Maree Thompson

Senior Travel Consultant

House of Travel Mount Maunganui

Lovely to meet you

From the first travel I did as a teenager I have wanted to travel the world, experience the food, absorb the culture and learn the history!!!

I have always been passionate about creating the ultimate holidays and feel that makes me the best planner of your holidays that I can be!!

I had been selling travel for over 20 years when I felt something else was needed and to the leap to be the retail manger of House of Travel Papamoa. I feel I have never looked back and enjoy leading a fantastic group of people!!

I love my job!!! I love the fact that no one holiday is ever the same and also thrive on a challenge of a complex itinerary, round the world flight or something out of the norm.

I think the benefit you get with me is the experience I have had planning and travel and the places I have travelled.

I have travelled extensively and in particular done a lot around New Zealand, Australia, South Pacific Islands, USA and Europe and find that travel opens your mind to another world full of new experiences, new tastes and an appreciation for life in general.

I have a rule that every trip I do I need to pick one unique thing to do on holiday that is un-usual or you would not do on another holiday .... I have been hot air ballooning, have been on a segway tour, have helicoptered out to an island etc.

My Travel Tips

* I am a bit of a IT geek so always travel with an adaptor that has USB ports for my IWatch, iPhone and iPad.

*Have a store of great apps that help with travel, packing, maps, closest toilet etc.!!

*Always keep in touch with your travel agent so they can keep you up to date with deals that are out for your next holiday.

*Cash passports are a MUST as safe and easy way to travel.

The best holidays are definitely created together so would love to get you in for an appointment and have a discussion about your travel dreams.

Maree

My favourite holiday memories

Tokyo

A reluctant participant initially honing around the streets of Tokyo dressed as Mario and Luigi was an experience not to be missed.
Paris

The love of doing something you would never do in a place you may only ever get to visit once.
Fiji

The perfect sunset and so close to home!!
Orlando

Who wants to be a big kid ….. And have Christmas with Mickey ….. Count me in!!
New York

Nothing beats walking in the Christmas markets in New York freezing cold wishing for snow!!

Creating better holidays

Whatever your travel dreams, I will work with you to create the best holiday possible. The holidays I specialise in include:

Cycling
Hiking Walking
Coach Touring
Small Ship Cruising
Expedition Cruising
Ocean Cruising
River Cruising
Disney Holidays
Family Travel
Group Travel
Luxury Travel
Road Trips
Train Journeys

My Travel Passions

Cruising - Tried this for the first time approximately 25 years ago and have been hooked ever since. Have done double digits in Ocean cruising and also River cruised Asia and Europe. Absolutely passionate about matching the best cruise for the right person as very important to get right!!!

Disney!!! - I am a big kid at heart and have done Disneyland (7 Times), Disney Florida and Disney Paris...You also don't need to be an adrenalin junkie as so much more than roller coasters and not just a place for kids!!!

Weird and wonderful Itineraries - If you have something complicated, an itinerary that needs some help to put in the right order to make sense, flights that need an experienced person to put together then I am the one to help make it happen!!

Some of the destinations I have explored

What my customers have to say

Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value Visited Maree from House of Travel Papamoa who was stunningly brilliant with all our travel plans and bookings. Maree went beyond all our expectations and we will be recommending her to all our friends and family.

Martin
All I can say is .... Thank you Thank you Thank you! I cannot express how grateful I am to have had Maree at Papamoa House of Travel look after all my travel arrangements during the uncertainty of the unstable and changeable world environments we are all currently living in. Maree quickly identified my sense of urgency to travel home to QLD, listened with empathy and went above and beyond to fulfil my request. Maree removed my fear, she was in total control, keeping me informed every step of the way. I am now on my way home! Thank you Maree, your kindness and genuine ability to connect to customers is what the world needs more of. You are amazing.

Donna
We have used HOT Papamoa for a number of overseas trips since 2015. Maree has been great to work with right from planning to sorting out the details. Nothings an issue, she'll steer you in the right direction with advice and you have a laugh doing it. Hopefully there will come a time when we can travel a bit further so we'll be back to Maree again.

Murray
My go to travel/booking agent for over 10 years ... My contact there, Maree Thompson goes above and beyond ... Can not rate her highly enough ... 10/10+

Graham
Maree’s knowledge and attention to detail is unsurpassed. We were kept informed of the slightest alteration every step of the way, and her communication with us was magnificent. Maree just seemed a genuinely lovely woman who is sooo enthusiastic about her job 𝒂𝒏𝒅 customers…..and that’s why she’s booking our next holiday already!

Jayne
Maree Thompson has been our Travel Agent for many years. She has always listened to us, and come up with the most amazing places to go, stay, and see. We went to Maree last year, to help us organize a trip to Europe. What she organized for us was incredible-and we have just had the trip of a life time. We had never travelled to Europe and The United Kingdom before, so her advise and ideas were really valuable. We had no idea! The advise for extra leg room on the long flights, was invaluable. Maree's recommendation for the Hop on, Hop Off tour bus was fantastic-And all accommodation along the way, was superb. Dubai stop over was a highlight-and the tours we did. The Insight Bus Tour, and Maree's advise to stay at meeting point Hotel in London-was great. Our tour with Insight was really good, and flying out of Paris to Singapore at the end of Tour, was a good idea-with a stop over in Singapore to recover, and have fun. Again accommodation perfect. Final stop Brisbane with family, then home. We can't recommend thank Maree enough. She is the Best!

Lynette and Jack (John)