We just returned from 10 Days at Club Med Cancun and overall had a great time. We have 3 Kids 8, 8 and 6. We are frequent cruisers but this was our first land based "all inclusive" and we were pleasantly surprised.


The Good...
Rooms:
We booked the "Deluxe Conierge Family 2 Bedroom" this was in the Jade buidling 2nd Floor facing the lagoon. Basically 2 rather large connecting rooms with a nice balcony with a really nice view of the lagoon. As has been noted the AC worked hard and in the evening the room was nice although humidity was a constant. Others have commented on the Jade building as not worth in. We thought the rooms were nice, the service was excellent and the location very close to snorkeling and the sailing area were perfect.

Food:
The food was great in the main restaurant. Every evening had a new theme "Mexican, Italian, Elegent etc" with a variet of choices including one night with Stone Crab Claws. A table was always available and the food was well above average and in some cases simply superb. Several days they held beachside bbqs Drinks were always available and served poolside, beachside, barside and anywhere else you wanted by friendly and speedy bartenders.


Activities:
There is always something to do, and all inclusive really meant just that... Snorkeling on the reef at the property, Sailing, kayaking, tennis etc. was all easy to do and yes of course free. We were honesty hoping our kids would get more into the kids club but they really only went 3 of the days and seemed to most enjoy the Trapeze. Other than that they wanted to stay with us which was fine

The Service:
Simply amazing... Tipping is not the norm but despite this, there service was always attentive, friendly and quick.

The So So:
Have read from others that the shows were "superb".. Honestly, compared to Cruises they came off a little as nice GO talent shows more than professional shows. The GO's in addition to running activiites, reception etc are also tapped to dance which was OK but nothing spactacular.

We took a day trip into cancun and could not wait to get back to the Hotel. Touristy American shopping, bars and time share peddlers abound. We did go to the Interactive Acquarium where my kids got to pet a shark which was the only highpoint. Other than that there is not much "Mexican" about Cancun and the rows and rows of endless gigantic hotels.

Club Med is a slice of paradise and a perfect vacation destination in itself. We would not hesitate to come back. Unlike cruising where you kind of dread the last day settle your account for drinks etc. I was thrilled to check out and hear "You Owe Nothing".... Thank Club Med

My husband, six year old daughter and I stayed at the Club Med in Cancun for one week. This was our first time travelling to Mexico and our first all inclusive.

Rooms:
We wanted the works so we booked a Ocean front room in the Jade building. This building is a short walk to the village and it offers large suites, conceirge service, room service(limited but good enough) and free internet/computer. We were really happy with the room even though it was never really cold enough during the day, there were some ants but nothing gross and do not leave the sliding doors open at all(mosquitos!!!). Screen doors would be really nice in this room. The housekeeping staff is excellent. My husband booked his own room in the Jade building (club med does not offer a cot and the family suites are for parties of 4). He had a garden view. It was smaller but cooler (temp)then mine.
All in all we were all happy and comfortable in this room.

Activities:
Club Med has so much to do. You can be as busy or as lazy as you want to be. We enjoyed water excersize every day, the family games and the night time activities(trivia, fashion show). We also really enjoyed the snorkeling(on site) and the pool/ocean are very beuatiful.

Kids Club-Mini Med: My daughter really enjoyed the mini med. The kids are busy all day. We made the mistake of taking her out of the club when we saw her around. I think it is better to be in for the day or out for the day. She really enjoyed the sailing,circus,magic,science, pool,snacks, the show. Pretty much everything!!!

Excursions:
We arranged a private car service to take us to Xcaret on the Saturday. Saturday the Mini club and some activities are closed. It is a popular day for guest to arrive and depart. This day away from Club Med gave us the chance to see a little bit of Cancun. Xcarat is really awesome. There is an underground lagoon and lots of wildlife. It was really worth it. Our driver waited for us all day. When we were finished at Xcarat he drove us to Playa Del Carmen. We did a little shopping and saw the "european" side of the Cancun area. Our driver, Armando, waited for us and then drove us back. He was really informative and very proud of his country. Talking to him was a real treat for me!

Food:
We have never stayed at an all inclusive so we did not know what to expect at meal time. We were satisfied with the food. It was very fresh and there was so much to choose from. The desserts are awesome. The fish is really good. We were very satisfied with the food. We tried to eat at the Mexican rest. but I could not deal with the mosquitoes so we left. We went back the next day for lunch and were very happy with the choices. It was also less crowded then the main buffet in the village.

Shows
The Club Med shows are first class. They have fantastic costumes and the Mini Med show is complete with background props and really great costumes. The kids practice everyday for the big show on Thursday and it is great. The theatre is not air conditioned so you basically melt but seeing a happy kid is worth it.

Summary
We really enjoyed our first all inclusive experience and Club Med is a very well run organization. They have a lot of EN-Er-Gia. (Once you visit you will get it). We are already planning a ski vacation at a Club Med in France)
P.S. Visit Alfredo at the bar for a A+++ Mojito! Cheers!

Having been to Cancun dozens of times since its inauguration in 1976 (first with children, later adding grandchildren, but most often just with my wife of 50 years) and having been to at least 8 different hotels (Camino Real now called Dreams and unfortunately owned by Apple Vacations, Hyatt Regency, Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach, Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, Riu Palace Las Americas, Ritz Carlton, Moon Palace), decided to try the renovated Club Med for 5 nights, just in case ( May 18-22, 2008).

Conclusion--Excellent !!!

