Though I was only at the Club Med in Cancun for a few days and in meetings for most of that, I did want to share my experiences with the resort with you. I so wish I’d extended my trip over the weekend to enjoy more of this beautiful place (and fun resort!).
The location: As with many Club Med villages around the world, they were the first to start developing a destination, and therefore usually have a fantastic location – this one is no different! 40 years ago, they started work on the southern-most corner of the gorgeous strip of sand of Cancun’s beach, and therefore are only about 10 minutes from the airport. Even with it being so close to the airport, I only heard airplanes once or twice – the flight path is NOT right on top of you, thankfully! Another bonus about the location is that Club Med is far away from the busy section of “hotel zone”, where you have hotel after hotel stacked practically on top of each other. The beach in Cancun is public, but down at this end we saw very few “outsiders”, and again – no “cross traffic” of people walking or anything like that. There were plenty of sun chairs it seemed, but again- I didn’t spend really any significant time on that gorgeous beach, so I can’t promise that when the resort is completely full the chairs won’t also fill up! 🙂 Another cool point about the location is that the resort sits right on it’s own little section of the giant lagoon that sits on the back side of Cancun’s beach. That lagoon lends itself to lovely sunsets (unmarred by giant high-rises) AND the ability to have fun non-ocean water sports (like waterskiing!). The one slight negative about the lagoon, and the fact that the resort wraps around it, is that it can be a bit of a walk to get from one end to the other (though they do have golf carts shuttling guests all the time, which cuts down the walking time!). However, my other favorite part about the resort was the fact that it DOES wrap around the corner around the lagoon. That means that once the gorgeous white sandy beach ends, the rocky reef begins, giving guests multiple ocean & beach experiences in one resort. Yes you have the lovely soft sand & small waves in that turquoise blue water, but you also have calm water perfect for sailing, stand-up paddle boarding, and yes – snorkeling. Club Med’s “corner” is apparently one of the best snorkeling spots in the area. One afternoon that we had off we sat & watched streams of boats from other resorts come & go from the comfort of our sun lounger on the reef-side (serviced by a pool boy bringing you drinks!), and I know at least one of my friends took advantage of the (included!) snorkeling and even saw a sea turtle! Too cool! I took most of that afternoon to go on a scuba dive, and the location we went to that day was all the way at the other end of the islet – up in the channel between Isla Mujeres and the mainland, so that was a bit of a trek by boat to get to (about a half-hour or so), but the variety of dive sites within an hour of the resort are amazing. Don’t forget – you can dive with whale sharks at certain times of the year from here! Here are some pics of the various beaches & lagoons that help give you an idea of the feeling you get from Club Med’s amazing location:
The rooms & style: So, did I mention that this particular Club Med is 40 years old, and turn you off completely? WELL – the *entire* resort is about to finish a top to tails renovation. When we were there, the nicest rooms, in the 5-star (they call it 5-trident) area were completely stripped down to studs, and I know there was at least one or two other sections of rooms that still needed to be renovated – but it will all be completed by November of 2017. That said- the rooms we had were some of the best family rooms I’ve ever seen! Let me back up and give you a bit of an overview. There are four or five “sections” of rooms, but all of them are set in three story white, unobtrusive buildings. Some have gorgeous lagoon views, some have lovely reef views, and there are some that have views right onto the white sandy beach. There are some that have garden views too, though – so be aware of that if having water views is important for your vacation. They have small rooms suitable for two adults only, or they have full two bedroom/two bathroom suites that can sleep a family of 5 comfortably. And I mean that honestly – I stayed in one of those rooms and there was seriously plenty of room – one big room with a huge king bed, a curtain that could separate a small sofa bed, and then an entirely private second bedroom with two twin beds. Again – TWO FULL BATHROOMS. That’s pretty hard to beat. There is a difference between “Club” rooms and “Deluxe”, in that the deluxe rooms are a bit bigger, have a bigger balcony area, and have a mini-bar stocked with sodas and such (no alcohol in those mini bars). They also get turn down service, which is a nice addition. The 5-Trident rooms also get room service, along with a handful of other perks, like their own oceanfront pool, a private reception area, ect… Like most Club Meds, though they are very nice and clean, it’s not exactly luxury. Bright colors, clean lines, simple decor – nothing ornate or overly cushy. Fun and funky, perfect for families – you’re not going to worry about kids breaking anything, that’s for sure! Here are some shots from the various rooms and buildings.
Service & Amenities, & Food: Everyone I met at this resort was SO super nice. Whether it was the maid that gladly pushed my twin beds together into one big bed, the guys driving the golf carts, the waiters, or of course the amazing GO’s (Club Med’s term for their own staff), everyone made sure you were happy & having a good time. The amenities here are pretty amazing. You have everything included, first of all, so that obviously includes your food and drink, but also ALL of the activities on-site. That includes the sailing, the snorkeling, the stand-up paddle boards, beach volleyball, tennis (they have TONS of courts), a little mini-golf course, and kids club… but also some activities you wouldn’t expect – like trapeze (though nothing like the Creactive in Punta Cana), archery, bocce ball, and yes- waterskiing. Scuba and other off-site excursions are additional, but from what I could tell reasonable (and the offices for both are right off the central part of the village). The big main pool was lovely, sandwiched between the lagoon and the sandy beach, and never seemed crowded. Plus they hold little aerobics classes & stuff there from time to time. The 5-trident people have their own pool, as I mentioned, and then there are some little kiddie splash pools in the kids club area. (It’s free for ages over 4, ages 2-3 do have a daily fee, and they do have to be potty trained – but it IS available!) There is one big main buffet, which I took a tour around to give you an idea of the quality & variety of the food which you can see here, and then there’s a specialty restaurant near the lobby called “La Estancia” which was a delicious steakhouse. Over by the snorkeling corner, there is usually another restaurant & bar, but it was closed for renovations when I was there. It is also reservations-only at dinner (like La Estancia), but open for buffet lunch & breakfast usually, which would be really convenient for folks at the 5-Trident area or the family suites of Aquamarina (where we were). The main bar is across a little plaza from the main buffet, and the happy hours are LOVELY. They set out some snacks (usually chips, salsa, and delicious guacamole!) and have cool live music while the sun sets, and then after dinner is when they have fun dance music & such in the bar area, OR you can go check out the nightly shows in the sort of theater that’s sandwiched between the bar & the lobby. I never quite made it to a show somehow, but others went and loved, in particular, the Michael Jackson night! SO- even though you’re at the quiet end of Cancun, it’s not like there isn’t fun to be had while sipping your included margaritas or cervezas! Here are some shots of the fun stuff around the resort!
Towel Check: One final note that, to me, really distinguishes a great hotel stay from a good one is the bathroom towels. So- the great thing here is that you get fresh towels for both the beach (in blue) AND the bathroom daily – but the level of “fluffiness” did vary. The size was decent – but these aren’t the finest of the finest, which you would expect from a more 4* level resort (rather than a luxury 5* one).
All-in all- I really found this to be a great family resort with lots to do for all ages. With the short ride to the airport and excellent location, to me it’s a great choice if you’re thinking of visiting Cancun!
