Friday, October 28, 2011

Club Med Punta Cana


Discover the Dominican Republic in this all-inclusive family resort, designed over a long white-sand beach, considered to be the finest in the world. The Club Med resort of Punta Cana is located on the atlantic coast of the Dominican Republic. Once you arrive with your family, enjoy a care-free hassle-free vacation at this stunning resort which flourishes beside a lagoon and a grove of coconut palms.

A little piece of paradise!

Fun moments filled with memories await your kids at Club Med's world-famous children's clubs with dedicated activities and sports for children and teenagers from morning to evening, for each age group, and all coordinated by qualified and enthusiastic professionals. Create Caribbean family vacation memories and experience an all-around stay filled with enhancements for the entire family.

Talk to a Club Med specialist today and book the vacation of your dreams. After all, this winter is perfect for a getaway to a sunny destination!

Monday, September 26, 2011

Club Med for Kids & Babies!

When you're heading on a family vacation and your children aren't in their teens or young adults, it's good if you can end up at a resort that caters to small kids and babies. Especially if you want a little alone time!


The following resorts have Baby Club and Petite Club for those of you with smaller kids: Ixtapa, Punta Cana, Sandpiper and Caravelle (only Petite Club).

Here's a run down of all the children's clubs you can find at Club Med resorts, but remember, only the above have Baby Club Med and Petite Club Med! Baby Club Med is from infants 4 months to 2 years old. Petite Club Med is for those kids that are from 2 years old but under 4 years old. After you hit 4, you join the big kids in Mini Club Med, from kids 4 to 11. Finally, tweens are in Junior Club Med, ages 11 to 18.

A little more about the resorts that do have the smallest of the kids clubs! Ixtapa boasts:
  • ●Privileged areas, specifically designed for children
  • ●Equipment adapted to the comfort and security of young children
  • ●Opening hours enabling the parents to make the most of their day and evening and even leave on an excursion with total peace of mind
  • ●Strong of an experience of over 40 years, offering innovative and fun activities that respect the rhythms of each child.
Ixtapa also has a baby corner, baby restaurant, childcare, a feeding room, and Club Med Baby Welcome. Remember, diapers and formula are not provided at Baby Club or Petite Club.

Punta Cana offers all the same amenities as Ixtapa, except they don't have a baby restaurant! The club for kids 11-18 at this resort is called Club Med Passworld.

Sandpiper has loads for kids. The newest resort in North America and the only all-inclusive in the United States, Sandpiper is a sports haven. Sandpiper has the baby corner, baby restaurant, childcare, a feeding room, Club Med Baby Welcome, a playground, the pyjamas club for evening babysitting, an arts studio, baby gym, and mini talent club. Don't forget the sports! Sandpiper offers petite (ages 4+) golf, soccer, tennis and a water park (fun for all ages)!

Finally, La Caravelle offers Petite Club along with the clubs for those over the age of 4. Caravelle lists this as important information about it's Petite Club (things to note before you go!)
  • In accordance with French regulations, in order to be admitted to Petite Club Med at La Caravelle, children must have a medical certificate stating that they have no contagious condition, and that there are no contraindications to their presence. The certificate must have been issued shortly before the child's arrival at the Resort.
  • The adult accompanying the child must be able to show that he or she meets the minimum vaccination requirements for children (child health record or medical certificate).
  • Diapers and formula are not provided by Petite Club Med.
La Caravelle also offers a baby corner and baby-sitting services, as well as a very unique activity for the kids: Clean Art Planet! Clean Art Planet teaches the children to respect their environment. This original activity gives back a meaning to all objects that the sea receives from humans and that shows up again on our shores: flip flops, bits of plastic, bottles... and through the creativity of the kids, a new unique art project is born! There's also the Happy Nature Box at La Caravelle - exploring and appreciating the natural world with the kids. Both the Clean Art Planet and Happy Nature Box are for kids ages 4 to 10.

