Mid-2019, I had the opportunity to visit Moon Palace The Grand Cancun. Believe it or not, this was actually my very first trip to the Caribbean, let alone to an All-Inclusive- how far I’ve come since then!
To this day, the hotel property is the largest I’ve ever been on and certainly the only one I’ve ever considered using a shuttle to get around. I’m a big fan of walking around an area, but in this case, the hotel property encompasses three resorts split into sections on the property, and guests of The Grand had full access of the property. Much of the resort looks indistinct from one area to another so it can be difficult to gauge how far you need to walk to get from pool to pool.
Speaking of pools- they were my favorite part of the resort! The Grand alone has nine pools of varying shapes and sizes, though they do opt for a larger quantity of smaller pools rather than one or two big pools. Never a fan of crowds, this arrangement worked well for me.
While I enjoyed the beach, the long and relatively narrow sand fronted darker water than I expected. They were also having a bit of a seaweed issue at the time of my visit, but that’s nature and it’s charm for you. Resort workers cleared out the seaweed on the land every morning so it wasn’t as bad as it could have been but if you are looking for crystal clear blue water, this isn’t the resort for you.
This cotton-candy sunrise picture was taken at about 5am-so before the seaweed was cleaned up for the day.
There were plenty of cool places to hang out on the property, some of which were more private and some more popular so you could really choose the shape that your vacation would take. Definitely one of the perks of visiting a larger property! There are ten restaurants and twelve bars to choose from, so you’ll always be ready to try something new. I really enjoyed the rooftop bar by the beach and the speakeasy bar behind the bookshelves near check-in was super cool!
While I did like the bars, it may be a good idea to get specific when you order your mixed drinks! I had some of the worst vodka drinks of my life here- and one truly atrocious tequila shot. My friends had much more success with varied mixed drinks, but I quickly learned my lesson and switched to mezcal based drinks and beers only.
The rooms were large and comfortable with two double beds and an indoor jacuzzi, plus a furnished balcony for lounging. The mini-fridge was kept well stocked with alcohol and the in-room alcohol dispenser had high quality name-brand liquors.
I didn’t have a ton of free time on this trip but I heard good things about the nightly entertainment, and it’s good to note that staying at The Grand grants guests access to the on-site water park. As with most All-Inclusive resorts, here you also have access to plenty of non-motorized water sports as well.
I did, however, have time to sneak out to a pool with friends at night, dropping my phone into the water (its fine!) and befriend the tiniest cat I’ve ever seen in my life. As an aside- please tell me I’m not the only one whose friends got harassed by a pack of tiny raccoons late at night? I personally did not see these raccoons but it was the source of great hilarity at our meeting the next morning. I’m not sure why all the mammals here were so small, because the iguanas were enormous!
All in all, I had a great time at this resort. Only fifteen minutes away from the airport, this massive hotel complex has a huge selections of pools, restaurants, and on-site amenities, and a nice if not bathwater blue beach, making it a great option for those who want access to a little bit of everything during their stay.