Greece Travel: Travelers Reviews

George the Famous Taxi Driver

www.greecetravel.com/taxi

If I had to take everybody off my site except for one it would be George Kokkotos. In my opinion George provides the best and most personalized service of anyone in Greece. I first met him at the airport. We stood on line at the taxi stand and by chance he was our driver. At first we spoke to him in Greek but when he began answering us in excellent English we asked his story. He had just moved to Greece from New York where he had his own restaurant and drove a Good Humor ice-cream truck in the summer. He also had experience as a machinist and was planning to do that part time while living off the money he made off the sale of his restaurant. But Greece had become expensive and there were no jobs for machinists. So he was driving a taxi. It was a VW Jetta. I think I had heard an Anthony Robbins infomercial the night before leaving the USA and I gave George a little speech about how if he had to be a taxi driver then he should make himself the best taxi driver in Greece. He took us to our hotel and we took his card to give to Andrea's aunts for their yearly trip to the Health spas at Edipsos. A couple weeks later I was approached by some guy who wanted me to see his bar. He spoke English, had relatives in Chicago and everything, but it seemed like visiting his bar might not be a good idea so I declined and continued on my way. A half a block later someone was calling in English "Excuse me...hey...excuse me..." and of course I figured it was this bar owner still trying to convince me, so I ignored him. Then I heard him say "Mr Barrett!" and I knew I had not given the guy my name so I turned around. It was George. He was dressed up and had a big brand new Toyota  parked on the corner. He had taken my advice and was on his way to becomming the best taxi driver in Greece. Five years later and there is no doubt about it. I have heard of people crying at the airport when they said goodbye to George. His trips are wonderful and packed with fun and adventure, and there is no better feeling when you are getting off a ferry in Pireaus with hundreds of other people and you see only three taxis but you know one of them is George and he is waiting for you.
George Kokkotos is the best taxi driver in Greece and I am honored to have him on my website and to be his friend.
Matt Barrett 

Mr. Barrett,

My wife and I just returned from a week in the Greek islands plus a
whirlwind two day tour of Athens. Your survival guide was extraordinarily
accurate and useful. In particular the gold jewelry store you recommended,
Byzantium, was clearly the best and the Taxi driver, George, and his
associate Nick, the VERY BEST! He attended to us continuously during our
stay and he gives one faith that there are really intelligent honest and
enthusiastic people in this world who take pride in their job and their
country. He is the greatest ambassador that Greece and the Greek people
have. As a result, I recommended him to friends for the following week. In
spite of the city being on strike, he managed to pick them up at the airport
at 12:00 am (the plane from Los was 2 hours late) take them to a hotel for a
short sleep and then return them to the airport at 4:00 am. In confusion my
friend over-paid the driver, Chris, by a factor of three. The driver stopped
the car went back into the airport found my friend in line and returned the
money. Find me another big city international airport where this would
happen; I can not think of one. In the Eastern USA you are lucky if the cab
drivers speak English much less know where they are going.

I give you, George and his team, full credit for making our trip to Athens
one that I will always remember with a warm spot in my heart.

Please feel free to use me as a reference for George and your Survival
Guide.

With best wishes, many thanks, and if you would, please forward this to
George.

Henry S. Reeder 

George,

This is just a note to say thank you for the wonderful trip to Delphi
and Meteora.  Peggy, Maggie and I had a great time.  I wish that we had
known about your service before our travel agent booked our half-day
overview of Athens.  Although our guide was fairly knowledgeable, her
voice was not strong enough to be heard outside and more time was wasted
getting everyone on and off the bus than actually touring Athens.  Next
time we'll know who to contact first!

Again, many thanks for a great tour.  I hope you were able to get your
Thanksgiving turkey without problem.

Sincerely,

Ken & Peggy P'Pool
Maggie Speight

Hello there.

Just wanted to write and tell you how much we enjoyed spending time with
Dennis.  I wish we could find someone like him every time we travel.  He
made things so enjoyable and easy for us.  I'll certainly recommend your
service to anyone I know who is planning a trip to Greece.  Thank you again.

Three more Americans that consider you a friend.
Ron, Linda and Jennifer Speer

H            i Matt

My wife and I want to thank you for providing such
great information on Greece AND for telling us about
"George Kokkotos".  We just spent five wonderful days
with him in May (07). He picked us up right on time
from Princess Cruises, "wowed" us with Athens,
delivered us to great places like Corinth-Mycenae,
Epidaurus, Nafplion (really loved this), Olympia,
Delphi, and more. He arranged our excellent "colorful"
hotels and impressed us with his choice of unique
restaurants, and finally delivered us to the airport at
5am so we could catch an early flight.  We put our
complete trust in George and he made this trip PERFECT!
 Always on time, very informed, funny with his jokes,
and assisting with every request we made.  He is a hard
worker and I can see why you list him on your website. 
He was so great we are going back to tour the north of
Greece with him next year.  My only question: How do
you do all this for free?

Regards
Gary & Claudette Worthington
 
PS: Feel free to use this in your "testimonials" if you
wish.

Dear George, We wanted to write to you to tell you thank you so much for your taxi services! You and your crew were wonderful. We met the "other" George and think he is wonderful. He said to write you if we wanted to book a boat cruise with you next year in June. How much would it be if we had four of us on a boat with a captain? We are thinking for two weeks next June and of course we would want you for meeting us in Athens and taking us to the boat! You are the best and we will tell everyone about you! Thanks for everything...Ron and Anneke Schieberl 

Hi Matt,

Well, our whirlwind tour of the Mediterranean ended on the 14th. I came back
to work on Monday, this week.

George was everything you'd said he would be, and MORE! He was right there
on the pier, as he said he would be. He whisked us off to the Acropolis
before it got too hot and -- most importantly -- before any tour busses got
there. We went to the Plaka and visited Byzantino. Boy is that place
dangerous!! George was great about this too. He got us as close as he could
by car and then called the store on his cell phone and had them send someone
to take us the rest of the way. He couldn't leave the car, but we got an
escort in both directions. Such VIP treatment! Anyway, by the time we got
out of there we had done our bit to bolster the Greek economy, believe me!
The workmanship, as you had said, was outstanding. It was impossible not to
buy something. I wound up getting three pairs of 22k earrings for gifts. One
of the girls bought a gorgeous ring, and another bought a ring and a couple
of gold charms. The people there were very gracious and attentive and I
think they gave us some good deals also. They said that they always extend
an additional discount to customers that you refer to them, so thank you.

George took us to this great little Greek taverna on the road to the Temple
of Poseidon for lunch. It was great food with a sensational backdrop!

All in all, it was a delightful day. The women will never stop talking about
George! I will certainly recommend him to anyone headed for Greece. Thanks
so much for your great Athens Guide -- you perform a real service. I am
sending a little "note" of appreciation your way.

Thanks again,

Rick Holmes 

We just recently returned from our Greece/Turkey trip.  One of the best things we did in advance was to "book" George ("The Famous Taxi Driver").  He certainly made our short visit to Athens everything it could possibly be in two short days.  We never could have seen so much with a large group tour.  He had all the Guide Books and let us take them to our hotel room over night so we could prepare in advance for the following day's trip.  All his suggestions on where to go and what to see were perfect.  His suggestions for small countryside restaurants were so unique, local and inexpensive.

I highly recommend George as a trustworthy, knowledgeable and (very important) nonsmoking, taxi driver guide.

Thanks for making a great trip even better!

Renee Latty, Colorado, USA 

Dear Matt,

I found your site only upon the last minute change of the Seabourn Spirit`s final port.  What you supplied was wonderful and can help all who travel!  Yor are to be commended for such a thorough newsletter.

My wife and I have traveled to all the continents in the last four years and are fortunate at our age to know more about travel than most.  Your supply of information was excellent for this independent traveler.

