Petra Mare

We had a 2 week holiday at the start of June with 2 adults and kids aged 9 & 11.
Met by First Choice rep at airport with no problems and quite enjoyed the coach journey. It is just under 2 hours, but this is stated in the brochure, and some of the views are amazing.
Check in was very fast and efficient (under 5 mins)!
Hotel was very clean, always being cleaned and the floors can be slippery, but better than being dirty. Got used to shouting "walk!"
Room looked just like it does in brochure. Clean and adequate. Maid came every day.
Food wasn't great, but edible. Very repetitive. Salads and puddings lovely. Drinks were fine, in plastic cups but this is mainly because you can take them round the pool area.
Glasses were provided in main restaurant. You basically help yourself to food and drink all the time (except spirits which were served), which worked very well - we never had to queue for either at any time of day.
Staff were all friendly, except the man in the gift shop, he was grumpy and didn't seem like he liked kids! Staff at reception and food areas were nice, especially if you made the effort to be friendly. In the evening my husband’s drink order was ready and waiting for him in the snack bar, that’s service!
Swimming pools were great. The water slides were brilliant fun. Only open 1 hour in morning and 1 and a half in the afternoon, but that was long enough. Always had lifeguards at the top of each slide who controlled the queue very well. Quite often there was even one in the water at the bottom making sure things were ok.
The white slides were fine for all ages, even little kids; the other 2 had an age restriction on them of 9. Plenty for little ones in the kids pool, which was not very deep and had its own slides etc.
Beach is literally at the back of the hotel - definitely worth paying for a sea view. It is a sandy/pebbly beach, and the sea bed does have some large rocks in, but we took "beach shoes" and never had a problem.
Plenty of sand to make sandcastles with. Snorkelling was great fun - you don’t need to go far out and the fish are amazing. Sun beds and umbrellas were free both at the hotel and beach and there was always plenty about.
Water sports were brilliant. Run by nice people from the beach, and a definite must.
First Choice Reps were good. Always seemed to be plenty around and answered the questions we had. During the day there were quizzes, killer pool/darts, water polo etc and in the evening a kids disco followed by bingo and then a show of some sort.
While some of the shows still looked like they were "in the early stages" it was great fun and very entertaining. The more you get involved the more you get back. They were all really nice people who were keen for everyone to get involved regardless of ability!
They work incredibly hard. When we left they nearly all came to wave the coach off and Andy even got on the coach to say goodbye - nice touch.
Hotel was about 15 min walk from main town, which we found a little boring. Once you have been there's not much to go back for! Bar with the parrot (George) was great, can’t remember the name of it, but you will know it when you get there! They have a new parrot now too (Spyro) who was quite big. Fun to sit and have a drink and see what they are going to say. Very friendly place.
We only went on 1 day trip, to Chrissi Island. Beautiful place, definitely worth going and not that expensive.
Be prepared for the airport on the way home - it’s not fun!
We had a great time here and would go back again.

We have just had one of the best holidays we have been on in a very long time. As a family with two children under the age of 5, this resort made a possibly stressful holiday, completely stress free.
The Kids Club Reps are fantastic with the varied activities available. They also have a swimming teacher on site, the lesson will cost you extra, but they are well worth it, as our daughter has found her confidence in the water.
This is a nice hotel to stay at if you have a family as you have all you need on site, be it food which was good, entertainment which was great and reps that are always on hand to help if needed. We are now looking into returning next season.

I and my family loved this hotel apart from the rude and miserable member of staff that worked in the day-time outside pool/snack bar.
And I must mention the talentless First Choice entertainment team; however they did help me to go to sleep at night.
Did I mention the lifeguards that took on the role of clearing the sunbeds away whilst you were still sat on them? Oh and I nearly forgot the mop bucket happy cleaning ladies that sneak around mopping everything that doesn't move and causing wet trip hazards everywhere.
I must mention my delight at being served drinks in tiny plastic cups that the hotel used to serve every type of drink in (Even HOT coffee).
If you can put up with a 2 hour bum numbing transfer from the tiny airport that can't handle checking in more than 2 people at a time and a few of the above listed gripes then this hotel isn't that bad... Honest!!

