Club Med Phuket - anyone been recently?

[crystal]

Has anyone been to Club Med Phuket recently? Am interested in going but was wondering what it is like especially in the last year? Really interested to know if you have been

[jayel]

Hi Crystal.welcome to the board.
let me educate you . you must post an intro in the newbies section , then you can do a search ,look at hotels link they have reviews etc.. do a lot of reading first ask the questions after that.Regards JL

[nelsonone]

It's a beautiful hotel Crystal......right on a great beach...well across the road anyway........and has a small golf course........it's a very family oriented hotel.........

[seafox]

Originally Posted by jayel

Hi Crystal.welcome to the board.
let me educate you . you must post an intro in the newbies section , then you can do a search ,look at hotels link they have reviews etc.. do a lot of reading first ask the questions after that.Regards JL

Don't think I have ever read any reviews on the Club Med since I joined the forum.

And they don't have to post an intro and a lot of people don't. But most people who become active on the board do. And when I joined nobody did an intro, just something new but it is a good idea.

[crystal]

Thanks nelsonone and seafox for your replies. I was hoping I would get more feedback about the place on this forum

[Caerphilly]

I assume you know that Club Med is located a narrow road width away from the frontage of Kata beach, of which it occupies about 60 to 70 percent of the whole beach road.

I never got inside last year but spent many an hour in chatting to the locals (guys and girls) in the small number of bars that run on the road to the rear of Club Med, it was always a bit sad really that nearly 99 percent of those who even bothered to venture out of Club Med did so with a look of horror as they hurried along the footpath to the back road, nearly always on the opposite side of the road to the bars with heads down and straight faced. It was if the lientel of Club Med were unable to relax and even acknowledge the existance of a beer bar and those that try to make a living from running/working in bars.

If the sort of holiday you like is to lock yourself away in a fantasy land in a posh hotel and not venture out to explore book Club Med, but from the outside view only Club Med didn't look as good as Kata Thani on Kata Noi. The Kata Thani is potentially even more isolated and lies straight on the beach which it sadly dominates. But if that's your thing "up to you"

A few of the blokes staff from Club Med were shagging the lonley female guests from a few chats I had with one or two guys who were popping in for a beer on their night off. No one suggested the girl staff at Club Med were up for it though.

[marc26]

Originally Posted by Caerphilly

I assume you know that Club Med is located a narrow road width away from the frontage of Kata beach, of which it occupies about 60 to 70 percent of the whole beach road.

I never got inside last year but spent many an hour in chatting to the locals (guys and girls) in the small number of bars that run on the road to the rear of Club Med, it was always a bit sad really that nearly 99 percent of those who even bothered to venture out of Club Med did so with a look of horror as they hurried along the footpath to the back road, nearly always on the opposite side of the road to the bars with heads down and straight faced. It was if the lientel of Club Med were unable to relax and even acknowledge the existance of a beer bar and those that try to make a living from running/working in bars.

If the sort of holiday you like is to lock yourself away in a fantasy land in a posh hotel and not venture out to explore book Club Med, but from the outside view only Club Med didn't look as good as Kata Thani on Kata Noi. The Kata Thani is potentially even more isolated and lies straight on the beach which it sadly dominates. But if that's your thing "up to you"

A few of the blokes staff from Club Med were shagging the lonley female guests from a few chats I had with one or two guys who were popping in for a beer on their night off. No one suggested the girl staff at Club Med were up for it though.

i just dont understand people like you on this board!
its this guys holiday and he can do whatever the hell he wants and choose whatever hotel he wants to stay in. all he asked is if anybody had any info on it
maybe his idea of a holiday isnt gettign drunk til 7am, sleeping all day and banging bg's
maybe he works his ass off at home and just wants to relax
sorry to be a prick but it just seems anybody that comes on this board and wants to pay more than 15usd for a hotel and maybe has any other ideas except sitting at a bar, speaking chicken english to a bg is ridiculed

[littlenose]

Always thought of Club Med as some sort of adult version of Butlins or Pontins holiday camps [showing my age here]. Why would you need to stay there when you can get all that and more in Phuket?

[LivinLOS]

Originally Posted by marc26

i just dont understand people like you on this board!
its this guys holiday and he can do whatever the hell he wants and choose whatever hotel he wants to stay in. all he asked is if anybody had any info on it
maybe his idea of a holiday isnt gettign drunk til 7am, sleeping all day and banging bg's
maybe he works his ass off at home and just wants to relax
sorry to be a prick but it just seems anybody that comes on this board and wants to pay more than 15usd for a hotel and maybe has any other ideas except sitting at a bar, speaking chicken english to a bg is ridiculed

I can see both sides..

On one hand your right about the fact that anyone that doesnt fit in the P-I defined terms of what a holiday in Thailand should be is definately putting himself on the line.. Why thats the way I am not sure..

On the other hand I also think that resort style all inclusive type way of going somewhere is a bit narrow in its view.. I just need to see a bit more of the underbelly of a place than the hotel bars.. I dont think it was that unfair of an assessment on Club med and maybe thats what the OP wanted to hear ??

[marc26]

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

I can see both sides..

On one hand your right about the fact that anyone that doesnt fit in the P-I defined terms of what a holiday in Thailand should be is definately putting himself on the line.. Why thats the way I am not sure..

On the other hand I also think that resort style all inclusive type way of going somewhere is a bit narrow in its view.. I just need to see a bit more of the underbelly of a place than the hotel bars.. I dont think it was that unfair of an assessment on Club med and maybe thats what the OP wanted to hear ??

i, myself, like to get involved in the real jist of where i am, i just dotn understand people gettign slagged ebcasue they want somethign a little different

[LivinLOS]

I myself dont read it as him slating the OP as much as slating the resort style mentality of shuting yourself in an all inclusive type place..

