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Rating: 
Summary: Frommer's New Zealand
Review: As a first time vistor to New Zealand, I found this book to be extremely helpful. It provided an informative overview of the country, and the various recommendations for accommodations and travel services were, for me, very reliable. I used it constantly both before and during the trip.
Rating: 
Summary: Are these reviews really for 2nd edition?
Review: I found the criticisms on Frommer's NZ mostly incorrect. At least, I did not have the same experience as the two critics. I consider this book reliable. Actually, certain information in the book closely assembles those on the leaflets found at the tourist information centers. Tourists can find many helpful facilities in NZ and anyone can have a pleasant trip in NZ without a guide book. However, the valuable parts of this book came from the writer. Adrienne is a New Zealander. I trusted the ratings, followed the recommendations, suggested itineraries ... and had a wonderful experience in NZ.
Rating:
Summary: Are these reviews really for 2nd edition?
Review: I'm curious that many of the negative reviews were written before this was published?!?! (were they based on a 1st edition?)
Rating:
Summary: Great vacation spot - Ho Hum Frommer
Review: If you really like to vacation, the best way to do it is B&B's. When my wife and I vacationed in NZ, we stayed in B&B's for 80% of our trip. Skip the big cities. Auckland is ok. But the pearls in this vacation are found when you travel by car. To the small cities. Across this geographic treasure. Here's better advice than Frommer can give: stay with the locals and learn the culture. Kiwis love Americans. While staying on a ranch B&B, our hosts grilled fresh fish, created an incredible smorgasbord of fresh meats and served local brew. They invited their neighbors (about eight in a 10 mile radius) and asked my wife and I to "talk about the States." Price of the dinner for the two of us: $25 US. At another small home, our hosts provided us with a five course meal, dessert and wine for about $20 each. While we ate our scrumptuous meal, we listened to our seasoned hosts as they recalled childhood stories of growing up "just over that hill." There was a large picture window overlooking their personal rose garden. About a mile away, a series of rolling green hills. Sheep grazing. The view was as pristine and peaceful as any I've seen in all my travels. When we were done with dinner, our hosts took us into their rose garden and proudly gave us a tour of their aromatic flowers. Our hosts were 75 and 77 years old. Frommer doesn't give much credit about the B&B's in NZ. You'll need at least two weeks to enjoy the country. We stayed two weeks (one week on the north island and one week on the south island), then finished up with a flight to Australia to dive the Great Barrier Reef. The south island is best. Aside from our bungee jumping (269 feet) near Queenstown, we took an exciting raft trip in Dunedin, saw the Yellow Eyed Penguins in Otago Peninsula, and were entertained by the flying Albatross at the Kaikoura Peninsula. Spectacular! The New Zealand Bed & Breakfast Book by James Thomas offers more opportunities to enjoy this beautiful country. In the best possible accomodation - the New Zealand B&B.
Rating:
Summary: Great vacation spot - Ho Hum Frommer
Review: If you really like to vacation, the best way to do it is B&B's. When my wife and I vacationed in NZ, we stayed in B&B's for 80% of our trip. Skip the big cities. Auckland is ok. But the pearls in this vacation are found when you travel by car. To the small cities. Across this geographic treasure. Here's better advice than Frommer can give: stay with the locals and learn the culture. Kiwis love Americans. While staying on a ranch B&B, our hosts grilled fresh fish, created an incredible smorgasbord of fresh meats and served local brew. They invited their neighbors (about eight in a 10 mile radius) and asked my wife and I to "talk about the States." Price of the dinner for the two of us: $25 US. At another small home, our hosts provided us with a five course meal, dessert and wine for about $20 each. While we ate our scrumptuous meal, we listened to our seasoned hosts as they recalled childhood stories of growing up "just over that hill." There was a large picture window overlooking their personal rose garden. About a mile away, a series of rolling green hills. Sheep grazing. The view was as pristine and peaceful as any I've seen in all my travels. When we were done with dinner, our hosts took us into their rose garden and proudly gave us a tour of their aromatic flowers. Our hosts were 75 and 77 years old. Frommer doesn't give much credit about the B&B's in NZ. You'll need at least two weeks to enjoy the country. We stayed two weeks (one week on the north island and one week on the south island), then finished up with a flight to Australia to dive the Great Barrier Reef. The south island is best. Aside from our bungee jumping (269 feet) near Queenstown, we took an exciting raft trip in Dunedin, saw the Yellow Eyed Penguins in Otago Peninsula, and were entertained by the flying Albatross at the Kaikoura Peninsula. Spectacular! The New Zealand Bed & Breakfast Book by James Thomas offers more opportunities to enjoy this beautiful country. In the best possible accomodation - the New Zealand B&B.
Rating: 
Summary: Highly avoidable
Review: It is a completely unreliable book. Two of the most highly rated places (* places) turned out to be total fiascos. They rated a place- a luxury upscale B&B 'The Dairy' in Queenstown as highly recommended. It was expensive by NZ standards and turned out to be worse than any cheap motel I have stayed in USA. The restaurant recommendations were similarly unreliable. In fact the only two really unpleasant experiences we had in the whole trip were based on the sole recommendations of this guide.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't Depend On This Information Alone!
Review: This book touts itself as being the most comprehensive up-to-date with exact information and prices. Not so! It may have been published this year but we found many of the places reviewed had closed, moved or were renamed & under new management. Several other places of interest to travelers were totally ignored: for example, the coverage of the botanical gardens in Christchurch fails to give any information at all about the Carter Observatory located there. And don't think that all those "free" museums are really without cost! Several had suggested "donations" posted at their turnstile entrances that would take a lot more chutzpah than I possess to bypass without paying. Frommer's idea of moderately priced facilities would give most travelers a heart attack and the restaurants reviewed are hit or miss. For example the highly praised Saugero Mexican Restaurant in Queenstown puts broccoli and carrots in their chicken burritos which is only to be discovered after a shocking first bite; neither the menu nor the guidebook gives warning to these unusual ingrediants. Do yourself a favor and consult several guidebooks to give yourself more options and always trust the locals over anything your travel books may say.
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