Hi Litsa,

We have just returned from our wonderful Greece holiday. Thank you so much to you and your staff for making our trip so great. I was really impressed with how smoothly things went. It was a very warm welcome indeed. All of the ground transport were there when expected and everyone who met us was very friendly; and the accommodation was excellent.

I have a few items of feedback for you that may help your planning for other clients.

In Athens, we definitely would recommend the Athens Gate Hotel over the Hera Hotel. Although the room was a bit smaller at Athens Gate, the style and amenities were top notch – everything you would expect from a boutique hotel. The terrace was much bigger (with table and chairs), with a better acropolis view, and quieter. The roof garden for breakfast was very special with wonderful views as well. Also, the service from the staff was above Hera’s. Although Hera Hotel was fine, I am glad that we were at Athens Gate Hotel for the majority of our time in Athens. I’m sure being on the 7th floor and at the back of the hotel helped. It may be a bit noisy at the front of the hotel as it is on a busy road.

I would also recommend to clients to visit the Acropolis Museum before going to the Acropolis and Parthenon – they will get much more out of their visit at the Acropolis site itself. We did it the other way around, and realized that it would have been much better to visit the museum first.

The Medusa Resort was very good. Our suite and the grounds were very special. The family run atmosphere was great, and Mary Angela was extremely helpful. The staff there were also very good and friendly. Although we received information that a representative from Orbit Travel (I believe the name was Kristin) would contact us – she never did. We rented a car and found our way around Naxos; as well as taking the local buses and walking a lot. We would definitely recommend this island and resort.

What can be said about Astra Apartments and Santorini – magnificent. A very magical place!! Right from the start we were met by Lucy from Bellonias Travel when we got off the ferry. She was exceptionally helpful. She had a map with all the highlights pointed out which she reviewed with us in detail, and she had many recommendations. She contacted us half way through our stay to make sure things were going okay and to see if we needed anything. All of the staff at Astra were wonderful. George provided us with lots of suggestions and tips. The breakfasts were beyond expectation, and we had dinner in our room from their restaurant one night and it was fantastic. We had a wonderful lunch at Dimitris in Bay of Ammoudi (recommended by George) where we met Joy who was from Canada.
It was fun to hear about her experience of being in Santorini for 23 years! Our accommodation at Astra was beautiful with a breathtaking view (apparently George gave us an upgrade). Poppi and Bill were always willing to provide information or help out with a smile on their face.

We brought back some special art pieces as well.

We did not have a bad meal in Greece – from the smallest roadside place to the higher end restaurant. Fortunately, we walked lots. One day we walked up and down over 1500 steps on Santorini, as well as making the walk from Imerovigli to Oia on another day. Your recommendation to stay in Imerovigli was right on! Fira is way too “touristy” and overcrowded from the multiple cruise passengers every day. Also, Imervoigli is nice and central – a great choice!

I keep telling all my friends and family how awesome our trip was. We will definitely be back at some future time – and we would welcome having you handle our arrangements again; and of course, we will recommend your services to any of our friends and family who might be planning their own trips.

????????? ????

Regards, Carol and Mike