Petra Mare

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We were a party of 2 adults and 2 boys, aged 15 and 11.
Very long transfer time by coach, which was about the only downside of the entire holiday.
Very friendly and welcoming staff and reps, in fact there were reps and childrens' entertainers coming out of our ears, there were so many.
The rooms were large and spacious. We paid a bit extra for a sea view and it was worth every penny. There was air conditioning in the room provided for free and we had daily maid service, clean towels and bedding done very frequently, and the staff were so polite.
The food was a really pleasant surprise. There was no repetition or recycled food from previous days. It was fresh, tasty and there was always something for everyone, even my youngest son, who is quite picky, found loads to eat. And the chocolate cake covered with chocolate sauce was exquisite!!
The waterpark attached was really good, manned by 4 lifeguards, and with the private beach next to the pool, well, who could ask for more.
We would go back in a flash, and we are quite fussy as to what we like and don't!

Got back from the Petra Mare last week, we were there from 29th July to 12th August and had a pretty good time. It was very hot but there was a good strong wind most of the time to take the edge off the heat. During the first week, the wind was a bit of nuisance in the evening, blowing the drinks away in the flimsy plastic cups, but in the second week the wind dropped for a few days and it was a bit too hot! On a bonus point, there were no mosquitoes; I think the wind blew them all away!
The hotel was lovely and clean, our bathroom needed a bit of TLC but the sea-view made up for it! There were just three of us and we had one king-size bed, one double bed and one single bed, all very well spaced-out (not all in a row, like in some hotels). The air-conditioning was good but didn’t reach the far corners of the large room. We were on the first floor, Room 121, right above Reception. There are no lifts to the first floor, which seemed a bit stupid as there are lifts to all the other floors, so we had to struggle with our suitcases on arrival and departure!
If you have a late departure, book your late checkout room when you book the holiday; we didn’t, and we couldn’t book it once we were there, they were too busy and the room had already been allocated to new guests after midday. We were given the key for the “courtesy room” and honestly, it would be a courtesy if they just kept it as clean as the rest of the hotel! It was filthy and hot (no air-conditioning) and I felt dirtier coming out of there than before I went in. I’d have been better off showering on the beach!
Yes, you have to be up early for a sunbed, and yes, I was one of the “breakfast club” putting towels out at 7-ish and sitting on them till the 8 o’clock deadline; but we NEVER left them unattended all day - we were always down by the pool by 10:30ish (after breakfast) and stayed there until about 5 o’clock. It’s just one of those things, it’s happened on every holiday we’ve ever had and will continue to happen everywhere forever more, so GET OVER IT and join the club!
The entertainment team were great – Kelly is very professional and supported by Amy and Ayesha. Ryan is wasted as a Kid’s Club rep, he should be a full-time entertainer. The shows were all good (pantomimes, School of Rock, etc), and the nightly game shows (Family Fortunes, Play Your Cards Right etc) before the main performance were always a good laugh. Daytime activities were a good way to pass the time, I did Aqua-Aerobics a few times and we always got back from lunch in time to watch the daily Water-Polo. The only nights we didn’t enjoy were Sundays, when the reps have a bit of a “cop out” and send everyone down to the tiny El-Paso bar for karaoke – that’s NOT what I call a show, especially when it’s only a quarter the size of the main bar so most people can’t get in there!
The pool area is a bit “tired” but apparently it’s being all done up for next summer. The slides are popular, but my daughter bruised her foot quite badly when she hit the bottom of the pool coming down the “fast” straight slide, so be careful! The pools are sal****er. While we were there, the main pool was emptied at 4pm one afternoon for cleaning, and was filled up and sparkling ready for use the next morning. The main pool was very cold because of the wind, and you had to brace yourself for the morning aquafit session, however it was a very welcome cool relief in the afternoons!
I was a bit disappointed with the beach. Lots of rocks, stones and CONCRETE and dirty grey “sand”, however it seemed very popular, and the sunbeds on the beach were all taken much earlier than the pool sunbeds most mornings. The beach was especially favoured by the Germans and Eastern Europeans.
