doepsmc wrote:

Is it the weather that is putting you off or the hotel?

I just don't feel "right" about it, if you know what I mean. It seems to be in the middle of nowhere and a lot of the reviews from last year weren't so good. Having said that, we've been to places with poor reviews before and had a fantastic time
I think it's just that this will probably be our last holiday as a nice little family - son will be off to Uni this Autumn and daughter wants to bring a friend on future holidays (or go away with them instead); so I want everything to be "right" if you know what I mean.

shell wrote:

It's not somewhere I would want to return to or Hubby but having said that my Son who was 13 at the time still rates it as his best holiday yet.

Why would you not want to return Shell? Was it really bad or do you just like to try different places?
As I've said, we went to Turkey (Olu Deniz) in August 2006 - it was nice but I'm in no hurry to return. I'm a Spain person. Crete does look nice, but Ierapetra seems to be a bit of a "nothing" place. We went to Ibiza last year and stayed in San Miguel, which is a bit of a one-horse town, but we knew the hotel was going to be good (shared facilities with 3 different hotels, good reviews and excellent entertainment). The Petra Mare seems to have neither the good facilities/entertainment nor the busy resort as an alternative.
Olu Deniz was unbearably hot when we went - it was in the 40ºC's every day and some days it was touching 50ºC - even the locals were complaining. Now, daughter reckons Ibiza last year was just as hot, but I thought it was bearable there, although the hotel in Ibiza was right on the beach and there was always a nice breeze off the sea.

Still don't know what to do - I need to find out how much the amendment fees would be to change to another First Choice holiday (possibly Majorca or somewhere in my beloved Canaries); if the amendment fee plus the difference in price of another holiday is prohibitive then there's the option of just cancelling, losing the deposit and looking for a cheap DIY. Or we could still go to the Petra Mare... need to think about it.

Thanks for your help

Just my twopenn'orth CSK! If you are able to hire a car, you will be able to get further afield when you find that Ierapetra is not enough for you. I visited Ierapetra on the way to finding a really good sandy and shady beach further east along the coast at Makrygialos. I have done a lot of driving in Crete and I think you will find that Ierapetra is a nice and friendly small town, easy to get around on foot and full of locals as well as holidaymakers.

If you hire a car as I suggested it is NOT a long drive north across the island to Agios Nikolaos, and then up to Elounda and Spinalonga. A bit further inland you can visit the Lassithi Plateau which is rather like travelling back in time and to a different country (a plateau of fields and irrigation channels surrounded by mountains, rather rustic and peaceful, though tourists have plenty of souvenirs they can buy!!) and from Ierapetra you can also go west and into the mountains and unspoilt Crete.

I think you must factor in some 'down' time in the heat of the day - a nice little restaurant in the countryside or a well-deserved snooze! But don't write off a beautiful part of Crete, just because some reviewers are hyper-critical or have their own idea of what Utopia is (usually an AI with no kids and premium spirits on tap 24/24!); your holiday will be what you make of it, and if you decide that you've had enough of the hotel, then go out and explore the real country - with friendly folk and loads to see and do - on your doorstep.

If you really want to go clubbing, you could always travel to Hernossisos or Malia -about 2.5 hours, club until you drop and stay the night locally ....... everything is possible, and really your youngsters will find enough for them if they research in advance ... eg googling Clubs in Ierapetra or something similar ..... but often just working on one's tan can make you quite tired at night .... or perhaps I'm just getting old!

I really wouldn't worry too much from what I've seen, but I know that your holiday is important to you so can understand why you have your doubts. All the very best.

Dont go , do yourself a favour and change this holliday . We went in June07 and will not go again. Lerapetra is a great place to visit , but the Petra Mare is a joke. Same food every day,FREEZING pools and first choice reps who think THEY are on holliday!!!!.
Kids creche was good but how hard is it to entertain a 2yr old ?. I did enjoy this holliday but only as we spent most of the time in Lerapetra town.

Hi again Cyber.
I'm pretty sure you don't drive from what I have read elsewhere, so if the Petra Mare is isolated you may wish to budget for a few First Choice trips (and we all know how much they cost ) or find out if there is public transport you and your children could use from near the hotel, perhaps someone who has already stayed will know what's available. The Louis Creta Princess was also very isolated and we hired a car for the middle 7 days to break it up a bit, as we might have gone a bit stir crazy, but I'm not sure if car hire is going to be an option for you. Good Luck whatever you decide. If you change, you might find the prices have increased as we are getting into main booking season, so it will be amendment fee plus any increase.

