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Greece Travel: Traveler's Reviews
Fantasy Travel

www.fantasytravelofgreece.com

It was late Spring and my website was going crazy. We had no idea it would become so popular and because some of the travel agents on my site were small companies they were being overwhelmed by the e-mail, phone calls and faxes. I needed one more agency to relieve the stress. I had received a phone call in the USA from George Gerasimides of Fantasy Travel, telling me he liked my site and was interested in being on it, but I get calls and e-mail every day from people who want to be on my websites. So I went to Tom Mazarakis, who is my personal guru when it comes to matters in Greece I don't understand, and asked him what he knew about Fantasy Travel. He said they were very respected and well organized. At the same moment a man walked in and asked Tom what he knew about Matt Barrett. Tom said this is Matt Barrett and the man introduced himself. He was George Gerassimidis of Fantasy Travel. I don't know if I believe in fate, but this seemed like a good moment to start. Then I discovered that he had learned the travel business by working with Dolphin Hellas for five years. Another twist of fate. I began by sending him the last minute clients...you know...the people who found my website the day before they were leaving for Greece and were desperate because all they had were their airline tickets. But when I realized how well organized and how professional his company was, I began recommending them to everyone.
From the amount of positive feedback I have gotten from people who have used them I have to say they are the best agency on my website.
Matt Barrett 


Dear Matt,

I am writing to you to let you know of my recent trip to Greece.  I had written to you earlier (about the end of April) letting you know that I was taking 2 weeks to vacation in Greece, and that your website had really helped me out.  I also told you that when I got back, I would write a review.  I apologize for taking so long to get back to you, but I've been busy with work and life.  I'm using a different email than the last time I wrote to you, because my last one keeps getting a lot spam.

But I want to say, thank you for all the helpful information on your site.

You can print the information below here as part of my testimonial on your site:

***************************************************************************************

Matt, thank you so much for your helpful and informative website.  I took your advice and tips and had a great time visiting Greece!  It is truly a wonderful country full of fantastic, friendly people, beautiful sights, and delicious food.  I can't wait to go back. 

Now, we used Fantasy Travel, and we are very satisfied and extremely happy with them.  Thank you for your reviews and suggestions about Fantasy Travel.  My traveling companion made all the arrangements with Yana, and she reports being very happy with her dealings.  We met Christina at the Athens airport.  She was very helpful, friendly, and she made us feel very welcomed and had some great suggestions on how to enjoy Greece.

My traveling companion wanted to stay in expensive 5 star resorts, and that's what we got!  I didn't really plan on staying in them, because the only thing that mattered to me was a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in.  But I will admit that the hotels were indeed 5 stars, esp. Divani Palace Acropolis--with great views of the Acropolis and the Mykonos Grand Hotel--located on beautiful Agios Ioannis beach on Mykonos.  The Santorini Kastelli is a very nice 4 star hotel in Kamari on Santorini, just a few minutes walk from the black sand beaches, shops, and great restaurants.  All the hotels offered different and wonderful amenities.  But like I said, so long as I had a bed to sleep in, I was satisfied.  To me a hotel room is just a place to leave your stuff while you go out and explore and experience the wonders of the the place you're visiting. 

There is so much to see and enjoy in Greece, and I tried to take the off the beaten path, trying to do what locals do to really get the essence of Greece.  I loved it!  It was a great vacation and a wonderful experience that I am looking forward to continuing, because I plan on going back.

Matt, thank you so much for your website and helpful information.  Your suggestions about Fantasy Travel made all the difference.  We met other vacationers who weren't happy with their travel agencies, and they were quite surprised by how well Fantasy Travel was taking care of us and how easy it was working with them.  Without your website, I don't think we would've gone to Greece and stayed as long as we did.  I originally wanted to go on a cruise--less packing and unpacking :)  But your website convinced me to stay in Greek hotels and visit different islands--like Delos!  It made our Greek vacation a fantastic and memorable experience.  It was truly magical and amazing, and I can't wait to go back for more!

LCJ


Dear Matt:

We returned from Greece just a few days ago and one of the first things on our list was to thank you for your travel guide to the Greek Islands which helped us so much in planning our trip.  I had ordered books to get some sense of the country and how to proceed in planning our trip but was so disappointed since they only provided just the basic, rudimentary information which were no help to us.

We had been "grounded" at home for the past 7 months since my husband had a knee replacement at the end of February and then another health problem almost immediately after his knee started to heal.  We were both getting "cabin fever" from staying at home for those 7 months so when my husband asked what we should do, the answer was, "Lets take a trip to Greece."  We've always wanted to visit Greece but found ourselves traveling in a number of other countries.  Your article was just what we needed to start our travel plans.  We were able to decide how long the trip should be and which islands to visit.  But, the highlight of all was your referral to Fantasy Travel.

I was fortunate enough to make contact with Paula at Fantasy Travel and we exchanged numerous e-mails in the planning stage.  Paula was so responsive, helpful and patient as we made a number of changes before we finalized our plans.  When we relayed the fact that my husband had had a recent knee replacement and our ages of 77 and 82, Paula offered us a solution to our plans in Santorini.  All we can say, is that our travel plans went off like clock work when we arrived.  We were met on the various stages of traveling from island to island and the recommended hotels where we stayed were absolutely perfect.  We started in Athens, made a side trip to Delphi which was a bit of a challenge (but we managed), then to Santorini on the fast boat which was such a pleasant ride,  We took a 9 hour tour around the island which ended in Oia for the amazing sunset.  After 3 days in Santorini, we book another fast book to Mykonos and took another side trip to the island of Delos which turned out to be one of the best decisions we made.  The history of that island is one that everyone should know that travels to Greece.

Having said all this, we think one of the best parts of our trip were the people themselves. With all their economic hardships and government upheaval we weren't sure what our reception would be and the attitude of the people themselves.  We simply couldn't believe their friendliness, the bright smiles, helpfulness and their warmth and especially their humor.  This added greatly to our trip and we made a few friends along the way hoping they can come to Southern California to visit us and return their hospitality.

If anyone is planning a trip and wants a referral or recommendation, we would be more than happy to provide it.  And, thank you again for your web pages - a truly lucky find for us.

Best regards, Gretchen and John Karpowich
Oct 2015


Dear Matt,
 
I emailed you in March looking for some information on travelling in Greece.  You hooked me up with Fantasy Travel.  I used Fantasy travel to plan and book my trip to Greece for me, my daughter, sister and niece.  We went to Athens, Santorini and Crete, travelling April 11 through April 21 of 2011.  I just want to thank you for introducing us to Fantasy travel.  Our contact there was Nikos Emmanouil and he was wonderful.
 
We changed so many things during the initial planning and Nikos was always so helpful (and patient).  He came up with a plan that fit our "must see list" and our pocket book.  Everything went off without a hitch.  We were met everywhere we went by their reps, never kept waiting, never had to look for our drives...everything went smoothly.  The hotels he chose for us were safe, clean and the staff friendly. 
 
We were nervous using an agency we had never seen in person but things couldn't have gone better.  They were available by phone during the trip when we had questions and all of their staff were helpful.  I just wanted to let you know that things went well and we appreciate the recommendation.  We would recommend Fantasy Travel to anyone travelling to Greece.
 
Again, thanks for the help, the weather was great the whole trip and we will always have some great memories.  We also would like to highly recommend Santorini as a must see island to anyone travelling to Greece.  We would also highly recommend the donkey ride up the cliff (for those not faint of heart, lol). 
 
Yours truly,

Sarah J. 


Matt,

We've got to thank you for an incredible vacation in Greece, just completed. We took your advice and signed on with Fantasy Travel for a customized vacation in Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos, and Athens. We handled the whole trip over the internet with Litsa from Fantasy Travel.

From the moment we stepped off the plane in Athens, we were met by representatives each step of the way. I can't tell you how reassuring it was to see a happy face, waiting to help us on every island. All the transfers were provided, to and from each hotel, airport, and port, and they even helped us just before we left change our travel plans from Rhodes to Santorini (the ferries weren't running that day due to a country wide strike!) so that we could fly to our next destination instead. They helped us arrange tours and even rent cars while we were on the various islands.

We also used your suggestions for taxi services on Rhodes (Michael - Nicholas's brother took us all over the island) and in Athens Dionysos (George's son) took us and some friends on a customized all day tour of Athens and Sounio. It was fabulous and they were exquisite hosts. We observed some protestors gathering in front of the Parliament in Syntagma square during the day, but never felt worried or concerned. We felt some of the concern and worry the Greeks have for their country and their future and we certainly hope all will work out for the good. Thanks so much for the great service you provide!

Paul Camarata
7/9/11


Dear Matt
I will start with a big thank you for your wonderful website on Greece. I came across it while researching our trip of a lifetime. We are by far, not world travellers and needed all the help we could get planning for our group of six. You provided so much information on all aspects of travel in Greece. If it wasn't for your site, I probably would not have lived my fantasy of being served by a Greek God a most glorious dinner right on the beach in Naxos! Right out of a scene from Shirley Valentine! We all had a blast 4 wheeling around Santorini, spending a few hours boating with Nick in Crete, and enjoying drinks and the view of the Acropolis from our lovely roof top boutique hotel in Athens. Oh what wonderful memories. We will be back!! But what made it such a memorable trip was every detail was taken care of by our wonderful agent Litsa Christou at Fantasy Travel. We were met at all arrival and departures by friendly and professional drivers, her experience and knowledge helped make it a trip to remember. There was not a hitch in the whole 2 weeks, I know this is not always the case so I am asking for your help once again. The same 6 are now planning a trip to Italy September 2013 and was wondering if you could recommend a travel agency in Italy. We started to research agencies but would value your recommendations if you had any. There is just so much information out there I thought I would start with someone I know I can trust. Thank you once again, and keep up the good work.
Respectfully
Lynn
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2011 8:07 PM
Subject: Re: FANTASY TRAVEL-VICKY

Hi Vicky,

Now that I have returned home from Greece and have decompressed, I just wanted to say the trip had far exceeded my lofty expectations, and Greece was everything I had dreamed of and more! Thank you and Fantasy Travel for all your help in planning this trip, everything went perfectly, and I have already recommended your agency to any of my friends that are interested in travelling to Greece. Thank you for a wonderful experience, and I will certainly use your services again if I plan another trip to Greece! :)

Many Thanks!

Andrea Roberts
Assistant Development Officer
City of St. John's
Planning Department

Litsa,

Hi!!  

These comments are intended to respond to your request for an evaluation as well as our desire to respond to you and Fantasy Travel regarding our Greece vacation.

Although I have expressed this before, it certainly deserves repeating.  Your planning of our “Greek Adventure” was done with the highest professional quality and a most enjoyable personal touch.  I have a very high appreciation for attention to detail (my work as a hospital case manager requires this commitment as well).  The itinerary that you presented to us by the date of our departure was very clear, and Kate and I knew just what to expect.  However, when Ms Diana met us at the airport and gave us an even more detailed itinerary with a packet of vouchers and tickets, we were truly amazed at how well we would be taken care of.  This gave us a sense of security.  Everything worked out just as it was indicated in this updated itinerary.  Ms Nelly meeting us at the Athens airport to facilitate our transfer to Piraeus and then on our day of departure on the 26th was beyond what we anticipated but deeply appreciated.  

The flights, boat rides, taxis, signage at meeting points were all timely and made the transitions from one place to the next convenient and greatly reduced the stress and fatigue associated with moving from one point to the next.  All the hotels and B&B’s were excellent choices; each had their distinctive character and offered valuable assistance.  Porto Columbo in Chania was charming with a delightful staff; Emerald was particularly helpful and so personable.  Volcano View in Fira was an unbelievable facility… the view of the Caldera was a constant inspiration and truly idyllic.  The Mistral Hotel in Hydra was beautiful with all its art work and the most unique and generous of breakfasts.

Our  Greek vacation was truly wonderful; every day we wrote an email to family and friends about the “adventure,” the “odyssey” we were having.  This was our 5th vacation to Europe since 2006 and it will live in our treasure of memories with the brilliance of Greek’s white and blue radiance.  We are aware of how fulfilled and satisfied we are with this journey.  Everything we wanted to do, prepared to do before our departure was achieved plus many more surprises… what we call “little gems” like the Neo-Classical Mansion tour in Messaria.  I took nearly 1700 photos.  These will be cherished many times in the future.   I look forward to sharing my experience with other people especially as I do my art and architecture presentations.  On July 26th, I will be giving a presentation on “Art History for the Tourist: Art and Architecture of Greece.”  Now, with firsthand experience, this presentation will be greatly enriched.

So, our deepest thanks to you, Diana, Nelly and all of Fantasy Travel for a service excellently done.  We enjoyed the Santorini wine and the opportunity to meet you personally.

Know that Fantasy Travel will receive our highest recommendation, and best of all, to make sure that Litsa Christou is handling the preparations.

Feel free to use any these comments for your website references and feedback.

With affection and kind regards,      Leon and Kate (Krier)


Sent: Monday, July 11, 2011 7:10 PM
Subject: Thank you

Hello Vicky,
we are back home and I wanted to thank you for all the very good arrangements you and Fantasy Travel made for us.
Everything was perfect and on time. All hotels were very nice and everyone treated us nicely.
We loved your beautiful country and its people, of course food, beer, ouzo, olives, beaches, etc. and based on the argentinian and mexican experiences, I am sure you all will come out from the crisis you are now, it will take time and some efford but Greece and greeks will survive!
I have friends who want to visit Greece which I am highly recomending and of course I will recomend Fantasy Travel as well.
Thank you again and take care.
Graciela-


Dear Matt,

I recently returned from a solo trip to Athens, Mykonos, Naxos, Santorini, and Istanbul. Since my independent travel guru, Rick Steves, does not write much about the islands, I followed his advice and a recommendation from a fellow Frommer's blogger, and found your website. I booked my hotels, transfers, ferry and air travel from Santorini to Istanbul through Fantasy Travel. I just want to tell you that everything went smoothly. All of my transfers were on time or early to pick me up. I was fortunate that the fast ferries did not cancel although they were each 2 hours late. One day the seas were at a category 6 and I was told that the fast ferries cancel at a category 8. Thank you for your excellent website and I recommend Fantasy Travel to anyone traveling to Greece or Turkey. Whether you like to travel with a tour or independently, they are an asset.

Sincerely,
P. H
Belleville, IL 

Sent: Friday, July 15, 2011 9:02 PM
Subject: Re: Trip to Greece


Dear Yana,

I cannot thank you enough for organizing such an awesome vacation in Greece for us. Everything worked out perfectly. It was so nice to have somebody waiting for us each time we arrived at a new destination as well as when it was time to leave. Furthermore, the accommodations you booked for us were excellent! We particularly enjoyed the Volcano View Hotel in Santorini; that view will be imprinted in my memory for the rest of my life!! Not only were the rooms in all hotels excellent, but the breakfasts were out of this world!

My husband and I will definitely recommend Fantasy Travel to our friends and family.

Best regards,
Trish

Sent: Sunday, October 24, 2010 11:33 PM
Subject: Re: Johnson / Hertrick x 2 persons

Marcos:
I wanted to write to you to say we have very high regard for you and your company!
We were impressed with the arrangements.  All the hotels were VERY good, and we particularly liked Portos Mykonos, and hope to return there in the future.
All of your arrangements were in order, and it was very helpful having the ferry tickets arranged for us.
AND, we were impressed that we encountered your staff people (or associates) on 3 occasions to help us through: our first trip to the port in Athens (Piraeus); arrival at port in Santorini; and at Athens airport for our departure.  No travel agency in the U.S. would provide service like this!
Again, thank you for your help and we will definitely recommend you to our friends!
Jeff Hertrick


Sent: Saturday, May 14, 2011 7:31 AM

Dear Vicky:

Once again, thank you so much for your efforts on our behalf to make this vacation a most memorable one. Β We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of Athens, the Acropolis Museum and the Parthenon. Β We had a tremendous tour guide, and the Blue Star I ferry to Santorini was a real treat! Β Our acomodations here in Santorini are magnificent and the view is magnificent. Our villa is very, very nice and clean. Β The staff here is most helpful and friendly. Β We appreciate your consideration of our many changes and know this must have been a challenge, but you met this keeping our best interests at heart.

We are fortunate that we were able to find such a wonderful travel agent and again express our gratitude for your kind assistance with our holiday plans.


Mr. & Β Mrs. Bob W


Sent: Nov 6, 2011

Hi Litsa

 
We have settled back into things in Melbourne now but our time in Greece is still so much in our minds.

We had such a terrific time. The pity is that it was so short. Eleven days is not nearly long enough to do credit to such a magnificent country. I only hope that the current political/financial situation wont put people off visiting, because it shouldn't. Nothing can change the hospitality of Greek people, your incredible history, and stunning sights. Next time we will have to come for longer. We would really like to visite Crete because we heard so much about that island while we were there.

We loved all the places we visited - Athens, Skiathos, Thessoloniki, Meteora, Delphi.

Now the hub of the matter is this - our successful holiday was really all due to you and your team at Fantasy Travel. When I first started trying to organise our time in Greece, it all got too hard trying to decide where to go, coordinate internal travel, book accommodation, etc. Matt Barrett from "Travel Guide to Greece" first put us onto you and I am so grateful for that recommendation (I am copying Matt into this email so he knows how useful his recommendation was - thanks Matt).

Please pass on our sincere thanks to your team for their amazing service - especially Nelly, Diana, Vicky, Nikos, Spiros and other taxi drivers whose names I have forgotten (sorry). 

We will definitely spread the word about the wonders of Greece and of Fantasy Travel.

