Petra Mare, Ierapetra, Crete
Hotel Information
Recent Price: £90
Hotel Class:
Hotel Description:
Situated right on the beach, not far from the town of Ierapetra, this hotel offers great entertainment for kids, including a waterpark and a play area. The hotel also organises a range of watersports and beach activities. loading...
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Petra Mare Reviews
" Fab,Family,Fun "
Submitted By: leanne30
This was an extra last minute holiday and our first time in Crete and to the petra mare. We had been away twice this yr already, one being in the UK, the other salou, were we had a wonderful time. Therefore i was a little apprehensive about it, as you can not always compete against good holidays you have already had!!
Journey:
We had a 3hr 40min approx night flight with our 3 yr old which was fine as he slept the journey. We then had a 2 1/2 hr transfer journey to the hotel!! which was a long winding road coach journey, with lots of wonderful mountains and views, although we could not see these as it was at night!! but again our 3yr old slept (phew)! We set off at 7.45pm fri night and arrived at 5.00am sat morning, but as this may seem a real journey the island/hotel/food/reps/acommodation/entertainment were all worth the travelling (honest).5/10
Reception:
The reception greated us on our arrival with a friendly smile, which helped and were very efficient when giving us all we needed to get to our room to catch up on sleep as soon as possible. So much so we missed breakfast that morning and the following morning due to catching up on sleep!! this didn't matter though as the snack bar was sufficient, so no worries at all. Something like would normally worry me especially with a 3yr old and needing to be fed, but really the snack bar served all our needs all day long. 8/10
Accomodation:
Our room was a standard sea view room which we had requested when booking. The room was VERY clean and i fully recommend the sea view, especially if you really don't mind the sounds of the sea first thing in a morning! this helped us feel in holiday mood :-) the room service and laundry care was excellent, clean towels every day, lovely polished floors and bathroom lovely and clean. Our 3yr olds teddie and night clothes were always positioned and folded neatly every day, after us just leaving them on the side ready for that night, which i felt was beyond duty but a nice gesture. The room was very spacious and air conditioning was lovely after a day in the sun!! Our balcony was narrow and long, enough for my husband to sit out and catch extra end of the day sun at about 4.30pm ish!! and to dry wet swim wear.
Overall accomodation is 9/10.
Facilities:
Hotel reception area is spacious and very clean with a lovely large sitting area to relax in. The balcony from reception is great to look out from especially in the evening when the sun is going down very nice for pictures. The bar area is nice and lots of space to sit down in relaxing chairs and have a drink. The all inclusive drinks are of a high standard, and although there is charge for cocktails they are worth it, my 3yr old and myself both sampled the cocktails, yes they do kids ones :-). The resteraunt was very clean and the food and drink was fantastic, different choice every night, and we had no problems finding something our 3yr old liked. dowe? egberts coffee and filtered water machines, along with friut juices, fizzy drinks, beer, and wines. Desserts were fab, my favourite if i am honest. The chef came around towards the end of our holiday to see how every one had enjoyed their food, which i thought was really good. There are cats who are around at meal times but only on the outside dinning area, and again as someone has said before feed them and you will have a friend, don't and they will pass you. There is a little shop in the hotel which has most things you may need but are more expensive than at the local supermarket about 5/10min walk away, but if you don't mind the lady in there is lovely and at the end of the day your on holiday! 9/10
pool:
The pool area is fanstastic our little one loved it, loads for him to do in the pool and in the little play area near the kids club. The area is really really clean and the snack bar and drinks provided are available all day, which is great although i did find we ate more in a day than we would normally do at home !! started my diet already! The infinity pool for adults is great to although i could not stand up, i don't think many people could. Even our little one loved swimming in here which was great as he did do some swimming! The view under the bridge and into the infinity area out to sea is fab and makes great pics to. 9/10
First choice reps:
I really can't say enough about these guys, they are all a fantastic credit to the company and deserve recognition, they all worked great as a team and never stopped smiling. Debbie,wes,luke,sam,kay,sue,hannah,kirsty,leanne,claire,laura,loren,were the team during our stay and we really thought they were fab. Great with all the kids, and always let onto you around and during the day, stopping for a chat was never an issue even though i am sure they had work to do! Debbie,luke and leanne are great singers, but work well with the rest of the team, it was definatly a whole package. A shame this group don't work together all the time. They really do organise their performances and make the entertainment interesting and a holiday to remmember. My little one lacked confidence to go into kids club, although he did go once, got the t-shirt,bag,drink bottle and hat (free) which he was very proud of and latched onto both happy hannah and kool kirsty who he talked about the whole holiday. They always made him feel special when they saw him and encouraged him to join in evening kids disco which he did do! which i thought was lovely as this was something they didn't have to do as he would not go to kids club. I REALLY REALLY can't emphasise enough how good these guys are, so if your reading guys i hope i didn't miss anyone off, if i did i am truly sorry but it goes out to you all, thankyou for a great time xx anyone who holidays with any of these reps in the future are very lucky.20/10!!
