Context is key, post up some pics of the area in question.

Every material will have some drawbacks. Concrete will stain from organics. You are right - concrete will inevitably crack. So, if you do use concrete be sure your installers uses contral joints to help direct where the cracking will occur.

In Michigan I'd lean toward poured concrete with a broom finish. It's easy to keep clean and it handles freezing better than a raised deck with a step down. You can make it less boring with saw-cut lines in a big grid and a light tint, which also keeps the surface cooler on bare feet. Trex works best on the house side where you already have it.

It sounds like you are thinking of pouring a concrete slab on top of the existing pavers - is that correct?

We have artificial turf around our inground concrete pool. The pool was installed in 1967 and is in fabulous condition. You can find the material, install manner, etc to meet the weather conditions. There is even an antimicrobial pet version. We love it. I found a quick read on what you would look for in material. This is just to read. I am not familiar with shawgrass.

https://www.shawgrass.com/en-us/news/how-artificial-turf-stands-up-to-harsh-weather-conditions. We live on Cape Cod, so our choice would not work for you. We love it.

Textured composite decking that looks like wood will collect dust/pollen and can grow mold/moss in all the little grooves. friends used it on a deck adjacent to their pool and hated it so much, they tore it out after a few years. the dark color was also very hot in the sun.

we used smooth Aztec on our deck and its slippery when wet. hot tub area, not a pool deck.

Your frustration makes sense, but I would compare these as complete systems rather than just surface choices. Before removing anything, have the existing pavers lifted in a few representative spots so the contractor can document what is underneath, how the deck is sloped, where water exits, and whether the coping and safety-cover anchors are independent of the field paving. Weeds in joints are often rooted in windblown organic material at the surface, although failed joint material, poor edge restraint, settlement and drainage problems can make them much worse.

For poured concrete in Michigan, the proposal should specify removal to a stable base, drainage and finished slope, an air-entrained freeze/thaw-rated mix, slab thickness and reinforcement appropriate to the site, isolation at the pool/coping, planned control joints, a slip-conscious finish, curing, and the exact anchor detail for the safety cover. Concrete can look clean and modern with a simple broom finish, subtle integral color and a deliberate saw-cut grid, but no contractor can honestly promise that a large exterior slab will never crack.

The composite option has more hidden constraints than the renderings usually show. Confirm the manufacturer’s required ground clearance, ventilation, joist spacing, drainage access, wet-slip performance and winter-use limitations before designing a platform only six inches above grade. Also mock up the step and coping transition at full scale: a repeated level change beside a wet pool and cover anchors can become the most annoying—and potentially hazardous—part of the project.

I would not eliminate larger-format pavers solely because of the current weeds. A properly rebuilt system with freeze/thaw-rated units, a base designed for your soil and climate, positive drainage, secure edge restraint and compatible joint material can remain repairable if future movement occurs. This pool-deck paver planning overview is a useful checklist for comparing surface temperature, textured footing, coping transitions, drainage and repairability; it is written for Southwest Florida, so use those decision factors while requiring the Michigan installer and local code official to supply the cold-climate base, frost and material specifications.

Ask each bidder to price the same written scope and show two pool decks that have already gone through several Michigan winters. I would also ask who is responsible for drainage corrections, coping, safety-cover anchors, permits, utility locating and any bond-grid work before comparing totals. With those items normalized, the bids will tell you much more than a per-square-foot surface price.

Oh and I’m in New York so fairly wide swings in climate.

Maybe look at a polyaspartic finish over new concrete.

We've had it applied to both our garage and a front walkway and porch area.

(Usually has a 15 year warranty.)

You can get custom colors or color combinations, as well as a micro fleck finish.