies: Could every effort be made to avoid using a Ford Focus for this hire. The Focus has a shielded windscreen that is a complete barrier to GPS signals. Thank you, Kruse NZ"....we got a Ford Focus. Asked for it to be changed, no other B or C category cars available unless we went out to the airport, which we did, to be met not with any sort of "sorry, but here's your car", but by the single thin-lipped harridan we met in NZ who told us the company (Kruse) shouldn't be making such demands, neither should we, despite the comments of the city office that most of their cars weren't Ford Focuses, that we should count ourselves lucky that they had something else offer us......I mildly asked if a request for a particular vehicle, quoted as their typical B rental on their website, was really being a difficult customer.......she was not convinced of the merit of our argument...a very unpleasant person (which I've fed back to Budget!). However our little replacement Viva was a corker. But we lost nearly two hours in going between sites and then navigating around a major accident on the access road to the S1. Our only quibble with Kruse was that they could have a slightly larger selection of music - liked the music well enough, but never want to hear Ave Maria again. Seemed to come up all the time. Nigel, from A Shuttle 4 U, was great - met us at the airport, again from the TRANZAlpine and again took us to the airport - the last driving via .the grounds of Mona Vale as a little extra sightseeing. What a gem. Thanks for booking us into the Broad Bay Whitehouse on Otago Peninsula - fabulous site and great hosts. - as were Austin and Jane at Oamaru, and Chloe and Matt (and his mother) and Te Anau....though their place is in a rather odd location, stuck out in the midst of a new development (great accom. though). Excellent service at Westhaven and Cranbury Court too....and at Burtonwood, though obviously not the owners (lovely girl but thought I was serious when I said Keas were extinct, and who told us she'd never been to the Bluff Oyster Festival but had heard it was very expensive".) We went on the Taieri Gorge Railway and tour of Royal Albatross Colony - both outstanding (again, the wildlife co-operated and we had 25 mins+ of cruising birds + chicks on the nests). Pengjins too, seals and sea lions at Nobbys Point, seals and bottle nose dolphins in Doubtful Sound, Saddlebacks on Ulva....just no Keas! Fresh air, lakes, rivers, sea, walks, greenery, snow and fiords, comfort - what a holiday. Happy, happy customers.... |
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Continued... Luke & Pattie DionAgain, knowing what I now know I'd consider flying into Queenstown instead of Christchurch. We've been to cities all over the world, but we've seen few places as beautiful as the south island of New Zealand. I'd have spent more time in Southland, Fiordland, and the west coast.The best meal we had in New Zealand was at the Blue Ice Cafe in Franz Josef. The restaurant is owned and operated by a Filipina chef. Her curried chicken was truly great (this is coming from someone who has eaten at some of the best restaurants in San Francisco). We would have liked to spend more time at Franz Josef area for hiking. But, this is a personal preference that I'm not sure all of your clients would like. But, if they're hikers they'll love the west coast. We really loved Munro Beach (and the hike to it), even if we didn't see any penguins. The best part of the Antarctic Center in Christchurch was the children who were there. I tried getting a couple of photos of the kids watching the penguins, but the adults kept getting in the way. We really liked the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, plus the Art Center and street performer. We took the road south from Te Anau to the south coast to Invercargill. We really liked the south coast. That's about all I can think of for now. Except for the Kruse system. Overall we liked the Kruse system and the stories. But we had some thoughts. They repeated stories and information, more than once. They should not repeat stories because it's just annoying. Their selection of music is not very interesting. I can't imagine anyone liking the overall selection ... because music selections are just too personal. I would have preferred silence to music most of the time, only coming on when there was something interesting nearby to see. Because we didn't like the music, we turned down the radio's volume to barely audible when there wasn't anything interesting ... and we feel we probably missed things because we didn't hear it. I would have liked periodic updates regarding distances to upcoming cities. On a lot of the roads we traveled there weren't many signs indicating distance to the next town. The most annoying feature was that if you stop, and turn off the car, during one of the Kruse system commentaries, they commentary did not re-start when the car was turned on again. This means that the only way to hear the local commentary again was to hit the "Start" button again ... which just made the repeating information problem worse. Thanks again for your help in locating our luggage after we flew out. I'd be happy to be a reference for future customers. I wish you'd met with us when we passed through Fairlie ... it was a very pretty area! |
