I would like to nominate Petros Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays as a Conde Nast Top Travel Specialist. As an American of Greek descent, I had very much wanted to plan a trip with my husband to show him the beauty of Greece, as it would be his first trip. After several initial discussions with Petros, I felt confident in his knowledge and expertise. He was able to accommodate our requests and planned an itinerary that allowed us to experience the culture, religion, and history of the country. After the Easter holiday, we took a four day cruise through the Aegean. We enjoyed every port and excursion, however Ephesus and Patmos certainly left an impression! Petros arranged for us to disembark from our cruise in Santorini, which allowed us to have some relaxation time and a true Greek island experience. He reserved the most amazing hotel room for us at Homeric Poems, in Firostefani, Santorini. We had a view of the caldera from our bedroom. Petros arranged for us to go on a sunset cruise around Santorini on a catamaran where ate dinner and enjoyed wine while watching the sunset. Everything was perfect, spending time in Santorini was like a second honeymoon. We finished our trip in Athens, where Petros arranged for us to stay at the Electra Palace in Plaka. Our hotel room had a gorgeous view of the city and the Acropolis. Thanks to Petros, we had an incredibly organized itinerary in first class accommodations. He provided us with a driver to and from the airports and ship, and we never had to worry about anything, every detail was covered. Petros would check in on us with a phone call or email throughout the trip, and let us know he was always available should a problem arise. It was reassuring knowing that we had a travel agent planning and organizing a trip for us who was sincere and cared greatly about our experience. I have never met Petros in person but I feel like he is a family! My husband is already talking about planning another trip and I have already given Petros’ information to family and friends. I highly recommend Petros to be a Conde Nast Top Travel Specialist and would recommend that anyone planning on visiting Greece use Petros Zissimos at Hellenic Holidays in New York.
Jason & Mimi Godwin
April 2009
Dear Wendy Perrin of Conde Nast Traveler,
I am writing to nominate Petros Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays, Inc. as a Top Travel Specialist for Greece. He made our May 2009 honeymoon unforgettable and by far the least stressful trip we've ever taken. From the moment I got off the phone the first time, I knew I found the right person to plan us a wonderful honeymoon. He took the chance to get to know me and ask what I envisioned our honeymoon to be. He took all of that into consideration (including my budget) and made recommendations based on his personal experiences and experiences of other travelers. He answered all of my questions very quickly and put my mind at ease about using a travel agent to plan our honeymoon.While traveling through Greece, all of our inter-island transfers were on time and professional along with the local representatives from Hellenic Holidays who were there to answer any of our questions. All of the hotels and excursions he booked for us along with the restaurant recommendations allowed us to not have to worry about a thing while we were there except for having a great time with our new spouse.He planned us the perfect Greek Honeymoon filled with romance, adventure, history, and relaxation and should be commended for it.
Jeffrey & Stephanie Trentadue
May 2009
I would like to take this opportunity to nominate Petros Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays as a 2010 Specialist for Greece. My name is Lisa Freedland and I just returned home from an amazing two week honeymoon on the Greek Islands. Greece was always a place we dreamed of travelling to but we did not know where to start the planning process. A friend recommended Petros Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays. This friend had recently taken a trip to Turkey and Greece and had nothing but amazing things to say about the experience and especially the travel agent that she had worked with. Shortly after I listened to the rave review I phoned Petros and scheduled a meeting. Petros took the time to get to know Jacob and I so that he could suggest the perfect islands and sites we needed to visit. Petros asked a ton of questions, making sure he knew just what we were looking for in our vacation. The people he works with on a daily basis have such wonderful things to say about Petros, it often felt like we were spending time with his friends instead of business partners. It is very clear how respected Petros is as a travel agent in Greece. When we arrived at our hotel in Mykonos we were taken to our amazing suite which we had been upgraded to, thanks to Petros. Our private swimming pool was a welcomed surprise to the beginning of our vacation. The restaurants recommended by Petros were outstanding. Again, we felt as if we were dining with Petros' friends rather than his business clients. Santorini was our second island location. Like in Mykonos, we were upgraded in Santorini to a gorgeous room with a stunning view of the sea and sunset. The activities Petros recommended for Santorini were some of the most memorable moments of our entire honeymoon. On our sunset catamaran cruise, we again felt as though we had met up with a friend of Petros and he made sure to show us the very best of Santorini. Our third and final island was Crete. Our 12 night "once in a lifetime" vacation was exactly that. We could not have asked for a more planned and thought out trip than Petros put together for us. Petros' knowledge of Greece and attention to detail amazed us. Though our honeymoon was a "once in a lifetime" trip, I hope one day soon I will have the opportunity to work with Petros again. I would recommend his services to everyone. His knowledge and connections, both business and family, make him an excellent source to plan a Greek vacation.