Best wishes

Nola and Flic Purdie

Dear Matt,
I didn't receive your email until I had already left for Greece, but I am writing to say THANK YOU.  My girlfriend and I were bumped up into the Jr Suite on the Majestic and were in shock when we walked in.  Yes, I have been on 9 cruises with balcony cabins, but I have never been in a room nicer then that one.  Thank you for contacting Fantasy Travel and unfortunately all  my emails were deleted while I was gone so I do not have the name of the person from Fantasy who emailed me about our cabin.  I will be posting reviews on the Majestic since the 4 of us could NOT find one thing wrong with the ship.  We all had a fantastic time and the ONLY problem we had was that the four of us were all booked with my last name which took some time at the desk to straighten out.  I actually felt sorry for Alex at the Reception Desk because we had to come back three time in order to each get our sea board passes with the correct names.  Two of us email Patra to get this corrected but it was never done.  I cannot understand why there are no positive reviews out there on such a great ship.  Yes, we all heard people complaining about different things, but we never found one thing that disappointed us.  It was one of the best vacations I have had.  After riding horses for 6 days 100 miles in Crete, we were all looking forward to the down time on the ship but with all the tours we did we actually need our down time now that we are home.  THANK YOU again and if you can give me the contact name of the person at Fantasy I would really like to thank him.  I will definitely put your name and Fantasy Travel out to all my traveling buddies. 
Sincerely,
Hollie S

Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2010 9:47 PM
Subject: Thank you!!!!

Marcos,
 
Greg and I made it back safely to the US last night and wanted to thank you for all your hard work planning our amazing vacation!!! We wanted to let you know everything went very smoothly with Nelly and Takis meeting us at the airport and the port in Athens. The hotels were excellent (great locations and amazing views) and we always felt taken care of wherever we were.Transfers were always waiting for us and it was great knowing that we had nothing to worry about and could spend all our time enjoying your beautiful country and culture.
 
Several times in the ferries and on the islands, we met honeymooners and other couples from the US who where stressed about transfers and who were unhappy with their hotel accommodations. We kept thinking how lucky we were to have planned with Fantasy Travel. Thank you, Marcos, Nelly, Takis, and the entire Fantasy Travel team for giving us the best vacation we've ever had!!! We will definitely be recommending your services to our friends and families.
 

Leslie & Greg


Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2011 2:41 PM
Subject: Re: Fwd:

Hello Yana

We have just returned from Santorini and I wanted to let you know what a fabulous place Volcano View Hotel and Villas is.  It is very clean, everything works and the staff are very nice, genuinely interested in their clients

We had a super time and you looked after us very well too.

We will be going back next year (to see the ruins at Akrotiri which are currently closed) so you may hear from me again!

Kindest regards to you and Dana who helped me so much with the booking

Hilary


Hi Matt
Merry Christmas and may you have the very best in 2012.
Before I go on to my rave reviews about your websites and Fantasy Travel I have a moan.
My moan is that it seems harder than it should be to find somewhere to give rave reviews and recommendations about service in Greece.
At least you do provide a forum for testimonials but I can't help but think that a lot of expert and hard working Greek people are not getting the publicity they deserve on the internet for their professionalism and promotion of their country.

That out of the way I thank you so much for a fabulous October holiday in Athens (5 days), Crete (10 days) and Santorini (3 days).
I had complete faith in your expert advice and my friends and I were not disappointed.
G.O Tours gave us an awesome one day Argolis Tour and we were impressed with the relaxed but very professional way Maria and Andreas took us around the ancient sites. The new Acropolis Museum was amazing.
The overnight ferry was a great way to travel to Crete and as arranged through Lefteris the lovely George gave us a wonderful taxi tour to start our holiday there.We fell in love with Crete and a week in Chania was not enough. Santorini was gorgeous of course.

Fantasy Travel were absolutely fantastic. Marcos and Yana were so expert, patient, friendly and helpful in planning our holiday by email for months beforehand. We found all arrangements, prices and the hotels they chose were absolutely spot on. Everyone we dealt with on the holiday was so professional, patient and helpful we cannot say enough good things about Fantasy Travel and the way they individually and collectively represented their lovely country. I recommend them and your websites to all my friends, family, workmates and anyone else that will listen in the hope they will come to Greece and have the same wonderful experiences we have had.
Meanwhile I am plotting the next trip to Crete and Santorini.
Thank you once again
Regards Cathy
12/29/11

Hi Matt,

     We just wanted to thankyou for your recommendation to use Fantasy Travel for our trip. A few outstanding things you should know. Amazing service, they were there at every destination,cab,ferry,hotel. Eleni informed us of a late ferry that was delayed for hours.Arranged a cab to pick us up and delivered the car the next day because I had made mention of being nervous about having to now drive at night in crete. Refunded our ferry tickets and met us at the airport on the return so we didnt have to mail them and could receive a prompt refund(which we did in 2 days!). Oh and our last night in athens our Holiday Inn bus was late, Ella stayed with us after making calls to make sure it was on its way, to see we were safely taken to our hotel. Being a former travel agent I don't know how she managed to be on top of everything the way she was, we can't say enough about Eleni and Fantasy Travel. they are wonderful and I would tell anyone traveling to Greece, use this greek agency because if you have a problem or delay, they know everyone by first name at the hotels, ferries, etc. Thank you again,

Lisa,Julie and Bonnie
Oct 11 2010


October, 2010:  My wife and I recently returned from a tour of the Greek Islands arranged by e-mail through Dina Kastrinaki at Fantasy Travel in Athens. Departing Athens we visited five islands, took four airflights, four Flying Cat ferries, and had two car rentals.  Quite a trip!  Every arrangement was perfect.   We were met upon arrival, taken to our hotels, delivered from them to our next step of the trip, and provided with cars even, in one case, when the ferry was over an hour late and arrived at 9:30 p.m. yet still found the Fantasy Travel rep waiting for us with our car.   Here is a story I am embarrassed to tell:  At one stage of our travel, I committed the most stupid of travellers' blunders:-  I left my passport in the hotel safe!   From our next stop, in a panic, I called Fantasy Travel and Dina arranged the pick-up of my passport and had it delivered to me two island stops later before it was required for a flight.  I called her, quite suitably, "Angel Dina".  A trip that would have been otherwise complicated for first-time visitors to the Greek Islands was made smooth and easy by Fantasy Travel, with special thanks to Dina.
 
Brian Hamilton.
Surrey, BC, Canada

Date: 6 January 2010 13:45:25 EET
To: Vassilis Greece
Subject: Thank You

Dear Vassilis
 
On behalf of Sarah and myself, I would like to thank you for putting together a supurb holiday in Greece. It was fantastic and VERY well organised! The hotels were lovely, the transfers on time, the food very tasty (we both bought a cook book!) and the tours magnificent. We were very lucky to also have great weather!  I would like to especially mention our Classical tour guide, Anastasia, who was extremely knowledgable and made the tour very intersesting.
 
It is definitely a destination both of us will return to - maybe in the summer next time, so we can also enjoy the beaches. We have already told many friends about our amazing holiday and have strongly recommended your services.
 
Many thanks and happy 2010!
Liesel

Thank you just does not seem to be enough to express how thankful I am to you for making our trip to Greece so magnificent. We loved the beauty of your country and the hospitality of your people. We cannot thank you enough for such a fabulous trip. If you need any references for people traveling from the US, please feel free to use me as a reference. I will remember my 50th birthday forever with many fond memories.

Kristen S. Speer
Human Resources Director
Big Canyon Country Club


Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2011 5:32 PM
Subject: Back from Greece


Dear Marcos,
Thank you so much for all your help in planning my holiday, my sister and
I had a wonderful and smooth-running time. The hotels were all great, and
we were able to get exactly what we wanted out of our trip.

Also thank Neli for us (and let her know we got home safely), she was
amazing and very helpful.

Thanks again for all your hard work it is much appreciated,
Katrina G

Sent: Monday, September 13, 2010 5:34 AM
Subject: Re: Smedile x 2 persons

Dear Marcos,

I wanted to let you know that we were absolutely delighted by the level of service that your company provided for us while we were travelling.

All of your staff went the extra mile in making sure that we were accompanied to our destination and that everything was exactly how it should be.

It made us feel completely comfortable at a time when we needed it most and let us relax and enjoy our holiday. 

We were both extremely impressed by the level of personal service and we will be sure to recommend you to friends.

Both Colette and myself have a lot of experience working with companies on a professional level and it is rare to find people who do their job so well.

Thank you so much for looking after us in this way and please pass on our compliments to your staff.

Cheers,

Marcus and Colette.

Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 11:11 AM
Subject: RE: Greece - Fantasy Travel

Dear Anna,

Both myself and Mr. Azizi would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation for all the arrangements and assistance that was extended to us during our stay in Greece. We especially would like to extend our utmost appreciation to Diana from Fantasy travel for all of her assistance. The family had a great and enjoyable time in Greece and all the travel arrangements made by Fantasy Travel were superb. We will definitely recommend to all of our colleagues the services of Fantasy Travel if they ever wish to visit Greece.

Thank you!

-Nazhri-


Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2011 2:38 AM
To: Vassilis Comitis | Fantasy Travel

Vassilis-

I just wanted to THANK YOU for our wonderful vacation. We loved the cruise, and we did ALL the excursions. We got to see so much of your beautiful country. Our days in Athens were wonderful, and we were very happy you could change the Delphi trip for us. Hotel Central was great, and the rooftop view was amazing. We were able to walk to all of the sights directly from the hotel and we didn't need to take the metro at all.

It was a perfect vacation, and we very much appreciate all of your help coordinating it for us. And we were able to avoid all the strikes, including British Airways! Our travel was extremely smooth, until the flight home when we almost missed our connection and our luggage was delayed. Better that travel day than our arrival one in Greece!

If you ever need a testimonial or review, just ask. Fantasy went above and beyond to make our trip perfect.

Thanks again,
-Jen


Dear Matt,

My wife and I recently visited Greece and used Fantasy Travel as our travel agent.  We got their name from your internet site.  The agent we dealt with was Vasillis.

When my wife and I travel, we always like to deal with an agency local to that country.  We usually contact two different agencies and then make a choice to use the one best suited for our needs.

I just wanted to let you know Fantasy, and Vasillis in particular, were the best organization/agent we have ever used.   They were easy to work with, listened to us to determine what our goals were and then helped us realize them.

By chance and unfortunately, we were scheduled to be in Athens on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 28th and 29TH the two days of violent protests and the national strike.  Fantasy worked with us to allow us to see the Plaka and Acropolis while relocating our hotel accommodations from the square to a safer environment.  While I personally was upset and angry at the situation, once my wife settled me down, I realized that Vassilis efforts really worked in our favor to finish our trip both safely and enjoyably.

THANK YOU VASILLIS!  

Jack (Ross) 


Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 4:05 AM
Subject: Re: CHAD GIBSON x2:

Hi Yana,

Just wanted to let you know that we really enjoyed our honeymoon trip to Greece.  We would like to thank you personally for organizing such a amazing trip.  We were more than satisfied with all of the accommodations and the travel from Athens to Naxos to Santorini and back to Athens was extremely easy and timely.  We absolutely loved the beaches, mountains, and people on Naxos, by far the highlight of our stay.  We will recommend Fantasy Travel to all of our friends who may consider vacationing in Greece.

Thanks,
Chad

Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2011 5:49 PM
Subject: Hello Vicky

Estimada Vicky:
 
I finally got the time to communicate with you.  We had a fantastic time in Greece.  Of course, there were a few demonstrations in Syntagma Square but nothing serious.  The Central Hotel was OK...the location was very good.  The Vencie Hotel in Mykonos was very, very nice.  Stella and her brother, Antonio, do a wonderful job.  I would recommend this hotel to your clients.  Paros was nice...extremely quiet...not too many people.  The Contaratos Hotel was very clean.  They were improving the beach immediately across the hotel...they were building covers for the beach goers.  They was being built by the hotel owners...Contaratos family. 
 Volcano Views Villa Hotel was very, very nice as well.  It is large with fantastic views. 
 
We were very impressed with Crete.  The Lato Hotel has just expanded their hotel and developed rooms across the street from the original hotel.  The new part was only ten days old.  We stayed in the new part of the hotel and the rooms were very modern, but they were also very, very small. 
 
Heraklio was nice and we went to Agios Nicholas...very charming town.  Chania was much better.  The Ammos Hotel was nice, but it does cater to alot of people with families...babies and small children.  The location of the hotel was good and it had its own private beach area like the other hotels along the beach.  Nikos, the manger, does a very good job. 
 
Vicky, we thank you very much for your service.  We are very satisfied and truly enjoyed this trip.  We have been all over Mexico, South America, Western Europe twice, Canada, and most of the United States.  Our trip to Greece will be remembered forever.  The Greek people are beautiful and friendly....como Mexicanos.  :)  I began to speak some Greek and the people thought I was Greek.  Our Spanish helps because we can pronounce Greek words much better.  You did a wonderful job for us!!
 
If you ever come to Houston, Texas send us an e-mail in advance and we will invite you to dinner. 
 
Viva Grecia!!
 
Your friends,
Richard and Blanca

 


Hi Litsa,
We have been home for almost two weeks now and want you to know that the memory of our trip to Greece becomes more vivid as we reflect upon the time spent there.  Much of the pleasure is due to you and to the attention that you gave to us. You, and those who worked with you, eliminated the stress that usually accompanies many trips. Everything worked like clockwork!
Good choices on the accommodations!
Thanks again for your work.

Arlene 


Dear Matt,

I just wanted to say thank you for your wonderful website on Greece.  My husband and I just returned from a fabulous trip to Greece- Athens, Mykonos and Santorini.  Your website was priceless with all of its information.  We used Fantasy Travel (Litsa Christou) to plan everything except our flights and they did a great job.  We did not have to worry about any of our hotels or tranfers.  They met us at the airport and had all of our vouchers with times and dates completely organized.  It was such a relief to have everything arranged ahead of time, as we watched people scramble to arrange their taxis or hotels.  It was also wonderful to have everything paid for before we left, so we could just relax once we were in Greece.  Plus we were able to check out your website when we were in Greece for recommendations.  So thanks again for allowing us to have a memorable second honeymoon.

Sincerely,

Heidi Ball


Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 3:35 PM
Subject: RE: Greece - Fantasy Travel
Anna,

Thanks so much for your assistance with this trip.  It was well
coordinated start to finish.  Only issue we ran into was the strike in
Athens and I appreciate your efforts to assist in modifying our
itinerary accordingly.  It will be a trip we will remember forever.  I
will certainly recommend Fantasy Travel to any and all of my friends and
colleagues wishing to travel to Greece.

Rich K

To: Dina Kastrinaki
Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2009 5:38 PM
Subject: Thank you

Hello Dina,

We just wanted to sent you a note of thanks in helping us with our trip. Everything,  including the weather was perfect.

All of the folks that helped with our transfers were excellent and were not only on time but always early. It truly relieved any stress we had on making our connections and getting to our hotels.

Speaking of hotels they were all great and treated us fabulously.

We thought the  hotel website photos were probably a bit too good to be true, but  they really were accurate. It is hard to believe there is any  better sunset view than at the Astra, let all the other folks go to Oia, we will take the  view from our patio at the Astra!

Our Greece trip was all and more than we hoped for ( though  Athens traffic is crazy), thanks for helping us experience it.

If anyone has any concerns on  the process, (prepaying, sending copies of passports and credit cards, confirming someone really meets you at the airport to hand you the vouchers) Please feel free to us as a reference and give them our e-mail address.

If the dollar & Euro ever get closer in value, maybe we can do a Rhodes island  trip in the future.

Thanks again,
Russ & Cindy Nelson


My husband and I have just returned from a dream vacation in the Cycladic Islands of Greece.  We visited Athens briefly, but chose to spend the bulk of our time divided between the three islands of Sifnos, Milos and Santorini. I had conducted my own internet research on the islands we wished to visit (looking for non-touristy type places) and in which hotels we wanted to stay. Having done this, with excellent advice from Eleni Paida - our travel agent at Fantasy Travel  in Athens -  we then left the booking details in Eleni’s  capable hands

This was an excellent decision.  Arriving in  Athens, we were met by a Fantasy Travel Representative holding a placard bearing our name.  We were then given a package of vouchers which, as we discovered, contained a voucher for every step of the way. Eleni had prearranged hotel bookings, ferries, transportation to and from hotels, car-rental (delivered direct to our hotel and picked up from the same place prior to our departure), and was available to make any last minute changes we required (e.g. extra time on car rental). We were also given contact information in  the event of any problem that might arise.

Was this expensive?  I assume so - although I did not sit down and calculate what it might have cost us had we booked separately because for us this was the worry-free travel we desired.
I had read about Fantasy Travel when I began to explore the options for our trip to Greece.  This agency had received positive reviews and I can only confirm that this is the way to go if it is at all possible.

Thank you Eleni, for your help, advice, and expertise in arranging what was a dream vacation in a wonderful country.

Vassilis,

I wanted to thank Fantasy Travel and you for the exceptional care I
received during my travels in Greece!
It was the 'BEST' ; If I ever travel to Greece again, it will be 'Fantasy
Travel' that I'll book through and I will tell my friends to do the same.
Everything went very smooth and every hotel was wonderful.  Never again,
will I try to make my own travel plans, because Fantasy Travel does an
excellent complete job!
Thank you very much!
Sincerely,
Marsha Roskopf


Vassilis,
 
Hi, I want to thank you for a wonderful trip you put together for me and my boyfriend. The hotels you picked for each location was exactly what I wanted and were perfect. I'm very happy to have booked everything through your travel agency. I loved that we didn't have to worry about transportation and buying the ferry tickets while we were there. We loved Greece. Juan and I had a lot of fun and now great memories. When Juan I go to Greece again in the future, we will book it with you. Thanks again for putting the whole package together and picking wonderful hotels.

