A Club Med Cherating review by Ariel Chew

My mother and I have heard lots of good things about Club Med Cherating over the years — from the glorious beaches to the legendary Club Med hospitality. So when the opportunity came to stay at the hotel came about, my mom and I packed our bags and headed there within two shakes of a duck’s tail. It was high time we experience the Club Med magic for ourselves.

The Journey Begins

Our drive from Kuala Lumpur to Cherating was thankfully uneventful. As the trip was exactly a week before the Hari Raya Aidilfitri break, we encountered clear traffic all the way. I can only imagine the busy, busy roads during peak holiday season! The journey was pretty scenic with layers of mountains appearing in the distant horizon. My trusty GPS and clear road signages announcing the location of Club Med Cherating certainly helped.

About four hours later, we pulled up to the guard house who were clearly under orders to allow only registered guests and visitors inside. Score one for great security measures!

After being verified as honest-to-goodness guests, or rather GMs (Gracious Members) according to Club Med-speak, we were finally allowed to drive into the compound. The road was winding and cuts through a forest. Fresh air enveloped us, evoking me to turn off the air-conditioner and wind down the windows. What is this enchanting place? Our hearts soared in excitement at the imagined delights ahead of us.

Our Gracious Hosts

The road finally cleared as I drove right to the reception area. A bevy of lovely and cheerful GOs (Gracious Organisers) greeted us with huge waves and smiles. I deposited my mom and our luggage, drove off to park my car nearby and came back to a cool welcome drink and wet towels. The GOs led by Miss Lee, the acting Chief of Village (CDV) while CDV Lydia is away, explained what we can expect during our stay and answered all our questions. The GOs were definitely one of the major highlights of our stay. Hailing from all corners of the globe, any Club Med visitor will definitely find someone from his/her part of their world. For our reception, we had GOs from Japan (Ms Lee), Taiwan (Ms. Bala) and Zimbabwe (Ms Sam). When a group of Indonesians arrived, Indonesian GOs welcomed them. It’s really cool and heartwarming to be greeted in your mother tongue in a foreign land! Also, the GOs will accompany you for your meals if you wish it, so there won’t be any lonesome souls in Club Med, if they could help it.

Hailing from all corners of the globe, any Club Med visitor will definitely find someone from his/her part of their world.

The GOs and staff are also committed in making our stay as pleasant as possible. While dining at the restaurant close to the Zen Space, my mom discovered that she could not eat any of the mains listed on the set menu as she was allergic to beef and prawns. The waiting staff and chef collaborated to make my mom a grilled chicken dish, which was not on the menu for the night, to which we were very grateful for.

Sam led us to our rustic room with a lovingly made-up bed bearing a heart-warming Welcome message amidst artistically arranged flower petals and a batik sarong gift. The resort is 40 years old, and is the first ever Club Med resort to be built in the region. It looks great for its age and there were some renovation work going on in some of the rooms which did not disturb our stay in the least. It’s always good to know that the resort is invested in making its accommodations as comfortable and updated as possible.

The view from our room was fantastic, we could see the beach fringed with coconut trees, beckoning us to go out and soak our feet into the soft sand and warm waters. All of which we did within the hour. And it was glorious!

 

Village Life

The GOs are an active lot — we see them everywhere! No wonder Club Meds are called villages. At almost every corner, you’ll see a familiar face and there are smiles all around. Quite like strolling in your neighbourhood and greeting the neighbours who are out walking their dogs. There’s no hurry, just a pleasant, shaded walk from our room to the main reception area where the dining hall, huge swimming pool, spa and awesome bar are located. We find the walk invigorating and even my 76-year-old mom could manage it easily. In fact, she was out and about more than I was!

And that’s the thing I love most about Club Med Cherating. You are a free to enjoy your holiday in whatever manner you wish. My mom, who loves the beach and pool even at the hottest part of the day, was at bliss meandering about the lovely hotel grounds. I, on the other hand, was content with the indoor activities, waiting for the day to cool down a little before venturing out with her. Together, we enjoyed the daily expansive buffet meal spread which boasts of cuisine from various parts of the world, decadent desserts, free flowing beer and yummy fruits.

We made frequent stops at the bar, ordering fantastic thirst quenchers in the form of mocktails and fruit juices. The best part was, these were all inclusive in our package. It’s all very convenient, too. There were no signing of bills involved — our colourful wrist bands were enough to denote our status as GMs, availing us to almost all of Club Med’s treasures.

