June 8, 2018

Club Med – top reasons I love visiting!

With around 70 resorts (or villages, as they like to be called) in many, many countries (including a whack of bucket list ones), I love working with and for the Club Med brand!

Currently I am visiting the Club Med La Plantation d’Albion resort in Mauritius, and I thought it may be useful to share a few of the reasons I think you should book your next trip with Club Med … and also include explanations of a few words you may come across.

Reasons you should book your next trip with Club Med

  • Each resort has its own distinctive, local flavour, but there is also something of the familiar. The French flair. The friendliness.  And always a reminder of that famous quote by one of the founders – something along the lines of – the time to be happy is now. The place to be happy is here.
  • The diversity of the team. Many resorts have over 40 nationalities represented. It’s great to engage, learn and share memory-making trips with a variety of people and usually there’s, at least, one South African in the mix!
  • Great value for money – especially the ski resorts. In fact, if you ski and you don’t do it with the all-inclusive, ski-in ski-out Club Med resorts, you are missing out. The sun resorts are also good value for money, and – in a very different way – offer a wide variety of activities … from the “interesting” trapeze learning to the more “mundane” snorkelling. But all the activities are included and not having to ever take out my wallet is great – not only for budgeting, but also convenience. Club Med is still the only place where all-inclusive means all-inclusive.

  • I can drink good wine, lekker cocktails – in fact, anything that takes my fancy – all as part of the booking. Good wine makes me happy. At 5-trident resorts, champagne, after 6 (in the evening!), is also included.
  • If I want to stay in the resort the whole time, there is more than enough to do. However, exursions are easily arranged if you feel like venturing outside the village. And no pre-planning is needed.

Unique Club Med language

G.M – that’s us! A “Great Member” that Club Med values.

G.O – “Gracious Organisers” – the village team who, from events to activities and service, put all their talents on show for the enjoyment of G.Ms. I love how G.Os get fully involved!

Chef du Village – the main cheese. The man/woman who sets the tone – and usually these folks have more energy than a Gianluca and Kurt combined. Unreal! I can’t wait to see how Jono (one of the first South African chefs du village) is doing in Bintan when I see him later this year – as he became a chef when CN&CO and mates of mine were in Val Thorens for my birthday a year or so ago.

Crazy Signs – Choreographed dances that are easy to learn and follow in a group. They are not always my thing, but I love seeing the interpretations in different villages.

Club Med wrist band – there is a different one in each resort that identifies you. A badge of honour, if you will.

The CN&CO team is going to Club Med Bintan in September – join us!

Carel is an investor in people and businesses, believing that 1+1 = (at least) 22. Working with a few basic concepts – best encapsulated in his believe that unless we are dead, anything is possible – Carel aims to build long-term sustainable value with like-minded individuals and companies, while having (a lot of!) fun.