7 Must Haves for a Successful Beach Club
Beach Clubs continue to thrive all over the world. Some offer escape and a chill experience. Others, like O Club in Ibiza, Spain offer off-the-chart pool parties with famous dj’s and aerial performances. No matter what the vibe is, successful beach clubs elevate your beach trip to the next level and provide a resort-style, inclusive experience that makes you feel like you are being spoiled. They offer a “wow” factor that heightens your senses and takes your breath away when you first see them.
I recently traveled to Sint Maarten and got to meet Emma Capriani, one of the owners of Kalatua Beach Club on Mullet Bay Beach. It’s one of the most upscale beach clubs you’ll find on Sint Maarten and truly hits the mark for excellence. Also, I had an outstanding experience in Cannes, France at the C Beach Club, just a short walk from the harbor. Their open-air restaurant/bar/beach area offers a magnificent day on the French Riviera. In Ibiza, Spain, the Atzaro Beach Club’s location is spectacular in that it sits high on the cliffs and overlooks a beach that allows partial nudity.
Here are the seven elements that make a beach clubs magical and memorable:
A beautiful, white sand beach with swimmable water.
Location is everything. Whether the beach is set in lush vegetation and palm trees or a rocky landscape and cove, vacation goers are looking for pristine beaches and water safe for swimming.
Curated ambiance where natural elements pay tribute to the island’s culture.
I have visited many beach clubs that are indeed vibrant, but they lacked authenticity. For instance, a beach club with an ultra modern vibe designed with a lot of cool tones using marble will not fit into a laid-back Jamaican beach club.
High-Quality Sun Loungers.
If a person is on holiday, they expect to unwind in style and want to relax on a superior-crafted Sun Lounger.
Private cabanas and day beds.
The word cabana conjures up all types of images. What was once a structure to protect us from the sun has evolved into poolside paradises fit for a king.
Open-air restaurant and bar.
There’s nothing better than enjoying drinks and food in a covered area while you catch the ocean breezes. One of the most beautiful Beach Club restaurants I’ve seen recently was in San Pancho, Mexico. The Tierra Tropical Beach Club is a jewel along the Riviera Nayarit. From the beach, it is a pure Mexican architectural delight. The open-air palapa features bamboo columns and suspended hand-blown glass balls, the color of the sea, hanging from the thatch roof. Simple lines meet warm materials like wood and stone to create a contemporary feel of comfort and glamor.
Concierge Beach Service.
First and foremost, a first class beach club needs immediate access to the bar, restaurant and restroom facilities and showers. A pool is a real positive although many clubs don’t offer a pool. At the C Beach Club in Cannes, France, they had an abundance of cheerful waiters and waitresses working the entire beach area and were very efficient with their personalized service. The personality of the staff also translates into the quality of experience and heightens the expectation that you are a VIP.
Music and Atmosphere.
All beach clubs should have a certain “vibe.” For instance, the C Beach Club, located on La Croisette, the emblematic boulevard of Cannes, offers an air of sophistication and luxury and plays off the feeling you already have as you walk down the famous, tree-lined boulevard. The use of natural colors and burgundy in its restaurant, day loungers and canopies is a continuation of the French savoir-faire and luxury you see on the promenade. As you enter the beach club, a DJ plays music near the bar and restaurant, yet the music can still be heard all the way to the water’s edge. Music is an essential ingredient to beach clubs as it enhances the guest experience.