Jacob & Lisa Freedland
May 2009
Dear Travel & Leisure Magazine:
My husband and I are writing to you today to nominate, Petros Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays for the Travel and Leisure A-list Award. We recently returned from our honeymoon in Greece where we visited Athens, Mykonos and Santorini and had the absolute pleasure of having Petros guide us through the entire process.Before I begin, let me explain that my husband and I live in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City and were having the most terrible time finding a travel agent to help us plan our honeymoon to Greece. We interviewed at least three companies in the area, only to come away disappointed and frustrated, thinking that we would never be able to have the honeymoon of our dreams. As luck would have it, my fiancé, at the time, was attempting one last desperate search on-line to find a way to make our dreams come true….where he found Petros and Hellenic Holidays. The very same day, JP called me to let me know he had already made a phone call to Petros and he was well on his way to building our trip. Please remember that I am a small town, Midwestern girl and my future husband had found this travel agent out of New York to make our dreams come true so you can imagine that I was more than a little hesitant to believe this travel agent was the real deal. Less than a week later, Petros sent us a mock itinerary of our honeymoon, detailing travel times, hotel options and more things to do. One simple phone conversation was all it took for me to know that we were in good – no, GREAT – hands with Petros. Petros then scheduled a call to review all of that information where he went on to give us the names of the owners for all of those restaurants, times to go, what to have for dinner…and what to wear (because, as he explained, it can be quite windy on Mykonos and Santorini and a nice shawl will keep you warm enough to enjoy the moonlight at the corner table.) Throughout our 12 day adventure we felt like we had a personal guide with us the entire time. Anytime we needed anything we knew we could call Petros to guide us in the right direction – from food, to excursions, anything, he was there! I can go on and on and on about how special Petros made us feel and what an absolutely amazing job he did but I will spare you the time. We have already recommended Petros to countless friends and family since we’ve been back and will only continue to do so ten times more in the future. If only Petros could plan all of our vacations – we know each one would be the trip of our lifetimes!
JP & Sarah Tiengo
June 2009
I would like to nominate Petros Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays as a Conde Nast Top Travel Specialist. I worked with Petros at Hellenic Holidays to plan a successful family trip to Greece. From the beginning of the planning process, it was clear to me that Petros was extremely knowledgable and committed to making our trip a memorable experience. He worked to understand my wishes and created a unique plan to meet our needs. Petros arranged a personal tour guide whose knowledge was incredible and brought history to life. Our driver was far more thana competent driver. His experience and knowledge added greatly to the trip. Petros' attention to detail was flawless. The connections between flights and ferries were smooth The quality hotels that he chose were near the center of each city so we could enjoy ourselves in the evenings. Among the many "little extras", Petros provided was a list of recommended restaurants. These wer always excellent, reasonable in price and the staff was welcoming. It was clear to us that Petros and Hellenic Holidays have developed excellent partnerships over the years for the benefit of its travelers. This was my family's first trip to Greece, the "Old Country" of our grandparents. Petros Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays helped make it a travel experience that we will all cherish. I give him my highest recommendation as a travel professional. Please contact me if you have any questions regarding this outstanding travel professional.