Best wishes,
Julie Lambis and Juan Portillo

Vicky, 
We had a wonderful trip....thanks to you and your team!!! We can't thank you enough.
Diana did a wonderful job, going above and beyond, when we left our cell phone in the taxi upon our arrival. 
She tracked down the driver and returned it personally. We can't thank her enough.
You had everything planned out perfectly. Our many transfers (taxis, ferries, and plane) all
went smoothly. The hotels were lovely. The people of Greece are so kind and gracious. 
This is a trip we will always cherish. Thank you, Vicky , and Fantasy Travel!

Shari and John Lusk



Hi Dina,
 
Just wanted to deliver a huge 'thank you' for helping us plan our holiday in Greece, now that we're home again wishing we were still there!
 
Many many years of attending local Greek festivals, enjoying the music and the food, whetted our appetite to finally get over there and see for ourselves what it was all about.  You know that we'd been researching and planning and anticipating this trip for a long time, thanks mainly to everything we learned on Matt B's website, and at long last we were able to finally get off the fence, put together an itinerary, and just do it.  Between you and Matt B, we can never thank you enough for the fabulous trip we had.  To name just a few highlights:
 
Hotel Attalos - after all the time spent studying Matt's site and the small Athens map we ordered from Fantasy Travel, it was uncanny to feel so 'at home' once we finally arrived in Athens.  It was as if we already knew where everything was, traveling through neighborhoods that we already knew very well.   Over the course of our trip we spent 6 nights in Athens, all at the Attalos, and we found the location and the neighborhood to be exactly right for us - active, busy, and right in the middle of everything - we walked everywhere.  Very reasonably priced, an excellent value - and with that fabulous rooftop view terrace, where we finished up every night. 
 
the 7-day Mainland Tour - I'm a history buff and originally wanted to be able to visit sites associated with Alexander the Great, so that meant a trip to the north of Greece.  The tour you booked for us was a most effective use of our time and we were able to see and do so much more than we could ever have managed on our own. We really felt, by the time we got back to Athens, that we'd been able to see and experience a good cross-section of your beautiful country (I didn't expect this, but it seems like we didn't so much see the sites as climb over them physically, everywhere we went - very satisfying and unforgettable).  Eventually I couldn't tell what drew me more - the human-built sites we visited, both ancient and modern, or the physical landscape of Greece itself.  Stunning!  I can't really rank what we saw on the tour, it's not possible (or necessary),  but I will say I hope I'm able to revisit Delphi in this lifetime. 
 
Santorini - Kamares Apartments couldn't have been a better choice for us and we appreciated it more and more as we visited the island.  We were able to have a private, quiet apartment and terrace with 'the view', yet we were only moments from the bus station, the post office, the center of town, the health center, etc... all w/o having to climb a lot of steps (we did climb up and down a bunch of steps while visiting Fira and Oia - no problem at all, but still we were glad we didn't have to climb lots of steps just to get in and out of our room every day (with luggage, no less).  A truly inspired choice Dina!
 
the Poet Sandalmaker - just around the corner from our hotel in Athens.  We ended up visiting the shop three times and bought 4 pairs of sandals.  It was such a privilege to meet and speak for a while with Pantelis Mellissinos.
 
I could go on and on, but I hope you get the idea.  We never had a bad meal, never had a bad room, never had a transfer go wrong or felt ourselves to be in over our heads anywhere for any reason.  We were lucky to have 21 days - we saw and did so much, yet it also seems as if we only just scratched the surface.  Your country has such riches, we hope to come back to pick up where we left off.
 
Thank you again Dina, for everything you gave us.  We're happy we were able to meet you in person at the beginning of our trip, and now we'd like to let everyone (your boss? future visitors to Greece?) know what a privilege it was to work with Dina Kastrinaki at Fantasy Travel.  We can't recommend you highly enough!  And, we hope to work with you again.
 
Best regards,
 
Ray and Athena
California, USA

Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 5:29 AM
Subject: A thousand thank-yous

Dear Dina,

We just got back from our memorable trip to Greece.  Greece is a fabulous country, very very beautiful.  Thank you so much for making our trip so enjoyable and worry free. 

Once we arrived in Greece, we were met up with Diana.  She was very gracious, patiently explaining everything and answering all our questions. I thought Fantasy Travel had fulfilled its responsibility, but then on the day we were to leave for Mykonos on the ferry,  another lady from Fantasy Travel (sorry, I did not catch her name) met us at the port, explaining everything we need to know.  I was really impressed by the details you put into taking care of us.

All the hotels were great, especially Sofitel.  Thank you for recommending it. It made our last day in Greece the icing on the cake.

I will definitely recommend you to all my friends.

Best Wishes,
Rouh


Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 4:10 AM
Subject: Thank You! 

Hello Chris, 

My name is Joanna Droege & I just returned from my trip to Greece with my friend Mike Scholnick.  I just wanted to say thanks for making all the arrangements for this wonderful trip!  This was my first time out of the country & you made it go that much smoother.  When we arrived to the Athens airport we were greeted by Diana, who was so nice & had all our stuff together & explained everything.  Then when we arrived in Santorini I saw other people scrambling to find phone numbers & rides & they looked all stressed while our ride was waiting.  Also when we got to Mykonos, Katrina was great.  Thanks so much for helping us with this trip & getting it all together.  I realize we did pay for the service, but you never know sometimes & I would definitely rec commend your service to anyone!  

Joanna Droege


Hi Dina:

July 2nd 2009, 10:50 pm:  We just got back to our house in Westport 30 minutes ago!  What a trip!  Everyone said how great our travel agent was, and what a great job you did.  When you said people would take us, even at 5am, well they were there.


We saw lots of great things, met great people, and stayed at some terrific places, with the Vencia and Lava Oia especially great. Pepitza at the Lava was terrific and she took us to her favorite beach.  The Vencia was amazingly beautiful, calm, and wonderful.  More to follow, but not now.


I just wanted to thank you again, and say that I'll write more later, but for now, we need sleep, and thank  you so much again.


Best,


Ted


Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 4:00 AM
Subject: Thank You!

Hi Dina,
I just wanted to write and say how wonderful our experience in Greek was. Not only were all of your services on time, but they were polite and helpful. We had a great tome at the Andromeda Villas. (The chef and his wife are lovely.) All of the transportation service people were very polite. Athens was great and Hotel Plaka was quite nice. (My wife really enjoyed the shopping.) Hotel Mistral in Hydra was spectacular. jenny and her husband were a pleasure to be around.
Thank you so much for all of your help! We had a great honeymoon!

Jack Hope


Greetings to Matt and to Fantasy Management
 
My friend and I recently returned from a 17 day trip around Greece.  Through Matt's site we connected with a Fantasy agent by the name of Patra, who suggested the perfect itinerary for us based on our requests and available schedules (ferries, tours).  She did a fantastic job.  She really excelled when she managed to return us to Athens from Milos when the ferry strike took place. With about 8 minutes to pack and leave our hotel she had a driver waiting to rush us to the Milos airport for an early return to Athens. And within a week of our return home to Canada our credit cards were refunded as agreed.
 
The hotels that Patra selected were also perfect - Hotel Myrto on Sifnos, Hotel Portiani on Milos, and Hotel Attelas in Athens as suggested by Matt.
 
Perfect as well was the 4 day Classical Tour led by a very informative guide named Kassandra. We couldn't ask for a more enthusiastic representative of Greek history. We would appreciate if you would pass along our thanks to Kassandra as well.
 
Please convey our appreciation to Patra for all her help, and obvious professionalism, to make our trip to Greece so enjoyable. She truly is an asset to the Fantasy company. We will be sure to pass along our impressions of your company to the Canadian travellers we know.
 
Scarlett Ryan

Hi Matt,

My wife and I started planning our Greek islands trip ourselves via the internet as we didn’t use travel agents for our other holidays in France and Italy.  We soon realised that Greece was different because of the complicated and erratic ferry timetables.  My wife approached a local travel agent in Sydney, whilst I discovered your web site and sent our itinerary and preferred hotel list to Fantasy Travel.  I was contacted by Paula Simopoulou from Fantasy Travel who suggested some minor changes, including a couple of other hotels where they had no arrangement with those on our list.  Because we had already done a lot of research we had a good idea of costs so I was pleasantly surprised to see Paula’s quote was about the same.  Given the price and the positive feedback on your web site we decided to go with Fantasy.  Whilst we were finalising the itinerary Paula was always very courteous, and replied to our questions and concerns promptly.  

We wanted to pay the deposit by credit card but were very reluctant to supply photo copies of our passports and credit card as requested by Fantasy Travel for fear of identity theft.  In the end we chose to pay by direct bank deposit via our online banking service.  When it came time to pay the balance Paula advised us that our planned ferry trip from Santorini to Crete had been cancelled so we would have to fly via Athens at considerably higher cost.

We were still a bit ill at ease that we could be left high and dry on arrival in Athens due to the global financial crisis, but any doubts were immediately dispelled when we found the charming Fantasy representative waiting for us with all our tickets and vouchers exactly as promised.  We were also delighted to hear that Paula had tracked down another ferry service from Santorini to Crete and had already credited the airfare difference into our account.  All our transfers went like a well rehearsed production, and all hotel bookings were also spot on.

Paula and her team at Fantasy Travel did a fantastic job and get a 10 out of 10 from us.

I hope that if anyone has any doubts about using Fantasy Travel this feedback will allay their fears.

Thanks for pointing us in the direction of Fantasy Travel through your excellent web site.

Regards

Ewen & Leigh 


Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2010 7:50 PM
Subject: Many many thanks!

Dear Eleni,

Once again I want to thank you so much for your help in making our trip to Greece a magical time! We are now home, safe and sound, after the extra week in Athens thanks to the volcano, and are beginning to go through pictures, etc. That last week gave us the chance to really explore Athens, and we enjoyed every minute of it! What a wonderful city you live in! The people, food, atmosphere, great sites that we stumbled onto, the huge meat markets, etc.

I will absolutely recommend you and your agency to anyone I know planning to travel in Greece. Your knowledge, all the ways you made our life so much simpler, with the transfers and vouchers handled, as well as all your help when we were stranded - you are quite simply the best!

If we ever return to Greece, we'll be writing you!

Thanks again,

Mary and Leo Piquette

Hi Matt

My wife, 20 month old son and myself just returned about a week ago from our first trip to Greece.  I wanted to thank you not only for your fantastic website but also the time you take to respond to individual emails.  Your recommendation of Fantasy Travel is much appreciated.  I would strongly encourage anyone traveling to Greece to contact them, especially if you are traveling with a small child.  From the time our plane touched down in Athens they were available for all of our needs. The fact I did not have to worry about any transportation really eliminated some stress.  In addition your hotel and restaurant recommendations were also excellent. I should also add that Sifnos, as you suggested it would be, was perfect for a family.  The beach at Kamares was as you described and perfect for a 20 month old to run wild.  The weather was perfect the week we were there this past October and we basically had the beach to ourselves. The Greek people could not have been nicer. It seemed that from the Plaka to Apollonia the folks went out of their way to put a smile on our son's face. If he wasn't getting free bakery or fries, it was a toy at the pharmacy.  I planned this trip for a long time but it was worth the wait.  I can certainly say, my family would love to go again. Thank you again for all of your time and effort.

Warm regards............................      Casey, Julie & Caleb Palbicki

Oh, I'm sure you get plenty of better written testimonials but please feel free to include this email if you'd like.


Sent: Sunday, November 01, 2009 10:55 PM
Subject: Re: ACCOMODATION IN ATHENS

Vassilis,

I want to thank you for all of your help making the last night of our honeymoon memorable.  Christina and I really enjoyed our last night in Athens at the Athens Gate.  It was a great location, very comfortable, and had a great restaurant.  The hotel staff was extremely nice and attentive to detail.  They congratulated us on our marriage when we checked in and had a bottle of wine and fresh fruit in the room.  I really appreciate the work you did to upgrade us to this hotel.  Our experience with Fantasy Travel was great overall, but your extra effort to address our concerns and ensure that every detail was handled perfectly was far beyond our expectations.  Thank you so very much!  We will definitely recommend Fantasy Travel to our friends!

Best,

Charlie and Christina Sursa


Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2009 10:10 PM
Subject: Greece Holiday

Eleni,

Just wanted to express our appreciation for the wonderful holiday we had. I can't say enough about what a wonderful experience it was, due to the time and effort you put in to make it happen. The choices you made for us in everything was top notch. Our hotel rooms were so much more than we expected, and the views from the balconies were magical.

My daughter and I kept waiting for something to either go wrong, or to have a terrible hotel room, but that did not happen. Our experiences in Greece have given us so many wonderful memories to cherish. Everytime that we thought we could not see any more beauty and history we did. The Parthenon and the Acropolis were beautiful. My daughter actually cried when she was looking at the Acropolis. She said she couldn't believe she was standing there, and that it was real. She kept saying she felt like we were in Disneyland, that all this beauty and history couldn't be real.

We are so glad we went with Fantasy travel, and feel lucky we were able to work with you. Ms. Cristina was so very nice and made us feel welcome at the very start.

We took the coastal road to Nafplio and even though it was sometimes scary we were glad we did. It was breathtaking, and the towns we went through were so quaint and pretty. I could go on and on about all our stays, but I hope you get the picture. We loved Greece and every area we were in. I don't know how our holiday could have been any better.

Thank you so very much,
Mary Stackhouse
Jennifer Agan


Matt, hello
 
I had the utmost pleasure of working with Fantasy Travel, and I would like to post a review / story.  I couldn't find a place on the website to post automatically, so I'm sending it to you with hopes of distribution.
 
Thanks!
    -Vicky
 

I have never in my life written a review, but working with Vicky Asloglou of Fantasy Travel prompted me to do just that. To summarize - I have worked and dealt with quite a few people in my time, but I was NEVER as impressed with anyone as much as her. She provided the most professional, knowledgeable, cordial, responsive and attentive service I have ever received. She LISTENED to my requests and questions, and replied to every single one of them in a timely manner. The way she did her job assured me that this 2-week trip will be amazing, and there will be no issues with any of the bookings (which included hotels, ferries, transfers, and a land tour). The trip indeed was 100% hassle free, and I cannot thank Fantasy Travel enough, and especially Vicky, for such an amazing service. The full story is below (and quite lengthy … this is how much this agency has moved me!)

Excellent does not begin to describe it. It all started when I decided to present my parents with a honeymoon they never really had for their 30th wedding anniversary. I did the standard American vacation (24 hours in Athens, a few days in Mykonos and a few days in Santorini) back in August of 2006, and decided to pick Greece (especially Santorini) as the most romantic and unique place I can send them to, and since I've done this part of the trip before, I knew what I was looking for. I also knew that I want them to see more, visit Classical Greece (the land part), and Crete.

Travel dates - first two weeks of September. The search started in February. I spammed my Greek connections and got referrals for 2 travel agencies in Queens. Contacted them both, told them what I wanted, for what dates and budget, and then waited. For a few days. Meanwhile running searches on Google ... which inevitably pointed to Fantasy Travel. It sounded pretty good, but I was a bit uneasy about dealing with a travel agency overseas (international calling, time difference, no ability to stop by and talk in person if need be, plus they wanted a copy of my passport...) One of the Queens agencies came back a few days later with not nearly what I had asked for, which I thought was pretty straight forward (some time in Athens, then a land trip, then some more time in Athens, then the islands in a certain order ), and for almost twice my budget. When I suggested sticking with the budget, after a few more days, I received another itinerary with a different selection of hotels, which were pretty close to roach motels. When I replied that I would like to retain the quality, I never heard back from them again. The second agency disappeared after my first question.

This is when I decided to try "this Greek agency". I filled out the form using Matt Barrett's website at 1am, and they contacted me back right away that an agency will be getting back to me within 24 hours. I received an email with an itinerary at 10:30am. The itinerary was VERY close to what I was looking for. It also contained proposed hotels with their detailed information and pictures, and stated in a very cordial manner that these are just suggestions, and I should tweak it any way I wish as this package is PERSONAL.

That is when the massive email exchange started. The lady I worked with was Vicky Asloglou. I had about a million questions, asked for suggestions and "what if" scenarios. Every one of my emails was replied to the same day (if I emailed early enough in the morning) or next morning (if I emailed in the evening). Every single question in my emails was answered cordially and fully, no matter how small or silly. She changed my itinerary about 4 times before I was happy with it, she worked with me on hotel choices that were within budget and in my preferred locations, she even informed me that one of the hotels I stayed at previously was not being responsible and that they are not dealing with them any longer (which I really appreciated) and recommended another. She made bookings as soon as she received my signed contract. Once the hotel I selected was full (at which point the agency gave me a choice of selecting another or cancelling the whole reservation no-fee), I worked with her and Trip Advisor on selecting another and sent in the updated contract. She booked it right away. I had asked her for beach recommendations and seat numbers for the ferries and confirmations of transfers and all the contact info (of all the hotels and companies that ran transfers between hotels and ferries, and the agency cell phone), and received it all. I even asked her for a favor, I was booking an inter-island flight on-line, and got a weird email that I purchased a ticket but didn't have a reservation id, so I asked her to look into it if possible. She was happy to sort that out for me, even though it was outside of her responsibilities with regards to this trip. She was also always informing me of when the office was closed for the holidays, so I knew in advance if there would be a delay in communication. All-and-all there were about 50 messages sent back and forth! ... Including my last minute request for non-smoking rooms (which I forgot about), and an iron in one of the hotels, which she sorted out.

Overall, the whole process took about 15 days, and, as you can see from the above, I cannot possibly be happier with the experience. My parents had the time of their life, and I will most certainly recommend Fantasy Travel, and especially Vicky, to anyone who is thinking of Greece! THANK YOU!!!!!