One of the best finds is George Kokkotos.  He and his son, Dennis, were excellent and I thank you for planting the seed that makes him what he is today.

I would like to help those who see your site to and want to visit Athens to know about George.  What can I do to spread the word and help his exposure in this time when few travel?

Ken

Dr. Ken E. Edwards III

My family and I went to Greece for the first time this summer.  I
discovered your website about six moths before we went.  We had decided
to stay at the Hilton in Athens simply because it was American and we
didn't know what else to do.  After I found you web site though we
switched to the Electra Palace Hotel and with the money we saved (it
cost about half what the Hilton did) we hired George to take us to
Delphi for the day and for transfers to and from the airport.  We had
the BEST TIME! :)  All of us (even my 15 year old sister who doesn't
like being anywhere without her friends) enjoyed our stay and are
determined to go back!  You website was a life saver.  On behalf of all
my family - THANK YOU!
Sophia 

Hi Matt for your swift reply. I was wanting to send your websight to a friend so they can contact you for information on there next vacation. I never did tell you thank you but this seems as good a time as ever as my mom always said better late than never...... My son,dad and I arrived in Athens dec 18 2004. We were greeted at the airport by George co worker(John) and what a pleasure he was. It was about 2am. We almost felt like we were coming home with having someone there to meet us. He spoke very clear english and knew just how to get to the Cecil Hotel. The streets were full of Christmas lights and when he told us to take note of the deserted streets for the next day would be full of life. We had a very confortable nite and were up the next day greeted by George himself and taken on a private tour of Athens one we will never forget.... We were in Athens for three days then rented a car and drove to Patra(TimeShare) then found our way to Olympia, Kalamata, and to Pylos finding the family we were in search of in Meshori. By the end of our stay we found our way to Delfoi, all the way to Sounio. Eight days we will never ever forget..... With your help we started our venture with great ease..George helped guide my son to feel comfortable in his driving thru the country. I really appreciate all his advise.  Hope to return in the summer to see new sights. I will be in touch and share your websight to my friends. Thank You Glenna

Matt,
Hi. I want to thank you for your home page and give you some feedback.
My name is Jack Sabia.  This past July, my wife (Joan) and I traveled to
Italy, Crete & Athens.

Before we departed Virginia, I came across your home page searching the
web and printed out the information with George Kokktos's phone numbers.
I took along these pages.  I was lucky. George was available. I pulled
out the pages AFTER arriving in Athens early in the morning and showed
them to our son and daughter-in-law after getting to the hotel.  I
called George, referenced your home page, and, fortunately, he was
available.  He came over two hours later and took us around Athens for
about three hours.  He agreed to meet us at the hotel the next morning
and we took an all day tour to Corinth and several ancient sites in that
portion of the mainland.  (Three of us took a bus tour to Delphi in 1986
and decided to go to some place different)  Since we had to return to
the ferry on the evening of the second day, traveling around with George
with our luggage in his trunk of his air-conditioned Taxi was great!  As
you stated in your home page, it is cheaper to use George than a tour
bus.  Besides, George is a pleasure to be with and we truly want to
thank you for your home page information.

Jack Sabia 

Dear Matt,

On behalf of our traveling companions, (Ken & Sharon), my husband Terry and
myself, our sincere thanks for all of your advise and suggestions which
contributed to making our recent vacation in Greece nothing short of fabulous.
If you're in the mood for details.....read on.

We took your advise and hired George - what a sweetheart and a great idea.
Although he wasn't able to pick us up from the airport, he sent Peter who was
equally courteous and promptly escorted us to the Hotel Hera.

The Hera was one of the recommendations made by Aliki and although at first
glance appeared somewhat "tired", it's in a great location while hoofing it in
Athens.  The rooms are clean, the breakfast reasonable and overall felt we got
good value for our money.  If I remember correctly it was about $52 US/night.

After a long journey via Frankfurt, we arrived in Athens mid afternoon and
stretched our legs by scaling the stairs to the Acropolis.  A few photos, a few
drinks and dinner in the Plaka, fought to stay awake past 10 pm.

George met up with us early the following day, and we set out to tour the
mainland.  The Corinthian Canal, Ancient Corinth, Ancient Mycenae, Naupoli (?)
and finally to the Theatre at Epidaurus.  Quite a day.  George generously
provided ice water, cold apples, and on the route home introduced us to fresh
figs which he picked from a roadside tree.  We arrived back in Athens, the end
of a great day.

One more day in Athens, mostly window shopping and a walk through the park
before preparing for an early rise and sail to Sifnos.  Aliki  arranged our
hydrofoil passage and George made sure we arrived on time.  He secured our
boarding passes, toted our bags and before long were on route to places unknown.

Thanks Matt and keep in touch,
Suzann Landry

Message for George Kokkotos:

You drove my 14 year old daughter, Elizabeth, and me from the Herodion Hotel in Athens to Delphi (via the Monastery of Hosios Lucas) on Saturday, August 5.  I have just discovered that the paperback book on Delphi which you lent us came home with us in my backpack. I shall send it back to you in the next few days.  Thank you again for the wonderful tour - and all those fresh figs!  We also appreciated Tom meeting us at the airport very early in the morning on Friday and Chris taking us back to the airport on Sunday afternoon.  We loved Greece - it was the best part of our trip.

Karen Crow 

Greetings, George, Billy and Family:

I hope this e-mail finds you all well and that you remember us.  We visited Greece this past June and you handled our many airport, ferry and hotel transfers…but most importantly, you took us to visit our relatives in Doreza.  

We wanted to thank you for your professionalism, reliability, and compassion.  You were there when you said you would be; every driver we had was knowledgeable, courteous and personable; and Billy…you took wonderful care of us and our older Cousins on our memorable trip out to the Peloponnese.

We hope to return to Greecein June 2007.  If we do, we will certainly call upon you again.  We still have not had the opportunity to meet the famous George, so we have to come back!

We wish you and your family all the best.

With kind regards,
Jamie, Dennis, Zoe and Eleni Scurletis

When I was planning my third trip to Greece last winter (first with internet capability), I read the message board and recognized from Matt's answers that he was a knowledgable person to ask for help. This was confirmed again on reading his Athen's travel guide. Having spent some time in Athens I saw right away that he knew the city well and I enjoyed the fact that there was more offbeat information than your usual travel book.

I made most of our travel arrangements (except for Athens hotel) through Dolphin Travel who proved to be very responsible. I faxed George and though it seemed like a lot of money to pay a taxi driver for a ride from the airport, we did book him to pick us up, as we were arriving in Athens on a Saturday night at midnight, and needed to see a friendly English-speaking face.

We arrived exhausted after a day of travel that had included a 5 hour layover in Zurich, and there was George with a big sign with our names on it. My boyfriend, who never believed that the people I talk to on the internet really exist, was astonished and happy. George took us to the hotel we had booked ourselves(as we always stay there in Athens) only to find that they had never received my deposit and had given away our room a few hours before. So
there we were at 1:00 am on a Saturday night (Sunday morning now) in Athens. Any other taxi driver would have been long gone by that time - but George, who had helped us with the bags - had stayed, waiting to make sure we had a room. And it was George who ran around the Plaka until he found us a place to spend the night. We felt really cared for.

And it was through George that I learned that Matt was in town. We spoke on the phone - met for ouzo at Bretto's and had a wonderful dinner with Matt and Andrea and their friends in the Plaka! That evening we met an old school friend of Matt's (he and Matt both speak fluent Greek, by the way) who was going to Santorini with his mother and staying a few doors from the lovely villa we had booked through Dolphin/Hellas. With another couple we all rented
a mini-van and saw the island together, having great meals and lots of fun. When we got to Lesvos (at Matt's suggestion) we also visited Matt and his family and had a great time on that beautiful island.

