Club Med’s all-inclusive Sandpiper Bay resort in Port St. Lucie is getting serious about sports. The Florida flagship of Club Med’s sports retreats is upping the ante and proving itself an ideal destination for sports-minded couples and families.
Located two hours south of Orlando and two hours north of Miami, Club Med Sandpiper Bay is Florida’s only all-inclusive resort. Club Med is famous for having pioneered this concept and, like all-inclusive resorts around the globe, Sandpiper’s mid-level holiday packages offer all your food, drinks (including alcohol) and entertainment for one price. But while the drinks do flow freely, the resort isn’t your typical, top-of-mind all-inclusive destination: its key difference is the on-site Sports Academies that provide high-quality tennis, golf, volleyball and fitness experiences as well as a renowned training environment for aspiring players from around the globe.
Property overview
Situated on 216 acres, Club Med Sandpiper Bay features 337 club and deluxe rooms located on the banks of the St. Lucie River on Florida’s Treasure Coast. The property includes a 20-court tennis complex, an 18-hole golf course and driving range, volleyball courts, four heated swimming pools (including one for adults only), a fly-high circus trapeze, a marina and water sports centre, fitness facilities, a theatre, a gorgeous spa by L’Occitane, and a supervised Kidz Village that’s specifically for guests ages four months to 17 years old.
Dining at Sandpiper Bay includes the buffet-style Marketplace restaurant, which allows guests to wander among food stations serving up international cuisine; the waterfront Soleil restaurant, which features a special gourmet menu; and the Riverside Grill & BBQ, which offers up a classic menu with plenty of seafood options and views of the St. Lucie River.
The property also features countless places to relax and explore as well as two bars, Slice and The Infinity, for late-night adventures.
Premium sports
For sport- and activity-minded visitors, Club Med Sandpiper Bay is as good as it gets, offering access to world-class facilities for tennis, golf, volleyball and fitness training.
Since Club Med’s origin in the early 1950s, sports have been an integral part of the brand’s vacation philosophy, but this property takes sports and wellness offerings to new heights. The resort actually doubles as a fully staffed, year-round sports academy for some of the top junior tennis, golf and volleyball players in the world. That means guests who want to spend their days working on their serve, swing or spike can take advantage of the elite training facilities and up their game by working alongside professional coaches from the on-site sports academies during their stay.
Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced group lessons are available in the key sports for guests as young as four years old. Of course, one-on-one training from world-renowned coaches is also available.
If water sports are more your speed, there’s no shortage of sailing, kayaking and paddleboarding to be had by stopping by the water sports centre. Guests feeling extra adventurous can strap on a pair of wakeboarding boots at the marina and then head out on the water to try Flyboarding, for an additional fee.
Body & Mind Weeks
Sandpiper’s Body & Mind Weeks are designed to highlight the expertise of the different Club Med sports Academies and the professional instructors working there. These weeks offer pro training and sports demonstrations with the internationally renowned coaches as well as daily seminars, cooking sessions and educational classes on healthy eating and maintaining a healthy state of mind.
Each sport from the resort’s key Academies (tennis, golf, volleyball and boot camp fitness) will be emphasized during a dedicated day of the week.
Circus school
Yes, Sandpiper has a trapeze on-site for any guests looking for the ultimate adrenaline rush.
Professional flying trapeze artists—who double as evening entertainment on select nights—are on hand throughout the day to teach thrill seekers of all ages how to fly high on the trapeze at the circus school. Not into superhero-esque tricks, or afraid of heights? Don’t worry: the circus-inspired workshops will have you learning to juggle in no time.
Spa
Those of you who prefer the pampering side of vacationing can take advantage of the spa services offered at the first and only L’Occitane-branded spa in North America. The Spa offers a full range of services, including facials, wraps and scrubs, as well as deep-tissue intense relief and relaxing aromatherapy massages. Following treatments, guests are invited to continue relaxing in an idyllic Zen garden.
Club Med Kids
Club Med Sandpiper Bay is a family resort, which means there’s something for guests of all ages. The resort features Club Med’s signature kids’ programming, which offers daily activities for children ages four months to 17 years. Kids can join in family training sessions throughout the day, or follow their own schedule of activities specially designed for different age groups in the Kidz Village.
“Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart)”
If you’ve been to a Club Med resort before, you already know about the uniquely Club Med experience known as Crazy Signs—a synchronized dance common to all of Club Med’s 65 resorts around the world. The communal dances (or Crazy Signs) are led by the resort employees (known as GOs) at varying intervals during the day and evening, and eventually rope in participation from the quietest introvert. The choreography of the routines is pretty easy to pick up, but if you want a heads-up…just flip over to YouTube.
For more information on Club Med’s Sandpiper Bay resort visit: www.clubmed.ca/Sandpiper-Bay