Water sports:
There are lots of water sports to do, although we did not participate, lots did and feedback was good, all seem to have a good time, and not too expensive i don't think?6/10
Trips:
The welcome meeting was good, alot of reps were there and very happy to help again, the guide was very knowledgable of crete and there were a few trips on offer one of which was chrissi island, somewhere i would have been interested in if we did not have our 3 yr old with us as they did say it is a very hot island, and my concern was sunburn! as you are out there for a good 4 hrs! also the water park, a few people we spoke to went, but did say the journey on the coach is a long one and another family we spoke to hired a car to go and got lost!! this trip maybe best done if you were staying closer to the park!6/10
Out and about:
As i mentioned earlier there is a super market locally selling most things you would need if you wanted, about 5/10min walk away, left out of hotel entrance straight ahead on your rght. We also had a walk at the back of the hotel, which was nice but a long way to souvenir shops with a 3yr old!! Also there are lots of very nice bars along here, but expensive we heard for drinks! Not very much around the hotel but to be honest the hotel has everything you need, for a relaxing, FAB, FAMILY, FUN, holiday.7/10
Locals:
All the locals seemed very nice, pleasent and helpful which is nice when your away from home.
This holiday is well recommended, we had a great time and would def go back. 10/10
Journey:
We had a 3hr 40min approx night flight with our 3 yr old which was fine as he slept the journey. We then had a 2 1/2 hr transfer journey to the hotel!! which was a long winding road coach journey, with lots of wonderful mountains and views, although we could not see these as it was at night!! but again our 3yr old slept (phew)! We set off at 7.45pm fri night and arrived at 5.00am sat morning, but as this may seem a real journey the island/hotel/food/reps/acommodation/entertainment were all worth the travelling (honest).5/10
Reception:
The reception greated us on our arrival with a friendly smile, which helped and were very efficient when giving us all we needed to get to our room to catch up on sleep as soon as possible. So much so we missed breakfast that morning and the following morning due to catching up on sleep!! this didn't matter though as the snack bar was sufficient, so no worries at all. Something like would normally worry me especially with a 3yr old and needing to be fed, but really the snack bar served all our needs all day long. 8/10
Accomodation:
Our room was a standard sea view room which we had requested when booking. The room was VERY clean and i fully recommend the sea view, especially if you really don't mind the sounds of the sea first thing in a morning! this helped us feel in holiday mood :-) the room service and laundry care was excellent, clean towels every day, lovely polished floors and bathroom lovely and clean. Our 3yr olds teddie and night clothes were always positioned and folded neatly every day, after us just leaving them on the side ready for that night, which i felt was beyond duty but a nice gesture. The room was very spacious and air conditioning was lovely after a day in the sun!! Our balcony was narrow and long, enough for my husband to sit out and catch extra end of the day sun at about 4.30pm ish!! and to dry wet swim wear.
Overall accomodation is 9/10.