And that's my story of Matt and George - the people in my little black box who came to life and enriched our trip so much. When George returned us to the airport for our very early morning flight back to the states 3 weeks later, he told us that he would have taken us home with him that night had we not been able to find a room. He remarked as to how rested we looked now, and that I had "some sunset in my face." How poetic and priceless - that was
worth the whole wonderful trip!

Shailami 

Hi Matt--You had a wonderful message on the Greek board called the Situation in Greece, on your return this week.  Then, overnite it disappeared, as you see in the letter following.  Maybe you can zap it back on.  How does stuff just disappear like that??

Anyhow, I'm totally enthralled with George and his family.  If they'd rent me a room, I'd move in.  Our Easter dinner was 10 hours long, and I could never stand to be with any other friends for that much time.   On both sides, we all could have sat there all night.

An amazing coincidence--amazing closing of a circle.  I asked them about my childhood favorite song, Herakina, by Tsintsanis.  Not only did I finally get the translation I've been looking for for 30 years, it turned out to be the very same song George used to have his mother sing to him when he was little and couldn't sleep.  Talk about small world.

If Loula lived on my street, we would hang out in each other's kitchens.   Their 3 sons and all the rest of the family, even Mom who is 80+ and spoke no English were wonderfully hospitable to us.  We're going to stay in touch for sure, as friends.

Anyhow, we thank you for being instrumental in arranging this new contact for us.    Oh yes, almost forgot--the liquor shop Brettos or similar name, with the casks and the colored bottles.  They know you well.  I made a toast to you with their nice fresh ouzo.

I want to go back so badly--if you ever need an unpaid assistant, just let me know!!!

This was the last "family" trip before my daughter goes to college, and it was a total success. . . 

Matt,
I just wanted to thank you for your help.  George was
right there at the airport after the tiring flight and
it was such a relief to see the sign with my name on
it.  I love Pagrati, I'm staying right near Plateia
Varnava on a really nice residential street.

Thanks again,
Raleigh 

Matt

Having just come back from 2 weeks in Greece I feel like I know you since it was your guide that helped make this one of our best vacations ever.

First of all there was George the Taxi Driver.  He was outstanding and I hope you will pass this on to him.  We spent 3 days with George one in the Peloponnese and 2 in Delphi and Meteora.  By the end of 3 days I felt like I was saying goodbye to a member of my own family.  He was very knowledgeable and gave us an insight into the Greek culture that you just can't get from tour books and huge bus tours.  Plus he knows the best place to stay in Meteora!!  Not some chain hotel in town but a wonderful spic n' span clean inn in the mountains called Arsenis.  When I walked out onto our balcony the mountain view was so beautiful I wanted to sing out a chorus from the Sound of Music!  By the way, no one should go to Greece without Meteora on their tour.  In all our travels I have never experienced any natural beauty like it not to mention the spiritual aspect.

Thanks again for all your recommendations!  We cannot wait till we return to Greece with all its beauty, history and warm and friendly people!!

Yassu,
Charlene Carbone 

I want to thank you for providing Chris as our driver and guide while we
were in Athens (Jan 27); he was phenomenal.  He is to be commended for
being a very safe driver, knowledgeable, and a great person.  We got to
see things (such as the Changing Of The Guard) that others on our Cruise
didn't even know about.  And Chris knew the best areas in which to shop,
where to eat (the tavern he took us too was superb), and where the best
cappochino's were.  Mind you, I am not a coffee drinker; I don't even
like the stuff.  So when Chris offered everyone a Cappochino, I accepted
more out of courtesy than a desire to drink coffee.  Well...., I was
pleasantly surprised at the taste.  When you see Chris, tell him that I
am now hooked on Cappochino's.  In fact, I bought a machine yesterday
and put it in my house.  But I haven't found the right blend yet; Greek
cappochino is so much smoother than anything we have in the USA.  I'm
still searching.  If you or Chris can provide me with the name or brand
of coffee that is commonly served in Greece, I would appreciate it.

Again, thanks ever so much.  My wife and daughter and I have been
watching the video I shot from the front seat of the cab; my daughter
says it's awesome dad.

Take care,

Brad Hanson
Al Polacek 

My family and I traveled to Greece in summer of 98.  Your quide was
incredibly valuable and we thank you for it!  We printed it, read it and
depended upon it while in Greece.

The night before the first day of really sightseeing, we got out George's
number but decided that it was too late to call him for the next day.  So we
went out on our own the next day.  At the end of the day we were walking by
the Grande Bretagne to see it again (from a previous trip) and hopefully to
grab a cab.  We needed to go to the office of a ferry company to pick up our
ferry tickets.

As we were walking by the Grande Bretagne a man called to us to see if we
needed a cab.  We said yes, expecting to go with the gentleman who summoned
us.  Instead he directed us to another gentleman.  We jumped in our cab and
took off for the ferry company.  When my husband went inside to pay for the
tickets I was looking at our driver and he looked vaguely familiar.  I asked
him if, by some small chance, he  had a web site and he answered no but that
there was this man named Matt from the US.....etc. etc...  I pulled out my
picture of George and his wife that I printed off the internet and he pulled
out the original!!! Unbelievable!!!

We used his services that night as he drove my husband, me and our 2 small
children to Sounion for dinner and sunset.

He is a godsend in a city of smokers!!!  As with all the people we met, he
was informative, very friendly and genuinely nice.

We thank you for all your incredible tid bits of information.  It made our
trip quite pleasant.

We thank you!

Heidi Evans 

Matt Barrett:
You provided lots of information on Internet about Greece, and you sent me
an additional E-mail.
I just want you to know that I used George for Taxi service.  He actually
sent his right hand man Jonas Arvanitakis to pick us up at the airport, and
we used Jonas the next three days to  sightsee in Athens, then to Sounion
for a half-day trip, and the final day an all day trip to Delphi, then he
took us to the airport upon departure for Turkey.
Jonas did a wonderful job, had a very nice Mercedes Benz taxi owned by his
dad. He is a good driver, and speaks pretty good English. George called me
at the hotel and hoped all is well.
Your internet information and e-mail were very helpful.  Thank you very
much.
Sincerely
Gustav Raaum 

hello george -

sorry we did not get to meet you during our recent visit to athens.
however, both your wife and the "other" george were most helpful.  please
also know that we very much enjoyed george's tour to corinth.  he was both
knowledgeable and exceedingly gracious.

I would not hesitate to recommend your services in the future.

bob berman 

George was VERY kind to me and the other 3 people who were with us.  He spoke very good English (he drove a cab in NYC for years).  All Greeks can be short at times, but George was very polite and courteous.  He treated us like royalty.

After my first full day with George, I decided to use him a second day.  I also recommended him to a friend who tried to use him but George was already booked.

Greece is not the cheapest place to travel to.  I was going to rent a car for one of the days I was in Greece because I needed to go from Athens to Patras.  I told George this, and he said that his fee would actually be cheaper than a car rental.  Showing him a disbelieving face, he insisted that I compare and stopped at the Hertz counter.  He was right.  His services were cheaper than renting a car.  We are all in our own financially driven life style.  I enjoy paying a little more for something that is a little better because I can afford it.  But George was inexpensive to the other comparison I had.  Because he was such a good driver and because his fee was very reasonable, we tipped him extra, and I still feel like I should have gave him a bigger tip.  In fact I purchased him a Christmas present that I haven't sent yet.

George was very concerned about our comfort and safety.  He had a wonderful newer car with GREAT air-conditioning.  He insisted that I not touch any of my bags.  He let me spend many minutes (long distance I add) on his cellular phone.  He did not charge me for this.

I have traveled around the world and use personal tour guides often.  George is the best I have ever had.  He made sure we always had water and would bring food for us to munch on.  He always arrived early to be sure his windows were clean.

I found George to be reasonable and a very kind driver.

