Club Med Joyview Thousand Island

Before our trip, I saw a lot of negative reviews online and was tempted to cancel. However, among the three family-friendly hotels we stayed at during our Thousand Island Lake trip, Club Med was ultimately my kids' favorite. Firstly, the location is within the Huamei Shengdi resort area, which is relatively remote, but it's not an issue if you're driving. I personally love resorts that are away from the hustle and bustle. The resort offers many recreational facilities, all of which are free for guests to use – just remember to make a reservation. Candy, the hotel manager, helped us upgrade our room. Although it was a room at the very end of the corridor, which made access a bit inconvenient, it was incredibly quiet and spotless, which was great. The housekeeping staff, seeing we had multiple children, proactively helped convert the sofa into a single bed. She even put on a fitted sheet and duvet. This is something other hotels don't usually do, making it absolutely perfect for families with several children – simply wonderful! Candy also proactively contacted us beforehand to send hotel guide information and was incredibly enthusiastic. She also provided complimentary breakfast. Upon learning my younger brother was celebrating his birthday at the hotel, she even arranged for a beautiful cake – excellent service, highly recommended! The hotel's own recreational facilities are also very rich and varied. My kids, from the 12-year-old big brother down to the 8 and 5-year-old younger brothers, all had such a great time they didn't want to leave. While playing Sudoku at the Yi Bar, I met a very interesting G.O., a young American man. However, it's worth mentioning that the front desk service was seriously lacking. The staff were cold and dismissive, looking perpetually disgruntled. No matter what we asked, the answer was always 'I don't know.' And whenever we asked for bottled water or bags, they claimed not to have any. What's going on here? Despite this, we would definitely return given the chance.

Service: Let me start by praising our butler, Candy. Her service was truly outstanding, and it's clear that a good butler can significantly elevate the entire experience. Cleanliness: The cleanliness was impeccable. Environment: Aside from the rather ordinary lake view (which, to be fair, isn't their main attraction), the overall environment was lovely. I particularly liked that the children's pool was just the right depth, so adults could simply supervise from the side without any worries. Activities: The hotel offered a good variety of activities. A minor suggestion: it would be nice if they could prepare small gifts for some of the Q&A sessions.

Overall, I was pretty satisfied. The surrounding mountain and water scenery was beautiful, and the air was fresh. The service was generally acceptable. One unexpected issue was a sudden heavy downpour. We then realized neither our room nor our friends' room had an umbrella, so we had to rush through the rain to the shuttle, getting completely soaked. Also, the smell in the men's changing room by the pool was truly indescribable – it was really sour and foul, like something had gone bad. I hope the hotel can improve its various services to ensure everyone has an even more perfect holiday.

A decade later, we returned to Club Med. My first Club Med experience was in Bintan, where the G.O.s were incredibly enthusiastic, leaving a deep impression. Qiandao Lake was our first Club Med choice domestically, and it proved that an all-inclusive Club Med vacation is the smartest option when traveling with kids. The scenery is stunning, and our butler Candy provided excellent service. The upgraded deluxe room offered a lovely view, and she was always available to answer any questions online, which was fantastic! The room also had a rattan armchair that was incredibly comfortable – both my child and I absolutely loved it! Regarding activities: On the evening we arrived, around 6 PM, my child tried kayaking. It wasn't sunny then, which was perfect, and she even managed to paddle to the waterline! The next day, we tried some land activities, but it was too hot, so we only did bumper boats. We reluctantly had to skip the suspended trampoline. At 8:30 AM, I took a yoga class. The instructor, Maggie, explained everything thoroughly, and after the morning stretches, I felt incredibly comfortable all day. I heard she also teaches snowboarding at Beidahu in winter – very impressive! Now for a couple of minor issues. When booking the shuttle bus from Qiandao Lake station to the resort, I was told it was fully booked with 18 people and we couldn't get a reservation. For a luxury hotel, especially during peak season, adding an extra bus shouldn't be too much to ask, particularly for a 50-minute journey. Fortunately, it was resolved to our satisfaction. The restaurant food was good. The matcha cake and Black Forest cake for afternoon tea were delicious, and the coconut ice cream was refreshingly light. However, there was no coffee machine available during afternoon tea or lunch, with the explanation that coffee could be ordered at the main bar (Yi Bar). But after four meals, only having grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, watermelon juice, and orange juice for drinks was a bit much – and no sparkling water either! So, during lunch today, I went to Yi Bar to get a hot Americano to go. The service attendant initially refused, citing that taking drinks away was against the rules. While I understand the rules, I also hoped for some flexibility, especially since we were about to leave anyway. 😉 Thankfully, it all worked out in the end!

We received a free upgrade to a suite, and the room was very spacious. There was plenty to keep the kids entertained. However, the water park attractions were only suitable for those over 1.4m, so our 1.2m child couldn't really enjoy them, which felt like a waste of two tickets. It was extremely hot during the day, so swimming was a welcome relief. The lifeguards were incredibly attentive, constantly watching and never letting their guard down. The kids also had a fantastic time in the pool!

The shuttle bus situation was quite amusing. I asked if it was going to Club Med, and the driver said no. Then, another passenger asked if it was going to the Mediterranean, and he said yes. I had to point out, 'Isn't Club Med the Mediterranean?' It took three hours to get an extra blanket. The faucet in my room was broken, and it took them two hours to send someone to fix it. The young man at the gate, I understand he wants to avoid the sun, but he was standing quite a distance away – practically on the opposite side of the entrance. What's more, no one was there to assist with luggage when I got out of the car. Overall, my impression is that the staff training is inadequate, and it's unfair to blame the individual employees.