There is a good team of people doing watersports on the beach. My kids did the “Banana Express” which was a full hour going to a secluded “cave” where they could snorkel and jump off the cliffs and then to finish off, a spin round the bay on the banana. This was 25€ each and they let me ride in the speedboat (with their delightful little dog) for half-price so I could take the camcorder and film them. They also went on the “Squabs” (inflatable sofas) during Happy Hour for 10€ each which gave them three good spins around the bay (about 15 minutes).
Food at the hotel was lovely! An excellent selection for all preferences. Very easy to get your five-a-day if that’s what you’re into; and also easy to stuff yourself with junk for two weeks. Lovely salad bar, lots of fruit (and cakes) and always something good on the grill - fish, chicken, pork etc, and on Greek night they had lovely gyros (kebab meat) and pita, they also did souvlaki (pork skewers) a couple of times. My favourite meal was breakfast – a plateful of donuts every day, well, we were on holiday! Yum!!
The restaurant was busy but we always got a table somewhere. I liked the lovely outside terrace, great to eat your lunch overlooking the sea, but unfortunately this terrace is spoilt by cats and smokers. Didn’t care much for the snack bar near the pool, same stuff every day, chips, hot dogs, pizza, pasta, bread, ham and cheese. Okay for a slice of cake in the afternoon though!
The hotel itself was lovely, but I have to say I was very disappointed with the surrounding area. This was our first time in Greece (always done Spain), I was anticipating picture postcard traditional villages, but it’s all concrete and unfinished building sites. It’s all a bit “unloved”. The promenade into town is full of graffiti and the buildings are not pretty. However there is a small Venetian fortress at the harbour which isn’t concrete, and there are some nice shops in the main town selling euro-designer shoes and clothes.
We did the Minoan Adventure excursion (First Choice) which was a good guided tour of Knossos (the palace of the Minoan kings) and a 3-hour stop in Heraklion, which again, is not the prettiest place I’ve ever been to, but the museum has all the Minoan relics recovered from Knossos before some idiot archaeologist rebuilt the ancient site with, you guessed it, CONCRETE!!!
Heraklion Airport is a fun place to spend a couple of hours… You don’t hand over your suitcases at check-in, they are just weighed (and charged, watch out…) and boarding cards are issued and then you take your cases to another desk where they go through the x-rays. Then you proceed to the main departure area – apparently there are two “terminals”, even though the entire airport is only about as big as our local Tesco, so you have to make sure you go through the right bit. Once in the main departure lounge there are no big screens to tell you which gate to go to, you just have to listen out for it (there is one tiny TV screen very high up where nobody notices it). The planes are all “parked” at jaunty angles all over the tarmac and you get the little stand-up bus to board the plane.
Overall we had a good holiday. The hotel was great, Crete wasn’t what I expected, but this isn’t the hotel’s fault. If we could pick up the hotel and plonk it down somewhere else it would have been much better.

Visited Petra Mare for 1 week in July, with a party of 5 adults. Weather was brilliant. Even in the evening it didnt get cold.
I liked this hotel, even though its very basic.
Entertainment - whats that!! Nothing what so ever to do in the evenings, the town is only a short walk away, apart from bars and a few touristy shops, nothing else going on. We didnt want to spend money on drink outside of the hotel as we had already paid for it. The entertainment at the resort was rubbish, it was only done by the reps, who tried their best, but unfortunatly wasnt good enough.
Food/Drink was ok, not much choice, but what they did have was very nice. You are only limited to Beer, wine and certain Spirits - plenty of coke, lemonade, orangeade and water available. They have two bars, the bar at the bottom past the kids pool is the best, nice guys who run it, very friendly.
Swimming pool was very good, even though they only opened the slides for about 2 hours per day, which i dont think is long enough!!
If you want a sun bed you have to get up at 6.30 am to save yourself one, otherwise they will be all gone.
The watersports was very good, a bit exepnsive but worth it. (especially the JetSki)
The beach was nice, be careful when you walk in to the sea as the rocks are very slippery and sharp.
Trips - we didnt book anything through First choice, we highered a car and drove ourselves there. If you want to go to Spinalonga it costs you 10 euros from Elounda for a boat ride and then 2 euros for entrance (once your on the island) is it alot cheaper than the 58 euros First choice were asking for. (it did include coach ride)
Elounda is about 35 mins from this hotel (by car) which is worth a visit, not just for Spinalonga island, but for the food as well.
Overall the holiday was nice, we wouldnt go back, but we dont have any regrets going.