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Continued... Dot & Barry Parker and Mary & Leslie NicholasAs for my scoring system, we looked for marks out of ten on each place, counting hospitality, cleanliness, facilities, breakfast, TV, the bed, ambiance, bathroom, access and noise:
Over all we were very impressed with your choice accommodation and will be recommending you to all our friends. Thanks again for a wonderful trip. |
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Continued... Nancy, Shaun & Eric TooleI am happy to tell you more about our experiences. Overall the trip was wonderful and we really experienced New Zealand in the best possible way- on our own and yet supported by all your arrangements and knowledge of the options. We did enjoy the Kruse device although initially we thought it would help by giving us directions. As we got over that we really appreciated the commentaries - it was like having our own personal tour guide. We really did not get lost except for a few times. As we looked back on it, we realized the mistakes were ours in misreading the directions. But one place where we really got lost was Wanaka. It said something about going through town and then turning left towards Mt Aspiring. We did this left turn without doing the previous right turn (thinking we'd already made that turn since we were in town.). Anyway we wound up turning left on Hwy 6 at the lakefront because the sign said left to Mt Aspiring. (where we were heading) Apparently, you can get to Mt Aspiring by turning right or left! We went all around the wrong side of the lake and finally figured out we were lost when the road turned into a dirt road and we were heading into a snow storm at Mt. Aspiring. As the lady who set us straight said " Don't feel bad, you've seen a part of New Zealand most people don't get to see." Here are my notes on the accommodations: Charlotte Jane: A+ It was the perfect luxe spot for our jet lagged selves. The people were kind and helpful and the food for breakfast was great. The room and bathroom were beautiful and comfortable and I enjoyed the landscaping. All we did that day was walk around the Botanical Gardens (magnificent) and had a great gourmet meal. The drive on Christmas went well and we enjoyed stopping for lunch at Lake Tekapo. What a beautiful azure blue! We enjoyed the Kruse commentary throughout the drive. We got to Mt Cook by mid afternoon and did a hike to the glacier. We really learned about the changeable weather thing! When we started out, it was cool but as there were only a few wispy clouds floating around and so I didn't take my rain gear. OOPs as we got halfway there, the clouds rolled in and it rained. Not to be stopped, I learned that fleece kind of sheds rain. It was worth it. We then had the big Christmas dinner. It was good and festive but the hotel tried to charge me for it the following day. I called and someone resolved it at Fine Tours when I also insisted I had already paid for it (I did didn't I???). The accommodation at Mt. Cook was the motel. I'd give that a B. It was comfortable enough but it was a bit of a hike to get to the lodge for dinner. I guess you just want to be in the lodge where the action is. The drive to Te Anua was long but beautiful to see all the different landscapes. We had lunch at the The Big Show in Cromwell. That was great. It was located in a vineyard and we had a wonderful cheese and fruit plate and glass of wine. I was glad we booked the glow worms because it was nice to take the boat ride to the caves (It is so beautiful!) before holing up at the lodge. It was worth it to see the glow worms and the rainforest. The Fiordland Lodge: A. I wish we had stayed an extra night there and done the Milford Sound drive. The setting for that lodge is just spectacular! We saw a beautiful sunset over the lake and mountains during dinner and enjoyed the fireplace and games afterwards. The rooms were beautiful and very functional. Again a terrific view. The Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise: A+++!!! This was the high point of the trip for me. When we got on the boat to cross Lake Manapouri, it started to cloud up and by the time we got on the bus it was raining to the point where when we got to the Wilmot overlook, the bus driver said "Well, there's your million dollar view-you just can't see it!" We were a little cranky after that thinking "How much did we spend on this part?".... But we got on board the Fiordland Navigator and it was fine. It was well lighted and the crew was merry and they gave us muffins and tea! We headed out to the Nee Islands in some really rough seas and saw the fur seals up close. As we turned back from the Tasman Sea, we made for one of the arms of the fiord and things brightened up just in time for us to get in the kayaks and tender craft. From here on out, the experience was just surreally