Paul Koulouris & Family
June 2009
To Travel and Leisure,
My husband and I just returned from an amazing vacation to Greece. With the help of Petros Zissimos, from Hellenic Holidays, our trip was by far our greatest vacation! Petros was so wonderful. His careful planning and attention to detail made our trip seamless and most enjoyable. Petros coordinated our trip from New Jersey to Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini. All of the hotels we stayed in were absolutely breathtaking and of the highest rankings in accommodations for each city we visited. The restaurants Petros recommended to us were the best, both in cuisine and in service. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect vacation and we do plan to return in the future. We will definitely be recommending Petros Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays to our friends and family, and will be sure to have him help plan our next vacation. We would love to nominate him for Travel and Leisure’s A-List Agent for 2009. We hope you will consider him for this prestigious award.
Jeff & Vanessa Romond
June 2009
My now husband and I recently returned from our honeymoon to Greece. We went to Athens, Myconos, Paros and Santorini. Upon our return home, in addition to the fantastic photos we have, countless memories we made and beautiful tans, which have since vanished we could also say we had the privilege to work with Petros Zissimos. With the money we spent on our wedding we knew that we'd be limited to where we went, how long we stayed and how much fun we could have, well, that's what we thought until we found Petros Zissimos. Months before our honeymoon my husband and I had called about 5 travel agents, to no avail. We never heard back from any of them. When we did finally meet with someone they had no opinions of their own, instead were just there to take care of the logistics. We had an idea of where we wanted to go, but we needed insight, suggestions and experience. It wasn't until we purchased a book on Greece at Borders that we stumbled upon Hellenic Holidays Inc, a Rick Steves suggestion, that we decided to reach out to one last travel agent. Figuring this would be our last hope before we gave up, we emailed Petros Zissimos, and immediately got a response. Petros offered his time, personal experiences, suggestions and guidance through out the entire planning process, and by the end we felt very taken care of. Petros has such a talent for making us feel like we're his only clients. We scheduled everything over the phone because he's out of NY and we're in LA, and he still patiently went through every scenario with us making sure we had the excitement, adventure, relaxation and most importantly romance on our honeymoon. He never once made us feel like we were missing on something if we couldn't afford, and we never felt like we were being manipulated into upgrading. He listened to what we wanted, suggested the places we couldn't miss, and took gentle consideration in our financial restrictions. He tracked our trip the entire time we were in Greece, arranged hotels rooms, drivers to pick us up at every stop, ferries, cruises and upgrades. We were not only on our honeymoon, but we were definitely celebrities for 2 weeks. We've always planned every trip for ourselves, but this time we wanted a break for our honeymoon. Petros mailed us everything we needed for our trip in such a timely manner that we were never once worried or felt out of control. All the pieces of the puzzle were worked out before hand. In the end we ended up putting together a fantastic honeymoon package that I would recommend to anyone. He's incredibly cost effective, and with his wealth of knowledge of Greece he was able to arrange two weeks that my husband and I will never ever forget. Without a doubt Petros Zissimos is the top travel specialist through and through. I have and will continue to recommend him to my friends, colleagues and family.
Tim & Melinda Kartiala
June 2009
To Whom it may concern,
I would like to nominate Petros Zissimos, of Hellenic Holidays for the honor of "Top Travel Specialist". I had the pleasure of working with Petros when he planned our honeymoon to Athens and the Greek Isles. Our trip started out in Athens, we than flew to Mykonos, and then took a high speed ferry to Santorini. All transportation and transfers were taken care of for us on our trip, making for a stress free vacation. We enjoyed a sunset cruise in Santorini, which was a wonderful suggestion by Petros. It was by far, our favorite part of the trip. The hotels we stayed in were exactly what we expected. What makes Petros a superior travel agent is that he visits Greece every year to be sure that the places he books for his clients are acceptable and meet his standards. Prior to our trip, he sent us an awesome travel package that included maps of the areas, attractions, and restaurants for all 3 places we visited. He even offered to call these restaurants and make reservations for us. Also, because of Petros' preparedness, we were very well informed prior to taking our trip, which made it an enjoyable and stress free experience. Despite the 7 hour time difference, he also was in contact with us throughout our whole trip to make sure everything was going as planned. He offered advice and suggestions when asked for. Petros made me feel completely comfortable doing business with him over the phone and through email because we live in Chicago. He provided references without being asked and was very accommodating in working with our budget. The communication lines were always open. Petros and Hellenic Holidays is very deserving of this prestigious award!
