Me and my family recently stayed for 2 weeks at Petra Mare in Lerapetra, Crete, and we had a wonderful time from start to finish. Situated right on the beachfront, the hotel is in a fantastic location, offering stunning views of the sea, easy access to the beach and a vibrant town surrounding it.
The hotel itself is exceptionally well-maintained and provides a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere that made us feel right at home. Our room was spacious, spotless, and comfortable, providing a great space to unwind after a busy day in the sun. When it came to dining, the food was a real highlight—there was a fantastic variety of delicious dishes at every meal, with plenty of fresh options that kept everyone happy throughout our two-week stay. But not only was the main meals delicious, the snacks and bars were nicely crafted as well, providing a hospitable area to relax during evenings.
However, the absolute highlight of our stay was the animation team, which is quite simply the best I have ever seen. They brought incredible energy to the resort every single day. For sports, Tim and Harley were fantastic, running everything from darts and ping pong to boccia and water polo. Beach volleyball was a particular favorite of mine, and Harley also did an amazing job running the Teen Club, giving teenagers a brilliant outlet with PlayStation games, VR, board games, karaoke nights, and movie nights. Meanwhile, the fitness and mini-club schedule was packed and brilliantly run by Gaya, Tresor, Lara, Jana, Clara, and Katie. Whether it was high-energy water fitness classes like water Zumba and water gym with Gaya, Jana, Clara and Tresor, dance classes, or the dedicated stretching, yoga, and Pilates sessions with Jana, Clara, and Katie, alongside all the wonderful mini-club activities for the younger kids, every single member of the team went above and beyond to make everyone feel included.
Personally, the fitness classes with Jana and Clara, as well as Beach Volleyball were my favourite activities, I think I came back from this holiday fitter then I have ever been and I was given lots of advice on how to keep up with stretching, Yoga and Pilates after I leave.
Beyond the daytime fun, the evening entertainment was another massive highlight. On various nights, we enjoyed brilliant live music in the bars and fantastic Greek Culture Nights in the hotel garden. Every single evening at 8:30 PM, the animation team put on a wonderful mini disco in the spacious, well-seated amphitheater. This is where the team truly shone; Gaya, Jana, Clara, and Katie showed incredible dedication, dressing up in amazing costumes like Supergirl, Elsa, and witches, and leading 30-35 minutes of non-stop songs and dancing that my cousins absolutely adored.
Following the mini disco at 9:30 PM were the evening shows. The lineup was brilliant, featuring animator-led productions like A Variety Show, Music Night, and The Lion King—where kids even got involved, such as playing hyenas in the Lion King show—alongside top-tier external performers like Latin dancers, an authentic Crete Night with the animators joining the traditional dancing, and breathtaking African Shaolin acrobats. To top it all off, the Saturday night White Dance parties by the pool and the late-night (around 10:00 PM) adult-only karaoke and game nights in the Almyra Bar (which also doubled as a relaxing adult-only zone during the day) rounded out an already perfect holiday experience.
On a final note regarding the resort's organization, while the animation team carried the entire spirit of the hotel through their tireless, hands-on hard work, it was a shame to see the animation team leader often standing back, remaining largely detached from the day-to-day effort and being unseen until it was time to be involved with the shows, before disappearing again.
Overall, we had an incredible time and would return in a heartbeat!