212 . 944 . 8288
To Whom it May Concern:
I'm writing this as a recommendation for Petros Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays as top travel agent for Greece. When my wife and I decided to travel to Greece, we found Hellenic Holidays through an online advertisement. We wanted a travel agent with particular knowledge of Greece because we had never traveled to the country. After reading online reviews and speaking with Petros on our first phone call we knew we had the right person in Petros Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays. On our first phone call, Petros went through a very detailed set of questions about our budget, places we wanted to see, and what our dream honeymoon meant to us. We wanted to see Crete, Santorini, Mykonos and Athens. Through his ease of communication it was a relief to work with someone who answered all our questions, went above and beyond in explaining our destinations and things to do, all the way down to the fine details. When we received our travel packet it contained an itinerary of events including travel between the islands. It included travel and event vouchers, recommendations for sights and restaurants, contact persons associated with Hellenic Holidays for each island and maps. At each island we were greeted as soon as we stepped off the plane and everyone at each hotel knew our names as well as the reputation of Hellenic Holidays and particularly Petros. The hotels were in spectacular locations, had excellent customer service and magnificent views. At each location, Petros was able to secure upgrades due to our Honeymoon. At every location the recommendations Petros provided were confirmed when we spoke with towns people and hotel staff. We absolutely recommend Petros Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays to anyone traveling to Greece for any reason looking for an authentic experience. We would like to thank Petros and his staff for making our Honeymoon a time we will never forget and treasure always.
Sincerely,
John Feeney and Jessica Rozali
April 2012
To Whom it May Concern:
After a ton of research, my husband and I decided to book our honeymoon to Greece through Petros, with Hellenic Holidays. It was very reassuring to work with someone who knew Greece in and out and we felt completely comfortable that we would be taken care of throughout our trip. It was very important to us that we would not have to worry about anything once we arrived in Greece and that's exactly what we got. From the moment we arrived until the moment we left, everything was taken care of. All our transfers were arranged and very prompt. All of the hotel staff members were truly a pleasure to work with and really made us feel special. Petros gave great recommendations and a detailed itinerary that was very resourceful. He really thought we would enjoy the sunset sail in Santorini and included that in our package. We were so glad we trusted his expertise because it was by far one of the best experiences in our lives. It was truly amazing! I could go on all day about how amazing it was to work with Petros and would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a personalized and truly worry free vacation. Thanks to Petros, our honeymoon was more than we could have ever imagined!
Sincerely,
Gregory Gautreau and Kristin Grimball
April 2012
Good Morning!
My wife and I got married in May of 2012 and in the months leading up to it we knew we wanted to "go big" for our honeymoon. We figured we should take a trip that we would probably never have the chance to take again in our lifetime. The trip of a lifetime is what we got when we decided to go to Greece and have Petros Zissimos from Hellenic Holidays plan our trip. He was such a pleasure to work with. He was eager to help us get the most out of our time in Greece and was proactive in his searches to get us the best deals in the best spots. The entire planning process was a breeze. We told him how long we wanted to go for, how much we could spend, and when our flights were and he took care of the rest. We hopped from Athens to Crete, Crete to Santorini, Santorini to Mykonos and Mykonos back to Athens. The best part of all of it was we didnt have to figure out how we would get from place to place. We had cars arranged at the hotels to the port or the airport and the biggest concern we ever had was waking up on time! The activities he set up for us were perfect for us, as well. He used the conversations we had months ago before our trip to figure out what types of things we like and used that information to figure out that we would enjoy things like couple's massages, sunset catamaran trips and hiking through a massive gorge! We didnt feel like we were on a schedule but we always felt like there was something to do, which is exactly what we wanted. Finally, we genuinely genuinely appreciated that he took time to text us periodically through out the trip to make sure everything was okay and that we didnt have any problem. Its nice to know he was thinking of us and that he was willing to offer himself up to help us if we ever needed it while we were in Greece. As a tourist in a foreign country, there are moments when you arent sure what to do or where to go. It was nice to know we always had him as a resource if we needed him. I sincerely hope you will consider him for your top honors. He gets nothing but the highest marks from us for the wealth of memories he helped me and my wife share.