beautiful. I am a painter and many paintings will come out of this experience! It is such a primeval, other worldly beauty. If I had done nothing else whilst in New Zealand, this would have made it worth the trip. I hope they can always keep it as wild as it is. Next day drove to Queenstown. The Dairy: A+. I loved this place! It had all these little intimate public areas you could go to. Like the patio with a fireplace, the TV den where we watched Lord of the Rings and tried to figure out if we had seen the landscapes, the lobby with all the info sources and maps, the computer room, the hot tub, and the best cookie jar for teatime! The owner was a fountain of information and breakfast was very tasty. I was not crazy about Queenstown. Part of this was that the original plan was for Eric and Danny to go off and do something wild ass like bungy jump while Shaun and I went on a wine tour. We wound up going on a Sheep Shearing trip in Glenorchy (Eric picked it!) It was a beautiful drive up there beside the lake and we went further up toward Paradise and that was great. Had a great little lunch and beer at the cafe in town. The Sheep Shearing was just quirky enough that were all really had a pretty good time. My husband enjoyed watching the dog do its job and Eric enjoyed hanging out with the old dude who was a hoot. He had been a sheep shearer for 30 years and had just started this business. Queenstown was a little too commercial for us but I did wind up going to gallery and buying an extraordinarily beautiful Maori mask. We had a good dinner in town at a brewery and another night at the Dairy. The rooms were beautiful and modern in every way. Drove to Franz Josef. I already told you about getting lost and things kinda went south from there. I got us lost, so I got to do the driving from Wanaka. I could go on and on about this. But basically, I would suggest that your clients not do THAT drive as there FIRST experience of driving on the left. Between the drunks and mooners in Wanaka (it was new Year's Eve), the (as Kruse reminded us) 3000' drop to the lake with no guard rails, "Extremely Dangerous Mountain Pass" sign, hundreds of one way bridges, fog, and then pouring rain...I was just about dead with fear when we arrived at Franz Josef. Well, at least I appreciated Shaun's driving after that! The Westwood Lodge: B. The surroundings were beautiful and I like the way they encourage wildlife. Breakfast was okay. But the staff was kind of dismissive-cold almost although this may be because we got there late and couldn't reach them with the phone we had. We had a really bad meal at The Beeches in town. The next night we ate at Blue Ice and it was truly great! Although sick, I sucked it up and did the Franz Josef Half Day hike. I'm glad I did. It was hard for me because I was sick but even with that I did fine on the climb and will always remember the experience of seeing this massive glacier in a rainforest. I think it is so much better to see it that way: to actually hike through the rainforest and boulder field before climbing up the ice than to say just land on it in a helicopter. The half day was long enough as we didn't get back until 3 pm. Next day we drove up the coast, past the Tasman Sea to Wilderness Lodge. I'll give this property an A -. Shaun and I liked it well enough but Eric had a bad time. He didn't want to do any of the hikes so he was left to his own devices without any TV or other electronic entertainment. Like I said Shaun and I took advantage of the hikes and walks and, we really enjoyed it. The food was on the bland side. The view was again terrific and the people were great. |
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Continued... Anne & Bob Khan, Chicago and Raj & Marie Pillai3. Ananda Tour of Waiheke Island. Waiheke is a place everyone visiting Auckland should go to. It is beautiful and unspoiled and we loved it. The all-day tour was well paced and the guide, Jude, was informative. Lunch at the Mud House was a bit over rated. We liked the other parts of the tour, though and would highly recommend it. Having a private tour allows you to go at your own pace and we liked the personalized attention.4. Kruse Commentary System. We got quite fond of "Jonathan", and missed him when he wasn't talking (and was replaced by an eclectic mixture of music by the GPS). The system actually does work and is better than driving without a guide. Its technology seems a bit dated and could be enhanced through integration with something like a Garmin but otherwise it worked just fine. I would do this again. It was sad to turn "Jonathan" back in to the Budget rent-a-car, almost like saying goodbye to a friend. 5. Colonial Homestay, Tairua, Coromandel After a hair-raising drive to the Coromandel, we stayed for two nights with Jenny and Bob. The rooms were very nice. We stayed downstairs, with a bath that was down the hall (though the whole area could be closed off by doors to a small hallway). Our friends stayed in a spacious upstairs bedroom with attached bath. We shared a lounge which was also upstairs, and was equipped with a laptop with internet, and a small refrigerator. The breakfasts were great and Jenny and Bob were very hospitable. They even watched the Superbowl with us (they are avid sports fans). They allowed us to use their washing machine free of charge. We went to Cathedral Cove (well worth a visit, even though the walk back is all uphill and a little strenuous) and Hot Water Beach (more tourists than hot water). 