Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: First Choice - July 2007
Opinion submitted in August 2007 by : Hibbins ( 36, 12)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Lovely place to go to relax, not an awful lot to do but swim in the sea or pools & relax on your sun bed.
Very clean rooms, cleaned every day.
Food good but you have to try things out not just stick to chips!!!!
First Choice staff not very good, entertainment was rubbish, more interested in entertaining themselfes.
Would recommend El Passo bar (German reps) much more fun.
Very good holiday, going back soon
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: Eclipse - July 2007
Opinion submitted in August 2007 by : 36,35,8,7
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
As soon as you arrive at the Petra Mare you know that you are going to be in for a good time. After the lenghtly transfer from the airport, We arrived at 11.15pm to a smooth fast check in, plus a buffet and drinks available until we wished to retire to or beds.
Just going by a quick browse of the complex We knew that we had nothing to worry about the Petra Mare, despite some of the previous reviews.
Our room was spacious overlooking the sea. The cleaners do an excellent job at keeping your room and the hotel in good shape.
Reception staff were friendly enough and spoke good English. Infact all the staff worked extra hard to make sure that you won't be disappointed.
The food was good for AI with plenty of choice and new things to try like Snails! If you really don't like the look of the food you can always make a roll of ham or cheese salad at the snack bar. Pizza and chips is also a daily option. Some friends that we met were vegetarians and they were very impressed with the choice on vegetarian options available to them. As with all AI the food does get repetitive, but trying to keep 800 people (Of different nationalities) at any one time happy is going to be an impossible task anyway.
If you fancy a snack away from the hotel. Head 10-15 mins walk towards the town and go to a bar called 'Cafe On The Rocks.' This place should satisfy your appetite.
The water slides are great and the life guards very helpful. If you like these slides go to the trip at the water park. It is a long excursion but worth it if you have young children.
The entertainment team worked hard to give you their best performances. In all the First Choice Holidays that we have been on these were the best so far. Most nights they would involve all the audience. There was no dull karaoke. But if the First Choice entertainment is not what you have in mind. There is a bar for the more relaxed inside the hotel. Or go up past the water slides to the 'Al Paso' bar which is for those people wanting to dance the night away until 2.00am.
Whilst we were there we used the water sports on the beach a few times. Now I have to mention about the beach, talk about a beach on your door step! This one is literally like going out into your back garden, it's that close.
We would recommend everyone to go on the 'Banana Express' which goes out everyday at 2.00pm.
Also the 'Squabs' are great family fun. The water sports are a bit pricey but believe me you won't have much more needs to spend your money on, so spoil yourself.
The trip to 'Chrissi Island' is well worth a visit just to see it's natural unspoilt beauty of golden sands and crystal clear ocean.
Oh yes not forgetting to mention your wonderful Kids Club Reps. Again the hotel is blessed to have such a hard working team of First Choice Reps at the Petra Mare.
This bunch exceeded our expectations by far!
We would definitely return to this hotel with no hesitations. You would have to pick hard to find fault with this accomodation, but each to their own I suppose.
To anybody going ENJOY!!
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: first choice july 2007
Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : michelle hampshire
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
just got back after 1 week at this hotel having read the reviews i was a bit worried, i shouldnt have worried it was lovely the hotel was spotless and rooms basic but very comfortable, air conditioning was very good as the weather was in the 40s and much needed.The food was very good and especially the salads and deserts very nice indeed,the only negative comment i can make is the resturant isnt air conditioned so if the outside dining area was full you felt very hot and uncomfortable eating inside. The swimming pools were excellent and were emptied and cleaned whilst we were there.
All in all a lovely holiday and i feel dosnt deserve the negative comments its recieved in the past.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: First Choice - July 2007
Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : Donald & Andrea Harper - Glasgow (43 ,43, 15,8)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Used first choice for the first time and to say I was impressed is an understatement. from the moment we arrived the staff and reps could not have been more helpful. book a sea view it is a must. Food ok always found something to our liking, breakfasts was supberb a great choice. can understand why they use plastic cups as many parents used the reps as 12hr babysitters dont know how they coped with the constant attention being craved by unsupervised kids.
as for the entertainment team what can I say they worked tirelesly in extreme heat from about 10am to 11pm with few breaks organizing daytime activities and rehersing for shows in truth the four entertainment reps did a fantastic job no matter what they were doing they still found time to stop and talk to you. put on funny shows and got good audience particapation by the end of the first week we were on first name terms with them all they did a wonderful job in fact it was the entertainment team that made our holiday first choice should keep all four of them together as they worked really well together If I could I would certainly take my family back before the season ended. they made that much of an impact on our holiday
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: first choice - June 2007
Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : Eccles - stourbridge (42, 38, 11, 9)
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
A very clean hotel, well laid out.
There are 3 pools, a large swimming pool, a lazy river with a section in the middle for the slides and shutes and a further pool for the little ones with climbing stuff and fountains etc. In the two weeks we was there we saw all three pools emptied and cleaned. Lifeguards were on duty the whole time the pools were open. Maids came in every day to clean, staff were very helpful and friendly, my youngest was sick one night and had missed the toilet my husband went to fetch a mop and bucket but they insisted the maid came up and cleaned up for us and she wouldnt accept any money for her trouble just said "no problem". Very impressed.
The food was repetative and a bit of a mish mash but all of it was eatable, and it was very nice eating out on the terrace watching the sea. A short walk along the beach took you into the local shopping area with the usual trinket shops. Did find the entertainment lacking in experience (for want of a better phase) But did find out the reps had only been out there 4 months (none had suntans)which probably explains a lot. My friend asked if they was going to do any daytime pool activities and the rep replied that there wasnt enough people there (well it was June!)Did find some of the British families behaviour, both adult and children a lot to be desired but found a more relaxing and enjoyable night could be had at the el paso bar which is located at the far end of the hotel, just passed the kiddies pool.
On both our arrival and departure from the hotel we didnt see a first choice rep apart from having a postcard pushed under the room door telling us of their welcome party and our flying /pickup time for all they know we could still be there.........
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: May 2007
Opinion submitted in August 2007 by : 45, 35, 12, 10
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
This was our 2nd trip to this hotel and although the hotel and resort are good I am afraid that we did not enjoy our holiday so much this time. I have to say that I think that First Choice have probably had a lot to do with this. There were some plus points as once again we did make friends with some good people.
On the negative side the entertainment was lacking at all times of day and it did appear that even the kids reps were not really interested in the kids. Also there did not appear to be a lot of protection for the guests from drunken yobs, and one such episode led to some good people that we had made friends with leaving the hotel, to go elsewhere on the island. For this they had to pay extra and even had to find their own way there.
Finally on the way home when I asked for some water on the plane (as you are advised to drink plenty), I was told that they had sold out on the way out. When I questioned why they had not restocked at Heraklion I was told that they did not do this. In these days of customer satifaction being priority I am sad to say that First Choice have not got a clue and need to pull their socks up.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: First Choice - May 2007
Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : 31, 29, 3
Resort Rating: Poor
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
1. The outbound flight stopped at Gatwick. We were not previously advised of this. We had been on the aircraft for 4 hours before we were even offered a drink, and 5 hours before we were served our in-flight meal. There were lots of children on the aircraft and having to wait this amount of time is DISGUSTING. We were not even offered any water while we waited and the duty free and gift trolley came before the drinks.
2. My 35 month old son contracted gastroenteritis a week into the holiday. He was vomiting in the middle of the night and then fine the next day. The next night he had diahorrhea in the middle of the night which dirtied the sheets again but only slightly as he ran to the toilet. Please bear in mind that my son has been dry during the day and night since last August, which is 9 months ago. The next morning we called the doctor to see him as he was vomiting all day. He woke up and vomited in bed again. My partner took the sheets down to reception to request some clean ones. The receptionist was extremely rude and said she had many complaints about our room and that, quote "the baby piss the bed". I found this rudeness and the comment very upsetting and went straight to the first choice office to make a complaint. This is a family hotel, do they not understand that children of any age have accidents. My little boy did not "piss the bed" he was sick and poorly. I went and bought some nappies as suggested and my little boy cried his heart out and was absolutely devastated by this. Would they suggest nappies for a five year old? Or an older child? How about an adult? How degrading can it get? He may have not been so poorly if the toilets near the evening entertainment had been kept clean and had soap in the dispensers to wash your hands. They were DISGUSTING and the floor was always wet through.
3. The pumps for the lager at the snack bar were obviously filthy as when you poured a drink you got floating black bits in your cup, which made us feel SICK.
4. The food was absolutely bland and very very very repetitive every single day. There was bacon on only once for breakfast in two weeks and for the last three days they had run out of beans. The kids food counter in the restaurant should have not bothered as all they put on it was hot dogs and chips (the same as the snack bar had on all day) and meatballs. Some of the guests suggested various other foods for the children to the chef but no notice was taken. All in all very, very poor and a complete disappointment. We ate out when we could but we had not brought a huge amount of money, as you don't expect to have to eat out every night when you are all inclusive. This spoilt our holiday.
5. On the Petra Mare website it show pictures of a jungle gym/wacky warehouse play area and also a play area with toys and small ride on toys to play with. We asked but none of these facilities were at the hotel. Also on the website it shows a park like play area in the kids pool, only half of which is actually really there. ANOTHER LET DOWN.
6. We personally did not use the kids club but we were shocked when the other guests who used them had to pay for most of the activities. For example "bugs bunny's birthday party" which was for 4 hours at a cost of 12 euros, bugs bunny turned up for the last ten minutes. What a rip off? I thought that First Choice was a family holiday and the kids clubs were part of the holiday and as advertised on the website FREE. They were charging for nearly every session.
7. The entertainment reps were all in their first year bar one of them so they had no experience and it showed. Only one of them could sing and even she wasn't very good. They hardly bothered getting dressed up at all. Everyone was cringing for them when they got up on the stage, surely First Choice give them an audition before taking them on??? Really not worth watching and ANOTHER LET DOWN. Absolutely terrible. The only positive point was when they did a quiz and stopped singing. They were more interested in getting drunk after they finished and going into the next resort until 6am than doing the job they are paid for.