Hi Matt,
My husband and I just returned Sunday evening from our vacation to Greece.  We started planning our trip back in January and found your web-site while researching where to go/what to do.
 
We want to say thank you!  Thank you for taking the time to develop this site and make the information available.  We had no idea how to get around the islands, where to stay...really how to even plan this trip.  At your recommendation, we used Fantasy Travel and that was the best decision we made! 
 
The entire trip went smoothly with no bumps or problems.  All our transfers were timely and stress free.   We absolutely LOVED the hotels they chose for us.  The Petasos Beach in Mykonos was gorgeous and completely relaxing.  We really liked being on that side of the island - they got that just right!  The Astra Apartments in Santorini were fabulous - the staff was exceedingly accommodating, friendly and just a pleasure to be around.  In Santorini, all the hotels have gorgeous views, but the staff is what made this stay especially great.  When they recommended that hotel, I wondered, "Why not Oui?"  That's where all the guide books recommend to stay."  They were so right!  What a perfect choice for us.  What we just couldn't get over is how, Dina, our agent, got it exactly right after just a few emails between us.  Over the course of our trip we spoke with other travelers who used other agenci es and were not nearly as pleased as we were.  We felt like she listened so well, figured out just the type of vacations we like and made sure that's what we got.  
 
It was a fabulous trip and we are so grateful we used Fantasy Travel, as we know it would have been completely different had we not.  If we had not found your web-site, we would not have known to use an agency for transfers, ferry rides etc.  We likely would have tried to figure that all out ourselves - SO glad we didn't do that.  Your recommendation on that is exactly right!  I just have to say, it feels so risky these days to make important decisions based on finding a random web-site, but we are so fortunate yours is available and that we found it.  I hope others might see my email and feel more comfortable taking your advice, if they feel a bit nervous as we were in the beginning.  Thank you, thank you, thank you and best wishes for continued success!
 
Warmest regards,
Jenny Cianciolo

To: Litsa CHRISTOU

Subject: What a superb travel agent you are!


Dear Litsa:

 

We arrived home from Greece a few days ago and we want to express our sincere thanks to you for the excellent planning you did on our behalf. From the moment we met Mrs. Dulce's daughter at Athens airport on October 21st until we were dropped off at the same airport by taxi on November 2nd, everything went like clockwork, thanks to your first-rate organizational skills and admirable attention to detail.

Fantasy Travel is very lucky to have you on their staff and we hope they realize that. Tell them we said so!

 

Everything you had arranged for us happened exactly the way you had planned it and this amazed us because such perfection is rare in today's world. We were particularly impressed with the way things went so smoothly in Santorini, which was one of the most complicated parts of our trip. The taxi was there at Thira airport to take us as close as possible to our hotel; the young man was waiting at the top of the steps to carry our bags down; and the location of the hotel itself was ideal. Two days later, at 3:30 a.m., the young man showed up ahead of time to carry our bags up to where the taxi was due to pick us up; the taxi arrived ten minutes early and transported us to the ferry for Crete; and at Crete another taxi was waiting to take us to our hotel in Iraklion (which had the best view in town).

The meticulous planning involved in all those steps, which you did with such professional efficiency, and the reliable personnel you have developed over the years to assist you with transportation and hotel arrangements is truly awesome and worthy of the highest praise. You and Fantasy Travel have a great deal to be proud of.

 

We were lucky to be the recipients of such excellent service and we appreciate everything you did to make our Greek vacation an unforgettable experience. Because of your skilful planning we enjoyed the very best that Greece has to offer and we were enthralled by all of it.

You live in a very beautiful country and it must make you proud and happy to be able to introduce others to its many charms and magnificent scenery, not to mention its amazing history and archaeology.

 

Bravo, Litsa, from two very satisfied customers,

Irene and Richard

 

P.S. If you would like more detailed feedback on any specific hotel or other services we would be happy to offer our comments on request.


My in-laws just returned from a trip to Greece as a celebration of 50 years of marriage.  We arranged the trip through Fantasy Travel after researching travel in Greece and using all the tips and hints on your web page.  Paula at Fantasy Travel was exceptional and when my in-laws arrived in Athens the staff at Fantasy travel took excellent care of them (being 70 years old and not seasoned travelers made the adventure even more exciting). 
 
Thank you for all your efforts to research and post reliable information to the internet.  It is a gift to those of us who plan for others and appreciated more than you might know.
 
The trip was the experience of a life time and I wanted to thank you for your part.  I imagine you must receive more email than you can reasonably answer, so please do not feel obligated to respond.
 
Safe journeys, peace and joy - Jobie F

To: Vicky Asloglou
Sent: Saturday, September 05, 2009 8:43 AM
Subject: Thank you !

Dear Vicky,
 
Thank you so much for your perfect arrangements that saw us having the most amazing time in Greece. I miss it already!!! The 4-day Classical Tour was a great introduction to your rich history. Lida, (hope I get the spelling right) our guide on the tour as well as our driver were knowledgeable and helpful. The four-days were sheer delight, it helped we had equally great fellow-travellers on the tour. Special THANK YOU for arranging the our flight Santorini-Athens at such a short notice when we were already at Mykonos,  it gave us more time in Athens that evening. The pick-ups at the various points, hotels and ferry terminals were smooth, our thanks to Diana (our arrival at Athens) and the other two ladies, Mykonos ( apologies, I did not get her name) and Nina at Santorini, and then back at Athens bef we left, impeccable arrangements indeed. St John at Mykonos was fabulous, awesome views from our patio and the pool.  A super-big THANK YOU for getting us to San Antonio in Santorini Antonio...it was awesome !!!
 
Thanks for your patient and delightful service working through the changes in the itinerary with us before the final one.  We didn't give you much time ( I suppose one month isn't much notice for planning a 15-day trip !)  but you were wonderful and got all that planning worked out for a peak-season trip. We will most certainly use and recommend your Fantasy-tic services again when we come back to Greece. Also, pls convey our thanks to your colleagues. It was good to know you or someone from Fantasy Travel was always only just a phone call or email away....we appreciated that.
 
Thank you a million, Vicky......EFHARISTO !!!
 
Warmest regards,
Loretta and Anne

Matt,

I wanted to take a quick minute to thank you for your awesome web site!  My
sister and I went to Greece last July and had a great time.  Your advice was
invaluable and we had a much richer experience than if I had never come
across your site. Based on your recommendation, we decided to use a travel
agent.  We worked with Nadia at Fantasy Travel in Athens and she was so
amazing.  She was upfront, honest and kind- she worked hard to meet our
needs and we got just what we wanted out of our trip. Fantasy Travel really
helped us out- we arrived in Athens the day of the big blackout last July
and they were so nice. They let us keep luggage there for a few hours
(despite their cramped quarters!) while we walked around the city before
leaving for Pireaus.

Our parents are going back to Greece this September for a few weeks and I
recommended Fantasy Travel and your web site!

Thanks again for all your hard work on the web site, we really appreciated
it!

With Thanks from Maine,
Laura K


Dear Matt,

I want you to know what great service Litsa provided me for our travel to Santorini.  She was diligent in responding to my emails and was very patient with me as I tried to decide on the “perfect” hotel for our stay.  She also arranged transfers from the airport to the hotel and back to the airport; and she provided me with very useful information for our short 8-hour visit in Athens on return to Dubai.

I will recommend your travel service and Litsa to our friends and family as they plan their vacations to Greece.

It was a pleasure doing business with you and congratulate you on having a very dedicated and component staff.  Great customer service as they say in the United States.

Best regards,

Barbara T


Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 9:44 PM
Subject: Greek holiday

Dear Litsa,

I just wanted to thank you for planning our wonderful holiday in Greece.  My husband and I returned about 2 weeks ago and were very sad to leave.  We had a great time in Athens, Mykonos and Santorini.  I was really impressed by how well everything was organized from our hotels to our transfers.  I really appreciated being personally greeted at the airport by Alexandra.  She did a great job going over all of our vouchers and they were all well organized.  It was such a relief to have everything arranged ahead of time.  All taxis and hotel transfers were on time waiting for us as planned.  Even the flight from Santorini to Athens was perfectly arranged.  We enjoyed our stay at all three hotels- Athens Gate, Princess of Mykonos and Volcano View Hotel.  The views from the last two just can't be beat and their location was perfect for us.  So thanks again for allowing us to have a fabulous second honeymoon!  We will definitely recommend you and your company.

Sincerely,
Heidi Ball


Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 4:53 AM
Subject: Re: Greece trip

Hi, Litsa.
Just wanted to let you know what a wonderful trip we had. The work you did for us was outstanding. We ended up staying the last 4 days in Nafplio and it was a very relaxing and comfortable end to the trip. One piece of advice I would give for future traveler without being able to read signs and maps, would be do not try to drive in the cities. The highways are ok.

We loved all the beaches where we went, but especially the one on the east end of Crete. We would very highly recommend our hotels in Crete, the Galaxy...I would say almost 5 star, and the Porto Veneziano with a just wonderful staff, which we also found in Santorini at the Volcanos view.  The staff at the Hotel Central in Athens was very nice but I would say the Central was not up to the quality of the other hotels.  Being in the Plaka area of Athens and able to walk everywhere was wonderful.

We also found very good restaurants in the "Lonely Planet" guidebook. For your information, I would highly recommend a Jewelry store in Nafplio called Margerita's. We bought some pieces of lovely handcrafted jewelry there for a great value.

Thanks again for helping make the trip a very special trip of a lifetime,

Jim Chudleigh, MD


To: Dina Kastrinaki
Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 8:06 PM
Subject: Re: fantasy travel
Dina,
 
I have to say that you did an amazing job!  We were so impressed at how seamless everything went you are a true gem!  People met us and directed us perfectly and we are grateful for that.  And how you arranged and booked everything was perfect.  Your advice was fantatistic!
 
The Hotel Herodion in Athens was OK.  Loved the roof deck and the lobby and breakfast were good.  Great location but we missed the museum because we throught we'd go on Monday after the tour and it wasn't open on Monday.  Bummer!  Wasn't crazy about the bed (two twins pushed together with futon mattresses) and the room had just a slight sent of mustiness - but since we didn't spend much time there it didn't matter (and the bathroom was very clean and a good size ;).  The tour was just enough.  Thank you for that!
 
Great seats on the ferry and very comfortable.  Getting there was seamless and your people are great!
 
We loved Lianos Villas.  Clean and an amazing view.  I only didn't like how tiny the shower (I couldn't bend over without hitting my head on the soap dish - it was tiny!) was but everything the food, view, perfect.  We loved staying just outside all of the hub-ub.  Good call all the way around.  We fell in love immediately with Naxos.  AMAZING food and old world charm and scenic beauty.  We are so grateful we chose that island! It was wonderful! 
 
Santorini's scenic beauty is unbeatable.  We have the highest marks for Remezzo.  Vassillia was an incredibly helpful hoast and our suite was FANTATASTIC!  Giant compared to where we came from.  Three rooms and an enormous bathroom and immaculate!  Kitchenette, great breakfast and spectacular views!  We could not have asked for more.  And every time we went to Fira we thanked god we weren't staying there!  Imerovigli was perfect!!!
 
The Sofitel was pretty cool too.  Nice room (but expensive food - but we didn't care so much!).  The shower stall didn't drain well at all and I left that on the comment card (it was kind of yukky, and there was some leftover mold in the stall).  But the hotel was quiet and the room and bed extremely comfortable. 
 
I will recommend you to whomever I can.  Our trip was wonderful and you steered us in the right direction every time. 
 
Hopefully the next time we travel it'll be first class all the way!  Yippee!!!
 
Thanks again for an amazing trip!!!
 
xoxoCollette

To: Dina Kastrinaki
Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 6:16 AM
Subject: Re: fantasy travel

Hi Dina,
I just got back from Greece and both Karen and I had a wonderful, wonderful time.  Thank you so much for helping us enjoy our time in Mykonos and Santorini.  We were so thrilled that everything was taken care of and that we could spend time enjoying ourselves.  What a great holiday we had.
Thank you!

Rebecca


Hi Matt,
 
Just want to thank you for your website - my husband and I spent 2 weeks in Athens, Mykonos and Santorini in May 2009, and your website gave me alot of information when I had no clue what I was looking for.  It was on your website that I found Fantasy Travel, and on a whim I had Patra put together a package for us.
I would highly recommend their services, all of our hotel bookings, ferry tickets and transfers where perfect and on time.  It was nice not to have to worry about reading ferry schedules and hailing taxis in a strange country.  Although, if I had to do it again, I now feel I could very comfortably book everything myself as the Greek people are very tourist oriented.
If you are interested in our opinions, we stayed at:
Athens Cypria (very pleased with location and breakfast, room was abit small, thin walls,  but we weren't there to spend time in the room)
Mykononian K Hotels - again great location (not for anyone with mobility issues though), fabulous pool area, great breakfast.
Astir Thira, Santorini - probably wouldn't stay here again - it's right on the main road into Fira, so traffic noise was an issue, very poor pool area - cheap chairs and no umbrellas, no toaster for breakfast.
 
We had a fabulous time and absolutely love Greece!  Again, the guidance I got from your website was so helpful!!
 
Respectfully,  Sheila & Wade Weatherbee

Dear Matt,

We just came back from Greece. I used Fantasy Travel and worked with Dina – she was absolutely EXCELLENT and we had the most wonderful magic time in Greece. We did a quick tour as we are not in position to leave our offices for too long a time. Two days in Athens, 3 days in Mykonos and 3 days in Santorini.  I will never be the same again. Your advice was most helpful and if it wasn’t for you I don’t know. I basically studied your website in detail and used so much of your info.

Thank you!!

We would like to go back next year but would like to visit some of the other islands – may I ask which ones you suggest after which I will be in a position to do more research.

Thank you in advance
Rene Blanche
South Africa


Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 8:04 PM
Subject: Back in NY

Hi Mike…

Sadly, our trip to Greece is complete. We are back in NY. But we certainly loved your beautiful country! Beyond that, I wanted to take a minute to thank you personally for being so attentive to our needs and concerns. I really felt you cared, and more than that, you were always a pleasure to speak with -- planning the trip with you was fun! I'm sorry we didn't get to meet when Barbara and I were in Athens. Also… all of your colleagues, whether people who were Fantasy in Athens, or with your collaborating partners on the islands, were terrific -- friendly and helpful. Francesco (I think that is his name) with Bellonius on Santorini, was right there for us when we needed to change rooms… and had some great insights into what to do on the island. The woman who brought us the Trust rental car in Crete, told us about a little town called Loutro on the south coast… which wound up being a highlight of our trip. We even called her for additional directions and information, which she was glad to supply.

As you've undoubtedly realized… we can be very particular, even perfectionistic about our accommodations and arrangements. If you'd like me to share specific feedback on any aspect of our trip, I'd be glad to. But please be assured, even if I have nit-picks about certain things -- which is my nature -- I was quite pleased with Fantasy's service. And again… you, Mike, were so helpful in making it all happen. We had a great vacation! We will certainly return to Greece. And I hope, eventually, to meet you. Until then...

Be well...

Gary G



Litsa,

Thank you so much for your help in making our vacation so enjoyable.  This was our first cruise and it was perfect.  For the past 10 years, we've done "driving" trips in Europe so we could plan our own itinerary.  In fact, the first part of this trip was a 2-week "drive" from Munich to Bari and from Patras to Athens.  I was reluctant to turn our trip over to a cruise line, but Louis Cruises was exactly right for us.  The food and lodging were great, but the best part was the excursions.  The itinerary and guides were excellent.  My wife is convinced that -- if we can get the same quality of excursions and cruises of a similar length -- we may never "drive" again.

We are considering another cruise -- possibly as early as April 2010.  Our first choice would be the 2-day Louis Cruises from Cyprus to Israel and Cyprus to Egypt.  We have very little experience, but we have great confidence in you and would appreciate any assistance or advice you could give us.  Thank you for all your help!

Sincerely,
Monte


Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2009 12:16 PM
Subject: It has been spectacular!
Dear Vassilis!  Thank you so very much for an Absolutely perfect holiday. As I type this- we are relaxing at the incredible Volcano VIP Villas. Everything has been just amazing.  We head back to Athens later this afternoon on flight 357. Niko has been unbelievably attentive and we are thrilled with everything!  Each part of the journey has been letter perfect so far. Santorini is spectacular and we don't want to leave. I will write again after we get home but I wanted to make certain to tell you promptly that your services were absolutely appreciated and because of you- the trip was a complete succuss. Thanks so very much for your tremendous attention to detail. We loved it all!!!  Can't wait to book another trip to Greece- and when we do we will only work with you and Fantasy Travel!  Perfection!  Thanks again!!!  

Cheers! 

John Duffin 

Litsa,

Thank you so much for your help in making our vacation so enjoyable.  This was our first cruise and it was perfect.  For the past 10 years, we've done "driving" trips in Europe so we could plan our own itinerary.  In fact, the first part of this trip was a 2-week "drive" from Munich to Bari and from Patras to Athens.  I was reluctant to turn our trip over to a cruise line, but Louis Cruises was exactly right for us.  The food and lodging were great, but the best part was the excursions.  The itinerary and guides were excellent.  My wife is convinced that -- if we can get the same quality of excursions and cruises of a similar length -- we may never "drive" again.

We are considering another cruise -- possibly as early as April 2010.  Our first choice would be the 2-day Louis Cruises from Cyprus to Israel and Cyprus to Egypt.  We have very little experience, but we have great confidence in you and would appreciate any assistance or advice you could give us.  Thank you for all your help!

Sincerely,
Monte


Sent: Sunday, September 06, 2009 4:31 AM
Subject: Thank you Anna

Hello Anna,
 
I just wanted to thank you for all your help with my travel arrangements to Athens and Santorini... 
 
