Chris Gravas

Chris was amazing from start to finish! He was very patient and fully understood our expectations for this trip. During our trip he made sure everything ran smoothly. Totally worth it and I can’t wait to work with him again for future trips.

I am thrilled I found KimKim and was lucky enough to work with Chris. My overall experience was excellent and I have recommended KimKim to several friends since using it.

Chris was our main point of contact. He was incredibly accommodating and helpful during the planning process. I have never used a travel agent before and this was a really good first experience. I made several changes early on in accommodations and Chris made sure to listen to concerns and try to find a solution. We did have two hiccups on the trip. Our hotel reservations were not for the correct on the last day (which the hotel helped us fix by finding accommodations at a sister hotel but we did loose half a day trying to figure out the arrangement) and one of the tours was not what we had signed up for and had a different focus than what we intended (but the tour guide was very helpful and rearranged so we were able to see some of the sites we had planned on seeing). However, those are just two of many moving parts and we were really happy with how smoothly the trip went.

All of the transports were excellent and on time. The hotels were perfect for our family. The Heredion Hotel apartment was spacious and had a lovely balcony. The only draw back was that it smelled like cigarette smoke and they would only give us one key so when our group split up we had to wait for the other party to come back before we could enter. Having two keys would be recommended. A highlight was the rooftop - where we had drinks and looked out on the Acropolis. On Naxos we stayed a the Galaxy - which we enjoyed. The Galaxy was a little smaller than we were expecting and one room had an issue with ants -but the location was ideal, the staff was incredibly warm and helpful and we would absolutely stay there again.

Our tour guide Georgina was a gem! It was the highlight for our children and she was so thoughtful and intelligent. She spent a wonderful afternoon talking about mythology with our kids and while we covered enormous ground, she never rushed us. On Naxos we took a cooking class with Katrina and her mother Maria and we loved the time we spent in their home. It was fun and interesting - and super delish. We have even made some of the recipes here at home. Out tour guide on Naxos was a certified guide and she was also very knowledgeable of the Island and the mythology.

The initial planning gets 5 stars, our guides and transports get 5 stars, our hotels were excellent and Chris, our trip planner was amazing. We look forward to using KimKim again.

Hotel Reviews

Galaxy Hotel Naxos

Naxos

The rooms were a little smaller than we had anticipated (three of our children shared a room that was pretty tight). However, everything else about this hotel was excellent. Wonderful location, beautiful pool, very plentiful breakfast. The rooms were clean and the showers were modern. The best part of the stay was the staff. They were very helpful. On our last day as we headed out to the beach they let us know that the tour guide had not booked that night. There was a mix up and we didn't have rooms for the last night. However, they quickly tried to resolve the issue and found a room at a nearby hotel for half of our party and the other half was able to stay in their room. We really appreciated their help and the guidance they gave us about seeing different beaches on the island.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Herodion Hotel

Acropolis, Athens

Staff was very welcoming. We rented the family apartment and it was spacious with a wonderful balcony. The kitchen was fully stocked and the bathrooms were beautiful. Our favorite is the roof top bar - such an amazing view. A few little things for improvement: There was only one key and when we asked for two they were unable to give us another one. That meant that when our group split up we had to coordinate access to the apartment. Also the lights in the hall and stairway were out the time we were there and it was very dark. The apartment also smelled of cigarette smoke. Finally - we ordered vegetarian to go lunches. We confirmed that they were vegetarian. They were not vegetarian.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Greek God for a Day - Family Friendly

Naxos

This ended up being a really nice tour. However, the tour we thought we were getting (which focused more on mythology) was not the one the tour guide thought she was giving. The tour that was planned was a little more for younger children and less focused on the mythology of the island - which we were really interested in. That being said, once we realized the disconnect, our guide was super accommodating and made arrangements to visit at least one temple (the one we really wanted to see). She was luckily a licensed guide and she was very knowledgeable. We were so luck to have had her. We visited a farm/petting zoo. We probably could have shortened that part - but the kids had fun and the Owner was hilarious. He had such a welcoming manner and he and his pet sheep were very entertaining. Our lunch was delicious - perhaps one of the best of the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traditional Cooking at a Naxian Village Home

Naxos

We had a great driver who gave us lots of background information on the countryside. Our cooking class with Katrina and Maria was wonderful. Not too rushed, but we did quite a bit. We all really enjoyed the food and our instructors made the class interesting to all of us (adults and kids). It felt like visiting with old friends when we sat around and ate lunch. Highly recommend this class to anyone!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