8. We went home exhausted due to lack of sleep. The hotel has long corridors outside the rooms and people are constantly up and down them at all hours, shouting, running and the banging of doors never seemed to end. Some very inconsiderate and rude people here and the staff should be more vigilant about asking people to be quiet instead of offending people with sick children.
9. There was a dead dog on the hotel beach which did not get moved for two days, don't know if it got left any longer because thankfully we went home.
10. The disco bar and snack bar beside the children's pool was not open. There were a lot of families and people with small children like us at the children's pool so the fact that it was shut was a DISGRACE.
All in all this has been the holiday from hell for us. I was crying on the second week, all I wanted to do was come home and on the day we were going home I have never felt so happy. A lot of the other guests were the same and most of them wanted to go home and were unhappy.
Although there were some positive aspects about the holiday, the slides, the weather and the kids pool I can definately say we will not be going back and I wouldn't recommend this place to my worst enemy.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: First Choice - May 2007
Opinion submitted in June 2007 by : 45 40 10
Resort Rating: Poor
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Review:
My God what a nightmare.Have just returned from this resort.Never ever will we go back to this hotel or use First Choice again.
The hotel rooms were clean and we were lucky enough to have a sea view.Once you leave your room prepare for a shock.
Our first night in the restaurant we thought the food was ok,not much choice but looked ok.The next day the food was the same and from then until we left the same every day.Turkey roll was every day,lamb cutlets which you would only use for making a soup or stock,fish that was very salty one day or tasted of nothing the next day,spaghetti bolognese,soup made from a packet mix and as for the special every other night steer well clear as half the time it was not cooked properly.the fresh fruit consisted of an apple or orange and the other sweets were about six choices plus ice cream.The lunchtime menu was almost identical as the evenings and the breakfast well come the end of our stay here i did`nt even bother getting up for.
Now for the entertainment.The daytime entertainment started with a quiz sheet being handed out at 10.30 which you had to hand in by 19.30.this took about ten minutes to complete each day.Next was killer pool at 11.30 and then it was water polo at 14.30.This was the same every day.No boccia,volleyball,darts shooting,pool games,exercises or anything else to keep you amused.There were water sports on the beach which are quite expensive.
The evening entertainment consisted of bingo at 21.00.Then it was another quiz or some silly game on the stage followed by the entertainment singing some songs which to be honest with you I have heard better in karaoke bars.
To me the entertainment team did not want to do very much.There was no interacting with the guest,s only a select few which they would go to the El Paso bar at the end of every evening to get drunk.Which hence I think there was not much activities during the day.
The kids club for our 10 year old was ok but most of the best activities ended up costing you money for them.One evening it was watch a dvd and munchies which cost you 5 euros,a chocolate party 5 euros,a walk down to cafe on the rocks and cocktail 5 euros and a vip night which consisted of dressing up one of the entertainment team and munchies 13 euros which incidentally did not take part due to lack of interest.Some times the activities did not take place due to a lack of staff even though there were numerous members of the entertainment team walking around doing nothing but we were told it was because of airport duties.
The inside bar was very nice and Alex the barman very friendly.I find if you are polite to people then they are polite to you.Sadly we had to watch on several nights Alex getting abused by drunken thugs and receiving threats of violence.We also had this on one night and the security staff in the hotel consists of one porter who is quite willing to stand back and do nothing.
Due to the above events we decided enough was enough and asked First Choice to move us to another hotel.It cost us 300 euros to move to the mirabello hotel on half board basis.This was the best thing that happened to us on our holiday.What a contrast.The entertainment and activities were all day,the food was brilliant and the entertainment team were absolutely great.
During our 5 days at this hotel we met the First Choice rep one morning by chance and asked if he knew about our transfer to the airport which he informed us he would find out and let us know.This did`nt happen and in the end we had to ring the office ourselves to find out.
We met some nice people on our holiday and made some good friends but we also met quite a few rude people and thugs.
It is my opinion that I would never go back to Petra Mare and never use First Choice ever again.If you want a good holiday steer well clear of this hotel and First Choice.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: Eclipse/first choice
Opinion submitted in August 2007 by : hibbins, 37,36,35,13,12,12
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
This was our 2nd trip to petre Mare, last year 2006 was great, the food was better we had a 4th floor mountain view which was lovely.
The food was good and the entertainment was quite good.....WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR Makes!!!! 2nd floor dark room no view... Food not so good a had dodgy tum several days, daughter got acute gastroenteris and was so ill need a doctor (who was good, chraged 80euros) to give injection to stop the vomiting, this was follow by awful pains and several days of diarohea and straight to a UK hospital for 3days when she got home!!!Nightmare. Entertainment was....PATHETIC.. I can't sing but i'm sure i could've done a better job.
Beach is lovely, snorkling watersports. Everyone saves sunbeds which is a bind.. but if you can't beat em.. join em, My sister in law was brill and was up early to save us some beds!!! First choice reps are not brilliant we didn't see them until our daughter was ill and even then they were not much help! Late check out is 35 euros.. till 6pm then you can use a curtisy room...this was actually better than our room that we had for 2 weeks and we managed to keep it for our daughter while she was ill till our bus came. We will NEVER go back which is shame as we enjoyed last year.. Also Chrissy island was unspoilt last year but was busy this year... if you do go get tickets from the boat on the day 10euros for adults... reps charge 20E and shops 15E!!!
Weather was superb if not a bit too hot 44degrees!! Petre Mare is 30 years old and is in need of a complete overhaul, a new chef and First Choice need to sort their reps out!
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: first choice - 2007
Opinion submitted in July 2007 by : heskey mee-preston's ,35,17,13,5
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
hotel is excellent, very clean and rooms for 5/6 people are spacious, air conditioned and with a fridge. food is good, not varied but hey this is greece and catering for guests from up to 10 countries! with 2 vegetarians in our party we managed fine..and for meat eaters there was everything from fresh cooked kebabs to snails! Entertainment is by reps but ok-bit butlins but there are quiet bars and nice places to sit if the shows not your thing...outside of the hotel its a quiet resort , looks likes its new to tourists as the shop around the hotel still close on sundays!
wonderful snorkling.. go onto the beach and turn to the left..walk a couple of minutes and you'll see the rocks. You'l need shoes (although cheap pairs available for 5 euros from the hotel shop) as there are sea urchins (as always with greece) but really..the snorkling was superb, and very safe for children, even our 5 year old snorkled with no problems.
All in all a great quiet resort..not benidorm (thankfully) but great for a weeks relaxing beach/pool holiday..And visit donkey island..its a must! paradise..white sands, clear sea and no urchins! well not many :o) x
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: First choice - 2007
Opinion submitted in May 2007 by : Dave Helen and two Kids 32 29 12 8
Resort Rating: Below Average
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
God were we Ill
Did any one bother NO
Did anyone care NO
Had just one meal and that was it 5 Days of sickness and diarea
along with about 36 other people
Reps only interseted in selling trips not our well being
Will we go back Never Never
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: 2007
Opinion submitted in April 2007 by : pat --- basildon 12 13 61 68
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
we stayed in this hotel for one week . it was enough i dont think i cauld have stayed any longer, as there was nothing to do. we went in april out of season,maybe thats one of the reasons why . the weather was good for the time of year but with the cold breeze coming of the sea everyone felt a bit chillie. there was nothing for the children to do even the pool was freezing. the hotel was very nice food was okay, rooms were keept spotless. outside there was only a few shops along the front to visit and resturants. the town shops were very expensive as were the shops along the front.i dont think i will ever go back to that place again.it was cold at night and had to get extra blankets as our heater wasnt working, give me turkey any time maybe the height of the season it cauld be better ifor one wont be returning.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: first choice- oct 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : adam bennett 37 35 14 12
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
got to hotel early hours of morning check in very quickley after 2 hrs transfer airport small understatment wait till the return trip hotel clean all the time pool area spotless food abit boring by 2nd week wouuld class as a 3 star not a 4 .room with sea view a must. water sport great on beach . would not take children above 10 as nothing for them to do but the pool. and if you like shops do not bother. have to spend all time in hotel no where to have a walk round only harbor .i like it because wife had no shops to spend money in.snack bar food same every day ie chips pizza
would not go back ok if went for a week and wanted to do noting
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: October 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Corrinna Grice - Tamworth
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
after a long 2 hour transfer i thought this better be worth it and it was. we checked in a party of 17 people and not one person complained about their room. well except for the lack of english tv stations on your tv but you dont go on holiday to watch tv. i was the lucky one i had the sea view which was fantastic looking out onto the resort and chrissy island. the food was nice but the variety did not change much throughout the week lots of lamb, pork and chicken. but there was plenty of other stuff to try pasta, rice, salads and plenty of deserts and fresh fruit. as always the beers and spirits are there own and you have to pay for cocktails. the rooms hotel and pool areas were always kept clean and spotless.
some of our party had children ranging from 4-10 years old and they was always kept entertained its a perfect hotel for families. every thing is catered for kids they had two to three club sessions a day, bugs bunny party, competitions, dvd nights, kids disco and the pools and slides.
the hotel reps were a great team nick is a great entertainer his funny a great singer and tries his best at the dance routines. nat his girlfriend has a great personality with the children. vicky also is a good singer. gareth is a fabulous dancer and always smiling. they make a good team shame they wont be there next year.
the resort is more locals than holiday there is a huge church nearby and a school but on the sea front there are a few shops and bars. on the rocks is a must for a night out for something a bit different to eat.
on the whole had a great holiday the only let down was the 4 days of rain we had.
it is a must for families wanting a good holiday.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: first choice - 29th aug. - sept 6th 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Linda Comerford-co.durham party of 13 aged 3 to 56yrs.
