After a Summer of work, work, and more work we decided to take a few days of R&R before the holiday season. September through November is considered the off-season for Mexico, so it’s a good time to catch decent deals on travel and accommodations. Unfortunately, this is also the hurricane season which could be disastrous if attempting to travel during this time. Throwing caution to the wind, we booked our trip for late September and ended up with a storm-free week of fun and frivolity. The forecast literally called for Thunderstorms every damn day! It probably only rained for 20 minutes during the entire five days we were in Mexico. Otherwise, it was sunny and hot. We divided our trip into two parts; we spent two days exploring the streets of Playa Del Carmen before heading to The Grand at Moon Palace resort.
The Grand at Moon Palace Cancun is one of the most luxurious of the Palace Resorts properties. With over 1300 rooms, stretched out over several acres, it is also one of the biggest. The resort is less than 20 minutes from the airport and nearly an hour from our boutique hotel in Playa Del Carmen. We used a local shuttle service to travel between locales. While taxis are abundant, shuttles offer more competitive pricing and can be scheduled to fit your needs. Driving into the main gate you are immediately met by security. Then it is a short drive to the actual hotel. This place is huge! The moment the shuttle stopped, and the door opened, we were greeted warmly and ushered to the front desk with a flower and welcome beverages. I recall thinking this is what celebrities feel like every day. We were off to an amazing start. The lobby is a gorgeous palace itself, decked out with stylish furnishings and a magnificent lobby bar. Once check-in was complete we hopped in a golf cart with the bellman and our luggage to see our room and get our vacation underway.
Transportation
The resort is like a city within a city. As such, walking may not be the best option for every traveler. Blazing Mexico heat, steamy asphalt, and long walks are a recipe for heat stroke and should be avoided. Driving around the resort is strictly forbidden and unnecessary. The resort has a reliable shuttle system for getting around its properties. We never waited more than 10 minutes for a shuttle no matter the time day or night. If you do happen to rent a vehicle for your stay it will likely be parked until you leave. Renting a vehicle is only a good idea if you are going on excursions and prefer to drive yourself around. Why anyone would invite the headache of driving on vacation is anyone’s guess. Odds are, once you arrive at the resort you won’t need to leave and most excursion packages include transportation options, so a car would be an unnecessary expense. Save your coins, ditch all notions of a rental and be driven around like the superstar you pretend to be online.
Accommodations
The website photos do not do this place justice. We literally squealed like big kids once the bellman left us alone. We spent several minutes poking around opening and closing things. Our room was a gorgeous suite with a double whirlpool tub, a sitting area and a balcony overlooking the water park. We had much more space than expected. Our room could have easily accommodated another person, comfortably. The room was outfitted with a full bar of alcoholic beverages and a minibar full of sodas, waters, and other soft drinks as well as a few snacks. As an added bonus we ordered aromatherapy pillows, to help us relax even more at bedtime. Lastly, each room is equipped with a SmartTV for local stations, cable, YouTube, and a menu of room service and other offerings. The only odd thing in our room was the bathroom window. There is an inexplicable window where you can watch the bedroom from the bathroom. We’re still not sure why anyone would need that view but the rooms are worth every penny.
Fine Dining
With an all-inclusive resort you can eat and drink as often as you like, and whenever you like. We are big foodies so this was music to our ears. Each suite has access to 24-7 room service and all-inclusive guests can enjoy unlimited meals at their choice of 10 on-site restaurants. The cuisines vary from Asian to Lebanese, with each establishment presenting a different culinary experience. For a relaxed meal, we highly recommend the buffet. The buffets are the best option for picky eaters and kids. In fact, the buffet even has its own, mini-buffet full of nuggets, burgers and other kid-friendly foods. The buffet also features a pasta bar with a wide assortment of sauces and proteins including our favorite, grilled octopus. Best of all the waitstaff will bring your plate to the table for you once you’ve loaded it up. When was the last time someone else carried your plate from the buffet to your table? Unless you’re Rihanna or have been to a Palace resort, the answer is never.
For a more traditional date night option, we enjoyed JC Steakhouse, the vibe is similar to an upscale sports bar with really good cuts of beef and a few specialty cocktails. The options here are good but the more expensive cuts and some seafood options come at a cost or resort credit. The dishes leave the kitchen piping hot and beautifully plated. We also enjoyed a unique Lebanese meal at Habibi. Since we had no idea what to expect from Lebanese cuisine, we let the staff choose our courses and were treated to a truly authentic dining experience. Dining All-Inclusive is foodie heaven. You can pick as many dishes as you like, and try new things you may not have ordered otherwise without worrying about the expense. We tried as many new dishes as possible.
Most of the restaurants are closed by midnight but room service is 24/7. If you love a 2am cheeseburger, this service will be one of the highlights of your stay. Ordering room service is as simple as a phone call. Though the menu is available on the television, orders must be placed by phone. This was an invaluable resource after a night of drinks at the bar. We were able to get some sustenance delivered right to our door in less than a half hour. We also took full advantage of their breakfast service, which allowed us to pick our must-have breakfast items and set a time to be delivered. We started each morning with a hearty breakfast in the comfort of our own room while we got ready for an adventurous day. All liquor at the resort is top shelf.