I met up with my daughter who was studying abroad there this summer and we filled our days with as many amazing sights and delicious food as we could.  The hotels were wonderful...  the Central Hotel was perfectly located for me - close to her school, in the middle of the Plaka, very clean, very pleasant staff and my view of the Acropolis was amazing. 
 
We dined one evening on a restaurant rooftop with a view of the Acropolis....  absolutely beautiful.  We saw many many ancient sights, we shopped, we had wonderful pastries and greek salads!  We took a bus ride to Cape Sounion and while walking to our bus stop, looking across the street was your offices!  If we had an extra few minutes I would've visited you, but we were short on time so I took a picture instead!  :)
 
The Kamari Beach Hotel in Santorini also was perfect...  again the view of the ocean was amazing, it also was very clean and the staff there was very friendly.  And just a fyi... we took a bus one afternoon to the port, got on the boat Aphrodite which was absolutely amazing...  the dinner was fabulous, we swam to the hot mineral waters and watched the most amazing sunset ever off of Oia.
 
The transfers you arranged were perfect... the drivers were great...  pleasant and always right on schedule and it was such a comfort to have that pre-arranged, especially when I was met at the airport upon my arrival.
 
I visited the Alexandra hospital where I was born, and it was very exciting for me...  the guard out front wasn't very nice, but I didn't let that ruin my excitement.  I also contacted the Greek Red Cross Tracing Service...  in hopes to find family, but that unfortunately didn't happen while I was there.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed still that they're able to find somebody and if so, I'll be back!!!
 
Anyway, thanks again for everything... this was a trip of a lifetime and I thank you for all you did to make it memorable.
 
Hope to talk to you again...  
 
Suzanne Banks
Lancaster, California, USA

Dear Vasso and others at Fantasy Travel:
    My friends and I wish to thank you for an outstanding job in arranging all the details of our marvelous trip to three of the Greek Islands.    I don't think anyone could have done it better and at a better price.    We particularly appreciate your willingness to take on arranging so many details on a Friday afternoon when you were certainly looking forward to the weekend.     Thanks too for twice arranging for someone to be there when we arrived in Athens after closing hours.
    Our hotel, the Alkistis, in Mykonos was perfect--very welcoming, located at a beautiful beach away from the hustle of the main part of town, and near an outstanding restaurant. The Volcano's View Hotel in Santorini was absolutely the best:   an incredible, unobstructed view of the caldera; large rooms with a nearby, nearly private pool; friendly staff and a fine gourmet restaurant.     Sylvia from Paris liked the hotel in old town Rhodes, but we Californians found it cramped and claustrophobic, something you anticipated when you called me back in Paris to make sure we would be OK with that, a detail much appreciated.    (We had no trouble moving to bigger quarters in the new town.)
    Every flight or ferry boat trip you arranged went smoothly, and the people who handled our ground transportation were punctual and very nice.
    You are the best!    I am sharing this letter with Matt Barrett  and would be happy to write this on regular stationary and send it to you by mail.     I will also pass it on to Frommer.
    All the best to you, and I hope to work with you again in the future.      Sincerely,   John Petrovsky

P.S. Thanks, Matt, for suggesting Fantasy Travel in the first place.

Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 3:16 PM
Subject: RE: May 2008 trip to Greece

Hello Litsa,

Melanie and I just wanted to let you know how much we appreciated all your warm, thoughtful guidance in helping us to have a wonderful trip to Athens, Naxos, Santorini, Crete and Rhodes during May 2008.   Your proposed itinerary proved to be delightful.  While each hotel was unique, they all had in common a very helpful staff.    The personnel at Fantasy Travel as well as the allied travel agencies at each location exhibited high quality professionalism. The ferries and airline flights that you scheduled worked out beautifully.   Driving the major highway in Crete proved to be an exciting adventure.   By visiting Athens and four Greek Islands over 16 days and fifteen nights, we spent three nights at each location.  This proved to be just the right amount of time to get a sense of each place.

We have many fond memories of our Greek sojourn.  I am especially grateful for your kindness and patience in responding to my myriad of questions over several months of planning our trip.

If any one needs a recommendation for using your services, please don’t hesitate to give our contact information.

Please look us up if you every travel close to the shores of Lake Superior, the largest fresh water lake in the world by surface area.

I hope you have a healthy and successful summer.

Best regards from the northern coast of the United States.
Gary N. Keveles, PhD.
Professor of Criminal Justice


Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 1:08 PM
Subject: Our trip to Greece

Eleni,
 
All I can say is "Thank You" so much.  Our trip to Athens, Mykonos & Santorini was wonderful.  Fantasy Travel did an excellent job of arranging everything.  You definitely took the stress out of our trip and made it very enjoyable.
 
First of all, Christina is a doll.  She was very helpful as she escorted us to our first night's accommodations by answering questions, making suggestions, etc.  Secondly, all of our transfers were exactly on time and the views from the hotels in Mykonos & Santorini were breathtaking.  Last of all, once again, Christina was a very special blessing as we arrived at the airport upon our departure.  There she was waiting with a luggage cart and the news of Alitalia's strike.  However, once again she took the stress out of the situation by accompanying us through the complete process of getting our flight changed.  We did not expect that and told her that her efforts were above and beyond the call of duty. 
 
Even though Fantasy Travel's responsibility was over when the last transfer was complete your agency did not leave us to fend for ourselves.  Thank you SO much.  It is that extra special service that will cause us to use your agency again when we visit Greece and will definitely recommend your agency to all of our friends.
 
Does Fantasy Travel only arrange tours within Greece or do you work in other countries?  As I said we would love to use you again.
 
Once again Thank you for everything.
 
Very satisfied customers,

Mike and Sue Wade


Matt,  I just wanted to thank you for your excellent site and for your recommendation of Fantasy Travel.  Below is an email I recently sent them.  I believe they (and the information on your site) were instrumental in ensuring my family and I had a successful vacation in Greece.  We used your recommendations for restaurants in Athens and were not disappointed.  In addition, your web site provided a wealth of data on Greek foods and customs which we found very useful.  Thanks again for the service you provide.

Anna,
I just wanted to take a few moments to thank you for our GREAT vacation in Greece. I believe that Fantasy Travel did an excellent job to ensure that my family and I had a great vacation and I really do appreciate it. Fantasy Travel went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure our time in Greece was the best they could make it. When US Air cancelled our flight, I was fearful that we would loose a substantial portion of our time in Athens. Fantasy Travel went out of their way to schedule a private tour which helped to make up for the lost time and this was very much appreciated. I would like to acknowledge that this support to our changing requirements was exceptional. Throughout our entire vacation, Fantasy Travel made sure that all of the arrangements were followed thorough. As you know our arrangements included several hotels at Athens, Crete, and Santorini as well as several connections via air, hydrofoil, and ferry. Fantasy Travel supported us throughout the entire journey. Transportation to and from the various hotels and terminals was always available on time and was always provided when it was promised. Your taxi drivers always provided their service with a smile and with tips for the areas we were visiting. It was very comforting to always find your representatives waiting for us at the terminals and ports. The hotel accommodations were as advertised and your attention to details was evident. The hotel staff was also very pleasant and willing to accommodate our requests. In short, Fantasy Travel was instrumental in ensuring this family vacation was a memorable event and I can’t thank you enough. Thank you!

Richard Stutler


Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2008 2:15 AM
Subject: Thank you

Hi Eleni:
 
We just wanted to say, thank you so much for organizing such a fabulous and stress free holiday in Greece for our family.  Everything went very smoothly and we were pleased and in some cases thrilled with your accommodation recommendations.  We loved spending the last two days on Santorini in the beautiful/amazing Blue Angel Villa, the view was breathtaking.  We also would be happy to recommend with no hesitations all the other hotels.  Dina at Villa Christine was lovely and the location was terrific and the place was very nice.  It was a pleasure having the transfers all arranged for us every step of the way, it made our holiday so enjoyable.
 
Thank you for sharing your beautiful country with us, we loved it.
 
Patsy, David, Ryan & Josh
 
HEFFEL FINE ART AUCTION HOUSE

To: Dina Kastrinaki
Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2008 10:03 AM
Subject: RE: fantasy travel

my dear Dina,
\i have tried tocall you but i am sure it is my telephone. i will try when we arrive back in Athens. We have had a WONDERFUL time!!!! Thank you, thank you. |I am so sorry i didn't have the chance to meet you. i love nellee! She is a sweetheart. ihope the time comes and you ever decide to come to lake Tahoe, please know you have friends and we would love to meet you and show you the area. We are thrilled with Volcano View Villas' here. it is a vacation in a vacation. you are right. i am sorry we are leaving to go to italy. i would have rather spent all my time here in Greece. i want to come back. So many wonderful people and adventures here. What a lovely place to live. yassas Dina!!!!


Dear Vassilis,
 
Gary and I have been back home for about a month now and we still continue to re-live our vacation to Greece!  We had such a fabulous trip and are so appreciative that every arrangement made through Fantasy Travel was perfect.  We are esp. appreciative of your taxi drivers......they were always there for us right on time, and we were sure glad that we didn't have to drive in that crazy Athens traffic!  Diana helped eliminate a lot of stress by going to the Port with us and meeting us again at the Port when we disembarked.  The Hotel Central was lovely, and the location was just perfect for us......we spent the weekend in Athens walking and enjoying the history, the shopping & restaurants, and the good weather.  And the view from the rooftop was spectacular and made for many great photos!   The Louis Cruise was a lot of fun, and it was interesting to see how each island was so different.......our personal favorite was Mykonos.
 
Thank you again for your great attention to detail.   It was a wonderful vacation and we will certainly recommend Fantasy Travel!
 
Sincerely,
Judy Kraft

Dear Dina,

We're back from our wonderful vacation in Greece.  What a trip!!  I cannot thank you enough for all you did.  Everything was perfect( except you Europeans like or tolerate hard beds--Ha).  Every detail was taken care of and all we had to do was enjoy.  That part was priceless.  The hotels were wonderful.  Athens and our hotel there were great.  I am supprised how much we liked Athens, everyone said it would be terrible.  The hotel was very conviently located and was very nice.  In Mykonos, the hotel was again very nice and well located.  I am glad it was not in the laybrynth if the shopping area.  The hotel manager was incredibly nice and helpful.  In Naxos, everything was great.  Our favorite was Santorini.  I could have stayed there forever.  The esparasa hotel was incredible.  I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.  We didn't want to leave the hotel to even shop.  We had such a great time and I thank you for all you did, it would have been chaotic if not impossible without your help.Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Rob

Hi Dina,
I have meant to write and thank you for such a good job planning our trip - rarely has a trip been planned for me where everything was so well orchestrated.  I have recommended your services to all my friends who might want to visit Greece - and when I am ready to come back I will be sure to contact you.
Happy New Year!
Colleen


Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 7:04 PM
Subject: Re: fantasy travel

 Dina: 

 I know this comes a bit late, but I just wanted to say how absolutely wonderful our trip to Greece was!  Every detail of our itenerary went exactly as planned and we are just thrilled with the excellent job you and Fantasy Travel did helping us plan and book our trip. 

 As soon as we have the money in our budget, we are coming back to Greece (this time to Santorini, I think) and we look forward to using Fantasy Travel again. 

 I hope this note finds you well and you have our best wishes for the New Year! 

 Sincerely,
 Marianne Rose & Mary Donovan


Dear Matt,

I wanted to let you and your readers know how thankful I am for your site and leading me to Litsa and Fantasy Travel.  I needed a very customized trip and had tried to plan it myself  for months using the Internet and local travel agencies. I was so crazed. No one could answer my questions; like is there a good view from that hotel,how many steps, would my daughter like a specific island, does time allow me to do this and go there? Litsa at Fantasy Travel  in Athens was prompt and dependable. In the morning I would go to my email and find very complete answers to all my questions submitted the night before. In the end she planned my entire trip using hotels,tours etc in great locations with good prices. Once I was in Greece,  Fantasy Travel was only a phone call away 24 hours a day. They arranged for people to meet and transport us at every point which made the trip much easier. They really made a huge difference in our trip, especially for first time travelers to Greece. 

Sincerely,

Sharon


Dear Litsa,

I wanted to let you know that we had a fantastic time in Greece!!  I spent 7 years as a travel agency manager in the states and only hoped to achieve the level of service and professionalism that your agency provided me not knowing me and being thousands of miles away.

I have to say that I was somewhat concerned booking travel arrangements and paying thousands of dollars to someone I never met.  My only confidence was in reading about your site on Matt Barrett's Travel Guide to Greece and the many testimonial letters you have on your web page.  I want you to add my letter to those and let people know if they have any questions or concerns they could email me at dimi907@optonline.net.

We truly felt like VIP's travelling with the services of your agency.  Nellie is a delightful person whose smile and personality is a natural in the travel industry.  Meeting her in Athens at midnight was a big relief (not having any of our vouchers or inter-island air tickets before our trip) and a wonderful beginning to a trip that will give me and my family a lifetime of memories.

All the services of the agencies and hotels we used on the islands were just as professional and satisfying.

I will strongly urge my friends to use your services when they travel to Greece.

I again thank you for a wonderful vacation and a wonderful itinerary.

Dimitri Dimitriades


To: Dina Kastrinaki
Sent: Saturday, July 18, 2009 12:04 AM
Subject: Re: fantasy travel

Hi Dina,

We got back from our honeymoon on Monday.  I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful time we had in Greece.  Each of the three islands were exactly what we expected, they made for a very memorable honeymoon.  We didn't have a single problem with all of our flights, ferries, and transfers.

Thank you very much for all your recommendations and efforts, I would not hesitate to recommend you and Fantasy Travel to my friends and family.  I think they will love Greece once they see our photos.

All the best,
David


Hey Matt
You don't know me, but I want to thank you.
I used your web sites as a basis for a recent 3 week trip to Greece.
Your information was extremely helpful.
It took the bumps out of the road and told us where to look for treasures.
On your recommendation we used Fantasy Travel.
Litsa Christou took care of us, and she did an amazing job putting the trip together the way I wanted it. I am a very picky SOB.
Not only that but the personal service for transfers was great and took a lot of the stress out of trying to get to the right place at the right time.
We needed to go early. We arrived on April 2 2009. While we enjoyed the lack of crowds and cooler temps ( made hiking up all the stairs easier), we found many cultural events don't really get going till June, but there was still more than enough to do and make a three week trip seem awfully short.
My photo's of the trip will be on my web site shortly at
http://rifkin.com/#photo

and my lecture notes on the Antikythera Mechanism will be found at
http://rifkin.com/LazyStar/index.html

Thanks again.

Alan Rifkin
FAR Laboratories
P.O.Box 25
South Hadley, MA 01075


Hello Vassilis
 
I am one of the woman who traveled with Lynne Crouthamel.  I want to thank you for all your help.  As you know thanks to Susan Crouthamel who booked the wrong week at Golden Coast Holiday Club, our trip started off in trouble.  Thank you for rescuing us.  I really appreciate the way you took care of us.  In the end, the whole trip worked out better then what I imaged.  We got to stay and spend a little bit of time at three different parts of Greece.  Marathon, Santorini, and Athens.
 
Santorini was my favorite.  Thank you so much for recommending the VIP Volcano View Villas.  It's truly the most beautiful place I've ever stayed at.  I remember you put in one of the emails before we left for our trip about how we would  feel like were in a spaceship.  Actually it felt more like heaven.  I had to pinch myself everyday to make sure I wasn't dreaming.  I can't say enough about the Villas.  Every one was so nice and especially the concierge, Nick Dinos.
 
Thank you for finding us a hotel in Athens.  Without you helping us we would have been stranded.  We did see people walking up and down the streets with their luggage trying to find a place to stay. 
 
Thank you once again!!  I can't say enough great things about this wonderful trip I had and you helped make it happen.  And please thank your staff, they were also wonderful.
 
Thank you very much and take care
Lisa Pulley

Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 4:08 AM
Subject: Thank You

 Eleni, 

 I apologize for the long delay in writing to express our great thanks to you and Fantasy Travel for helping arrange our trip to Greece in June of this year.  The trip was great and very enjoyable.  Fantasy Travel was very professional and we were impressed with how smoothly everything went during our stay.  We were very pleased with our accommodations and it was great having the transfers and ferries arranged in advance.

 I especially thank Mrs. Dulce for her help with locating our lost baggage from Air France.  It was very reassuring to know that Fantasy was doing everything they could to help return the missing baggage to us as soon as possible.

 Once again, I apologize it has taken so long for us to express our thanks.  I will definitely recommend Fantasy Travel to friends and family in the future and we look forward to travelling with you again. I have attached a picture from our trip for you to see.

 Thank you,
 Andy Brincefield
 Ann Schneeweis
 Frank Curtis


Hi Litsa,

 We got back from Greece Monday evening, and I just wanted to tell you what a  perfectly wonderful trip you planned for us! Greece was more spectacular than I even imagined and all your hard work was certainly appreciated by my entire group.

 We thoroughly enjoyed Maria and George on our driving tour. They were so kind and easy to be with. We felt like we were leaving friends at the end of the journey.

 The hotels were all great, of course the Grand Bretagne was beautiful and very comfortable after the long flight. We loved the Amalias also, especially the great dinners they planned for us in the evening. Also the Dana Villas were so fun with an incredible view and my son loved counting how many stairs we would climb every day. We are certainly in better shape than when we arrived!

 We will be writing a newspaper story about how wonderful the experience was for us, and I wanted you to know that all the details worked perfectly.

 Thanks again,
 Jeanne Ann Reid


Dear Nadia

My wife and I wanted to express our thanks to you and the staff at Fantasy Travel for a wonderful travel experience. My wife and I had a perfect vacation in Greece, with a great itinerary and unexpected personal attention from your staff, making sure that we made all of our connections. Great service! We would not hesitate to recommend Fantasy Travel to our friends, and we hope to have an opportunity to arrange another vacation with your company in the future.

