Why You’ll Love Club Med Ixtapa
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It’s not often that we go to an all-inclusive family resort but when we do we choose Club Med. This company has got it sussed when it comes to creating incredibly family-friendly resorts, where your every whim is catered to. And, a bit like the Magic Kingdom, Club Med is such a happy place! If what you’re looking for is an easy, fun and relaxed family holiday then Club Med is a great choice.
Club Med Ixtapa is no exception. One of two Club Med resorts in Mexico (the other is in Cancun), this one is located on the country’s Pacific coast, in a pretty palm-tree setting overlooking the ocean. The accommodation is large and very family-friendly, there are four restaurants and two bars and you have direct access to a private beach. But that’s just the start of it. Club Med has so much to offer parents and children that’s it’s regularly been voted in the top three best family hotels in Mexico.
There are tennis courts and two swimming pools, a soccer field and a gym, archery courts and beach volleyball – they even have a circus school where you can learn trapeze! You can take sailing lessons and enjoy kayaking or try stand up paddleboarding instead. There are daily exercise sessions for the truly committed including Crossfit, yoga and Zumba. Or there are dozens of sun loungers on the beach – which is where I chose to spend my days!
Absolutely everything is included here; from your accommodation and food to alcoholic drinks and activities. The only things not covered are WiFi (!) and additional activities such as big game fishing or any excursions you may want to do.
Why The Kids Will Love Club Med Ixtapa
Club Med Ixtapa is an absolutely brilliant place for kids; my children had such a great time they were genuinely considering how they could stay on while we returned home to Mexico City. One of the best things about this all-inclusive resort are the kids’ club, run by friendly staff with boundless energy and enthusiasm.
There are kids’ clubs are for every age; from the Baby Club, run by trained and qualified staff, where my happy 13-month old spent part of his days, to the teen club. My six-year-old joined the Iguana group and my eight-year-old spent his days with the Dragons. Every morning the kids would head off to join their gangs after which their days would be filled learning archery, flying through the air on a swinging trapeze, jumping in the ocean and more. They even performed in a show one night. My daughter kept herself so busy that she could hardly speak by the end of the day she was so tired!
They. Loved. It.
The babies are kept busy with walks around the resort in a large eight-seater stroller, splashing in the tiny baby pool and playing on their mini-playground. Late afternoon, all kids’ clubs come together for a ‘family event’, which may be a sandcastle-building competition or a treasure hunt led by pirates. Kids’ clubs and their activities are included in the price except for Baby Club, for which there is an additional cost.
The other fantastic thing about Club Med Ixtapa is that they provide everything for kids! We arrived to find a cot, baby bath, bottle warmer and even a pushchair waiting for us in our room. There’s a baby bottle room where you can wash and sterilise bottles, 24-hours a day, and they even provide a range of formulas and baby food. Similarly, in the main restaurant, there is a small ‘Baby Corner’, where you’ll find food and drinks suitable for infants.
Club Med Ixtapa have really considered what it takes to make a family holiday as easy as possible. My kids would go back tomorrow if they could!
Club Med Ixtapa Details
Rooms:
There are 298 rooms including 15 family suites. Rooms are large and central so you don’t have to walk too far to get anywhere. All rooms come with flatscreen TV, safe, hairdryer, air-conditioning, an iron and ironing board, telephone and U.S. plugs (110 volts). The Deluxe rooms also boast mini-bars that are re-stocked daily and complimentary.
The rooms are divided into the following three categories:
Deluxe: These rooms boast a large room for the parents and a separate room for the kids. A spacious bathroom, with bath and shower, separates the two. Rooms come with a private balcony on the ground floor or an ocean view if you are on the second or third floor.
Club: The Club rooms are divided into categories including the standard Club Room (for a couple), Club Room Family (with a separate room for kids), Club Room Sea View, Club 2 Bedroom and a Wheelchair Accessible Club Room. This accommodation is also offered as two rooms inter-connecting.
Suites: Located in the Sol building, the Suites come with a few added extras, such a the option of having breakfast delivered to your room. They also enjoy a separate living area.
Best Rooms For Families: We stayed in a ground floor Deluxe room during our holiday and it was perfect. There was more than enough space for everyone and it’s always a joy when we don’t have to share a room with our children! Given that we had a baby and a stroller, being on the ground floor was essential.
Food:
There are four restaurants at Club Med. El Encanto is the main restaurant with five themed, air-conditioned dining rooms or the option to sit outside on the terrace facing the ocean. Meals are buffet-style and there is a huge choice. Breakfasts and lunches tend to stay the same and evening meals are themed; one night might be Asian, another Mexican. However, even on themed nights, you’ll still find staples including salads or burgers and there are good healthy options too.
Luna Azul is Club Med’s speciality restaurant and is only open in the evening. Booking the day before is essential. This restaurant is waiter service and can be closed at certain times (it wasn’t open when we visited).
