Frequently asked questions

• What makes Experience New Zealand different from other travel web sites?
• Who are we?
• Why did we start Experience New Zealand Travel Ltd?
• Why do we only promote a relatively small number of properties?
• How do we know we've found the best places?
• Why the big price range?
• Are our prices the same as each property's standard rack rate?
• How can I be sure my credit card details are secure?

What makes Experience New Zealand different from other travel web sites?

Quality over quantity

It's our calling card. We research all the options and present to you only the very best that we can find.

A specialised product

We only sell what we can (and do) personally recommend.

A specialised medium

We only sell via the Internet, which enables us to focus resources on continuously researching and inspecting our product so that we can provide you with qualified, up-to-date information and options.
 

Why did we start Experience New Zealand Travel Ltd?

There can be no denying that there is now a phenomenal amount of travel-related information available on the Internet. After experiencing first hand the process of researching and booking independent accommodation over the Internet we were left with the question, how much of this information is of any use? All we wanted to do was to find some great places to stay and to make bookings so we wouldn't miss out on those great places but no one web site met our needs. Some were just amateurish, many had hundreds or thousands of listings but with too little information to give us any kind of feel for the place, and others were plainly out of date. So we had to make guesses and we had some hits and we had some misses. There has to be a better way, we thought, and that's when we came up with the idea for our company and this web site.
 

Why do we only promote a relatively small number of properties?

Because less than 10% of the properties we research and only about half of the properties we actually visit possess that overall high quality that we're looking for to present to you as our dream team of New Zealand accommodation options. There are thousands of good accommodation options in New Zealand but, unfortunately, there are not yet thousands or even hundreds of great ones.
 

How do we know we've found the best places?

We don't know for sure but we're doing everything we can to attempt to get it right. For a start, we have Denise Campbell, our Sales Director, who has more than 15 years of experience in and knowledge of the New Zealand travel industry. Second, we spend the necessary time doing the detailed and ongoing research that is the only way to even come close to being aware of all the options available. Third, we do the miles, we visit the properties, and we meet the people. And lastly, we keep our dream – to empower you to enjoy an entire journey of great experiences within New Zealand – foremost in our minds. And by being bookings-driven rather than listings-driven, there is no reason for us present to you anything but the best. We want you to have a great time and then tell your friends how you came to make such great accommodation choices.
 
Of course, if you know of a special place you think we might not know about, then please let us know.
 

Why the big price range?

Whilst our overriding aim is to provide you with access to quality accommodation and great experiences, we have discovered this combination of qualities does not always relate directly to a property's tariff. There are some standout farmstays for around US$100 per night, and some standout lodges for around US$1000 per night. Our job is simply to find the best of each type of independent accommodation operator and to assure you that, whatever the tariff, it represents good or very good value for money.
 

Are our prices the same as each property's standard rack rate?

Yes, our prices are the same as what you would pay if you booked directly with the property.
 

How can I be sure my credit card details are secure?

Protecting your credit card details from unauthorised access is an important issue for all credit card holders. On the Internet there are two areas of concern. The first is as you enter your credit card details. Internet connectivity is two-way and while you are viewing standard web sites, it is possible for someone to monitor your keystrokes as you type in your credit card details. That's why we don't have the credit card form on our normal web site. Instead, it's on a page located on a computer that is set up to stop anyone from being able to gain unauthorized access to it and, in turn, to you and your PC. This type of computer is known as a secure server and it utilizes a technology known as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
 
You can verify that the web page you are viewing is located on a secure server by looking for the padlock icon on the status bar of your browser. Another sign is that the web page address begins https:// instead of the normal http://. The second area of concern is the transfer of the credit card details from the secure server to the merchant. Normally this is done by email but as email can be intercepted the content needs to be encrypted to remain secure. We don't actually use this method because we don't email the credit card details anywhere. Instead we leave the credit card details safely on the secure server and access them directly before permanently deleting them.