Resort Rating: Below Average
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
we were there at the start of september very impressed with hotel on arrival, rooms though were average for the price,we found some of the staff unhelpful to say the least.I dont know what some of the guests were eating who have left reviews here, but if you really like all your food, including fresh veg., swimming in grease or oil then this is the place for you,
all our party were ill at some point of our holiday,we were all-inclusive and very disapointed, spoke to one lady who was there for two weeks who said she had been sick most of her stay there, our son vomitted in the entertainment area and we got no help from anyone we even had to ask for cleaning equipment, no-one cared. however the pool areas were very nice as were the slides but that's all there was.
Wont be going there again!
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: First Choice - Sept 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : Sylvia Vicary - Devon (40,38,13,10)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
We have just come back this morning from a two week stay at the Petra Mare. We had a fantastic time.The reps entertainment was fantastic..... yes it was a bit "Butlins" but all the same really good fun. They did a Grease show, Songs of the decades,Dr Funkenstein, They also did the games for the kids and Bingo. They were great!!! You could see they were really enjoying what they did. It was nearly the end of the season and yet they still gave it their all. Gareth was so funny, he was always smilling which was great.
The food was ok...... I was the only one out of my group who didnt really like it. There was plenty of selection, usually a fish dish and two meat dishes every day.Lots of salads, and puddings.
We only went on one trip and that was to Chrissi Island. It was beautiful. The closest we will ever come to going to a tropical island. The sea was a gorgeous turquoise blue. The only problem was you had to get over a few sharp, slippery rocks. You need to have a pair of beach shoes on really.
The kids club was absoloutly fantastic. My daughter is 10 and she loved it. Dan, Laura and Laura were great. They were always smilling and talking to the kids. Every night the kids could watch a DVD from 9pm til 11pm. Great if they didnt want to watch the evening entertainment. They were given free gifts, a swimming bag, hat, drinks bottle etc. There was lots of things to do during the day if you wanted to get involved.
All in all a good holiday. I personally wouldnt go back again, simply because its too far from anywhere. The transfer is 2 hours long. We had to be out of our room by 12 midday and we didnt get picked up until 01.30 the next morning!!! Not good when you like your sleep like me lol!
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: first choice- 15th-30th september 2006
Opinion submitted in October 2006 by : ben, mich,reece,jay,rach,jay,joe,rick,faye,david(28,22,2,28,29,10,7,18,20,21)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
well as you can see there was a large group of us went to the petra mare, but there was never a shortage of things to do. there was three kids in our group 10,7 and 2 the two older kids we never see they was always off doing there own thing and my little boy aged 2 was never bored. the kids clubs a great have to pay for special nights like the chocolate party but all worth it, the tweety creche is brilliant to. the entertainment team is the best nick,nat,gareth and vicky well done guys they was just always on the move. food was good see some of the same stuff but there was always a variety even for the kids. there was a snack bar from 10am-midnight as well. staff and rep were all very polite and helpfull. pools were very clean and emptied once every two weeks. i advise you to try the cocktails from the piano bar as we did thinking just one and ended up having 65 in one night. had the best time there hope to go back again.
mich,ben,reece,jay,rach,jay,joe,rick,faye and david
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: First Choice Aug 22- 5th Sept
Opinion submitted in September 2006 by : Allen & Kiernan Families 6-38
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Group of nine has one of the best holidays ever with First Choice!
The Hotel is very clean, friendly, with good size rooms which are serviced every day with clean towels,
Food was great the first week but got a little boring the second week and the snack bar served the same food all the time chips & pizza,but we all still managed to gain a little weight!
Pool's are all brilliant but very cold and contain sea water but the kids still loved them (goggles are a must), the life guards are always cleaning and on patrol around the pool which is a piece of mind when you have children, the slides are great fun as suitable for all ages even kids with armbands, just a nightmare getting them off!
Kids club is great for kids of all ages but it may be better if it ran 2-4 as that's the hottest part of the day and it would help to protect the kids that little more(not a dig just feedback)our kids were always the first to go and loved every minute with a fantasic team who are great with ALL kids.
The BEST part of our holiday was the entertainment team, NICK (who certainly kept us entertained all the way to the end) NAT (who can dance to anything but we would of loved to hear you singing some more as you have got an amazing voice)GARETH (best bingo caller in the world)VIKKI(move over Mary poppins as amazing with the kids and they love her)Thanks to Nick & Nat we managed to get the men dressed as women, they took part in MISS PETRA MARE! (Chantelle & Isabell) it was the best night ever.GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL
To all families looking for a great holiday we all highly recommend this for a great holiday as long as you are in for a laugh and love enjoying yourself you'll have a ball.
Allen & Kiernan Families
Cheshire
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: Eclipse - Aug 2006
Opinion submitted in September 2006 by : Phil Loftus - Hertfordshire (43, 42, 12, 11) ):
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
We arrived early morning and were checked in very swiftly. Our room was lovely with a beautiful sea view.(worth paying the extra for)The staff at the hotel were excellent,they worked very hard (24/7) to keep it spotless.The hotel had a lot to offer:The water slides,pools and lazy river were enjoyed by all the family.We were always able to get sunbeds by the pool, but had to be up very early.The restaurant offered a good selection of hot and cold food considering the number of people they had to cater for(excellent freshly prepared fruit and salads.There was also a snack bar open all day serving food like pizza,salad & pasta as well as locally produced beer and other soft drinks.The reps worked very hard Keeping adults and children alike entertained.We booked a boat excursion to Chrissi Island(a must) situated 8 miles south of Lerapetra, we also hired a car for 3 days and visited other places on the island.
Overall this was one of our best holidays and would definitely recommend it.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: eclipes direct , 22nd August 2006
Opinion submitted in September 2006 by : Donna,Tony,Heather,Tony,Maisie-Derby & Liverpool (40, 44, 14, 10, & 3)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
As you can see our childrens ages range from 3 to 14yrs old and not once did We here the phrase " I'm bored ". There was lots of things to do for all ages, rangeing from the hotel facilities, kids clubs, entertainment (day & night) and watersports next to the hotel. We all had a great holiday.
We were a little worried going to this hotel due to previous reports, but these were soon expelled.
The hotel was clean and well cared for, the maid visited daily and had fresh towels daily. We had no problems with food, fair choice in restaurant, but on occassions a bit samey, especially in snack bar, but the children didn't mind. if you did get fed up with hotel food the resort had a number of restaurants to try. We went to cafe on the rocks one night for a change which was ok but it was cheap. The resort was great, had lots trendy bars, trendy shops and usual tat shops. If I had the money to buy a second home it would be here.
Minor gripes-some people put towels down in the middle of the night and not seen at the beds till the afternoon(and theyre not germans!)Watch the floors as can be extremely slippery. As people get out of pools straight into hotel without drying.
Two of our children on occassions went to kids clubs and had a great time, had to pay on occassions due to type of activity but well worth it.
Entertainment was ok at night, but did find one of the entertainers ( the one from Norfolk ) bias to certain holiday makers, when activities on stage that needed audience partcipitation and names had to come out of a hat!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was always the same group of people. I didn't mind for adults because I certainly didn't want to go on stage, but I found it highly unfair for the children.
Overall a fantastic holiday and would definitly go again.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: First Choice - August 2006
Opinion submitted in September 2006 by : The Callaghans - Shropshire (41, 40, 12,9)
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Arrived early afternoon, swift check in - reception staff very helpful. Firstchoice Rep very knowledgeable and approachable. Room great we were very pleased. Our 14 night stay sped by children entertained day and night. Food good, hot and a good selection. Pools super and clean, could be slippy underfoot around lazy river and that would be the only small fault.
We have already booked to go back next year.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: First Choice August 2006
Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Phil Roberts - Tamworth (42, 37, 8 & 12)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
We have just arrived back from a wonderful holiday at the Hotel Petra Mare, we were extremely impressed with the hotel, large rooms and spotlessly clean, maids work 24/7, the food is excellent, consisting of traditional Greek and English food, offering a wide range of salads and puddings, the snack bar by the pool also provides excellent food ranging from chips, pizza, sausage, salad and meats. The whole complex is cleaned extensively. The pools are brilliant and very clean, the water slides are opened twice daily and are great fun. First Choice Entertainment Team (Nick, Gareth, Natalie & Vicky) are fantastic, they work very hard to provide excellent activities for both adults and children. The beach to the side of the hotel is clean and good for snorkelling. While we were there we also heard very good reports from people who had put their children in the kids club and they were impressed with the reps.
We were all very sad to leave and are hoping to book again for next year. Well done First Choice this was the best holiday ever.
PS. Thank you to Vicky - Phil has showed everyone his certificate. Thank god "for play your cards right".
Phil, Jo, Oliver & Alice
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: First Choice - July 2006
Opinion submitted in August 2006 by : Ray & family - Jersey (47, 47, 4)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Kids Club & Club reps - Excellent
Kids pool - Excellent +. Couldn't keep our daughter out of it. The hotel has clearly painted over the rust on the climbing frame & slides that form part of the kids pool that was referred to in an earlier post.
Main pool - plenty big enough and suitable for kids and adults alike.
Water park - has 3 different slides but only opens for two sessions of 1 hour each day.
Lazy River - this circles the waterpark and is fine for relaxing in.
All pools are sea water and are colder than the sea!
In the two weeks we were there they emptied, cleaned and refilled two of the pools overnight.
Beach is okay'ish (but we are comparing with our fabulous Jersey beaches). A pair of shoes that you can wear in the water would be of use as it is quite stoney to get into the water.
I would agree with previous comments that you have to be an early riser to get a sunbed by the pool or on the beach - we were heading out at 7.30 most mornings and usually just managed to get a bed on some days!
Water sports - good. As earlier post said, there is an english girl who wanders around the pool drumming up business who is very helpful. A couple of times a week they do a 'family' banana boat ride which they guarantee no falling off, so you can take really young kids (they do give out lifejackets).
The restaurant is okay, bearing in mind the numbers baring catered for - the food is varied and fresh.