Facilities:
Hotel reception area is spacious and very clean with a lovely large sitting area to relax in. The balcony from reception is great to look out from especially in the evening when the sun is going down very nice for pictures. The bar area is nice and lots of space to sit down in relaxing chairs and have a drink. The all inclusive drinks are of a high standard, and although there is charge for cocktails they are worth it, my 3yr old and myself both sampled the cocktails, yes they do kids ones :-). The resteraunt was very clean and the food and drink was fantastic, different choice every night, and we had no problems finding something our 3yr old liked. dowe? egberts coffee and filtered water machines, along with friut juices, fizzy drinks, beer, and wines. Desserts were fab, my favourite if i am honest. The chef came around towards the end of our holiday to see how every one had enjoyed their food, which i thought was really good. There are cats who are around at meal times but only on the outside dinning area, and again as someone has said before feed them and you will have a friend, don't and they will pass you. There is a little shop in the hotel which has most things you may need but are more expensive than at the local supermarket about 5/10min walk away, but if you don't mind the lady in there is lovely and at the end of the day your on holiday! 9/10
pool:
The pool area is fanstastic our little one loved it, loads for him to do in the pool and in the little play area near the kids club. The area is really really clean and the snack bar and drinks provided are available all day, which is great although i did find we ate more in a day than we would normally do at home !! started my diet already! The infinity pool for adults is great to although i could not stand up, i don't think many people could. Even our little one loved swimming in here which was great as he did do some swimming! The view under the bridge and into the infinity area out to sea is fab and makes great pics to. 9/10
First choice reps:
I really can't say enough about these guys, they are all a fantastic credit to the company and deserve recognition, they all worked great as a team and never stopped smiling. Debbie,wes,luke,sam,kay,sue,hannah,kirsty,leanne,claire,laura,loren,were the team during our stay and we really thought they were fab. Great with all the kids, and always let onto you around and during the day, stopping for a chat was never an issue even though i am sure they had work to do! Debbie,luke and leanne are great singers, but work well with the rest of the team, it was definatly a whole package. A shame this group don't work together all the time. They really do organise their performances and make the entertainment interesting and a holiday to remmember. My little one lacked confidence to go into kids club, although he did go once, got the t-shirt,bag,drink bottle and hat (free) which he was very proud of and latched onto both happy hannah and kool kirsty who he talked about the whole holiday. They always made him feel special when they saw him and encouraged him to join in evening kids disco which he did do! which i thought was lovely as this was something they didn't have to do as he would not go to kids club. I REALLY REALLY can't emphasise enough how good these guys are, so if your reading guys i hope i didn't miss anyone off, if i did i am truly sorry but it goes out to you all, thankyou for a great time xx anyone who holidays with any of these reps in the future are very lucky.20/10!!
Water sports:
There are lots of water sports to do, although we did not participate, lots did and feedback was good, all seem to have a good time, and not too expensive i don't think?6/10
Trips:
The welcome meeting was good, alot of reps were there and very happy to help again, the guide was very knowledgable of crete and there were a few trips on offer one of which was chrissi island, somewhere i would have been interested in if we did not have our 3 yr old with us as they did say it is a very hot island, and my concern was sunburn! as you are out there for a good 4 hrs! also the water park, a few people we spoke to went, but did say the journey on the coach is a long one and another family we spoke to hired a car to go and got lost!! this trip maybe best done if you were staying closer to the park!6/10
Out and about:
As i mentioned earlier there is a super market locally selling most things you would need if you wanted, about 5/10min walk away, left out of hotel entrance straight ahead on your rght. We also had a walk at the back of the hotel, which was nice but a long way to souvenir shops with a 3yr old!! Also there are lots of very nice bars along here, but expensive we heard for drinks! Not very much around the hotel but to be honest the hotel has everything you need, for a relaxing, FAB, FAMILY, FUN, holiday.7/10
Locals:
All the locals seemed very nice, pleasent and helpful which is nice when your away from home.
This holiday is well recommended, we had a great time and would def go back. 10/10
Advice: Had a REALLY great time, crete is a LOVELY place, hotel is FAB with FANTASTIC reps.
Activities: A walk to the castle. Hotel food :-) . Holiday in general.
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" Big Fish Little Fish Cardboard Box, Wer'e All Having FUN! "
Submitted By: Laugharne Family
Good food, I’d say 7/10, The room was fine, I’d say 6/10. The hotel overall, 8/10. Location 8/10, staff 9/10 and entertainment 8/10. Luke “future manager” and Super Sam are stuff of legend.
