We’re just wrapping up a whirlwind weekend on location at the Club Med Cancun Yucatan, where the resort’s newest family-focused building officially opened on Saturday evening.
Aquamarina is a 60-room building right by the shore (and, not coincidentally, right by the resort’s new playground) with 30 deluxe rooms and 30 club rooms. The deluxe rooms have two bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms for up to six people; the club rooms have two bedrooms, one-and-a-half bathroom and can accommodate five people. (The children’s rooms each have two twin beds.) The main bathroom area has a rainforest shower and a toilet divided by a glass wall, while the kids’ bathrooms in the deluxe suites have a combination shower and soaking tub.
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| Deluxe Suite Main Bedroom |
Outside, the balconies and terraces all look out over the ocean and have huge chairs and even outdoor showers for cleaning sand off of feet. (The outdoor showers are not private, however, so bathing suits should be kept on.) Even better: Rather than railings, the balconies are lined with glass, so nothing disturbs the view:
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| Like this. |
The building, which was completed three months ago, has plenty of nods to modern travel tastes and needs. Both bedrooms have wall-mounted TVs--the one in the living room pivots to face different directions as needed. USB ports are built into the walls by the desks and the nightstands, making charging devices very easy, and electrical outlets are easily visible around the room.
Other recent additions for families include Petit Club Med, a dedicated space for two- and three-year-olds. (The resort already had clubs for children aged four to 17.) The space has toys (including multi-ethnic dolls for an international clientele) and activities as well as dedicated nap areas for when kids need a break. (Good to know: The club is deep-cleaned every Saturday, so it is only open six days per week.) For late nights, the resort has a “pajama club” that lets kids sleep while the parents go to one of the resort’s parties.
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| Cots in Petit Club |
Dining & Entertainment
Since the existing restaurant area was across the resort from the new family rooms, Club Med added a closer dining facility that serves as a buffet for breakfast and lunch, but becomes an a la carte restaurant for dinner. Las Cazuelas sits right on the beach and, with the windows open, has a very airy mood. (Just be careful of the birds that fly through.)
And by the main reception area, La Estancia is an Argentinian-style steakhouse that serves late breakfasts (good for those who want eggs at 11 a.m.) and an a la carte dinner. (Good to know: Reservations are required 24 hours in advance for dinner.) The restaurant’s wine cellar is also open for inspection, so oenophiles can make their pick in advance and have their preferred bottle ready when they arrive.
Right behind the reception area, the new Maya Lounge can serve as a theater, meeting space (for more than 300 people seated for a presentation), a nightclub and bar when necessary. The meeting rooms at the Cancun resort are set to be renovated by December this year, and a larger-scale renovation and expansion of the conference facilities is in the works.
Stay tuned for more updates from Club Med, including how the brand is improving its focus on wellness, and cultural immersion programs that go into the neighboring communities.