6. Prince's Gate Hotel, Rotorua Probably my least favorite of the places we stayed. The hotel is run down and the smell of sulfur is quite strong. The people working there were quite nice and the rooms were quiet. Breakfast was fine. Think we should have tried to stay in Taupo instead. 7. Tamaki Maori Village Experience. This was absolutely great. Yes, it is touristy, but the show was good, the food was fine, and the whole thing is run like clockwork. These guys are real professionals. I would recommend this to everyone. We went to Wai-o-Tapu thermal wonderland (stinky but interesting) and Huka Falls (smaller than expected). 8. Eliza's Manor on Bealey. Ann is a great hostess and this was one of the two best places we stayed on our trip. Both rooms were very spacious and updated, the house is magnificent and well located relative to downtown Christchurch. The breakfast was very good. Although Bealey is a busy street during the day, it is quiet at night. An internet- equipped computer was available for use. No complaints about this place! They did our laundry for $10 per load. Also, a free shuttle that makes a loop of the downtown area stops just a few blocks away. We used this to go to downtown Christchurch for dinner. 9. Akaroa tour and Harbor cruise. This was a full day tour that should have taken a lot less time. We were picked up at 8:30 in a private van and driven to Akaroa (nice drive) with one stop at a cheese factory. We got to Akaroa around 10:30 and could have caught the morning harbor cruise. Instead, we had to loiter around Akaroa until the 1:30 cruise. Got back to Akaora at about 3:00 and back to Christchurch at 5:00. The cruise itself was lovely. Lots of Hector's dolphins and fur seals. The boat does go out into the ocean which tends to get choppy. Perhaps the overall tour is really set up for "swim with the dolphins" as well as the cruise. I would suggest that people who find the water too cold or too choppy or don't want to swim, to try to get to Akaroa for the morning cruise and then head back and spend the afternoon in Christchurch. 10. TranzAlpine The transfers from Christchurch airport and to the train station went very smoothly. The train was a lot of fun and it's a nice journey. The cars and seats are all modern and comfortable. For people who like train rides, this activity is recommended. The train operator is very professional and seat assignments (which are provided right before you board the train) went fine. We got off the train at Greymouth (small town) and stopped at Hokitika (nice craft shops, lots of tourists). 11. Franz Joseph Glacier Retreat. The rooms were clean and comfortable, if a bit spartan, and the baths were a bit tight but completely updated. The only internet available was on the computer at the front desk which was a bit difficult. There was a big lounge area for guests, which we took advantage of. Apparently the best dinner in Franz Joseph is at this hotel, but the chef was out the night we were there so we couldn't try it. Breakfast was good though the service was a bit spotty. We went to Franz Joseph Glacier. Part of the path had been washed away by a recent rain, so we had to hop over some rocks but otherwise it was fine. Got some good photographs. We also stopped by the Blue Pools at Makarora. This is a short stop but worth the time. The water is incredibly blue and we saw a huge trout floating in the water. 12. Wanaka Stonehouse. This was clearly the nicest place we stayed, and if you are up to paying for it, highly recommended. Jamie and Anna are wonderful hosts. The Lodge has 4 rooms, and the hosts stay in a separate cottage. There is a living room and a lounge available to the guests. The rooms are big, updated and nicely decorated. Breakfast was fantastic. Wanaka itself is a nicer place to stay than Queenstown, in my opinion, because it is unspoiled and less busy. Wish I could have stayed longer! A computer with internet is available for guests to use. We stopped in Queenstown and looked around. It is a nice, busy place with lots of shops and restaurants, and tons of tourists. 13. Te Anau Lodge The rooms in this place are kind of tiny but are clean and quiet. There is one lounge for guests to use, which quickly filled up, and this has the computer with internet connection. Breakfast was conducted with efficiency and was quite nice. This is a good place to stop for one night but I wouldn't linger here. 14. Doubtful Sound overnight cruise. This cruise was magical and I would recommend it over the day cruises. The Fjord was magnificent when the sun was just coming up and the bottlenose dolphins came out to play. We decided on doing the light craft activity (vs the sea kayaks or swimming) and this was informative and fun. Quite a few sand flies, though. The service was great, and the nature guide was informative. Snacks, Dinner and Breakfast all went without a hitch and were quite tasty. Very professional setup. We stayed in a quad bunk style room, which I would only recommend if people are travelling as a group of four. The shared baths worked out fine. The up charge for a private room is very high, but for 2 people travelling as a couple, may be worth the extra money. We saw seals and dolphins and stopped at the Hydro electric power station. Lots of interesting stuff on this cruise. 