Sincerely,
Kevin Harte & Ryanne Laredo
May 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
I would like to nominate Petros Zissimos as a top travel specialist for Greece. My wife and I were lucky to find the contact information for Hellenic Holidays through Honeyfund. With all of the responsibilities of planning a wedding, and our minimal knowledge of Greece, we decided to use a travel agent for our honeymoon plans and called Hellenic Holidays. After speaking with Petros for a brief time, I felt very comfortable that he would help us plan the dream vacation we wanted. Petros sent me information on a travel package the same day and it was exactly what we wanted. Once we decided to move forward with booking the trip, Petros quickly went to work on reserving our accommodations to assure the best "early season" pricing. Being my first international trip, my first experience with a travel agent and my honeymoon, I was full of questions and Petros was able to explain the process and ease my mind in a very professional manner. As we were closer to our departure date, we received our travel package. All of our documents were organized in orderof use, along with our detailed itinerary and travel vouchers. Petros scheduled a phone call with my fiance and I to review the documents and answer any questions that we had about the trip. He gave us several useful tips on topics we hadnt considered> while on our trip, we were very thankful that we he was so helpful in preparing us. During our travel all of our transportation was arranged. I had never experienced such "VIP" treatment while traveling. All of the hotels that we booked were upgraded to suites with great views, and the service at each hotel was above and beyond expectations. The hotels, restaurant recommendations, activities and suggested destinations could not have been more tailored to our vision of the perfect honeymoon. The little extras, such as a nice bottle of wine, champagne for a honeymoon toast and the amazing sinset cruise around Santorini were the highlights of our trip and were all either recommendations or gifts from Petros. I would recommend his services to anyone planning a trip to Greece.
Sincerely,
Brian Allain & Annemarie Schneider
May 2012
To the kind folks at Travel and Leisure,
We would like to highly recommend Petros Zissimos at Hellenic Holidays as a top travel specialist. My husband and I worked with Petros for several months to plan our honeymoon in Greece - a country neither of us had ever been to, but always dreamed of visiting. Petros was recommended to us by my husband's colleague who worked with Petros to plan his honeymoon, and had said there was no way we could plan a honeymoon in Greece without him. Admittedly, we were skeptical at first, but decided to visit Petros for a conversation. We were thrilled in our first meeting with Petros - not just by the authentic paintings in his office, the ouzo candies he offered us, or the tsikoudia he had us smell - but by his uncanny sixth sense to have a sense of who Matt and I were, both as individuals and as a couple. Within the first 15 minutes, Petros had us pegged. Petros planned the most incredible honeymoon. Modest people, working within a budget, we told Petros we didn't need the honeymoon suites - we just needed clean sheets, floors and bathrooms. He managed to work his magic with his contacts and we were upgraded at three out of four hotels, along with special accommodations like bottles of wine, champagne, mixed fruit, complimentary massages and treated like family by the managers and staff at every hotel. He sent us to Athens, Crete and Santorini and the trip was the perfect mixture of adventure, culture and relaxation. We explored cities, visited art exhibits, took a Greek cooking class, hiked the largest gorge in Europe, drove "cross country" in Crete in a hot red Fiat, enjoyed an all you can eat sunset sail and went wine tasting with a sommelier. We tasted every Greek food and drink we could get our hands on, and many of the restaurants we went to were Petros' recommendations - and not just the fancy kind (although we did enjoy some of those) but we told Petros we wanted authentic food on a budget, and he provided. We can't imagine planning this trip on our own - even with all the guidebooks in the world (which by the way, dont even begin to do Greece justice - we checked). Our only complaint about this trip is that it has ruined tomatoes for us. Since eating Greek tomatoes, we simply cannot stomach cutting and ingesting one of those horrble red blobs found in U.S. supermarkets. So be it. We will simply have to save our pennies and ask Petros to send us back..... And you should too!
Warm Regards,
Lauren & Matt Prusak
May 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
We had an amazing time in Greece thanks to Petros! All of the hotels were lovely just like Petros promised. The people were so warm and friendly and we didnt want to leave Santorini. I would recommend that place to everyone! All of our travel plans were completed through e-mail or over the phone and Petros was very professional. He really listened to what we wanted to see and what we could afford. I would not use any one else to book a trip to Greece, except Petros and Hellenic Holidays!
Best,
Eric & Dillon Stone
June 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
We had the privilege of working with Petros in planning our honeymoon. We were referred to him by one of our close friends who raved about him as much as I do now. From the start of my conversations with Petros, I never felt that I was dealing with an agent or travel business. He was extremely personable, and genuinely listened to each of our preferences and concerns. Unlike other agents I have worked with in the past, he planned the trip based on what was best for us, rather than what was best for his company. He set up the entire trip to include those destinations, hotels, and activities that we would enjoy the most. Before we departed for the trip, he sent us a very thorough final itinerary, including key information about the sdestinations, numbers to call, and things to keep in mind. This included recommendations for sites to visit and places to eat. On the day of our departure, our flight (which was not purchased through Petros) was cancelled, and we reached our destination 1 day late. No problem... We called Petros and all the changes were immediately made without any complaints. He even sent us a check for the day refund! From the moment we arrived in Greece, we did not have to worry about a single item. Everything was taken care of as described. We were even upgraded at several locations as a special token for being a Hellenic Holidays client. We really felt like VIPs at each of the hotels and truly Thank Petros for taking the hassle factor out of our honeymoon. We knew this would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip and Petros made it happen. I would highly recommend him to everyone and honestly wish he planned vacations to other European countries as well!