When I booked this holiday I first read the feedback on this page, however do not book on the strength of 2006 reviews.
I have just returned from this hotel, and the best way to sum it up was shabby.
We arrived at 7 am and after breakfast had a quick look round, before everyone was up & I was horrified, the sun beds are awful, if they had been in my back garden I would have got rid several years ago, really shabby & not too clean, the whole place felt tired, weary & run down.
The facilities are a joke, Massage? Gym? & as for the indoor pool, apparently it broke down 2 years ago & they are unable to get the parts for it.
The food in the Restaurant was so repetitive, the kids special menu was chips chips chips, & even more chips. It’s great if you like salad or food laced with grease, but the vegetarian options were ok & no I was not a veggie before !!!
The spirits were crap, although they do have some UK brands & cocktails but you have to pay for them.
The reps, well I don't like to be bothered with all this 'in house entertainment' but this lot must have been the worst ever, yes ok its early season so there may be time to improve.
However, if going with children the pool complex is great.
Waking up listening to the sea is so calming .... And sitting eating your meals looking over the bay is something you will not get in the majority of hotels, take a walk into town, especially at night, have a wander around, it has an old town near the harbour. It hasn't been over developed & the shopkeepers & bar staff speak good English.

We flew in to Heraklion airport on the 17th April. Then followed a two hour drive to the Petra Mare hotel.
The hotel looked nice but was freezing cold everywhere except your room, even after a hot day. They have no heating apart from in your rooms.
The staff apart from 1 or 2 were not friendly at all. We were supposed to have entertainment every day and evening, there was nothing during the day, and the evening entertainment was 1 night bingo, 1 quiz night and 1 Greek dancing night, all these were held outside, where it was cold.
The other nights you got a film to watch in a room (in a basement below ground) that was also too cold, and if you have children under 14 you have to accompany them to watch films.
All the kid’s facilities were shut, so basically nothing to do.
The pool area was nice but they only had two life guards, who looked like they couldn’t save themselves let alone anyone else (about as useful as a chocolate fireguard). And the rocky beach was never watched so beware if you have kids.
The slides are only open for 1 hour in the morning and 1 1/2 hours in the afternoon.
The food is all covered in black pepper, but if you don’t like it ask and they will cook some plain for you, which was nice. It’s quite repetitive but you don’t go hungry.
The salad is amazing a lot better taste than English salad, and the deserts are to die for. There was some chipped crockery.
It’s about a 10-15 minute walk along the beach front to the tavernas, there is only a few there and a few stalls selling goods.
The friendliest taverna was owned by Costas, he has a parrot outside which you can hold and have a picture with, go and see him, and you will feel most welcome.
The main town shopping is ok but we found it expensive, and not a lot of gift ideas.

Perhaps the fact that my holiday was at the start of the season, meant that I encountered reps that were full of life, always happy to help, extremely entertaining and very very professional.
I am 27 and my Daughter is 6 and we both enjoyed our 2 week stay immensely, bearing in mind that I am easily bemused.
I appreciate the fact that some people have older children who they felt were not catered for, although to be fair the reps did organize daily activities such as Boat races, Water Polo, Treasure Hunts, Beach Volley Ball, and Pool Bingo not to mention the many on the spot contests.
As for the food. I have to admit that the menu is a little repetitive, but that doesn't mean the food was bad, far from it.
And hey, for those who like variety there are plenty of reasonably priced Cafe’s and Restaurants literally a few hundred yards down the Beach.
Oh yeah someone mentioned cats in the Restaurant, I mainly encountered cats on the decking outside the Restaurant which is not unusual, anytime the cats ventured inside they were quickly ushered out by staff.
They definitely didn't cause problems, its not like there were dozens of them, it was literally one or two cats.
The hotel itself was very well maintained. The Cleaners/Maids were very good at working around you I.E. if you needed them to they would come back to clean the room at a more convenient time.
All the Staff at the Hotel were friendly and helpful
The Bars were stocked with a wide variety of spirits which if anything, were not watered down. The Beer was no can of carling but it was okay (P.S There is an English bar complete with carling just down the Beach).
For anyone into Rock or Dance music there are a couple of nightclubs, which I found within walking distance. (Ask a Rep)
In short the Hotel Petra Mare is an excellent choice for a holiday destination
And the only advice I can offer is:
Take something to entertain you on the 1 and a half hour coach ride from the airport.

