This was our sixth year at Club Med Palmiye, so by now we have quite a
lot to compare — different seasons, different teams and different Chefs
de Village. And after all these years, we still believe that what makes
Palmiye truly special is its people.
First of all, a huge thank you to the waterski team. Waterskiing has
become an essential part of our holidays at Palmiye, and once again the
team was absolutely wonderful.
Huseyin is an excellent supervisor — professional, attentive and able to
create a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere while always making you
feel that you are in safe hands. And Huseyin’s playlist deserves a
special thank you of its own! Honestly, some days the music at
waterskiing was better than at the disco — it became part of the
experience and put everyone in a good mood before we even got on the water.
Eray and Etienne are fantastic: positive, patient and always ready to
help. And a special thank you to Yucel and Soner, the boat pilots. With
them, you always feel safe and comfortable while still having fun. The
whole team is a great example of the Club Med spirit we have loved for
so many years.
We were also very happy with the restaurant and the food. Executif Chef
Bayram and his team did a fantastic job throughout our stay. The food
was consistently good, varied and beautifully presented, and even after
many days there was always something new to try. After six years of
coming to Palmiye, we know the restaurant very well, and this year
Bayram and his team gave us plenty of reasons to look forward to every meal.
A very special mention goes to Fatih, the restaurant manager. He is
attentive, genuinely friendly and always seems to notice what is
happening around him. But one particular moment probably says more about
him than any general compliment could.
It was a friend’s birthday, and we realised at the last minute that we
wanted to organise a birthday cake for him. We knew this was something
we would normally have had to arrange in advance, so we were not really
expecting anyone to solve the problem for us. We asked Fatih, and
instead of simply telling us that it was too late, he immediately tried
to help — and somehow managed to arrange a cake for us.
It may seem like a small thing, but moments like this are exactly what
we remember from a holiday. It showed not only professionalism, but
genuine kindness, responsiveness and a willingness to help when it
really mattered. Thank you, Fatih — you made that evening special for us.
The same goes for Burak and the bar team. Friendly, welcoming and well
organised — exactly the kind of service that makes you feel at home
rather than simply being a guest at a resort.
Having visited Palmiye for six years, we have also experienced different
Chefs de Village, and this is perhaps the one area where this season
felt noticeably weaker to us. We missed the personal presence,
interaction with guests and involvement in village life that we remember
from previous years, particularly with Natalie and Jonathan.
Of course, every Chef de Village has his own management style, but for
us this role has always been about much more than simply managing the
resort. The Chef de Village sets the tone, brings G.M.s and G.O.s
together and helps create that unique Club Med atmosphere. With some of
the previous Chefs de Village, we felt this much more strongly.
What impressed us, however, was that this did not seem to affect the
quality, energy or professionalism of the individual teams. Waterskiing,
the restaurant, the kitchen, the bars and many other parts of Palmiye
continued to work extremely well.
To us, this says a great deal about the strength of the team and the
culture that has been built at Palmiye over the years. There is clearly
a very strong foundation here — a spirit of professionalism,
responsibility and genuine hospitality that continues even when the
leadership style at the top changes.
Perhaps this is one of Palmiye’s greatest strengths: the Club Med spirit
here seems to live not in one person, but in the people who have carried
it from season to season.
And ultimately, that is why we keep coming back. When you return year
after year, are remembered, welcomed with a smile and genuinely feel
that people are happy to see you again, it means much more than a
perfect room or a beautiful view.
Thank you Huseyin, Eray, Etienne, Yucel, Soner, Bayram, Fatih, Burak and
all your teams. You are a big part of the reason why we have been coming
back to Palmiye for six years — and why we hope to return again.
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