Alaina & Jonathan Bos
July 2009
To Whom it may concern,
It is the privilege of my wife Kristen and me to provide a letter of recommendation on behalf of Petros Zissimos, of Hellenic Holidays Inc. Mr. Zissimos arranged a trip to Athens, Paros, and Santorini Greece for us in July 2009 and his service was outstanding. The accommodations were thoughtful with respect to our personal needs and preferences, and reflected a wise allocation of the financial resources committed to the trip, making choices that resulted in the greatest satisfaction for the resources expended within a particular location. Moreover, Mr. Zissimos provided personal services above and beyond accommodations and travel arrangements. His direct communications with us and our hosts while traveling increased the security and enjoyment of our trip, but were not intrusive in the least. We look forward to working with Mr. Zissimos in the future and enthusiastically recommend him to our family and friends.
Dr. Brian & Kristen Boroski
July 2009
Dear Petros,
We just wanted to thank you for being such a WONDERFUL travel agent and helping us create the most amazing honeymoon ever. We were worry free, thanks to your help and we enjoyed every second of our time in Greece. Santorini was definetely our favorite. Sun Rocks was awesome, and the room was absolutely fantastic! The hospitality at all the hotels was over the top, and we just had the best time. Thank You again for all of your help. You're the Best! We will recommend you to anyone we know that wants to travel to Greece. While we are sure you already have lots of this at home, we wanted to add to your collection with a bottle of Ouzo.
Bree & Ryan McQuillan
August 2009
Recently, my wife and I completed our honeymoon to Greece and the Greek isles as arranged personally by Peter Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays. We spent 2 nights in Athens, 4 nights in Mykonos and 4 nights in Santorini. My wife and I are frequent travelers, and have visited various locations around the globe. Since our first meeting, the choice to have Peter and Hellenic lay out our honeymoon itinerary was easy and obvious. His incredible knowledge of the area, detailed down to fine dining establishments and off the beaten path attractions, coupled with the personal touch he put on the trip, made this the most enjoyable trip me and my wife have ever been on in our lives; the way a honeymoon should be. It is usually the details in large trips that become hazardous and situational, but from top to bottom, Peter had everything covered. From airport transfers, hotel arrivals to ferry departures and original side excursions everything was 100% hassle free, timely and executed perfectly. When you are dealing with major,corporate sized travel agents, the personal touch a trip like this needs just doesnt feel authentic. Never did we feel like "just another customer", as all the hotels were unbelieveable and dining suggestions top notch. We happened to meet several other couples on similar honeymoons visiting the same locations and we had to bite our tongues on occasion, as it was obvious we were personally being take care of and they were indeed "just another customer". Now this letter is for a nomination for a "Top Travel Specialist". The definition of a specialist is a person who devotes himself or herself to one subject or to one particular branch of a subject or pursuit. In this case it is Peter Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays that devote themselves to knowing the areas their customers have selected. Through their own familial history within Greece and arduous traveling to make sure they are on top of what's "hot and new" in these areas, it is quite apparent that Peter Zissimos and Hellenic Holidays practice exactly what should define a TOP TRAVEL SPECIALIST. If I ever need to be contacted for comments or questions, please feel free, as I will stand by the hard work and effort Peter and his company did for our honeymoon. Thanks for your time and consideration.