Go to Chrissy Island, 25 euros adults and 20 for kids. GO! Explore the town and eat in places where there are lots of Greeks, we had a meal (Kerri, Jamie Luke and I) and when expecting a 40ish euro bill were presented with a 12 euro one! Do the banana express too, jump off the cliff and get the dvd. We didn’t go but the word was to avoid the “water park” outing. Very expensive, long coach ride and some of the slides and the wave pool on the brochure aren’t there! In fairness, the biggest ones apparently are.
Kerri and I are 32 and Jamie-Luke is six we all loved it, Swim Sue will get even the least buoyant children swimming like fish, 6 euros per half hour lesson. Jamie-Luke was doing children’s activities for hours at a time, I enjoyed killer pool, quick cricket and beach volleyball activities during the day.
The all inclusive beer is nice and 4.9 percent (i saw a barrel) and the all inc spirits were ok too. Get some chocolate yazoo from the shop in the hotel and mix it with all inc brandy! (Lee’s trick). Kerri rated the wine as “OK”, I didn’t try it.
The shallow kids pool and slides meant that Jamie-Luke was often away from us with his friends whist we whiled away our day, it’s perfect for children of this age, he also got his 10 meters badge swimming in deep water in the adults pool (infinity pool) but wasn’t allowed in there unsupervised.
DO NOT LET YOUR CHILD RUN UP THE SLIDES IN THE KIDS POOL. Lots of them do, but make sure yours know better, several kids were injured, some very seriously doing this. Plaster casts, teeth through lips, the lot. It ruined a couple of holidays and is just so avoidable.
If you are reading this and have any questions or if I met you on holiday feel free to email me – jaylaugharne@gmail.com
Go to Chrissy Island, 25 euros adults and 20 for kids. GO! Explore the town and eat in places where there are lots of Greeks, we had a meal (Kerri, Jamie Luke and I) and when expecting a 40ish euro bill were presented with a 12 euro one! Do the banana express too, jump off the cliff and get the dvd. We didn’t go but the word was to avoid the “water park” outing. Very expensive, long coach ride and some of the slides and the wave pool on the brochure aren’t there! In fairness, the biggest ones apparently are.
Kerri and I are 32 and Jamie-Luke is six we all loved it, Swim Sue will get even the least buoyant children swimming like fish, 6 euros per half hour lesson. Jamie-Luke was doing children’s activities for hours at a time, I enjoyed killer pool, quick cricket and beach volleyball activities during the day.
The all inclusive beer is nice and 4.9 percent (i saw a barrel) and the all inc spirits were ok too. Get some chocolate yazoo from the shop in the hotel and mix it with all inc brandy! (Lee’s trick). Kerri rated the wine as “OK”, I didn’t try it.
The shallow kids pool and slides meant that Jamie-Luke was often away from us with his friends whist we whiled away our day, it’s perfect for children of this age, he also got his 10 meters badge swimming in deep water in the adults pool (infinity pool) but wasn’t allowed in there unsupervised.
DO NOT LET YOUR CHILD RUN UP THE SLIDES IN THE KIDS POOL. Lots of them do, but make sure yours know better, several kids were injured, some very seriously doing this. Plaster casts, teeth through lips, the lot. It ruined a couple of holidays and is just so avoidable.
If you are reading this and have any questions or if I met you on holiday feel free to email me – jaylaugharne@gmail.com
Advice: GO THERE!
Activities: Chrissy Island
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" best ever you gotta go or miss out "
Submitted By: clare46
this is the first holiday abroad we have taken my step children on and thought we would go all inclusive and we have not been disappointed. the food was superb something diff each nite. the entertainment team need a gold medal they neva stopped from am to pm. feddie luke debbie and the rest were amazing something going all day and nite. only one dissapointment there was not aqua park and that was on e of the main reasons for booking and we were neva told it had been pulled down but they had put slides and pirates ship in place so kids were happy. well worth the money. AND WE ARE GOING BACK NEXT YEAR YIPPEE CANT WAIT XX
Advice: nice beach and walk on the beach to the marine
Activities: we didnt do any enough goin on in the hotel
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:May 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" Fantastic "
Submitted By: donnamartin664
Possible the best holiday we have ever had.
