Glorious Greece

Greece was the birthplace of European civilisation. The period from 700BC saw the rise of the great city states of Athens, Corinth and Sparta, frequently engaged in long struggles for supremacy, and uniting only when faced with the common threat of invasion by the Persian Empire. The zenith was reached in the fifth century BC when Athens became the cultural and artistic centre of the Mediterranean, producing magnificent works of architecture, sculpture, drama and literature.

Greece today offers the traveller the comforts of modern Europe in close proximity to the stark beauty of the ancient world. There is no denying that the historical and cultural heritage of Greece continues to resonate throughout the modern Western world - in its literature, art, philosophy and politics. Reminders of the country's glory are all over Greece - from Athens' Parthenon and Delphi's Temple of Apollo, to the ruins on Crete of the Minóan city of Knossós, a civilisation reaching even further back into history.

Scattered throughout the calm blue waters of the Aegean are Greece's 1,400 islands, the largest of which is Crete, each with its own special story. The serenity of islands like Skópelos contrasts with the hedonistic party islands such as Mykonos and Páros where the worship of Dionysus, the god of revelry, continues to the beat of garage and house music. Athens's previous glory in sports was restored when the Olympic Games returned home in 2004.

Happy Father's Day

Just wanted to wish all fathers out there a wonderful Father's Day and let's keep up the good work by raising our children to be the best that they can and to respect others!!

Great day to all!!

Ask me questions or info!

In my rush to get started, I forgot to mention that if you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to leave me a message or to e-mail me at hotelbuddy.net@gmail.com.
It will be my pleasur to assist you in any way possible and allow you make a more informed decision concerning your travel plans.


Denny

Hotel ratings how reliable are they?

One of the toughest questions that I had to answer involved the accuracy of the hotel ratings provided by the travel wholesalers. Quite honestly those ratings were always a thorn in my side. It was obvious that many wholesalers would overrate some of their properties in order to generate more sales. It was a practice that I totally disagreed with because it misled the consumer and ultimately I was faced with an irate client upon their return from their vacation even if I tried in vein to deter them from a particular property. Unfortunately, vacation travel is a very lucrative business and most companies are in it for the $$$$$$ and nothing else.

Now before booking a particular hotel I suggest that you apply the following criteria:

1- Visit the hotel websites directly and carefully read the amenities that are offered as well as the type of rooms. Many times you can reserve a better or larger room with an oceanview for just a few dollars more.

2- Confirm the meal plan i.e. all inclusive, breakfast only etc.

3- The proximity to the beach, town and activities

4- Compare the hotel to other properties that you have visited in the past to see how it measures up

5- Visit an online site to read reviews submitted by other travellers that have stayed at the hotel that you're interested in. I suggest which is a very popular site

6- If dealing with an agent directly, ask if they have already sent other customers there and if so what were their comments. Normally, a good travel agent will always call back his client in order to gather feedback on the trip. Actually, this is part of offering outstanding customer service and even if the client has a few complaints he will always appreciate the callback.

7- Share your experiences with your family, friends, co-workers etc. in order to receive many varied opinions to be able to formulate a more informed decision.


In short, we have so much information available to us via the internet, take the time to properly research the property you are most interested in before you reserve in order to avoid ruining your vacation.


Have a great trip!!!!

Travel Insurance - Don't leave home without it!!!

In my 20 years in the travel industry I could never understand why people were comfortable buying home, car and life insurance but considered travel insurance a "SCAM". There were times I would be pulling my hair literally when my clients were finished purchasing a $5000-$6000 honeymoon package but refused to to insure themselves for a couple of hundred dollars. They would tell me " You're trying to make more money from us". Even though that is true and the commissions are pretty high, they didn't understand that depending on the type of package that they reserved they could stand to lose everything!!
It's quite simple actually. Most clients don't understand that travel agents are simply a middle man and as such need to follow the rules and regulations put in place by the wholesaler, tour operator, airline etc. A travel agent is there to research and try to find the best deals for his clients. Most importantly, a good travel agent will also educate his clients on how everything functions and the penalties involved in case of cancellation. This way the client can make an informed decision and feel more comfortable about buying travel insurance.
There are many forms of travel insurance:
- Complete package covering expenses such as medical, cancellation etc
- Strictly medical insurance in case of an accident or illness while on vacation
- Luggage insurance
Nowadays, many gold and platinum credit cards will offer complete or partial travel insurance when the client pays with one of those types of cards. As well, group insurance plans at work will more often than not offer some sort of medical coverage.
These are the types of questions that an experienced agent will ask his clients in order to be able to make the proper suggestions.
In short, not buying travel insurance could turn out to be the biggest mistake a traveller can make before embarking on his trip!!!
Check your bags, verify your passport and BUY travel insurance 3 very important steps before you say "BON VOYAGE"

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