Family of 5 went being sceptical after reading reviews but had no worrys at all, Superb Holiday spent mostly around toddlers fresh water play area, but did venture to bigger salt water pools with eldest boy(12) and had a great time on the slides(although not open all day). 2yr old loved the toddler pool as well. Food was ok unless you give your kids a la carte food 3 times a day then you won't be happy, there is plenty of choice and yes it is repeated the second week but just try something different.The town is 5 minute walk and the locals are great, as for the reps,well the entertainment reps (Kelly, Amy and Aiesha) did a fantastic job and at times were hilarious especially when joined by the kiddies rep Ryan, dont knock these guys because with the limited resourses they have they really do try and the more you join in the better they get so help them out and all the other kids reps got good reviews as well.On the whole the hotel could do with being modernized (next year apparently), the trips are a little expensive(chrissie island is a must for parents who want a break from the kids for a day). Do take some drinking beakers with you as the small plastic cups they supply are very flimsy.Weather was unbelievabley hot. JUST GO AND ENJOY. ps Dan says hi guys!

travelled on 3rd June 08 in a mixed party of 11 from 4 to 65yrs age, we were greeted by pleasant and considerate staff at check in. we were alocated our rooms with sea views one word "magnifcent". we found the the hotel spotless, the cleaners were at it all day long, credit to them. the rooms were just right for a family, and were constantly cleaned. The general areas are nice to sit in with waterfalls all around and many seats available. We found the food to be excellent with varied menus and yes they dont cook like us but if i wanted English food styles we might as well of stopped at home. What happens is that most people try to fit several different meals on one plate and then after a week feel bored with the food, a restaurants menu remains the same for months so how can the hotel mass produce and give a bigger variety. Again the waitresses were constantly removing the used plates and cutlery ( i dont know how they didt get fed up with our table) and were friendly. The outside areas pools ect were spot on and again lifeguards and cleaners were patrolling to keep it clean. something for all ages out here they even got me down the big water slide (free) at 61. the first choice staff tried their best to entertain and on an evening the children really enjoyed them and if you want it quite there is the bar and the fantastic terrace overlooking the sea and Irepetra. Plastic cups outside, glass inside the bar, makes sense to me with self service points all around the facility. will we return, well we have booked already for next year if you want benidorm go there ( as we do regulary) for a cretian holiday go to Irepetra.

Travelled in party of 11 from 4 to 65, everything about this hotel is fantastic, forget about the moaners they will not enjoy it anywhere. From check in to leaving the staff were very friendly. The children enjoyed the pool and the entertainers the first choice entertainers were not professionals but gave of their best and the family liked them. It is one of the cleanest hotels I have been in. The food was to a good reasonable standard and plenty of choice that is if you didnt try to put all choices on one plate, go to any restaurant the menu stays the same for long periods so how can the hotel mass produce and serve different menus. The town is quiet but the locals are really friendly if you want benidorm dont come to Irepetra but if you want peaceful lazy days of natural crete you wont find anywhere better. will we go back we have already booked for 2009 with first choice. One last thing yes its a family hotel but my wife and I (63) thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and the hotel amenities, pools free water slides lazy river and the free outside bars.