Entertainment
We came to relax, so we spent the majority of our days lounging around the pool. The Grand has nine outdoor pools, thankfully there are a few adults only options. As childless adults on vacation navigating around little ones is often a priority. The adults-only pool gave us the luxury of a kid-free environment to relax and enjoy the sunshine. In addition to the pools, The Grand also has a water park. There are three slides, a small lazy river, a kiddie pool with sprinklers and a wave pool. For children the water park is perfect. The water is under three feet in most areas and there’s plenty of space to run around and enjoy themselves. The adult experience is thrilling with the slides being tall and fast. We took advantage of every slide and felt like big kids. The lazy river is small but fun for a relaxing time around the water park area. Our advice: leave the water park to the kids and head to the swim up bars for more R&R.
We got away with avoiding kiddies at the pool but there was no escaping them at our second favorite place; the arcade. The arcade is filled with interesting games including some PS4 and Xbox consoles. The best part is no quarters or cash of any kind is required. We had a blast capturing dinosaurs, shooting baskets, and racing motorcycles several times a day. We enjoyed the arcade most while waiting for the next evening show in the theater. The Grand hosts several shows in its theater including a Rock Acrobatic show, a Michael Jackson impersonator concert and a breakdancing show. The production value is comparable to a cruise ship. While it may not be Broadway it is a fun way to kill a little time. A full bar and snacks are also available while you watch the show. The resort also has a bowling alley (The Ninth Pin Bowling & Bar), where guests can enjoy some finger foods and beverages while bowling a few frames. Bowling is fun but it isn’t cheap. Bowling costs a whopping $50 per person per hour or you can use resort credits. In an hour, we were able to play two full games while enjoying drinks and food from their menu.
NightLife
The Grand has one dance club called Unique Night Club, located in the Central Lobby. It is only open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The music played is dependent on the crowd in attendance. Having visited the resort in the off-season with a bevy of baby boomers the playlist was a mixture of Disco and 80’s pop. Once the crowd shifted to a more European group the music shifted as well, with a mix of international tunes. Like any establishment, Unique caters to whoever is in attendance. If a wild night of drunken debauchery is what you want, arrange car service to a local club, but do so at your own risk. The resort has excellent security, and everywhere you go within it, you are surrounded by other guests of the resort so chances of mayhem are less likely. You can never be too careful.
Customer Service
The staff is attentive and friendly. They are all well-trained professionals who work hard to ensure your comfort, which should be expected at any resort. Naturally, everyone is smiles and giggles when things go right but what happens when things go wrong? We didn’t think we would have an answer to that but we do! During our arrival, the bellman dropped a priceless souvenir we bought while visiting Playa Del Carmen. The Mayan Skull we purchased hit the ground with a loud thud, cracking the base and creating a hole in the back ruining the intricate handcrafted design. We were devastated and immediately contacted the front desk after discovering the damage. While they couldn’t repair it they did offer us a complimentary afternoon of bowling and a gift from the gift shop in retribution. Their swift action and compassion diffused what could have been a trip ruining experience. We were upset when the incident occurred but determined to have a good time so we let it go rather quickly, but customer service was insistent on making things right. In addition to bowling and a gift shop item, we also received a heartfelt apology from the bellman and the hotel. They really went above and beyond to make sure we were satisfied with the resolution. They even took it upon themselves to get us a new Mayan Skull.
Overall
When choosing a vacation option consider the demographics before you book. The cheaper a place is the more likely you are to run into young travelers. Traveling with the thirty and under crowd, which often means a more lively party scene, pounding bass all night long, and the threat of endless drunken debauchery. Consequently, the more pricey a place is the more likely you are to have a more mature clientele. The Grand attracts a mixture of mature adult couples and families with small children. The majority of guests are over 35 and are either with their significant other, other couples or children. The Grand is ideal for a low key laid back experience, with like-minded individuals. During our stay, we ran into only one loud obnoxious group. In any other settings, they would have been part of the background, but with the chill vibe at The Grand, they stuck out in a major way. They were harmless but way too loud and energetic for their surroundings. To their credit, they did bring a little jolt of energy and a lot of laughter to every space they entered. To be fair, the laughter was usually theirs.
If you search Cancun on any social media platform you will likely find images of outrageous parties, over the top clubs and lively often crowded atmosphere. Our experience at The Grand Moon Palace was much tamer. We had the luxury of a truly relaxing, rejuvenating vacation. The calming atmosphere of the resort allowed us to unwind in ways that would not have been possible anywhere else. Their staff is truly dedicated to helping you achieve your vacation goals. Everyone is friendly accommodating and ready to assist in any way. The food was delicious and well prepared we ate like royalty EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. Our stay at the Grand Moon Palace Cancun was exactly what we needed, an escape from the hustle to restore our sanity. Moon Palace will be at the top of our list for future retreats.
For more information or to book your own stay, visit MoonPalace.com and check out our own personal photos below: