Club Med is a brand known for its luxury resorts, but perhaps you’re not aware of exactly how incredible this trusted tour operator’s holiday packages actually are? Imagine taking a dip in your own private pool, that overlooks turtles swimming in the aquamarine sea of your private white, sandy beach. Your personal butler is hovering nearby, ready to hand you a towel and a well-earned cocktail, before escorting you to your gourmet, a la carte meal, which has been freshly prepared for you according to your schedule.
Watching the sun go down together has never felt so romantic and thanks to the on site babysitters, you can plan to hit the bars, evening entertainment and nightclub at your leisure. Make sure you don’t stay up too late though, because you’ve probably got a few rounds a golf, a tennis lesson, or a safari trip planned for the next day.
In an uncertain world, our team at Aspen Travel are speaking to more and more travellers, who are choosing their holidays to suit their increased desire for luxury, extra comfort and a focus on exceptional customer service. People are taking their bucket-list breaks earlier than planned simply because Club Med has made them affordable. In this post we’re going to take a look at 6 of the best Club Med resorts for 2016.
Japan’s Kabira Beach Resort
Want to know what’s it’s like to stay in the best hotel in Japan? Picture yourself being taken to the white, sandy beach on a cart drawn by a water buffalo. In front of you lies the turquoise waters of the marine park of Ishigaki Peninsula and behind you lies tropical forests and mangroves. The air is fragrant with lotus flowers and irises and somewhere in the distance you can hear the sound of nightingales and macaques calling to one another.
On this imagined day you’re taking a relaxing break from the windsurfing, snorkelling and archery you’ve been learning as part of your exclusive Club Med package. Today, full of delicious sushi, sashimi, rice and noodles, you’re going to take a trip on a glass bottom boat around the Bay of Kabira and enjoy the sun on your face, as you watch the wildlife.
A little earlier you experienced some traditional Japanese culture on Taketomi Island and a little later, you’ll be returning to your elegant three storey bungalow, because you have a massage booked at the wellness centre and the kids are eager to find out what they’ve missed at the kids club. You might or might not stay up late in one of the resort bars tonight because you’re not sure how energetic the next day’s canoe adventure through the waterfalls and hot springs will be.
The Kabira Beach resort was awarded best hotel at the Dive and Travel awards. It’s an incredible way to explore the cherry blossom covered streets of Japan and enjoy a relaxing week or two. The resort is amazing, but the staff’s attention to detail and quality of customer service, will be the icing on your holiday cake!
China’s Sanya Resort
When you think of China, you don’t automatically draw any parallels with Hawaii, but the Sanya region, with its white, tropical beaches and beautiful blue seas is often refers to as ‘The Chinese Hawaii.’ Recline on the resort’s private beach, drink a cocktail from the bar and keep your eyes peeled for white fin dolphins in the sea. If you’re there during the festival period, you might get to see dragon boat racing or the night sky lit up with Chinese lanterns.
The Sanya resort offers luxury hotel accommodation for couples and families. There are plenty of sports to choose from, such as the on-site sailing school, yoga school and mountain biking school. There are plenty of bars to keep the adults entertained through the night and kids clubs aimed at a variety of age groups are available through the day. International dishes sit alongside more local specialities on the resort’s restaurant menu, so as well as steak and chips, pizza, pasta and a whole host of favourite European meals, you can order Chinese ravioli, fresh seafood and lots of new, exciting tastes. Green tea jelly is loved by everyone!
Of course, there will also be plenty of opportunity to leave the site and explore the surrounding beaches as well. Temples and tropical forests are plentiful. Pandas, elephants, yaks and golden hair monkeys are native to this region too, so it’s worth taking one of Club Med’s wildlife excursions. The Sanya region is paradise in China. Enjoy blissful relaxation and some incredible East Asian cuisine.
Brazil’s Transcoso Resort
Combine lying on one of Brazil’s best beaches with regular games of golf along and you’re close to describing Club Med’s luxury Transcoso resort. You’ll see turtles swimming past you in the sea, toucans and parrots flying overhead and hear the sounds of chattering monkeys in the nearby forest. Here, the on-site staff are ready to cater for your every whim. You’ll be staying in one of the 250 bungalows, some of which are designed for families and groups, while others make the perfect romantic accommodation for couples.
After an exciting day spent learning circus skills at the trapeze school, or new sporting skills at the tennis or football clubs, you’ll enjoy an incredible range of salgadinhas; Brazilian savoury snacks, before your main meal at the international or speciality restaurants. Eat as much rice, beans and delicious meats as you like, along with copious fruit and milk-based desserts. The meals are included in your package, along with your entertainment and anything else you might need while you’re there.
