A comparison of Club Med (Columbus Isle) and Breezes at Runaway Bay (A SuperClub) ( With added information on Club Meds at Turks & Cacios and Guadalopue ) Initially written June, 1996, updated several times since. Introduction Several people have asked for a comparison of a Club Med resort and one of the Jamacian 'All inclusive' resorts. Since I've been to several Club Meds and just returned from Breezes at Runaway Bay, Jamaica, I guess I'm in a good position to make the comparison. Although the comparison will be primarily between the Columbus Isle Club Med (CM) and Breezes at Runaway, I'll try to generalize somewhat, where possible, based on my stays at other CMs and discussions with people who have stayed at other Jamacian all-inclusives. Although my preference will be obvious, I will try to accurately point out the pros and cons of each resort so as to allow the reader to make a better decision based on their own preferences. (Not everyone has the same preferences and priorities as I do... thank goodness!!) This comparison will be broken down into the following categories: Physical Facilities & Grounds Beach and local facilities Food and drink Entertainment Sports / activities Off-resort touring Staff Physical Facilities and Grounds Club Med: The CM (Columbus Isle) is relatively new and, for a CM, luxurious. Built in the early 90s (it opened in 1992 in celebration of the 500th anniversary of Columbus' landing), it is still fresh and in good condition. The grounds are extensive and landscaped in the native vegation (which is sparse). Buildings are spread out along probably close to a half mile of beachfront. I would make a very rough estimate that the total accessible grounds area must be close to 100 acres. All eating areas are enclosed and air-conditioned. Guest rooms are situated in small 2 story buildings, each of which contain 4 rooms. The buildings are interconnected via covered walkways. The guest rooms had phones and a TV (unusual for CMs). The entertainment area is a covered outdoor (not air-conditioned) facility that can get a bit 'close' on warm, humid evenings. Breezes Breezes is situated on about 22 acres, so is much more compact. We found indications the buildings were built in about 1961. It has been renovated extensively and is generally in very good condition and has several unique and beautiful buildings. As with many renovated facilities, the workmanship and materials in the renovations frequently don't come up to the quality of the original, with a number of rough edges being rather noticeable. The 234 guest rooms are in 3 long buildings, with long interior hallways and either a balcony of small patio for each room. Rooms are nice, comfortable and fully equipped (TV, Phone). The primary eating area is a covered outside facility. While it was generally pleasant with a ocean breeze blowing in, it also allowed a few too many flies and some very intrusive blackbirds to participate in the mealtimes. Some of the entertainment was in this facility, but there is also a nicely appointed interior 'nightclub'. Comparison The much larger CM facility gives it a definite advantage. While Breezes sometimes seems a bit cramped, you never felt crowded at CM. Although the open-air eating facility at Breezes is convenient and nicely informal, the flies and birds did sometimes get to be a nuisance. The pool at Breezes was nice and slightly larger than CM's, but the water was always a bit cloudy, possibly caused by some of the frequent rains while we were there. The Breezes had more common areas available for relaxing or lounging (the hanging wicker chairs were especially fun for two!). Overall: I give CM somewhat of an edge, primarily due to a less crowded feeling and the indoor eating facilities. Other Club Meds also tend to be rather 'spread-out' and spacious, while most of the Jamacian resorts tend to be around 20 acres in size. Beach and Local Facilities Breezes There was probably about 600 feet of beach area at Breezes, including the 100 foot section set aside for a nude beach. The beach was reasonably wide and consisted of slightly coarse yellow/grey sand. At one end of the beach was a very rocky section which adjoined another resort. At the other end, the beach continued for about another 1/2 mile, but.... As soon as you crossed the line marking the resort boundary, the local Jamacian merchants descended upon you. Although a firm "No Thanks" generally turned them back, you get tired of it very quickly. This section of beach was somewhat rocky, partially seawalled and not really very good for beach-walkng anyway. The beach was sandy for about 50 feet into the water, then there was a area of rocks and coral which was 'out of bounds' for boats or swimming/snorkeling. Further out was some good swimming/snorkeling areas (about 10-20 feet deep). If you left the resort by the front entrance (other than in a tour group), you were again the target of local 'merchants'. Club Med The CM beach would have to be described as 'picture perfect'. Wide beach area of fine white sand, leading into the water with mostly sandy bottom, with occasional small coral heads, perfect for snorkeling around. The resort owned section of beach was about 1/2 mile long. On one end the beach turned rocky as it rounded a point. On the other end, the perfect beach