Here's What It's Really Like to Stay at a Club Med | Food & Wine

1. It's not all about the buffet. Club Med's properties are all-inclusive—save for top-shelf liquors, high-brow wines, and off- ... HomeTravelHere’sWhatIt’sReallyLiketoStayataClubMedHere’sWhatIt’sReallyLiketoStayataClubMedRememberthoseClubMedadsfromthe80sand90s?Werecentlysentourintrepidreportertofindoutwhatstayingattheall-inclusiveresortisreallylikein2017.ByJillianKramerUpdatedNovember09,2017AdvertisementFBTweetMorePinterestEmailSendTextMessagePrintclub-med-jillian-kramer-blog1117.jpegCredit:CourtesyPictureit:I’mperchedattheedgeofanarrowplatformsuspendedsome20-feetfromtheground—all10toesteeteringprecariouslyofftheedge.TheonlythingkeepingmefromagracelessfallisaharnesssotightIcannowhonestlysayIhavesomethingincommonwithVictorian-erawomenandamanwhosesolemissionistocoaxmeintojumping—nottomydeath,asitmaysound,butbyusingatrapezebarsothatIcanswinggailythroughtheair.Igripthebarevertighterandleap.It’sterrifying.It’salsosomethingIwillneverforget.Dayslater,surroundedbythegroupwithwhomI’vetraveledtoClubMedCancúnYucatan,weeachsayourfavoritepartofthefour-dayjourney,andmymindimmediatelygoestothattrapezelesson;nottothefearIfelt,buthowtheactivitybondedtheseeightstrangerstogether.AndasI’velearned,that’salittle—actually,alot—ofwhatClubMedisallabout.Thinkbacktothelate80sand90s,andyoumightrememberClubMed’sTVcommercials,adsthatastheNewYorkTimespointsoutboasted“scantilycladhostsandguests,”orthefactClubMedtoutednudebeaches,makingtheseresortsafavoritedestinationamongswingers.(ClubMedisaFrench-ownedcompany,afterall.)ThoseareimagesClubMedisactivelytryingtochange—andbasedonmyexperienceatoneresort,itissucceedinginspectacularfashion.Infact,let’sputthoseoldadsaside,andtalkaboutwhatit’sreallyliketostayataClubMed.1.It’snotallaboutthebuffet.ClubMed’spropertiesareall-inclusive—savefortop-shelfliquors,high-browwines,andoff-resortexcursions.Whenyouhearall-inclusive,youcanall-butpicturebuffetlinesandfoodthat’slanguishedfortoolongunderheatlamps.That’swhyIwaspleasantlysurprisedtheCancúnresorthastworestaurantswithàlacarteofferings,spanningfromfreshly-madecevichetosearedsteaksflowninfromCalifornia.ChefdecuisineOrlandoOlguintoldmerestaurantsacrossthebrandaremodernizingtheirofferingsforanewgeneration.“Wehavefeweroptions,butwe’refocusingonwhatwedoreallywellandhowwecandoitbetter,”Olguinsaidaswesampledraspberrysaladtoppedwithgrilledlobster,alpastor-styletacos,andmolemadewithtenderchicken,notturkey.2.Therearenostrangers.Forgettheword“employees.”ClubMedhasGO’s—graciousorganizers—whodoeverythingfrommixyouamargaritatoteachsalsadancinglessonsandorganizeaprivatedinneronastretchofsand.Atlunch,aGOwillpullupachairanddinewithyou.(Introverts,beware.)Bylateafternoon,theGO(bartender)willknowyourname—orinmycase,whatIcanonlyassumeistheSpanishversionofmymoniker,Jillia.They’llgreetyoualongwalkways.They’llinviteyoutobeachballoonparties.They’lldancewithyouasstrobelightsflareandmusicplays.Curiousaboutthat?Readon,dearreader.3.Turnsout,“crazysigns”isnotsomekindofstrangesignlanguage.Ifyou’vereadanythingaboutClubMed,chancesarefairtogoodyou’vecomeacrossthewords“crazysigns”andwonderedwhattheheckthoseare.Crazysignsare,simplyput,choreographeddances.Followingeachday’snightlyshow—moreonthatsoon—GO’sleadtheaudienceincoordinateddancesthattestyourcoordination,agility,and,inevitably,helpyouburnoffthecaloriesyouconsumedatthebuffet.They’redancedouttothebeatofTop40tunes,suchasCitizenWay’s“Bulletproof,”andtheyare,quitefrankly,infectious.Idareyoutowatchaperformancefromachair:mymoneyisonthefactyouwillgetupandshakeitoff.4.Ifyou’rebored,that’sreallyyourproblem.ClubMedmightnotberightfordedicatedbeachbums.It’snotthattheresortwon’tletyougetyourtanon,butthatbysittingbutt-to-lounge-chairalldayyou’dbemissingwhatClubMeddoesdifferently.TaketheofferingsatitsCancúnproperty:onaFriday,youcouldtakeadanceclass,playbeachvolleyball,attendascuba-divingdemonstration,workoutinanaquagym,andindulgeinapoolparty—allbeforetheclockstrikesnoon.Intheafternoon,atourresort,GO’sputoutacrepebaratonepool;atnight,theysetupasushistation.Therearepaddleboardsandwindsurfingandkayaksandsnorkelinggeartobeborrowed.There’sbingo.There’salottodo.Honestly,itcanbealittleoverwhelming.FOMOisreal,folks,anditlivesandbreathesatClubMed.5.You’lltestyourlimits,andwatchotherstesttheirs.Andnow,thatbringsusbacktothetrapeze.Takingatrapezelessonwas,let’sjustsayit,notonmybucketlist.Andyet,atthisClubMed,Icouldn’tresistgoingforone(terrifying)swing.TheCancúnpropertyalsohadarcheryforthosewhoprefertheirfeetplantedontheground.ThePuntaCanaresorthassome27circus-inspiredactivitiesforguests.(ClubMedpartnerswithCirquedeSoliel.)Thepointis,theseresortscanliterallybringyououtofyourcomfortzone.Butifyouprefertoobserveandnotparticipate,thenightlyshowscouldberightupyouralley.Iattendedtwonightlyperformances,inwhichGO’s—andsomeaudienceparticipants—breakdanced,andlater,balancedonteeteringladders,swungfromsilksandropes,andtwistednotone,nottwo,buttwodozenhula-hoopsaroundtheirankles,waists,necks,andhands—atonce.It’simpressive.It’sinspiring.And,thoughIknowitmakesmesoundsasifIdranktheKool-Aid—orasmycasemaybe,freshly-squeezedpapayajuice—it’llmakeyouwanttogoback.ClosethisdialogwindowShare&More©CopyrightFood&Wine.Allrightsreserved.Printedfromhttps://www.foodandwine.comCloseSigninClosethisdialogwindowViewimageHere’sWhatIt’sReallyLiketoStayataClubMedthislinkistoanexternalsitethatmayormaynotmeetaccessibilityguidelines.