Sincerely,
Veeral Shah & Prutha Barot
June 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
It is my great honor to nominate Petros Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays for the 2013 Travel & Leisure A - List Award. Petros was and absolute pleasure to work with, and my wife and I cannot imagine our beautiful honeymoon experience without his guidance. Thank You Petros! His knowledge of Greece and its surrounding islands, his organized nature, detailed itinerary and Petros' dedication to ensure that every aspect of our trip was executed separates him from anyone who we've dealt with in the past. Normally, I like to plan everything; and after executing a successful proposal and wonderful wedding, there was no way I couldn't handle planning a honeymoon. Luckily, I have a smaret wife who had the good fortune of finding Petros on TheKnot.com. After a friendly e-mail exchange, we decided to meet with Petros at Hellenic Holidays' offices in New York City. Petros molded our personal experiences and story into our dream honeymoon. His genuine interest to "our story" and knowledge of Greece helped shape our honeymoon experience in a region unfamiliar to us. We felt so comfortable with Petros that enabled us to add an additional destimation to our honeymoon, Istanbul, Turkey. We had an amazing two week trip. The name "Petros" takes you so much further than our honeymoon destination as it was demonstrated by the special attention and services we received through the duration of our trip. Petros created a picture perfect honeymoon that included a great combination of amazing boutiques/hotels, friendly drivers and knowledgable tour guides, exquisite dining experiences that also involved many local eateries, and excursions that left us speechless. He went above and beyond securing us several highly valued upgrades which made us feel like true VIP's. We were extremely satisfied with the high quality of service and value provided by Petros and his staff at Hellenic Holidays. Our issue going forward is simply that we wish to have every vacation provided by Petros. He has spoiled us and every future trip will be measured by our honeymoon. Petros exemplifies true professionalism, great value and excellent customer service. We strongly encourage everyone who wants to experience a romantic honeymoon vacation filled with wonderful surprises to look no further and book with petros and Hellenic Holidays. Thank You Petros and Hellenic Holidays for making our honeymoon a dream come true.
Kind Regards,
Raquel & Henry Fernandez
June 2012
Honeymoon of a lifetime..........
Being in the weddings industry myself, the bar was set pretty high for me during this amazing time in my life. Throw being an extreme perfectionist and working for a 5-star boutique brand of hotels, and my expectations were through the roof! The honeymoon was no exception.... My husband and I knew that we wanted to go to the Greek Isles, as neither of us had been before and it has always just screamed pure romance to me! I also knew, however, that I did not want to have to put a lot of effort into the actual planning of the honeymoon, being that I was so heavily involved with the details of our wedding (while also helping to make my clients' dreams come true in my professional life!) Enter Petros Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays. From the moment we had our first call with Petros, I knew it would be a match made in heaven! I hold myself to a very high level of customer service, and from that first call, I knew that Petros and I were cut from the same cloth! His passion for the country and to ensure that his cllients make memories that will last a lifetime are the two things that truly won us over. Petros is incredibly hands-on during the planning phase, preparing a day-by-day detailed itinerary that we reviewed on a conference call a few weeks prior to our trip. This itinerary was a God-send during our honeymoon travels! My husband and I are not the type of couple that enjoys over-planning a vacation, and the itinerary worked perfectly for us in that respect! There were suggestions of fun things to do and great restaurants along the way, along with one activity pre-planned in each destination, which allowed us to truly explore the islands at our own pace. Petros kept in touch (via text) throughout the trip to ensure that we were well taken care of and to let us know that he was there if we needed anything. It was that attention to detail that made us feel like we were VIP's and I truly think that's how every honeymoon couple should feel during such a special time! There were surprises along the way, and whenever we mentioned Helleinc Holidays to the locals, you could tell that they hold the travel company at such a high level. It was all of this that made our dream honeymoon unforgettable, making us long for our 10 year anniversary to get here so we can return! The trip was impeccably planned from start to finish, and we have one person to finish, and we have one person to thank.... Petros Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays!