The snack bar choice is limited, but fine if you can't be bothered going to the restaurant. It is also situated right alongside where they do the entertainment, so you don't have to walk far for a drink/snack in the evening.
Free ice cream is only served twice a day and from the snack bar, which means by the time you get to the kids pool, it will have melted.
The shop within the hotel has a reasonable selection and there is a mini-market not too far down the road.
Evening entertainment is split between First Choice on the main stage and the Germans at a bar past the kids pool.
First Choice entertainers try hard -
Every nioght ther is something on:
Mini disco at 8.00
'Challenge the entertainer' at 8.45
Cash prize bingo at 9.00 (house won betwee EUR150/250, depending how many took part at EUR 2 per ticket)
Adult entertainment at 10.00
They put on 4 different 'shows' in the 2 weeks we were there, with plenty of signing and dancing. The other nights adult entertainment varied.
As another post mentioned, the attitude of some of the entertainers towards the kids left abit to be desired, but at the end of the day, they were not kids clubs reps!
Hotel staff were friendly and helpful.
Previous posts have detailed room cleaning services. Agree that getting a sea view was definitely worth the extra.
Ierapetra is a bit out of the way (as a previous post has mentioned with the 1 3/4 hour transfer) and so nearly all the available excursions involve considerable travel time.
All in all, I would recommend the hotel for a family holiday, especially if your kids like the water.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: First Choice june2006
Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : D Hayward - wilts ( 9, 11, 39, 40 )
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
well we went here with doubt in our minds after reading some of the entries here and it looks the same from the last 2 entries who stayed at a similar time to us
we arrived at 630 am checked in swiftly and went to our room. it was large spotlessly clean with good aircon ( a must)towels were changed daily from then on and sheets twice room swept twice.beds firm and comfy.
breakfasts excellent 3 egg dishes plus omlette beans fried pots lovely local toms sausages not good tho( frankfurters)
cheeses ham salamis cereal fruits yogart etc cakes and biscuits all you could need
same selection each day but with such a vast array not a problem
lunch excelent selection of hot and cld dishes
dinner the same 4 meat dishes 2 fish veg pots salads meets and cheeses local veg dishes of crete style excelent stufedpeppers aubergene okra etc rice mash chips roast all sorts
rabbit chicken snails calamari liver lamb swordfish cod like fish ? kebabs stew all sorts although some dishes did repeat the selection is very large and we never found it boring
snack bar poor but hey if you cant manage to get your ass up and go in for lunch( which is a respite from the midday heat ) tough!! pizza and chips with a pasta dish was ok.drinks full strenght and palatable
hellas pills served a off chute of lowenbrau wine ok soft drinks fine just have to pay for tonic if you like a g and t.yes pastic cups by pool but hey rather that than your foot cut off hey!
pools great my kids didnt stop playing alll the area kept swept and mopped constantly . yes we did see a cockroache but so?? we saw lizards too bats and alike its the country you know! you must take or buy a snorkle its fantastic go to chrissi island its lovely but not if you get bored easily or dont like to snokle and bathe. water sport great and the woman( english ) very helpful and friendly.
we had a great holiday here and all want to go back so i am confused about some of the negative coments
but i would agree the entertainment is bad!! with no greek type evenings a shame but then we kept our self ammused and wee all so tired from swimming and snokling all day we went to bed by 12 and slept well. the town has bars and restaurants should you need them offering a good selection and music etc but if you are all inc there will be no need for food except a beer in the cafe on the rocks perhaps.
i can recomend this place to all except the young clubbers but i would not want them there to spoil this spot.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: First Choice - June 2006
Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : Carol Hartley - West Yorkshire (32, 32, 4)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Generally, this was a fantastic holiday for us as it ompletely catered for our 4 year old, keeping him occupied and us relaxed! The Hotel staff worked extremely hard to keep it clean and the reception staff were friendly.
The rooms are large and clean and the sea view was fantasic, i would reccommend paying the extra for a sea view just to fall asleep to the sound of the waves gently lapping the shore, ah!
The food was great, varied and delicious. The kids buffet was basic but familiar. The local wine is lovely but the beer is quite fizzy. Previous moans about the plastic cups are right but we overcame that by always using 2 cups together.
The pool area is fantastic, especially the kids pool but we did have to fight off a few Germans who left towells on sunbeds all day and didn't use them. We complained to the reps who did nothing so we just chucked them off and used the beds!
The kids clubs were great, my son really enjoyed them and even the evening disco. The kids reps and the entertainment reps were lovely, worked hard but were not spectacular performers!
This hotel is fantastic for young families but beware the 1 hour 45 minute airport transfer, lovely scenery but a long way for little ones.
Thumbs up for the Petra Mare!
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: Fist Choice June 2006
Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : Laura Edwards Shropshire 52,50,43,29,8,5.
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Just like to say what a wicked holiday! we all enjoyed the weather the pools were clean and all around them too the accomadation was spotless and the food was to everyones taste as we had a couple of fussy eaters but we were all impressed!
I would recommend this resort especially for families as it had everything within the resort pools, slides, icecream too oh I would also take a trip to the El Paso Bar and have a go at the crazy bingo we have never laughed so much! And the crete people are really friendly and speak very good english too.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: First Choice - June 2006
Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : CE (3,41,33)
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
My overall impression of this hotel can be summed up in one word - CHEAP. It seemed like everything was designed to be as cheap as possible - from the pathetic plastic cups, to the nasty drinks and the tacky "entertainment".
The hotel itself is OK - a bit shabby and in need of redecoration. Our room was spacious, with a lovely sea view, but the bathroom was a bit grubby. It was cleaned every day however, and towels and sheets changed regularly. Hotel staff were pleasant and hard working - but although the floors in the communal areas were being continually mopped, I don't think the strip of carpet along the corridor was vacuumed once in 2 weeks.
The restaurant was OK - food mainly good, but a bit repetetive after 2 weeks. We were also slightly put off after seeing a huge (dead) cockroach on the floor one morning. The outside part of the restaurant attracts several local stray cats - unfortunately at least 2 of them are heavily pregnant, so in a few weeks time, the place will be swarming with them. Although there's little you can (humanely) do to deter them - and I am a cat lover generally - I don't really want grubby strays rubbing against my legs when I eat.
There was a decent choice of food in the restaurant (lamb, chicken, fish, pasta) and a good variety of salad, vegetables and some delicious desserts. The wine was OK - not brilliant. Be warned - the only place you can get a decent soft drink is in the restaurant - and even that is sweetened orange or grapefruit juice. Elsewhere in the hotel the only non alcoholic drinks you can get are nasty local fizzy drinks or water.
The snack bar was rubbish, unless you like cheap pizza and chips. A major criticism is of the plastic cups used throughout the hotel (only exceptions are the restaurant and the bar) - these cups are so flimsy that they practically melt if you use them for hot drinks and fold in on themselves. A word of advice - take some PG Tips - the tea is awful. As is the milk - UHT. Again, cheap and nasty.
Speaking of which, the First Choice "entertainers" were a joke. They also made it very clear they didn't like children, despite running the kids disco. It would have been far better for kids club reps (the creche reps were fantastic by the way) to do this, as they seemed to relate to kids far better. All in all, not a good advert for First Choice.
And another word of warning - would not recommend buying an "Express Check In" for your return journey (7.50 euros each) - a complete waste of money. You turn up, queue, and watch people who haven't paid go through the "Express" channel in front of you basically.
During our stay there were 3 fights among the guests, and if you want a decent sunbed by the (good) kids pool, you need to be a very early riser. So - all in all, no I won't be going back.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: first choice - june 2006
Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : kaye meacham - bristol (35,31,29,28,28,28,7,5,5,4)
Resort Rating: Poor
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Review:
we arrived at the petra mare after traveling all night at 7:30 in the morning to be given a filthy room that hadn't been cleaned we found dirty nappies, snorkels, flip-flops, dirty sheets and much more!!! we told the hotel reception and they sent maids to clean the room which took about 5mins, they OBVIOUSLY hadn't cleaned it properly the bath had only had the shower sprayed around it! we were feeling very disappointed so decided to look around the hotel and pool/beach area as we thought things could only get better but we were SOOOOOOO WRONG! THE HOTEL IS A DUMP IN A POOR RESORT ! To list a few things:-
1. metal grills were hanging off the walls
2. a gust of wind blew the lamp shade off the pool light to reveal dangerous wiring
3. the food hall was like a dungeon with very little choice
4. they told us to use three plastic cups together for hot drinks as "the cups were not safe they would melt"(there words)
5. the bars going into the pool were rusty
6. builders from the building site overlooking the pool had a great time leering at women with a great view from the scaffolding!
I could go on and on but my complaint is actually with FIRST CHOICE AS THEY DID NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANYTHING!!!!!I WOULDN'T TRAVEL AGAIN EVER WITH THEM WHICH IS BAD FOR THEM AS WE GO AWAY 3 TIMES A YEAR, IN A GROUP OF 10 OR MORE. YOUR LOSS!!!!
We are very easy going people but i really wouldn't put my dog here if it was kennels! don't book it!!!!! we were eventually moved after 5 hours of being messed around by the first choice rep and after paying first choice more money to move from all inclusive to half board!!!!! we moved to creta maris hersonissos which was fabulous!!! but no thanks to first choice as they even managed to muck up that booking!!!(we had a 3bed room for 4people) and our last day there after paying to keep a room on we were told at 5:10pm that we had to be out in 50mins and we could not eat, YET AGAIN the first choice rep didn't want to take any responsibility even though 24hrs before he had confirmed that the room was ours!!!! the moral of the story steer clear of first choice!!!!