Ready to go? An experienced Club Med agent can help you pick the perfect resort for both you and your kids!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Club Med's Amazing Early Booking Bonus


With the launch of the new Summer 2011 brochure, Club Med will be showcasing their biggest ever ‘Early Booking Bonus' on its summer 2011 collection.

With worldwide resorts in both far flung and European destinations featured in the Summer 2011 brochure, clients would be smart to start thinking about booking their next holiday now. Amazing savings are available both on long haul and short haul destinations for the first time this year, so if you book early, you will get the best savings possible.

In addition to fantastic prices on all Resorts such as Morocco, Mauritius, Bali, Maldives, and Florida - Club Med launches its ‘three-stage Early Booking Bonus' this week to allow customers to book even earlier to ensure they reap the rewards of forward planning. Not only will they benefit from a wider choice of rooms and suites within the Resorts including interconnecting family rooms, but they will have the chance to secure sporting tuition and childcare facilities, so they don't have to be disappointed!

Summer 2011 highlights include the brand new Club Med Sinai Bay, set on a stunning private bay in the Gulf of Aqaba, in Egypt. Opening in December 2010, the four trident Club Med Sinai Bay stretches over 27 hectares and is flanked by a 600 yard stretch of white sandy private beach which benefits from cooling breezes meaning that it makes a great year-round destination. The resort will appeal to those who enjoy the unique Club Med atmosphere and cosmopolitan charm, for which the resort group is famed. In addition, Sinai Bay has great appeal for those who are keen to explore the area as it is within easy access to Mount Sinai and Petra in Jordan. The Resort also boasts The Oasis, an exclusive five trident Luxury Space hidden away in Sinai Bay Resort. At Sinai Bay, families are truly well-catered for with childcare available for children of four months upwards, activities for those up to 17 and a dedicated restaurant for children up to four - a first for Club Med.

Another highlight of 2011 is Club Med Sandpiper Bay, which has been refurbished to four trident standards. The centre of the Resort has been renovated to give it a contemporary feel, with new bars, restaurants, and swimming pools. Set on the banks of the River St Lucie, in Florida, Club Med Sandpiper Bay is surrounded by a luxurious vegetation of palm trees, laurel trees and bougainvillea. Just two hours from Orlando, Club Med Sandpiper Bay is an ideal base for those wishing to relax after visiting the area's famous theme parks.

Now is an exciting time for Club Med with the launch of newly-built Club Med Sinai Bay and the extensive refurbishment of Club Med Sandpiper - those two resorts are ideal for families with dedicated facilities and bespoke services.

Though it seems far ahead, people need to get in the door early to benefit from the best prices for Summer 2011. The ‘Early Booking Bonus' gives you choices that you can rarely find elsewhere - the best rooms, the best destinations. The long haul destinations are particularly attractive so places like Egypt, Mauritius and the Caribbean are likely to sell fast!

With Club Med, travelers can not only expect the best value holidays but guests can have total piece of mind and book in confidence, knowing that their flight will always take off and they will always have a bed to sleep on.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Club Med for Families


Being a mom is a never ending job. There’s always homework to go over, dishes in the sink, laundry to fold, dinner to cook, shopping for shoes (again!), PTA meetings, bills to pay… Wouldn’t you just love to go on a vacation where you don’t have to worry about where to go for dinner and what activities to organize for the kids each day? And what about having a little private time without the kids?

If this is what you’re looking for, an “All-Inclusive” resort is your answer.

Club Med (short for Club Méditerranée) is operated by a French corporation and offers all-inclusive vacation resorts in many parts of the world, usually in highly exotic locations. There are over 80 Club Med resorts around the world, with each resort offering an extensive list of services and activities in one single package.
These “All inclusive” packages include lodging, meals, soft drinks, use of facilities, a wide variety of sports activities, games, and shows. Alcoholic drinks are bought with bids which are purchased separately, although some locations now include alcohol and snacks in their package.

