Club Med to introduce 15 new resorts by 2020

Following the official December openings of Club Med’s new mountain resorts of Samoëns Morillon Grand Massif in France and Tomamu Hokkaido in Japan, the company said it would continue following its international growth strategy. Club Med Global CEO and President Henri Giscard D’Estaing says the company plans to open five new resorts per year on average over the next five years. Club Med also has plans to renovated five of its current resorts per year to offer new and refreshed experiences for guests. (Pictured above is Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek in Martinique.).

Club Med is deep into a brand evolution that spans breaking ground in a number of exclusive locations, renovations to family-favorite properties, and updated technology across all 70 existing resorts. “For more than 65 years, Club Med has continuously worked to improve and adapt to consumer demands and trends,” said Xavier Mufraggi, CEO of Club Med North America. “This entrepreneurial driving spirit has allowed us to remain an energetic and diverse place for travelers with upscale accommodations, superior sports programming, enriching children’s programs, gourmet dining and legendary hospitality skills.” Here’s a roundup of Club Med’s plans by region:

Caribbean: Located on Grace Bay Beach, ranked the No. 1 Beach in the World by TripAdvisor, the adults-exclusive Club Med Turkoise recently re-opened its doors in January to unveil a refreshed and redefined atmosphere. The resort will earn its fourth Trident (the company’s unique star rating system) as of May 1, 2018, due to its recent renovations and upcoming enhancements, including all-new deluxe-level rooms with balconies, a redesigned pool and reception area, a new main bar, renovated dining space with a new wine cellar, a new wellness area; and technology updates.

Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek in Martinique, French West Indies, this summer will transform its existing specialty restaurant, L’o, into a new beach lounge emphasizing a breath-taking view of the ocean. The elegant and cool beach décor will support all-day dining within a secluded area of the resort. The main restaurant, Pays Mélés, also will undergo a renovation.

Mexico: Club Med Cancún Yucatán in July will reopen with new rooms and major renovations. The Aguamarina area featuring accommodations and spaces dedicated to families will receive an expansion to introduce 60 new family rooms, including 30 family club rooms and 30 family deluxe rooms, along with a new oceanfront pool. The family rooms each feature two separate sleeping areas so the parents and the children can have their own rooms. The renovation will increase the capacity of the resort and accommodate travelers with the creation of a second resort center dedicated to families. Just recently, in November 2017, the resort also completed a full renovation to all rooms and public spaces, and introduced new restaurant concepts.

Italy: An original Club Med from 1956 to 2006, Club Med Cefalù in Sicily will once again play host to a Club Med resort starting this summer. With favorable weather, lush vegetation and breathtaking panoramas of cliffs plunging into the sea, the largest island in the Mediterranean is the perfect location to launch Club Med’s newest flagship resort for the Exclusive Collection. Located on the northern coast of Sicily, the resort will be the first full 5-Trident resort in Europe. A 5-Trident resort is identified by its exclusive upscale amenities and services for a luxurious vacation experience. Club Med Cefalù will offer more than 300 rooms, three gourmet restaurants, and three bars, with a modern and refined architecture. As part of the all-inclusive concept, guests can enjoy activities from sailing and electric surfboarding to tennis and archery, or opt to self-indulge by booking an appointment at the Spa by Carita.

France: Located in an alpine forest within the French Alps, Les Arcs Panorama is a 4-Trident family-friendly resort with a 5-Trident luxury space that will open this December. The resort was built to fit the curves of the mountainous terrain and boasts a perfect view of the dramatic, soaring vistas. As the second largest ski domain in France, the Paradiski ski region features 264 miles of ski slopes, which makes this property the ideal spot for skiers of all levels. The resort features ski-in/ski-out access, 433 rooms (suite, deluxe and club levels), and three restaurants, including a new family restaurant concept, Bread & Co., which encourages active participation between kids and parents through the creation of meals.

Club Med Samoëns Morillon Grand Massif, a ski-in, ski-out property that opened in December, is situated in the heart of the Grand Massif, the fourth largest ski domain in France. It offers 382 rooms with views overlooking the surrounding mountains.  Guestrooms are furnished with contemporary style and select rooms have interconnecting options, balconies and lounge areas. Expert ski instruction is included for all levels while children’s clubs are available for parents’ peace of mind for children from four months to 17 years of age. Indoor and outdoor pools help skiers unwind after a day on the slopes while the Skyline Gourmet Lounge offers a menu designed by two-star Michelin chef Edouard Loubet.

China: Club Med is testing a new venture for the company: a new, short-vacation-style hotel concept to introduce the Club Med experience to the Chinese market as part of its strategy to expand across Asia. The Club Med Joyview project will create a number of new hotels in China over the next few years, each within easily accessible destinations. All hotels will be within a three-hour drive from a major city in China, and feature upscale amenities and premium services for travelers seeking an escape into nature.

