Hello,

I booked an all inclusive holiday at Club Med Smir, Morocco, for myself and 3 year old son.Our all inclusive package included: return tickets, airport transfers, accomadation on a full board basis, childcare ( Petit Club ) and a spa package. We paid £ 1353 for the holiday.

On the day of our arrival, I noticed that the main swimming pool ( in front of the Riad Hotel, on the way to the bungalow where we stayed ) didn’t have any protection for small children ( which was the case at all the previous resorts I stayed ), which meant the pool was accessible without a gate to any small children -very surprising for a resort which claims to be a safe stay for families with children of all ages.
Unfortunaly, the unsuitability of the resort for small children doesn’t stop there: the floor of the shower cabinet is also extremely slippery. The shower cabinet has also a very sharp square angle of tiles.
Unfortunately, on the evening of our arrival, my son injured his head by slipping in the shower cabinet. He violently hurt his head by falling on the tiles from the step. He had to be taken immediately to be treated at a clinic in the nearby town of Tetouan.
Following the injury, he had to be closely monitored ( there are risks of complications within the next days ) and given a course of antibiotics for 10 days to prevent all risk of infection. The doctor also said he wasn't allowed to go into water, and we should avoid the sun because of the antibiotics treatment.

As the result of the accident, my child was unable to be put into the childcare I pre-paid, and I couldn't benefit from the pre-paid spa package either. And we couldn't enjoy the swimming pool and the beach either. As it looked we would spend the rest of the stay in our air-conditionned room for the rest of the stay ( the heat is unbearable during the day ), I decided we should go back to the UK.

However, the Club Med staff at the reception made it very difficult for us to organise our return. I was lied on several occasions by the staff:
" There are no flight until 1st of September, you must stay until the end of your stay. "
" All reservation centre all closed in the evening because of the Ramadan. Take your ticket at the Tanger airport". Thanks to the help of my familly, I was able to book flights for myself and my son on a Royal Air Maroc flight between Tanger and London half empty..
Also, their was a daily shuttle from the hotel to go the Tanger airport, and the reception manager initially refused we get on this shuttle ( I was kindly adviced to book a taxi at my own risks and cost ); I had to go and negotiate with the resort manager, for us to be put on this shuttle!
On top of the worry to have an injured child, I felt I was stranded in the resort, which occured additional costs and much stress.

In total, the all holiday costed me £2114. I hold Club Med responsible for the accident of my son: I think the shower cabinet lacks basic health and safety practices ( there's no plastic mat to prevent risk of falling, there are old tiles and sharp angles, etc... ), and the head injury could have been avoided.
On top of that, I find the behaviour of the staff completely inacceptable: It was my right to decide to leave the resort; why should Club Med or some tour representative decide for me?

I've written a complaint letter to Club Med headquarters to ask for a reimbursment of my trip. I used to a be a regular Club Med customer ( I book an average of 2 stays with them every year ); however, after this experience, I must admit I am going to look for a safer and more responsible holiday provider.

The beach is great. The rooms are very old and very small. Ours was 15 minutes away from the restaurant. The food is always the same and with very poor hygiene and you can only have something to eat at breakfast, lunch or dinner. There is nothing to eat outside the main restaurant! There are flies and mosquitos all over the place. We were five and all of us were ill with diarhea and abdominal cramps. Never drink water or have drinks with ice!!!!! You have to arrange your own table at the restaurant as there is too few staff for so many tables.
The staff is not gentle although the GOs are nice. It looks as if you are a burden everytime you ask for a drink!
The kids club is only free for children over 4 years. Youngers have to pay 57 euros per day.
Never expected this experience from a Club Med. We will never return.

It's a good setup if you have a lot of kids but none of the other children english so it can be tough if your child doesn't speak french of portuguese. I was expecting a bit more luxury, Smir was built in the 70s and it shows...The activities are good, sailing, tennis but the pool and the sea where too cold for my 14 month daughter so not much good, she hated the creche and was terrified everytime we left her there. The worst part was that we all got very ill with vomiting, diarhea and cramps like a lot of other people there. Hygiene in the restaurant is not the best and even when staff where ill they were still working in the creche and in the restaurant. Everybody was exteemely friendly though and the older children definitly loved it but for small children it's just not safe.

Great for sports (tennis especially with a great team but also kayak, soccer, sailing, ...)
a great place to stay...
If you have kids, kids club is pretty well organized
If you don't, kids club has its own place (with its own swimming pool....)

You have to be careful with your location in the village because some bungalows are 15 min ahead from the village center.