Please express our warmest regards and thanks to "Mama" Dulce -- she was considerate, professional, and perfectly organized, and we appreciated her 24/7 efforts and her pleasant personality. And of course, Nadia, I'd like to express my personal thanks for your kind and professional efforts in the making of our arrangements.

We had a brief opportunity to meet George, as we were wandering around in Athens on our last evening and happened upon the Fantasy Travel office -- we were impressed that he was working hard so late into the evening. Thanks for running such a fine travel agency, George.

Your may, of course, use our recommendation and this letter in the promotion of your fine travel agency!

Our Warmest Regards,

Kevin and Pat
Seattle, WA USA


6/2/2008
 
Hi Matt:
I just returned from Athens/Paros/Patmos and enjoyed myself thoroughly. I'll fill you in with some details about places once I recoup, but I do want to let you know that it was your site and emailed answers that helped me see how easy it could be for me to set up a solo trip to Greece.
 
My hotels were fine (fyi, when I walked in the Attalos lobby to check in there was a couple checking out and a guy checking in and I said "Are we all Matt Barrett fans?" and they all turned and exclaimed "Yes/You bet!"  The couple who'd been there for several days told me "Matt's advice for restaurants and getting around have been right on!" 
 
Sandra P at Fantasy Travel arranged the island stays and ferries I requested, and she was a gem! She didn't tell me but she very thoughtfully arranged "air seats" for my late night ferry trips which was a comfortable surprise and well worth the additional 4 euros -- I hadn't realized(or forgot) these were even available.
 
Efcharisto poli !
 
Claire Krulikowski,
author of newly released, LIVING A RADICAL PEACE (ISBN: 1-4241-2279-1);
recently re-published MOONLIGHT ON THE GANGA (ISBN: 0-595-39655-0); and
the mystic poetry collection, RAPTURE: LOVE OF THE HEART (newly released in E-book and a new print edition through
www.whiskeycreekpress.com )

Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2006 6:38 PM
Subject: Spring Break Adventure

Hi
Litsa, George

Just a brief note to thank you for all your effort in making our Greek
experience such a meaningful trip. The planning went off like clock
work! The grandchildren gained a valuable insight into modern and
ancient Greece.

I know that there were many others involved (both seen and unseen) in
assisting with the arrangements - GEO, (Roula - our guide), the staff at
Hotel Central, drivers, the management and staff at Aegean Thesaurus,The
management and staff at Petali Village ... please express our
appreciation to all ...especially Madame Dulce...

Sifnos was a good choice for us. The children loved the island ... lots
of hiking, sightseeing, relaxing ... soaking up the sunshine and island
culture. I will attach a photo or two. Sorry we did not meet in person
this trip. But there will be others!

Regards,

Mary Jean and Dale


Litsa,
My wife and I had a fantastic trip visiting Greece for the first time back in May, 08. Your service was truly outstanding in every aspect of the travel agency business. You always answered my many email questions in a timely fashion. You made excellent suggestions for budget hotel bookings. All the transfers to/from Athens, Santorini and the car trip to the Peloponnese were PERFECT. When we made a major change to the trip itinerary (i.e. less time in Athens and more time driving around the Peloponnese to add visits to my wife's grandparents' villages), you made the changes quickly and efficiently. Your attention to high customer satisfaction was obivous throughout the whole process and greatly appreciated.
 
The young woman who met us at the airport and helped with our 1st few transfers did a very good job.
 
We very much enjoyed our time in Athens, Delphi, the Peloponnese region (including Mycenae, Napflio, Epidaurus , Olympia, Pikerni and Divr - over 550 kilometers of driving). The highlight of our trip was the beautiful and romantic island of Santorini. The Hotel Sunrise was a perfect location close to the bus terminal and the commerical area and the 5-star restaurant, The Selene restaurant, which was our finest dining experience in Greece. The service and the food was truly fabulous.
 
One night and 1 day in Nafplio was far too short. It was a charming seaport village with wonderful restaurants and a beautiful park in the center of the town.
 
Driving in the Peloponnese was less stressful than I had expected. The only nervous experience was driving between Nafplio and Olympia. I must have driven 24 consecutive 180 degree road turns with no guard rails and native Greeks driving fast to pass me any chance they had.
 
Litsa, please share this email with your owner. He may use any part of this email for future advertisements (if he wishes). We were 100% satisfied with your excellent service and our wonderful trip to your country.
 
My very best,
Bill (Vasilli) Major-opoulos

Hi Dina,

I wanted to thank you once again for arranging such a wonderful trip to Greece.  I have travelled extensively for years, and made all my own arrangements, but will never do so again, if I can find a great travel agency like Fantasy.  As I mentioned before, it was great to be able to design exactly the itinerary I wanted, from the specific hotels to the specific methods of travel between locations, while relying on Fantasy to arrange all the connections & make the bookings.  What I didn't realize until during my trip is that I may have actually gotten better prices than I would have if I had made my own arrangements (I say this after checking the rack rates that hotels were offering, comparing the price I paid for an independently-arranged rental car on Crete to the one Fantasy arranged, etc).  I was also amazed that Fantasy would actually have a representative meet me at each location, and escort me right to the airport gate, taxi, ferry boat, etc -- and, that your representatives took the time to fax me the night before each transfer to confirm, e.g.,  the time that the taxi would arrive!   Your services truely could not have been better.  I discovered Fantasy Travel through Matt Barrett's web site (greecetravel.com), and figured that this was a guy who wasn't looking to earn a buck, but rather, simply had a passion for Greece and wanted to share it with others, so I felt confident that his recommendation of Fantasy Travel must be well-founded.  Your agency obviously shares this same passion.  Thanks again, and feel free to use my testimony (but please, not my e-mail address!) in any of your ads!

Nancy Andersen

p.s. -- I found that travelling with my six year old was a real pleasure in Greece -- he loved seeing many historical sites and sites of Greek legends and myths, and I've never been to a country where children are so cherished.  He was lavished with so much attention that he actually had to say "okay, don't get too mushy-gushy on me" to his new friends when departing each location!  My only regret is not having spent more time on Crete, to travel into some of the smaller villages and remote areas and get away from the more tourist-oriented areas -- oh well, there's always the next time!


Sent: Thursday, November 12, 2009 1:44 AM
Subject: Thank you

Hi Marcos,

I just wanted to thank you for your help in planning our trip to Greece.  We enjoyed all the hotels that you helped us choose - Central in Athens, Dana Villas in Firastefani, and Pandora Suites in Chania.  They were all in great locations with friendly/helpful staff.  We especially enjoyed the views and the huge american style breakfast at Dana Villas.  George at Pandora Suites was really helpful and very accomodating - letting us keep the room well past check out time, since we had a late flight.  We also had an awesome view of the old harbor from our room.  Unfortunately, we had rainy weather in Crete and were unable to enjoy the beautiful rooftop terrace.  Hotel Central  was in a perfect location, although the sidewalk in front of the hotel was under construction and totally torn up during our stay.

Staying at the Sofitel for our last night in Athens was a great idea - it was wonderful to have such a luxurious bathroom and bed after 2 weeks of traveling.  It was also so convenient for our early morning flight.

Our airport/hotel transfers all went smoothly, and the girls from your office were very friendly.  Our taxis were always clean and on time, and the drivers were friendly. I appreciated that they weren't texting/talking, etc while they were driving us.  The driver who took us from Central to the airport in Athens did, however, drive about 160 km/hr!  A bit scary but there was not any traffic since it was early morning, so not too bad.  We had some very scary drivers in Rome...

We had wonderful weather during most of our trip, with the exception of 2 very windy/rainy days on Crete.

Again, thank you for your advice and help in making our first trip to Greece a success.  We loved Athens and the islands - beautiful places with very friendly people.

Thanks, Pam


Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 9:35 PM
Subject: Greece trip

Hello Efi,
 
How are you? We just got back from out trip on Saturday past and I just wanted to drop you a quick line to say thank you again for putting together everything for us. We had a great time and I can't wait to go back again, lol. Everything was perfect and went so smoothly, we didn't have to worry about a thing. Even the weather agreed with us. The hotels that you booked for us were excellent, especially the Hotel Leto on Hydra....I think that was our favourite of them all. Fantasy Travel is very fortunate to have you as part of their team! We have friends going to Greece in June, and I'll be sure to recommend you to them. I also want to say thank you to the escort who met us at the airport, although I'm embarassed to admit that her name escapes me.
 
Greece is a magical country, and you're very lucky to be able to call it home. I'm already looking forward to planning another trip, but to the islands next time, and I'll be in touch when we're ready to come back. Again, thank you for a fantastic job!
 
Andrea Earle


Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 7:03 AM
Subject: Nicole and Robert from Texas

Dearest Dina,

How are you ? It was so good to meet you in Athens ! Although it was a very quick visit...we wished we could have talked to you a bit more but we did not want to keep you from your work. Anyway, thanks so very much for planning our holiday in Greece. I knew that all would be perfect and it was. High five, sweet Dina ! We are grateful to you for taking so good care of everything.

If at any given time, you would like to visit Dallas or Texas, here is our standing invitation. Please, do not hesitate and give us a call. You and your family are always more than welcome at our home. We mean this, it would be our pleasure.

Here is a debrief on how we perceived the hotels we stayed in.

- The Athens Cypria hotel is definitely recommendable, we loved the central location, great breakfast buffet and the staff was always extremely friendly.

- In Tolo at the "Tolon Holidays" hotel, we had a good time....as we were one of two couples staying there at that moment, we got treated as royalty and the staff was very welcoming. Dinner time was the living proof what Greek hospitality stands for...there was an unbelievable array of soups, salads, main courses and desserts that the chef put out for only 4 customers. Tasty food and....even more important, they have a great housewine .

- Hotel Aktaion in Githeo is a gem with the marvelous views from the balcony...what a location. Clean rooms.

- The Europa Hotel in Olympia is definitely better than staying in a hotel in down town Olympia. The hotel has a prime location, up a hill and very quiet. The room was spotless clean,with a lovely modern design, comfortable and very spacious. I loved the extra sitting area and we enjoyed watching the sun going down from our balcony.

- Hotel Kastri in Delphi, which i booked myself, was quaint but we slept peacefully and snored the night away. The elderly owner is a character. We enjoyed how he "micro-managed" and before we knew it he got the family pictures out and we were getting the full update on his family. And then, there was "Yaya", sitting in the lobby from morning til evening. I could not help myself to go and sit down with her. I loved to hear what it was like in the "old days". Oh yes, our room was totally run down and not very clean but it is an old hotel and it did not bother us a bit as we had such a great time with the family of Hotel Kastri....but i can see how more demanding customers might not want to stay there at all . Although, that might change in the near future as the owner is building a brand new extension to the hotel.

The self-drive was a total success. The man from the rental car was half an hour early in delivering our car. He was very professional and all went well. We drove the whole trip without a problem. But Dina, when we were nearing Athens, i sent Robert off on the wrong course. I absolutely could not find a way to a main road that would lead us to Syntagma Square on my little map of Athens. We kept taking this narrow streets through suburbs that sent us off even further than we thought. We finally ended up in the suburbs of Piraeus ( i know, Dina, these tourists....).  With 4 hours to go before we got to deliver the car back, we decided, as we were that near Piraeus to drive to Mikrolimanaki, we grabbed some nice fish lunch and with a full stomach we finally found Syntagma Square without a scratch on the car. I have to say, big compliments to Robert for driving us safely all the way and handling Athens' heavy traffic so well.

As it was Robert's first time in Greece, he was going "wow and "aah" the whole time. The best thing was that he lost track of time, he did not know what day of the week we were....that is a good sign. It was so funny...he got up early in the morning, all ready to go and conquer Greece,... he was like a kid in a candy store. Afterwards, when i asked Robert what his favorite was, he answered the Mani...because of the synglino sausages he had for dinner .......aah, men, what are they like  !!!!! You know, Dina, that was so nice to see him so relaxed. For me (as i had done this round trip 3 times before when i was younger and single) to re-visit and share all the beauty of Greece with someone i love....that is a feeling i can not describe.

Well, we are back in Texas and i am already thinking about our holiday for next year. I am playing with the idea of a Greek island cruise, maybe something between 7 to 10 days, at some time around late May-beginning of June 2010 or September 2010. Whenever you have time, Dina, let us know your suggestions, the best routes and cruise companies but no hurry, please, there is plenty of time between now and then.

Oempf, i reallly wrote you a long e-mail. I hope you do not mind. I also added some pictures. For now, thanks for everything, sweet Dina, take good care of yourself and we are sending you our love. Big cowboy hugs from Texas and XXXXX

Nicole and Robert


Hi Dina:

Well we're back and are still living our great trip.  We were able to  go off the beaten path taken by most tourists, and got to see some  great things and meet some great people.

Greece was wonderful.  Our trip involved a bit of moving around,  moving our luggage, and climbing, but it was worth it.  We packed a  lot of different things into our 12 days, and
I think we experienced the true flavor of the country.

I can't thank you enough for your help, and would be happy to  recommend you to others.  While the more casual way we travelled  might not be best for others--and I think
that a cruise might be easier for most--we had a more youthful trip  which reminded me of my early travel days.  Our kids in general  enjoyed the variety and were troopers
helping us go from boat to boat, hotel to hotel, etc.

Highlights of the trip were going to the black sand beach that the  woman from Lava Oias recommended, Amoudi in Santorini, Delos, the  Acropolis, Haliki, Mykonos-and the Flisvos beach restaurant in Naxos  with those great waitresses-in fact, the whole place was great.  We  met some great people, from the crepe lady in Haliki, to the  vegetable man in Mykonos, to the Greek family in Santorini, and others.

Daniel was on a quest to
find the best octopus, Anna wanted to tan, Lisa loved the views, and  I enjoyed roaming around taking photos.

So, thanks again.  I know we've worked for over a year on this trip,  and it was worth it.

Your help and professionalism were truly appreciated.

All the best,

Ted
Sent: Monday, September 01, 2008 3:42 PM
Subject: Thank You

I had meant to send an email to say thank you when we got home, but things were so busy (I started a new job) that it slipped my mind.  Our Greek Holiday was fantastic.  Everything went so smooth with the arrangements that you made, we were very impressed.  I hope you had a good holiday also.  Did you get the maple candies and Canada shot glass?
 
Anyway, thanks for making our vacation go so smooth. 
 
Lynn and Mitch Weinberger

Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2008 4:44 PM
Subject: Re: Greece trip

Litsa,

I have just returned form my holidays which started on the 20th of July.

Can you please pass on my thanks to the people at Fantasy Travel and specially you for the well organized itinerary and help, the Hotels,
Transfers and Ferries  were all excellent and I will definitely  recommend Fantasy Travel to any one who intends to visit Greece

Thanks Again to you Litsa would have loved to meet you. maybe another time, who knows?

John Szczepanik


Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:40:43 +0000

Hello Eleni,
 
Thank you so much for all your help in planning our vacation.  We had an incredible, jam-packed, stress-free time.  We never would have been able to experience so much of Greece without your planning and organization. 
We have, and will continue to, recommend Fantasy Travel to our friends and family :)
 
Thanks again,
 
Samantha & Nelson.

Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 3:34 AM
Subject: RE: Greece Trip

Hi there Efi
 
I just want to thank you so much for making possible the really great holiday in Greece and Turkey.  Your country is just so beautiful and your people so welcoming - we really have had just the best time there with memories to last a lifetime.  Now that we are home again and people ask us which part we liked best it is very difficult to say because everywhere was so beautiful in different ways.  And the experience that we had in Greece was made possible by you with your experience and knowledge, and we know that it would not have been so great if not for your advice and help.  We cannot express our appreciation too greatly for what you did for us before and during our holiday there, and truly hope that one day we may return.
 
Thank you once again.  We wish you all the best and may the sun always shine upon you
 
Monica


Sent:Thursday, April 24, 2008 12:03 PM

Subject: Thanks

To Patty
I just want to thank you and your company for making our trip to greece,and the greek islands so easy and hassle free.
We had a great honeymoon,every thing was taken care of as you said it would be,all the transfers and organisation was brilliant,we had no trouble with any part of our trip,we loved and enjoyed every minute of it,we will definately be returning to greece in the future
I will reccomend your company to anyone i hear that is travelling to greece in the future.
Many,many Thanks

Martina Kilgannon


Hi Matt,
Just wanted to let you know that we used Fantasy Travel for hotel and other arrangements based on your recommendation on your web site. They were great - all of our hotels were very nice and the taxi drivers they arranged were all very punctual and helpful.  They even sent someone to the airport to say goodbye to us when we departed.
Just thought I'd let you know.
Nancy


Dear Matt,

 

Iris and I wish to thank you very much for your FANTASTIC advice (many E: mails on various subjects), which made our trip (Crete, Santorini,Naxos, Paros Mikonos and Piraeus), so successful and enjoyable, especially since Greece is not so easy to plan by oneself.

Even though we usually "backpack" and stay in Youth Hostels,

 (all over the world, annually), we took your advice  for the Greek Islands and booked  through  "Fantasy Travel", which was not very much more expensive, but "Wow",

were we  spoilt !

Treated like V.I.P.'s, fetched by taxi to and from every place !

The Transfer Companies at each port were also most helpful and had many car, Scooter rentals, excursions,  and other options, available at discount prices.

 

Many restaurants also praised your efforts in popularising Greece.

 

Hats off !

 

Sincerely,

 

Les Amdur.

 

P.S.

You are more than welcome to use this letter as a  recommendation.


