Photo submitted MEMBERS AT Club Med-Huatulco are treated to beautiful vistas of Tanolunda Bay from cne of the resort’s pools. HUATULCO jexican resort . , re] Py looks promising HUATULCO — The Mexicans, bless them, love computers, so that when you pay for lunch at a taco stall they give you a printout that is as long as the national debt and includes the weather. in Acapulco and the waiter’s inside leg measurement. So it is that when they describe a new resort as computer-designed they have gone over the top in superlatives, although the gringos they are seeking to attract would be appalled at the notion. Be that as it may, Fonatur, the Mexican tourist development agency, gave us Cancun and Ix- tapa, and newly on programme is Huatulco, pronounced Wab-tool- ko, which it says is going to be the biggest thing yet. travel talk David Wishart The plan calls for the numerous beautiful bays of Huatulco, 500 ki- lometers south of Acapulco, to have a mix of hotels and condos, although at the moment only Club Mediterranee is in business. The nearby Huatulco Sheraton Resort and the Hotel Veramar (which may be operated by Camino Real) will open in the spring of next year. What was the only village around here, Santa Cruz, has been moved inland, although some of the Mexican fisherman have mov- ed back to the waterfront and squatted just a couple of hundred metres from where a timeshare development is going up around a new marina. It’s all very peaceful, however, and there’s no doubt that Fonatur will have sorted out the locals by ‘the time the hotels and new golf course are in business next year. In the meantime Club Med has this paradise all to itself, 30 kilometres of big bays and little coves that were just waiting for an airport. This Huatulco now has, and Mexicana Airlines does the flight from Mexico City in just 50 minutes. The Club Med is the biggest yet in North America with 500 rooms, and it is a winner. The location is outstanding; three perfect coves with the main buildings in the cen- tre and four villages built behind- on a gentle hill, but in such a way that every room has an ocean view. The rooms are a huge step for- ward for Club Med. Each has two double beds and one bathroom plus the capability of giving com- plete privacy to two singles. For a couple or two friends sharing there is space galore. Bathrooms have two sinks with large and efficient showers. The water is scrupulously filtered and safely drinkable. Each room has two personal safes tucked away while very visible on the large patio is Mexico’s answer to the rat race — a hammock. Seven-person shuttles (new ones holding nine‘have started to arrive) move guests around, although I could walk from my pueblo to the restaurant in four minutes. Actual- oo ly there are five restaurants, of which the Moroccan is far and away the best, mainly because of its imaginative decor. The main restaurant and theatre are disap- pointing, but Club Med is very aware of this and about to make modifications. Club Med can’t be faulted on its food, delivered with the variety and flair so often found in a French kitchen. Wine and beer is _inctuded with lunch and dinner. © As it’s an active crowd that fre- quents Club Med, sport is all im- portant, and here the club scores over the typical hotel that offers sailing and windsurfing, often a couple of borrds at an extra fee. Club Med has more than 30 boards and 14 sailboats, and it’s all in- cluded, plus willing instructors. ‘They are also user-friendly, which is important if you are an uncoordinated shambles but really would like to try tennis. Here the typical easy-going but very profes- sional coach is a zinc-nosed char- acter called Downtown. You won’t be Wilander in a week but with 12 courts to choose from and daily classes you’ll come a long way. One of the three pools features aqua-aerobics twice a day, there’s an indoor fitness centre, air-condi- tioned squash courts, nightly entertainment, a disco, a mini-club and a convention centre. You can of course just sit on the beach with a book, which was my preference to checking out the convention centre. But 1 hope, [ just hope, that when 1BM comes to Huatulco with 200 computers, there are hooks for 200 ham- mocks, 35 - Sunday, October 23, 1988 - North Shore News wet, SAFEWAY PRICE CHECK WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TAKEN TUESDAY, OCT. 18/88 TO LIMIT QUANTITIES. AT SUPERSTORE, 3025 LOUGHEED HIGHWAY, SUNWOOD SQUARE. S UNSLICED Bread sci BROWN OVER LIMIT PRICE: sweonFoons | 48 EA. ‘SAVE-ON-FOODS PRICE IS UP TO: “PRICE IS UP TO: Raisin : Si FRESH read ie ‘UNSLICED “ae | 454g - ELT Rene ’ Hi @ vow iL ‘LOWER aN aan “ey!