continued for about another mile before coming to another rocky point. There are no other buildings of any kind along this beach. The few times we did leave the resort, the only reaction from the local residents was generally a friendly wave. Comparison The CM Beach was wider, longer, and nicer. Breezes did set aside a 'nude beach' area but CM generally has a very 'international' feeling, so topless (and occasionally, nude) bathing on the regular beach was relatively common. Overall Club Med definitely comes out on top for it's beach facilities. Other CMs also tend to stress excellent beach facilities. I understand that resorts in the Negril Beach area of Jamacia share a larger and generally nicer beach than Runaway, but with some rocky areas and they still have the somewhat aggressive merchants. Food & Drink Breezes The frequently noted advantage of the 'super-clubs' is their free drinks of all kinds. To us, the primary way this helped us was to keep more of the guests at the bars rather than at the beach facilities. We are obviously not big drinkers! We certainly enjoy wine with meals (which both resorts offer) but seldom drink beer or hard drinks (nothing wrong with people who do... we just don't). We did enjoy a couple of after-diner brandies, but that was about the extent of our drinking. The 'help-yourself' soft drink fountains close to the beach were appreciated though. The food was good, but I felt it was a bit 'Americanized' for the large number of Americans present. To get the local 'Jerk' chicken or pork you had to go to the small 'beach grill' and carry it back to the eating area. The selection of local fruits was very good, with some of the best papaya I've had in a long time. They never did serve any mango, another of my favorite tropical fruits. Other selections were a bit limited, however, only a couple of breads, and typically five or six entrees (all buffet style, of course). As previously mentioned, the main dining area was not enclosed so the birds and flies were a bit of a problem. Breezes has a 'upscale' restaurant with an Italian bent. It is inside and very nicely appointed. You must make reservations and guests are expected to dress a little better. ( I quickly grew tired of the term "casually elegant".) Service was excellent and the food was good. Highly recommended. At the main dining area, guests seat themselves at any available table. In general, this means that couples will be siting at tables by themselves unless they came with friends or have made new friends. Club Med Club Med's beginnings (and it's heart) is in France. This explains a lot about the food at a CM. It is just a step above any other resort I've ever been to. Ten to twelve types of bread at every meal, plenty of fruit of all kinds, probably 8 to 10 entrees, and some of the best salads (and salad makings) I've ever seen. The general variety in the kinds and flavors of food was greater, probably reflecting the more international slant of the guests (GMs). The Cancun CM was not quite as good as the Columbus Isle, but still somewhat better than Breezes. The Columbus Isle CM had two 'upscale' restaurants which required reservations. While very nice, the facilities and service for these were not as good as Breezes, although the food was about equal. As noted, guests at CMs must pay for alcoholic drinks (other than wine or beer with meals). "Bar Beads" are normally used to pay for such drinks, so there is no need to carry cash around. As guests arrive at the dining area, they are generally seated at large tables, filing up one table of 8 or 10 GMs before starting another. This leads to very mixed tables and is in effect a great 'mixer'. You get to know a lot of people you otherwise would not have met. Comparison Both resorts offer wine at meals: Breezes continually refills your glass while CM puts the bottles of wine on the table. While having the server refill your glass is nice, I prefer to "do it myself" so I get whatever types of wine I want, when I want it. Breezes did automatically provide glasses of water (and kept them full) while you had to ask for water at CM (another result of the European influence). Potential guests will have to decide how important the complimentary drinks are at the superclubs. The seating arrangements (self-directed or assigned to 'mixed' groups at tables) actually makes a significant difference to the overall atmosphere. The mixed seating at CMs encourages mingling and meeting other GMs. Although at first it seems uncomfortable, GMs quickly get used to it (everyone is in the same boat) and after a couple of days, most people actually prefer it. It encourages the friendly 'get to know people' atmosphere at most CMs. Overall Unless the free drinks are very important, Club Med comes out well on top for food and drinks, including variety, quality, and eating facilities. I also think the mixed seating at large tables is actually an important part of the environment. Entertainment My 'definition' of entertainment is the activities provided by the resort in the evening hours (not daytime games or activities). Breezes Breezes had several forms of entertainment each evening, most of it of very good quality. The 'resident band' was very good and provided good backup for several of the other entertainers. It appears that