 

 

 

Happening Nights

 

Every night, there was a dress code for dinner. While not compulsory, it’s always nice to dress up for the occasion. In a happy coincidence, my mom met our first night’s dress code of Red & Black to a T. I did not but made up for it in the next night’s theme — Elegance. Thank goodness I packed a dress with me! In the event that you do not have something that meets the dress code but would like to fit in with the theme, you can purchase whatever you need from their dress shop.

After a sumptuous meal, there will be a nightly show performed by most of the GOs. The energetic choreography and musical performances were definitely enjoyed by the young and the young-at-heart. There are also nights where the kids of the guests will perform before the GOs take to the stage. After the shows, guests can hang out at the bar to watch a movie, while sleepy heads can head back to their comfortable beds.

Apparently, the most happening nights were Wednesday and Saturday nights where special dinner arrangements and performances are scheduled. Unfortunately, we checked in on Thursday and checked out by Saturday afternoon, which meant that we missed both nights! Never mind, this is a great excuse to return to Club Med Cherating.

Activities Abound

Before I left for Cherating, I was advised to download the Club Med app to get a feel of the slew of activities that I can join. No prior booking was necessary and all activities were inclusive in the package except for excursions outside the resort. There were activities like trapeze, soccer, yoga, ping pong, kayaking and such, but what caught my eye was the nature walk. That was the very thing that sets Club Med Cherating apart from the rest. It’s ideally surrounded by lush jungles just crying out to be explored (you can tell that I love nature hikes, can you?) See, on my first evening, I spotted the steep stairway leading from the beach to the jungle walk. I was about to make my way into the jungle trail when I came across the sign saying that it was inadvisable to walk in the forest after 6pm. For the best experience, I thought it best to join the nature walk activity happening every afternoon at 4pm.

So the next day, I turned up promptly at the bar by 4pm where I met the super nice Ms Uni, the Green GO. There were two other guests going along for the nature walk with me, a pleasant and friendly couple from Singapore. According to Uni, there were 13 guests the day before and the highest number she’s ever guided was 74 guests! The minimum age allowed on these walks is 11 years. And from the steep, sloping terrains, it is recommended to wear sports shoes with good grip. I slathered on some sunblock, insect repellent and brought a bottle of water along to make the 45-minute walk more comfortable.

 

 

 

The trail was clear as day with no confusing turns, so it’s possible to do the walk on your own. But with Uni as our guide, we learned interesting things and stopped at scenic spots along the way. She pointed out a nest made by stingless bees, the crackling call of the mysterious hornbill and narrated exciting stories of her previous adventures in the very same jungle. And yes, she concurred that it’s best to stay away from the jungle after dusk as nocturnal animals like the wild boar are on the prowl at night.

 

 

 

Sensational Spa

 

After the walk, we were sweaty due to the great workout. What better place to chill after that than Mandara Spa located just a few steps away from the bar? My mom had a quick, relaxing shoulder massage (Balinese style) under the magical hands of the masseur while I continued sipping on the cool ginger tea and wiped my brow with the refreshing wet towel. The spa faces a green enclave where we spotted a monitor lizard strolling about. “He’s our regular customer,” the friendly masseur joked. “Although your skin will definitely look better than his after our treatments!” By then we have gotten used to seeing animals like monkeys, squirrels and monitor lizards roaming about the grounds. One of the perks of staying in a resort completely surrounded by nature!

 

 

We enjoyed the spa’s environment so much that we came back the next day for DIY facial lessons. The beautician taught us how to masterfully cleanse, scrub, tone and moisturise our face using the Elemis range of products. It was truly a tranquil and enriching moment, rejuvenating our senses surrounded by such lovely greenery.

For Adults Only

With my face glowing from the DIY facial, I took the train with my mom towards the Zen Space. No kids were allowed within the space, which resulted in a quiet, languid lounging by the exquisite infinity pool, while enjoying lashings and lashings of coconut mango lassi served by the obliging staff. The view of the serene beach and beautifully designed pool, while being secluded from the rest of the world truly made me feel zen.

No wonder it is the GOs’ favourite spot to chill out on their off days.

 

 

 

 

Au Revoir

All too soon, our 3 day, 2 night stay came to an end. We reluctantly said our goodbyes to the friendly GOs and friends we made during our stay. The only thing that made it bearable was the thought that we will return to this piece of enchanting paradise some day soon.

Club Med Cherating Info:
Check-in time: from 3pm
Check-out time: by 11am but you can stay on for lunch before you leave.

For booking or enquiries, contact +603-2053 1888 or go to https://www.clubmed.com.my/.