club med ixtapa

I have been in the travel business for 35 years and have NEVER been to or sold a Club Med. So, when our children in Chicago called and said "Let's go away somewhere warm with the grandchildren", I looked to the Club Med in Ixtapa, Mexico with some trepidation. I had heard that it was a wonderful place for children and our grandchildren (ours are 5 and 6), but I was very nervous about the choice I was making.

First, is Mexico safe for travelers? I can only tell you that Ixtapa is extremely safe, and we NEVER had one moment of concern....either in walking around, eating the food or drinking the water.

Second, how upscale is the Club Med for spoiled travelers like us? WELL, let me tell you that this resort is definitely 5 star!!! It was amazing from the moment we arrived and were greeted by a Human Arch of scrubbed, smiling GO's (the abbreviation for the french "Gentile Organistes") handing us cold, wet towels and drinks and welcoming us to the property. From there, it went uphill!!!

Dick and I were in a suite in the Sol Building, with a magnificent view of the ocean. We had a wraparound balcony, a computer in our room, two flat-screen TVs, a jacuzzi tub, a shower designed for two people, with two separate head sprinklers and a hand one, and a HUGE amount of closet space. It was designed perfectly, and I even had a dressing table.

Our kids were in a Family Suite, which was also designed perfectly for families. The parents had a king room with a balcony that had a sliding door closing off their room from the children's room. The accommodations were PERFECT!!! And we even had a Concierge Room with an adorable person to help us make any reservations we wanted.

The Club Med Ixtapa is like a lovely cruise ship that doesn't move. Every day there is a list of activities for your children, and for you. You can be busy from 9am to 11pm every day...and the programs are endless. As on a ship, there is a main dining room. I was concerned that with 1000 people, it would be crowded and unwieldy. Well, was I wrong. You walked into the dining room that had 5 separate rooms, all in a different color, so the kids could differentiate which room they were in. You were seated by an adorable greeter, who asked always "How many people today?" Once seated, the children headed for the various stations of food, which they got to know very quickly. There was Mexican (of course), American, Italian, Japanese and International Desserts!!! Drinks were brought to the table upon request, from wine to coffee. Remember, this is an "All Inclusive" resort...so everything is included...and that means wine and liquor. The children were in heaven, and as every parent knows, when they are happy, EVERYONE is happy.

There are also two specialty restaurants (one steak house and one Infusion) where there is seated dining. No extra charge...you just need to make a reservation.We ate at both of them, and they were just lovely. However, the kids enjoyed the main dining room the best.

Let me talk a little about the daily events. The children's activities are divided into the Baby Club(4-23 months) Petit Club (2-3 yrs) , the Mini Club (4-10 yrs and divided again into groups--juniors and teens) The day begins at 9 and usually ends at 8 . And it is a full day. Try tennis, arts and crafts, circus school, soccer, swimming and then lunch!!!! After lunch, archery, beach, pool again, mini chef, snack, and then dinner. WOW!!! And this is just for the little ones. The adults have their own schedule. You can do as much...or as little as you want. That is the beauty of Club Med. Everyone is happy.....and everyone is doing what they want to do.

BTW, did I mention that the beach is FABULOUS???? Gentle swells, and lots of shells. We got boogie boards for the little ones, and us older folk did a lot of body surfing!!. There is a sailing school, but the winds are usuallyso gentle that they call it a kayak school. And there are lovely palapas all over the beach and the pools, so if you need shade, it is there. AND, you never had to race to get a pool chair, or a lounge. There are so many wonderful areas to lounge in, you never have to be concerned that you won't have a place to sit and enjoy the area. And the "GO"s come onto the beach carrying pineapples with large skewers of fresh fruit for people who might be hungry in between meals and snacks!!

I cannot say "the best part", because there were so many "best parts", but the service here is outstanding. We had a missing bag upon arrival, and everyone at the front desk as well as the bellman and groundsmen spent hours trying to locate it. When it appeared at the airport, the hotel was apprised as well as us. They were as concerned as we were....and they didn't rest until the problem was solved.

Let me talk a bit about the"GO"s. They are an international group of young people who adore children, and are there to assist in any way possible. They meet/greet, entertain and generally make everyone feel welcome and good. If you have little ones (babies, especially) they are on deck to take over whenever you want. There is a charge for them to monitor the little ones....but not for the older kids. How nice to know your children are having fun while you are playing tennis or having a massage or just zoning out on the beach.

