Club Med Sandpiper Bay
You do not have to travel overseas to enjoy the luxury of staying at an all-inclusive property. Did you know there is an all-inclusive resort that offers a kid’s club right here in the USA? Our very first family vacation as a tribe of four was to Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Port Saint Lucie. In our normal format, I give you a review of what we thought was exceptional and unfortunate about our visit.
First a little background knowledge. I was still breastfeeding at that time we took this family vacation and Misha was only 6 months old. We needed a break and we wanted to get away but we were not quite comfortable with the concept of taking our new baby out of the country. This was in part due to a bad experience we had with Giana. When she was 18 months old when we traveled to the Dominican Republic for a wedding. She got very sick and it was a scary experience to be so far from home.
As I write this series of travel reviews, I questioned if I had the memory capacity to give valuable feedback on a trip we took so long ago, since the trip was in April of 2014. Therefore, I decided to compile my resources and pulled the pictures from my desktop. Back in those days we printed pictures, I paged through a photo album I made when we returned home from that trip. Pictures hold treasured memories and the process of editing and sharing them with you brings me so much joy. It helps me reflect on the moments we had and evokes the feelings that we shared. To my delight, I also found that I reviewed the property on Trip Advisor immediately after our return.
Now, that I am fulfilling my passion to write, I find these tokens along my path, confirmation. Clearly, these signs prove to me that I was always walking towards my destiny.
“Allow your passion to become your purpose and it will one day become your profession.”
Family Vacation Review from TripAdvisor
Club Med Florida
“We took our first family vacation to club med with our 6-month-old and 3.5 years old. Our family loved all the amenities for the kids. Baby accommodations included a stroller and baby bath. The property has a kid’s club and pajama club.
We enjoyed the shows and you can see that the staff works hard. Billy was great at being informative, letting us know what was going on. Rhonda was courteous in getting us to the ocean for an excursion. Penny was excellent with our daughter at the kid’s club.
One thing that could improve is communication. Just letting the guest know what is available when and where. Perhaps for example, a short orientation would be helpful. Also, educating the staff on all resort amenities and activities not just the ones in their area. Buffet items were sometimes not as hot as we would have liked. However, we had 2 plated dinners at the Grill while the kids were at the club and that were excellent and we enjoyed upgraded wine. What a treat to have two dates and not worry about your newborn.”
Family Vacation Ideas
Most days were spent lounging by the pool, soaking up the sun and playing with our kids. A couple evenings we took our kids to the buffet and feed them dinner and then drop them off at the PJ club. We would then have an adult dinner and after dinner cocktails, enjoy the entertainment or hang out at the club.
Although the kid’s club is for 4 and up you can pay for younger children’s care. The nights we stayed together we went to Slice after dinner and they had entertainment geared towards the kids, mustaches, piñata , sparkling juice pyramids and dance activities.
For transportation, we booked a private driver to and from West Palm Beach (PBI) airport with car seats and thus we didn’t have to lug those. We brought our umbrella stroller for travel purposes. We enjoyed a day trip to Jenson Beach and the resort arranged a driver for us. Boat rides are offered to large groups.
Vacation Amenities
This resort was very active we rented bikes, we swam and golfed. I took yoga and Pilates and we enjoyed a thorough golf lesson together. Our 3-year-old Giana took tennis lessons and all the activities are included with your stay. We also learned some trapeze tricks. This destination was truly accommodating for kids!
Extraordinary:
- Hard-working friendly staff in every department.
- Offer childcare at every age baby club med will care for babies 4 -23 months old. Petit Club for 2-3-year-olds and Mini Club med kids 4-10 years old. Club Med Pass 11-17 years old.
- Flying Trapeze School is so unique.
- Golf Lessons were very thorough.
- Yoga and Pilates offered in a studio, as well as Zumba.
- Club Med Spa offers relaxation and we enjoyed massages.
- Slice bar offering a place to sip cocktails while your kids dance and have ice cream.
- Tennis, Golf, Bike, activities are available for all ages.
- We enjoyed two fancy dinners with a sommelier lobster and steak.
- Children welcome package with bathtub and stroller.
Slice Nightclub
Unfortunately:
- The rooms were not as impressive as what we have since experienced at all-inclusive Karisma resorts. We had the deluxe family suite with bunk beds.
- The king is composed of two double beds.
- The bedding and fixtures could be updated. I checked recent traveler reviews and other repairs were noted.
- Some of the outdoor cushions need replacement.
- Grounds are not as lush as we have seen in the Caribbean.
- Buffet items weren’t always at the ideal temperature.
- We weren’t always informed of available activities.
Reflecting on our introduction into family all-inclusive vacationing we were very impressed with this property. Though we have since had trips to both Nickelodeon Properties in Punta Cana and Riviera Maya which were plusher than this resort do not count this out. Despite the decor, Club Med offers some great discounts and we waited until the week after spring break and got a great deal. If you’re looking for the amenities of an all-inclusive, a safe place for your kids and want to stay in the USA, look no further. On the whole, this is a fantastic option for families. Especially families with babies because most kid’s clubs do not care for infants.
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