Sincerely,
Jessi & Michael Hill
July 2012
To the Editors at Travel and Leisure,
I am without hesitation and bias in my nominating Hellenic Holidays as 2012 Top Travel Specialists to Greece. This is my story. My wife and I wanted to plan a "last" family vacation as all 3 of our children have finished graduating from colleges and are all now gainfully employed. The Vacation of a lifetime as we began to call it, was a logistical jaugernaut to co-ordinate with the working schedules of 5 adults during July after graduations, weddings and getting approvals for vacations from work. We arrived at the NY Times Travel Show in hopes of being reassured that travel to Greece during the tumultous financial global crisis was a wise decision. As we got closer to the end of our time there we noticed a sign for Hellenic Holidays. It was late in the afternoon and we were ready to leave to make our trip back home when we tool a chance to approach a handsome middle aged gentleman with a welcoming and warm smile on his face. I asked him if I could ask him a few questions about his opinions on this summer's stability in Greece and the best time to book airfares. He immediately reassured me and my wife that there would be no forseeable issues and this was a great time to take advantage of some fantastic bargains as a result of a lot of bad press. He recommended that we book our flights as soon as possible as the closer we got to our departure date the more costly the fares will be. We thanked him for his time and began to leave when I suddenly realized I wasnt talking to a salesman but a well spoken and well informed travel specialist. I have been in my own retail business for the past 35 years and it is easy for me to recognize when a person has a true passion for what they believe in and it was obvious to me that this man had the gift of exceeding expectations and delivering on his word. I turned around and asked him if he would care to quote a similar travel package to Greece explaining how important it was to us to make this a family vacation of a lifetime that none of us would ever forget. This man accepted my offer to quote the trip and send me the quote to my e-mail the very next morning. The man's name was Petros Zissimos and his family owns and operates the 40 year old family business known as Hellenic Holidays. The quote came as promised and to our surprise it was presented as a completely private vacation escorted the entire time and exclusively arranged for the 5 of us as a family. From the transfers to the professionally guided tours to the hotel registrations and the business class ferry transfers we were always traveling in first class accommodations as a family. We received rock star treatment where ever we went as Petros and his team in Greece made sure every detail and promise was executed to perfection. Our family was blessed to have enjoyed a perfect 11 day Greek vacation of a lifetime because we were fortunate enough to have met Petros on a late Sunday afternoon this past February and from a few minutes in a brief conversation, we came to trust the entire Zissimos family. Now you know my story and the reasons why Petros Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays should earn the elite status of being nominated as a Top Travel Specialist to Greece. We would recommend them to any of our family, friends,relatives and your readers. This was an epic experience, one which we will never forget and probably will never experience again. Unless of course the Zissimos family decides to service other countries.
Sincerely,
William Macdonald & Family
July 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
My husband and I went on our honeymoon in July for a month to Greece, Turkey and Israel. Petros at Hellenic Holidays coordinated all of the transporation and hotel bookings throughout Greece and Turkey. He was a pleasure to work with and really put together an amazing itinerary for us during our stay. He even coordinated our flight to Tel Aviv from Istanbul even though his main focus is Greece & Turkey. He helped tremendously in planning a honeymoon that we wanted to be perfect without the stress of us having to manage on our own to find the right hotel and activities. Petros checked in on us via texts throughout our trips to make sure everything was going smoothly and it of course did because of him. Before leaving for Greece, we had some hesitations because of what was reported in the media, but he assuaged our doubts and we feltsupported by him to take care of anything if something should go wrong.Petros picked the most amnazing hotels for us to stayin and even upgraded our room or had some extra perks sent to our rooms (chocolate fondue with strawberries in Istanbul with rose petals on the beds, fruit baskets in Santorini, etc.). His restaurant recommendations did not let down either! The trip was everything we wanted and more because of his planning and guidance.
Sincerely,
Rachel Alfie & David Bedar
July 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
Petros Zissimos from Hellenic Holidays helped me with our honeymoon to Mykonos and Santorini in July 2012 and my fiance and I could not have been happier. petros really understood what kind of vacation we were looking for and his suggestions were spot on. The Mykonos Grand was so beautiful and the views at Astra Suites were breathtaking. Petros scheduled all our transportation between islands which took a lot of stress off my fiance and I. He also scheduled a boat tour which was the highlight of our trip as well as massages and a wine tour. He has gone above and beyond and took time out of his schedule to make sure our trip was going exactly the way we planned. I would recommend him to anyone who is travelling to Greece.
Sincerely,
Kimberly Fragoso & Michael Tocci
July 2012
Petros is Awesome! Greece is Amazing!
By far the best decision to use Petros and Hellenic Holidays to plan our honeymoon to Greece! After sitting down and meeting with him, he planned our honeymoon perfectly! He took care of everything! We didnt have to worry about one thing at all! Greece was amazing and everywhere we went they treated us like VIP's since we booked through Hellenic Holidays! Petros checked in with us everywhere we went to make sure things were going smoothly. I would highly recommend Hellenic Holidays and Petros to plan your honeymoon! You will not be disappointed!! We cant wait to go back to use Petros again!
Sincerely,
Lauren & Michael Brophy
July 2012
"Fabulous honeymoon from start to finish"
Petros organized our honeymoon to Greece and Turkey in August 2012 and we could not be more grateful for his help! Our trip was seamless from start to finish thanks to the detailed itinerary that heplaneed for us following a couple of over the phone discussions. We were able to achieve the perfect balance of sightseeing, tours and relaxing downtime. His knowledge and expertise in Greece is top notch. We visited Athens, Crete, Santorini and Istanbul and stayed in unique and beautiful boutique hotels at each location. Petros surprised us with champagne, rose petals, and even chocolates at more than one location. The staff at each hotel was incredibly accommodating and their recommendations combined with those from Hellenic Holidays allowed us to enjoy authentic meals at great restaurants that were usually off the beaten track and away from the tourist crowds. The real lifesaver was when Petros was able to get our passports to us in Santorini after we left them in Crete! We fully recommend Petros and Hellenic Holidays!