there are a number of these quality, professional entertainers who rotate among the Jamacian resorts on probably a weekly schedule. Singers, dancers, and, of course Limbo-dancers all put on a good show. They used both indoor and outdoor facilities as appropriate to the type of entertainment. There is also a Disco, although most people who went there reported it was primarily frequented by the local staff and there were few guests and not much dancing. Club Med Entertainment at most Club Meds is provided primarily by the staff (GOs). Although many are talented, they are NOT professional entertainers. While fun and entertaining, the typical CM evening show would not be considered ready for "prime-time". CM theaters are generally open-air facilities. Each CM also has a Disco or some form of nightclub. The Columbus Isle Disco was lightly used while the younger crowd at Cancun did make good use of that Disco. Many CMs bring in a local group one or two nights a week for some professional entertainment (the dancers at Cancun were excellent). Comparison While similar in facilities and intent, the true professional entertainers at the Super-Clubs do make a difference. Overall Breezes (and the Super-Clubs) offers a definite advantage over Club Med, especially for those who are looking for quality evening entertainment. Sports and Activities I'll mention each sport and compare resorts individually for each such sport, with an overall evaluation at the end. For the sports I did not personally participate in, I will try to accurately relay comments I heard from other guests. Golf: Breezes and several other super-clubs have golf courses adjacent to the resort or very close by. Only a couple of Club Meds have courses close enough to be convenient and are typically available only for an additional charge. Tennis: I played tennis at Columbus Isle, but not at Breezes. Columbus Isle offered 12 'synthetic clay' courts (6 lighted) while Breezes had 4 composition courts. The Columbus Isle tennis 'pro' truly taught and played like a pro. Although there were specific times for classes and tournaments, the pro was available almost any time of day. The schedule at Breezes appeared to be more limited (cannot comment on the quality of the instruction). SCUBA: As with most other sports, the CM SCUBA equipment appears to be first class. I don't dive myself (at least not in about 30 years) so I can't comment on the tanks and regulators, but the boats are an obvious difference. Cancun CM had what appeared to be very nice dive boats, very modern and about 35-40' but I did not actually get on them. I did get on the Columbus Isle dive boats (for snorkeling) and those boats are truly first class. They had 3 boats, each a wide 40' steel catamaran outfitted with racks and decks specifically for diving. Each had dual diesel engines, Plenty of walk-around room and very comfortable even in rough water. The CM also has their own on-site decompression chamber. The Breezes SCUBA facility pales by comparison. A single dive boat: a dual-outboard of about 25'. Although probably designed and outfitted for diving, it just doesn't come close to CMs boats in facilities or comfort. From what I could see, the diving sites at Runaway Bay also did not approach those at San Salvador. To be fair, the SCUBA program at Breezes was no additional cost, while the Culb Med program was additional. I believe it was approximately $100 (USD) for 2 dives per day for 7 days. Snorkeling: At Columbus Isle and Breezes, there were reasonably good snorkeling areas just off the main beach. At Cancun there was excellent snorkeling along the beach areas. At Columbus Isle there were two daily snorkeling trips using the excellent dive boats. Each trip averages about 15-20 people and went to one of about 6 or 8 different snorkeling spots. Breezes uses the 'glass-bottom boat' for snorkeling trips. This boat is a bit "rough around the edges", to put it mildly. The old outboard motor sputtered a bit, but it did seem to start on the first pull each time. I'm not sure, but I believe the snorkeling trip went to the same spot every time. (We only went on one trip.) Windsurfing: Now we're getting close to home.... Each of the CMs I've been to had similar windsurfing facilities. Probably about 20 boards, of which 6 to 8 are 'beginner' boards. They also had an equal number of well maintained sails, with a good mix of small (3.2M), medium, and large (5.+M) sails. All items were well cared for, protected from sun and sand wherever possible. The GOs are knowledgeable, capable and always willing (eager) to help beginners. They seem more patient and helpful than the instructors at Breezes. Although Breezes probably had a similar number of boards, most appeared to have been 'retired'. There were 3 beginner boards (2 had stabilizing float collars) and perhaps 2 intermediate boards. There were 3 3.2M sails, 1 4.2M and 2 5.4M sails. All were kept in a rack in the sun with the feet sitting in the sand (windsurfers will understand the implications) and several had rips in the sails. Breezes' instructors, while capable, did not seem as good at teaching others. (Also see my general comments about the staffs later.) Sailing: The Cancun CM had some 2-person sloop rigged boats, but most people sailed the Lasers (all were well maintained). At