Club Med Playa Blanca

Hi,can someone tell me what happen with the Playa Blanca Club Med after they close it??? Who bought it?
I just can believe they destroy this charming place...
Thanks,
Loulou

Loulou

Former Club Med was purchased by Bahia Group and renamed Bahia Principe Varadero. Sold last year and renamed Playa Varadero 1920 (as of Dec 2004). Generally decent reviews on TripAdvisor, but it is important to remember that the hotel is in Cuba, not in Canada or Europe. Expectations need to be adjusted as such. Also, new evaluation of new ownership not in yet.

See: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g147275-d282906-Reviews-Bahia_Principe_Varadero-Varadero_Beach_Cuba.html

(Note: TripAdvisor does not yet reflect new name)

Im sorry Isrogh but i was talking of PLAYA BLANCA near Manzanillo in Mexico.....

Loulou

Ooops! Sorry.

It took a while, but I finally found the answer. A Careyes, Mexico, resident bought the former Club Med property to tear down and replace with his private home. It was sold by Christopher Webster, who deals with luxury properties and is a broker for Sotheby's International Realty.

Its too bad that Playa Blanca was sold off... It is my understanding that sometine near 2000 a tidel wave from an earthquake closed the place for a period of time... and after 9/11, travel to this location was not profitable for club Med, so it was sold off..

Of all the clubs, this was my favorite... While the location was a distance from a major city (Puerto Vallarta), the setting was beautiful... The Villas by the Ocean were great... waking up to the ocean waves hitting the beach...The best time to go was Feb-April,, it was not humid and the daytime highs were near 90 Degrees and the nights near 70s... The activities were great... rock climbing... the circus... trapeze...ocean kayaking...

Some of my fondest memories were from people that I met at this location... GOs as well as GMs... And a few celeberties would frequent this location... I met Summer Sanders (The former Olympic Swimmer) and her fiancee during a trip in March of 1998... Even Bill Gates (Microsoft) metioned this club in a Forbes Magazine article in 1999...

I really going to miss this club...

I think my trips to Playa Blanca were some of the wildest times in the early to mid '90s. I thought the layout was really gorgeous. Some fond memories but the place was falling apart from the wear and tear.
The bus ride from PV -- sure got us ready.
The Margarita Walk -- always had to carry someone home.
The sports was fierce -- Greg's hockey rink, volleyball, archery with Bam Bam etc.
Cold Dos Equis or a Margarita on the rocks.
It was a smaller layout so you were right on top of people and got to know them quickly...

Met several of The Beach Boys, Steve Vai and baseball player Travis Fryman (I'm the only one who recognised him since he played for the Tigers back then).

Too bad it closed.


"Anybody got an extra yellow?"

Could not agree more! Playa was perfect! I did 2 seasons as a Circus G.O./Chief and Man! there were wild times! The night club was perfect! I loved how the dance floor was seperated by a glass window so you could be at the bar and have a normal conversation. Also, after the flying trapeze show, we would go get a couple of cheeseburgers from the grill...Mmmmmm!

The annex restaurant (Zapata) was also perfect! We had Circus dinners there all the time! So good! The people: great mix of West Coast USA and Montreal! Gotta love the California girls and the wild French Canadians!!! A few Europeens and NYers added to the mix! Awesome! I think about it and shake my head thinking about all that went down in this gem of village!!!

Thank you Playa Blanca!

See you down the road! Sante! Erick

It was the best club...without a doubt. It was my first club and the one that made me want to be a GO. It was so beautiful, and we never seemed to mind the bus ride (since we started drinking as soon as we left the airport). The margarita walk was GREAT, and everything about it embodied what a club should be.

Costa careyes is turning into a celebrity hangout...many are getting married there and have vacation homes right near our beloved club.

BTW, Erick, the California girls loved you guys right back!

Jen

I went here as a kid and loved it then. Sorry to see it go would have been nice to take my wife and our own kids when they got older

Hey ciscohiker - are you the same ciscohiker as the one on I2US?

Yup. One and the same.

Loved PB on my only stay on the season opening week of 2000. I think my stair count was near 150 being in the second to last building (up top) off to the left of the beach. I even took over DJ in the club after they fired the staff dj after 2 days. I was asked to stay on the rest of the season, but couldn't just do it as quick as they needed me to come back. Interviewed in Summer '01 and was told I had the job but the club didn't open again after 9/11. I'll still remember the lobster lunch, the beach margarita party (mas, mas, mas, mas...). Quarters should not be played with margaritas. I even have a pic I took on the sunset cruise on my office wall. Damn I wish the place was still open.

Hi, I was a GO in Playa Blanca in 1981. Long time ago, and I was very suprised to see this great comments about Playa Blanca. I have never have so much fun in my life. We won the "club of the year" based on the opinion of the gest. I will love to know something about my friends GOs that were on the sailing team with me on the summer 1981. The cheef of Vilage was John Moore, a very very funy men. Now I live in Cancun and have my sailboat, and still have a lot of fun in it, but nothing compare to those crazy days. Chears!!

I was a GO FOR FOUR SEASONS at Playa Blanca. I was Chief of Landsports and toned beautiful female GMs with my Morning Stretch, Disco Gym routines, plus Jogging and Fun Tournaments.

Used to wake up everybody with my music Rhythm of the Night kicked it all in at the start of every fresh new morning.

It's great to find you all and wish you my very best!

Welcome Rafael,
You might want to check my photosite, http://jdlphotos.smugmug.com Several former GO's have written me to say that the photos brought back some great memories.

John