Club Med turns 75 with upgrades and a South Africa debut

Published on Oct 10, 2025, 2:50 pm CDT

5 min read

Club Med is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a wave of brand moves: a refreshed flagship at Punta Cana, new mountain projects in Canada and Italy, and the company's first resort in South Africa opening in 2026. The all-inclusive pioneer says demand remains strong across its premium and Exclusive Collection portfolios, and it will pair the South Africa launch with an opening sale in mid-October. Forward bookings into 2026 are described as robust, especially for mountain and upscale experiences.

Key points

Why it matters: Club Med is doubling down on premium all-inclusive with renovations and new markets.
Travel impact: Punta Cana adds redesigned rooms, dining, and social spaces for late-2025 stays.
What's next: Bookings for South Africa open October 13-17 with an opening sale for 2026 travel.
Punta Cana upgrades feature a new lounge, reimagined dining, and refreshed deluxe rooms.
The South Africa resort pairs a Dolphin Coast beach stay with a private safari lodge.

Snapshot

At Club Med Punta Cana, five renovation projects headline the resort's late-2025 refresh: redesigned Costa del Coco Deluxe Rooms with spa-style baths, the panoramic Buena Vista Lounge arrival space, El Mundo Food Club with global dining concepts, an updated poolside Joia Bar, and a new Coffee Shop. The work, led by GG&Grace International, aims to elevate social spaces and culinary variety while maintaining an airy, bohemian island feel. Looking ahead, Club Med will open its first South African property on KwaZulu-Natal's Dolphin Coast in 2026, about 30 minutes from King Shaka International Airport (DUR). The resort will offer the brand's first Surf School and access to a private safari lodge in the Hluhluwe area.

Background

Founded in 1950, Club Med helped define the all-inclusive category and now operates more than 70 premium resorts. The brand reports 1.5 million guests in fiscal 2024, with 75 percent arriving from abroad. Mountain Resorts posted a 7 percent increase in business volume in the first half of 2025, while the Exclusive Collection saw a 6 percent rise in average daily rate. The company's current strategy focuses on premium positioning, beach-and-ski spread, and sustainability initiatives that include green certifications and its "Bye-Bye Plastics" program. Alongside Punta Cana's overhaul, Club Med signals ski expansion with projects advancing in Canada and Italy.

Latest developments

Punta Cana renovations enhance rooms, dining, and social life

Punta Cana's renovation package targets both comfort and conviviality. Costa del Coco Deluxe Rooms add private balconies and rain-shower baths designed for spa-like downtime, while the 360-degree Buena Vista Lounge anchors arrivals with open-air views framed by tropical landscaping. El Mundo Food Club layers several concepts under one roof, from French fare at Loulou and Latin flavors at Chula to Asian menus at Kyo, Mediterranean plates at Soléa, and a grill experience at Smokey's; seating spans breezy indoor-outdoor areas. Joia Bar, styled after a Dominican "casita," now transitions from daytime lounging to evening socials beside the main pool, and a new Coffee Shop rounds out the lineup with pastries, snacks, teas, and coffees.

South Africa beach-and-safari opening set for 2026

On KwaZulu-Natal's Dolphin Coast, the 411-room Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari Resort will blend surf and safari with an Exclusive Collection section, multiple pools, and the brand's first Surf School. Guests can pair the beach stay with access to a private safari lodge set on roughly 18,000 hectares in the Hluhluwe area, home to Africa's Big Five. The resort targets Green Globe certification and a 4-Star Green Star rating and will implement "Bye-Bye Plastics" from day one. Bookings open in October 2025, including an opening sale running October 13-17 with instant savings of up to $990 per person, per week for 2026 travel windows.

Analysis

Club Med's 75th-anniversary slate underscores two priorities that are resonating with travelers: premiumized spaces and distinctive experiences. At Punta Cana, the upgrade path taps today's all-inclusive sweet spot, where variety and design matter as much as value. Multiple culinary concepts under a single roof, room refreshes that emphasize spa-like baths, and social hubs that flex from family hours to adult evenings are now table stakes for top Caribbean players, and the resort's reimagined areas answer that expectation. In South Africa, the beach-plus-safari pairing should broaden Club Med's audience beyond its traditional European and North American loyalists by bundling a classic first-timer itinerary into one brand ecosystem. Layer in sustainability targets and an aggressive opening promotion, and the company positions itself to capture both curiosity and early bookings as it expands across hemispheres.

Final thoughts

For travelers weighing a winter-sun escape or a 2026 long-haul adventure, Club Med's updates deliver clear choices: a refreshed Punta Cana for near-term stays, or a South Africa debut that merges ocean and savannah. With new ski projects also on deck, the brand is using its 75th anniversary to reinforce year-round breadth at the premium end of all-inclusive. Expect Club Med's anniversary year to keep shaping where, and how, the all-inclusive model evolves-true to the spirit behind Club Med 75th anniversary.