With so much to see and do at the resort itself, you might wonder where you’ll find the time to take a tour of the craft shops or the fruit plantations. You will. You might wonder whether or not you should take a quad bike through traditional villages first or visit the churches of Porto Seguro, home of the lambada? That’s up to you. Enjoy as many excursions as you can fit in. South America is a fascinating part of the world.
Brazil is a thrilling, vibrant country with an exhilarating atmosphere. As much as you feel you want to lie down and relax in the warm sunshine, it won’t be long before your feet start tapping to the hypnotic samba beat. Dance the night away or enjoy the best night’s sleep in years. The choice is yours.
Mexico’s Cancn Yucatn Resort
Along the Caribbean coast is Club Med’s Mexican Cancn Yucatn resort. It consists of a series of bungalow-haciendas, many with direct access to the beach and private balconies or gardens. If you’ve not stayed in a room with direct access to perfect white sand with gentle, warm ocean waves lapping upon the shore, you’re going to have to take our word for it – it’s utter bliss! Scuba, windsurfing and waterskiing are very popular here, as is lying on the beach in the sun, while a cool sea breeze blows gently over your face to ensure you don’t get too hot.
Exploring the ancient Mayan culture that can be found in nearby pyramids and archaeological sites is a popular pastime here, as is getting up close to the local wildlife. It’s possible to swim with dolphins, snorkel with turtles or ride through the jungle on horseback. If you love Mexican food, you’d like to be overwhelmed by astonishing ancient historical artefacts and you’d like to enjoy a fortnight of relaxation in a tropical paradise, then you’ll thoroughly enjoy Club Med’s CancnYucatn.
Albion Villas in Mauritius
With its emphasis on incredible luxury, Albion Villas form an exclusive arm of the Club Med Albion resort in Mauritius. These hibiscus covered villas have access to all the facilities of the main Plantation d’Albion resort, but with the additional benefit that comes from hiring a villa in Club Med’s luxury trident space.
You’ll have your own private pool, unlimited free golf and a personal butler to serve you with everything you need. The chef will prepare a la carte dining for you and even deliver it to your room, should you wish. You’ll also have a concierge service at your disposal.
You’ll enjoy curry, seafood, amazing fruits and sweet fried cakes as you look out onto the white coral sand each and once you’ve got the energy to get up after your exquisite meal, you’ll be able to go scuba diving, sailing or play tennis or golf.
If you fancy finding out more about the surrounding area, you can book yourself into a number of different excursions, which include going on safari, taking a tour of a sacred lake, exploring temples, visiting sugar plantations or walking around historical gardens. You can even try your hand at big game fishing. If a perfectly relaxing holiday of unrivalled exclusive luxury appeals to you and your family (because this is a very family friendly resort) then you will enjoy Club Med’s incredible Mauritian resort.
Finolhu Villas in the Maldives
Picture your perfect honeymoon location. Apart from your beloved, what can you see? Soft white sand? A warm clear lagoon and colourful birds calling overhead? Welcome to the Finolhu Villas in the Maldives. They not only look incredible on the outside, sitting astride their stilts in the water as they do, but having also won an interior design award, the villas are none to shabby inside either.
This is an idyllic a and romantic place to enjoy a la carte, gourmet food together, swim together in the spacious pool or enjoy the extra privileges afforded those in Club Med’s luxury space. You’ll enjoy the concierge and butler services, as well as everything being timed precisely to cater for your needs.
As incredible as the villas are, you won’t want to spend your entire holiday on site, because there’s so much to see and do nearby. For a bit of exhilaration, why not try a seaplane flight, sea scooter trip or go parasailing over the unbelievably blue sea? Of course, you can use all the facilities of next door’s Kani resort too.
The Finolhu Villas make for a deeply impressive and exclusive honeymoon experience that will create a memory you’ll cherish forever. You only get one honeymoon. Why wouldn’t you want to ensure it was as amazing as it could possibly be?
Are you ready to experience extreme luxury? Are you ready to take a holiday unlike any you’ve ever taken? For a thoroughly unique experience, that’s filled with excitement, relaxing wonder, exotic culture, incredible scenery and great food, please give the Aspen Travel team a call today.
Our friendly team members are Club Med experts and will be able to advise you on any of Club Med’s 80+ resorts as well as other holidays we have available. Get in touch today to find out latest offers.