Ixtapa Pacific Mexico

Over Thanksgiving, my family and I had the pleasure of visiting Club Med Ixtapa, and it was truly one of the best vacations we have ever experienced. This was our first time staying at a Club Med, so we weren’t entirely sure what to expect, but the experience exceeded any expectations we had and left us thoroughly impressed.

Planning and Arrival

As an all-inclusive vacation, everything was prepaid back in May, making the planning process smooth and stress-free. Leading up to the trip, we received emails outlining various activities available at the resort, which helped build excitement and allowed us to plan ahead. The Club Med app proved incredibly useful, providing daily, up-to-date information on all activities and their schedules.

On the day of our trip, all we had to do was show up at the airport. Upon arrival in Ixtapa, private transportation was waiting to take us directly to the resort. The check-in process was simple and efficient. Each guest was issued a wristband that doubled as a room key and could also be used for purchases at the gift shop. The receptionist escorted us to our room and answered all of our questions with warmth and friendliness.

Accommodations

We chose a family-style room, which was perfectly suited to our needs. The layout featured the bathroom separating two sleeping areas, essentially providing two private rooms with a shared shower and bath. This arrangement offered both privacy and convenience, making it an excellent choice for families.

Dining Options

The main restaurant, a buffet, was open for three meals a day and offered an impressive variety of fresh and delicious options that changed daily. Guests could choose to dine outdoors by the ocean or in one of the many themed indoor dining rooms.

Additionally, a smaller restaurant provided an alternative when the main buffet was closed. This restaurant featured a set menu that remained consistent and also offered reservation-only dining on certain nights with a different menu. Every meal we had was tasty and well-prepared, catering to a range of palates.

Activities and Entertainment

Club Med Ixtapa offers activities and amenities for every member of the family. With multiple kids’ clubs organized by age group, our child was always engaged and entertained. Daily activities ranged from sports to crafts, while the option to simply relax by the pool or on the beach was always available.

Evenings at the resort were filled with family-friendly shows and dancing. The entertainment added a lively and festive atmosphere, creating unforgettable memories for everyone.

Staff and Service

The staff at Club Med Ixtapa were exceptional—always friendly, accommodating, and eager to make our stay enjoyable. Special thanks to Regina and Arturo, who joined us for a meal and made the experience even more delightful with their company and conversation. I also want to extend my gratitude to Ana Sofia, one of the staff nurses, who was professional and caring when I twisted my ankle on our last day.

Final Thoughts

I cannot recommend Club Med Ixtapa highly enough. Whether you’re looking for adventure, relaxation, or a mix of both, this resort has it all. From the seamless planning and welcoming staff to the delicious food and endless activities, every aspect of our stay was outstanding. We’re already looking forward to our next Club Med vacation!

Had a very great time at this resort as always! Jorge Hector and Andy at reception, Luna at tennis/pickleball, Paolo at water sports, Andy at the bar, and Daniel the DJ are all some of the nicest and friendliest GOs I have ever met and definitely made our trip incredibly special. As returning guests, there are a couple GOs we were already familiar with, but we had not met Jorge Hector until this trip. He was quick to introduce himself to our family and you could immediately tell how genuine of a person he is. There are multiple nights when we had long chats with him and many dinners where we happily had him sit with us. He did everything he could to make sure our stay was special and I hope to get the chance to see him again on a future trip! Andy at reception was also very friendly. We had met him in prior years and he was there to greet us and take our whole family to our room right when we got off of the shuttle. Luna has been great for the past 3 years that we have visited and has always taken time out of his days to catch up with us and strike conversation with us. You can also tell how he treats interacting with guests as a gift and an opportunity to meet new people rather than a chore or a job. Not only that, but I think he is an incredible pickleball and tennis coach and he seems like he is enjoying that role very much. Paolo was another GO we had met in prior trips. He was very informative giving us info on wind patterns, giving us refreshers on how to sail properly, pulling us in when the wind got too low, and even just being a nice person who you can enjoy a conversation with. Daniel the DJ really brought the heat this trip. I was out in the evenings for the parties and events more than any trip to Ixtapa before and I think a big contributor to that is Daniel. He always happily took requests that our family had and beyond his DJ skills, was always open to chatting and spending time with us, even later in the evening. Lastly, Andy behind the bar was very nice and sweet. He quickly learned what drinks we ordered and liked so that whenever he saw our faces waiting at the bar, he didn't even need to ask us what we wanted. He really went above and beyond to make sure something even as small as our bar experience was a good one. I can't give all of these GOs enough praise for how welcoming they were and how they made this trip to Ixtapa one of the best!

If you are a family with kids, this is your kind of village. We were told by other couples that you really don’t see the kids so we booked our trip. It was a week before Christmas and there were lots of kids on winter holiday. We still managed to have a great trip. It’s a beautiful club. We had a beautiful suite where we had lots of peace and quiet and beautiful sunsets every night. Don’t hesitate to sign up for the outside the club turtle excursion (ask for Julio). He’s the best there is. Enjoy!

We've travelled a lot as a family, but it's rare to find a place as special as this! My husband, 12 year-old son and I all had a blast doing the flying trapeze each day--huge thanks to Holly and the rest of the circus team for creating a safe and fun atmosphere for everyone! My son also loved playing in the warm waves on the beautiful beach. And the whole village has such a friendly, inviting atmosphere--we got to know lots of the GM's (guests) and GO's (staff) who helped make the whole week magic. Everyone goes above and beyond to make it special! For example, Christmas featured Santa arriving on a raft and giving out presents that even our picky 12-year old loved! Most amazingly, when our flight home got cancelled, Club Med let us come back for free (this was due to the type of package we had booked, but they were just SO helpful and accommodating--and it turned lemons into lemonade for us!). We are so grateful and impressed!!! We will be back!

I just have two suggestions:

• There's a much-needed rule that cabanas and chaise lounges cannot be reserved, but people do it anyway, and some of the nicest spots are empty for hours with just a towel and hat blocking anyone else from using the space. There's a rule posted that you can only leave a spot unattended like this for 30 minutes, but it really needs to be enforced (as we've seen done well at other Club Med's).

• There's a surf beach called Playa Linda just a 5 minute drive away and a better surf beach called Saladita 40 mins away. Some GM's (including us) brought surfboards, but we'd love to see Club med add surfing as an official activity or excursion.