Hello Vicky,
Just wanted to let you know that Joe and I had a wonderful trip. We
were very impressed by all the arrangements you made for us. Everyone
was on-time, pleasant and helpful. All of the hotels were very nice
and the staff were helpful. Many went out of their way to provide
extra help (like Maria at Attalos who called Fantasy to double check
our taxi ride to the airport and Sunshine Hotel who offered to let us
keep our room until 5 pm on check-out day so we could shower after
taking a boat trip. Fedriades Hotel and Orfeas Hotels both gave us very
good advice on driving directions and other travel tips.) We thought
it was very sweet that Nellie met us at the airport yesterday as we
departed. All of the drivers arranged by you were pleasant and on-time.
We especially enjoyed talking with Tinos about life in Athens.
Many thanks for helping us have a wonderful, memorable trip.
Nancy and Joe


Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 8:03 AM
Subject: Thank you

Hello Vicky,
Thank you so much for making our trip to Greece so wonderful. Everything went as per plan perfectly. The transfers were always on time. Also your related agents in Mykonos & Santorini were very helpful.
I'm extremely sorry that I could not drop in and meet you but I guess even 3 days were less for us to explore Athens. We hope to visit Greece again and will surely contact you again.

Warm regards,
kaustubh


Dear Makis
Well we are home once again safe and sound.
Makis, I cannot express enough the WONDERFUL vacation you put together for us.  It was absolutely PERFECTION!!!!
It was the best organization  we have ever experienced in our life.  Everything was on time, the accomodations were far above our expectations,and Thanks to you we did not experience one gliche.   The taxis were always on time right to the minute, the ferries all on time and with seats  designated, Fayed Travel in Egypt could not have been better.  Ahmet, was there to meet us and get us quickly out of the maze that is the Cairo airport.  He looked after our every need and got us the very best guide for Cairo and the pyramids with a degree in Egyptology and Theology and spoke perfect English.  It was so great to have them both, as I told you, we were a little apprehensive of going to such a large place.  The Sheraton in Cairo was so beautiful, right on the Nile and the hotel in Rhodes looking out over the Meditteranean.  Oh My gosh, it was wonderful.  You really got us into some beautiful spots.
We are sorry that we did not get to meet you while in Athens but will highly recommend you and Fantasy Travel to all of our friends.
Again Many, Many Thanks,  It was a trip of a lifetime

Del and Cal Desrosiers


Hello Dina
 
Thank you for letting me know the credit card was refunded.
 
I can't thank you enough for all of the arrangements that you made for us.  The meeting at the airport and having all of our vouchers ready for us, was such a treat as all the travel arrangements at the ports, it made the trip so stress free.

All of the hotels were perfect.  The Adonis was in a great locatoin, the owner was from the states.  We upgraded there to a suite and it was well worth the money as it had a corner room with two fantastic views.  The location was perfect and walking distance was quite short to everything, I highly recommend it to anyone.
Grotta in Naxos was another winner.  Great owners, fabulous breakfast as her mother made about 6 cakes, tortes or rice pudding every day ontop of the eggs, sausage and other goodies.  The room was tiny, but we were in a courtyard with so much quainte appeal it was pretty and perfectly located for the wonderful sunsets and walk into town.
We had highlights in all the islands and would recommend each location to anyone along with the same hotels and your helpful service.  There wasn't a bad second of the whole trip.  Our only regreat was that we wished we were in Athens longer on our return, so we could walk around a bit more to stretch our legs after the long ferry ride, it was late and got to port at 12:20, then to our hotel by 12:45, a nice surpirse was to find since we were a repeat customer, they upgraded our room to a king size bed a huge bathroom and high ceilings.  Wished we could of enjoyed it a bit longer.  We got to bed around 2:00 to wake up to catch our taxi at 8:45 and off we went home.  It was a long flight and a long layover in Philladelphia ( 5 hrs), then a short flight to Montreal and then a 2 hour drive home.  In bed by 2:20 am.  We figured we were up 27 hrs.  The flights there and back were all good.
 
Now to tell my friends they have to go to Greece and to plan it with my dear sweet Dina.
 
Take care and many many many thanks.
Delayne and Brian

 To: eleni@fantasy.gr
 Sent: Monday, May 26, 2008 4:32 AM

I wanted to let you know that I had a WONDERFUL time while in Greece. Thank you for all your help in securing my hotel rooms and highspeed transport.   I found your office the first Sunday I was in Athens when I was headed to St Paul's for services, but you were not open, and regrettably, I never had another chance to stop by and say hello.  Again,

thank you very much!
Tracy Steele

 PS    The  Hotel Arion in Delphi and the Hotel Adonis Mykonos are both excellent hotels.   I am very glad you recommended them.   I even persuaded friends who met me on Mykonos to change their reservations to the Adonis, and they were extraordinarily happy that they did


Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 10:32 AM
Subject: Thank you

Dear Dina,
I would like to thank you for the most wonderful tour of my life – we had a magical time and enjoyed every moment…Without you none of this would have been possible. All the arrangements were 100% and we enjoyed the Hotels, especially the Santorini Hotel!!!!!
From me and my mother thank you a million times!!!!!!!!!!

If I ever tour Greece again or have friends that would like to tour Greece your name will be the first one to mention.

Fond Regards,
Rene (and Suzanne)!!!!


Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 3:33 AM
Subject: Thank you for a great vacation

Eleni:

My family really enjoyed our time in Greece.  I wanted to thank Fantasy Travel for getting everything organized for us before and during the trip.  It was very nice to have all of the transfers pre-arranged and everything worked as scheduled.  We enjoyed each island and hotel that you had arranged for  us as well as the Athens and Delphi tours .  I will definitely recommend Fantasy Travel to any friends making a trip to Greece.  Thanks again for doing an excellent job in helping to plan our vacation.

Russ Hippe.  


Dear Sandra

I just want to let you know we had a superb time in Greece. Hotel Attalos was, as mentioned in Matt’s website, a perfect location. The free internet was a bonus.

But I have to say we found our stay at Grotta Hotel in Naxos the most pleasurable. The Lianos family, especially Nicoleta and Dimitri and their parents, were amazing, warm, and very professional. Above all, they are a very wonderful family. Their breakfast buffet was fantastic. With the excellent view from the dining area and the very charming court yard, we are very glad you booked us with them.

Thank you for helping us get the right accommodations, and thanks to Matt for his extremely useful website. We will pass the website info on to others

Kind regards
Caroline


Hello Fantasy Travel Management,

I would like to provide my sincere and enthusiastic gratitude for Vicky Asloglou's help for the weeks of planning for my Athens trip. 

Vicky was very professional, knowledgeable and amazingly patient.  I had a lot of ideas, such as, going to two Greek islands, Cairo (3day) and Cairo Cruise and various Greek day trips. You wouldn't believe I asked for over 9 variations of itineraries.  Basically, I was a very demanding and indecisive client!

Vicky was the best travel agent I have ever worked with.  Because she helped me understand different options and presented different itineraries,  I feel that I made the best choice for my first trip to Greece.   She provided unbelievable service compared to all other countries I have been too (total 22 countries).

Matt Barrett had recommended Fantasy Travel online for your services and he was absolutely correct.  Your company has quality agents and I will recommend you to others traveling to Greece.

Also, if I could hug Vicky I would !!

Best regards,

Punam
Hi Marcos,
 
We just returned from Greece last night and I wanted to be sure to thank you for the wonderful service we received from Fantasy Travel.  Neli was very informative on our trip from the airport to our hotel.  Please say "thank you" again to her for us.  All of our accommodations and transfers were very good.  Our hotel in Paros, the Contaratos Beach, had just been upgraded to a 4 star hotel and it was every bit of that.  Keep up the good work and we will certainly recommend you to anyone we hear of that might visit Greece.
 

Nancy LePage


June 4, 2008

Dear Vassilis- 

Today is 2-weeks since our return home from Greece; our Greek Vacation is still vivid in our hearts and mind.  

Kathy and I don’t know how to begin to thank you for all you did in helping to make our Greece vacation experience so special.  Vassilis in a word, our trip to Greece was PERFECT thanks to you and Fantasy Travel.  Every detail was professionally handled and arranged.  Even our last minute changes, sorry for any hassle on our part, were completed and executed without a worry.  

Every hotel and villa we stayed at was wonderful.  Our room at the Royal Olympic Hotel in Athens was unbelievable.  The view of the Temple of Zeus was breathtaking and something we will always remember.  Our private VIP villa in Santorini was breathtaking.  The view and location of our room, with private pool, was beyond words, we keep looking at the pictures and can’t believe we actually stayed there, thank you for securing this for us.  Mykonos was beautiful.  Our stay at the Mykonos Princess Hotel was wonderful. The view of Mykonos Town from our room was memorable.   

Also, thank you for the recommendation to include a 2-night stay in the city of Naphlion as part of our itinerary.   I must confess Naphlion, was not high on our list of places to visited, but we are glad we followed your recommendation, it was charming and beautiful.  We would definitely return to Naphlion again.  

All taxi, car rental, ferry and plane connections within Greece were perfect; we did not have one bad experience the entire 2-weeks of our vacation.  Even the weather was perfect, not sure if Fantasy also arranged for the good weather, but we thank you again just the same.  Visiting my roots in Sparti was exceptional and very emotional, we actually discovered, by chance, some relatives.  Thanks to you and Fantasy we have fallen in love with Greece.  All of Greece was beyond our expectations.  The people we met were warm and helpful.  The land is beautiful and spectacular. Some day we hope to spend more time then a 2-week vacation. 

We would definitely use Fantasy Travel again for our next trip to Greece and would recommend Fantasy to all our family and friends contemplating a vacation in Greece.  Again thank you for your professionalism and experience.  

Warm regards,
Peter and Kathy Vloyanetes

Peter Vloyanetes
E-Learning Design & Development
Video & Multimedia Production
Compass Communications, LLC
www.compass-communications.net


Hello Dina,
How are you?   Just wanted to let you know we got home fine and that we had an incredibly good time in Greece.  Thank you again for all your help and advice and support while we were there.  Things couldnt have run more smoothly, pickups and drop offs were all in perfect time and Fantasy Travel has very nice people working for them all over Greece.   I will certainly remcommend your ageny to anybody I know going over there.   Take care and best of luck,

eugenia


Hello, Anna -
 
I wanted to thank you for arranging everything in Greece for us.  Your office was superb.  Every transfer was exactly on time and every personnel was courteous, professional and helpful.  Additionally, eveything was excellent on the cruise and with all flights on Aegean, as well. We were very pleased with the Hotel Central (perfect location), and with the terrific Lilium Caldera and Moevenpick Resort.
 
We are definitely "sold" on Greece and on Fantasy.  We are already planning our next trip back, and hope you will be ready to assist us again.
 
Thanks again, Anna.
 
- russell and alma

Hi Dina --
 
We are back home in Seattle now but I just wanted to send you a THANK YOU for your help in making this trip great for us. It was good to meet you when I was in Athens, and we thoroughly enjoyed our accommodations on Mykonos and you figuring out the ferries for us made our trip so nice and easy. We hada wonderful time, so thank you for everything! I know we are going to recommend you to anyone we know that is heading to Greece in the future and hopefully we can come back some day. What an incredible country!
 
Thanks

Lisanne


Dina,
 
I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I just had tea with Corolyn Cable and went on and on how wonderful our trip was. We both agreed that you are both a wonderful woman and made our trips a once in a lifetime adventure.
 
I have to say once again, thank you. Our room on the cruise ship was fabulous. The breakfasts at the Hotel Royal Olympic spoiled us and the location was wonderful. Hotel Volcano View Hotel was a vacation in a vacation, were are still in a euphoric state. Having the Hotel Sofitel to say "farewell" was a great send off to a wonderful vacation.
 
I would like to post my rave reviews. Is there a website(s) you prefer that I post on that are widely read? Dina, you are gifted in your work. Both you and our trip have definitely impacted our lives.
 
I know I will be looking for the US dollar to drop so I can come back again. I send some of our cool weather and think "warmly" of Greece sunshine


Blessings,

Chris


Hi Makis,
Hello from COLD and WET Santiago (it's been raining for a week or so!!)...

I'm back from the holidays, and I wanted to thank you for everything.
The vacations were fine and we always had someone to get in touch with if we needed anything (thank god we didn't!).
If we ever go to Greece again, make sure I will contact you again! We had a great time, thanks to all the planning we did.
Hotel GROTTA in Naxos was excellent. Breakfast was delicious and the attention was great. The room was nice too.
In Santorini, we also had a wonderful host at Sunny Villas, and the room was great!

Thank you again.
Daniella


Hi Vicky
We've now arrived back in Australia after what has been a fantastic month away.

I'd like to thank you and your company for making our Greek experience so wonderful. From the moment we arrived at Athens airport until being dropped at Santorini airport, every part of our itinerary went like clockwork. A very professional greeting at Athens, all things explained very well, great documentation provided, and excellent service. The accommodations you arranged in Athens, Mykonos and Santorini exceeded our expectations (and I'd been to all three places before).

I'll be very happy to recommend Fantasy Travel to any of my friends and acquaintances - a truly professional company.
Many thanks
Richard J Davies JP


Good Morning!

Dina, I wish to thank you for your attention, professionalism, and
arrangements.  Everything you and your team did was just perfect!
We enjoyed your representative ( I am sorry but I cannot be sure of her
name, I think Christine) very much. Loved the orange identifier!  She
was just wonderful.  I was so very surprised to see her at the ferry!
Ecstatic actually.  We loved the hotel! We loved the Ferry accommodations, business class is
the way to go!  And coming around the corner of Santorini to see IA was
so breathtaking we are still talking about it!  It was mind boggling,
truly.

Our stay in Santorini was the best vacation we have ever had as a
family.  I am happy to not be booking flights today with the increase in
fares. You must be at your wits end dealing with this for clients.  Kind
of scary really.

Anyway, thank you so much Dina.  I now understand the glowing comments
from clients of Fantasy Travel are all about. You are just terrific and
I will highly recommend you to those traveling to Greece.

My Best,

Paula LeDuc
Founder/CEO
Paula LeDuc Fine Catering


Litsa,

Just wanted to thank you for your assistance on our recent trip.  We just returned home on Sunday (as we visited England and France after Greece).  Anyway, Greece was our favorite part of the trip and everything you arranged for us went extremely well.  No problems and no hassles.

Thanks again for your efforts.

Best regards,
 
Greg


Dear Litsa:

We enjoyed our trip to Greece.  We saw many beautiful sights.  All of the travel arrangements were fine.  The hotels were very nice, and the ferries were very comfortable.  The overnight ferry to Crete was a very efficient way to travel.  We look forward to returning to Greece in the future to see the places that we were unable to visit this time.  Thanks for your assistance in making the travel arrangements.

CP


Thanks for your help; ATMs were fine and our Fantasy travel tour great. marie is an unbelievable tour guide.

Marilyn   Chandler
BEST WAY TRAVEL  
A member of ASTA


Hi Eleni
I wanted to thank you for the excellent experience we had with your staff in Athens and Crete. Everything was perfect and it made our trip so easy.

Kathy Reilly
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry



Dear Dina and Fantasy Travel,
 
We send our regards and express our sincere appreciation to you, Patricia and your staff for arranging our activities in Greece.  Everything happened on time and as promised.  GO did an excellent job of bussing us through the Peloponnese -- our driver, Yannis, was amazing and our tour guide, Liliana, was excellent.  The Amalia hotels were our favorites, followed by the Herodion and the Plaka.  Our only regret is that we did not have a few more days for the islands . . . something for next time!
 
Again, for Foster, Zach, Keith and me -- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
 
Regards,
Marilyn Harding


Dear Eleni,

Michelle and I arrived home yesterday after a wonderful honeymoon in Greece, thanks to you and the folks at Fantasy Travel. I just want you to know how much I appreciated all the work you did and how easy you made it all. Once again, thank you very much.

Jim Edwards


Hi Patra,
 
I hope all is well.  I thought that I would send you a quick note to tell you how pleased we where with all the travel arrangements that you made for Chris, Leslie, Sue and myself.  Everything worked out flawlessly, from taxi transfers, hotel accommodations to the flights and ferry trips.  I would not hesitate to recommend your travel expertise to any of my friends contemplating a trip to your wonderful country.  Sue and I look forward to our next trip to Greece and hopefully working with you.  Thanks again for all your hard work and patience in making our trip so unforgettable and memorable.
 
Kindest Regards
 

David


Date: Thursday, August 21, 2008, 4:27 PM

Good morning Vicky- I just returned home from my 12 day trip to Greece and I wanted to thank you. You did an excellent job helping me to plan my trip and everything went very smoothly. I was amazed how nice and courteous everyone was! Nelly was extremely helpful in welcoming me to the country and getting me started with all of my documents and arrangements. Getting around was easy, everything went according to plan and everyone you set me up with was on time and very accomodating. My fiance and I had a wonderful time and it is all thanks to Fantasy Travel! Thank you so much and we will get in touch on our next trip out there! We will definitely be back! Thank you again!
Anne Cavaliere,
DWS, CWE
Field Manager Washington Selections


Dear Vassilis
I just want to say thank you to your staff for setting up our Greece itinerary.  Mark and I had an absolutely wonderful trip and we loved Greece!  It was such a relief to have our hotels all confirmed and someone there to transport us  even at 1:30 in the morning when our ferry pulled in so late.  It meant so much to us when we were tired and trying to cope with being in another country.
   I have to share this one incident with you.  When we flew into Crete, our taxi driver dropped us off in the old part of Chania.  It was dark out and he pulled into a narrow alleyway where he said our hotel was about 50 meters--the Hotel Ionas.  Mark and I looked around and we didn't see it.  The driver took off and we felt really nervous.  A couple of men were loitering in the alleyway, the surrounding buildings were very old, and we didn't quite know what to do.  So we walked a little further on down and saw a very small outdoor restaurant lit up by candles and there were people sitting having a meal.  They were talking quietly and eating.  All of a sudden, we felt much better.  It was so romantic!  The women were all dressed up and looked so beautiful.  We asked one of the wait staff where the hotel was and it was two doors down!  So we entered the small hotel and it turned out to be absolutely charming.  After we had a minute to use the facilities, we decided to go back to that little taverna and eat.  The meal was just delicious and we sat up until midnight drinking ouzo, talking, and having delicious food.  We just loved our stay there.  When our four days were up, we hated to leave.  We had to take the rental car to Heraklion very early in the morning, and the staff made us sandwiches to take since we wouldn't be there for breakfast.  How's that for good service?
I just had to share that with you because we loved being there so much.
   Every place we stayed was terrific.  We adored Santorini and even loved the busy, bustling Athens.  The Acropolis was awesome.  Mark and I took lots and lots of pictures.  Thank you so much for arranging a vacation that we will always remember.  Do you do cruises?  I would love to take a cruise to other Greek islands, especially Samos.  Love, Mary P

Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 1:30 AM
Subject: Thank you for everything

Mike,

I just wanted to drop you a note to say thank you!