Visited the Petra mare 2 weeks in May from the 16th to 30th with a party of 9 including 4 adults and 5 teenagers/kids, weather was out of this world not a cloud in 2 weeks, what ever you read about the hotel take it from me, its clean, tidy and for the kids "brilliant" the reps cater for all ages and are always on hand to give advice and help.
The food well make it what you want, me I did get a bit fed up of it on day 9/10 but you pay all inclusive so grin and bare it.
The kids meals were fine and even get the chance to try different things "snails".
Swimming pools and slides brill, beach very hot and watersports fantastic, and dont be afraid to haggle the prices, there always willing to take your euros so barter.
Booze was great for a while but consuming yor body weight in lgreek lager in the first 4 days did take its toll, so then you have to hit the weird tasting spirits ??
Watch out for the misserable old git in the hotel shop, we had a go at making him laugh, didnt succseed in 2 weeks.
Big it up for the 2 barmen in the Piano bar and El paso what a pair of top geezers, look after them and they will look after you.
take a walk into town along the sea front and you will come to first set of shops, haggle there aswell you can get some rite bargains.
Overall we had a fantastic holiday, meet some great freinds inc, Jeff from Barnsley,Stuart and his possie from Scunny, and the Leeds boys cheers for a good un.
PS Take a plastic pint glass less hassle.

went in august/sept 2007 with partner and 5 children , excellent hotel, clean rooms daily, polite staff , food choice excellent but repetetive but always good choice and great choice of salads and soup, nice deserts, children had great fun on all of the slides and the pools are kept clean regularly, head up to the far end bar near the baby slides in the evening for disco music til the early hours, but you have to pay after midnight. all in all excellent all round we have been twice and would even go again but not for a while.

