Well done First Choice, you lived up to our expectations yet again.

This Hotel is fantastic for families, we travelled with a 5 and 9 year old and they both were reluctant to come home.

Location- This hotel is in an ideal location, away from the hustle and bustle but near enough for shops and souvenirs. The beach front location is excellent and the beach not as bad as earlier reviews have stated, both children managed fine without beach shoes although the sand does get very hot. Brilliant snorkeling and watersports, even my 5 year old enjoyed the jet skis.

Pool area fantastic, plenty of room for everyone, even in high season, though you do need to be up early to bag your sunbed. Waterslides a real hit, never a queue and really friendly, helpful lifeguards on duty.

Cleanliness- spot on, everywhere you looked someone was brushing, mopping or wiping, rooms cleaned daily to a high standard and pools cleaned three times during our stay. Toilets perhaps a bit whiffy, especially the one near the kids pool, but due to drainage and pipework more than cleanliness. Outside bar area kept very tidy and clean, better than the HV Costa Del Sol last year.

Food- Good, not exceptional but then we don't expect that on AI, you cant please all the people all the time! The food was always hot and well cooked with plenty of choice everyday, I did enjoy the lunches more than the dinners, kids never complained and ate from main buffet and fantastic salad bar, loads of yummy puds, fresh fruit and fresh bread and delicious fried eggs for brekkie, could have done with real bangers though, not hot dog sausages for breakfast. Snack bar food really good with pasta, chips, pizza, salads and cakes all to help yourself to as were soft drinks, beer and wine. Never had to queue at bar or snack bar.

Staff- always polite and smiling, really efficient in the restaurant, cleared tables quickly so you never had to wait for a table outside, these people work really hard and always greet you in a friendly way. Reception staff excellent and more cleaners than you can imagine, shop staff equally as friendly and polite. My daughter took a real shine to the lifeguard manning the waterslides, he was great with the little ones.

FC staff- Jenny and Amy gave my 9 year old son the best holiday ever, it felt like we hadn't seen him for a fortnight he was off doing something or going somewhere with these two !!! Thanks girls

Swim kids, Tilly was a big hit with my daughter who can now swim underwater and has gained a lot of confidence, she was also great at mini disco time.

Entertainers, Melanie has the voice of and angel and reduced me to tears on our last night, as for rest, well they were ok but not very smiley when you saw them around and about during the day, in fact Tina the German rep was probably the friendliest of all.

The entertainment lived up to our expectations, a sort of Working Mans Club in the sun, but thats what we wanted so thats why we booked, besides a bingo win comes in nicely when your on hols!!

All in all a fabulous holiday as kids enjoyed it so much,better than more modern, expensive holiday last year that I thought couldn't be beaten, would definitely go back

All staff in the hotel were very helpful and especially the cleaners and the restaurant staff-always working very hard.

Found that although AI this was stretching the truth tonics you pay,pool for the boys you pay,the shop in the hotel very expensive and if the kids who can count bought anything often they were short changed so we ended buying everything for them which took the fun out of being slightly independabt for the kids.

Food is very individual and although we eat anything we found that after the 1st week things lost their flavour-although there was always plenty of food available it seemed to always taste the same.

Entertanment-Mel was outstanding always active and making a pleasant holiday for the kids

Hotel is in a good location a pleasant walk into town,which has a variety of usual tourist type shops.

Hotel is regularly being cleaned,however it is a superficial clean,rooms only have floor swept and mopped,surfaces and bathroom not cleaned at all.

Food very repetive ,although the doughnuts were lovely. Having been on many AI holidays we expected a far better menu than this.

Hotel staff helpful and friendly,FC reps seemed to have certain people that they wanted to talk to and if you were not one of these people then you just got a nod of the head.

Wavelength reps nice but Jenny left and this only left Amy who then seem to repeat the activities and obviously limit the amount of children at each session.

Entertainment very amateurish and repetive-rundown quizzies most nights,seen better at Butlins.
Considering this is meant to be AI there is not much to do except the pool areas/slides.Alot of things cost extra including quite a few of the kids club activities.

This hotel is very small and not to our personal taste,we did not feel it was good value for money and having done many AI holidays over the last ten years this doesnot rank in our top 10 and we would not recommend it.

The Best holiday we have ever had!!!

Everything was fantastic. Pools brilliant, Food very nice, Hotel very clean, location good, staff were very friendly, daytime and evening entertainment excellent.

El paso bar a must when entertainment finishes, stays open until you leave. A truely wonderful holiday had by all.

What else can I say apart from no complaints at all and would strongly recommend that you go !!!!

We WILL be going back.