A new, flexible approach to the traditional Club Med model, Club Med Joyview hotels will allow guests to choose either a bed-and-breakfast option or an all-inclusive package. Two Joyview resorts recently opened, with another one scheduled to open later this year: In the Beidaihe district of Qinhuangdao City, in the Hebei province of China, Club Med recently introduced a Club Med Joyview Golden Coast  with sweeping sea views from all 308 rooms in an exclusive location right on the beach, offering a getaway within the Golden Coast. Close to Shanghai, Club Med’s recently opened Joyview Anji resort features 301 rooms and is surrounded by bamboo forests and tea fields. Located at the foot of the Great Wall of China in Bakeshiyingzhen in the Hebei province, the soon-to-open Club Med Joyview Great Wall will offer guests an innovative Club Med Playground, an indoor sports facility, and the Club Med Waterland water park.

In addition, Club Med Guilin in China recently added a new section to the resort. Located within one of China’s most popular vacation regions, the resort just opened a 9,700-square-foot, two-story indoor sports complex.  Guests can enjoy year-round activities, including a climbing wall and trampoline; a virtual reality game room; a multi-sport playground with volleyball, basketball and badminton; and a circus experience with juggling, unicycling, balance exercises and an indoor flying trapeze.

Japan: Club Med Tomamu Hokkaido, which opened in December 2017, is just 90 minutes from the New Chitose Airport. It offers a modern yet comfortable atmosphere inspired by Japanese culture and nature designed by French interior designer Jean-Philippe Nuel. Families and couples can stay in single or interconnecting rooms with full mountain views and are encouraged to embrace the active and thrilling side of winter with four ski trails, snow trekking and a snow garden for the Children’s Club. Once back inside, travelers can enjoy the largest indoor wave pool in Japan and then eat Japanese barbecue at the specialty restaurant.

South Asia: Club Med Kani in the Maldives is set to reopen this year with a new vacation experience for active couples and families. The resort will feature a new scuba-diving center and Mini Club to promote family-friendly travel activities, while the overwater suites at the Manta Exclusive Collection space will undergo a refresh. The Manta section also will unveil a new welcome lounge, beach restaurant and bar lounge. Manta guests will receive access to Club Med Finolhu Villas, a luxury 5-Trident resort on its own private island, also part of Club Med’s Exclusive Collection.

Future Plans: Club Med’s expansion plans will strengthen its presence in Asia through the creation of new resorts, develop its North American offering by breaking into a new territory, and elevate its leading role in the all-inclusive ski vacation sector with its plan to open a new Alpine ski resort annually.

In Asia, Club Med Ho Tram, located close to Ho Chi Minh City in the southeast of Vietnam, will be the first Club Med to open in the country in 2021. In Indonesia, Club Med Lombok will be the third resort for the brand to open in the country, set to open in 2019. Club Med also recently announced it will open Club Med Ceylon in Sri Lanka in 2019, and a new 5-Trident Exclusive Collection resort in Seychelles in 2020.

In Africa, Club Med is planning renovations for its Club Med La Pointe aux Canonniers resort in the Mauritius to expand the resort with 108 new rooms. Current rooms also will undergo renovations, adding a new spa, family pool, Zen space and a transformed specialty restaurant.

In addition, Club Med will build on its established status as the global leader in premium all-inclusive mountain vacations with its much-anticipated return to North America: the company plans to open a new resort in 2020 in the Le Massif de Charlevoix region just an hour away from Quebec City, Canada. This 4-Trident resort with a 5-Trident space will be the first Club Med resort in Canada and will feature year-round activities for each season.

New Technology: Club Med is a known for seamless and personalized vacation experiences that make bookings, check-ins and check-outs easy. Beginning early in 2018, French and Italian resorts will offer “Easy Check-In” that automatically opens a property account for guests prior to arrival without requiring a stop at reception followed by “Easy Check-Out” that directly charges the credit card on file so there is no need to close out an account. Resorts will also engage guests with mobile welcomes and digital assistance throughout their stay using a specialized bracelet that allows mobility throughout the resort and a smoother, modernized arrival.

This year, the company is adding new functions to the Club Med Resort App, which allows guests to access information about sports, dining, activities and events. The app will now allow guests to make direct requests to the housekeeping or technical teams to save time. Guests will also have the ability to book services through the app, such as spa appointments, excursions and specialty restaurant reservations.

Club Med also is working with Google Street View to give guests the chance to tour the resorts and their rooms prior to arrival. Currently, 25 resorts worldwide offer the Street View option, including Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Florida, Club Med Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Club Med Cancún Yucatán in Mexico. The company is working on expanding the list throughout the year. For more information, click on Club Med.

 

Source: http://www.insidertravelreport.com/club-med-set-to-debut-15-new-all-inclusive-resorts-by-2020