Many resorts feature outdoor buffet dining, daytime sports and activities, and evening shows performed by the Club Med staff which are called “GOs” (short for “Gracious Organizers”), and usually invite the participation of the guests, which are called “GMs” (short for “Gracious Members”), while the resort is known as a “village”. A unique feature of Club Med is the socializing of the GOs with the GMs, all playing, dining, drinking and dancing together day and night.

There are many villages that provide facilities for children of different ages, which are supervised by trained staff. Children are divided into age group clubs – “Baby”, “Petit”, “Mini”, and “Junior’s”.

Mini Club Med™ (4-10 years):
Mini Club Med™ is for kids ages 4 – 10 years old, and activities are included in the package for no additional cost:

Kids activities that include arts and crafts, soccer, sailing, in-line skating, games, “mini scientist” and other fun activities; Clubhouse surrounded by an outdoor “funscape” area with toys, dollhouses, trains and slides;

Some resorts offer special activities (also included in the package) such as Mini Tennis, Flying trapeze, tennis, soccer, sailing, in-line skating, games, arts & crafts, mini scientist, and even Circus school where kids can learn juggling, walking the tightrope, jumping on the trampoline, swinging on the trapeze and clowning around in the circus workshops.

Juniors’ Club Med (11 to 17 years olds)

”Club Med Passworld™” – an exclusive new zone just for kids and teens 11 to 17 years old, where they can enjoy many different activities, all included in the package price:

Performing Arts : Hip-hop, theater, shows, singing, musical instruments, sound mixing, magic, musicals, African dance

Acting and Film: video, theatre, direction, editing

Creative Activities: Jewelry, makeup, craft work, fashion, Brazilian bracelets, graffiti art

Sports – flying trapeze, roller blading, climbing, bungy bounce, sailing, water skiing, windsurfing, beach volley, beach soccer

Adventure and Discovery: Excursions, hiking, picnics

Evening activities – “movie night” on the beach, “disco night”, “beach party”, “disco-roller”

Baby Club Med™ (4-23 months) Care is provided 9:00am to 5:30pm for babies 4 – 23 months old, for an additional charge. The children are divided into two groups: not yet walking and walking up to 23 months.

Petit Club Med™ (2-3 years) Care is provided for toddlers (2 – 3 years old), for an additional charge.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

From Sand Huts to Luxury Villas

From sand huts and shared bathrooms to luxury villas - things have come a long way since Club Med's humble birth 60 years ago.

The French resort chain still aims to offer the same all-inclusive holiday experience it did back then - there's just a lot more bling about it these days. So what better time for an introduction to the unique world of Club Med?

At the forefront of the upmarket push in recent years has been the five-star, or 'five-trident', La Plantation d'Albion resort on the west coast of Mauritius. Opened in 2007, the newer of two resorts on the breathtaking Indian Ocean nation - the other being the four-trident La Pointe aux Canonniers on the east coast - is a sprawling, 21 hectare property hugging the Indian Ocean amid rich jungle (and still home to its own resident monkeys and mongoose).

In recent years it has been one of Club Med's flagship destinations but it's now the undoubted pride and joy of the chain with the recent addition of 40 luxury one, two and three bedroom villas (although some are still to be completed). The villas, built adjacent to the main village and sold to outside owners seeking an investment opportunity and part-time holiday house, are aimed at attracting guests who want to blend a luxurious, private and exclusive experience with the traditional Club Med stay.

Villa packages firmly encapsulate Club Med's 'all-inclusive' policy with full access to the village, your own butler and designated chef and other benefits including free access to the nearby 18-hole Tamarina Golf Club course. The villas were designed by Marc Hertrich and Nicolas Adnet, the same duo behind the Albion resort and recent facelifts in Bali and Cancun, just prior to their official opening.