Dear Matt:  My husband and I were planning a Mediterranean cruise and I happened upon your web site.  I found it to be the most well written, helpful site.  We were planning to spend a couple of days in Athens so I called George the taxi driver and although he wasn't available for the dates we were going to be there, one of his other drivers was.  We arrived in Athens on April 20 and Christos met us at the airport and took us to our hotel.  He picked us up the next morning and we spent the day touring Athens and Sounion.  He then took us to the ship.  What a great time!!  Christos was a wonderful tour guide.  We also followed your advice and went to Brettos where we got Ouzo and brandy.  You were right about the Ouzo.  There's no comparison with what one gets in the states. We haven't tried the brandy yet.  Anyway, I wanted to let you know how much we appreciated your hard work and your wonderful web site.  Thanks!
Fran Powers 

I wanted to thank you for your help.  As per your suggestion I contacted George
to have him meet my family at the airport on July 15th.  He was extremely efficient
with our reservations calling and faxing to make sure we had the correct dates, times
and flight numbers.  When we all arrived (10 of us:  Mom, sisters, nieces) three
taxis were there with Jordan in charge.  They were undaunted by all the luggage.
I like to travel light but my nieces like to take a pair of shoes for each hour of the
day and a different color frock to match whatever mood or occasion may arise.
Jordan and his friends took us into Athens and the next day picked us up to
take us to Souion.  We had a grand time and loved watching the sun set over
the "wine dark sea".  On Saturday our new friends met us promptly at 4 pm to take
us to Pireaus to catch a ship.  The Fam was suitability impressed with my
arrangements.  (I had lived in Greece in the 70's , my daughter was born in
Mitera Maternal Clinic in Athens and they think I am the authority on Greece)
Thanks for your help.  We had come through London on our own trying to get all
of us together into town from Gatwick.  What a mess.  Our arrival in Greece made
me look like a rocket scientist.
Athens has changed.  Glyfada has changed.  The Plaka is so different.
However, the delight I felt when the plane touched down in Glyfada and everyone
clapped was incredible.  Some things never change - the delight and the clapping.
I enjoyed your newsletter.  I'm already planning to return but would like info on
renting a house in Naflion  or perhaps on Crete.  Any suggestions?
Thanks again.      Cindy Lanier    Ozark, Alabama. 

Let me tell you about George!  We just got back from two days in Athens and a week in Crete.  We had originally contract George Kokkotos, VIP Taxi Service, to have him take the three of us to Delphi and back on Sunday April 11.  We had already been to Athens' other main sights, all the Delphi sightseeing tours were overnight trips, and we had only one full day to play with.  So we decided to splurge on a private tour, and reserved George well in advance.

As we got closer, George found out that Delphi would be closed that day for Greek Easter Sunday, as would everything else and sent us the most amazing invitation:  he asked us to spend the day, Easter Sunday, as his guest, with his family.  Of course, we were thrilled and accepted with great pleasure.

From the moment he met us at the airport with our names on a sign, to the minute we said good-by-until-next-time, we were welcomed as if we were family.  It was as if we had all been friends for years.   His whole extended family, and even some neighbors, made us feel more than just welcome, they made us really feel happy to be there.  George and his lovely wife, lived in New York for some years, so they speak good English, as do his three handsome
sons.  We sat around swapping stories,  from one in the afternoon until eleven at night, and if we hadn't had to catch a plane the next morning for Crete, we would probably still be there.

We're going to stay in touch and will surely get together again.  The day with George set the tone for our continuing trip to Crete, where the magic continued and we have memories that the three of us will never forget.   A fantastic, safe, staggeringly beautiful visit to Greece.  Crete has very dramatic scenery and is filled with history back to the Minoans.

So, if anyone wants to know the best person for taking care of you in Athens, talk to me about George.  If you don't want to have to re-contact me, here's his number.  He does his work only by advance reservation and books up fast during the peak months.  It's only him and the one car, so plan ahead.   Mention me, please.  George Kokkotos.  VIP Taxi Service.  Phone and fax:  from US:  0113015024482.  Mobile phone 0110932205887.  Incidentally, he must
be the only man in Athens who doesn't smoke. . .

Note to the cynics out there, I am not a travel agent, no I don't work for Matt, or for George, or for the Greek Tourist Office, or anyone. . .just a person passing along a tip. . .

Marie Troxell 

just thought you'd like to hear some feedback re.: you're website recommendation
of GEORGE--this taxi service ROCKS! 

Dear George:

Please accept our thanks for your aid and assistance in showing us around
Greece.  Your service was outstanding and we feel your company went out
of your way to make us feel welcome. The tributes to you on Matt Barret's
page do not do you justice. It was a comfortable feeling to know that we
were in your hands.

We thought Greece was beautiful, the people friendly. Unfortunately for us,
we didn't have some of your best weather, but no one can control that.

We will highly recommend you to anyone going to Athens. If you are ever
in Indiana, please feel free to contact us.

Mike and Carolyn Gibbons

          We've just come back from Greece. Just to tell you that DolphinHellas (Uli), George Kokkotos and his group of taxi-drivers, the phone service from Tom and also the pizza and pasta from his brother were all great. Beautiful Old Town of Rhodes; we were in the Nikolis Hotel, just beside the wall. Fascinating by night!

                                        Ana Maria Orsatti 

Hi Matt,

We just returned from an unforgettable trip to Athens.  Your website was invaluable as I booked my trip 9 days before my departure and didn’t have much time to prepare.  We fell in love with the food, wine, people and city.  The best information obtained from your site was “George the taxi driver’.  While we never actually got to meet George, the services were out of this world.  Our flights were delayed and another friend’s luggage was lost, yet when we came through customs on three separate occasions, there was someone to meet us and take us to our hotel.  Talk about stress free!  We toured 1 ½ days with George’s son, Dennis.  He was amazing!  He was professional, friendly, very knowledgeable and fun.   We wouldn’t have had the same experience in  Athens without using this service.  Thanks for the tip.  We can’t wait to go back.

Thanks again,

Tammy

George, the best taxi in Athens,  was the best.  He was not able to meet our flight, but he sent Toni, who was delightful.  George took us on a tour of Athens on Tuesday and then took us to Voulagmeni, where Kate was staying.  We then had dinner in Glyfada.  Toni again took us to the airport at 6:30am on Wed for out flight to Santorini.
Fondly,
Betty

Hello,
I'm back in New York right now and still somewhat recuperating from that long flight.
I just wanted to let you know that I had a fabulous time in Greece.  I Hired George's taxi service and I got Christos.  Christos was every bit a gentlemen, enjoyable and extremely knowledgeable about every place we visited.
I plan to come back to Greece in April with my husband this time and because of Christo I wish very much to hire him for all my tours!
Christos--don't ever change and I hope you receive this email.  Best wishes to you and your family Christos and thanks so much!  You are truly a gem.
Dr. Sheila Grant-Bolanos
Oct. 11-18th, 2000.
Acropolis Select Hotel 

We cannot express enough how wonderful Constantinos was during our trip to Greece these last 2 weeks. Please pass on our email to him.
He was the best thing we found in Greece!
The conversation with Constantinos was enlightening as well as entertaining. He was so very helpful with information and assistance. Our trip was so much more enjoyable and rich with memories because of him.
Please tell Lula that the suggestion of the Sunday trip to Sounio was the best idea!!
14 rolls of film are in for development - we will send a few on to you via email.
God Bless and may we meet again!

Becky & Mike Janssen 

Had a great time in Greece and hope to see you the
next time we travel to your area.  Hope the diet is
going well.  Will recommend you to anyone we know who
is traveling to Athens.

Donna & Susan 

For what it's worth, I used the information on your page to contact
George for two days of guide services while in Athens.