Hotel was superb, very high standard of cleanliness, food was great even for my very fussy 4 year old! Staff fantastic, reps/ents outstanding and really made the holiday.
I will be booking to go back next year and for 2 weeks instead of 1.
Hotel was superb, very high standard of cleanliness, food was great even for my very fussy 4 year old! Staff fantastic, reps/ents outstanding and really made the holiday.
I will be booking to go back next year and for 2 weeks instead of 1.
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" meals "
Submitted By: charles woodward
the hotel was very clean and the staff were pleasant the surrounding beautiful....the meals needed to be hotter.....excellent entertainment for the young.....adult entertainment needed improving (no saterlite tv)....reps need more experiance in health and saftey warning due to the hot weather over 90dec.....pool and suroundings good life guard needs to been on guard at all times not going of chatting to his friends on beach
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- Date of Holiday:May 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Have just had what I can only... "
Submitted By: Mr K Froggatt
Have just had what I can only describe as fantastic RELAXING 10 days at the Petra Mare.
The hotel is very clean - there is always someone sweeping or moping something and rooms have fresh towels daily and beds are also made daily. Staff were friendly and the receptionists were very helpful.
The food in our opinion is very good, my partners teenage daughter is quite 'particular' about food but there was always something there that she could enjoy albeit fish fingers/chips/beans/pizza which are always on the kids menu. She did venture into the daily themed menus, fried chicken one day and Souvlaki another. Desserts are fantasy land for those with a sweet tooth. Fruit syrup sponges aplenty along with choc sponge vanilla slices and different flavoured mousses. And of course various self scoop ice creams and cakes , biscuits etc. The salad bar is creaking under the weight of greenery and with various options to compliment this with sauces and dips Tzatziki (superb!), cucumber yogurt, etc and help yourself olive oil. There is always a fruit bar with sliced melon, orange etc. Other themes include fish nights, mediterranean, Greek and pasta dishes are always on. Veggies wont be dissapointed - stuffed peppers/ vine leaves and the stuffed tomatoes are superb! Breakfast choose from fruit, continental, English or be German and have everything! A few cats will join you during your meal but ignore them and they take the hint - feed them and you will become their God! And DONT say Ch Ch Ch 'cos they come out of the woodwork!
Our room was facing the sea and if you fancy that you had better like the sound of the sea cos its on your doorstep! Nothing unusual to report apart from that, the beds and pillows a tad firm perhaps but not uncomfortable.
The bar area is very pleasant, the bar man is very friendly at first until you keep asking for the local drinks - buy a cocktail and hes your best mate! You can help yourself anyway at the snack bar outside.
The pool area is the main feature with a large pool for swimmers, slides for a laugh which open for a couple hours at a time, and a kiddies pool with various amusements to keep them occupied.
When we were there the hotel was probably 2 thirds full so there was never a problem with beds.
As far as the beach goes it would have been better if the hotel had been built about 500 yards further back to give MORE beach and also reduce the noise. You will need something on your feet to go in the sea as the 1st 20 feet or so is rocky, something again they should have thought about. There are showers there and a few sun beds.
Ierapetra is a small simple village with a small array of shops and bars so don't plan on doing much there. Shopping is limited to snide tshirts/watches/belts/smellies etc.. And pics of places around Greece. A trip to Chrissi Island an hour a way is a welcome break with a proper beach and not as rocky.Google it and you will see what I mean.
All in all 10 days was enough, any longer and car hire or a few trips would be needed. (We also did Aqua Plus water park - fantastic and no ques at this time of year!)
I would recommend Petra Mare to families and not for anyone looking for great night life!
I would definitely consider going back some day.
The hotel is very clean - there is always someone sweeping or moping something and rooms have fresh towels daily and beds are also made daily. Staff were friendly and the receptionists were very helpful.
