Cancún Mexico

Great quality and variety of food. Plenty of entertainment for kids. Excursions were well organized but a bit expensive for Mexico. Safe environment.

I consider myself an amateur travel agent. I have traveled all over the world, in may different styles of vacations. I LOVE to plan trips down to the last detail- so here is an overall review and then some added details for those looking for more information.

This vacation was absolutely incredible. I traveled with my two kids (13 and almost 16) and my husband. Admittedly, we love to be active and adventurous, so this is a perfect place for us. However, if you are someone that wants to eat, drink, and beach- this is also a perfect place for you!

My two teens were very hesitant to join the kids' clubs. I basically had to force them on day one, to give it a try. That was it- we didn't see much of them after that! They had the time of their lives making new friends, playing beach volleyball, beach soccer, trapeze, water polo, exploring the water slides, rehearsing for their show, and participating in all the fun games the staff would create for them. They even loved to share meals with their new teen friends although we did manage to squeak out a few pickleball matches and breakfasts with them!

My husband and I got into a lovely routine of a morning yoga class, sailing lesson, pickleball match, trapeze lesson, water aerobics, and still had time to read on the beautiful beach! He also enjoyed the gym (I can't understand any negative reviews here) which he very much enjoyed as it looks out over the lagoon.

Details:
The food: anyone who leaves a negative comment about the food has me in stitches! There is SO MUCH to choose from and everything is delicious. If you are a fast food kind of family, maybe this isn't for you- but they do have pizza, chicken nuggets, burgers, and french fries just in case. I really enjoyed all of the fresh fish, sushi, sashimi, steaks, and prepared salads. From French, to Mediterranean, to Mexican- every meal was a masterpiece. So many beautiful desserts as well, and an ice-cream bar. I thought it was particularly thoughtful that there is a baby corner with baby food and chopped up fruits and veg available. Food is available almost 24 hours a day. If you have any room between meals for a snack, just head to the Creperie! They also host beach bbqs, paella parties, garden pool parties! Food and drink are never more than two steps away!

The Activities: We tried and loved- Yoga classes in a beautiful palapa overlooking the lagoon- quiet and peaceful with an incredible and friendly yoga instructor, who helped me modify when I had an injured hand but didn't want to miss the class. Sailing lessons- I have no experience sailing but our instructor gave a great lesson and got us going. Pickleball- beautiful courts with new gear, and fun tournaments for the whole family! Scuba- I didn't go but my husband and two kids had an incredible experience here! Snorkel- nice little reef right off the beach. Easy entry. Some bleaching happening but the club is working to improve the reef life by adding statues and reef gardens. Great, easy snorkeling. Water gym: I don't know how these instructors do it, but fun lively classes everyday! Beach Volleyball, soccer, basketball, bocce- always hopping with people happy to have you join in the fun! Archery- great course, great instruction, and a fun tournament to end the week. Trapeze- INCREDIBLE. This is really something special. You may think you can't do it, and next thing you know, you are making the catch! And there were TONS of fitness classes too, but I had a really good book to get to!

The grounds:
This club is huge! As others have mentioned, there are golf carts always passing by to take you where you want to go. I opted to walk and never felt it was too big. There are 3 pools, all a perfect temperature (and I won't go in my home pool unless it's 80). There are bars at every pool, as well as waiters happy to bring your drink to your lounger at the pool or beach. There are two beach areas- white soft sand and beautiful turquoise water. I found the ocean water VERY warm. I can't imagine someone saying it was too cold. The sun was strong, so passing through building corridors to different locations was a welcome moment of shade. We had no issues with bugs. We booked to ground floor basic rooms for our family of four, which were right next to each other. They were clean and spacious. They provide bottled water in the mini fridge, an iron, and a really strong hair dryer, which I appreciated! I have read a few say the bed is hard. I found it firm but comfortable, and my husband's twisting and turning didn't wake me up here! There is an ipad on the night table for your use. Wifi isn't super strong, but I had no problem getting on as needed. I would not come here if your plan is to work. Too much fun to be had! The restaurants are beautifully decorated as was the food! The weather was perfect. A week of 83, sunny, and a slight breeze at night.