We were met promptly at our hotel by a man named Christos who told us
that George was booked but he was filling in for the day.  Christos
owned an older Mercedes that he normally used as a cab and drove us to
Delphi with several excellent side trips on the way.  He was well
informed and spoke very good English and went about the excursion in a
leisurely and informative manner.  As we approached Delphi, he confirmed
by his cell phone with a private guide, whom we met at Delphi, that she
would guide us through the actual site.  She also did an excellent job.

Upon returning to Athens on the day long excursion, Christos showed us
where the shopping would be best and dropped us off there, offering to
wait for us but we knew we could find a cab to get back to the hotel.

On the second day, Christos was again prompt and conducted a four hour
tour of Athens, getting us to all the right places, such as the changing
of the guard, without long waits.

He did an exceptional job and we'd highly recommend his services.

Hope this was helpful.

I also used the information on your page and found it to be an excellent
guide as we found our way through Athens.  This was my fourth trip to
the city and thought I had seen most of it but your guide took us to
places I had not visited.  Thank you for such an excellent product.

Christos, George, and Panos,

We just wanted to say THANKS! for the safe trips to
and from the airport, and seeing that we were taken
care of at the hotel and the airport and not just
kicking us out of the cab on the curb.

Panos,
Thanks for the friendly conversation and tolerating
all of the questions from a first time visitor to
Athens. You really made our stay nice, and we just
wanted to let you know we appreciated it!
We hope you enjoyed your donut and coffe!
Thanks again!

John and Amy Swadner

Thanks to George for sending Nick to pick us up at the airport. He was
wonderful, and made us feel right at home in Athens. Even though we decided
to head down to Napflion and Santorini rather than stay in Athens, we're
recommending you to all our friends who are going to Greece. Thanks again.
- Alex Schuh

Dennis,

It's Doug, one of the stranded cruise passengers your rescued yesterday!

I just wanted to send you an email to thank you for your help in getting us from the airport, in booking a hotel for us, and in transfering us to the ship.  We were extremely relieved to get back onboard and we even enjoyed the day in Athens.  We did manage to find the Acropolis and even have a few souvlaki pitas and gyros near Monstiraki Square.

Thank you once again.  I know we kept you up late and had you up early and are most appreciative of your assistance.

Cheers,
Douglas Yiu

Hi Matt Barrett,
I just wanted to thank you for an excellent website. I used much of your information and advice from hiring George (actually got Nick, a wonderful driver) to staying at The Electra Palace. We loved the pool! It was the first time in Greece for my friend and I and we both absolutely loved it! We stayed on Hydra for 1 night and also took a 4 day cruise of some of the islands. Greece is so beautiful.  Thanks for making our trip easier with your website!!
Sherry Pedone
Boston, Ma

I had the privledge of having George Kokotos as my driver for 3.5 days.  He was wonderful!  There were three of us.  Actually, I only had his services for 3 days as I got very sick on and had to stay behind on the last half day trip to Cape Sounion.  He took my friends to his home and his wife cooked lunch for them.  She sent back a bowl of chicken/lemon rice for me since I had been unable to eat anything else.  If you haven't gone yet, definately hook up with George!  And tell him his "angels" from Ohio miss him!

My daughter and I used one of George's drivers, Vangelis, and although I'm sure George is wonderful, I don't see how he could possibly be better than Vangelis was!  I highly reocmmend you use George's service - especially Vangelis!

     My wife, mother, father, and I were in Greece and Turkey from late October to mid November in 2001.  Matt Barrett, who has created the page Greecetravel1@aol.com introduced me to the marvelous find of George Kokkotos.  He has a V.I.P. Taxi Service and is tagged with the distinction of "The Best Taxi Driver in Greece".  The title does not give justice to his ability!
     With the assistance of his wife, Loula,  George orchestrates a tailor-made itinerary to your desires.  In George and Loula`s younger years they lived in Melbourne, Australia and New York City.  At the price of $28 per hour you see and understand much more in a designated period of time.  When George is already booked, there is Dennis, one their sons, who is a fabulous compliment!  Dennis, a trained Physical Therapist and born in the United States, is patient and an excellent driver for his years.  He is well versed on many subjects, both in Greece and the world.
     My father is 81 and bests mobilizes with wheelchair and walker.  My mother is quite agile and healthy for her 77 years.  Both are well traveled and enjoyed their time with Dennis and George.  They were given every consideration for their years, as Greece is not well endowed with handicapped facilities.  If you are planning a trip to the Mediterranean and are in Greece, if even for a short time, I would recommend:
George Kokkotos

Hi George(my newly adopted Greek son),
Thank you,thank you,thank you for introducing Cindy,Janet and me to the
beauty and glory of Greece!You made our trip an unforgettable one!Your
extraordinary knowledge of Greek history is remarkable.I feel as if I had a
college semester in a Greek history class.I think I'll nickname you Prof.The
sprig of thyme you picked is in a little Grecian pitcher in my living
room.It still smells beautiful-the Oleander leaves are in a Grecian cup.This
vacation was a dream come true for me and a sort of pilgrimage.We love your
beautiful land ,your people(so friendly)and your food(yum-yum).Thank you
again for taking such good care of us!Regards to Dennis(he's a doll) and
Paul.I hope you went to your island and got reinvigorated.Remember,your
family and your loved ones are your real treasures.You've got to "Stop and
Smell the Roses".Carpe Diem!!
very sincerely,
Lenore Gill(Super Mom)
New Jersey,U.S.A.

HI MATT,

MY FAMILY JUST GOT BACK FROM 2 WEEKS IN GREECE.  A FEW DAYS IN THE ATHENS
AREA AND 10 DAYS ON LESVOS.  WE MADE EXTENSIVE USE OF YOUR SITE FOR OUR TRIP
AND WERE VERY HAPPY WITH OUR ADVENTURE.

IN ATHENS WE USED GEORGE'S TAXI SERVICE FOR AIRPORT  TRANSFERS AND A 1 DAY
TOUR.  ONE OF GEORGES ASSOCIATES (NICK)TOOK US ON A FULL DAY TOUR INCLUDING
A NIGHT TIME THEATRE PERFORMANCE AT EPIDARES.  NICK WAS GREAT AND VERY
HELPFUL.  HE EVEN REFRAINED FROM SMOKING IN THE MERCEDES WHILE DRIVING US
AROUND.

INLESVOS WE WENT ON THE GREEK VILLAGE TOUR, WITH ANDREANA.  A US NATIVE WITH
FAMILY ON LESVOS, ANDREANA WAS ALSO A GREAT AND KNOWLEDGABLE HOST. THIS TOUR
GAVE  US A REAL FEEL FOR A MORE TRADITIONAL GREEK ISLAND CULTURE.  WE LOVED
LESVOS, THE PEOPLE, THE WEATHER, FOOD, THE SLOWER PACE, THE BEAUTIFUL
SCENERY AND THE SAFETY WE FELT ON THE ISLAND.  MY TEENAGE KIDS HAD A GREAT
TIME AT THE CLUBS AND WILL HAVE MANY WONDERFUL MEMORIES OF THE TRIP.
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR GOOD INFORMATION.
PETER WEISBERG

Dear Christos,
My two friends and I traveled with George in June and had a wonderful time.
Would you please contact him and ask if he would mind if I put a link to his
webpage on a website I'm creating from my Greek travel.
While you are at it, thank him (and his wife) again for the soup he brought
to me in Athens while I was sick.  It took me two more days to feel better,
but we finished our trip on Crete in fine fashion!
Thank you,
Betsy Kenniston

Please pass along to George, his wife, son and colleagues our thanks for
their excellent service during our vacation to Athens and Mykonos. We were
very impressed with everything. Unfortunately, we were not able to make more
use of their services for touring around Athens and the surrounding area,
but I will certainly recommend them to friends who may someday travel to
Greece. And we will always call when we make our own visits.

We very much enjoyed Greece in spite of the horrible tragedy back here in
the USA. Thanks again for all of your help, and best wishes.