Club Med came to Cancun in its early stages and was able to use its cunning ability and foresight to obtain one of the best locations in the whole area (the best belongs to the Dreams, because the once Camino Real was also among the first in Cancun). It has the largest beach of any hotel we have known in Mexico, the Caribbean and the US -- one for swimming, the other for snorkeling and water sports. The swimming beach is like a large pool or lagoon, with clean clear water and no waves most of the time. The snorkeling beach is also big and very peaceful but not as comfortable for swimming. It is protected by a reef with plenty to see and enjoy.

Having been to the Club Med in Ixtapa twice some 15 years ago, we knew what to expect but got much more. Club Med is for people who like beaches, good food european style (not the kind you get at most hotel chains) and a happy informal atmosphere overall. Especially good for families and adults who are not fastidious, pretentious nor pompous. This is a case where quality and value are not synonymous to expensive and luxury.

We had an ocean front room with everything one should expect and be satisfied with in a beach resort--large enough, very good cooling system, large and good sturdy bed, adequate bathroom with separate toilet area, refrigerator to keep cool drinks, sufficient space for clothing, a safe, internet access at a reasonable cost, ironing facility, a very good curtain to keep the light out in the early morning and television entertainment that will not prevent guests from enjoying the hotel facilities by retaining them in their rooms. My only complaint would be that the TV lacked a news channel adequate for those of us not living in Europe or Mexico.

The food was much better than most of the all-inclusive and more expensive hotels we have visited in Mexico and the Caribbean, both in taste and presentation, as well as in variety and quantity. The same holds true for the alcohol drinks (several varieties of tequilas 100% agave, scotch and bourbon whiskeys, rums, gins and vodkas) including liqueurs and wines. Unfortunately, however, we did not find the included wines of good quality, although we also did not hear or see anyone complaining. Nor did we.

Our sole negative observation or "complaint" is that the beach area lacks sufficient trees to provide natural shade and add to the beauty of the environment, while the number of palapas and umbrellas is absolutely inadequate and would not suffice during high season when the hotel is over 80% full (during our stay it was probably 30% full). Many more palm trees should be planted throughout the area, with supports to withstand the daily strong winds and occasional hurricanes. This same remark and recommendation is applicable to every hotel in Cancun, including the Dreams which also has wide open spaces.

I will not attempt to contradict any of the negative comments I have read from recent guests, since I'm sure some may actually be factually accurate. However, I did find some rather strange and perhaps even extreme. To compare the toilet area to a cramped closet and the bed to an army bunk seems a gross misrepresentation. The same would apply to complaints about the noise at night from guests whose rooms were in the two nearby buildings. We were in the first and closest building (and room) to the pool (Tourquoise) and only once, when a party took place in the pool area after the nightly show, did we indeed suffer noise until around 11:30 pm. But that was the only time and it was really not unbearable nor prolonged.

Finally, we found all the hotel personnel, and we mean all, very attentive, courteous, friendly and efficient. Tipping was not necessary, although certainly deserved in many cases.

We expect to visit other Club Med locations soon and will also comment about them.

We are providing photos of our room and of the beach area to show its size and the lack of trees and natural shade.

Just returned yesterday from a 7 day stay. We traveled with our 2 boys 13 and 10. In 7 days we ate with our kids only 3 times - they wanted to be with their friends and Passworld GO's (BIANCA & STEPHANIE YOU GUYS ARE GREAT-THANK YOU) and loved their new-found freedom. (Our 10 year old said he was 11 to hang with the 11-13 year olds and he fit right in). There was plenty to keep them entertained and our 10 year old was a trapeze expert by the 2nd day. We felt (somewhat) comfortable letting them stay out till 11. The security is awesome. They sailed and kayaked (very safe) and played ping pong constantly. They met great kids that made us feel even more comfortable when they were "out and about".

My husband and I had not had this much "alone time" since before we had kids and we are so glad they came with us since everyone had a great vacation. There was never a problem getting chairs on the beach, or a drink, and the feeling of just relaxing and not having to worry about the kids or anything was priceless!

We tried the 2 menu only restaurants and wish we hadn't - since we ended up at the buffet immediately after we left. My entre' of garlic shrimp had 4 medium shrimp - that was it. Tiny portions and just OK tasting. Though the view of being "on the beach" can't be beat - but just go for a drink and then back to the buffet. The food choices are excellent. After being there a week I am glad to say I did not gain a pound. The fresh fruit, grilled fish and chicken, sushi, healthy cereal and salad bar were great - and I was always satisfied.

We met some great people that we hope to keep in touch with - John and Linda - you guys were the best!

The staff were all very nice, but surprising did not speak much English. More than once they were unable to answer a very easy question in English. This included our Reception hostess when we arrived.

Our 2 connecting rooms were fine and although we had our air conditioning turned all the way down, it was still hard to sleep at night. So, the next day we took a taxi to Walmart and purchased 2 fans which solved the purpose. Mind you it took $40 in taxi fees to buy the $34 fans, but at least we were all comfortable after that. We almost brought our own, thinking Club Med would have some, but they did not. So, if you need a fan to sleep - bring your own. We couldn't bring them home (too big) so we gave them to our taxi driver when we left.

All in all it was a great vacation and being our first All Inclusive, we do think this was the way to go.

The only excursion we took was the Jeep Adventure Tour and it was PERFECT. We saw Ruins, Zip-Lined in the jungle, swam in an underground cave AND had a great lunch in Puerto Morales. We topped it off with a visit to the local zoo where we held crocodiles, snakes, fed monkeys, etc. It was a great time.