We had an awesome week, the G.O.'s, Olivier - Manager and the entire staff from landscapers to the housekeepers treated us as if we were family. There is SO much to do at the resort and everything is included. If you need a place for family reunions, weddings, bachelor party or a special place for a group get away, this is it. Too bad the H1N1 virus overshadowed our vacation but thank god we were at club med.

I just got back from a week-long vacation at Club Med, Cancun. I had read many reviews prior to my arrival and most were spot on.

Location ~ Club Med has the best location on the beach. It is at the far end of the strip and secluded by a jetty that blocks the waves from crashing in during the wind-filled days. The sand was soft and white. Truly an ideal location

Rooms ~ We stayed in the 6000 building. One of the closest buildings to the village but still a bit of a hike. The property is sprawling. The room was just average. They recently completed a renovation to the rooms so the fixtures, beds and television were upgraded. The room was a bit small and nothing special. We had a view of the lagoon and on more than one occasion saw a crocodile glide past in the water. Maid service was good and the staff friendly.

Outdoor Activities ~ I mostly swam in the ocean and layed by the pool. I did waterski one day. Be aware, you must sign a release that there are crocodiles in the water and you must ski at your own risk. I also snorkeled one day. The water was choppy and there was a strong current. Saw many fish and aquatic life though. Not as spectacular as some snorkeling trips I have been on.

Food ~ I had heard great things about the food from past reviews. To me is was just average. There was a lot to choose from in the Hacienda Buffet but I enjoyed the mexican buffet at Las Casuelas. I also perferred Las Casuelas for dinner. We ate there most nights. If you are a foodie, as I am, you won't be overly-impressed, but it is tasty and well-presented.

Staff ~ I was impressed with the friendliness of the staff. Since our group chartered the entire resort and threw wild parties nightly, the GO's really let their hair down. Often partying with us until the wee hours of the morning. Everyone greets you as you walk by with a friendly smile and an "HOLA".

Public Areas ~ The pool was nice and quite large, the bar areas seemed well maintained and even though our group were drinkers, nobody really had to wait long for a drink.

Overall Impression ~ The resort could stand further upgrades. The property seems to have had many facelifts but no full overhaul. Through the fresh paint and new fixtures, it looks and feels like an older resort. Although no families were in attendance during the week we were there, it seems truly geared to a family oriented clientele. i am not sure what the staff thought about having 700 gay men decend upon their peaceful resort, but I can assure you that by the end of the week they were having the time of their lives.

On a sad note ~ Due to the Swine Flu epidemic, we were the last group to enjoy the resort. The group attending the following week cancelled and bookings were so low for the following weeks that the resort is closing for at least a month and perhaps indefinately.

We stayed for a week with 3 children, aged 13, 11 (girls) and 8 (boy).

The 8-year old was in the older half of the mini-club while the girls were in the younger half of the "carwash"/passworld for tweens and teens. They all had a great time, as did their parents.

Great flexibility for the kids to participate part time, full time, or no time at all in the clubs. There were plenty of activities for all. My wife and I water skied almost every day and did not see the famous crocodiles, which never bother anyone even when seen (if they are not a resort legend to begin with).

The 13yr old water skied for the first time - note that 12 is the minimum age to water ski at this resort - sailed, kayaked, hung out with the other teens, played tennis with my wife, etc.

The 11 yr old loved the trapeze, including doing a release move to be caught by a GO (with lots of safety equipment, don't worry) and also kayaked, sailed and hung out.

Our 8yr old, who can be a bit shy, didn't want to miss a minute of the day time activities (less interested in the evening shows) and decided to kayak and sail instead of playing soccer since he could do that at home. We also had family games of bocce ball, played a little basketball and went on a day trip to Chitzen Itza, the big Mayan historical site. The kids' only complaint was that the full day to go to Chitzen was a little long, but they were still glad we went, even the little one got enough out of it, but you'll have to judge if your younger ones should do this. My only complaint on the activities was that the sailing instruction (on the little Hobie Cats) was VERY light both for us when my wife and I went and for the kids.

Back at the resort, everyone loved the variety of food, the way it was displayed and the way it tasted. The pool is a bit small compared to the size of the resort and there are, at times, a lot of pool chairs saved by towels, but this is minor. There was plenty of space otherwise, a great beach, nice people (most guests and all the GO's we met) and great weather in spite of the wind we had which made some activities difficult at times.

We were not in the newer, higher end Jade building and did not pay the extra fee to guarantee adjoining rooms. Instead, we called in advance of our arrival to ask for rooms next door to each other. This worked very well and the three kids shared one room while the parents took the other.

Others have advised trying to go Saturday-Saturday with kids to stay on the same cycle as the other kids. We went Sunday to Sunday (better availability and price when we booked) and did not find that this made much of a difference. All else equal, it may be worth it to try to go Sat/Sat, but, on the other hand, there were fewer arrivals and departures on the Sunday so maybe we were even better served.

On that note, we did not need the various concierge services offered and probably would not have spent any more time in our rooms (i.e. very little) if we had been in Jade than where we were, but good for you if you are willing and able to spend the extra for the luxury offerings. We booked our flights through Club Med as the price was comparable and included a very efficient transfer to/from the airport.

No issues with security at all - as other have said, the site is a great location and they clearly have put on extra security to make sure people are safe, and made it visible so people feel safe.

Overall, a fantastic experience - our best family vacation yet. I see more Club Meds in our future. It is not cheap, but all-in, comparable to a nice week skiing or a week at Disney.

An extra special way to stay is in the Jade building which includes concierge and room service. This upgrades you to the services of a hotel. The concierge room has a self service bar with wine, alcohol, cheese, expresso..... All the functions, like check-in and check out are performed by the private concierge instead of using the main registration area. The Jade building has ocean front suites that are just amazing. Two patio doors, one on each side of the king size bed overlooks 30 feet of grass an then the beautiful ocean. The rooms also have his & her sinks, tub, shower, expresso machine, refrigerator. We especially enjoyed having room service bring our breakfast so we could eat on the patio overlooking the ocean. The concierges, Mayra, Brenda and Fanou were very accomodating and interested in giving the personal attention that makes a vacation extra special.