- Acropolis and Mythology Tour

Athens

Georgina was the best! Out of an entire week in Greece - this was one of our favorite activities. Georgina was very knowledgeable, adapted to our questions and interests, and had a wonderful way of sharing information. We covered so much of the old part of the city and learned so much.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I am finally getting my life back to order after our whirlwind 10 day tour in Italy with our young adult grandchildren.
Overall, It was a good travel experience but there were some glitches.
Because we are seniors it was sometimes a challenge to do some activities together but we were able to find middle ground and had some wonderful experiences. The kids enjoyed having free time to explore the cities. We had wonderful dinners together and enjoyed taking in the unique architecture and vibe of each city.
On our arrival to Venice we had some confusion about how find the Water Taxi and had to walk very far with our baggage at the dock. But, it was finally resolved by a phone call to Maria. Thankfully our rooms were ready when we arrived! Time to rest before a private tour of the St Mark's area that was very good.
We had free time on the first evening and I had reserved tickets for the opera at Palazzo Musica. Fabulous . A highlight of our trip!! Also , traveling by Vaporetto and Seeing San Marco lit up at night is magical.
The Gondola ride was not what I would call romantic but, a lot of fun for all of us to experience once in one's life!
Our Private Tour guide, Frederica , in Venice was wonderful and had great rapport with all of us. Going to Murano, Burana and then a Bacari evening was especially good because of her knowledge of the area, her enthusiasm and flexibility.
The afternoon private tour at the Jewish Ghetto was very interesting and moving with a well informed docent. . Another guide accompanied us to go there on the water taxi and then she left. She never told us when or where to get the taxi back. A call to Maria resolved that.

On to Florence;
The train ride was comfortable and short. The hotel was well situated to walk to most things.
The tours in Florence to the Uffizi and Accademia would have been better if the groups were smaller. The museums were very crowded. My husband had trouble keeping up with the groups fast pace and had to drop out. We would have preferred private tours.
The dinner at which we had planned to celebrate our grandson's Birthday at the winery was not exactly what I had hoped for . The tour of the facility was interesting but it was a very big group and the dinner was very focused on the selling of wine with order blanks and pens at table settings. . Food was good but, the birthday cake I had ordered was served too late , after the sales pitch was over, and people had left the tables. The waiters had cut up the beautiful fruit tart for everyone and hardly anyone stayed to eat it. It was disappointingly served as an afterthought .
After our evening bus ride back to Florence we needed to get a Taxi which was a very far distance from where we were dropped off. It was quite late and very difficult , especially for my husband , to walk there. The tour guide showed us the way but she walked very fast. I think the bus should have dropped us off at the Bus station.

By comparison, the wine tasting lunch in Chianti ,where we met the kids on their Bike Tour bike tour stop, was delightful. We were a small group of 7 and there was no pressure to buy wine. Lunch was good and relaxing. It would have been a better venue to celebrate our grandson's birthday. They enjoyed the bike tour as well.
The next day , a planned private tour to Tuscany with a taxi driver was more focused on yet another wine tasting than seeing the area and towns of Sienna and San Gimignano in depth. The tour guide was with us for about an hour in Sienna. My granddaughter and I toured the interesting church while my grandson went to climb the tower and my husband sat alone in the Palio space. We were surprised that the guide did not continue with us on to Sean Gimignano. The driver left us to explore the souvenir shops on our own for about 40 minutes. I suspect there was more to see and know about than we did .
The food market tour and cooking class in Florence was fun. Nice people. Good teacher. We made great pasta . We were supposed to receive the recipes by e-mail but they have not yet come.
We visited the Ferragamo Museum on our own . It was just the right size , not crowded, and very interesting, especially for my designer granddaughter!
Unfortunately our last morning did not go well. We had written instructions to meet the driver to go the airport at 7:30 AM.
We gulped down fast cups of coffee and took our bags , one at a time , in a tiny elevator down 4 flights to the street.
The taxi didn't show up so I called Maria and she said it was scheduled for 8:30 pickup. She suggested we go back inside. That was not a good idea to make the difficult trip back up 4 flights. We were quite upset.
The Taxi finally did arrive at 8:30 .
Overall I think there needed to be better communication with the taxi services we used.

Everything about our trip to Greece was exceptional, thanks to Chris. He clearly used the planning phase of our collaboration to understand us and what we might enjoy. Every hotel, tour guide, activity, and reservation was perfect - and extra details made the trip easy and luxe for us. Chris booked not only great hotels, but the best room in the great hotels. He chose the best seats on airplanes and the ferry, the most exceptional tours and guides, fantastic drivers - the list is endless. We commented over and over about how Chris' expertise and professionalism were the things that made our trip so special. We moved around a lot over ten days, and it never seemed difficult or taxing. We recommend kim kim and Chris highly.