[marc26]

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

I myself dont read it as him slating the OP as much as slating the resort style mentality of shuting yourself in an all inclusive type place..

if he wasnt, then i apologize
but you have to admit that is the usual protocol here

[Caerphilly]

Marc think you took it and read it the wrong way.

I'm 45 don't need to fcuk every day, I like to sit and people watch, chill out on a sandy beach alone rather than with a pretend gf and was just relaying what I saw when spending a great time in a local bar chatting, playing pool and having a relaxing time last year. Also exploring all the beaches I could find on the west coast of Phuket and their photographic values.

It was a summary of my observations.

Yea we all work our asses off in many different ways and by means of example I'm a civil engineer by profession and much of my time last year was spent assessing the power of nature and trying to learn from the natural disaster side and how best to deal with infrastructure recovery.....also enjoyed the social side too.
We are all different!!

[gregor200]

From my point of view, club med is just behind the wall. I do not like this kind of hotels, where everything is inclusive, where you can do sports and have never to leave the compound. When you go there, you think that you have to eat as much as you can for your money.

I think it is ok, when it is far away from other towns, like in Egypt, but in this location it looks like a prison to me and i would never put my foot inside.
It is quite good for people, who need animation, gymnastics, tennis, volleyball and like to be kept busy all day.

I prefer and I spent nice holidays already at Kata Thani, Mom Tri, Aspasia where I have my privacy and can feel like at home.

[Crustasian]

OK guys - lets forget who wants to go native or not.

Hi Crystal - welcome -bet you did not expect these responses but if we knew more about you then the answers would be different.

I know a few family groups that have stayed there and been very happy.If you are with wife and kids the the Club Med have the extra facilities for the family.

If you are on your own then it may not be the place for you.

I do agree with the other posts.When in any country Club Med tend to try and keep every guest with in the fortress and you miss out on the real local lifestyle.It is up to you to venture further afield.

[Captain]

I' ve been to Club Meds in Europe and the Caribean before. I liked it and did a lot of sailing. If you do a lot of sport then it is cheap. Now I have fun going to Thailand, but not in the Club Med, although I miss some sailing fun sometimes.
Normally Club Med does not start "villages" close to a town as they prefer that their custommers stay inside the Club and spend their money there. So did it start in Phuket also: there was nothing around so they could have a nice piece of land bordering the beach. But in the 25/30 years since they built it, there has been a influx of tourists and they are now close to bars, restaurants and shops where tourists spend their money in stead of in the "village".

[pmcd8243]

To the original poster,
I think the most important details missing are what time of year you plan to come and how much is Club Med asking for your stay. Often a much better deal can be had with the help of local knowledge provided here.
P

[tintin]

I think I will be able to give you good advice: don't go to CM in Thailand!

Have nothing against them, everybody their kind of fun. I think it is a big tourist factory-I hate to not be able to choose my partners while eating a dish, and entertainement is rather childish.

True what Captain says though, great if you want a sport-vacation and have kids (depending on location).

The CM in Kata is certainly not arwful, without being truly exceptional. The beach in Kata is very nice, but even nicer a bit further. The biggest turn down is imo, that your food is included!! Indeed most fun about being in Thailand is variety of food -offering and the fun to eat in some small eateries. Also if you do not eat in big hotels, food is relatively cheap!!! Very cheap sometimes, but expensive for Thailand. If there is one place on earth, where I would not eat "full board" it is Thailand!!!

Of course, you CAN eat somewhere else, but I know the price they charge you for "all inclusive", in CM, so that is a bit ridiculous!

You can find so many nice places in Phuket!!! From the very attracktive small guesthouse, to the luxury fantastic hotel, where you will be much more pampered then in CM.

It is not only about money, it is just what attracks all of us is the charm of Thailand. And CM is not the place to take profit of that!

Wich doesnt mean that CM is not an alternative on a different location!

If you tell me your budjet and your preferences, I am sure that I can find you something more special. I am not a travel-agent, just there to help out!

[andy50]

looks like crystal was frightened away!

[sundancekid]

Originally Posted by tintin

I think I will be able to give you good advice: don't go to CM in Thailand!

Have nothing against them, everybody their kind of fun. I think it is a big tourist factory-I hate to not be able to choose my partners while eating a dish, and entertainement is rather childish.

True what Captain says though, great if you want a sport-vacation and have kids (depending on location).

The CM in Kata is certainly not arwful, without being truly exceptional. The beach in Kata is very nice, but even nicer a bit further. The biggest turn down is imo, that your food is included!! Indeed most fun about being in Thailand is variety of food -offering and the fun to eat in some small eateries. Also if you do not eat in big hotels, food is relatively cheap!!! Very cheap sometimes, but expensive for Thailand. If there is one place on earth, where I would not eat "full board" it is Thailand!!!

Of course, you CAN eat somewhere else, but I know the price they charge you for "all inclusive", in CM, so that is a bit ridiculous!

You can find so many nice places in Phuket!!! From the very attracktive small guesthouse, to the luxury fantastic hotel, where you will be much more pampered then in CM.

It is not only about money, it is just what attracks all of us is the charm of Thailand. And CM is not the place to take profit of that!

Wich doesnt mean that CM is not an alternative on a different location!

If you tell me your budjet and your preferences, I am sure that I can find you something more special. I am not a travel-agent, just there to help out!

Personally, I’ve never liked the all-inclusive resorts. I like to venture about and explore. I once stayed in one in Jamaica, a fenced property with very high security. And with good reason, I might add. But in Phuket?

Better to walk around and find that gem of a restaurant that suits your own personal needs in terms of price, flavor and service.

[andy50]

same here--
i stayed in one in the dominican republic
my nephews wifes mums boyfriend was murdered there recently also