A Slice of Heaven

Club Med Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

By Brad Keywell

I should tell you that I did not go into writing this article a Club Med fan. But now that I'm back from a one-week trip with my family to Club Med's Punta Cana Family Village in the Dominican Republic, I must confess that I am not only a huge Club Med fan, but that I will likely go back to the Punta Cana Club Med in holidays to come.

Club Med family village is the real Disney World for families with young kids. When I think Disney World, I think a carefree place where kids indulge their imaginations. But the reality of Disney World is often long lines, crowded parades and poor logistics. For a young child, the Club Med experience is pure bliss. By the second or third day, they feel like they own the place, and there is never a loss for activities or diversions to capture their attention and fascination. They are never more than a minute away from swimming (our kids' favorite place) and there are constantly counselors creating activities to stimulate the children's imagination. For my money, this experience is much more fun for preschoolers than waiting in lines and sitting on rides.

Most meaningful, from a family perspective, are the magical moments of interaction that you find with your children. While our day-to-day lives create little "quality time" within which to connect at a meaningful level with our kids, the Club Med experience is a palette on which to paint true bonds and real connections. For me, it was running around in the pool, building sandcastles on the beach in the moonlight, learning how to salsa dance with my 4-year-old and taking a nap in the shade with my 2 1/2-year-old taking her own nap lying on my chest. Magic moments.

How to convey a true picture of the Club Med experience? I could talk about the plethora of activities for our kids, about the beautiful village with the pool situated just steps from the Atlantic Ocean or I could talk about the "G.O.s" (Gentle Officials, Club Med-speak for counselors and activity coordinators) and how wonderful they are with kids. On the other hand, it was not a flawless trip, which is impossible (the words "flawless" and "family" in the same sentence should arouse your suspicion, no matter what the context).

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