Jesse & Elizabeth Guglielmo
August 2009
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to recommend Peter Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays for Travel & Leisure's A-List Agents. Simply put, Peter is the "Greek Whisperer." That was the nickname my wife and I came up with to describe him during the planning of our Greek honeymoon. With all the hassles of planning a wedding, we just didn't have the time to dedicate to researching a trip. All we knew was we wanted to go to Greece. The hotels, flights, transfers - we couldn't deal with the headaches. This was upsetting to me, because as a real estate writer I love investigating new places. But after one meeting with Peter in his Times Square office, we knew we could trust him to steer the ship. His help went so much beyond travel planning, but een that was incredible. We started with one of Peter's package itineraries, but after several conversations that big lump of wet clay was shaped and molded into our own personal dream vacation. Peter took great pains to figure out exactly what we were looking for - the type and class of hotels, if we favored sightseeing or just wanted the resort vibe etc. In the end we planned an 11-day trip to Athens, Mykonos and Santorini and before booking Peter presented us with a comprehensive "blueprint" featuring his recommended travel arrangements, accommodations and excursions. But none of this quite explains the "Greek Whisperer" nickname. While the trip would have been amazing just following Peter's itinerary (The hotels, including the Mykonos Grand and Sun Rocks in Santorini, were incredible; way beyond what we thought we'd be able to afford.), it's the little things that made Peter's service truly special. The man is a walking encyclopedia on all things Greece. Sure, being Greek helps, but he makes regular trips to check up on his recommendations and discover new ones, and it shows. He told us where to go, who to ask for, what to get. We were a little worried because we're bothe vegetarians, but peter was able to guide us to veggie-friendly places without missing a beat. While we were overseas he was checking up on us and always on call in case of any problems - which came in handy when our ferry to Santorini was canceled due to high winds. Since returning from our trip, we've already recommended Peter and Hellenic Holidays to one other couple planning their trip to the Greek Islands. We'd be thrilled to recommend him to many more.
Joey & Maggie Arak
August 2009
To Whom It May Concern,
This past September my husband and I traveled to Greece to celebrate our 15 year wedding anniversary. We had an experience of our life time thanks to an amazing Travel Agent, whom we gladly nominate as a top travel specialist in the United States. We started our relationship by sitting down face to face as Petros learned more about us and our wishes. He then created a customized travel itinerary that catered to our every desire: flight reservations to Athens/Mykonos, arrangements for high-speed ferry connections between Mykonos, Santorini and Crete, private tours to the ancient archeological sites at Delos and Heraklion, unforgettable private sunset boat tour around the Island of Santorini, car transfers between Heraklion, Crete and Chania, Crete with the visit and dinner at the tiny Cretan village of Archanes…everything and anything! We would like to point out Petros’ exquisite taste in the hotel selection at each of our stops. Everywhere we stayed we felt his special touch – we were greeted by extra warm hotel staff and owners at Mykonos Grand and treated to a surprise arrangement for a couple’s massage after our trip to Delos, we enjoyed the authentic feel and breathtaking views at Astra Suites in Santorini, we felt like rajas at an opulent Amirandes in Heraclion Crete, and were charmed by the venetian beauty of the boutique hotel Casa Delfino in Chania, Crete. Restaurant and “places to visit” recommendations were absolutely impeccable and allowed us to avoid “touristy” places and to experience authentic Greece at its best. To top it all off, Petros managed to set up almost identical accommodations/itinerary for our friends who decided to join us at the last minute. We believe that Petros Zissimos, is a superior travel specialist who provides top-notch service to his clients with such attention to detail and individualized approach that he deserves to be named a top travel specialist by Conde Nast.