I cannot recommend the Club Med Ixtapa highly enough. I can't speak to the other Club Meds since I haven't seen them first-hand, but I understand they are all updated or in the process of being updated As I said at the beginning, I remember the Club Med of old...with the beads and the dorm rooms. This resort has no more relationship to that old concept than a bird to a swan. It is truly a wonderful vacation for everyone concerned. We cannot wait to go back.

San Miguel de Allende

When you hear the words San Miguel de Allende. what conjures up is a magical place, not only in Mexico, but in the world. To make sure that people know that, UNESCO has declared this city a "World Heritage" site.

Dick and I were lucky enough to be able to spend 5 days there this month, and I am still reeling from the experience. As I said in the beginning, this is a magical place..and the hotel we stayed in is a magical property. Not in the sense of sleight-of-hand magic (i.e. the Magic Castle in Los Angeles), but because the property is so special. Most hotels are just that....hotels. There are fabulous and breathtaking hotels...but most are not magical.

The Casa de Sierra Nevada, operated by the Orient-Express folks, is such a magical place. It is a combination of 37 guest rooms and suites in 6 different historical colonial houses within walking distance to downtown and the park. There are two lovely restaurants, each in a different house, plus bars, a spa and a swimming pool. The hotel runs a cooking school called Sazon, and there are business meeting rooms as well as major catering facilities for events. There was free wi-fi in our rooms as well as a business center if you didn't bring a laptop.

The staff at this hotel is amazing, and being bilingual (them, not me) helps a lot. There is nothing they could not nor would not do for you, including driving you the short distance into town if you choose not to walk the cobblestone streets (3 blocks to be exact to get into town).

Because the rooms are all in separate houses, you enter each from a locked door on the street. And once you open that door, what a surprise!! You walk into a lovely traditional courtyard filled with antiques and flowers. It is an amazing feeling, and we never got tired of coming back to our room.

Each home is different as are all the rooms. Our first room was on the second floor and had a balcony off the bedroom with a view of the city and all the churches. Our second room was in a different house, bigger but no balcony. As I said, each room is different, and that is the charm. All are old world Mexico, but updated with air conditioning and flat screen TV's. We were told that the Orient Express is planning to do some more updating soon.

The village was founded in 1542 as a place to bring the silver from the outlying mines for safekeeping and fabrication. The city itself was established in 1826 by Fray Juan de San Miguel, who was a missionary hoping to convert the indigenous to Catholicism. San Miguel changed at that point from an agrarian village to an industrial city with silver as its mainstay. The city today has over 12 major churches, each more splendid than the next. There are art galleries, jewelry stores, incredible restaurants and fun nightlife. The art galleries offer more than most cities in Mexico because the charm of this city attracted so many artists from all over the world. When people come here, they are as fascinated as we were, and do not want to leave. The art is eclectic and goes from the serious to the whimsical, from traditional to non-traditional. There is something for every taste.

Speaking of taste...the food is wonderful. There is a wide range of restaurants, and they, too, go from the traditional to the modern. Because of its international reputation, chefs from all over the world come here. They can get fresh produce from the Bajio as well as from Mexico City. The food and water are very safe. I, myself, couldn't get enough of the mole sauce on everything...along with the guacalmole. Quite spectacular.

To make things a bit clearer, SMA is like Santa Fe and Carmel with lots of history. It is a wonderful place to visit, and many Americans have found it to be a wonderful place to live. There are lots of ex-pats who live there permanently and people who just stay for 3-4 months. They take art classes, language immersion classes, jewelry-making classes and cooking classes. There is a lot to do in San Miguel, and when something is special, people find out.

Please put colonial Mexico on your bucket list. Most people who visit Mexico only go to the beach cities which are fabulous, and many have a lot of history as well. But this year, 2010, Mexico is celebrating its 200th anniversary of Independence and it's 100th anniversary of its revolution...and San Miguel has an important role in both of these. Colonial Mexico is very special, which is why there are so many UNESCO sites in the country.

If it sounds as if I am jumping all over the place, I guess I am. Just want all of you to know that San Miguel is a wonderful city to experience. It is very safe, and very fascinating. There is a lot to do if you are more adventurous as well. You can hike in the Picacho mountains to see ancient rock paintings, you can mountain bike through country lanes and you can ride horses and learn to rope. There is hot air ballooning as well as golf or tennis.And there are the neighboring cities of Guanajuato and Dolores Hidalgo to explore. That is why most people fall in love with San Miguel. Put it high up on your list. You won't be disappointed.