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: first coice - may 2006
Opinion submitted in April 2007 by : 10,15,40,45
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Hotel very clean, acivities for kids were great at hotel. Private slides for both small and older kids. Food a plenty with adequate choice. Snack bar good. beech ok. Not much for any one to do outside hotel very small village ok for walks but not too scenic or no shops. Staff in hotel worked very hard and kids club good. value for money. would go back if could get good flights.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: First Choice - May 2006
Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : Kevin Rid - Leicester (45, 36, 9, 7, 5)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
This is a fantastic family hotel, It's location is almost idyllic, with lovely clear sea on one side and mountain back drop on the other side. The rooms are of adequate size to accommodate a small family of young children and were cleaned daily. The rest of the hotel, restaurant, bars foyer were also kept very clean and tidy. The swimming pool, kids splash pool and lazy river and slides are clean, well maintained, and terrific fun. Everything in the hotel and grounds is lovely and clean. Staff are hard working and courteous and will do their utmost to be of help.
The First Choice Entertainment Reps did a fantastic job of entertaining us. The kids reps were very good and kept the kids amused and happy, including having DVD nights from 21:00 until 23:00, so that parents could enjoy the nightly shows. The stage area is next to the Snack bar so you don't have to go far to get drink or snack. The area can be a little cool in the evenings, especially in the early season when we went, so remember to pack a jumper or light coat.
Food in the hotel restaurant is quite varied and of an acceptable standard, most of it was a little cold, but generally ok. Snack bar food was the same every day, pizza, chips, pasta and horrible frankfurter type sausages. Got a little boring after a while, but still generally well presented and available. Ice cream for the kids is served twice a day
Beer was not too bad and quite drinkable; unfortunately it was served in the sort of plastic cups you get from vending machines. Unless you were drinking it in the main bar or restaurant where the drinks are served in glasses. There is a little 'boogie' bar next to the kids splash pool that is open in the evening from about 20:00 and is a great place to have a few beers and kick back, really relaxing and stays open till the early hours of the morning. The barmen are Stelios and Alex, both are very nice blokes and up for a laugh.
There is a shop in the hotel that stays open late where you can buy most things, although you can buy anything they sell cheaper in the local shops. The town centre of Ierepatra is only a short 15 minutes walk away along the beach, and you can buy all manner of tat and assorted souvenirs. There is also an array of cafes and bars on the sea front that are well worth going into, especially Café Bar on the Rocks. Here you can watch Sky Sports and enjoy a pint of Cold Carling or even a pint of Cider. English barman Mark from Northampton said I'd give him a mention.
There were a few trips on offer from the hotel and most appeared to be of reasonable value, we went to Chrissi Island which is very close by. You can buy tickets in the hotel or down in the town for the boat ride to the island. The sand on the island is very clean almost white unlike the rest of Crete, fag ash grey, but it is quite sharp underfoot. Also when entering the sea the rocks are very sharp, so you might want to invest in some Jelly shoes or wet shoes. The island is a good day out with the most beautiful warm, clear sea.
The out bound journey from Birmingham was a late flight (22:00), and apart from being very cramped, was ok. Landed at Heraklion about 04:00 local and then a one and half hour transfer to the hotel. Coach was air conditioned and almost empty and journey went quickly.
We also had a night flight for the return journey home. The transfer to the airport didn't pick us up until 01:30 and when we arrived at the airport we had to wait outside for about an hour.
We went the first two weeks in May the weather was fairly good with temperatures around the 26c mark during the day, but rather cool in the evenings for the first week. Second week the temperature rose on a daily basis and the evenings were warmer. The whole family had a great time, and all of us returned home well tanned. The bottom line on this holiday is that we would return to this resort again in the future, and we would have no hesitation in recommending the venue to anyone.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: May 2006
Opinion submitted in June 2006 by : Kristina Trewick - Northumberland, 42, 37, 10, 55, 45, 14,10
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
The hotel itself is very clean and tidy. The maid service is second to none and the cleaners seem to work around the clock. We didn't put our children in the kids clubs so we couldn't comment although we did acknowledge a lot of kids reps around the hotel. The pool was lovely and kept clean regularly and the lifeguards were always in view.
We thought the food was appalling. Very repetitive and based more on German tastes. Everything was swimming in oils and the kids menu was very poor, chips most days with the odd change of either fish fingers, burgers or if they were lucky, meatballs. The food wasn't particularly hot either. We tended to eat more from the snack bar next to the pool area.
The alcohol wasn't good either. The plastic cups didn't help but even that aside, the lager was of poor quality and may as well have been alcohol free and the spirits were very weak.
To finish on this point, the party of people we travelled with have been all inclusive on a number of occasions and have found the food great so this was a big let down and between the two families we spent £4500 - not small change.
One other thing we would suggest is to ask for a sea or pool view. We overlooked properties being built. Not too pretty.
The sea was lovely and great for snorkelling, although the peach is very pebbly. The watersports were great which we used a few times.
We spent a lot of time in the local tavernas - particularly Cafe on the Rocks (aka Marks bar). The staff in this bar/restaurant were brilliant and the food was lovely (something we weren't anticipating having to spend money on!!!).
The resort itself is quite small but big enough if you like the quieter places. We found it a bit quiet for us and the kids with not many activities for them. We felt that the resort is still dealing with new and up and coming developments and could have great potential for being a nice area (the temperatures were great every day).
We as two families will not return to the Petra Mare hotel due to the food quality but if I was to return to Crete to a different resort I would return to visit the staff in Cafe on the Rocks. They were great.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: Eclipse - May 2006
Opinion submitted in May 2006 by : Helen Duggan - Herefordshire 45, 37, 14, 12
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Well done First Choice/Eclipse...you've done it again!
This is a great family hotel. It's location is spot on. The sea is clear (great for snorkelling) the swimming pools, lazy river and slides are terrific. Everything is lovely and clean. The hotel staff work really hard as do the First Choice reps who really earned their money while we were there entertaining loads of kids. The bus trip was about 1 hour 45 mins. Don't be put off by this...the trip was very scenic and the bus air conditioned...just sit back and enjoy the ride and anticipate your arrival at this really very nice hotel. The food was good and tasty...there was plenty of choice...the menu was repeated occasionally but this was not a problem...they are after all catering for quite a large number of people, sometimes over a 3 hour period. Well done them for coping. The beach is covered in tiny little stones rather than sand, which gets very hot in the midday sun. My advice is a pair of cheap jelly shoes for the little ones...or just run very fast from your sunbed to the sea!! Soft drinks, lager and wine are on tap all day in the snack bar. Ice cream for the kids twice a day. The slides were generally open from 11.00 to 12.00 in the morning and 2.30 to 4.00 in the afternoon. This was ample time for my two. The lazy river was wonderful to float around in and if you were keen to take part there were activities held in the main pool during the day.
The evening entertainment was a bit "Butlins" with mini disco, "stand-up bingo" and an event of some sort..if you're into that sort of thing it's great.if not a book and a glass of wine on the veranda was also good. A ten minute walk up the promenade takes you to shops and tavernas including "Café on the Rocks" which has football on Sky TV in case you need it!
We went the third week in May and temperature was in the nineties all week. Evenings were warm with a nice breeze. We all got nice tans! I would recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a relaxing break by the pool or the sea with kids who love water.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: first choice - 2006
Opinion submitted in July 2006 by : Paul Bolton - Larkhall Scotland 40,38,15,9
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Arrival time for our party was 0500, transfer time was 1hr 50 mins. Check in on arrival was very swift and within 5 mins we were all in the ROOM.
After paying extra for a sea view i was hugely disappointed in the room, expecting to be able to swing a cat in the room. 1 double bed pushed into a corner with 2 single beds pushed into the other corners soon filled what turned out to be a superior room. So we as family looked forward to 14 nights of no privacy. The room however was clean and the maid did a very good job. Our A/C was rattling so after lifting the covers i was mortified to find the evaporator dusty and slime ridden ( not seviced). On leaving and pulling the beds out to check for those long lost holiday items, old ticket stubs and a large quantity of dust and fluff was evident. The hotel lobby area was constantly being mopped and swept and was kept very clean. The pool and surrounding area was also very clean as was the snack bar area.
Be warned there are 3 luxury apartment blocks being built and when the wind blows the wrong way you will get covered in dust, we actually viewed these appartments and i can think of better things to spend £200k on. Watching tourists and listening to 2 lady's every night is not one of them.
Please don't let what i have said put you off coming here we had a fantastic time met 2 lovely families from Newcastle and Fife. We bonded very well with the entertainment staff Nick, Gareth, Vicky, Natalie. We rallied the troops round and had 25 for waterpolo 2 days running. We were also responsible for making sure that every Rep/Entertainer/swim kids instructor and kids club reps were all launched into the pool on a daily basis.
I have read the other comments yes the food is reptative but there is plenty of variety, its always fresh and served at good times. If you don't want your kids eating pizza and chips or you don't like foreign food, miss your morning fry up then stay home or go to Blackpool. So from Paulette AKA Miss Petra Mare and Terminator "I'll NO BE BACK"
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice sept 2005
Opinion submitted in Dec 2005 by : paul syl sue & dave 59,59, 55, 44
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
In all a good 2 weeks holiday at the petra mare, a good three star plus, if you read of conplaints about the food , it may be from the fast food junkies, loads of salad and meat and fish, veg fruit ect, good greek type food,hotel spotless and clean,nice helpfull staff, pool area as shown in the holiday books, but pool cold, beach a bit stoney, Lerapetra center is only a 20 min stroll, a few bars on the front but if you walk into the old part or go into the back streets there are lots of good bars and loads of shops, A nice place, great for young kids as well as adults,
The only two things that spoiled the holiday was the hotel didnt have any pint glasses and also only had a limited amount of half pint glasses, and second, the first week the hotel had a lot of very arrogant Germans,do i need to say more, will go back again and recomend the Petra Mare, and FIrst Choice and all its staff and reps.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice september 2005
Opinion submitted in Oct 2005 by : 38,38,10,9
Resort Rating: Below Average
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
On first arrival at this hotel we thought wow fantastic our room was mountain, pool and sea view and plenty big enough for the 4 of us. It was kept very clean by the daily maid service although our bathroom was infested with ants.