Columbus Isle there were 8 Hobie-16s for GM use. A quick "check-out" was required, then GMs could sail the Hobies almost anywhere, in some rather brisk winds. (They averaged about one 'knock-down' per hour most days, with cheerful 'rescues' by the GOs.) The week ended with a 'regatta' that included some rather competitive sailing. At Breezes the single Hobie wase only used by the staff to take guests for a 'ride'. Guests were apparently not allowed to handle the tiller or sheet. Guests could take the Sunfishes, of which there were 5, in varying states of repair. All had some degree of patches, and only one had a tiller extension to allow reasonable hiking-out. The rudders and daggerboards had not seen any varnish in some time and had been repaired in various ways, with varying success. Other: Other sports related activities (sea-kayaks, swimming pool, volleyball, exercise/weightlifting, etc.) were generally comparable. General Sports Comparsion: It is apparent that Club Med expects to have people use the sports facilities, and takes quite a lot of effort to provide top quality equipment and keep it in good condition. I got the impression that Breezes has the sports facilities because it is expected, but they do not really expect people to use them much. Breezes expects people to lay by the pool or beach, or stand by the bar.... not actually use the sports facilities. Off-Resort Touring Club-Med: Tours vary by Club, so it's hard to make a general statement. At Cancun there were tours to Cozomel, and several Mayan ruins. (The tour I went on was very good, with a excellent lunch at the surprisingly luxurious Club Med outpost at Cobel.) On the other hand, there is essentially nothing on SanSalvdor. There are some bike tours to the Christopher Columbus monument and these give you a chance to see some of the local towns and people. They also offer a day trip to Nassau for shopping. Breezes: Breezes, on the other hand, offers several local tours, both for shopping and sightseeing. The highpoint is probably the trip to Dunn's River Falls. Most of the Jamacian resorts will have similar tours available. Overall: Off-resort touring probably depends more on what is available locally rather than which resort you stay at. Staff Club Med At Club Med, the workers are not the 'staff' they are "Gentile Organizers" (GOs) while the guests are really "Gentile Members" (GMs). Whether it's the names, or a real difference in attitude, there is a difference here. I always leave a CM feeling that I'm leaving behind some true friends. You really get to know the GOs. The GOs and GMs eat meals together and this gives you a good change to get to know them better. The result is truly not a guest/staff relationship, but more one of friends playing and sometimes working together. (At CM you're expected to do you share of work in launching and beaching the sailboats; at Breezes they didn't want you to lift a finger.) GOs come from around the world, bringing many different experiences and stories, which most are eager to share. GOs rotate from club to club, usually on a 6 month schedule, so they are a good source of information about other clubs. When you walk up to a couple of GOs, they will almost always greet you in a friendly manner (not fake) and ask what they can do for you today. I've talked to a number of other GMs, and they all feel that the GM/GO relationship is a very important part of the Club Med atomsphere and experience. Breezes The staff is the Staff, and the guests are the guests. There seems to be little mingling or friendships. This is a much more "conventional" resort atmosphere, which some people may well prefer. We got to know a couple of the sailing staff a little, but not at all to the degree we did at CM. We didn't even learn their real names... just 'Champagne' and 'Mr. Bond'.) The staff seemed to form their own groups and guests sometimes had to break into these groups to get someone's attention. One frequently got the feeling you were 'imposing' on the staff when you asked for something, like a windsurfer. They were never really rude, just not as friendly and outgoing. Overall This really gets to the heart of the difference... Club Med has a different atmosphere, largely because of the GM/GO relationship instead of staff/guest. CM tends to be a more social and friendly environment, and for some of us, this is much preferred. Other Some other miscellaneous comments: Guests / GMs: The guests at Breezes were relatively homogenous. Probably 75% were US citizens, another 15% other English speaking, and only 10% from Germany, Japan, and South America. Without mixed seating at mealtimes, you seldom end up meeting these non-US visitors. At Club Med (Columbus Isle) probably 30% were US, 20% other English Speaking, 20% German, 15% Italian and the rest a mixture of French, Asian, and South American. This is definitely a international destination. We enjoyed meeting all the different types of people, but to some people this may be a bit intimidating. One evening we ended up at a table with 6 Germans (purely coincidence, they did not know each other prior to that night). We had a delightful discussion, and I must admit to being somewhat embarrassed that all but one of them spoke English very well, we knew only a few phrases in German. They were also much