Best,
Katie & Jesse Krynak
August 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
Petros with Hellenic Holidays in NYC helped us organize the most perfect honeymoon. With deep knowledge of Greek culture and geography, Petros helped us to plan a trip that exceeded our expectations. The accommodations were exceptional and the restaurant suggestions were all delicious. What was really wonderful about working with Petros was that he was really able to hear our ideas, our budget and create a unique trip for us. We enjoyed our trip so much, that we are already saving up to take another trip with Hellenic Holidays for a wedding anniversary. If you are interested in traveling to Greece, I would highly recommend Petros from Hellenic Holidays for planning your trip.
Best,
Chelsea Davies & David Gardner
August 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
I would like to nominate Petros Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays for your travel specialist award. Petros planned my wife's and my honeymoon to Greece, and did a fabulous job. It is with enthusiam and gratituide that we offer Petros our unconditional recommendation. We visited Greece for nearly two weeks in August, beginning in Athens then moving onto Mykonos and Santorini. Petros handled nearly all the arrangements - from hotels to in-country flights, from activites to airport-to-hotel transfers. He made it easy for my wife and I so we could enjoy our honeymoon, truly relax, and feel completely comfortable that everything was already taken care of. The hotels that Petros selected were first rate - really, some of the most beautiful places we've ever stayed. The travel arrangements were flawless - someone was always there to pick us up when we stepped off a boat or a plane, and more often than not, it was a fancy car with a private driver. That made us feel very special. The packet of information and recommendations that Petros sent us on our way with was comprehensive but easy to understand - just the right amount of information in an easily digestible form. His restaurant recommendations were excellent, as were the handful of activities he set up for us. (A sunset sail in Santorini was particularly memorable.) We normally don't book our holidays through travel agents. We did so for our honeymoon because we were so consumed with wedding planning that we wanted to just hand the honeymoon baton to an expert. We're very glad we did. Petros was terrific, and we would definitely recommend Hellenic Holidays to everyone we know.
Best,
Ben Frumin & Aliyah Shahid
August 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
My fiance and I recently travelled with my family to the Greek Islands in hopes of sharing a memorable vacation while we all still had the time, means, and flexibility to do so - and we certainly weren't disappointed. I can't speak highly enough of the phenomenal job Petros Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays did in planning, facilitating and delivering a once in a lifetime vacation to paradise for my family. After spending the initial leg of our trip visiting family in my father's village on the mainland of Greece, we flew from Athens to Mykonos where we were picked up by a private driver and transported to our hotel, The Mykonos Grand. The resort was breathtaking and the service we received from the staff was impeccable. Upon arrival, we were taken to a private room where the hotel's accommodations as we sipped champagne while overlooking the calming Aegean Sea. Following our five nights in Mykonos, we were all marginally sad to leave such an idyllic place, but we were looking to our next stop - Santorini. Petros arranged for a first-class, high speed ferry transport from Mykonos to Santorini that gave us the opportunity to enjoy majestic views of the Aegean and several other Greek islands along our path. We were once again welcomed at the Santorini port by a private driver who loaded our luggage and took us on a scenic drive on the way to our hotel in the town of Imerovigli. Perched on the cliffside of Santorini's beautiful landscape, Astra Suites is undeniably a spiritual place. The views alone are worth the trip. Again, the hotel staff was so welcoming and always wore a smile. Unbeknowst to us, Petros had arranged for special upgrades to our suites that gave us the most amazing rooms we have ever encountered. After a day of travel, we decided to soak up the ambiance and luxury the hotel had to offer, followed by the most amazing dinner my family has ever enjoyed atop the outdoor hotel restaurant (coming from a family of restauranteurs, this speaks volumes of the quality of the food and service). The next day we lounged by the pool before taking a hotel bus to the port where Petros had reserved a private sunset catamaran cruise for my family. This was honestly the highlight of the trip, as we sailed around the island of Santorini, swam in the volcanic hotsprings, and had another amazing meal on the boat. The catamaran owner spoke very highly of Petros and we later learned that he wanted to personally captain our excursion to ensure it was nothing short of perfect- and it was. I think this is yet another testament to the respect and high regard in which our various island service providers hold the Zissimos Family. Later the next evening, we were surprised to learn that Petros had arranged for a professional photographer to take engagement pictures of my fiance and me. I couldn't imagine a more ideal and picturesque spot to have one's engagement shoot. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Hellenic Holidays to anyone, and have been thanked on countless occasions by close friends and colleagues for doing so. I feel privileged to have worked with petros in planning this unforgettable vacation and anxiously await the opportunity to travel with him again. As such, it is with great pride that I nominate Petros Zissimosand Hellenic Holidays as a Conde Nast top travel specialist for Greece.