The food we thought was quite repetative although there is a large choice of salads, chips, meats and desserts, by the end of the first week we were very fed up of it, and my son only ate chips and tomato sauce. As a child care worker myself i wouldn't reccomend the kids clubs i took my two there for the first 2 sessions and they didn't want to go again the kids rep never smiled or made much communication with the children and if she saw them out of club she didn't even acknowledge them let alone speak to them or encourage them to join in, It was useless.
The entertainment on an evening was diabolicle the reps did all the entertaining themselves and to be honest the singing was, well my cat could sing better. They also encourage the kids to go on stage for all the silly songs then as soon as they go anywhere near the stage when the entertainments on they drag them yes drag them away. When its the reps night off they all come into the bar/entertainment area and sit on their own little table encouraging the cats sorry reps to sing they drink beer and spirits from the bar which i don't personally think should be allowed and they join in their quizes which they must have heard 100 times as we were there a fortnight and the same questions were asked on the second week as the first. But what lacks in the evening entertainment it more than makes up in the daytime with the water park . My kids thoroughly enjoyed this it was open on average 3 and a half to 4 hours a day with 3 life guards who are very friendly and loved playing around with my son. The main pool was emptied and cleaned the first week then the lazy river and slide pool were emptied and cleaned the second week, apart from the smelly toilets and part of the lazy river smelling of sick this was ok.
There are local shops but not many of them and they do siesta. The staff in the hotel were very friendly towards us and speak good english. The only thing that we found were the germans were always staring at us and very ignorent and you could just tell they were talking about you.
If we returned to this hotel we would only go for 1 week 2 was just too much. I think at the end of the day the reps are all just fed up and want to go home so they are taking it out on the guests. We met some lovely people ther and will be keeping in contact with a few. But on speaking to most of the guests their opinion was the same they all wanted to go home and thought the entertainment and kids clubs were just ridiculous. P.S. We paid over £1800 for our two week break but there were families with the same amount of adults and children as us who paid at least £200 less so do check your prices.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: Eclipse - August/September 2005
Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Gill and Paul Cattemull, Jack Bennett (15), Josh Cattemull (15) and Jake Cattemull (11)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
We were so worried about going to this hotel with so many reviews giving a horrific account of facilities etc. But to those of you thinking of booking this hotel, please do go.
It states 3+ in the Eclipse brochure and I think it probably could be more. I have been to 4 and 5 star hotels before and I think the Petra Mare had better facilities than the 4 and 5 hotels.
The prices paid were very good. The food was very good. Extremely varied, greek and international cuisine. Okay maybe not so good for very young children who may not like to experience different foods but parents could still adapt the food on offer.
Entertainment was strictly for the younger children so we sat in the bar most evenings. Our party consisted of two 15 year olds and an 11 year old. Great for the day but they did find it quite boring in the evening. We took them to the local Go Kart centre three times. The Go Kart centre gives free shuttle service there and back. It costs 10E per person (6E for the 11 year old) for about 10 minutes. They loved it.
We hired a car (Peugeot 206) for one day costing 49E and travelled to some other parts of the island. This was a great day and experienced lovely places and saw beautiful bays and beaches. The 15 year olds loved Malia (full of young girls and boys having the time of their lives) consisting mostly of British youngsters driving around on quad bikes!
I think this hotel is great for the younger family and if you are there with older teenagers then I think a week is enough.
Only one nightmare, the SUNBEDS! These are all gone by 8.30am. Best beds to be had by 7.00am. Lovely and breezy on the top terraces but much hotter by the main pool.
Go and enjoy yourselves!!
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice August 2005
Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Joanne Jon George Albert - Essex (41. 38. 13. 8)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
Hi this was a top holiday fantastic swimming pools for the very young to the very old. The food hall and snack bar was very good, but be carfull as SOME PEOPLE let very young children help themselves at meal times. My two boys made some very good friends (Hi Will Scott Sam Scott Ross and Joe). The only disappointment was towards the end of our second week the cheaper holidays start and a different class of holiday makerer arrived,
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice july/august 2005
Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : gavin sheena 30 34 12 10
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
What a fantastic holiday, after reading some of the reveiws on here we were very concerned. When we got there we wondered what the problem was,every day there was loads to do from 10am to 5pm and thats for all ages, food- could not falt it always some thing different. Rooms cleaned every day with fresh towels, the bedding was changed twice a week.
The people we met were fantastic had a great laugh every day even with the Germans(yes you did read that right)and the German reps had a laugh apart from when England beat Germany at water polo and volley ball so well done Tine & Sasha. but the best thing about this holiday were the REPS John, Mel, Antonia and Christina. They were a great laugh could not of asked for better people, they joined in with every thing, then there was Helen and Adam they didn't seem to do a lot but trust me they did especially when grumpy english people wanted to moan, which they tended to do alot, so well done you guys thanks for a fantastic holiday.
If you do go you must try a Gheros, go to cafe on the rocks and shop in the shop next door to cafe on the rocks as the woman in there is funny, helpful and very friendly.
To our lovely new friends we miss you and thanks for making it the best holiday we have ever had xxx.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - July 2005
Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : C & D Jukes
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Just come back from the Petra Mare Hotel.
Had a really good time. Huge family room and terrace (there was 5 of us), which was clean and tidy.
Hotel staff all very friendly and they are constantly cleaning up which makes it pleasant.
Food was good especially if you are a vegetarian, the self service bar (except spirits) is an excellent idea, no queues. The snack bar is well stocked and there is plenty to choose from.
The water park is brill and there are no real queues despite only being open twice daily for a couple of hours each time. The life guards maintained the pools well and the first choice reps were dipping the pool daily to check the water quality.
Watersports on the beach were good (you had to pay)and we would advise the banana express which takes you out snorkelling daily.
Talking of snorkelling, take your mask and flippers, the sea is crystal clear and there are loads of fish to see. They love it if you take some bread down to feed them.
If you fancy a walk out it only take s a pleasant 10 mins to get down to the harbour.. visit "on the rocks" if you get a chance. Although we were AI we did eat out along here and had a couple of pub crawls which weren't too expensive.
All in all had a really great time, the weather was excellent, manageds to get a sunbed every day (by getting up at 0730)and met some really good friends.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - July 2005
Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Gill & Simon - Lancs (34,33,9,6)
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
After reading negative comments on this site I was wary of what to expect, however on arrival we were pleasantly surprised, hotel is spotless, food is fantastic kids always found something they enjoyed. Everything except spirits is self service so no queues in bar at night. Could do with some outside entertainment, although the team worked very hard at night with shows and quizzes.
The town is 10 minutes walk away along the sea front and there were plenty of bars & shops, go to "on the rocks" english beer sold here (carling & stella). Beware of the Acropolis bar with the parrot outside, the owner is a very friendly guy and speaks excellent English but he guesses when it comes to paying, he never brings you a bill and beer is 4 euros (most other bars charge between 2.50 and 3.00) although he is very free with the glasses of raki (firewater which you have to down in one)
All in all we had a fantastic holiday one ofd the best we have ever had and I wouldn't hesitate to go back.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: july 2005
Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : smith(35,34,6,8)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Hotel
This should be a 5 star hotel not 3,the staff are excellent in all that they do and can do for you ,so a big thank you to them for making our holiday a relaxing one,if you need something just ask them they will do there best to help you.
Reps
A big thank you to Sarah-jane (F.C.supervisor)for every thing you did for us.your hard work and long,long hours that you do helped us Thank you.All the rest of team do a great job looking after the kids to the show nights.I know you all work hard ,so a thank you to you too.
Watersports
Thank you to Grace & Aris ,the kids a i had so much fun on the jetskis we are still talking about it now.Water slides & pools are great for the kids in the hotel
Lots to do out side the hotel with live football at cafe on the rocks with english Mark along the sea front lots of bars ,cafes , shops to visit.And an E-xtreme skatepark (with climbimg wall, trampoline,internet,cafe).And a very nice dutch couple in bar california.
For us this has been the best holiday we have ever been on
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - July 2005
Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Ali, Mark & Matt - Warwickshire
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Given the reviews of this hotel for 2004, we went to this Hotel with some trepidation. However, we have just returned from the most relaxing holiday ever with our 4 year old. The children's pool, only 45cm deep, with its submerged adventure playground was just superb. It kept our son amused from morning until night and he made some great friends. This was just one of the pools - we also had fun in the lazy river and on the water slides.
The First Choice entertainment team were great at night keeping the children entertained. At any one time they had at least 40 kids on the stage all following "Agadoo" style songs which provided more relaxation for the adults!
The hotel was clean, as were the rooms and the pools. Everyday you were bumping in to one cleaner or another.
The toilets at both ends of the pool areas however were clean but really stunk.
The resort is quite small and a 10 minute stroll along the beach front brings you to a few restaurants and shops - the shop keepers we met (all sold the same things) were a little pushy but warm and friendly with it.
The food was probably the only disappointment of this holiday. The childrens buffet was very poor in choice -only ever two trays of food to choose from and one of them was always chips - plus the children's buffet was only available in the evening - did they think children wouldn't be hungry at lunchtime? For example, the evening children's buffet would always have chips and one other tray of food eg. omelette. One night there were chicken pieces on the bone - not suitable for children at all.
The adult buffet wasn't fantastic either -all veg was tinned or frozen and some really wierd combinations - chips were never on the adult buffet at night which meant a long queue of adults wanting chips at the childrens buffet.
My son had chips every lunchtime and evening and even he after a week was fed up with them.
Apart from the hot buffet, there was also a salad bar. Again, the same items were there everyday and it got a bit repetitive.
There was always ice cream in the restaurant and a wide selection of deserts.
The official category of this hotel is 4* and First Choice have put their rating as 3*plus. First Choice are spot on. It's only the food that lets the hotel down - the water park facilities and the aircon, fridge and hairdryer in the room are all what you'd expect in a 4* but the standard of cuisine, although edible, is what you'd expect from a 3* hotel.