Hotel Review

Sweet Home Hotel

Athens

It was just lovely. The hotel was well located, well appointed, and provided exceptional personal service. Staying at the Sweet Home Hotel certainly enhanced our trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Acropolis Guided Tour

Athens

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The trip was amazing. The farm in Sorrento, boas ride, everything top notch.

Hotel Review

Hotel Villa Gabrisa

Positano

This hotel was perfect. The room, the view and the people. Also one of the best artichokes I ever had at the restaurant.

Authenticity & Character

Location

The view

Staff

So friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cooking class in Sorrento

Italy

This was my favorite part of our trip. Thus farm and family was perfect. My sister and I cooked and ate in the kitchen with the family.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

When I began the planning process for our trip to Italy months ago I was referred to KimKim. One of the best recommendations I have ever received! I began working with Chris who worked with me for weeks to come up with the perfect trip, the perfect tours and the perfect accommodations. Chris was super easy to communicate with and work with and he was very responsive to all my questions. We spent 12 days in Italy visiting Naples, Rome, Florence and Venice. From the minute we arrived to the minute we left we knew that Chris and Maria, our wonderful Italy contact, had everything under control! Every reservation, every tour, every hotel transfer, every train ride, water taxi ride, etc. was planned out with precision. No one was ever late, no tour guide was anything less than absolutely amazing, and all of our hotel accommodations exceeded our expectations. I will not hesitate to use KimKim for all of our future travel. They simply made it so easy and so enjoyable! Kudos to Chris and Maria for making this trip to Italy truly the trip of a lifetime!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel White

Rome, Italy

During my three-night stay in Rome, I stayed at Hotel White. The hotel was not my favorite as it felt too modern and not authentic to Italy. One meal recommendation from the concierge was disappointing. Not particularly impressed but it served the purpose.

Authenticity & Character

A bit too modern for my taste ... especially in Italy. I was expecting more "old world charm"!

Location

Really IS in the middle of everything!

Staff

Do not ask the front desk for restaurant recommendations!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Olimpia

Venice

In Venice, I stayed at Hotel Olimpia for two nights. The hotel was charming and unique, located on the fifth floor with a cozy atmosphere. Ours was the only room of the floor and almost felt like being in a cottage. The breakfasts were delightful, and overall, it was a fantastic stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel de La Ville

Florence

We were traveling with our daughter and the accommodations (for 3) were perfect! Beautiful hotel! Great location! Breakfast was amazing! Staff very professional and helpful!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Palazzo Caracciolo Napoli - MGallery

Naples

We were traveling with our daughter and the accommodations (for 3) were perfect! Beautiful hotel! Great location! Breakfast was amazing! Staff very professional and helpful!

Authenticity & Character

Beautifully appointed!

Location

Close to everything!

Staff

Very helpful!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The entire property was clean and inviting ... very nice to "come home to" after a day of Naples ;)

Activity Reviews

Colosseum - Palatine Hill - Roman Forum

Rome

The tour guides were extremely informative, and I enjoyed every moment of it. It was a wonderful experience.

Pompeii guided tour & wine tasting paired with food on Mt. Vesuvius

Naples

The tour was fantastic, and the guides were very knowledgeable. The wine tasting was great, and overall, I had no complaints.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a wonderful time on our Italy trip. Both Chris and Maria went above and beyond to make sure that all of the details of the trip were perfect. We really loved the authentic nature of our hotels, and our guides throughout the various activities could not be beat. We also appreciated the recommendations for restaurants and other activities. We would definitely recommend Chris and Marina for anyone’s upcoming Italian holiday.

Superb - that was our experience with Chris and Maria Grazia of the Italy team.  Upon first reaching out to KimKim we were immediately connected to Chris.  He understood our hopes and preferences and compiled extraordinary hotel accommodations in four cities.  Along with Maria Grazia, he set up the right-fit tour guides and transportation for us.  Maria Grazia supplied daily detailed information with names and connections.  Midway through our two week Italy stay, we switched plans and Maria Grazia fully understood and reacted quickly to make other plans for us. Chris suggested an online meeting before we left our Boston home to review our specialized itinerary  which proved extremely worthwhile and allowed us to make a face-to-face connection.  Thanks to the Whatsapp application we had both Chris and Maria Graze in our pockets 24 hrs. per day.  We did have some off-hours communication that both Chris and Maria Graze accepted helpfully and graciously - they both possess a great sense of humor.  We could not more strongly recommend KimKim and the extraordinary Chris and Maria Grazia.