The nightlife: Be prepared to follow a later schedule. We enjoyed a nightly happy hour with specialty cocktails and appetizers, poolside, around 7 every night. We'd head to dinner between 7:30-8sih. (I'm typically a 6pm dinner girly, but had no trouble making this switch.) We'd enjoy a leisurely dinner either, just my husband and I, or with some new friends or GOs (do invite some staff to dinner- they have amazing stories!). We'd head back down to the main area for pre-show salsa dancing, enjoy the evening entertainment. NOTE: I am a professional theater director and choreographer who attends Broadway shows regularly. Club Med's shows were very well done and creative- from synchronized swimmers, to acrobats and circus performers, to Mexican Folklore dancers- all wonderful! After the show ends around 10:15, we were treated to a dance party with surprises every night!

SHOUT OUTS:
What sets Club Med apart from your average resort, is the staff. They really make you feel like you are part of the family. Stand outs on this trip: Circus team: Betihna, Blake, Yerko- thank you for pushing us to do our best. I left with no regrets, feeling so proud of myself! TEEN CLUB STAFF: Chava (and his teammate-I'm forgetting his name), Sender, Ponza, (sorry for the sp)- really showed an incredible week to our kids. Our yoga teacher Jen, was a great instructor and so friendly. We wound up going for a sailing lesson together on her morning off! The chief of the village- always around with a big welcoming smile! We also had a great dinner with Michelle from guest relations, Eduardo from the Boutique, and from the spa. (OH THE SPA- do get a massage, they are wonderful!) Obed from sailing was wonderful, as well as the whole scuba team.

TIP: Download the club med app- I can't imagine doing the week without it. You don't want to miss anything! Also, check out the dinner dress code before you leave-it's fun to participate!!!

NOTE: I noticed that many adults were very impressive on the trapeze as they have tried this at many different Club Meds. What I came to learn is once you try a Club Med, you will return time and time again. It is magical.

Hard to describe the amazing experience in so few words. The village is amazing! So many staff that touched our lives and hearts. Magdalit (yoga and fitness GO!), Sam, Valeria in the spa, Ms Lou Lou and her team at Mini Club, hard working La Hacienda staff like Adriana and Orlando. Thank you all!

We had high expectations and Club Med Cancun exceeded our expectations. Our group of six ranged from 10 years old to 75 years old and every single person had a fabulous time in the own unique way. The 10 year old did every single activity available, the teen enjoyed hanging out with the other teens, their mom and dad relished relaxing on the beach, and the grand parents delighted in seeing everyone having so much FUN! The G.O. staff were outstanding, reaching out to include and serve us all.

Our family (grandparents, parents, kids) stayed 6 nights at Club Med Cancun in April. We had 2 bedroom balcony rooms in Aquamarina which had beautiful ocean views and were relatively spacious. As others have mentioned the beds and couches are a bit on the firm side, but we were so tired from all the activities that we slept well anyway. The kids really liked their room with two twin beds. Aquamarina is on the quieter side of the resort, has a nice family pool and is very close to the new water park - the kids loved the waterslides. It's also near Taco Arte, which had a nice, relaxed vibe for breakfast and lunch (dinner is reservation only so we only went once).

The best part of Club Med is all the active things you can do, the childcare provided, the enthusiasm of the GOs (Cassandra is a great leader of the Crazy Signs and getting everyone dancing and happy) and the silliness that is Club Med. We took advantage of sailing, Aquagym, massages at the spa, bocce, trapez, trampoline, archery, ping pong, mini golf, a foam party on the beach, and more. The food was just okay, but there was a lot of selection so people found their niche. The tropical drinks were usually made with syrup instead of real fruit which wasn't ideal. And it was hot and humid. But we had so much fun and I really got a chance to disconnect from the stress of real life for a week. So thank you Club Med Cancun!