What an amazing holiday! I don’t know why this hotel has had so many bad reviews because it was fab! We arrived at 7am on 21st October and although we were tired it was hard not to have fun! Let me sum up the holiday:
RESTURANT:
The food was very good. The restaurant was sparkling clean and the waiters were ready to remove your plate the moment you had finished. The food could get a bit repetitive but we always found something to eat.
ROOM:
There were six of us staying together and the room was surprisingly big. The room was kept very clean and the maids can not be faulted. The sea view was amazing (well worth paying for). Every morning waking up was such a pleasure.
POOL:
There are two pools and they are both great. As I am 15 I used the main pool and I really enjoyed it. It was slightly chilly but after and hour in the scorching sun I was ready to go in. The slides are fantastic and the lifeguards are sooo funny!
BEACH:
Great great great! Plenty of sun beds and plenty of sun. What more of a combination can you ask for? The water sports are a definite highlight and Grace and Mike? Were brill. I really got to know them and they were brill people. There was also a 15 yr old guy working there on his holidays and I think that’s great work experience. I did jet skis, banana neat and crazy squab (a giant inflatable sofa) they were so much fun!!
ENTERTAINMENT:
This was the hotels one downfall. The first choice reps were rubbish! They didn’t care about you and couldn’t be bothered to entertain you. The evening entertainment was childish silly nonsense. We found a saviour in the El Paso bar. A little place at the back of the hotel (I wish we had found it sooner). It was the German base with three amazing German reps- Ali, Fouzze and ivonna. Ali spoke the best English and he welcomed us and kept us entertained every night and even in the day (which he didn’t have to as we are not German) he is very appealing to women and made us feel at ease. Fousse is the chief and he did bingo in 6 langs. I've never enjoyed bingo until now. Ivonna is great with kids. Ali was definitely the highlight of my week, without him I would not have had as much fun! I miss him greatly he become a friend.
I would say definitley go to this hotel but find the El Paso bar and your time there will be unforgettable. If I ever have the chance to go back I will. I am sooo sad to be home!

Great location, well run hotel and very clean. Fantastic swimming pools with slides also kept very clean.
Kids clubs were great for smaller children but First Choice stopped club for the older kids which left a lot of children aged 9 upwards with very little to do in the evenings many getting up to mischief in the lifts and hotel shop. Food was ok but always the same either grilled lamb that was very fatty, chicken in a sauce or fish.
Very good salad bar. Soup was the same every night but was called something different. Overall a great holiday but could do with improving the menu.

When we arrived at the Petra mare hotel it was late at night in was 5.30 in the morn .we was hear for 7 nights the hotel looked realty nice from outside. The hotel in side was nice as we walked in I went with my mate and her 3 kids and me and my 2 kids there was 5 kids in all .we got are keys at reception then went to our rooms, we only got about 3 hours sleep in our hotel room as it was really noisy due to the constant baby crying upstairs and the building site across the way as we was in a room on the front of the hotel where all u could hear was the work men drilling and banging, I do know it is a family hotel but there was nothing for our kids to do as the kids club only went up to the age of 8 and we had 2 kids over that age so the other kids was reluctant to do anything without the other 2, the reps wasn’t good with the kids the kids club was only for an hour in the evening and that was boring for them..... All through the holiday the kids said they were bored. We had Germans kicking off with our kids as the Germans had no kids even though it was suppose to be a family resort. Complained to the reps about the Germans but got no joy.
Oh by the way cats in food area sorry that’s wrong not good hygiene.
Meals were Crap crap crap............chips chips chips hotdog sausages all the time kids was sick off eating them. My son never eat for 2 days as he was sick off the same stuff
The smell was bad off the drains some times it was making us heave.
Drinks were Cheap crap beer. Cheap spirits! All watered down.
To be honest as a single parent family or any family I would not recommend the Petra mare hotel!
Was a waste of 4 grand.

Where do I start? This was the best family holiday I have ever been on; it was everything we wanted and more! The pools were absolutely fantastic, the photos in the brochure or the website just don't do it justice the lazy river is so nice to get in to with your ring or lilo and cool down, the water slides kept our kids happy and there is a deep pool too which again has no restrictions on inflatables which is rare!
The lazy river was emptied twice in a week and cleaned then refilled which was v.impressive I have to say. There are 2 lifeguards on duty all day on the slides then around the pool area, which again is reassuring when the older ones are off playing.
The food was surprisingly very good and I say surprisingly because the reviews I read were awful, there was plenty of choice, no sooner had the tray run out it was refilled again, my kids loved it they even chose vegetables most meal times so that says a lot in itself! Plenty of meat, fish salad galore and pasta, the sweets are gorgeous and there's plenty of ice cream too, which my son got his moneys worth of!!
Our room was perfect very roomy a beautiful sea view and v.clean, it was cleaned daily; with beds made which my lot thought was fantastic!
My only gripe is the lack of seating in the evening although we went in high season, but there should be seating for everyone, if you didn't get to the entertainment area by 8.00 you had no chance of a seat till 10.00 when parents took the younger children to bed, which forced us to walk in to town of an evening as we didn't finish eating until 9.00.
The beach is shingle but quite smooth under foot, there are water sports daily which you have to pay for but they are worth it we did the banana and the crazy squab which was a large inflatable sofa! Absolutely fantastic.
Overall THE hotel to stay in if you have children.