15. Broad Bay White House, Otago, Dunnedin Chris and Margaret are recent B&B hosts. Their house is nice and the two downstairs bedrooms share a balcony with seating that would have been great if the weather had been more cooperative (nice views). Chris makes the breakfast, and I think the best way to describe it is "creative". Guests share the living room with the hosts and the computer with internet hook up is located there. It would have been nicer to have a separate lounge for guests with a fridge, but it is a homestay after all. The rooms and bathrooms are all updated and clean (and quiet). Views are fabulous. We visited Larnarch Castle and the Albatross center, and both activities are recommended. 16. Monarch Wildlife tours including penguins This half day tour has so much included that it is almost like a full day tour! The penguins were a lot of fun, and the boat ride to see the albatross and seals was also great. Things moved along quickly. I would recommend this tour for people travelling to Dunedin. In Dunnedin, we went to the Cadbury factory and the railroad station. Both were fun things to do. 17. Jet Park Hotel This hotel is just fine as a lay over. The food in the restaurant was quite tasty, though the service was not particularly good. The shuttle worked fine and there were no issues with the "day room" charges. 18. Budget Rental Car The pickup in downtown Auckland took an hour. The place was mobbed and understaffed. However, they had the right type of car and the Kruse system so something was working right. The cars we got (both were Toyota Rav 4s) were fine, no problems. Car pickup at Greymouth station was fine, and all the returns were fine. |
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Continued... Helen & William AyreThe hotel was fine (Heritage Hotel Auckland) and, though it was a little walk from the main retail area it actually suited us better as we were more interested in being down by the harbour. The sail on the America’s Cup boat was wonderful, terrific weather and lots of wind, as well as a very nice group of people to share the experience. Rotorua - The hotel (Princes Gate) here was very interesting and full of character. It was very convenient to local restaurants. We enjoyed a long walk through the park with all of the thermal pools, as well as a wonderful visit to the Buried Village. The Maori feast was lots of fun. Christchurch - As you know, our whale watching was rained out. We visited the Antarctic Exhibition which was very interesting. It may be partly due to the weather, but Christchurch is the one place on our trip that we could have passed by. We didn’t find it that interesting. Cathedral Square was a bit disappointing but lovely architecture, but it seems to be surrounded by tourist shops, hotels and little else. Mount Cook - We loved Mount Cook and the accommodation (Hermitage Motels) was fine. The Hermitage is a good place to eat and we enjoyed a nighttime star gazing session with one of the planetarium staff. We also enjoyed a hike through the Hooker Valley. Dunedin - Initially, we were going to bypass Dunedin but we are both really glad that we didn’t. We really liked the city (despite the hills!) and enjoyed a visit to the Albatross Colony and the Taieri Gorge train trip. We would like to give a special mention to our B&B host, Louise Calvert of Heriot House. She was very hospitable and helpful, offering suggestions for activities and restaurants etc, and her home is beautiful. Te Anau/Doubtful Sound - Our trip to Doubtful Sound was great and the tour of the underground Power Station was an added bonus. We were very lucky with the weather 24c and clear skies. Well worth the time and cost. The Deluxe Picnic lunches were huge and one would have been enough for the two of us! Queenstown - Our hotel (Heritage Hotel Queenstown) was somewhat out of the downtown, but a very convenient shuttle bus solved that problem. There was construction going on at the hotel, but as we were there on a weekend when work had stopped, this didn’t bother us very much. Franz Joseph -Very nice little place with some excellent restaurants. We thoroughly enjoyed a hike on the Fox Glacier, despite being rained on. The accommodation (Glenfern Villas) was quite a way out of town but as parking in town was very easy this wasn’t really an issue. Our host was very helpful with making reservations and suggesting good places to eat (or not!) Tranz Alpine Train: To be quite honest, we could have given this a miss. Perhaps we were just