First Choice Rep, Helen, spent hours at the hotel and always seemed to be around. We did not go on any excursions and Crete really doesn't have that much to go and see anyway. There was a local market on Saturday in the resort that we walked to but with all markets there was loads of fruit and veg, a few clothes stalls and then the usual tat - nothing very exciting. My advice would be if you have kids then stay at the hotel - every day they will amuse themselves in the pools.
Overall, we've just had a really relaxing good value holiday at the Petra Mare. Don't be put off by the reviews of 2004 - the hotel seems to have improved a lot.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: (Thomson Holidays
Direct) Thomson Holidays
- June 2005
Opinion submitted in Jan 2006 by : Maddock - 32,31,12,7
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Below Average
My/Our Holiday Review:
This is my third all inclusive holiday, and to say the least the worst I have ever had!
The hotel was located nearly 2 hrs away from the airport a long coach ride and the resort was no where near anything , the reps were utterly useless and cancelled trips the night before, the entertainment was awful ok if you like bingo everynight which was 2 euros per game and they were constantly trying to get the kids to buy things, kids club was ok, my youngest who was 7 never bothered with them only a couple of sessions they had themed nights like a chocolate party/pizza party my eldest paid 10 euros for a trip out and half the activites were cancelled but he was charged the same he was really disappointed, there is little to do at this resort unless you want to indulge in the water sports good fun but pricey, the beach is nice good for snorkelling but there is only so much you can do and one day it was full of jelly fish! Kids were happy with the slides when they opened and the pool was kept clean although there was an incident of sick in it.
Beautiful views of the sea nice eating out by the balcony , quite windy on days we went mid june, highlight has got to by Chrissy Island we went twice absolutely beatiful and take snorkelling gear lots of fish! Hotel is well presented and our room was cleaned every day the downstairs main toilet blocked and flooded a few times, hotel food was poor, towards the end we ate out, breakfast was the only good meal lots of fresh fruit and yogurt, outside snackbar was a haven of flies they were everywhere and it didn't smell nice either yuk, we never ate there didn't want to risk it. Drinks were a joke, it was a very limited selection they saw us coming!!! , no cocktails not even local ones included in the A/I kids had rola cola or fizzy orange this doubled up as mixers for the spirits everything was self service in plastic cups which is understandable near the pool, but no one was supervising them therefore teenages were helping themselves.
All in All I wouldn't visit this part of crete again and certainly not to this hotel what a let down.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - June 2005
Opinion submitted in Sept 2005 by : Karl Smith - Warrington (32,29,10,3,1)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Accomodation - Hotel was very clean - the rooms were cleaned daily to a very high standard. Our Spacious family room had a sea-view which was well worth paying the extra for. Staff were very pleasant and helpful.
Resort - A Lovely Resort , well worth hiring a car though if you are there for 2 weeks - you can do this through first choice at a premium price or simply go and see the guy at the car rental place right opposite the hotel , if i remember rightly it cost around £50 for 3 days for a fiat punto , we went for a 9-seater which was approx £90 for 3 days. Aghious Nicholas was well worth a trip , as was stalis (lovely beach)
Watersports on the beach was great fun - the jetskis were 30euros for 15 mins or 40euros for 2-man jetski for 15 mins. banana boat was enjoyable too, however raft rides werent my cup of tea as i ended up swallowing a gallon of salty sea water - not nice !! - great for thrill-seakers though.
Food - The food was not excellent but nevertheless was still very good considering its an all-inclusive, slightly repetitive at times although there was something different every night, plenty of choice for the kids and no signs of any tummy bugs throughout our stay - excellent pizza at the snack bar , gives pizza hut a run for its money !!
Drink - Spirits all seem to taste the same although i found the brandy and coke to be quite enjoyable and refreshing as they made it with proper coke at the bar at the far end (near the kiddies pool) , needless to say we were tipsy most nights !!
weather - high 70's,low 80's , a little over cast and breezy the first few days we were there (june 1st-3rd) but the rest of the time was lovely , we all returned with lovely tans!!
In summary , a superb holiday all-round - we arent ones to go to the same place twice however we would consider returning to the Petra Mare sometime in the future as it was a fantastic and extremely good value family holiday.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: Eclipse - June 2005
Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : J Lethbridge - Exeter (39, 35, 8, 5)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
This is the second time we have visited this hotel in two years. To be honest after reading the reviews on this site, I was beginning to wonder if we were making the right decision, even though we had been there the previous year!!! My opinion on this hotel is mainly that they're have been a number of improvements from last year:
HOTEL: The hotel itself was as spotless as ever. Great rooms (we had a family room, with sea view), which was a good size and plenty of storage space. Added bonuses are having a fridge in the room, a hairdryer and air conditioning (which was free of charge). I cannot believe this hotel has received negative reports about its cleanliness, the staff work continually to keep this hotel clean.
FOOD: In my opinion there was a great selection of food available from the salad bar, but actual hot meals were not quite as good as last year. 'Chef's Special' each night was a great idea. On the whole it's fine and you can normally find something suitable, although it does get a little repetitive after 2 weeks!! Breakfast is a huge improvement on last year, with great choice.
POOLS: The slides are open for longer this year than last, which is great. Again all pools are kept spotlessly clean, with lifeguards regularly scrubbing and going round with nets. A shame nothing has been done about the slippery surface around the main pool, but when we left, non slip mats were being put down around the snack bar, so maybe this has now been sorted.
GENERAL REPS - Only really came into contact with one of these reps, being picked up from airport and hiring a car. Have to say this is one area that is not as impressive as last year. The previous rep really new his stuff and was a source of information. On our pick up from the airport, we were told nothing about the Island or hotel. We were told that the minibus would stop for a refreshment break (even though the 11 of us on the minibus, didn't want one - all we wanted to do was get to the hotel after a number of hours travelling!!). The information at the Welcome meeting was a little more informative, but this year we were never told about the beach flag system and when it is not safe to swim, or given much detail about Ierapetra itself, ie that it has a cinema, which plays English newly released films (All this info came from the guy from Cafe on the Rocks - worth a visit).
ENTERTAINMENT REPS: This has dramatically improved from last year. Chrissie and Dory have great voices and for all the duff notes John hits, he makes up for it in personality!! The team gel really well together and seem to be really enjoying themselves. They have so much energy and organise loads of activities in the day for both the adults and the kids - Well done you guys!!
However on the negative side.... Please, even if it is only a couple of nights a week, this hotel is in desperate need of some 'professional entertainment'. Greek dancers are OK, but only come once every fortnight.
KIDS REPS: Cannot fault at all. These reps are fantastic. The kids club is well organised and there are loads of sessions. Each night is Movie Night where they take the kids of your hands from 9pm-11pm so the adults can enjoy themselves! Every other session they attend they receive a incentive gift, ie T-shirt, hat, bag, wallet, watch, water bottle.
IERAPETRA: Watersports are great fun, but I think fairly pricey, don't appear to offer any discounts, apart from Happy Hour on the banana boat which is 10 Euros per person (normally 15 - approx £10). Could do with offering group discounts, I think you would get more people returning!
All in all, we had yet another great, relaxing holiday. The kids were kept really happy, which is our main priority. I would recommend this hotel to a family with children. No, I cannot understand why it keeps getting such negative reviews. If you are about to go to the Petra Mare put on your 'holiday head', join in with the fun and you'll have a great time.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - May 2005
Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : Denise Forrester - Worcester (47,41,6)
Resort Rating: Average
Accommodation Rating: Very Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Hotel was excellent in every way.Staff were very friendly and constantly cleaning, fixing etc. Food was very good with an excellent choice and the restaurant had a lovely terrace overlooking the beach and sea. Loads of things for the kids to do so if you're looking for somewhere to keep the kids occupied it's great. Not a lot to do outside the hotel as excursions are a little limited and not very family orientated.
The only thing that spoils the hotel is a minority of holidaymakers -you know the type, very loud, their kids run riot all day and late into the night, they lie on sunbeds all day drinking surrounded by empty plastic cups and half eaten pizza which they can't be bothered to put in the bin a few steps away.Instead the hotel staff spend every minute of the day clearing up after these people and keeping the hotel clean and welcoming for other guests.
A visit to Chrissy Island is recommended, nothing to do there except a nice quite golden sandy beach. Book in the resort cost us 40 euros for 2 adults and they said our 6 year old was free.Water slides at hotel were great open for 1 hour in morning and 1 1/2 hours in afternoon. Entertainment a little 'butlins' but if you prefer the bar overlooking the beach is a nice alternative.
All in all we had a good holiday our six year old was well entertained so it was very relaxing for us which is what we wanted.
Transfer time 1 hour and half but was not a problem and seemed to go quickly. Would definitely go again
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice may 2005
Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : steve harris -yorkshire (40,37,15)
Resort Rating: Poor
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Review:
For an all inclusive holiday this is a complete wasrte of money ,food is poor,cleanliness is disgusting,entertainment is a joke ,the choicee of spirits is awefull only 2 hours a day for ice cream for the kids and leftovers warmed up the next day for evening meals ,never ever again will we ever go anywhere this complete waste of time and money reps are useless staff are very unfriendly and very rude its an absolute disgrace ,stay away from here ,watch the grass grow on your lawn or your paint dry its more entertaining this waste of space
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Hotel Petra Mare - Lerapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice- May 2005
Opinion submitted in June 2005 by : Cath Crouch- Exeter (33,43,10,8)
Resort Rating: Excellent
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
My husband and I were really quite concerned about this resort we were going to after having read this site, but thankfully, the day we got there - our worries went straight out the window!
The hotel itself was beautiful- marble everywhere and spotless. The hotel staff were very friendly and welcoming.
Our room was overlooking the sea- the view was fantastic- you have to be there to believe it!
The food in the restaurant was varied every night- catering for everyone alike. I really cant see why anyone would complain about the lack of choice- I have two very fussy children, and I never heard them moan once! The staff in the restaurant work extremely hard at all times and the room was constantly being cleaned. There is another snack bar however open from 10am through to midnight, serving pizza, chips, sausages etc, which was great aswell.