Miramar is the resort’s snack bar, located between the pool and the beach. It’s open for late breakfast, all-day dining and in the evening it turns into an Argentinian steakhouse – apparently! We never saw this. This is an option if you’ve missed breakfast or lunch although the food is very simple; sample dishes included quesadillas, grilled fish and chips and guacamole with chips.
For Kids: Sirena is the kids’ restaurant where a menu has been created just for them, although we didn’t actually try it out when we visited. If your child wants to eat with their Kids’ Club group then that is an option (ours had lunch with their groups and dinner with us). There are lots of kid-friendly dishes available. My son, who is eight, could choose his own food when dining with his Kids’ Club group. At the age of six, my daughter was given a plate that included fresh vegetables and other healthy options. This is to ensure that a) kids don’t run riot in the restaurant and b) that they don’t only eat pizza every meal time!
Baby Corner: In the main restaurant is a baby corner where you’ll find baby food (sweet and savoury), yoghurts, milk, formula, bottle warming facilities and more. There are a gazillion highchairs available too!
Baby Feeding Room: Located at the Baby Club Med, the baby feeding room is open 24-hours a day and provides everything you could need to feed your infant. A blender, steriliser, microwave, fridge, bottle warmer and additional products such as mineral water, fruit, full-fat and semi-skimmed long-life milk, soya milk and yoghurts.
Activities:
You might as well ask, what activity does Club Med not offer? Almost every kind of activity is offered here for families including….
- Swimming pools (including a kids’ pool)
- Basketball
- Beach volleyball
- Football (American!)
- Volleyball,
- Gym
- Tennis & tennis school
- Fitness walking group
- Stand Up Paddleboarding
- Flying Trapeze and Circus Activities
- Archery
- Aquafitness
- Fitness classes (including Cross Fit, Yoga, Zumba, Stretching)
- Kayaking
- Sailing & Sailing School
- Table Tennis
- Cooking Demonstrations
All of the above are included in the rates.
Activities that incur and additional charge are:
- Spa treatments
- Deep Sea Fishing
- Horse Riding
- Scuba Diving
- Any organised local excursions
Activities for Kids: The Kids’ Clubs here are fantastic and cater for children from as young as four months old.
Bay Club Med (4 months to 23 months): Fully qualified staff look after babies in a secure and fun environment. Note that you will be asked to provide an up-to-date immunisation record. There is an additional charge for Baby Club Med. Open from 9am to 5.30pm.
Petit Club Med (Age 2 – 3 Years): Young children have a dedicated space where they are looked after by kind, qualified and fun staff. Activities include swimming, walks, beach time and creative activities. Open from 9am to 5.30pm and from 7.30pm to 9pm daily
Mini Club Med (Age 4 – 10 Years): Kids are divided into sub-groups according to their ages and are then kept busy all day! Activities include archery, trapeze, jumping waves in the ocean, kayaking, tennis, swimming, drama and more. My kids had a blast. Open from 9am to 5.30pm and from 7pm to 9pm daily.
A Petit Chef program is available for children from the age of 4 – 10 years.
Juniors Club Med (Age 11 – Under 18 Years): As with the other groups, the Juniors’ club is run by enthusiastic and fun G.O.’s (members of staff) who take the kids to try a variety of different sports and artistic activities. A Teen Spa is available for children aged from 11 years to 17 years.
Facilities:
Babysitting (available on request and subject to availability**), common rooms, cots, doctors & hospitals (doctor and nurse on site), extra beds, highchairs, kids’ activities, swimming pools, laundry service, pushchair friendly (and you can request a pushchair to be provided), shops, spa, swimming pool, travel desk, wheelchair access (a wheelchair can also be provided with advance notice), WiFi, eco-friendly.
**There is also a Pyjama Club, which is essentially group babysitting. You can leave your children in the evening to be supervised by fully-trained G.O.’s.
Environmental Measures & Social Responsibility: Club Med is involved in the world-wide certification program for sustainable tourism called Green Globe. This eco-label is the only international benchmarking and certification program for the tourism industry based on the United Nations principles for Sustainable Development.
- Saving Water: The village facilities and equipment, such as the water delivery system, are designed to optimise water conservation. Treated water is used in the garden areas and they use native species and plants, which require minimal watering.
- Saving Energy: The A/C systems have been chosen for their high-energy efficiency; an important part of the light bulbs installed in the communal areas and in the rooms are energy savers.
- Managing Waste: The village actively recycles and toxic waste and cooking oils are collected separately.
Travel Information
When to go:
Club Med Ixtapa gets very busy over the Christmas and Easter holidays. Ixtapa enjoys a semi tropical climate and is warm year round. The most enjoyable months are between November and May when temperatures range from around 23 – 33 C (73-91 F). The summer months get hot and humid. The rainy season traditionally falls from June through to September. However, this generally means a short, sharp afternoon shower.
Location & Travel:
Club Med Ixtapa is located in Ixtapa, in the Mexican state of Guerrero. The nearest airport is at Zihuatanejo, 30 km south of the resort. Club Med can organise transfers but should you choose to make your own travel arrangements, taxis are in plentiful supply at Zihuatanejo airport