over saturated with wonderful scenery, but the train ride didn’t really offer anything new. The ride out of Dunedin was, in some ways, more spectacular. That said, however, the train ride was preferable to driving that distance. Overall, we had a great time. We met many very nice people and were very impressed with the level of courtesy and civility we saw from New Zealanders, not just towards tourists but to each other. We were especially impressed at the level of courtesy shown by young people towards senior citizens. We can’t wait to go back! Thanks again for all your efforts to set up our vacation. It truly was the trip of a lifetime and your assistance helped make it possible. Please feel free to add our feedback to your guest page. We would like to add, however, how very well organized our trip was, thanks to you. Everything was extremely well planned. There were no hitches with any accommodation, or planned activities and using your excellent driving directions meant we never got lost and checking in for accommodation and activities was very easy and quick. The voucher system (which was new to us) worked very well. Your planning made our holiday that much more enjoyable as it was completely stress-free. |
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Continued... Linda & Brian BissonnetteWe highly recommend the Kruse commentary system as the commentaries and side stories were informative and entertaining. The background music in between seemed to be tuned to reflect the mood of the location. It certainly added value to our trip. Our two favourite accommodations were the Peppers on the Point in Rotorua and the Hapuku Lodge in Kaikoura. We could have stayed a week at the Pepper on the Point and felt very pampered. Our 31st anniversary in the tree-house was truly remarkable. Thank you so much for the chilled bottle of wine. It was very thoughtful and went well with the Jacuzzi. We do plan another trip back to New Zealand in our future, maybe South to North next time with not as aggressive a schedule and perhaps in your winter to see the contrast. Thank you for this making this a wonderful anniversary trip for us and we’ll highly recommend your company to anyone who is planning a trip to New Zealand.As an aside the following are recommendations we’d suggest: The driving directions in the main book could be cross-referenced to the pages in the map book. This was only done one time in the book. To allow for the driving learning curve, recommend shorter durations between destinations with two day stays between for the first few days. Transportation to the first hotel en route, after an all night flight, was a great idea. We’re not certain how this was planned but we had expected for someone to walk us through the contents of the travel itinerary documents. In reality what happened was that Uncle introduced us to our driver, (as he was meeting another couple), and handed us the bag you had prepared. The driver took us to the hotel and we sorted through the contents of the bag ourselves later that morning although it wasn’t difficult to sort through. During our travels we kept a perpetual ranking of the accommodations relative to each other and scored them out of 10. All the accommodations, with the exception of one, were beautiful and unique in their own right. They were from top to bottom were as follow:
The Charlotte Jane was a disappointment. Considering the advertised ‘level’ of the hotel these were the following limitations: No air conditioning. In fact could not control room temperature. Heat was always on. When we questioned how to reduce the heat in the room we were told it was centrally controlled and our only option was to open a (non-screened) window (in a city on a busy street). No fridge. No wine glasses in the room - when we were given two from the bar one was lipstick stained. No bottled water - water in insulated pitchers which did not appear to be changed. Squeaky bed, bad mattress, few pillow. No seating area with table except crude window box with inadequate cushions. Crude half height shower inside an awkwardly shaped Jacuzzi tub. The included continental breakfast we had ordered the previous evening was found at the front desk in a paper bag that contained two Tupperware containers with 2 one bite chocolate muffins, apple, orange, 2 croissants. Needless to say we were glad to leave the Charlotte Jane! This was the only unpleasant experience we had on the trip. |
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Continued... Gene & Martha TheriotThe Kruse Commentary was OK. On the upside, it gave interesting commentary on the history and personalities associated with the areas we were passing through and the music was, for the most part, pleasing. On the downside, the audio picked up the RPM's of the engine through the power connection, producing a constant, high pitched whine that was very annoying. Also, we heard way more Maori legends than we were interested in. We would have preferred to have heard more about the history, culture and natural characteristics of the land. Thank you and your staff for helping us have a wonderful retirement holiday and enabling us to experience New Zealand." |