The food in our opinion is very good, my partners teenage daughter is quite 'particular' about food but there was always something there that she could enjoy albeit fish fingers/chips/beans/pizza which are always on the kids menu. She did venture into the daily themed menus, fried chicken one day and Souvlaki another. Desserts are fantasy land for those with a sweet tooth. Fruit syrup sponges aplenty along with choc sponge vanilla slices and different flavoured mousses. And of course various self scoop ice creams and cakes , biscuits etc. The salad bar is creaking under the weight of greenery and with various options to compliment this with sauces and dips Tzatziki (superb!), cucumber yogurt, etc and help yourself olive oil. There is always a fruit bar with sliced melon, orange etc. Other themes include fish nights, mediterranean, Greek and pasta dishes are always on. Veggies wont be dissapointed - stuffed peppers/ vine leaves and the stuffed tomatoes are superb! Breakfast choose from fruit, continental, English or be German and have everything! A few cats will join you during your meal but ignore them and they take the hint - feed them and you will become their God! And DONT say Ch Ch Ch 'cos they come out of the woodwork!
Our room was facing the sea and if you fancy that you had better like the sound of the sea cos its on your doorstep! Nothing unusual to report apart from that, the beds and pillows a tad firm perhaps but not uncomfortable.
The bar area is very pleasant, the bar man is very friendly at first until you keep asking for the local drinks - buy a cocktail and hes your best mate! You can help yourself anyway at the snack bar outside.
The pool area is the main feature with a large pool for swimmers, slides for a laugh which open for a couple hours at a time, and a kiddies pool with various amusements to keep them occupied.
When we were there the hotel was probably 2 thirds full so there was never a problem with beds.
As far as the beach goes it would have been better if the hotel had been built about 500 yards further back to give MORE beach and also reduce the noise. You will need something on your feet to go in the sea as the 1st 20 feet or so is rocky, something again they should have thought about. There are showers there and a few sun beds.
Ierapetra is a small simple village with a small array of shops and bars so don't plan on doing much there. Shopping is limited to snide tshirts/watches/belts/smellies etc.. And pics of places around Greece. A trip to Chrissi Island an hour a way is a welcome break with a proper beach and not as rocky.Google it and you will see what I mean.
All in all 10 days was enough, any longer and car hire or a few trips would be needed. (We also did Aqua Plus water park - fantastic and no ques at this time of year!)
I would recommend Petra Mare to families and not for anyone looking for great night life!
I would definitely consider going back some day.
-
- Date of Holiday:Sep 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" Stayed at this hotel last week of... "
Submitted By: Miss A Furnival
Stayed at this hotel last week of june first week of July two weeks all inclusive. Very long drive from airport to hotel 2 hour journey.
Disappointed with hotel room very basic.
Food was OK very repetitive and poor kids menu snails one night. Ice cream was only available for 2 hours a day once gone that's it.
Had our money stolen from room the second week and also five other rooms on the same floor as us (first floor) had there money taken as well English and euro. Reported to hotel didn't want to know nor did the first choice reps really want to help.
Found out on our last day other families had cameras and camcorders stolen from around sunbeds.
We would never return to this hotel or recommend it
Disappointed with hotel room very basic.
Food was OK very repetitive and poor kids menu snails one night. Ice cream was only available for 2 hours a day once gone that's it.
Had our money stolen from room the second week and also five other rooms on the same floor as us (first floor) had there money taken as well English and euro. Reported to hotel didn't want to know nor did the first choice reps really want to help.
Found out on our last day other families had cameras and camcorders stolen from around sunbeds.
We would never return to this hotel or recommend it
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" hi there we went to petra mare hotel... "
Submitted By: Mrs S Hedley
hi there we went to petra mare hotel in 2006 for 1 week we thought the hotel and staff were exellant and very friendly our room was cleaned every day it was the first time we had ever gone abroad and we enjoyed every minute the food was plentifull and the rooms are quite spacious we have booked to go again on the 3rd oct for two weeks nice one hotel petra mare
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2006
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" Just returned yesterday from Petra... "
Submitted By: Mrs L.j Helliwell
Just returned yesterday from Petra Mare, we booked last minute for this holiday a thouroughly read all the reviews, which where very good. This is the first time we have done a three star hotel, but we had a 13 year old son with us and this looked perfect for him. Over all had a good holiday, a week was long enough. Reps where fab, and VERY talented, they should all be on the big stage, they did a performance called " School of Rock" if you get chance to see that you must!!!!!!!
