For years I've had friends who have had a break at Kim's and really looked forward to our first visit. I decided to book the best package and stayed at Nine Beach, which was also $980/person/night (just on $4k for our 2 night visit) - right on the beach with our own pool, sauna and spa!
The location was amazing and the views phenomenal. The room was well planned and maybe a little outdated, but this didn't matter. What really mattered to me was that the sauna didn't get warm, and neither did the spa - and the spa was probably 10+ years old (not what I'd expected for our $4k .. they could replace it annually for the prices they charge!). None of it mattered too much as my husband and I really just needed to be away together and appreciated our time together.
What really stuck in my gullet though was having to pay for all the basic extras that really should be included with the cost of the package! I felt it was very penny-pinching to charge for sparkling mineral water, and to even have to sign for it! Why isn't it included in the price, as well as cappuccinos and even a glass of champagne each evening?
I'd looked forward to the smorgasbord and was disappointed there too. It was nice food and plenty of it, but was only slightly above cafeteria level. I'd really expected more exotic choices - more Asian-influenced and modern Australian cuisine - not overcooked hot pots or desserts out of the 1950's.
Saying all this, the break was lovely, the location spectacular, the staff helpful and friendly, and our stay was fine - but not sure I'll be prepared to spend $4k in future for a 2 night stay! And definitely not what I'd looked forward to for 20+ years! Next time it would make better financial sense to stay in a fancy hotel and then eat in restaurants that serve modern food choices.

Booked one of the top 2 rooms available (SouthBeach) @ 980 per person per night so expectations rather high for our Friday & Saturday evening stay (@ $4,000 stay including small amount of wine with dinner & coffees with breakfast)
Clean but dated furnishing, stereo system quality poor, no Foxtel, spa & pool heaters (it was a cold & wet weekend) did not appear to be working, no complementary newspaper delivered to our suite, provided with a close to dead rose in the bathroom, all liquor in addition to the bill, as was coffee's made to order, breakfast eggs (other than scrambled) not made to order, seafood was very nice but all other food was bland, boring & heavy for the season.
Not so private - right on beachfront with beachgoers able to view directly into lounge, bed & outdoor areas. At night - even worse, couldn't even wake up to the sun shining as for privacy had to put the heavy, security shutters down.
Were awoken by local surf carnival (loudspeaker right outside our cabin) on the Sunday morning - of which we were not advised. Even if the weather had been good would have been unable to use the beach (packed with every surf club junior member from the Central Coast) . Spent the Sunday morning inside with the shutters down so that we had at least some privacy... Didn't bother staying for lunch as we were so very disappointed!
Will not be going back & will not be recommending to others to the point of suggesting they go elsewhere.
Agree service was very lacking for the price paid, impersonal, rushed through meals etc.
Staff were unable to provide a map of the resort or of the other rooms available. Has lots of potential as really is a nice spot - but for the price that I paid left very, very, very disappointed.

As others have mentioned, this is not a 5-star resort, and it is expensive and there are some things that will annoy people, but overall, it's a great location to take long walks along the beach, read on your verandah and swim in the ocean and not do very much of anything else. Well, there isn't much else to do here. Take your reading material, your CDs, your swimming costume and be prepared to resist anything more active.

By getting a beach front bungalow or villa, you will have great views of the bay. You can sit on your verandah and take in the view or stretch out on a sun-lounge and stick close to your bungalow. Just beyond a small sand dune is the beach and you can get to it easily via small pathways through the dune.

The garden villas looked a bit dark, even on a sunny day, so these would be for those people who intend to be on the beach or in the water all day. The reason they're dark is because they are shaded by huge, beautiful Norfolk Pines which are nestled in and around the beachfront cabins. There are also apparently some bungalows/villas higher up at the northern end of the "resort" that have nice views, so these could also be a good option.

There is no pool here for general use but there's a beach directly in front (some villas have small pools or outdoor spas). And on a nice day, when the water is calm and the sun is shining it is very refreshing to have a swim and then sun yourself on the sand. (We did have one day when the wind was blowing and it made walking on the beach unpleasant and swimming equally so. We decided to go for a drive instead.)

As other reviewers have noted, the food is not gourmet, but it is hearty and homely, some might say old-fashioned, and they do not skimp on quantity. If you like seafood, you won't be disappointed and they do cater for vegetarians. There are a ridiculous amount of desserts at lunchtime and then only one to choose from in the evening, which I found a little odd. And it would be great if some soft drinks were included in the overall price - it was a bit of a shock at the end of our stay to find out the mineral water we'd been ordering at every meal was extra.

The waiting staff were unobtrusive and the office staff very helpful, courteous and eager to assist.

If you have mobility issues, there are a lot of stairs. This also means you may have to drag bags, etc. up and down stairs to your bungalow or villa, so perhaps don't take too much stuff or be prepared to make a few trips to and from the car.

One last thing to remember, the beach in front of the "resort" is a public beach, so there can be busy days when the crowd is quite noisy (as are the crashing waves!), and the same goes for at night, when the young like to have a bit of fun. If you are staying in a beachfront villa, you might hear people laughing very loudly, etc. late at night. Just something to keep in mind.

Kims is said to be a Sydney tradition, and this worried me as expectation and reality can some times not meet.
The location can not be faulted if you want to look at the beach and relax in the fresh air and cool nights.
Accommodation is comfortable without being over the top. plus it is a beach side holiday and the fittings reflect this. The cane furniture however is very comfortable and the bed gave us a great nights sleep from day one. The bathroom is well appointed with spa bath and great full pressure shower, nicely tiled and well maintained.
The whole unit was very clean with no maintance issues and a great size to relax in. ( We had a beach front bunglow).
If you are going for gourmet dinning and 5 star accommodation, then you should rethink this venue.
The food is good, plentiful and very well presented. The highlight being the seafood each night. Great oysters and prawns that kept coming. The home cured salmon was also a delight. It is a buffet and all the limitations that that implies, but it is fresh well prepared and never runs out. The sweets were also a delight and you must indulge in them and the home made icecream.
This is the sort of place were you just park the car and do not move till you finish your holiday or book, which ever comes first.
Judge the length of your stay based on how long you want to sit back and relax.
Staff are attentive, helpful and friendly, with the units and grows beautifully maintained by a polite team of maintance crew.