Sincerely Yours,
Nick Bakatsias
August 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
I would highly recommend Hellenic Holidays to any couple looking to go to Greece for their honeymoon. Petros is very knowledgeable of the country as well as traveling there from the US. He was very attentive during our calls and when we finally met with him he had put together a blueprint that was perfect based on our conversations. Our honeymoon was absolutely perfect. The hotels that Petros suggested were amazing, the resturants were delicious and the excursions were fun and informational. When arriving to the hotels, we were greeted as Mr. & Mrs.! Everyone knew that we were on our honeymoon and treated us exceptionally well, down to the private transfers (2 thumbs up for that). We stayed in the heart of Athens near the Acropolis. the hotel was very accessible to all of the archaeological sites. We were able to walk around by foot. The restaurant that Petros suggested for dinner was remarkable, the food was delicious. Our suite in Mykonos was beautiful, we could watch the sunset from our balcony, and the spa there was excellent. The hubby said that's the best massage he has ever gotten in his life. We lied by the pool during the day and hit little Venice by night (after a romantic dinner of course). In Santorini we met 2 couples who had also used Petros for their honeymoon. They were also impressed with his service and knowledge of Greece. Our hotel in Oia was perfect. It was a slice of paradise. Breathtaking views accompanied with delicious food. The tours that Petros recommended (wine tour and sunset cruise) were the highlights of the trip. Anyone going to Greece should call Petros immediately!
Extremely happy newlyweds of Petros!,
Mr. & Mrs. James Robinson II
August 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
From the moment we first spoke to Petros Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays, we knew our honeymoon was going to be different. We weren't just going to have someone send us a packet of options that really handcuffed us into what they were comfortable providing, but we were going to get a well thought out blue print of what we truly wanted. Petros listened to our every word, took notes and got to know our personalities so that he could suggest options that were perfect for us, while also educating us on things we may not want to do. You really got the sense that your happiness meant the world to him. To be honest, we enjoyed speaking with him so much that we actually made up reasons to call him! Our honeymoon consisted of stops in Athens, Mykonos and Santorini. Our Athens stay was the perfect way to start our trip. Our hotel was so nice with views of the gardens, the original Olympic Stadium, the Acropolis and Lycabettus Hill. We enjoyed local culture when we dined, we experienced history on our scheduled tour and we recapped the day on our balcony overlooking the city. We hit the ground running in Athens and never looked back. We then headed to Mykonos where we stayed at the Mykonos Grand. We were We were transfered to our hotel not truly knowing what to expect. We were treated like royalty the minute we arrived. We were then handed a glass of champagne and given a detailed description of the island and all it has to offer. In Mykonos we enjoyed a couples massage at the Mykonos Grand (the best we'd ever had), a private dinner and bonfire on the beach, sightseeing in town and complete and utter relaxation at the pool with a view of the sea and other islands. In a word, it was perfect. The greatest part is that some of those things were planned out for us by Petros, and others we were given the freedom to explore on our own. After saying good bye to the staff and friends we made during our visit, we left Mykonos and headed to Santorini. Upon arriving in Santorini, we were instantly amazed by the breathtaking and romantic views. We stayed at the Andronis Suites and were amazed by the exclusivity and privacy that it offered. It had a view that was unmatched. We also took an unforgettable romantic cruise around the island that provided great company, terrific food and moments that will last a lifetime. When we reflect back on our honeymoon we can honestly say that the only bad part was that it had to end. At the end of the day, there were a ton of factors that made our honeymoon so perfect, but there is only one person to thank for that and it is Petros Zissimos from Hellenic Holidays!
Sincerely,
Ryan & Jane Mosser
August 2012
Good Morning,
I am writing because I would like to nominate Petros Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays Inc., in New York, as a top travel specialist for Greece. Petros is an exceptional travel agent. My husband and I just returned from a two week honeymoon in Greece and we couldnt have wished for a better vacation. Petros took care of our entire trip and planned everything to perfection, from hotels and transfers to tours and spa appointments. We felt so at ease traveling from island to island and back to Athens because Petros took care of absoilutely everything. We plan to travel to other Greek Islands and Turkey in the future, and I'm certain we will book through Hellenic Holidays. Petros is the best of the best and therefore, should be recognized by Travel and Leisure as a top travel specialist for Greece.
Sincerely,
Dustin & Sandi Dreisonstok
September 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
I would like to nominate Petros Zissimos at Hellenic Holidays for Top Travel Specialist for Greece. His thoughtfully planned itinerary for my 11 day trip to Athens, Mykonos and Santorini was absolutely impeccable. After our initial meeting, he took what I described as my "dream vacation" and created an itinerary with all of my specifics in mind, while remaining well within my budget. His passion for his work and knowledge of Greece came through in every one of his hotel choices, excursion suggestions and restaurant recommendations. Overall, it was a fantastic trip and working with Petros was a pleasure.