It is a very quiet place Cyber and we are not fussy eaters but we just didn't get on with the food at all, my Hubby still cringes now at the thought of it. I just didn't like it there and the town is a nice little town but there's nothing there really. It's very difficult to say don't go because we didn't like it because we met people there who absolutely loved it and booked to go again. It was quite funny really because just to get away from the hotel for a change, you do tend to feel a bit tied down with AI, we ate out one evening and most of the other diners were from our hotel, have to say though it was such a treat to have some decent food. I do think it's a little out of the way and not a lot going on unless you stick around the hotel to be entertained by holiday rep's.

Alsacienne wrote:

If you are able to hire a car, you will be able to get further afield when you find that Ierapetra is not enough for you.

I don't drive, so hiring a car is not an option.

doepsmc wrote:

If you change, you might find the prices have increased as we are getting into main booking season, so it will be amendment fee plus any increase.

I got a good price on this holiday - they were doing child discounts up to age 16 (unusual for an AI) and when I booked I got a free child place for daughter (age 15). Pricing up the same holiday again now, it would be a lot more expensive, and I had a browse on the FC website this morning to see what else I could get and there was nothing AI or HB for that price, and SC wasn't coming in much cheaper. I might be better off just losing my deposit and booking a DIY. I'll have a browse round different sites in the next few days and see what comes up.

shell wrote:

It is a very quiet place Cyber and we are not fussy eaters but we just didn't get on with the food at all, my Hubby still cringes now at the thought of it. I just didn't like it there and the town is a nice little town but there's nothing there really.

Was the food really that bad Shell? We've been to quite a few AI's now and find the food a bit "samey" in all of them, the most uninteresting food we've had was in Olu Deniz, and the most unappetising was in Lloret (on a cheap deal) I'm not sure I'll be doing AI again after this year, I'm getting a bit fed up of it now!

Again, thanks for your help everyone!

Please dont Go on this holliday ., iT IS A WASTE OF MONEY ...
we paid (2 adults + 3 Kids ) £2000 and this holiday is not worth it.. Cheap food and plenty of it,, You and your bairns will be bored,,..!!

Hi I just had to say something. We went last year and although we would have liked something a little bit more upmarket (but not at an extra few thousand) we really could not fault it. Our children who were 11 and 8 at the time had the best time ever and it was not the kids clubs but the friends they made and the slides of course. Yes the food can get samey but its not that bad ie. meat, salads, pasta nice deserts etc. We went to Agios Nikolyas for a couple of days too and loved it - ie the shopping and the beach. My hubby got a bit bored so we went for wanders around the town and had lovely apple pie and a cuppa!

For the money it is perfect having priced 4 and 5 star and them coming in at a couple of thousand more!

I always believe a holiday is what you make it but then I love heat, sunbeds and a good book lol

Redcrop x

For the money, we paid £2000 in 2007 , Before that in 2006 we paid £1800 for a higher class of hotel in Turkey, Iam a great lover of Greece and its Islands , but Turkey has value for money,, Take a look at different posts.. You will find the help you need.
gink

Sorry I should also say that I did go out loads and also used the hotel loads ...( kids club , creche , ) they dont have much else during the day....... If you like cold water you can do the water polo (if you are 5ft pluss). Or darts or a quizz that they ask you to hand in your answers to the front desk ( lazy if you ask me ). I have never seen 12 yes 12 ... first choice reps that have sat on there bums...as if they had no clients at the hotel.
I can only praise Jenny at the chreche who not only looked after the wee one , but also had time to speak to the whole family whenever we seen eachother. This was her first year in the job , and we hope she wont waste her tallent with first choice,. Jumping Jenny .... YOU ARE BETTER than First Choice give you creddit for.

redcrop wrote:

We went to Agios Nikolyas for a couple of days too and loved it - ie the shopping and the beach.

Is it easy to get to other places from the hotel? Is there a regular bus service, or would we have to get a taxi?
Does anyone have a list of First Choice excursions from this hotel? (I'm not interested in Chrissi Island, I want to see some Cretan history/culture) I know FC excursions can be expensive but if I know what's available than at least I can plan a few days out and possibly get trips cheaper in resort.

Hi Cyber I can only say that yes the food was that bad for us, my Hubby had a bad stomach also for a couple of days which didn't help but we seemed to struggle to put a meal together of an evening and the snack bar in the day was just the same day in day out but like I've said and the poster above states they didn't have a problem with it, it really is down to personal choice.

