HOTEL PETRA MARE (Petra Mare)

Member Name: Superlexia24

Product:	Petra Mare
Date:	20/12/04 (2400 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: beachfront location, kids clubs, waterpark

Disadvantages: quiet resort

Hotel Petra Mare is an exclisive hotel to First Choice for the U.K. It is situated in the small and quiet resort if Ierapetra, and is an All Inclusive holtel.

The hotel itself is situated on the beachfront, has 3 floors, and all rooms have either a seaview or an uninterupted mountain view. You are greeted at the front entrance by a beautiful cascading waterfall, followed by beautiful landscaped gardens. The hotel reception is spacious, open 24 hours, and consists of a vast lounge area, and white marble floors. The hotel boasts, 3 bars, 1 resturant, 1 snack bar, shop, kids clubs, and 2 main swimming pools with waterslides, and 1 large childrens pool with play area.

The bedrooms are spacious and comfortable, with kingsize bed and 2 single beds. The bathroom was marble throughout, and was luxurious. The balconies are spacious, and have 2 chairs and a table, we had a sea view, and that meant nothing but the sea, as this hotels swimming pools are to the side of the hotel.

The food was good, alot of people moaned, saying it was the same every night - chips, in fact the food was typical of greek home cooking ( iknow this as i am half greek), and most people were to scared to try anything different, so opted for chips every day! There was also a section for children in the evenings, with foods such as chicken nuggets and fish fingers. The snack bar had buffet foods, such as rolls, fruit, hot foods, and selected times for icecreams.

Drinks are also included, and their ider of a vodke and lemonade is 4 shots of vodka, and a dash of lemonade! Even though alcohol was generous in measures, and most people were merry by 8pm, there was never any trouble, as this is a hotel focused on families, no couples are allowed, and the atnosphere is family based.

The entertainment was ok, a bit cheesy for my liking, but we didn't stay up much, as we are more of a day family. The kids clubs were fantastic, and sometimes the kids were gone 2 times a day, giving us a well earned rest! The swimmimg pools are fantastic. There is a normal swimming pool large in size, with a child pool. Then there is the lazy river, which was huge, and in the middle of this was the waterslides. The kids pool is large, shallow, and fun, with play equipment and is a fantastic large area for the kids. My kids only came back for suncream and drinks, they were gone all day!

The beach is superb, considering we went in august it was always empty, which i thought was amazing, and the water is so clean, but it is rocky, so i advsie you to wear jellies when swimming. The town itself is not a resort, there are a couple of souvenir shops, a few bars and shops. There were regular boat trips to chrissie island, which could be viewed from the hotel. if you are a beach lover i advise you to take this trip, and the beached on this island have been quoted as being in the top ten beaches list of the whole world, and you need to pinch yourself when you are there, as it does seem like you are on a tropical beach.

The staff in the hotel are polite and efficient, and the whole hotel was so clean, as soon as you have put your cup down, the cleaners have taken it, the fllors were spotless.

All in all this hotel is a fantastic place for families. We all cried when coming home, we are sure we won't go anywhere else again, because we know we would be comparing everthig to this hotel. If you do look in first choices brochure and you see the pictures, they truly don't do the hotel any justice.

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