Because of your expertise and experience our honeymoon was perfect.  All of your hotel choices were in the absolute best locations.  Athens, Chania, Iraklion, Santorini and Mykonos… each hotel was right in the middle of the action.

All of our airplanes, ferries, cars and vans were planned superbly and all of our transfers were always right on time waiting for us.  Every ferry provided comfortable window seats thanks to you.

The trip to your beautiful country was a once in a lifetime experience for Sharyn and me; and you made it so there was no worrying or stressing.

We also really appreciate your help in delivering a bottle of champagne to our room in Santorini.

You planned the perfect honeymoon for us!

I would be glad to recommend your services to anyone travelling to Greece; and hope that Sharyn and I can work with you again when we plan our return visit.

Thanks again,
Rob and Sharyn Weinheimer

PS – Would you please forward this to your boss? So that he knows what a great job you did for us.


Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 8:29 PM
Subject: Thank you!

HI Patra,

     It’s Meg from Houston!  We are finally home and have been home for a week, but it has taken me some time to get back to the pace of our life here. I am trying to hold onto the Greek spirit for as long as possible.

  We loved our trip to your country and everything went so smoothly, thanks to all of your wonderful preparations.  It was so nice to be met at the airport by Dulcy (spelling?) and then later by her daughters.  It was such a nice personal touch. Our room at the Electra Palace was everything we hoped for with a balcony view of the Acropolis. I think showing up with Dulcy had something to do with it, so thanks for that. We ate dinner on our balconyboth nights, because we so enjoyed watching the sun set and the lights come up on the Temple of Zeus and the Parthenon (I took a lot of photos in the changing light).  The Electra Palace was great and I highly recommend it.

   The bus tour was good and I told Dulcy’s daughter that a funny thing happened with that.  A guy came into the lobby shouting my name at exactly 8:10 am and I went off with him. Turns out it wasn’t my name he called and it was the wrong tour (Key tours). But the man in charge at their headquarters called GEO tours and arranged to have me picked up at the hotel Olympia just around the corner, so it all worked out. I had to laugh over it all. Dan did not join me as he was not feeling well.

  The trip to Santorini was magical. We loved the island and the Santorini Princess was perfect. We got just the kind of room I was hoping for with the second floor balcony/deck (room number 10). Thank you for helping make that possible. The service was wonderful and the views were breathtaking. I felt like I could reach up and touch Heaven. The light is so stunning and I had so much fun taking photos. My husband was not feeling well and Achilles from the SP arranged for a doctor to come who gave him antibiotics and that helped immensely. I loved the town of Oia. It was a dream come true to take photos there, just like the ones I see on the calendars!

   I can’t thank you enough for making it a true vacation for me. I really relaxed, knowing that all the transfers were arranged and everything was taken care of. Italy was much more work for me because I did not have anyone like you to arrange it. I wanted to stop by to meet you after the morning bus tour, but when I went to your offices they were closed for lunch. I was sad not to be able to thank you in person. I hope this is good enough. I will recommend you and Fantasy Travel to any friends we know going to Greece. It was the trip of a lifetime.

Best,

Meg


Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 6:15 PM
Subject: RE: fantasy travel

Dear Dina,

Thank you for the refund for the one night.Our trip was fantastic. I have never used a travel agency so I was a little hesitant buteverything was well planned and never did we worry about our travel plans.

You did a great job for us and we appreciate  all you attention to our needs. My brother is using the agency for his trip in July I believe.

Thanks to you and everyone for a great trip. We will be back again. Possibly next summer if my wife has her way!

David A. Mehregan, M.D.


Vassilis,
 Having just returned home today from our most magnificent vacation there is nothing left to say but thank you!  A thousand times over thank you.  Without a doubt choosing to use Fantasy Travel for our trip was the best decision we made.  From the moment we landed in Athens until we landed in Istanbul we were attended to every step along the way and our accommodations were splendid.  It took so much of the stress out of traveling to know where we were staying and how to get from one place to another, it made for all pleasure and not an ounce of worrying.  We will be sure to recommend both Greece and Fantasy to all of our friends and family, sincerely Keith and Monica.

Paula,

Thanks so much for this.  Obviously being refunded for this portion of the travel is helpful to cover additional costs they incurred in Athens.

I am sure more trips to Greece are in our future.  We will hope to work with you and Fantasy Travel for arrangements.  Up until Lisa got sick, the trip had been well prepared and the service from Fantasy travel was excellent.  Since that point, your service and communication have been even better.  More than I could have hoped for.  Thank you sincerely for caring and helping us.  You have treated us as we would treat you.  This seldom happens :)

We will recommend you to everyone we talk with over the years about travel to Greece.  If we can help you in any way in the future please contact me.

Warm Regards,

John


Eleni-  I just wanted to thank you for arranging our wonderful trip.  We had a great time in your beautiful country.  Naxos turned out to be the perfect island for us.  We appreciated the fact that everything went as planned.  There was someone waiting to greet us and transfer us to the next stage of our trip just as planned.  We didn't encounter one problem.  You can be sure that if we return to Greece we will use your agency and we will recommend your services to others.  Thanks again!


Dear Patra,
Kyle and I wanted to thank you and Fanatsy travel for our wonderful trip. We
just got back home and cannot stop smiling thinking about the past two
weeks.
Greece is truly one of the most beautiful countries we have been to and
could not have asked for a more friendly, well planned and reliable travel
agency.
Thank you again very much. We will definitely keep you in mind for any
recommendations and future travels.
Best regards,
Naomi


Hi Vicky
Helena Olivier here. I want to thank you for arranging everything so
professionally for us from June 28 to July 3!
Nelly was at the airport waiting for us with the documents and all
your arrangements went so well. Everything worked out as planned and
the accommodation that you organized for us at Thallata Studios in
Sifnos was exactly what we wanted! We had a fantastic time in Greece
and will contact you to arrange our next trip too! Here are some
pictures of our trip there.
Thanks again
Helena


Sandra,
The trip was fantastic! Your services were absolutely invaluable. We had
never used a travel agent before and were a bit skeptical - especially
considering we never met face-to-face. We quickly realized how
reassuring it is to know that there will be someone waiting for you
every time you get  off a plane or boat - we were the envy of all the
lost, tired and bewildered travelers who had no idea where their hotel
was or how to get there! Plus, the hotels you picked were perfect. The
rooms were reasonably priced, which is what we needed, but you really
got us good value for our money. The fact that we had great views at all
three places was really more important to us than large rooms, or great
pools, and we really could not have picked the hotels nearly as well as
you did (although, you Greeks certainly do have small showers!).

Here are three photos as well, of us enjoying the three different hotels
with great views that you chose so well. Feel free to use the photos to
send to other clients who want an idea of what the hotels are like.

Thanks again!
******************
*
Scott Zipke


My husband and I just returned from an 11 day trip to Greece. We spent time on Naxos, Santorini and in Athens. I used your guide and suggestions exclusively in planning our trip with Fantasy Travel. It was a perfect and magical vacation. The only thing that could have made the trip better would have been a longer stay. You were right on the money with your island descriptions and suggestions. Fantasy travel was very professional. Their choice of hotels was excellent. The transfers were always on time and very comfortable. Thank you for your help in planning our vacation!
Linda Yoder
Lincoln County Schools


Dear Litsa,
 
I am so sorry it has taken me so long to write and say thank you for all of the hard work you did for us organizing a wonderful trip.  We had a really great time, starting with Nelly meeting us at the airport.  She was so friendly and helpful.  Everything was great and I will recommend you and your group to anyone who is planning a trip to Greece.  Hopefully, this won't be our last trip to Greece.  We will certainly contact you when we are ready to come again.
 
Thanks again

Sally


Eleni,

Thank you for doing such an excellent job planning our recent trip to Athens, Naxos and Santorini.  It far exceeded our greatest expectations. The hotels you selected for us were perfect.  Hotel Central in Athens was in a great location.  The view from the roof garden was exquisite.  The staff was friendly and helpful.  Naxos Resort was our favorite hotel.  It was beautiful.  The staff was extremely helpful.  The pool was perfect. In Santorini, the Caldera Lilium was also fabulous.  The rooms were spacious and beautiful.  The view was indescribable.

The transfers you arranged made our trip seamless.

This was the perfect vacation.  When we visit Greece again, we will definitely book our accommodations and transfers with Fantasy travel.

Thank you again!

Linda and Alfred Yoder
Lincolnton, NC  USA


Dear Eleni,
 
My nephew and I wanted to say 'thank you very much' for helping to make our last-minute trip to Greece such a spectacular adventure!
 
Your kindness and swift organization allowed it to happen in such an exciting way.  We are grateful for the attention and efforts from you and your colleagues at Fantasy Travel.  We will be certain to recommend you.  We will also carry a bit of sunshine from our Greek adventure wherever we go.
 
Efharisto!
 
Kind regards,
 
Michelle and Dan


Litsa,

Thank you again for all your arrangements for our family's trip to Greece last month. Everything went just perfectly! We were met on time everywhere we went, our hotel arrangements were flawless, and we enjoyed our hotels in Athens, Naxos, and Santorini. Our bus tour in Athens was very interesting, and our tour guide was excellent. Most of all, we enjoyed our time in Santorini. The scenery is just spectacular, and our hotel/apartments there--the hotel NEOKLASSIKO KOUKOULI in Fira--were the best we had during our whole trip. The rooms were great, the view was fantastic, and the people of the hotel took excellent care of us.

We appreciate everything you did to make our trip so memorable. Thank you! We hope to visit Greece again and hope we can call on you to help us once again.

With best wishes,
Chuck & Sandy Costakos


Ms Asloglou,

It’s been over a month since our trip to Greece, but I came across your email address and wanted to send you a thank you note.

Our trip was fantastic! The recommended hotels were perfect. Everything was as promised and your team never failed to meet us at the appointed times and locations for transfers and tickets etc.

I was a little concerned with booking this trip with Fantasy Travel over the internet, but from our arrival in Athens your team made sure everything was right/easy. I have recommend Fantasy whenever we show friends pictures of our trip. Thank you again for making or 20th wedding anniversary trip so special

Ed & Michelle Cordes


Patra -

Thanks for helping my friends -- and belated thanks for a wonderful, wonderful trip to Greece!!  I've been meaning to write you since our return.  Your planning was SUPERB and you made the trip so effortless and smooth.  And we enjoyed every hotel and site that you recommended. Needless to say, I'll recommend you to EVERY person I know that is planning a visit to Greece.

To top it all off, you were an absolute dream to work with.  So thanks for everything, and congrats on being such a super professional.

Cheers,
Lars


Hello Vicky,

 

I have just arrived back in the UAE and just wanted to send you a quick email with some feedback about our experience with Fantasy Travel.

I can’t stress enough how fantastic the organization and your staff were.  When we arrived at the airport your rep was there waiting with all documentation, all in order, and went through everything with me.  She even helped us by giving us bus information to get into Athens .  Any question I asked was answered helpfully and pleasantly.  We did not have any issues at all with hotel or transfer vouchers, pickups or ferry tickets.  It was fantastic to be in the hands of such an organized group of people.

My partner and I had countless issues with our flights with Olympic Air (which Fantasy Travel had nothing to do with organizing) and encountered rude and unhelpful staff at every opportunity.  So it was fantastic that your staff were so well organized, helpful and friendly.

Thanks to your team for making our journey and stay in the Greek Islands so relaxing and worry-free!

Yours Sincerely,

Carolyn Wethereld.


Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 9:08 PM
Subject: Thank you!

Dear Vicky,

In case you do not get our card (not sure if we got the address correct), we wanted to thank you and your team for helping to make our trip to Athens, Mykonos and Santorini an incredibly enjoyable and relaxing vacation.  Booking with your travel agency was the best decision we made, and we are very appreciative of your efforts to ensure that our trip ran smoothly (particular thanks on helping us with the travel and lodging accomodations when our ferry to Santorini got canceled).  We will be sure to recommend your travel agency to our friends, should they decide to travel to Greece in the future.  Thanks again!!

Best regards,

Tiffany,  Kwan, and Jaime


AM
Subject: RE: fantasy travel - artaki x 4

Dina,
We are on our flight back to the USand I just wanted to drop you a note to thank you & Fantasy Travel for the perfect arrangements you have made for us. Everything was planned wonderfully, the hotel choices were great, the transportation was very efficient, and we had an absolutely great time in Greece. I need to mention the food too –awesome!

Thank you
Iris


Hi Dina,  John and I cannot thank you enough for arranging our
honeymoon. It was everything we wanted and so much
more! The villa and treatment we recieved in Santorini
was like nothing we've ever experienced before-and
probably never will again! Your country is gorgeous and so full of history and we
enjoyed taking in as much of it as we could.
We will definitely recommend you to anyone we know who
is planning on going to Greece.
Thanks again for everything!! We are glad you like the
mousepad although we kept saying that you gave us
paradise and we only gave you a mousepad, it doesn't
seem like an equal exchange. Kathy


Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2008 2:56 PM
Subject: Trip to Greece

 
Yassas Litsa!
I just wanted to send you an email to let you know that I had a wonderful trip in Greece! Everything was well organized, I had nothing to worry about and the locals thought that I had Greek blood - I felt right at home!
 
I came by your office to see you Saturday afternoon (August 23rd) but unfortunately your office was closed. I will just have to come by another time!
 
Thank you very much once again for all of your hard work, answering my many emails and for your suggestions - I especially appreciated your suggestion to stay in Chania instead of Heraklion in Crete. I enjoyed the drive through the mountains, and was charmed by both Rethymno as well as Chania.
 
Epharisto poli!
 

Monique


My dear Efi:
 
I simply don't know how to thank you for all of your planning, care and advice.  The trip my friend Judi and I made to Greece was absolutely perfect, and much of the thanks goes to you for your insight.
 
The Cosmopolitan Suites on Santorini!  Words fail me!  So lovely...I sent my daughters a text-message to let them know that I'd found the perfect place for their honeymoons, should they ever decide to marry!  We also loved the Galaxy hotel on Crete - FABULOUS decor, great location, delicious breakfast of standard and Cretan foods, and the view from the Arion hotel on our last night in Athens was breathtaking.
 
Best of all was being met by Fantasy Travel representatives at just about every transfer - it was amazing!  I've never booked through a travel agency before, nor experienced such service.  It was truly delightful.
 
We also enjoyed trying out three different kinds of ferries - the highspeed, the flying cat, and the 'cruise' ship Festos Palace.  Judi almost fell over when she saw our stateroom, and said it was bigger than any she'd had on any cruise before.  It was great fun to be on that ship, and as we'd spend most of the day hiking around outside Crete, the in-room shower and copious amounts of hot water were a welcome addition.
 
The Greek people were amazing:  so open and hospitable and friendly, and the service everywhere was wonderful.  We found Athens very clean just about everywhere (not the neighbourhood near the Arion, but no city is perfect!), loved the Metro for its bright, spacious stations and comfortable trains and found all of the sites rewarding.
 
All I can do is say that I'll not only be encouraging all my family and friends to visit Greece, but I'll insist that they contact you.  You did a perfect, perfect job, and I hope you show this e-mail to your boss (if you have one).  By way of thanks, I'm attaching a few photos that you might enjoy, all taken in your wonderful country.
 
All the best, and have a lovely wedding when the time comes...
 

MJ


Thank you for your excellent service.  Alexandra and your staff have been very personable and have been of great help.  Alexandra has been with us most of the way, from 6 a.m. and met us at the pier at 11:30 p.m.  I almost expected her to helicopter over to Santorini to meet us when we arrived by boat (joke).
We also met other passengers who were using Fantasy and were very impresseed by your excellent service.
We are expecting to visit Italy in the future.  Do have Fantasy travel there?
Thanks again.  Alexandra is quite an asset to your company.
Sincerely,
Sonia and Bill Vockell

Dear Paula,
Just a note to let you know we had a wonderful vacation in Greece thanks to your advice and arrangements.  We especially liked the Belvedere Hotel in Santorini and we are grateful to you for suggesting it.  Everything went very smoothly and we very much appreciate the work you did.

We will recommend your travel agency to anyone going to Greece!

Kindest regards,

Bonnie DeZur


Paula,

I wanted to send a HUGE round of thanks for making our trip to Greece so Special.  It was thoroughly organised and planned so well.  Christine, who met us at the airport when we landed, and then again at port for our first Ferry ride was very helpful and made us feel less anxious in a new country.  The hotels were excellent and the transfers were timely and courtious.  I will be sending your information/ reccomendation to all my friends who are planning on a trip to Greece.  It was a pleasure doing business with you.  Hopefully we will be returning to your lovely country sooner rather than later.  We would like to do an economy trip with the kids some day.  Thanks again.


Kimi and Mike Sewell

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