PHOTO: Jade suites feature room service.

Club Med Cancun Yucatan arguably has much to recommend it, but the very first thing arriving guests will be struck by is the resort’s enviable location. Set on 22 acres at Punta Nizuc on the northeast end of the Yucatan Peninsula, the resort is surrounded by flawless beaches. At every turn, there’s water and beach. There are simply no bad views to be had.

Club Med is something of a pioneer in Cancun, opening its doors in 1976 in this prime location as one of the region’s very first resorts. Back then, there was no Hotel Zone. Today, from the vantage point of Club Med’s generous acreage, guests can view the sparkling sprawl of the glittering Cancun Zone.

But they’ll see it from a distance. Because Club Med Cancun Yucatan seems a world away, which, in a way, it is.

There’s a reason why Club Med resorts are also dubbed villages: It’s because that is exactly what they feel like. Here, no building is higher than three stories. A cadre of Gentil Organisateurs (GOs), or gracious organizers – there are 120 at this property – keep company with the guests, dining with them, entertaining them during the evening shows and teaching them about the wide variety of sports options available.

This summer, things got even better at the resort, thanks to a $14 million renovation, which included the addition of 60 new accommodations tailor-made for families; the property’s first à la carte restaurant, La Estancia; the Maya Lounge, combining a bar, lounge and nightclub; a Petit Club for 2- and 3-year-olds; and a renovated Las Cazuelas buffet restaurant.

ACCOMMODATIONS:
All told, the property is equipped with 436 rooms and suites. Although Club Med refers to its new family accommodations as “rooms,” they are actually large suites, broken down into 30 Family Club Rooms (538 square feet) and 30 Deluxe Rooms (678 square feet). The Family Deluxe Rooms feature master bedrooms, children’s bedroom and two baths, while the Family Club Rooms feature 1.5 baths. Both categories also feature terraces with capacious day beds and balconies with stunning sea views. The new accommodations are in a freestanding building that is adjoined by a colorful outdoor children’s play area.

These new suites are nothing short of spectacular, bringing the vibrant outside colors indoors. Guests will notice splashes of turquoise throughout the suites, as well as striking, vibrant artwork and Mexican-inspired bed coverings. The kids’ bedroom features a Jack and Jill bathroom with tub, enabling entry from both the hall and the bedroom. Flat-screen televisions are located in both bedrooms. Other amenities include mini-fridges stocked with soft drinks and juice, deluxe toiletries, hairdryers, in-room safes, bathrobes and slippers, and welcome gifts.

Club Med categorizes its Jade accommodations as 5 Trident and they serve as the resort’s most luxurious accommodations although the 60 new family suites will certainly give Jade a run for its money. Jade features 18 suites (688 square feet) and 37 deluxe rooms (419 square feet), along with a private pool, lounge and bar. Each evening, Jade guests are treated to a poolside champagne reception. Jade is also the only place where room service is available, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from noon to midnight for an additional charge of $3. Jade guests also receive VIP welcomes, private concierge services and personalized transfers. Other amenities include an in-room computer and free Internet (there is a charge in all other accommodation categories); continental breakfast; welcome gift; deluxe toiletries, bathrobe and slippers; mini-bar restocked daily; access to the private pool adjoining the Jade building; and in-room Espresso machine and capsules.

The remaining accommodations, of which there are 321, range from 419 square feet to 839 square feet. These rooms are equipped with unstocked mini-fridges, in-room safes, coffee machines, televisions, hairdryers and toiletries.

PUBLIC SPACES:
The new accommodations feature their own check-in lounge located in a freestanding building that is tranquil, air conditioned and equipped with stylish, comfortable seating. The spacious main reception area, which is a palapa-style structure, features a very Mexican flavor, with high ceilings, ceiling fans and relaxing seating.

The new multipurpose Maya Lounge ably blends a lounge, bar and nightclub into one space. It’s where the nightly shows are held, and sightlines were superb. The space can also be used for meetings during the day, and functions beautifully in that capacity.

The resort’s new Petit Club Med features its own tiny pool, games and activities geared specifically toward two and 3-year-olds, changing rooms and even a bathroom specially sized for kids this age.

The property also houses a Mini Club Med for kids four to 10 years old and a Club Med Passworld for kids 11 to 17.

Club Med Yucatan features four bars: Soluna, with pool views; open-air Las Velas, set between the pool and beach; La Chispa, which is also open air, adjoins Las Cazuelas restaurant and offers seating with magnificent water views; and the Maya Lounge at night.

DINING:
Club Med Yucatan boasts three restaurants, including the new à la carte La Estancia, an industrial-loft style Argentinian steakhouse with an open-plan kitchen that serves breakfast, snacks at certain times during the day, and dinner. The dinner menu is not limited to steak and features options for vegetarians. The restaurant is extremely versatile and offers a fabulous outdoor area that is ideal for group receptions and cocktail hours.

PHOTO: La Estancia is the resort’s new a la carte restaurant.

The look of the renovated Las Cazuelas, a palapa-style restaurant with soaring ceilings, has been lightened up with new furniture and tiling. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the restaurant’s dishes are international and Mexican. It includes a stunning over-water terrace that looks out onto the Caribbean.

The largest of the property’s restaurants is La Hacienda. Located in the center of the resort, it is equipped with five dining areas, serving international cuisine as well as some Mexican dishes. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

POOL & SPA:
There are three pools, including the Mini Club pool. The resort’s Club Med Spa by Comfort Zone offers a wide array of treatments and six treatment rooms, each of which is equipped with a shower. A well-equipped fitness center is attached to the spa.

ACTIVITIES & EXCURSIONS:
An area where Club Med really shines is in the depth and breadth of activities that it offers guests. Club Med offers something for everyone, including a wide array of fitness classes, sailing, tennis, waterskiing, wakeboarding, windsurfing, basketball, beach tennis, beach soccer, beach volleyball, kayaking, snorkeling, table tennis, bocce ball and water polo.

Club Med also offers lessons on the flying trapeze, with classes for both adults and kids. The flying trapeze is a Club Med staple, and it’s very popular. Some of the kids who excel at the trapeze are even chosen to perform in the Club Med Circus, another resort activity.

In addition to the formidable array of sports options, the resort also offers family entertainment each evening, which includes an evening show put on by the GOs and overseen by the general manager. On a recent stay, one such show featured cover songs from an eclectic mix of artists and bands, including Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson, Guns N’ Roses and Tina Turner. The little kids absolutely loved it.

Club Med also hosts what’s called an All White Party, where everyone dresses in white and parties late into the evening at the disco.

Another Club Med entertainment staple is a communal dance, called crazy signs, led by GOs where everyone follows the same dance steps that are set to songs. It’s very popular and the dance moves are simple enough for virtually anyone to follow.

The resort also offers a healthy share of excursions to Coba and Chichen Itza; Isla Mujeres; and Playa del Carmen. Other options include swimming with whale sharks, speed boating in the lagoon and horseback riding.