I have been to many Club Med's, Fiji, Ixtapa, Haiti, (it's now closed) and on Bali. My husband had never experience a Club Med, so a few years back I gave him the trip as a gift.
I don't know how it works in your country but when the owners of Club Med feel certain clubs will not be full they do a promotion called, "Pay $1200.00 And Take A Change"...on a certain date.
It sounded like a great deal so I booked with Club Med and we waited to see if we were going to Club Med in Cancun, Guadeloupe or in Dominican Republic. We were told we would be going to Club Med in Guadeloupe.
We were flew to Mirabel Airport in Montreal and then on a Club Med plane to Guadeloupe.
Like all Club Med's there clubs aren't near the airport and it took us at least an hour to reach the club.
Club Med Caravelle is on the Grande-Terre Island, (1,780 km), with a population of about half a million people. There are 5 Islands in this island chain. Grande Terre is the largest.
The Islands are part of France and both French and Creole is spoken. The people who live here are Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu & an African religion, (4%) and Protestant, (1%). The Currency the (€), Euro. Club Med takes Credit Cards.
We needed a Passport and a Visa because they use the same rules as France.
Grande Terre is flat and dry with a lot of beaches. Like France all of them are open to the Islanders, (even the one at Club Med), and most of them a nude beaches. At the club they had a nude, topless and children's beach were any one could wear a bathing suit.
When you arrive you go into a room to get an orientation of the club. You're hot and sticky and the glass of fruit juice isn't enough. After your luggage is taken out of the van, a GO with a clipboard tells you what room you are in. After you have your room key, you are grouped with others who are staying in your general area and escorted to your room. Your luggage is dropped off at one of the nearby luggage depot areas and where you can pick it out. Then a GO takes it to your room.
After you check in you open a tab and are issued a white ID card, and a beach towel card, both the size of a business card. You are also issued a plastic holder attached to a braided rope. Your ID card, room key, and bar booklets fit into this plastic holder. It’s a convenient way to keep your possessions on hand (around your neck, under your shirt). You can buy a book of bar tickets, as well. (This is how you buy drinks at the bar).
The bar ticket books range from about $15 for a small book to $35 for an extra-large book. We drank bottled water & non-alcoholic fruit shushes and we ended up paying $35.00 for a ticket book!
The accommodations are similar to all other Club Meds, beach and garden views, air-conditioning, telephone, and a king size bed or two full size beds. The Caravelle rooms of Creole decor are housed in five separate lodges all over their property.
Our room was air-conditioned. There were 2 queen sized bed, a balcony, a Telephone, TV, a safe, a clock radio/CD player, Mini-fridge, Iron and ironing board, and Coffee maker.
In the bathroom there was a shower, toilet a sink and a hair dryer.
The a clock radio/CD player, TV and phone surprised me because Club Med's were suppose to take you away from the real World and let you relax.
There are two restaurants and bars on site, gazebo and open-air dining as well as a beach bar.
All of the delicious French and Creole food was included in the room price. You'll meet lots of families and couples from Canada, France and America. Food and most sports are included in the price.
You don't pay cash in the club you just sign for it, (no more Club Med beads). At one time water, (bottled), 1 cocktail before dinner and soda pop were free. Now they aren't.
The food was fine, great fruit, breads and local caught fish; basic staples always available, decent chicken, beef, pasta and desserts. I loved the cheese table the best.
During the day you can relax by the pool on a beach, go play golf, (for an extra fee), play tennis, go kayaking or snorkeling. If you don't know how the GO's, (staff or gentils organisateurs), will be happy to teach you.
I like the Spa. I learned how to go Pilate, had a few massages and watched a cooking demonstration.
My husband went to the internet kiosk, the beach or game room arcade.
We both loved to shop at the Boutique. I found the photographer annoying!!!
Breakfast was the same every day: Eggs how you want them made , pancakes, french toast, crepes, cereals, fruit, yogurt, cheeses, cold cuts, breads, breads and more breads, juices, coffee (good coffee, no cream, though), grits, various breakfast meats (bacon, sausage)....etc.
Lunch and dinner always included: hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken nuggets, spaghetti, french fries, steamed vegetable, potatoes (baked, mashed & Lyonnaise) and fritters, (zucchini, eggplant, coconut). There were various lettuces, vegetables, and meats for salads, as well as prepared salads. All the ingredients for every dressing could be found. There was a cheese station, a dessert station, an ice cream machine, a bread station, (lots of yummy breads) and a special station that was different each day. There was a fish offering, a chicken offering and a local offering, along with rice, and more vegetables. Each night there were special offerings: Ribs, roast Turkey, Roast Beef, Beef Wellington, Lobster (spiny, not Maine).
Some nights there was a theme. They served Oriental, Italian and Mediterranean food.
In the evening there is organized entertainment, dancing at the night club and theme nights.
If you have children they can go to the Mini Club. They can go to Circus School, play on a trapeze , go to the mini gym, learn how to build sand castles, in-line skating, the new Hip Hop Kidz dance program and have fun in a mini arcade.
Club Med’s has extensive buffets with plenty of choices for the little ones like hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza to international cuisine for the more adventurous eaters.
The kid shows by the GOs were cute, some very funny, and ran from like 8:45 pm to 9:30 pm.
Your children can eat with you or sit a children's table.
As a GM, (Gentile Member), overall, the staff was very nice and gracious but the attitude of the staff really varies. Some GOs are very friendly and helpful. Some are noticeably burned out and crusty. One night, a GO sat at our table got very drunk on beer.
Although Guadeloupe looked like a small dot on the map, it was actually huge. There was so much to see and do, that I did not have time to see the west island, (Basse Terre), where the volcano and SCUBA were.
Basse Terre, Marie Galante, and two of Les Saintes islands were visible from Club Med. We took buses to tour the southern half of Grande Terre, including Gosier, (lovely), Pointe-a-Pitre, (bustling), Le Moule, (tranquil), St. Francois and Ste. Anne was everyone's favorite.
We found that rum and madras fabric cloths when we were on tour. We tried a plate Colombo (chicken, rice, curry), that they eat in India.
I felt very safe everywhere I traveled.
Thanks for reading my review.
©LL2006
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