The hotel its self was very clean, in fact the cleaners where always moping the floor, which is quite a hazard, nearly slipped a few times..... and be aware tuesday at 4 they start draining the pool, while we where they they had started draining the pool without any warning and nothing put round the pool to warn you, and a young boy was pushed in not realising water level had gone down....and ended up with a bad injurie to his foot, the lifeguard then put bars up with string up around the pool witch was very hard to see when sun went down, This really NEEDS to be looked at by health and saftey, and by First Choice, before you have to pay out a big compensation claim!!!!!!!
We met lots of very nice people here and had a good laugh, but everyday did become more like a script from the serise Benidorm.....very funny to watch, there where kids running around anoying everyone, german men with THONGS on ( ha ha...YUKKK!!!!!) and I even saw a few arguments round the pool with women arguing over children.
Food is ok. you can not expect too much, and there was always plenty of it, drink was a bit dodgey though, we did pay a few times to have a decent drink. Lots of people in the reviews have commented on the ferrell cats around while you are eating, we really did not mind them at all, and yes we where one of the familys that FED them!!!!!!!
Beach not as bad as expected, watersports good, my son was on everyday.......be warned if you are going to go on the ringos, I went on on last day.........my backside is black and blue, and can hardly move my arms from clinging on!!!!!!!
One more word of advise.....if you want a sunbed get down for about 6.30 or you have NO CHANCE, there are signs up saying towels put down before 8am will be removed....but they never are.
Overall ok holiday, wouldnt go back though, it is in the middle of nowhere. Oh and slides only open 2 hours a day, as is ice cream for kids......If you are going you will enjoy it is not bad at all for a three star,...........ENJOY
The hotel its self was very clean, in fact the cleaners where always moping the floor, which is quite a hazard, nearly slipped a few times..... and be aware tuesday at 4 they start draining the pool, while we where they they had started draining the pool without any warning and nothing put round the pool to warn you, and a young boy was pushed in not realising water level had gone down....and ended up with a bad injurie to his foot, the lifeguard then put bars up with string up around the pool witch was very hard to see when sun went down, This really NEEDS to be looked at by health and saftey, and by First Choice, before you have to pay out a big compensation claim!!!!!!!
We met lots of very nice people here and had a good laugh, but everyday did become more like a script from the serise Benidorm.....very funny to watch, there where kids running around anoying everyone, german men with THONGS on ( ha ha...YUKKK!!!!!) and I even saw a few arguments round the pool with women arguing over children.
Food is ok. you can not expect too much, and there was always plenty of it, drink was a bit dodgey though, we did pay a few times to have a decent drink. Lots of people in the reviews have commented on the ferrell cats around while you are eating, we really did not mind them at all, and yes we where one of the familys that FED them!!!!!!!
Beach not as bad as expected, watersports good, my son was on everyday.......be warned if you are going to go on the ringos, I went on on last day.........my backside is black and blue, and can hardly move my arms from clinging on!!!!!!!
One more word of advise.....if you want a sunbed get down for about 6.30 or you have NO CHANCE, there are signs up saying towels put down before 8am will be removed....but they never are.
Overall ok holiday, wouldnt go back though, it is in the middle of nowhere. Oh and slides only open 2 hours a day, as is ice cream for kids......If you are going you will enjoy it is not bad at all for a three star,...........ENJOY
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- Date of Holiday:Sep 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" We were a party of 2 adults and 2... "
Submitted By: Mrs W Hodgetts
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!
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!
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" Got back from the Petra Mare last... "
Submitted By: cyberspacekadette
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.
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.
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" Visited Petra Mare for 1 week in... "
Submitted By: Miss S Willing
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.
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.
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" Family of 5 went being sceptical... "
Submitted By: Mr S Wright
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!
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
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Advice: watch out for the flys
Activities:
Good for: Beach