more aware of American current events that we were of German events. Then there was the French couple who had been going to CMs for 30 years, back for their third visit to Columbus Isle. (The French people we met at Columbus Isle seemed more friendly and open than ones we've met elsewhere.) Conclusion As you've not doubt guessed, we preferred the "Club Med Experience" to Breezes. It is NOT for everybody. Club Meds are geared to the active participants who enjoy meeting new friends. Many people will prefer the more traditional resort style of the Super-Clubs, or may want to take advantage of their complimentery drinks. Breezes is a very nice resort and I would not hesitate to recommend it to many people, as I'm sure the other Super-Clubs are very nice also. But for us, we'll be looking for another Club Med to try out on our next trip.... perhaps the Turkoise Club (Turks and Cacios). But I haven't given up on Jamaica either; the Swept-Away resort sounds like it might be more our style. PostScript: Club Med. Turkoise Since writing the above comparsion, we did indeed visit the Turkoise Club Med (Turks and Cacios). In short, it reinforced our opinion of Club Med. I will attempt to provide a brief outline of our experiences at Turkoise, and offer some minor comparsions. Facilities: The grounds and general area were well kept and spacious. They offer about 300 rooms in probably 8 or 9 buildings and semi-attached bungelows. The public buildings are about like Columbus Isle, although not quite as nice or as well decorated with art objects. Indoor dining rooms, outdoor entertainment area, plenty of open area around the pool for the normal 'pool games'. The rooms were clean, spacious and well maintained, if not exactly luxurious (no TV, radio, or phone). Beaches, etc: The club is spread along probably close to a half mile of wide sandy beaches. The beaches continue in both directions. You could easily walk for several hours and not get off the sandy beaches. The area is protected by a reef about a mile or two offshore, so no large waves disturb the beach area and the prevailing winds were offshore/side-shore, so the worst conditions we encountered was a 'moderate chop' in the sailing area. In addition to swimming, there are Snorkeling, SCUBA, water sking, sailing, and windsurfing facilities along the beach area. Sports: Sports included: Tennis, Golf, SCUBA (dedicated dive center), snorkeling (dedicated snorkel boat), sailing (Lasers, Zumas, and Hobie Waves), windsurfing (good selection of boards and sails), circus (trapeeze, juggling, etc.) and the normal offering of vollyball, basketball, etc.) Snorkeling: There is very little to see just off the beach, so snorkelers will want to take the twice a day snorkel trips. The trips go to various areas/reefs, depending on wind and sea conditions. Two trips a week go to the 'Turtle Cove' area to see the sea turtles and rays that frequent that area. Water clarity varied from mediocre (Turtle Cove) to very good (at the outer reef area). Sailing/Windsurfing: The sailing GO crew offers beginners lessons, or experienced sailors can go on their own after a quick checkout. Excellent selection of boards and sails (and harnesses) for beginning or experienced windsurfers. Food: I would put the food quality a very small notch below Columbus Isle, but above about every other resort we've visited. We were a little suprised at the relative lack of seafood, considering the location, but everything offered was very good. There are two 'table service' restaurants which were nice. The GO Team: As usual, it's the GOs that really make the difference. They were always friendly and helpful (and this was at the end of their 6 month 'assignment' when they are typically showing signs of 'burnout'). We made several real friends to whom it was hard to say 'good-by'. Club 'Personality': This club is a bit more active with slightly younger GMs than Columbus Isle, but more mature than, say, Cancun. There are weekly charter flighs from New York and Montreal (I believe) in addition to the daily Miami flight, so there was a higher percentage of US and North American guest than at Columbus Isle, but we still had a number of interesting international conversations. (I would guess about 30-40% of the GMs were non-North Americans.) I have heard reports that this club attracts quite a few college students during spring break and during this time the average age drops, while the 'rowdy factor' climbs. The club was only about 30% occupied while we were there, so it's character might change when it is fully occupied. (We visited in late Sept, 1996) Post-Post Script: Review of Club Med Caravelle (Guadeloupe) In late April, 1997 we visited the Caravelle Club Med (island of Guadeloupe). This is one of the two "French speaking" clubs in the Carabbean (Martinique being the other). Since neither my wife nor I speak French, we did do a little studying to try to pick up a few french terms. Facilities: More like a european resort... rooms were a bit on the small side, but well maintained. (We took the 'standard' rooms, smaller and larger rooms are available at corresponding prices.) Both restaurants were 'open-air' and the birds were a minor problem, but not bad. There were two beach areas, one primary for swimming/sunning/sailing and one for windsurfing. Some