When Columbus discovered the new world, San Salvador, Bahamas, was where he landed. We can imagine his first word while exploring the island in 1492 - “Paradise.” The Wanderer Family USA had a marvelous visit to said Paradise and the explorer’s namesake Club Med from 1 to 8 April. We’ll never forget the pristine beach and beautiful weather that helped make the holiday one of our Top 5 big trips. Additional feedback:
Location. The location is perfect, just a 1-minute drive and 5-minute run from the airport (FYI, the chartered Bahamas Air flight is on Saturdays from Miami, Tuesdays from Montreal, and Thursdays from Paris). The resort is fairly spread out, but all the rooms are close to the ocean.
Staff. Acting Chef de Village Fausten ran a tight ship, and every staff member we encountered was super nice and professional. Bianca and Louis were our Welcome & Services Coordinators, and they did a great job. Big shout outs to Joshua (water sports), Chris (pool activities), Jo and Cyrillic (jet skis/tubing), and Aden (bar).
Rooms. Our room was perfect for a family of three. Nancy and I had the king, and Liam had a twin. No complaints about the toilet, bath, and closet areas. The GEs did a tremendous job cleaning the room and keeping it stocked with coffee, tea, and water.
Pool/Beach. First word when we found out there was only one pool. What? But at the end of the day, it was perfect as one of the best beaches in the world was only 30 seconds away. This kept most people at the ocean, opening up the pool for those who wanted to enjoy it. And, yes, the ocean’s water is as clear as it looks on film. Nancy’s sunglasses fell off while she was on the paddle board, landing 20 feet below on the ocean floor. She could see them plain as day and simply took off her life jacket temporarily and swam to get them. The free water sports are truly unparalleled (including twice-daily snorkeling trips), and Liam and his friend, Letizia, loved tubing behind the jet ski (for a fee).
Entertainment. The staff did a good job trying to keep Club Med from turning into Club Dead in the evenings. The Music Factory and Burlesque shows and casino night, in particular, were amusing and entertaining. The community activities such as water polo, the football toss, and tennis basketball were fun, too, but there could have been more offerings. Having a complimentary fine rum tasting one night would have been nice.
Mini Club (5 to 10). At first, we were upset and concerned the resort did not have one, but that lasted about 20 minutes. Liam quickly made friends and was never bored. In fact, he said this was the most fun he has ever had while on holiday and that - get this - he loves Club Med more than us. The island is very safe, and the resort has lots of security, so he and other children were often out and about galivanting with friends. Who needs a supervised Mini Club that many kids dislike when parents can create their own unsupervised club that kids never want to leave? The cool result for adults? Having down time is pretty easy. Funny thing was that the resort does have a Junior Club Med (11 to 17), but we heard only one of the more than 50 kids showed up.
Chow. The buffets were in top Club Med form. Many times there was something “unique” on the menu, but there was always something tasty, too. We had reservations at La Pinta (the sit-down restaurant) once, and it was really nice - just not that ideal for Liam. We went to the same place a few times for late buffet breakfasts just for the crazy blue ocean view.
Drinks. This is one area the resort needs to improve. Charging for VS cognac and Budweiser was ridiculous. However, the rose wine, bubbly, amber/dark beer, and decent mixed drinks helped make up for the inflation-induced money grab.
Tips. (1) Help your children make friends as soon as you arrive (or before - at the airport in Miami - you’ll see the same folks all week), and they and you will have the time of your life; (2) Check a bag when going to Miami so you can take booze in your free Bahamas Air checked back; (3) Take nice snorkeling gear, and walk to the right of the bar facing the ocean to the three small reefs that are only a few yards from shore. You probably will see more and better fish than you’ll see on the snorkeling excursion; (4) Take a croissant or two from the bar to feed the fish at the reefs; (5) Make sure to take walking shoes as it’s a 10-minute hike across the resort; and (6) You guessed it …
Just Book It!
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The Wanderer Family USA, 2023
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10 апр 2023
