Club Med is preparing its return to the United States with the transformation of the Carambola Beach Resort, located in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The future Club Med St. Croix will have 150 rooms and is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2027 after a $75 million renovation.
The project, officially presented on June 15, 2026, is being carried out in partnership with VICI Properties, an American real estate investment company. A ceremony held on July 15, 2026, marked the symbolic start of construction.
This opening will allow Club Med to operate a property again in the United States, four years after the closure of Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Florida.
Summary
Club Med is transforming the Carambola Beach Resort in Sainte-Croix
The future establishment will be located on the site of the Carambola Beach Resort, on the northwest coast of St. Croix. This island belongs to the U.S. Virgin Islands, a territory of the United States located in the Caribbean.
Built in 1986 at the behest of Laurance Rockefeller, the complex is situated between a beach and a rainforest area. It currently has 150 rooms.
Club Med is therefore not building an entirely new resort. The project involves the acquisition and complete redevelopment of an existing property, which will be operated under the name Club Med St. Croix.
VICI Properties will finance the redevelopment
VICI Properties acquired the Carambola Beach Resort and entered into a long-term triple net lease with Club Med. In this type of real estate contract, the operator typically assumes responsibility for certain property-related expenses in addition to the rent.
According to information published by the two partners, VICI Properties will finance the renovation work. Club Med will then operate the establishment.
The announced cost for the renovation is $75 million. The work is intended to allow the resort to join the Exclusive Collection, the highest-end range in Club Med's portfolio.
It is therefore more accurate to speak of a real estate investment carried out by VICI Properties than of an investment made directly and entirely by Club Med.
An opening scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2027
The initial schedule anticipated a start of construction during the summer of 2026. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on July 15 in the presence of executives from Club Med, VICI Properties and representatives from the U.S. Virgin Islands.
According to the specialist press, notably Travel Weekly and PAX News, the opening of Club Med St. Croix is still scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2027.
The future resort is expected to retain a capacity of 150 rooms. Information released in July also mentions three restaurants, four bars and lounges, an infinity pool, a spa, and facilities dedicated to sports activities.
The establishment must accommodate adults and families with children aged at least 12 years. It will also be available for groups, business meetings and weddings.
Approximately 200 direct jobs announced
Club Med and VICI Properties estimate that the resort will generate approximately 200 direct jobs after its opening. The partners also anticipate at least as many indirect opportunities with service providers, producers, artisans, and tour operators.
These figures remain, at this stage, projections provided by the project leaders. They do not yet correspond to actual recruitment.
Travel Weekly also reports that 80% of the resort's jobs are expected to be filled by local residents. This proportion is also a stated target and will need to be verified after the opening.
Club Med is returning to the United States
Club Med Sandpiper Bay, located in Port St. Lucia, Florida, left the brand's portfolio in September 2022. Since this closure, Club Med no longer had an operating village in the United States.
Another project had been announced in Snowbasin, Utah, with an initial opening planned for 2024. Club Med and Snowbasin finally abandoned this project in 2022.
The Sainte-Croix project therefore represents the effective return of the brand to the United States, subject to compliance with the construction schedule and the opening announced for 2027.
The location must be presented accurately, however. Saint Croix is not on the American continent, but in a U.S. territory in the Caribbean. Residents of the United States can travel there without a U.S. passport, but the rules differ for foreign travelers, particularly French citizens.
A resort positioned within the Exclusive Collection
Club Med St. Croix is set to join the Exclusive Collection. The brand uses this designation to group together its establishments, private spaces, villas and chalets offering its highest level of service.
This ranking reflects the positioning announced by Club Med. It does not constitute an independent hotel classification or an official rating awarded by an external authority.
The group also indicates that it is aiming for BREEAM and Green Globe environmental certifications for the project. At this stage, these certifications represent objectives. They can only be considered achieved once they have been awarded by the relevant bodies.
The target of 100 villages remains set for 2035
Club Med currently operates nearly 60 resorts worldwide. Its CEO, Stéphane Maquaire, has confirmed the goal of expanding this network to 100 villages by 2035.
The leader specifically mentioned the projects in San Sicario in Italy, Gramado and Fortaleza in Brazil, Koh Samui in Thailand, Tremblant in Canada, Essaouira in Morocco and Sainte-Croix.
This objective implies the opening or integration of approximately forty additional establishments in less than ten years. However, this is a strategic target declared by management, and not a guaranteed outcome.
Over €2 billion in business volume by 2025
Club Med has announced a business volume exceeding €2 billion in 2025, representing a 4% increase. The group welcomed 1.4 million customers and claimed an average occupancy rate of 75.8% across its 61 resorts.
The net result for the year was not disclosed in the available information. Therefore, the group's performance cannot be assessed solely based on its business volume.
The Club Med St. Croix project is part of this international development program. Its opening remains conditional upon the progress of the construction, the necessary permits, and adherence to the announced deadline of the end of 2027.
Article published on July 22, 2026. The resort's features, timeline, and employment projections may change before opening.
Sources
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/club-med-advances-strategic-north-american-expansion-with-the-redevelopment-of-carambola-beach-resort-in-st-croix-in-partnership-with-vici-properties-302799408.html
- https://www.clubmed.us/d/the-caribbean/st-croix
- https://www.paxnews.com/news/hotel/work-gets-underway-new-club-med-st-croix
- https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/building-work-starts-on-new-club-med-resort-in-st-croix
- https://www.lechotouristique.com/article/club-med-annonce-son-retour-aux-etats-unis
- https://www.lechotouristique.com/article/club-med-affiche-un-volume-daffaires-de-2-milliards-en-2025
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/stephane-maquaire-072334_il-y-a-un-an-je-rejoignais-club-med-en-share-7485216106698244096-hKQm/
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