Regards,

Dave Michela
Tony Lopesio
Tom Jones
Dan Streiff
Steve Passeri
Tim Evens
Chadd Dunn
Bob Cohrs

Dear Dennis,
You the Man! As we say in America. On behalf of the
8Astronomers who went to Delphi with you and the other
driver, THANK YOU AGAIN. You treated us to a once in a
lifetime event. Your attention to detail and kind
understanding was amazing. We all enjoyed every moment
in your care. When you stopped in to check on us
Friday on the bus, we were all thrilled to see you.
You could have been a Rock Star the way everyone was
excited to see you again.

We wish you the best in all you do, and hope you will
take satisfaction in knowing you made our little group
of 7... oops, no 8, :) VERY HAPPY.

Hi George,

Anabelle and I would like to thank you for making the Athens portion of our
vacation very special.  We both hold fond memories of your lectures, though
if the truth be told, I think Anabelle slept  through that part <grin>.  We
also want to let you know we got back ok and all our loved ones are safe and
sound.  We had a wonderful trip, but obviously the events of September 11
put a damper on our trip.  It is very grim in NYC now, as you can imagine.
I used to travel to get to work through the WTC every day.  It is so sad.
Thanks again and we hope to be back sometime in the not too distant future.

Anabelle and Glenn Susser

George,

Sorry we did not have a chance to meet, but I wanted to thank you for sending Vegales in your stead.  We had such a wonderful time with him.  He was si courteous and kind.  And always looking for ways to help us during our stay.  I do not suppose we were the easiest to tour and transfer around, as we had a lot of baggage due to out sailing excursion.
He was just delightful, and we think of him and our fantastic Greek experience often.

In the wake of the World Trade Center bombings ( we arrived home the night before that happened), we are even more thankful to have had the opportunity to see some of Athens and Greece in a more settled time.

Sincerely,

Susan & Tim Kirkpatrick, travelling with Scott & Linda Hiltgen

Hi Matt - thanks for all the helpful information on your website.  My wife and I just returned from a two week trip to the Greek Isles.  We had a couple of days in Athens and, upon your recommendation, arranged for George to pick us up at the airport.

We got in two hours late (2am, local time) and fortunately our driver was still there to meet us.  George wasn't available, so he sent one of his associates, Vagelis Kollias.  Vagelis was a terrific help and we ended up hiring him for a tour of Athens the following day.  It was great riding around in a brand new, air-conditioned Mercedes and avoiding the heat of the day.  We'd highly recommend him to anyone in case George is unavailable.
Thanks again for being such an invaluable resource.

Jason & Patti Bell
Sacramento, CA

Hi George:

Just a note to thank you for making my vacation such a wonderful experience.  You, your wife Lulu and your son Nick made me feel more like a visitor to your home than a first-time visitor to your country.

Your warmth and hospitality got my vacation off to a great start.  And what can I say about Nick . . . not only was he a great conversationalist and driver, but gorgeous as well.

I would love to visit your country again, and you can be sure that when I do, you'll be the first person I call.

Thanks again!

-Gwen Carter

Hello George.Just to say thank you for your services from and
to Athens airport,we loved your sons limo!
We may have to do a flying visit to Athens airport and rather
than stay in Athens go straigt to Agios Constantinos,Locridos
to catch the Flying Dolphin.
We cannot say what date it will be but only in the next couple of
months.Could you please give an idea of cost of your service
from airport to A. Constantinos.
Thank you
Peter & Sandy Jones.

Dear Matt: Thanks for your help and advice. I used George last year for a trip to Meteorea and he was FANTASTIC! I plan to use him again, this year. Thank you so much for everything. Sincerely, Sherry

Dear Matt---All the information from your web pages was such a great help on our trip to Athens and the Pelopennese last spring--Thanks so much!! George met us at the airport and took us to Delphi the next day. When he heard we(my sister-in-law, daughter and myself) were renting a car from Swift to go to the Peloponnese for a week+ he told me the rules(understood but not written) of driving in Greece. We did great--only tried to go the wrong way once on the one way street--even getting lost in Piraeus for a couple of hours was not awful. Anyway all in all the whole experience was just about perfect--only met 3 "tacky" people--everyone else was so nice--especially in the small out of the way places on the back roads and I can't wait to come back-this time with my husband, hopefully for a longer time. So when we figure out when and where and how (the yacht sounds like a great way to get a different prospective) we'll be getting back to you-maybe next year or after the Olympics.
We are thinking about going to Floriade near Amsterdam for its 10 year flower show. Since you were such a help for my Greek trip I was wondering if you know of a "Matt Barrett-Netherlands style" web page. We have looked at many web pages but all they seem to offer are their "great" tours and we are definitely not "group tour" people. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places (I am not particularly computer literate-but I try)--anyway any help would be appreciated--thanks so much for your time--
Kathy Touchstone

Hi George, Dennis,
How are you. Hope you are getting ready for your Easter
celebrations. Have a great Easter. Hope your Business too is thriving.
Ooops forgot to remind you. I am one among the four Indians from
London who travelled with you a month ago. We had a very great time
travelling with you. Dennis treated us specially on the last two days,
stoping at beautiful spots for taking pictures and taking to nice
restaurants.

Take Care
Sree

george-thank you for such a great trip --renee and i talked at dinner
tonight how to get you more business when we get back to usa--last night we
get to paros at 1:30 and the person who was suppose to pick us up was not
there wondered the streets for an hour to find your hotel and we both
said--wish george
was here--finis williams

Home safely 24 May. You know this, but it is so true that Christos is
prompt, full of information, grants every assistance, a great driver and,
most of all, a gentleman.

Just sorry that we couldn't have met you, George.

As I understand it, Matt Barrett and family should have arrived Greece 24
May. If you have a chance to pass along our regards, please do so.

We will pass the word of your wonderful service, George the Famous Taxi
Driver.

Our trip to Greece was WONDERFUL, and as much as anything else, the warmth
and friendliness of the Greek people made our stay so rewarding. We are
already planning our return.

EFHARISTO,
Jim and Linda

Hi !

Well, we have to say you made our trip to Greece extra special. Your attention to our comfort and interests, your easy manner and fun banter and your love and knowledge of Greece were unsurpassed. We were a little nervous about the cost but really wanted a personalized tour of Athens, you certainly exceeded our expectations and was well worth every penny! Our Cruise of the Greek Islands, Venice and Istanbul was filled with wonderful memories, your tour remains one of the highlights and we will remember you fondly for many years to come.

Thank you

Dee & Andy Karski
Toronto, Canada

Dear Matt,
I just wanted to thank you for your amazing website. I just got back from my vacation in Greece and I based it mostly on the information I found on your website.
We took a half day trip to Corinth with Paul, George's partner. It was great to have someone with books in the backseat to read. Paul was so friendly and knowledgeable about the cities.
After Athens, we went to Mykonos and Santorini. Paradise on Earth. I know I do not have to explain to you the beauty. We rented a car in Santorini too! Great idea!

Anyway, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your help!
My boyfriend and I are planning our next trip to Greece already. Speak to you soon!
Take care!

THANK YOU FOR A GREAT TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DR. S. CALDERON-SITIRICHE & FAMILY
SAN JUAN
PUERTO RICO

hi george

just a few lines to thank you for the two trips we did... the service was
superb and we enjoyed the conversation.

truly an excellent service and i look forward to renewing acquaintance
during our next visit to greece - there is still so much to see!

best regards

rags

Dear George & Loula:

I wanted to Thank you once again for helping to make our stay in Greece as
pleasant as it was.

