Hi, I'm Paul

February 25, 2026

We have just spent the last 2 weeks cruising around the South Island in Black Beauty and the van honestly made the trip. Paul's communication is nothing short of phenomenal and gave us some great tips for hikes / areas around South Island we hadn't been to before. I would highly recommend Black Beauty to anyone wanting a good night sleep and an easy automatic van to park and drive. Thanks again Paul!

February 3, 2026

We had a great trip in the Black Beauty. Paul was very communicative and friendly. The van was spacious and well equipped with everything we needed. Paul made the whole experience seamless and enjoyable.

January 26, 2026

Would definitely recommend the Black Beauty to anyone! It was absolutely phenomenal- its a perfect van with running sink, gas stove, great amenities and a really comfortable bed. Very high tech. Owners were great to deal with and super helpful too. This is the perfect van if you dont want to rent an oversized motor home but want the maximum facilities and comforts.

January 15, 2026

I had an excellent experience hiring Black Beauty and cant speak highly enough of Paul and the care hes put into this van. From the start, it was clear how much passion and craftsmanship has gone into the build. The thoughtful touches really stood out. Toiletries, a hanging toiletry bag, robes and thongs for campground showers were all provided, which made day-to-day travel so easy. The van came with power banks, a simple-to-use inverter, a large fridge, and the cabana chairs were a real highlight. People at caravan parks were genuinely surprised they were included. The heart of the van, the head unit, had everything I needed. Apple CarPlay, Wi-Fi, and a great setup overall. The Wi-Fi ran on the One network, which was ideal since I had a Spark SIM. It meant I had access to all the major networks if needed. Paul was fantastic to deal with, always happy to answer questions and share helpful links for transport bookings and planning. Theres also a TV in the rear of the van. I didnt use it as I had my iPad, but it was good to know it was there. The multiple sunroofs made a huge difference, giving great light and airflow throughout my 1,600 km trip around the South Island. Cruise control was appreciated too, even if the mountainous roads meant it wasnt always usable. Privacy was excellent thanks to the curtains and front window coverings. The Thule roof box easily fit my full-size luggage along with anything I didnt need day to day. The kitchen setup was spot on. Everything was provided, from spray oil and pans to washing-up gear, and emptying the grey water was straightforward. Climate control was also solid. The air conditioning worked perfectly during 38-degree heat in Christchurch, and the heater and heated seats were very welcome in the colder alpine regions. The bedding was extremely comfortable, so much so that I actually noted down the brands. Paul also offered multiple bedding options, which I really appreciated. Overall, Black Beauty is incredibly well thought out, comfortable, and practical, and Paul was a pleasure to deal with. I wouldnt hesitate to recommend this van to anyone exploring New Zealand.

January 5, 2026

Thanks for making our trip around the South Island of NZ, so wholesome! We had a 9 day trip around the South Island and Black Beauty had absolutely everything we needed and more. Paul and Carla were super friendly, responsive and detailed oriented which made the experience even better. Thanks for that guys, you have been awesome!

December 22, 2025

Epic trip in black beauty! Van handled beautifully and was so well specced for long drives travelling around South Island. We slept soundly every night, with comfortable mattress, fresh linens and the van kept to good temp (other people on campsite said they got very cold). The built in WiFi was also a huge advantage where a lot of campsites had patchy signal. Paul and Carla added thoughtful touches such as flip flops and robes that really came in handy. Overall, cant recommend booking enough we are already thinking about our booking again!!

December 13, 2025

Our experience in hiring Black Beauty was entirely positive from start to finish. Paul was professional and prompt in all his communications, and helpful. He delivered the van to us and took care to ensure that we understood how everything worked. While we were travelling he responded quickly to our occassional queries providing the information required. The van was spotless and performed well throughout our 1,000km+ journey which included many steep gradients. The electronic extendable kitchen unit and its equipment is very good. The only drawback for us, personally, is that as our week went on we would have liked more headroom. That said, it was a conscious decision to hire and we can unhesitatingly recommend Black Beauty to anyone for whom that is not a concern. Thank you Paul. Ray & Sue - December '25.

December 1, 2025

We had an absolutely incredible time on our 3.5week South Island road-trip with Black Beauty! The van is super well-equipped, easy to drive, tidy and comfortable. It had a great setup and everything you could possibly need, and more! Paul was super friendly and very prompt and helpful! I would absolutely recommend hiring Black Beauty for your NZ holiday and would definitely re-book again! Five stars!

May 2, 2025

This was by far the best choice of Van around this price range. The most comfortable mattress that Ive slept on in a campervan, and a great kitchen out the back! Everything was as described and we found it incredibly comfortable to drive and live in for our trip.

April 2, 2025

The van is perfect for 2 people. Its designed in such a way that it will make the hirers van life convenient and easier. After a lot of research, I found this van to be our companion and it fulfilled its role for 1800km through winding roads, a bit of gravel roads, early morning and late nights. It has so many useful features that provides convenience such as the leather heated seats for those cold weathers, the parking sensors and reverse camera to park stress free, the premium built kitchen and utensils to cook your perfect meal, the ventiliations from the sunroof and back windows, the comfortable mattress and pillow to keep you sleeping sound, the amplified speakers to play your road trip playlist, the spacious refrigerators to keep your food fresh, the battery to keep your electronics charged to the full without any stress, and last but not the least the amazing and prompt support from Paul the owner whenever we had any questions. I will be back again and next time, we will take it to the north island.