Sincerely,
Karen & Lisa Infantino
September 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
From the moment I landed on the Hellenic Holidays website to meeting Petros Zissimos, I knew that our dreams of a honeymoon would come true. At our first meeting, Petros was so warm and friendly, I felt like I had known him forever. He truly cared about what would make our honeymoon special, unique, and right for us. His passion for the Greek culture and his extensive knowledge of the country made choosing himplan our honeymoon a no brainer. Once we picked the places we wanted to visit and decided on our budget, Petros took care of the rest. He provided us with a detailed blueprint of a 12 day trip to Athens, Mykonos and Santorini that was tailor made just for us. Once in Greece, we never worried about a single thing and we were treated like royalty. From upgrades to unexpected champagne & chocolates in our room, every little detail was thought of and made us feel special throughout the trip. Every pick up, transfer and excursion was on time and provided by locals who were knowledgable, friendly and accommodating. Our hotel in Athens was perfectly located in the heart of Plaka with incomparable views of the Acropolis from our balcony. We cannot say enough about our beautiful hotel in Mykonos, talk about absolute bliss! From the clear blue Aegean waters, prisitine beaches, and the picture perfect views of Delos, Mykonos was truly paradise. Our final stop took us to the distinctive island of Santorini. With our hotel nestled high in the cliffs overlooking the beautiful caldera, it truly was a unique and romantic experence. The sunset sail Petros planned for us as well as the wine tour enabled us to experience this beautiful island in the most unexpected ways. Petros's restaurant recommendations were all exceptional and offered fresh, traditional, local cuisine. Petros and his staff at Hellenic Holidays made sure every detail was executed seamlessly which resulted in the most luxurious and relaxing honeymoon we could have asked for. It is truly our pleasure to recommend and encourage you to contact Petros at Hellenic Holidays to help you plan your trip to Greece. The high quality of service, attention to detail, and their incomparable professionalism separates them from the rest.
Sincerely,
Paul Smith & Justine Coccaro
September 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
We would like to recommend Petros Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays, for the Conde Nast Top Travel Specialist award. Please take a few moments to read our story. We think you will agree that he deserves this recognition. My husband and I were married in May 2012. For our honeymoon, we decided we wanted to travel to Greece. This was something I had always wanted to experience and my husband was equally excited to spend time together in such a beautiful country. After spending significant time browsing the web to get information about traveling to Greece, we decided we wanted the help of someone much more experienced than we were. And this is when we discovered Petros Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays. I sent a general e-mail to Hellenic Holidays requesting information about their company. I received a response from Petros within a few hours. From the initial contact by Petros, I felt comfortable and knew I didnt want to work with anyone else for our honeymoon. Petros was so knowledgable and friendly, he made both my husband and I feel like our trip was the only one he was going to be working on. We gave him a brief idea of what we wanted to do while in Greece and within a few days, we had a suggested trip itinerary outlined and e-mailed to us for review. It was exactly what we wanted and Petros kept within our budget without compromising any aspect of our dream trip! In September 2012, we embarked on our journey to Greece. We began our honeymoon in Athens, where we spent 2 days walking the streets of Plaka, taking in the sights and dining at some amazing restaurants suggested by Petros. Our next stop was Chania, Crete. All of our travel arrangements were handled completely by Petros and when our plane landed in Crete, our driver was ready and waiting to take us to our amazing hotel, Casa Delfino. Upon our arrival, we were surprised to learn that he had secretly arranged for a room upgrade and we were given the Honeymoon Suite! Once again, Petros gave some wonderful restaurant suggestions. After a few days in Chania, we were packing up again for our last stop, Santorini. When we arrived in Santorini, our driver brought us to our hotel, Andronis Suites, where once again, we were surprised that Petros arranged for a room upgrade. The view from our veranda was breathtaking and the hotel far exceeded any of our expectations. Words will never be able to adequately describe the amazing experience this trip was for us. What we can say is that none of it would have been possible without the help and direction given to us by Petros. Every step of the way, he was there to guide us and answerall of our questions. He set up conference calls before and after the trip, as well as checked in with us at each stop throught the honeymoon. He was never more than a phone call, text message or e-mail away at anytime. And everytime we mentioned his name to someone at a restaurant or hotel, they would smile and start talking to us about how long they have known him and how much they enjoy working with him. It's like he's a part of everyone's family and Petros made us feel that same way too! I have worked with travel agents over the years and even built good friendships with some of them. However, Petros is by far, the best person I have had the pleasure of working with. And, if we can encourage him to branch out, maybe he will be able to plan other exotic vacations for us as well. I have and will continue to recommend Petros Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays to anyone wanting an exceptional vacation, planned perfectly. For us, there is no better travel specialist than Petros!