As you know, Niko and Vangelli took care of my family as if they were their
own. Traveling with my Uncle Jim, who is 76, and my son Nicholas, who is 6,
was made easier because of the kindness and care we were shown by Niko &
Vangelli.
Thanks to Niko & Vangelli we were able to tour Greece, see the sights and
most of all, enjoy the food. Niko knows every great restaurant in Greece!
They would watch after us to be sure we were both comfortable and safe, even
calling ahead to make sure the air conditioning was put on for Uncle Jim and
taking care to keep Uncle Jim out of the heat while we explored the
archealogical sights.
Not to mention the love and kindness they showed our son Nicholas, teaching
him about the archealogical sights we saw, teasing him, and hugging and
kissing him after keeping them out late as they dropped us at the door of
our hotel each night only to pick us back up early the next day, with never
a complaint of being tired and always looking sharp and well rested.
Niko and Vangelli are the absolute best!

I am sure you and George are very proud to have two wonderful, caring and
kind men as Niko and Vangelli to represent you and your service.

As promised, I will be more than honored to refer your services to family
and friends who are planning to come to Greece in the future.

I hope to come back to Greece again, and when we do, you can bet you will
hear from us!

Again thank you for Niko and Vangelli and the kindness they showed my
family, I will always hold them in my prayers and wish only the best for
them.

Our best wishes to you and your family.
Kind Regards,
Fondly,
Denise McMahon

GEORGE AND COMPANY,,,

I USED YOU GUYS THIS PAST FEB/MAR,,, AND WOULD LIKE TO AGAIN... I'LL BE BACK
IN ATHENS AROUND THE SAME TIME IN 2003,,, AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU'RE
OPEN... IT'LL PROBABLY BE THE FIRST THURSDAY IN MARCH,, BUT I STILL HAVE TO
CHECK...

I'N NEED A TO/FROM FROM THE AIRPORT AS WELL AS A DAY TRIP TO EITHER CORINTH
OR DELPHI...

YOUR SON DID AN EXCELLENT JOB,,, AND I WAS MORE THAN PLEASED WITH THE PRICE
AS WELL AS SERVICE...

THIS IS ALL PRELIMINARY,,, BUT I AM COMING,, I JUST WANT YOU TO GET MY
MONEY,,, NOT SOMEONE ELSE...

THANKS,,,

PAT BROGAN

Matt:

My grandaughter graduated from high school this year and I promised her a trip to Greece (her father is Greek and her grandmother came from just outside of Athens.) By pure chance I came upon your website and found it very helpful. Although I had been to Greece several times and fell in love with it, this time I was going without my husband and felt a little intimidated. Your suggestions made it easier for me to make my plans and George the Taxi Driver was the perfect solution to three (I also took my daughter) woman on their own to do some sightseeing and be transported from/to the airport and to/from Piraeus.

Not only was he prompt, but he was very informative and courteous. It was such a relief seeing his familiar face when we returned from Paros on the ferry. The pier was so crowded we didn't think we would find him, but sure enough he was waiting by the gangplank!!! (THE REASON FOR OUR TRIP TO PAROS WAS BECAUSE YANNI KATSOULAKOS IS MY SON-IN-LAW'S FIRST COUSIN). When I saw your recommendation for his all-night club, I had no idea he was a partner in that concern as well as the one across the way. It was great fun and he was so grateful for the plug.

Not only did I recommend him to our travel agent, but I also recommended your website, although this agency is very intimidated by the internet.

Thanks again and hopefully next year my husband and I will return to Greece, perhaps this time to another location. I would like to go to Corfu and take the ferry to Albania, which is my father's homeland. I've also been there, but it was very primitive and I guess things have not improved much yet.

Rebecca Lilly

PS

We stayed at the same hotel you were at in Athens and I left a note of thanks for you at the desk. I'm not sure you received it. We also met your friend Peter (from San Francisco) on the elevator.

PPS This was my first time using the internet and your site made it so easy that I have become more at ease about doing more planning, buying, and using it as a resource.

Dear George, Dennis and Chris, Thank you all for your hospitality and providing RobinAnn and I with piece of mind. We had a beautiful time and look forward to visiting again. If you are ever in New York City please conatct us via e-mail or by phone 646-286-2830. Thank you all again and best wishes and good health. Yours, Michele McGonigle

Hi Matt just a short note to say thank you, your site has helped me and my wife have another great holiday in Greece, we also used George's taxi. Picked up by Nick he was just great,
Anyway Matt thanks again Best wishes John & Jane Bratley

Dear George and Loula.

Thank you for making our vacation in Greece so memorable. It was a wonderful way to see the mainland. We
enjoyed meeting Nick, Christo and of course, George!

I do not know if Christo told you or not, but I left my purse (money,
passport, plane ticket, etc.) in his car when he dropped the 3 of us off at
the airport at 5:00 AM. If course when I realized what I had done, I
panicked only to find out that Christo came back and gave my purse to
someone in my party. What a relief when I found out as I was trying to call
you! I would hate to think if we had used a normal taxi in Greece but am so
glad we used you! Please convey my appreciation to Christo and he is my
hero!

Thank you very much!

Sharon Inamoto

George - I am finally back in the US, and I wanted to write and say thank
you for a most enjoyable tour. The trip to Sounion was my favorite part of
our trip to Europe, and the meal in the taverna was excellent... exactly
what I expected. Thank you for giving my daughter such a wonderful tour of
your beautiful country.

Efharisto,

Jim and Elizabeth Bohn  

Hi Matt!

I just came back from Greece and wanted to tell you
what a big help your web site was for me!  I went for
the Athens Marathon and had a great time!  My cousin
used your site, too, when she went to Greece in May.
We both agreed that getting George, the best taxi
driver in Greece, to pick us up at the airport was the
smartest and least stressful way to get into town.

Thanks - Elizabeth Kelley

Dear George,

I just wanted to thank you for the excellent service you provided my husband
and I during our trip to Athens last week-end.

We will certainly use you when we visit again and will recommend you to any
one else we know travelling to Athens.

Kind regards,
Helen Leary

George,

This is just a note to say thank you for the wonderful trip to Delphi
and Meteora.  Peggy, Maggie and I had a great time.  I wish that we had
known about your service before our travel agent booked our half-day
overview of Athens.  Although our guide was fairly knowledgeable, her
voice was not strong enough to be heard outside and more time was wasted
getting everyone on and off the bus than actually touring Athens.  Next
time we'll know who to contact first!

Again, many thanks for a great tour.  I hope you were able to get your
Thanksgiving turkey without problem.

Sincerely,

Ken & Peggy P'Pool
Maggie Speight

Hello there.

Just wanted to write and tell you how much we enjoyed spending time with
your son Dennis.  I wish we could find someone like him every time we travel.  He
made things so enjoyable and easy for us.  I'll certainly recommend your
service to anyone I know who is planning a trip to Greece.  Thank you again.

Three more Americans that consider you a friend.
Ron, Linda and Jennifer Speer

Matt. Thank you for great guide. Also, thank you for recommending George.
After reading about him on your website, I booked his services and boy am I glad we did. We arrived or the Oriana in Pireaus in the middle of a thunderstorm which abated enough for us to be met by George and his famous taxi. He told us the night before, they had had hailstones the size of golf balls. Many cars had their windows smashed.
He took us round the sights and then recommended a place to eat at the Plaka where incidentally they did the finest chips (french fries) I have tasted for a while!
We came out and boy did it start. Thunder and lightning (very very frightening!) every few seconds and the most massive downpour I have ever encountered. In minutes, it was impossible to walk about. We didn't get to see the Plaka because the road was like a river. My friend dropped his camera crossing the street and it got washed away.It was like being in the middle of a monster monsoon.
We asked George to take us back to the ship and on the way, the weather got worse. As we headed downhill towards the port, we saw about 30 yards in front of us cars stranded with water halfway up them. George swung the taxi round and somehow we struggled back up the road which by now resembled a waterfall.We hit something like a manhole cover under the water. Quickly, the city became gridlocked.Cars were washed away in the river and we were hardly moving. "Now we are in big trouble" said George.Still it thundered and lightened.
It was so bad, that some passengers had to walk 6 miles back to the ship sometimes waist deep in water because the trains had stopped. It was difficult crossing the roads without being washed away.
Somehow, George got us safely back to the ship on time. The ship had been held up for an hour because a man had been taken ill.
Conditions were so bad, it took George six hours to get home! He is a star. I get the feeling that if we had been stranded, as we were, without passports or much cash, George would have taken care of it. He said it was the worst weather he could ever remember. What a day for us to choose!
He is a great bloke whose only concern was for his passengers. God bless you George. May Athena watch over you as she did us that day. Hope to meet you again some day.

