Complain about a product or service

Club Med

Purvi of Dover, MA July 10, 2009

My family and I booked the all inclusive resort for February 12-17th for 4 people (including 1 infant). I'm sorry to have to say, it was one of the worst experiences we've had on a vacation. Shortly after we booked it, we received a packet telling us that we had booked it for Mexico with luggage tags for Mexico. Luckily, a phone call was able to fix that promptly. As we were checking at the airport, the customer agent for the airlines indicated that the flight was not paid in full. According to ClubMed policy, the flight was to be included. After 45 minutes to an hour checking in and with a crying infant, we paid the extra 90. This was extremely disturbing to us as ClubMed misrepresented themselves by indicating that flight was included.

After a fairly uneventful flight, we landed in Punta Cana. There we went to the ClubMed booth and was further guided to a taxi/shuttle to the resort. Well, the shuttle got "lost". He had NO IDEA where the ClubMed resort was. We went in circles (literally) for almost 50 minutes! It was very scary to be in a van with a stranger in a strange country speaking a foreign language and not know where we were. I think my 3 year is still traumatized from the event. The driver kept stopping to ask the construction workers on the road but no one seemed to know.

Finally, he pulled into the entrance of another resort. I was extremely upset about this. We were glad to finally check in to our room. Over the course of the next few days, we were locked out of our room multiple times. Upon placing multiple calls to the front desk, they indicated they were very busy and that they will send someone out as soon as possible. Meanwhile, an hour later and 2 kids wet from the beach and late for their nap, we finally had access. A few more times we had this problem. Someone finally came to fix the lock on the last day.

Though the food was ok, the whole family got sick from the dinner we ate the evening before. I was for sick for days after we came home. I had to take a sick day from work, as well. Not to mention, the blenders I used for my infant were never cleaned properly. All in all, I'm very disappointed in the ClubMed experience.

BEN of NISKAYUNA, NY June 13, 2009

Earlier this April 2009 my family and I returned from a terrible stay at the Club Med resort in Chamonix, France. It all began with our disappointment when we realized that the general quality of the food was not at all as it used to be. Among others, we noticed how bland the meat tasted and how watery the soups were. More importantly, there was a distinct and unpleasant odor near the tables where fish and seafood was offered, but given our good experience in the past, we didn’t bother too much. Then, as the days went on, we spoke with friends about the food and heard repeatedly about stomach discomfort. On the following day, my wife complained about severe stomach pains and from that day on she simply avoided all but the most basic food in the dining room. We bought some medications but it took more than 48 hours until her discomfort somewhat subsided, albeit not entirely. It wasn’t pleasant.

I personally pride myself with a very robust stomach and it happens very rarely that I experience any bowel related discomfort. However, this time I too succumbed to the impact caused by the food at the resort: I caught a severe diarrhea and was forced to spend two full days at my room. After taking medications, the diarrhea gradually subsided and gave way to very painful stomach cramps. Needless to say that I was deprived of my long awaited ski experience during these days.

We are generally very healthy people and neither my wife nor I ever experienced food related discomfort of such magnitude. To prove it all, we obtained solid proof that our experience was clearly a result of food poisoning at your resort: When we entered the dining room from the Friday evening “Gala Dinner”, approaching a plate of grapevine leafs, we were stunned to find them thoroughly covered with mold and mildew. It was disgusting and anybody who wishes, I'd be happy to send you the images we took of that poor sight. We immediately requested the attention of the Chef de village, Mr. Philippe Calvet and he too was utterly shocked. His apologies were too little and far too late. Our written complaint to the ClubMed headquarter in Paris only got us a letter saying that nobody else had complained, and that they therefore reject our complaint.

Suffice it to say, that we are furious and very disappointed in how we were let down by ClubMed. Not only did we spend almost € 5,000 for this very doubtful pleasure, but our entire, long awaited vacation was utterly ruined.

No more ClubMed. That's for sure.

Ilker of Shanghai, OTHER May 8, 2008
i made a booking from april 25 till may 5th in phuket club med thorugh their agent in shanghai.we are not informed before that there is a renovation in the resort.we see it on arrival.because we have 2 year old children and not informed - we left the resort immdiately-now because of the contract we did - no money is refundable-agency says it is written on the voucher that we got 3 hours before flight-and say even club med did not inform them

i paid 3.800 EURO to club med.because i left the same day due to renovation i spent 4000 EURO more to stay in other places - so the money i paid to club med %80 is lost -damage for my family

Joanne of West Milford, NJ January 26, 2007
My boyfriend purchased a 4 night Bora Bora Vacation package online thru Club Med. The package totalled 1,816.00 for resort accommodations for two people from 9/2/06 - 9/6/06. We purchased our flight tickets separately from the package. While at the resort, the front desk contacted us about checking out on 9/6/06 but our flight was on 9/7/06. I went to the front desk and paid for an extra nite.

The girl working the front desk ran my card once and handed me a receipt to sign. Then she requested my card again saying that there was a problem and she ran it again. She handed me another receipt & I signed that one. After I handed the signed receipt, she informed me that she accidentally double charged me & that a refund will show up on my credit card approx 30 days. I was never given a voided sales receipt. Both receipts were processed within a minute of each other.

Two charges on my credit card statement were applied on 9/7/06 for 439.47 & for 439.14. I am guessing that the girl at the front desk entered the incorrect amount the first time & never voided it out before she ran my card the second time with a cost difference of 0.33. I contacted my credit card company regarding this double charge & they contacted Club Med who stated that b/c I signed both receipts & dont have a voided sales receipt that the charges are valid.

I have provided my credit card company with my orginal resort voucher, length of stay and cost at the resort, my airline tickets proving that when we booked the vacation package online, we accidentally booked our resort stay a day short of our departure. We were booked at the resort until 9/6/06 and our flight was on 9/7/06. I paid an extra night to stay at the resort til 9/7/06. We checked out of the resort on 9/7/06 and had the resort transport us back to the airport on 9/7/06. I have copies of internet resort vouchers, internet room and vacation package confirmation, airline tickets, two receipts for an extra night's stay, and my credit card statment listing both charges.

Twice I faxed Thierry Orsoni, Club Med's Managing Director in Paris France with no response. I want my refund of 439.47 credited back to my credit card.

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Follow us on Twitter.

Back to the top |