Thank You for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Gerard Cazares & Kathy Collins
September 2012
To Whom it May Concern:
We would like to nominate Petros Zissimos at Hellenic Holidays as a top travel specialist for Greece. We had the pleasure of working with Petros as he scheduled and managed our honeymoon vacation which we took for two weeks in September 2012. He was able to create a custom trip for us that included all of the destinations we we wanted to see - Istanbul, Crete, Santorini, Mykonos and Athens - including a number of planned activities at each location. All of our transportation between the destinations was included in our package, and it was well document for us prior to leaving (including a call with Petros to review the detailed itinerary) so we had no difficulty getting from one place to another and could instead spend time enjoying our trip. Petros also picked out perfect hotels for us at all of the locations. At each hotel we were greeted by friendly staff who were eager to make our stay memorable. The location of each hotel was also ideal for exploring the area and accessing nearby points of interest. After returning home and looking at our photos, it was hard to imagine that we had just gone on such an amazing trip! I would strongly recommend Petros to anyone who is interested in visiting Greece and/or Turkey, whether for a honeymoon or just an awesome vacation. We hope we have the opportunity to work with Petros on a future trip.
Thank You,
Tom & Candace Dunlap
September 2012
To Whom it May Concern:
I would like to recommend Petros Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays as a top travel specialist for Greece. I cannot give enough praise to Petros for everything he did to make our honeymoon SO amazing! Once we decided that we wanted to go to Greece, we spoke with a local travel agent to discuss pricing. We received a quote, and began doing more research on where exactly in Greece we'd like to go and which hotels would suit our needs the best. While searching online, I stumbled upon Hellenic Holidays and decided to send an inquiry. From the first moment I spoke to Petros, I knew that we were in good hands. We were going to pay whatever price premium there was to make sure that we were going to have the BEST trip to Greece that we could possibly could have. After speaking with Petros on the phone for a few weeks, we made the trip to New York City from Maryland to meet with him in person. He took the time to get to know us and find out exactly what we wanted out of the trip. From here, he gave us some extremely helpful suggestions about which islands we might want to visit that would suit our personalities. With all of the information that he was giving and his first-hand experience with everything that he was recommending, we assumed that it was going to cost us an arm and a leg. Once we received the quoted price, we were shocked that it was nearly the same as working with the original travel agent with whom we spoke. It was a no brainer. We were of course going to work with Petros to design our perfect honeymoon. The process of setting everything up was very easy. We met with Petros a few weeks prior to departure to go over the details of the trip. He gave us an itinerary for our trip that gave us options for things to do and restaurants at which to eat in each location. He was able to answer every single one of our questions because he is so familiar with the properties and locations that he is booking. We were completely prepared for our trip. Once we were in Greece, we felt very comfortable that if there were any hiccups, we could count on Petros to get everything sorted out. Boy were we right! Our first hiccup occured on our second day of the honeymoon when we were in Athens. We were schedule to go on a sightseeing tour in Athens; however there was a protest that day, and we were unable to go. Petros found a way to contact us that morning to ensure that everything was okay and we had made it to the airport safely. When we spoke to him, it was 5am New York time! This was evidence to us that Petros does everything in his power to make sure that everything goes smoothly. The rest of the trip was completely amazing. Every single restaurant and spot that Petros recommended was absolutely amazing. We would recommend that all of our friends work with Petros to schedule a trip to Greece. He knows how to personalize the trip to meet your desires and personalities and make it the most amazing experience youwill ever have. Thank You Petros for making our honeymoon so special!
Sincerely,
Steve Leckrone & Cate Pasquale
September 2012
To Whom it May Concern:
Yes, he's the Greek Honeymoon Expert!
My fiance and I recently returned from a honeymoon to Mykonos, Santorini and Athens and we can't say enough good things about Hellenic Holidays and Petros Zissimos. Insteading of spending countless hours researching the Greek Islands, we had one fun meeting with Petros where we talked about what we wanted in a honeymoon. In our second meeting, Petros presented us with a ciustom itinerary that met our honeymoon dreams, yet was within our budget. From the moment we touched down in Greece until we got back on the plane at the end of the trip everything was completely taken care of. We stayed in world-class hotels with gorgeous rooms,impeccable service and excellent food establishments that Petros hand-selected for us. We were constantly surprised by all of the automatic upgrades he negotiated for us - we never knew what would await us each time we returned to our hotel room. Between the hotels, car services, and sunset sail he booked, we experienced the A-List treatment! Petros provided a detailed itinerary each day with great suggestions of what to do with plenty of rest and relkaxation built in as well. We are so thankful to him for single-handedly creating a honeymoon that was better than we could have imagined and that fit intoour budget thanks to his miracleworking!
Sincerely,
Richard Fleming & Jessica Wozinsky
October 2012