This was our first holiday in three years since my husband had become disabled and we were worried that the travelling would prove to be a huge problem. We normally travel with Olympic Holidays and as this was our first holiday with First Choice we were not sure what to expect
We booked this holiday to relax and unwind and that’s exactly what we did.
We don’t usually return to the same hotel but we are already looking at the prices for September at the Petra Mare
On arriving at Gatwick we Joined the enormous queue outside the terminal with Hubby in his wheelchair and me with the luggage trolley. Within seconds we were removed from the queue and whisked straight to premier check in even though we hadn’t booked premier. So within 10 minutes of arriving at Gatwick we were sitting in the departure lounge.
We had booked assistance to get to the gate but I was happy to push hubby myself so we made our own way down. We were transferred to the plane which was on the tarmac in a disabled minibus and from there onto the ambulift and onto the plane
We had been given front seats on the plane right next to the toilet and these seats had extra legroom.
On arrival in Crete we were met by the ambulift at the planes front exit by a nice Greek man who had hubbys wheelchair ready for him to get into. This lovely man also pushed hubby into the terminal as well.
After collecting our luggage we ventured outside to find the First Choice Rep waiting for us who helped us to the coach and we were given the front seats as we had requested.
On arrival at the Petra Mare I was impressed with the fast check in. I have never seen anything like it.
There are 3 lifts at the Petra Mare each with room for hubby in wheelchair and 2 large suitcase and me.
Our room was on the 3rd floor it was spacious with loads of drawers and wardrobe space and a huge balcony with fantastic sea view (well worth paying extra for)
The only down side of the room was the fact that the shower is in the bath and hubby couldn’t have a shower the whole time we were there, having to make do with strip washes using the sink.
The Hotel staff are friendly and the cleaners are constantly cleaning and mopping floors (can get a bit slippery)
The Reps are extremely helpful and friendly
The inside restaurant is no smoking but nicer to eat outside anyway where you can smoke if you want to. The food is fantastic plenty of choice don’t just dump everything in site on your plate daily and you wont get bored with it. I put on 10lb on this holiday and enjoyed everything I ate. Most lunches by the second week were salads from the snack bar washed down with a pint or two of wine
Meals in the restaurant consisted of
Breakfast =choice of cereals, Greek yoghurts, cakes, biscuits, doughnuts, salad cold meats and cheese bacon, eggs fried scrambled boiled,sausages,beans, tomatoes, fried potatoes, French toast(not what I would call continental)
Lunch + evening meal=brilliant choice of salads.soup,chips,mashed roast jacket potatoes, at least 3 different veg,pork, chicken, lamb, rabbit, burgers,fish,chicken nuggets,fishfingers,meatballs,mousaka,stuffed aubergines, stuffed vine leaves, stuffed tomatoes lots more but cant remember them all
Puddings to die for with a huge choice and I never ate the same one twice
The Snack Bar food and drinks from 10 am until midnight
Bread, Rolls, Ham, Chopped Pork, Salad, Pasta, Pizza, Hotdog Sausages, Chips and 3 different cakes
Soft drinks,Water,Lager, Red and White Wine.
All other spirits available not self service though
The Greek night was really good lasting an hour. This was the only time we went out to the pool area for the entertainment but whenever I passed by the kids seemed to be having a really great time
Accessibility
3 lifts
Easy access to inside and outside restaurants
Ramp to outside pool area
Ramp to snack bar exceptionally steep needing 2 people to push wheelchair up it
Ramp to outside piano bar ( long way round via the pool area)
very steep but just about managed to push wheelchair up myself
Public toilets are all in the basement via lift bit difficult to access with wheelchair so just as easy to return to room for toilet which was a bit of a pain
The Promenade from hotel to town centre is so well paved and flat that I was able to push wheelchair one-handed and smoke with the other hand. There are lots of benches to sit and rest if needed.
Problems arose when trying to go off the promenade onto the side streets as was expected with hubby having to get off wheelchair and use crutches to cross roads only to find that we couldn’t get very far.
On our return journey Kylie the First Choice Rep made sure that the same front seats were reserved for us. She also phoned ahead to the airport to make sure that we were met at the coach. On arrival at the airport we were indeed met and one rep took one of the suitcases from me and another pushed my husband inside the terminal bypassing the huge queue outside. We were taken straight to check in and once again we were sitting in the departure lounge within 10 minutes of arrival at the airport. This time enjoying a cigarette as smoking is allowed in the designated areas.
Hubby was wheeled out to the ambulift by the same Greek man and we had again been given front row seats.
On arrival back to Gatwick hubbys wheelchair was waiting at the plane door but unfortunately had been given to someone else to use even though it was labelled with our name. The confusion was sorted straight away but if I hadn’t left hubby and got off the plane when I did I think we would have said Tata to his wheelchair.
Tips
Alpha Bank no charge for cashing travellers cheques
Defiantly take your own plastic cups and glasses and tray
Buy your bottles of water from the little supermarket outside the hotel. They were only 2 euros for 6 bottles but in hotel shop it was 4.20.

Just come bac from petra mare had a brilliant time staff really cool and met some really nice peeps even tho mostly families, bein 19 thought i would get quite bored but far from it, as much beer as you wanted from 10 in the mornin so nice cure to a hangova after the nite b4, so basically dint stop drinkin all week! Met a couple of lads 'n' a few more lasses my age which was all good. The only naf day was the sunday when leeds lost again in the play-off final got a shed load of abuse as was the only leeds fan but a good laugh at 'on the rocks bar'. Slides great, loads to keep kids entertained not as much naggin to buy stuff coz anythin they want is 4 free, night entertainment bit cheesy but the small bar by the kids waterslides is good, Matthew the DJ is funny, he also does the watersports on the beach in front of the hotel he will give you some good offers on them. Food good if you dont mind tryin new stuff otherwise its chips and pizza all week, (THE SNAILS WERE GOOD TOO!!!!!!!) tasty but bit of a rubbery texture. Rooms were ok but dint spend much time in them any way! Overall good hol and would defo go bac again