We caught the bus into Agios Nikolaos which is a lovely place, it wasn't expensive on the bus and the bus stop wasn't too far from the hotel but I think it was about a 45min drive to get there if you don't mind that.

Personally I don't think I'd do AI again unless I could afford to pay more and get better quality.

they do trips round the island,I spoke to one family who done this and it was a waste of time and money , they spent 5 hours on a bus and 2hours seeing the sights and it cost them a small fortune. The local bus service is very good, you can get a bus in town to anywhere on the island for just a few euro each. the service runs till midnight -1am .dont pay first choice for anything . . Also if you want to eat out there is a small taverna next to the hotel overlooking the beach that has food to die for and at a fraction of the price compared to the tavernas in town. thoose in town see a tourist and then see the ££££s. also there is a big supermarket (BIG) just 200mtr away from the hotel that all the locals use and is very cheap (not the wee one next to the hotel), come out the hotel and go up past the trafic lights and its on your right hand side.
any more info needed just ask.
Gink

Thanks for the tips everyone!
I think I will still be going here after all, I've been looking at DIYs (to Canaries/Balearics), and at that time of year (beginning of school holidays) it doesn't work out any cheaper than anything from a package operator, and I haven't found any packages yet that make it worth me losing our deposit if I cancel this one, so it's a case of finding out as much as I can and setting off to make the most of it.
Not going to worry about it too much now until a lot nearer the time - 5 weeks today we'll just be arriving in Tenerife, so I'll get that over with before I start making any big plans for our August holiday!

ginkster wrote:

The local bus service is very good, you can get a bus in town to anywhere on the island for just a few euro each. the service runs till midnight -1am .dont pay first choice for anything . . Also if you want to eat out there is a small taverna next to the hotel overlooking the beach that has food to die for and at a fraction of the price compared to the tavernas in town.

What sort of different places do the buses go to? I know Crete is a very big island (much bigger than Majorca or Tenerife) so I don't want to venture anywhere that's going to be really long journey. Also, what is the name of the taverna next to the hotel? Sounds nice to go there for a change!

Hi Cyber.
The bus service in Lerapetra is just like any service in the UK , you can almost go any place at any time, just ask at the bus shop and they will tell you all. The nearest water aquapark is 2hr away (dont book with FC) get the local bus and save loads, You can also go to the beach that the BOUNTY ADVERT ( 1990s) was made , 1hr15min away ( not chrissi island ). You can also try the GO-KARTING just ask at the hotel reception and they will help.

The taverna is GOOD., if you go out the front of the hotel and turn right walk until you get to the sign that says TAVERNA ( it looks like s**t , just go and see) You will be in one of the best areas anlong the coast , very nice young family that bend over backwards for you , amazing food and value for money (the ice cold pint of beer is 100% better than hotel plastic cups). Sorry I cant remember the name of this taverna, I think it started with T ., .
Try http://www.ierapetra.net they have a good virtual map.
all the best... gink

Hi Cyber, I'm glad you've come to a decision and I think it's an excellent idea what you're doing, getting all the info on places to visit etc before you go. Go with an open mind about the hotel/resort and make your own mind up about them. Remember there are a lot of people out there who loved it and you could be one of them. I hope you have a fab time

Hi Cyber, Glad you decided. You never know you may enjoy the Petra Mare, the place you went to in Fuert had bad reviews, but you really liked it, there is a lot to be said for a positive attitude. One of the trips that they are bound to offer is a place called Knossos and I'm sure I read that you liked cultural trips. That might be worth researching. The only thing is it's very hot walking round there, well it was in July, so I guess Aug would be the same. There is bound to be loads of info if you google it as it's very famous.
Doe

I bought a cheap little guide book for Crete on the day I booked the holiday - I'll have another read through it when I get back from Tenerife in April. It's funny really, because the hotel we're going to in Tenerife gets some awful reviews but I'm not bothered because it's my "old friend" Tenerife and I know all the places we can go if we get fed up in the hotel!
Agios Nikolaos sounds nice for a ride out and some people have mentioned the Spinalonga (sp?) trip - what is that all about? I like a good guided coach tour with lots of info and lots of nice photo-stops.

I know I am well off topic here. sorry Wizard, but aparently there is a paperback book that is set on spinalonga which lots of people read when they are on holiday on Crete, which seems to give them more enjoyment from the trip. Might be worth asking on the 'holiday reads thread' in general hints, so you can look out for it at a good price. Didnt get there ourselves unfortunately.