Club Med this week announced a variety of new developments including three forthcoming international resorts as well as a shift to exclusively offer only four- and five-star products. On the hotel front, the brand will open its first resort in South Africa and first Exclusive Collection (five-star) resort in South America; these will mark the first shift into the luxury space, as well as the brand’s ambition to expand its portfolio with three to five openings or renovations per year.
New and Upcoming Resorts
Club Med Tinley, opening in 2026, will be a “first-of-its-kind” beach and safari resort and the brand’s first-ever location in South Africa. Located in KwaZulu-Natal, Club Med Tinley will have a surf-lifestyle concept, as well as the opportunity to stay on a "Big Five" game reserve. The beach resort will be set on the North Coast, known as the "Dolphin Coast," and offer views of the beach and coastal dunes. The resort interiors, entertainment and gastronomy will draw inspiration from the location, climate and cultures of Southern Africa. Three hours away in Northern Natal, guests will enjoy the same all-inclusive experience at the 80-room game lodge.
The 4-Trident (four-star) resort will include an Exclusive Collection (five-star) space, along with a spa, fitness center, yoga school and an adults-only Zen pool and bar. For those looking to play on their vacation, Club Med Tinley will offer an array of land and water sports for couples, friends and families, including the very first Surf School at Club Med. In keeping with brand’s dedication to corporate social responsibility, the resort will embrace environmental stewardship through its Bye Bye Plastic Program, Green Globe sustainable tourism certification and eco-certified construction.
Club Med has also announced the development of Club Med Gramado, the brand’s first Exclusive Collection resort in South America and the fourth resort in Brazil. The resort will open in 2025 in Rio Grande do Sul, known for its canyons, gastronomy, wine and lively local culture. The climate is warm in the summer and snowy in the winter.
In Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, Club Med Borneo, opening in 2025, will offer a “jungle-meets-white sand beaches” vibe. Embracing Club Med’s commitment to eco-friendliness, the resort’s design blends with its surroundings, drawing inspiration from the woods and sea. Every element has been crafted to ensure minimal ecological impact while providing comfort and luxury throughout the 4-Trident property and Exclusive Collection space. Club Med Borneo will be both BREEAM and Green Globe certified, furthering the brand’s commitment to low density, sustainable development.
On the just-opened hotels front, in the urban region of Nanjing, China, Club Med opened its first urban resort, Club Med Urban Oasis Xianlin Nanjing, on October 18. The resort combines the brand’s all-inclusive product with the cultural richness of the city. The resort is located next to the nearby railway station, making it the world’s first metro-access Club Med resort, and among Nanjing’s four major scenic areas—Purple Mountain, Quixia Mountain, Tangshan Mountain and Yanziji. The resort includes an indoor heated water park, outdoor water screen light show, outdoor explorer park and sport activities.
Additionally, Club Med Marrakech La Palmeraie will be undergoing renovations to renew and transform itself to provide a premium, all-inclusive experience for guests. The 2023-2024 renovations will consist of:
- Baby Club: Coming December 2023, the resort will welcome the creation of Baby Club to its Children’s Club. The new indoor and outdoor area will accommodate babies starting at four months to 23 months in a nurturing environment with activities and dedicated play areas.
- Family Oasis: To further the family-friendly programming, the resort will create an extension of La Palmeraie with a family oasis, named The Ksar. The family oasis will offer 66 two-bedroom accommodations with a family swimming pool and a dedicated bar. The new Superior and Deluxe rooms will combine hues of blue inspired by the Moroccan culture and greens reminiscent of the gardens of Palmeraie.
- Enhanced Rooms: The Superior and Deluxe rooms will be refreshed with new hardware, finishings and more in the bedrooms and bathrooms by the end of 2023.
Club Med to Focus on Luxury Offerings
As part of the aforementioned openings, in addition to its future moves, Club Med will shift its entire portfolio into 4-Trident (four-star) and Exclusive Collection (five-star) resorts. From April 2024, the brand will only offer:
- Premium, all-inclusive beach and mountain Club Med resorts
- Exclusive Collection spaces, resorts, yachts, villas and chalets
The current 3-Trident resorts—Club Med Serre-Chevalier, Club Med Djerba La Douce and Club Med Arcs Extrême—will transition into 4-Trident properties. In total, there will be 21 Exclusive Collection products available by end of 2023. This news represents the completion of Club Med’s upmarket shift in the high-end, all-inclusive space.
Corporate Social Responsibility
In addition to all of the above, Club Med continues its efforts dedicated to responsible tourism and corporate social responsibility initiatives through its Happy to Care program. Current initiatives for 2023-2024 include:
- Bye Bye Plastic Program: By 2024, Club Med Columbus, Club Med Cancún, Club Med Turkoise, Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda, Club Med Québec, Club Med Caravelle and Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek will have eliminated single-use plastic products in the resorts.
- Local Reef Partnership and Workshops: Club Med Turkoise will expand its current partnership with the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund to bring interactive workshops to guests to learn about the surrounding coral reefs, its beauty and how to protect them.
Good to know: Club Med is committed to eco-certifying the construction of all its new resorts with BREEAM or its local equivalent as part of its continued efforts dedicated to responsible tourism. Club Med Tignes has completed its BREEAM certification, one of the most recognized international and independent eco-construction certifications in the world. The resort, which opened in December 2022, has now integrated sustainability measures that emphasize reduced carbon emissions, low impact design, adaptation to climate change, ecological value and biodiversity protection.
For more information, visit www.clubmed.us.
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