buildings were starting to show some age, but not bad. The 'entertainment' area was esentially a large 'permament' tent over a wood floor. Most of the nightly entertainment was held around the bar/restaurant/activity area. Beaches: The previously mentioned beaches streached a total of close to a mile. Interestingly, these are actually public beaches.... local residents and other visitors were free to come and go (via the beach) and use all facilities. It appears that Club Med maintains the beaches and facilities and provides lounge chairs, showers, etc. While the signs said the lounges, showers, etc were only for use by CM GMs, we saw very few 'locals' being chased off the facilities. There was never a problem with any locals and looking back, I have no objections to the apparent arrangement. There were also 'strolling vendors' selling everything from refreshments to sports clothes. These vendors were the exact opposite of the Jamacian vendors, low-key, polite, (spoke french, but know english). I loved the "Lou-Lou Bienet" vendor and his soft chant/song. No problem here at all. The windsailing beach had great WS conditions.... almost constant winds of 15-25kt with occasional gusts... reef protected bay with water seldom more than chest deep. Oh yes, I must also mention that, as a 'continental' resort, topless dress was common, almost the norm, for the ladies on the beach. (It did make it easy for the ladies to try on the vendor's swimsuits right on the beach.) There is also a streach of beach (between the two main beaches) which was (unofficially, I believe) "clothing optional". For better or worse, the CO beach was on the 'short-cut' from the swimming/sailing beach to the windsurfing beach: sailing and windsurfing were our two primary activities. ;-) There was snorkeling area off the swimming beach, but the water was always a bit stirred up and nothing to compare to Columbus Isle or Turkoise. Oh yes, no swimming pool, but we never really missed it. (One has been added in a rennovation program since our visit.) Sports: Besides windsurfing, sailing, and snorkeling, they had archery, golf, tennis and the mormal land-sports( vollyball, basketball, etc.) and a circus set-up (trapeeze, 'high-wire', trampoline, etc). The sailing was a bit challanging. As soon as you sailed out of a small protected lagoon/beach area, you were in the Atlantic ocean... good breezes and suprisingly good sized waves/swells. You need to know what you're doing to sail the Lazers in these conditions. (The 'regatta' was sailed completely within the lagoon.) (See the note regarding 'language considerations' below.) The windsurfing area had a very good selection of boards and sails, from beginner to 'pro'. Food: Truthfully, the food was not quite as good as I expected for a 'French' Club. It was still very good... but not as good as Columbus Isle, and perhaps not quite as good as Turkoise. At noon the main dining area could be a bit warm as it didn't get much of the breeze. We soon learned to eat lunch at the small restaurant where there was always a cooling breeze, making lunch very pleasent. GOs/GMs/Club 'personality': Most GOs were european with a couple of Americans. All could understand and speak at least a little english. There were numerous direct flights from Paris to the very modern airport, so there were many european GMs. I was a bit suprised at the relatively old average age of the GMs.... probably well into the 40s, older than Columbus Isle. Everyone was friendly... none of the old "French attitude" that used to be prevalent. We met and talked to people from France, Germany, Isreal, Italy, Canada, and the US. I'd say about 20% US/native english speaking, 60% French, 20% 'others'. Although the topless dress on the beach would suggest a 'wild' atomsphere, it was just the opposite... one of the quietest clubs I've been to. About the 'Language': We were a bit concerned about not being able to speak French at a french club.... but it was no problem. Almost everyone you might need to talk too could speak english. We didn't even get a chance to try our newly learned french phrases. English speaking GMs were generally seated with other english speakers by the dining room hostesses. Actually, we started avoiding the hostesses some so we could sit with some non-english speaking GMs. The only real disadvantage was that our contact and conversation with the GOs was limited. They generally had to 'work' to speak english, so they were not quite as 'open' with us as other GOs have been. Also, it is difficult to give intermediate/advanced sports instruction with a language barrier. Although the windsurfing GO was very patient and knowledgeable, sometimes the language barrier was an obvious problem. The GOs never complained or even made reference to our inability to speak french. (When we brought it up, they encouraged us to learn some french, not did not 'push'. The Chef de Village (Gino, quite a character) told us "learn one word or phrase a day, and you will soon be speaking french.") Summary: We enjoyed it very much, a little different from the other CMs, (but, they are each a 'little different'). We've about decided to try to learn some more french and perhaps go back some day. In the meantime, Columbus Isle is probably on the top of the "clubs to revisit" list.