The swimming pools were fantastic- the water slides were great- we had hours of fun everyday and the great thing about it was that all the pools are sea water which is far better than chlorine. The pools were cleaned out every week- really this place was spotless!!
The entertainment was very enjoyable- the hard bit was trying to keep me of the stage every night! The kids club was great- I never saw my kids when they were on.
The beach is right on the doorstep, with fab water sports for all ages, and the local shops were about a 10 minute walk along the promenade.
There were 17 people in our party- all ages, and I can honestly say- we all had a fantastic time- every single day.
Dont be put off by the reviews- decide for yourself- you wont be dissappointed.
We only got back at the weekend- and Im dying to get back there! We would definetely go back!
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Hotel Petra Mare - Ierapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - May 2005
Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : Kerry - Truro (57,55,32,31,11,6,5)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
Well we have just come back from this holiday and can only say good things about it! 7 of us travelled all together, booked into 2 rooms. Grandparents, Parents and children ranging in age from 57 to 5.
ROOMS: Fantastic - far above what we expected. If you have travelled to Greece before you will know that accomodation tends to be basic but this was very nice. The room was comfortable and clean with air-conditioning,bath/shower,hair-dryer and safe.
ALL INCLUSIVE: The food was good. Wine not so great (especially in Snack bar!) All other alcoholic drinks fine with option to pay for branded drinks (eg Jack Daniels)
POOLS: These really are fantastic - a baby pool and then a larger swimming pool with activities daily (although you still have room to be in pool without taking part!)
Then there is another pool with water slides and a further play area set in water.
These all overlook the BEACH. This is not so good - shingly but still ok! We are typically beach people and have never sat around a pool on holiday before so this was a new experience for us with the beach being poor.
We enjoyed it poolside, however it was very quiet while we were there. We were the first English guests to arrive (hotel only being opened for 5 days) I'm not sure what it would be like in the height of season.
WEATHER: Originally we had booked a holiday in Tenerife which was changed by tour operator so at first we were unsure of Crete being so early in season. But the weather was fantastic! A little windy one day but high temperatures and all nicely tanned on leaving!
STAFF: Excellent all of them. The hotel staff were helpful and friendly. As for the First Choice reps I cannot rate them highly enough!! They were fantastic - 5, 6 and 11 year old attended Kid's Clubs for 1st time ever (they normally refuse!) just because the reps were so good. Say hello to Helen and Nasi from us!!
RESORT: This is lovely. Bars and gift shops set on sea-front (check out Cafe on the Rocks - Demitrius and Mark!) Then the actual town itself which is a lot larger than I expected and has a wide range of shops etc.
ALL IN ALL FANTASTIC HOLIDAY!!
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Hotel Petra Mare - Ierapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice- May 2005
Opinion submitted in May 2005 by : Alex Stanyon - Leicestershire (17, 47, 39, 11)
Resort Rating: Very Good
Accommodation Rating: Excellent
My/Our Holiday Review:
There is so many ways i could describe my holiday in may 2005. Here goes, the hotel in which i stayed was very good, the staff were helpful, polite, and always there to help, the rooms are always clean and tidy thanks to its excellent cleaning staff, and the cleanliness of the rest of the hotel is great! But the things that made me most pleased about my holiday were the FIRST CHOICE and its excellent REPS. I have been abroad many times and would just like to say that they made my holiday that much more enjoyable!
The entertainers; Antonia, Chrissie, John and dawn are all great at what they do, were always very helpful, and you could never once catch one without a smile on there faces! The kids and wavelength reps, Sarah. W , Sarah, Seonaid and jennie all gave the parents time to relax by taking the kids for a few hours here and there, and they helped out with mini disco and other activities for the kids, ten out of ten to them. The tranfers to and from the petre mare and heraklion airport were quick, well organized and relaxed, i would like to thank the transfer reps nasy and helen for that.
If anyone was going on holiday to crete, i would reccomend over and over to go to the petre mare with first choice, it was by far the best holiday i have ever had and first choice made it that much better, not a foot wrong! 5* for the hotel, the reps and first choice. Thank you for a great holiday!
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Hotel Petra Mare - Ierapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - 2005
Opinion submitted in Aug 2005 by : Julia Cardiff 36.37.14.6
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
After an exhausting night flight we arrived at the hotel at 7am. Quick and eay check in and straight up to our room which was a very good size with lots of cupboard and drawer space.
went down to breakfaqst in the restaurant lots of variety to suit all sorts.
There are 3 pools which you can sit around depending where you want to on the age of your children. The chidrens pool you need to have your towels down there early or cheat or put them down the night before as no one goes along to check (which really is wrong as us British are as bad as ther Germans) Plenty of shady area's around the childrens pools too. Drinks machines too for you to help your self too.
Snack bar is open at 10am every morning with constant snacks of bread, ham, cheese, chips,pizza,pasta dish, sausages and salad which is all buufet style. No queing for your drinks either all pumps.
One downfall ice cream was only availiable twice a day for about 45 minutes at a time could have had that longer and maybe some lollies too.
Maybe a problem if you have a teenager who likes the beer as they can quite easily get this. (wasnt a problem for us as our child has not required the taste YET.)
Plenty of activities to do in the day, quizes, water polo family water cricket. ping pong tables, and snooker tables.
The childrens clubs (although only the 6 year old went ) are great the girls are fab with them. if you want u can put them in there 3 times a day 10-12,4-6,and 9-11 in the evening.
Rooms were cleaned every day beds made and clean towels.
the restaurant was inside and out which was lovely as you are right on the beach with a nice breeze coming across. The restaurant could do with air conditioning in though as it is soo hot in there. There is only air conditioning in the rooms.
Lot of people complained about the food but remember every one has different tastes and neither of my 2 children 6 and 14 complained so i was happy.
You have to pay for all drinks after 12 midnight. There is a bar whivh opens at 6 in the evening and closes when the last go to bed, this other than in the restaurant is where the drinks are served in glases every where else it is in white plastic cups, and by the end of the holiday you are sick of and cannot wait to have your beer in a pint glass. No glasses are allowed only at this bar where the entertyainemnt is it is only the dreaded white plastic cups.
We met some great people there and the only thing other than those white plastic cups i would moan at is.........
All entertainemnt is done by the reps which they do do there best but it be a bit monotonous as they sing on there own there is no atmosphere in their singing and the entertainment is basically based on them getting the holiday makers up to do there jobs with silly games. It wasnt too bad but some nights you do feel aghhh. One Greek night and those dancers did not smile.
They coukld do with getting in some more professional acts-- 1 to give then a rest and also for a change.
Bingo oh no i thought but wait until you see how much you can win - u will play.
The water sports down on the beach are fantastic so are the people who ruin them Harri and Grace. really nice people you can go out on the boat while your family are doing the water spot#rtds that way you can get a good video. Say hi to them from Jacob and Kia they #will remember us as water sports were used every day. (try haggle with them if you have been on lots they are good).
Overall it was a great holiday.
MOANS WER.
The people who constantly moaned.
I didd not go on holiday to find all the bad things i went to enjoy myself after all i saved all year to have a good holiday and not everything is going to keep all happy is it.
Entertaiment could be better and THROW AWAY THOSE PLASTIC CUPS IN THE NIGHT GLASSES PLEASE.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Ierapetra
Operator and Date: (First Choice Discounts) First Choice - 2005
Opinion submitted in July 2005 by : Mrs Davis
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Good
My/Our Holiday Review:
Ierapetra is a real Greek town not Blackpool in the sun. I would therefore advise people to get out of the hotel and experience the town, people and cuisine.
The hotel Petra Mare was much better than the three star rating that's it's been given. The beach, although black sand, has beautiful water and a nice untouched feel about it.
There's a very friendly watersports that cater for all ages (our callum is only 2 but he went on the Jet ski with dad twice!) A previous review stated that they were a 'little pricey' but we were given great discounts, service and confidence - see Grace.
The food at Petra Mare is nothing special considering we were in a fishing town but once we left the hotel and decided to try the local restaurants we started to enjoy the real Greek.
'Cafe on the rocks' show all the football etc and serve Stella (so hubby was happy)and Mark does a mean English breakfast.
Chrissi Island was truly paradise but very hot so plently of water and suncream.
A wonderful Holiday. Wriiting this just makes me want to back!
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Hotel Petra Mare - Ierapetra
Operator and Date: Second Choice
Opinion submitted in Mar 2005 by : Bart ;-D
Resort Rating: No rating
Accommodation Rating: No rating
My/Our Holiday Review:
WONDERFULL NEWS!!! I just found out there's a new manager appointed in entertainment, things are gonna get "even" better! Good luck and have a great season.
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Hotel Petra Mare - Ierapetra
Operator and Date: Eclipse - October 2004
Opinion submitted in Jan 2005 by : Jan Wightwick - Bromley (50, 21)
Resort Rating: Good
Accommodation Rating: Poor
My/Our Holiday Opinion:
I went to this hotel with my daughter for a 'relaxing break' on 1st October 2004. I am afraid I must add to the negative comments given for this hotel. To be fair it was extremely cheap and you do get what you pay for. However I can only say it was like staying in chav city. The majority of the guests seemed to be interested only in eating and drinking as much of the all inclusive fare as possible. Their children (who should have been at school) were mostly allowed to run wild all day and evening and their parents were not much better. We were constantly woken at 3 in the morning by drunken returnees. It is a shame because this hotel was clearly once a nice place to stay. I am afraid that going all inclusive with a strong appeal to children was a mistake.
However we could have made the best of it (the sun shone mostly and the beach was good) if my daughter had not contracted the stomach upset which is endemic in this hotel. She did not feel well for most of the holiday. As others have reported we found the rep to be unhelpful. The rep's only suggestion was that I give my daughter 'flat coke'. No help with seeing