Hotel very nice, situated in excellent location. The beach however is very shaley (no sand-just very small stones) so for comfort you've got to stay round pool which is fantastic. One large one for the keen swimmer with a water polo thingy. One sea salt pool at the bottom of some wicked slides, with a lazy river running round it, and the toddlers pool complete with climbing frame and slides. If you get up early enough to beat the Germans at reserving sunbeds you'll see the small army of cleaners at work, you could eat your food off the toilet seat at this place, it's that clean.

Reps and hotel staff in general very polite and helpful. Restaurant staff a little bit too keen to take your empty plate away but I suppose they need a quick turn around, quite a good choice of food to go at, if you like eggy bread and doughnuts for breakfast your quids in.

Top Tip-take some beer mats with you. I won't spoil it, you'll figure it out when you get there. Go on the banana/sofa at the beach-happy hour-good value for money.

As others have said on this site, the hotel and pool area are clean and rooms are cleaned daily. There is always someone cleaning the reception area - when they have finished they start again at the beginning.

The food is quite good and although they have a lot of pork, the chefs special during dinner,was good and always tasty. I also enjoyed the fish dishes.There is lots and lots of salad items and fresh fruit available at every meal. The puddings were good too, but very samey after the first week.

The location of the hotel is excellent, with beautiful views of the sea from the pool area and the restaurant terrace. If you don't want to watch the entertainment, you can sit on the bar terrace and watch the silver moonlight glisten on the water and listen to the waves lapping the shore just feet away. Lovely!!

The staff in the hotel are very polite, but having been to Turkey in past years, I found them a little reserved. The reception staff are efficient and helpful. The waiters are also efficient and soon have the tables clean for the next diners, especially on the beautiful terrace, which was very popular. The tables in the restaurant are particularly clean, with a pristine, white table cover awaiting each guest.

The kids clubs often operate for 6 hours a day, and they do different activities throughout the week. Each evening, except Thursdays, there is a film night which lasts from 9pm -11pm so parents can enjoy themselves without wondering what the children are up to. The entertainment during the day good catering for all ages. The adult water polo was fun, especially when the British took on the Germans and kept beating them. The evening entertainment was mostly the game show type and required audience participation, so how much this was enjoyed would depend upon co-operation. the two weeks I was there the audience participated well and it was good fun.

If I was going to Crete again I would definitely consider going to this hotel again and would recommend it to anyone with children.

Well what can we say! We had a fantastic time at the Petre Mare. Reccommend sea view as its superb.

Didn't really rate the entertainment laid on by first choice but highly recommend El Paso bar. Stellos the bar manager is a cracking man very friendly.

Pool was very clean and fun for the kids.

The food was ok beginning part of the week but got a bit boring as they were offering the same thing.

Didn't spend to much time on the beach perferred the fantastic swimming pools.

Recommend day trips we went to chrisse island for 80 euros for the whole family the beach was stunning but the white sands were very hot!!!!!

We would definately return to this hotel in the future.!!!!!!!!!!!

Most of the things mentioned in other reports I would agree with, I will add some things not mentioned.

Hotel was clean, but the pool area was hosed down every day and most of the dirt etc ended up in the pool.

Food OK but the restraunt was half outside half in, when sat outside a number of stray cats walked around the tables. One cat weed on my sister in laws handbag.

Location, about 15 mins walk to town, not much to do when you get there though, no English or Irish pubs.

OK if you intend to spend 2 weeks in the hotel.

Entertainment ok, reps tried very hard but children over 10 might be bored.

There was a sickness and diarrhea bug going round when we were there, 3 members of my party had it bad.

These are all the negative points of the holiday, hope I haven't put any one off we still had a great holiday.

The hotel for the first two nights was fine. Only on the third night did we encounter problems with cockroaches they were everywhere in the bathroom in the lounge horrible, by the 5th night we had been moved to a different room in a different wing.

The food was fine if a little repetive similar to the blue stoops at Walton if the truth is known.

The swimming pools and childrens activities were fine and the shildren enjoyed themselves fully. The neighbouring town was within easy reach and made a pleasant change - if it wasn't for the earlier infestation then the scores would be higher and we would go back as it beats gloomy summers in Walton.

Just got back from the Petra Mare having spent two great weeks there.

The location of the hotel is really good, just outside the main town but only a nice walk along the promenade to get there.

The Hotel was very clean and the maids a little slap dash maybe but room was cleaned every day, even if we decided to stay in bed till late the maid would come back. The rooms were fine, fairly spacious with a fantastic view of the Libyan sea and the air conditioning was an absolute godsend.

The food was ok, maybe a little bit repetitive but hey, only 3* hotel. Be careful of the drinks, read somewhere on here that they were weak!!!!!!! Well if you call half vodka half coke weak then you can drink me under the table!

The hotel staff and the reps couldn't have done more to help, kids reps really good, the only complaint would be the First Choice trips, e.g.: trip to the waterpark, would have cost us approx 160 euros to go with First Choice. To hire a car and go there would cost