Truly the pioneer of the All-Inclusive Resort, Club Med has been on the scene since 1950 when founder Gerard Blitz’s revolutionary vision of offering families unforgettable, stress-free vacation experiences in pristine locales first took shape on the Spanish Mediterranean island of Mallorca. Nearly 70 years later, it operates almost as many resorts, or “villages,” in breathtaking destinations around the globe.
Club Med has also expanded Blitz’s vision into something that’s likely more than he could have ever imagined. Today, guests (or GMs – Gracious Members) enjoy full-board gourmet cuisine prepared by internationally trained chefs, an open premium bar, unending sports and activities, entertainment day and night, and more. All this amid refined accommodations and attentive staff (or GOs – Gracious Organizers) whose only mission is to make you happy.
With that kind of lead-in, it’s easy to understand why Club Med has received the 2019 Islands All-Inclusive Awards for being among the best in three categories. Let us count a few more of the reasons why.
All Inclusive, Choices
Reason 1 & 2 You might think “all inclusive” is a given and doesn’t count as a reason, but not all AIRs are created equal. There’s a Club Med vacation experience for every type of resort goer. Whether you’re traveling solo, with a friend, with your significant other or an entire family, you can choose experiences ranging from those designed for the relaxed and peaceful-minded to the pumped-up-for-action sort — and everything in between. Plus, some experiences are unique to Club Med destinations. Take award winners Club Med Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Club Med Finolhu Villas in the Maldives.
Cirque du Soleil Inspired Performances, Circus Playscape, Learning to Fly on a Trapeze
Reasons 3, 4 & 5 As winner of the Best Entertainment category, Club Med Punta Cana is a year-round beach escape in the sun-soaked Caribbean for couples and families that includes an array of activities, day and night, seven days a week. Including one-of-a-kind entertainment featuring themed demonstrations and immersive experiences inspired by world-renowned theatrical production company, Cirque du Soleil. Imagine a 38,000-square-foot playscape where more than 25 circus-inspired artistic and acrobatic activities come alive. At Club Med CREACTIVE by Cirque du Soleil, adults and children can interact with and learn from trained Cirque artists and Club Med GCs (Gracious Circus Artists). Better yet, the artists can also train you in the circus arts, like flying on a trapeze, bouncing on a trampoline, stretching on aerial silks, face painting, juggling and bouncing on the acro-bungee, to name a few. After your workout and before dinner, rejuvenate at the Club Med Spa by L’Occitane and you’ll be ready to continue the fun taking in nightly theater performances.
And now the reason why Punta Cana is a readers’ choice winner of the Best Included Amenity category: Club Med CREACTIVE by Cirque du Soleil is included in your vacation experience at no extra cost. Does “the greatest show on Earth,” ring a bell?
Living Over Crystalline Azure Waters, Private Swimming Pool, Personal Butler, Sunset or Sunrise View
Reasons 6, 7, 8 & 9 Looking for more of a dreamscape vacation with your own private oasis? Like its Caribbean sister resort, Club Med’s Finolhu Villas in the Maldives is all-inclusive — but then some. As part of Club Med’s Exclusive Collection, GMs are pampered with personalized services and hospitality amid luxurious spaces that exceed the imagination. It’s such spaces that have garnered Finolhu Villas the Best Overwater Bungalows award. Not an easy feat in a crowded field — after all, this tropical nation of nearly 1,200 coral islands in the south pacific is home to a majority of the world’s overwater bungalows.
Today, modern, luxurious structures boasting sophisticated architecture and amenities like those found at Club Med Finolhu Villas are a far cry from the rustic hut-on-stilts concept born more than half a century ago in French Polynesia. Perched above the tranquil crystalline azure waters surrounding the private island of Gasfinolhu, each eco-friendly villa has a private swimming pool — and a personal butler who intuitively knows when to make an appearance. Choosing a villa that offers either a sunset or sunrise view is the most difficult decision you’ll have to make.
If you feel inclined to leave the privacy of your magical surroundings, you can begin your days with oceanfront yoga or meditation before soaking up the beauty and wonder of your natural aquatic environment with a myriad watersports. Later, head beachside for a pampering CINQ MONDES spa treatment, gourmet dining or a movie under the stars. All you have to do is return to your villa on the water and wake up to do it again. No, you’re not dreaming.
“All-Inclusive” just gets better and better! Learn more about Club Med’s all-inclusive vacation destinations.