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Continued... Anne, Peter and MaryHire Car - thank you very much for sorting out the difficulty here, the Territory was very comfortable to drive and perfect for the snow driving later in the trip.Christchurch - the Camelot Motel unit with mezzanine While this was handy to town, it was a little uncomfortable: Very cold rear room, where my mother slept and the bathroom was only accessible through her room. The shower was over a very narrow bath, so we had some safety concerns for her. Mt Cook The motel was fine - shame the view of the mountain was disrupted by a tennis court! Above us! Breakfast at the Hermitage was a treat. Oamaru The Oamaru Creek B&B was beautiful, but the downstairs room was very chilly (high ceilings and an oil heater didn't help). The owners were very welcoming and friendly. Sadly our intended trip to the museum at Waimate to delve into family history did not eventuate as we arrived on Anzac Day and all the volunteers were otherwise occupied no doubt, but Pete had a great 90 minute chat to an old digger while mum and I perused the merino possum knits at the outlet there! We did get to Moeraki and Fleurs in time for afternoon tea - a choc brownie to die for (and of?) Seems you can order a meal anytime here as others were sampling the dinner menu at 4pm! Dunedin This was my choice at the Coach-house attached to Claremont House. While it offered great accommodation, it seemed a little unprepared - There was no electric blanket on the second bed. The bed in the main room was a disaster of design - with sharp ends that were impossible to avoid. Many bruised knees later we covered them with our runners to lessen the blows! However it offered a little retreat and it was great to have the cooking facilities and the living area to entertain visitors Land's End B&B in Bluff Again my choice - Very happy with this they made every effort to make us feel comfortable and welcome. The dinner of oysters was delicious of course! Very chatty owners. We were pleasantly surprised to see how much Invercargill has come ahead in the last 5 years - and we got to see the Tuatara hatchlings! Doubtful Sound The Doubtful Sound experience including launch, bus and Overnight Cruise was all magical. Especially enjoyed the evening commentary and slideshow and the offer to see Ata Whenua on our return to Te Anau. Learnt so much about that fascinating Fiordland landscape. Even for those less active who elected not to kayak it was fun - such a wonder to see the seals and dolphins up close! Meals were delicious and plentiful. Te Anau This was truly wonderful accommodation at the Blue Thistle Cottages. We appreciated being a little out of town and the cottages were well appointed and so comfortable and warm even though it snowed while we were there! What lovely friendly hosts too. Mum thought hers with the special bathroom facilities was tops! Great choice - we will return here. Lake Moeraki And so to the highlight of Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge. You kept the best until last! Stunningly beautiful surroundings, 5 star accommodation, peaceful and quiet. Great walks, endless photo opportunities, mountains, forests, lake, river, and coast all in one spot. The lodge meals were fantastic and the staff knowledgeable and welcoming. Definitely a return visit warranted. Arthurs Pass Arthur's Pass was an equally enthralling landscape -quite different being on the other side of the Divide and in a mini wilderness on a working sheep farm! The accommodation was great even with snow and frost all around. Would have loved to spend longer and head out on some of the activities. (Next time) Here staff went out of their way to assist Mum who was ill. Very quiet time to travel so we had lots of attention, but I imagine the wonderful staff would be the same even at busier times. Pete loved the Wilderness brekkies and scored their muesli recipe! A very relaxed way to end our trip but both lodges were a real treat so we ended on a real high. The Kruse commentary system was excellent - so glad we included this. Even though this is about our 4th trip to the South Island we learnt so much more - Pete did get a bit sick of all the Maori legends towards the end though. It was such a bonus to have the mobile - we were able to regularly keep in touch by text with our family at home in Oz as well as with Mum's NZ family who were keen to hear about our travels. Of course the West Coast was out of range, but that was ok so that we could really experience that wilderness technology-free Thank you so much for all the work you did working on this itinerary with us. The pace was great, and we really felt we had a holiday as we were able to take time in each place and to recover from any longer drives. Having the initial longer stay in Christchurch slowed us down before we took off from there and got us into holiday mode really well. Mum had a wonderful first trip south and we are happily recommending your company to others. |