David Dutton, Lancashire, England

To our favorite Greece Guides:

Just a big thank you to you all for the great service you gave the Hoskins
Group.  We are all still talking of the great time we all had.  Thanks for
putting up with our humor and we already have shared your email addresses
with our friends the Duncan's planning a trip to Greece next month.

We hope you all will get some business from them too.  When I get the photos
developed I will email you all a copy of you with our group.

Kindest regards,
Donna and Tom Torrens

George,
Thank you again for your excellent tours in Greece last week. I have just
added my Greece trip to the travel pages on my personal website, along with
a reference for you at the bottom of the lead-in page. Please don't hesitate
to use me as a reference for any of your potential customers.

The first Greece travel page is at:
http://www.mackeyinc.com/Greece%201_03.htm

The home page is at:
www.mackeyinc.com

The "What's New" page is an index of all the latest additions to the site:
http://www.mackeyinc.com/What's%20new.htm

Wayne Mackey

Dear George and Dennis,

I wrote Matt Barrett a thank you and asked him to pass along my words to
you.  I don't doubt that he will, but I wanted to say thank you directly to
you as well.

I did not have the privilege to meet you, George, but my family and I were
fortunate to meet your incredible son, Dennis.  I can't tell you how much my
family and I appreciate all that you did for us, Dennis.

Our trip was planned last minute so we were at a bit of a loss about what to
do and see.  I had told my father about your services in advance, but he was
busy with work so we had to call you from the Frankfurt Airport.  We were
surprised to discover you were available and eternally grateful as well.  We
were exhausted and in a daze when we arrive so to see Dennis' smiling face
at the airport was a great relief.

Due to our last minute planning, we didn't know what we would have time to
see during our stay.  The trips Dennis planned for us were fantastic, you
really maximized our short stay in Greece.  I am still in awe at the things
I saw - from the Temple of Poseidon to Meteora.  You knew so much about
everything we were seeing and could answer all of our questions, even if it
was just what does the writing on that truck say?

Thank you for all that you did and I apologize for how quiet we were in the
car sometimes.  We can talk so much we sometimes run out of things to say!

We have fallen in love with Greece, and it was you, Dennis, that did most of
the courting!  We are already planning a trip back, probably to sail some of
the islands.  I usually don't like to return to a place I've traveled -
there are so many wondrous countries in this world and sites I have yet to
see.  However, Greece has taken hold of me and I can't imagine never
returning again.  My heart was breaking as the plane took off and I watched
the islands slip away until they were masked by the clouds.

I gave you my information here in the states and I sincerely hope that you
use it.  If you are ever here in Los Angeles or San Francisco, our homes are
open to you.  We would love to share our cities with you and do as you did
for us - share more about a place than can ever be learned in a book.

Please feel free to contact me about anything.  I will be passing along your
information to anyone I know who plans a trip to Greece as I only wish good
fortune and a bright future for you and your family.

Kind regards, forever in your debt,

Erin K. O'Brien (and my father, Vince and Tim, my boyfriend)

Christos, could you forward this to Dennis?  I lost his card but wanted him to get our feedback.

George, I wanted to tell you about the great day we had with your son in Athens.  He was courteous, knowledgable, and ensured we were able to get to see all of the sites in Athens that we could in our limited time.  He was even able to recommend a good place for Gyros, Souvlaki, and Baklava outside of the Plaka!

Best of all Dennis' tour included not only the sights but the history of your wonderful country as well -- certainly a bonus we were appreciative of given our limited knowledge of Greek history.

Thanks again and Thanks to you, Dennis, for doing such a wonderful job for our tour!  We will certainly recommend your services to all of our friends and in reviews of our trips posted online.

Your friends, Sue, John, Patrick, and Steve

George:
Just let me say....what a pleasure it was to have used your taxi service.
Both gentlemen were extremely professional and delightful to deal with.  I
will be glad to recommend your service to anyone I know that will be
traveling to Athens.  Thanks again and I wish you a prosperous Olympics.
Alex Johns

Dear George, One of the highlights of our cruise was the tour of Athens with
your son Dennis. His knowledge and personality made for a memorable day that
we will not forget. From the time he picked us up at the dock until our
return we did and saw so much more than what  the cruise line offered at a
very reasonable price. Please thank Dennis from the six of us for a great
time. Sincerely Rene and Jeanette Laporte

George;

Just returned to California last night.  Just wanted to let you know what a
wonderful time we had with you a week ago today.  Thanks for all you
hospitality.  We will definitely recommend you to any friends headed your
way!

Best regards,

Steve

George,

Just want to say "Thank You"  for honoring this agreement we made even
though there was a Taxi strike that day, and we were several hours late due
to engine trouble with the airplane.

We were beginning to think that maybe we wouldn't get to see Athens!

Efkharisto Poli,
Michele

Hi Matt ,I just found your web page whilst surfing the net . As I have had
a longing to get away from life in the U.K for a long time I found your
imformation ,pictures and articles so interesting . You seem to be doing
the things most of us only dream about!  Thanks for giving me some ideas
for the future .................regards Steve

Thanks, Matt.  When I was in Athens this last December I found myself in the middle of a taxi strike when I was supposed to get my flight home.  So, I went to your site, then called George and I was at the airport in an hour!  That tip alone was worth more than you'll ever know!  Cheers, Richard

Absolutely Fantastic! What a terrific experience! Elegently attired in suit,
tie and overcoat, George met us at dockside, whisked us to the Acropolis and
several other landmarks, waited patiently while we browsed the central
market and shopped the Plaka and Psiris areas, all while education us with
an entertaining monologue on Greek history, culture, the Olympics and
more...plus got us back to dockside on time. We have every intention of
revisiting Greece and engaging him for one of his several day Athens &
Beyond tours next year.

Thanks again, Matt.

Gary & Terry McMullen

Hi George.

  Victoria ,Bryce and I would like to thank you for the professional and
friendly service we had from you on our trip to Greece.
  The driver who picked us up and dropped us off at the airport was very
courteous.I am sorry I can not remember his name.
  Dennis was a great guide on our trip to Delphi and it was a pleasure
meeting you at the Taverna. The food was exceptional.
  Mikas was also a real tour guide when we went to Souion. He went out of
his way to stop so we could take pictures. He also stopped at a wonderful
Taverna so we could have lunch by the sea.
   Because of Matt Barrett and you we are already planning our next trip!!
   We hope to come back in either June 2005 or September 2005. We will spend
two days in Athens and then charter a sailboat and visit some of the islands
for 5 or 6 days. We will be bringing 6 others with us, we hope.
    Thanks again for all you good service  and say hello for us to your
staff.

                                    Sincerely,

                                      Rich Victoria and Bryce Wiseman

Hello George and Loula,

How are you two doing? And the boys? Hope all is going well!

I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for your hospitality. You
two are wonderful!

Loula - you are such a lovely lady, inside and out! Thank you so much
for opening your home to four traveling Americans. You definitely have
the gift of hospitality Loula. You made us feel very welcome. It was a
great memory of our Greece trip. Thank you so much!

George - Don calls you our Greek historian! Whenever we share our Greek
adventures wi