It's Thailand, baby

BY MAUREEN DETTRE

"Stop, revive and survive" - it's a familiar and important message for holiday drivers.

It's also relevant for weary new parents who rarely get the opportunity to have a break from their beautiful, beloved, bouncing, bundle of baby joy.

It's actually even harder when you are on holidays away from trusted babysitters.

Imagine if you could go on one of the most relaxing family holidays possible in a drop-dead gorgeous 25 hectare lush tropical resort, knowing there would be professionals ready, willing and able to provide care for your new baby as well as play action-packed fun and games with your over stimulated older children.

In December, Club Med Phuket opened its first baby club in the Asia/Pacific region as part of an extensive refurbishment of its famous kids' clubs facilities.

Now families can have care for babies from as young as four months right through the terrible twos and all the way up until the terrible teens (17).

The new Baby Club in Phuket, Thailand is a stunning state-of-the-art creche operating every day and managed by French paediatric nurse Catherine Petri.

Parents can book their baby into the club at the same time they book the holiday - it costs $A83 per day per baby (four to 23 months).

The facility is beautifully designed to resemble a Thai Elephant's palace nestling in the jungle but Petri makes it clear what the first priority has been.

"The main concern is safety," she said during our tour of the palace.

Verification of vaccination is required before babies can attend for half or full days from 9am until 5pm. Those who don't book in advance can take a chance the facility is not booked out and book in on the day, but the staff of four can only accept a maximum of 15 babies to ensure a premium ratio of one carer to 3.5 babies.

However, with a possible 700 guests a booking is recommended. The staff are reassuringly friendly and seem to have that magic X factor with babies and kids which immediately engage and relax them (and consequently parents), making the goodbyes easier than expected.

While Club Med maintains a distinctly French flavour, the 25 staff (GOs) dedicated to the kids club come from many nationalities and therefore many languages are spoken there - and one of the staff is an Aussie.

Petri says parents anxious about leaving their babies should be reassured there are always two staff in each room and all staff are first aid trained, have had criminal record checks and come with appropriate experience and references.

The glass walled rooms of the air conditioned creche are off limits to parents as security is a priority and the rooms are kept sparkling clean with a "no shoes" rule. But parents can see inside and are also welcome to come and play with their baby in a general area and socialise with other parents from 4pm.

Parents are also invited to come and feed their baby lunch in a special dining area if they choose. They can also participate in baby yoga if they so desire - so they can "share a Zen moment" with their precious bundle.

The vast range of colourful and age appropriate toys stacked in the airy and bright rooms are enough to make any baby's mouth dribble with anticipation - and parents will be pleased to know that they are all individually disinfected every day (the toys - not the babies).

The babies are divided by age into two rooms with "Pandas" being the youngest babies. The "Nemo" room is for toddlers when they have found their feet and are ready to explore from a vertical perspective until 23 months.

Parents are encouraged to explain their baby's individual routine so they can eat and sleep at the best time for them.

"It is tailored and adapted to their biological rhythm with nutrition, sleep and play balanced to keep babies in good spirits," says Petri.

The Baby Club is tailored to match the developmental milestones of those under two with an emphasis on things to stimulate their sight, smell, sound and touch.

The rooms reflect a world of fantasy, friendship, adventure and amusement.

"It's a very tactile age when they want to put everything in their mouth," says Petri philosophically.

There is a separate "quiet" room for nap time where the expert "baby whisperers" will rock babies to sleep in a room filled with cots.

Parents can also participate in baby massage, splashing in the 30cm shallow wading pool (one adult to one baby ratio) as well as the baby gym. In their absence the babies will be enjoying puppet shows, colour and shape recognition games, sing-alongs and bubble making.

When the children are two they graduate to the Petit Clu where they play with their new international friends, participating in arts and craft, nature discovery, pool and playground.

Between the age of four and 10 they sign up for Mini Club Med where the emphasis is on action and adventure - including the world famous circus school where kids can bungy and learn trapeze.

My seven year-old was a keen participant in everything on offer including "jungle games", archery and action in the kids' club pool where they play games and cool down.

By 5pm the kids are collected by parents but have the option of returning at 7pm for dinner and "event du mini club" (fun and games) until 9pm when its "a demain" (see you tomorrow).

One night they even participate in the evening show - a special treat. The teens are not forgotten and have a separate "cool" (literally and metaphorically) area - Passworld - where they can hang out with friends, play video games, use computers and watch movies.

There is a teen GO in charge of this group which has free internet access, Wifi games, Playstation and big screen TVs. All of which leaves parents free to participate in the vast range of activities on offer.

With the temperature hovering between 32 and 36 degrees many parents may be tempted to enjoy a book by the pool or swim in the tropical perfection of the waters of Kata Bay - just a few metres from the resort.

Some parents would consider it a rare treat to enjoy an uninterrupted meal - particularly considering the extensive array of superb international cuisine available virtually all day.

Club Med's Managing Director of the Asia/Pacific region Olivier Horps said the new baby club was a fitting way for the company to celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2010. The company was really the pioneer of the kids club concept - starting the first in 1967.

"We realise families like to holiday together but there is also a difference in the energy levels of the kids and the parents," Horps said. "So, in mini club they can be very active and make friends and be energetic together with a lot of outdoor activities and sport. The kids make friends and are happy and so the parents are happy."

He said the new baby club was the natural extension of the total Club Med Service for families.

Phuket's Village chief, Californian Ryan Leach, is delighted to have the first Club Med in the Asia/Pacific to offer baby club.

"We have a very simple philosophy here - happy kids equals happy parents," he said.

I think he's on to something there.

IF YOU GO

Club Med Phuket packages include accommodation, three gourmet buffet meals per day with unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks, use of non-motorised activities, entertainment and children of all ages from four months old provided with supervision and activities.

Baby Club in Phuket costs $A83 per day per baby (four to 23 months).

Petit Club is for 24 months to four year olds and costs extra per day (varies at different resorts). Mini Club is for 4-10 yrs at no extra cost. Kids Club is for 10 to 13s at no extra cost and Passworld - the teens club - is for 14-17-year-olds also at no extra cost.

- AAP