The properties are spacious and striking, combining African, Asian and Indian design styles, with the highlight a Mauritian-style veranda and pool in the backyard - an ultimate entertaining area complete with a floating, king-size sun bed. It's all very upscale and a far cry from when former Belgian water polo player Gerard Blitz started the club with a simple tent village on the Spanish island of Majorca in 1950.

The oceanfront suites, quite a bit cheaper than the villas, are spectacular in their own right. Situated just 10m back from the ocean and featuring a spacious veranda, the suites offer a sitting room, bedroom, bathroom, and even an alfresco shower.

Most of the village's key attractions are located within strolling distance of the rooms, or if you'd prefer to save your legs it's easy to holler a golf buggy to get you around. It makes it easy to fully immerse yourself in Club Med's philosophy of relaxation and recreation. For unwinding there's the gorgeous Zen pool overlooking the coastline, the world-class Cinq Mondes spa for pampering, the Le Phare restaurant for late breakfast and lunches (essential for the more party-minded likely to need a sleep in) and a small sand beach.

There are also plenty of activities, including a trapeze for the acrobatically-inclined, archery, snorkelling and a golf training centre where you can get some free, and in my case, much-needed lessons.

While all the great amenities were to be expected, the thing that strikes Club Med first-timers most is how much the resort's staff, or GOs (gentils organisateurs - gentle organisers), become part of your stay. From the moment they greet you like a celebrity upon arrival, they'll often join you for lunch, dinner, and can be reliable late-night drinking buddies at the bar. In no time you'll be on a first-name, and likely secret-handshake, basis.

They're multi-talented too - you'll probably see your new mate performing in the evening show before joining them on the dance floor for the somewhat-bizarre but fun 'crazy signs', a communal dance led by one of the GOs (tricky, but entertaining, when all the instructions are in French!).

The all-inclusive concept is a winner too, eradicating any of the financial stresses that sometimes come with a holiday. Food and drink are at your mercy, even the mini-bar is virtually bottomless, and the only things you'll need to fork out for are the spa and outside excursions - though it’s well worth getting out to explore the multicultural island. The cuisine is a superb mix of Mauritian, Asian, Indian and western food served at the main buffet, the list of cocktails is endless and the local beer, Phoenix, is a cracker and was apparently once voted best in the world.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Discover Club Med's Cherating Beach Eco Resort

Walk in the rainforests, sail in the South China Sea, do yoga on the beach or just let the splendid surroundings work their magic on you. Experience the good life at Club Med’s Cherating Beach Eco Resort in Kuantan Pahang on the east coast of Malaysia—a tropical paradise.

The rooms are beautifully appointed, elegant, understated and comfortable. Gloriously-creaky verandas skirt the rooms. The local and traditional architecture is at its most charming, and is mentioned in the Guinness World Records as the longest unbroken wooden house in the world. It is built on stilts as most homes on the Malaysian coast are, in order to remain safe from flood waters and wild life.

One could spend all day, just sitting there and staring into the South China Sea--but the glorious outdoors beckon. There is plenty to do and lot of space to do it in. The resort is an 80-hectare property with four km of coastline all its own.

It is obvious why Club Med prides itself on being a worldwide leader in up-scale, personalised holidays. Everything you could possibly want is right there — from a gym for the city slicks who are happy only if they sweat it out on machines to the great outdoors for those who want to do yoga on the beach. A walk in the tropical forest, rock climbing, bungee jumping, archery, tennis, football, squash, golf…take your pick, or do them all. Then, cool off either in the ocean, or the pool just a holler away from the round-the-clock bar.

The food is amazing and ample. Long counters groan under its weight. There is world cuisine up for grabs with the best of Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Italian, Mexican and Malayan fare. Slice yourself some French cheese, pare an exotic fruit, and agonise over the dessert menu.

After their initial shock when you decline the caviar and the pate de foie gras, the chefs rally around and rustle up a formidable vegetarian meal. They are solicitous and anxious that you don't feel left out as others feast on the wealth of meat, fish and poultry. You can do splendidly with luscious fruit, incredible salads, yoghurt, freshly-baked bread, and so on.