Sergey & Inessa Rome
September 2009
I would like to nominate Mr. Petros Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays, Inc. for the Travel & Leisure A-List Agent Awards. Mr. Zissimos planned our dream honeymoon to Greece in Sept of 2009. We travelled to Athens, Crete and Santorini. My husband and I are quite avid travelers, but this was the first international trip that we were taking together and my husband was a bit hesitant to go with a travel agency under the pre-conceived notions that they are quite expensive and plan an itinerary according to what “they” like, not what the customer wants. I urged my husband to at least meet Mr. Zissimos and see what he could offer.To our delight, especially my husbands, Mr. Zissimos was warm, hospitable and very accommodating. Hellenic Holidays, Inc mainly focuses on Greece, and that is quite evident with the vast knowledge that Mr. Zissimos possesses about the country- to the minute detail of the location of a Starbucks to where you can find authentic Greek olive oil that is not tourist overpriced. He is Greek by descent and goes to Greece every year to check out the new hotels and restaurants. He helped us plan a honeymoon according to what we had always dreamed of, but at the same time gave us great suggestions on new avenues that we had not considered, such as going to Crete instead of Mykonos- a suggestion that my husband and I are both thankful for.Our travel package included 4-5 star hotels, all which he graciously upgraded; breakfast at every hotel; car service pick up; flights within Greece; ferry tickets and contact guides in each city for tours or any help needed. Mr. Zissimos even made special arrangements for my husband and I at each accommodation, which added to the romance on our honeymoon. It was one of the most hassle free travel experiences that my husband and I have both experienced, as well as affordable. He never went outside of our budget and each accommodation was amazing, ranging from large and luxurious to brand new and intimate. In fact, we noticed that Mr. Zissimos has quite a credible and respectable reputation among the hospitality industry in all the cities we visited. One of our favorite hotels was in Santorini- Hotel White, and it was quite evident from the personal attention that we received from its manager, Margarita, she respected Mr. Zissimos and only provided the best for his clients. In sum- Mr. Zissimos made our honeymoon the most memorable trip we have taken. His professionalism as well as his ability to know what each client wants, is what truly makes him and his travel agency stand above the rest. We got along quite well with Mr. Zissimos and will most definitely come to him anytime we decide to go to Greece again or any other country in the Mediterranean. In fact, we are recommending our best friend and our cousin (whom are both going to Greece for their honeymoons) to go with Mr. Zissimos. We know that they both will have a once in a lifetime experience, just like we did!
Jayati & Harjot Chawla
September 2009
It is our great pleasure to nominate Petros Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays, Inc. as an A-List Agent for Travel and Leisure. My husband and I returned from a ROMANTIC honeymoon in Greece (September 14-27, 2009) to which we owe Petros Zissimos of Hellenic Holidays, Inc. for crafting such a beautiful itinerary! We were looking for more than just the average cookie-cutter vacation. This was our first European trip and we needed as much guidance as possible. After all, we were planning our honeymoon! From the moment we walked into his office, we knew we were in great hands. We were immediately impressed by his knowledge, expertise and experience. He took time to discuss our needs and budget. We left our first meeting feeling comfortable and confident that he was on the same page and on the right track.! Petros prepared a fabulous itinerary that included destinations to Crete, Santorini, Mykonos and Athens. He organized an intimate experience of the Greek Islands..he suggested and booked us at top rated hotels,arranged a semi private sunset cruise, a couples' massage and a sightseeing tour. He also coordinated all of our transfers and pick ups. He even helped my husband plan the most memorable and romantic birthday dinner with a beautiful view of the Acropolis. Petros' attention to detail speaks volumes and his service is OUTSTANDING! Everything was organized for us at our final meeting. He presented our final itinerary neatly packaged in a travel packet that included travel tips, FAQ's and business cards to all his favorite restaurants! From the moment we boarded the plane, there was nothing for us to worry about - he had it covered. All my husband and I had to do was focus on each other. Whenever we had questions, even while on the trip we would simply e-mail him and he would reply in minutes. What made our trip truly SPECIAL were all the surprises he had in store for us.! He surprised us with hotel and transfer upgrades, complimentary bottles of wine and personal notes welcoming us at check-in. We felt like Rock Stars! But in Athens is where we had the ultimate surprise of all! As we walked in to register ath the hotel's front desk, standing there was none other than Petros himself! We couldnt believe it! It was such a wonderful surprise! He too had been travelling through Greece on business and arranged his schedule so that he would have the opportunity to meet us and see how our trip was going. It was definetly one of the highlights of the trip! Talk about personal service! And needless to say, Petros has a great reputation. Everyone we met had nothing but wonderful things to say about him! We cant wait to recommend Petros to all our friends and we are thankful for his expertise in planning the trip of a lifetime!
Darren & Emalyn Santiago
September 2009
Petros,
Thank You so much for planning our honeymoon! We had such an amazing time and your service, choice of hotels and restaurants was outstanding! We have never been on a vacation like Greece and will remember it forever. In the future, we will definetly use Hellenic Holidays. I just cant say enough about how fabulous our trip was Thanks to you!
Joel & Devon Kutz
October 2009
212 . 944 . 8288
