Bintan Island Indonesia

I had a very fulfilling vacation with my family. The seaside was very comfortable and the environment was beautiful. GO was very enthusiastic and the atmosphere was great. I met Nanda and Chris two GOs at Clubmed. We had a meal and chatted together, enjoying a happy time.

Wonderful family holiday at Club Med. Many thanks to the very kind and inclusive GO's like Michael, Vishark, Walter, Bank, Rere, Kimi, Aki, Bernice, Abi, Al, VT, James, Mitch, Zan, Athena, Anne, Hilda, Lia, Noor, Vicky, Grace, and Julien, who made the holiday great for us and the kids. The GO's joined us for meal times which was a great way to meet them and learn about their home countries and practise or learn some of their language.

The food was really good considering it was buffet style. There were plenty of options every meal including gluten and dairy free.

There were heaps of activities to do but also opportunities to sit by the pool or ocean and relax. I had expert golfing advice shared by the golf team (sorry, I can't remember your name) and I played golf at Ria Bintan which is a very good golf course. Every night there was a show and singing and dancing by the beach.

I had the opportunity to meet the Dr and Nurse who did a great job after I stubbed my toe.

The rooms were tired but comfortable. The bed was very hard, which many people complained about. Renovations are currently underway so be mindful that disruptions may occur if you stay here. Other than that, it was a great relaxing time until we had to pack up and return home and back to reality.

We just returned from 7 nights at Club Med Bintan (7 nights is the perfect amount of time)

Let’s start with the great -

First up is Chef Ong - what an incredible chef!!! We loved the vegan food! Chef Ong was SO kind and accomodating . He made our whole trip so special! Pastry chef Pair also made truly delightful desserts and we were very spoilt by the team. On that note my daughter now has a soft toy she bought in Bintan called Ong and we still talk about the amazing meals we enjoyed there. Ong is a huge asset to Club Med. the holiday would have been very different if not for Ong.

Another highlight was the tennis lesson I had with Keven. He is a truly superb teacher and an inspiration when it comes to teaching and helping others with appreciating the game. I understand I was lucky to have this experience since Keven only teaches on the other staff day off.

Shashya at the kids club and Kimi at the Teens club did their very best to encourage participation but in the end my kids were not sold and refused to go which was a shame. I had imagined they’d love it. They are both lovely people with a wonderful attitude.

Nurse Mario in infirmary and Dr Oz were also fantastic! Lovely people, professional and super keen to help. It was fantastic knowing that we had instant access to quality medical care and I really enjoyed my chats with them. We made 3 trips there and it was always a really great experience.

I also thoroughly enjoyed my first golf lesson with Moshe who is a great instructor and a fun person. He is a really great addition to the Club Med staff.

Now to the ordinary -

The check in experience was quite underwhelming. I had remembered the upbeat welcomes with singing from past club med experiences and this fell flat as there was nothing like this. The ground floor room we’d requested numerous times prior via email and phone didn't materialise. Finally after being told there was no availability Charmaine saved the day by accomodating us but it was a frustrating start.

(Ps we really enjoyed staying in the A block close to the action and didn’t mind the noise. I liked the retro feel of the place. A lot of reviews say sorely in need of renovation but I find the rooms and grounds charming , taking me back to my club med trips in the 80s where they looked exactly the same. I almost with the renovations weren’t happening and the time capsule could be preserved. While the rooms aren’t luxe, you barely spend time in there and they are comfortable enough.

Now to the bad -

Really hated my tennis lesson with Mitch who was rude, obnoxious and and abrasive , not caring about his holidaying guests. He should be reminded this is not the army, it is an inclusive holiday resort where people are taking a break from their stressful lives. At a beginner tennis I also saw him being insensitive to a young boy and the mother complained to me about it after. He has a harsh manner and could do with some customer service and sensitivity training and a reality check. When I turned up for the Padel tournament the following day and another woman also did separately , were were told in front of other make entrants by Mitch we were not good enough to play and should leave. We were both shocked and put in an awkward position where I had to argue with him as I was there to try all sports. This is not the Club Med attitude I remember from other resorts. After making it to the finals and complaining to the Chef de Village Julian in the way back, the response from him was simply ‘tennis people eh’. Later I saw Mitch in a show where he seemed to actually have a personality so Jekyll and Hyde it is. Most unpleasant man who showed me the ugly side of tennis.

On that note, after checking out from Club Med we travelled 15 minutes up the road and checked in at another hotel after our fun week ended . We went straight to the pool there and bumped into Julian there which was a strange and funny coincidence at first. After a week smiles and greetings etc. I said hello to him as I but was instantly rebuffed with disinterest and a scowl and all he said was ‘have a nice day’ before turning away. I repeated his babe twice in sick. Sure it was his personal time off from the resort but only half an hour ago we had been club med guests and are lifelong club med visitors so it left a bad taste after a fun week. If the excuse was I wasn’t recognised, that too wouldn’t be great after speaking 3 short times just the day before at the Club Med resort.

So there you have it! Club med is a special place to me. It was where I journeyed at 6, 9, 12 with my parents. It holds a lot of special memories. But it has changed a lot. I was expecting the big communal tables and for the GOs to be the superstars they once were. instead I was left with the sense that they are overworked and this stress runs off on the guests. If Club med returned to the model of them having more time to focus on their guests , not throwing them into long shifts at the bar etc it would make the whole experience more enjoyable for the guests, they are stretched too thin to give real care to the guests and thenselves. Club Med feels more like a show or spectacle now and less like a place to connect with others. Covid has changed the world and now the challenge for club med as it moves into the future is how to retain its heart. Pretty on the outside but a bit hollow inside.

The verdict is there is a lot going for Club med Bintan. great activities, beautiful beach , great food, great staff. Nice rooms. No holiday is perfect. If I didn’t already have an emotional connection to the brand I’m not sure.

Thank you to the people mentioned who made our trip special - it was a great pleasure to meet you, uou are remembered and I wish you all the very best!

My Family just returned from a 4 nights stay at Club med Bintan and I can't recommend it enough! It was absolutely sensational. The hotel is a bit old, but has everything you need. All inclusive and and it was great! Beach out the front was beautiful and clean, SPA was fantastic, Food was great.
All the staff were absolutely incredible, so friendly, happy and nothing was ever a problem. Shout out to Dwi and Ramah at the SPA, Sentha for her warm welcome and always checked on us if we need anything, Harty, Harry, Michael, Moche, Snorkeling Team, William at the bar, Nur, Tiara.
I would highly recommend this place and will definitely return.

We could not have found a more stunning location on the most glorious beach, to celebrate a big birthday with three generations of our family. The staff were all brilliant, so helpful and supportive, as we embraced the many activities, and all tried new sports, particularly archery. The rooms were spotless and incredibly comfortable, and the food was amazing, catering for all our tastes and requirements. It was truly a very special place where we have created magical dreams! Thank you all!! 🙏