Family destination

Mumtaz Moin, Head, Club Med Services India, points out why Cherating Beach resort is a complete family holiday destination. The facilities for children will earn you their eternal gratitude. There are play stations, musical instruments, Internet, a movie hall and enough place to have their own parties, or just hang out, undisturbed by the adults. For the younger kids, there are trained people who read to them, take them out on excursions, supervise their meals and even take care of their nap time. This gives you the freedom to do your own thing and stop feeling guilty.

Rustling palms, rippling waves, chirping birds apart, there is nothing to come between you and total relaxation at Club Med Cherating. Of course, all rooms are WiFi-enabled. So, go ahead and keep in touch with the outside world.

Chill zone

The Club Med Premium Holiday includes accommodation, all meals, wine, beer and soft drinks, Club Med Baby Welcome, Mini Club Med (four to 10 years), sports and fitness training facilities, swimming pool and Jacuzzi.

The Mandara Spa

A perfect place to indulge yourself with some truly exotic treatments. The treatments include facials, manicures and pedicures and body massages with natural ingredients, all guaranteed to leave you in a state of bliss.

Turtle haven

The Cherating beach is witness to an extraordinary phenomena — it is the landing and nesting area of the endangered green turtle that comes here to lay its eggs. A turtle sanctuary nearby collects the eggs, nurtures them, and on hatching, releases them into the South China Sea. If you are lucky, you could witness the turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Club Med for Singles

Club Med is a resort chain that offers all-inclusive vacations at its resorts around the world. The resort chain has several offerings that are geared toward single people, resorts it calls Friends and Singles Resorts. These resorts, situated in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean seas, are built around water sports, spas, deluxe accommodations and a nightlife that includes nightclubs and bars. For that reasons, these resorts require that guests be 18 years of age or older.

Turkoise

Turkoise is on the capital island of Providenciales on Turks and Caicos. This island is nestled in the Caribbean, surrounded by the Bahamas , Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. The entire island has a reputation for sandy beaches and clear, blue water, and this Club Med resort allows singles to take advantage of it. Turkoise has its own private beach area when you can get some sun or dive into the Caribbean. Turkoise has its own golf club, the Provo, considered one of the 10 best in the Caribbean. There are plenty of sports to play, including beach volleyball, kayaking, and sailing, and Turkoise provides lessons for many of them. Turkoise's hotel features different room types, ranging from deluxe rooms to suites. At night, the resort becomes a nightclub featuring music and other entertainment.

Buccaneer's Creek

Buccaneer's Creek (the locals call it Club Med Les Boucaniers) is on the south end of the island of Martinique, which is part of the French West Indies in the Caribbean. Buccaneer's Creek is nestled between a pair of coves and near a tropical garden and coconut grove, giving the resort an isolated feel. This Club Med resort is built around water sports like water skiing, wake boarding, windsurfing, scuba diving, and snorkeling. If you're not experienced at water sports, you can take a lesson. If you like the pace a little slower, Buccaneer's Creek has its own pool. Plus, there's the wellness center. Here, guests can indulge in different spa treatments, a zen area, and an herbal tea room. Buccaneer's Creek also has two different bars and two different restaurants, one of which becomes a nightclub when the sun goes down.

Kemer

Club Med's resort in Kemer, Turkey, is on the south end of the country and provides incredible views of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Put your back to the sea and you'll see the Taurus Mountain range . According to the club's site, this resort is built around two things -- water sports and parties. In the day, you can water ski and wake board in three different jetties, and the staff is capable of giving the inexperienced lessons. The resort also has a fitness area (with personal trainers) and a spa area. At night, Kemer comes alive with live music at its outdoor nightclub. If guests want to learn some new dance moves, the staff offers salsa lessons.