
The Grand by Moon Palace
The Grand by Moon Palace is a family-friendly all-inclusive resort in Cancun, Mexico with 1300 rooms. Amenities include Adults-Only Pool, Arcade, Babysitting, Beach and Bicycle Rentals. Travelers rate it 4.5/5 across 9,781 Google reviews.
Things to Know
Atmosphere
Room Upgrades
Amenities
Traveler Insights(525 discussions)
Moon Palace The Grand is the answer travelers give alongside Hyatt Ziva when asked for the best family resort in Cancun. Where Ziva wins on Hyatt points and brand consistency, Moon Palace The Grand competes on food quality, pool complexity, and the Palace membership pricing that unlocks significant discounts. Travelers who've activated member pricing frequently describe the deal as one of the best values in Cancun — airport transfers, spa treatments, massage credits, and manicures/pedicures all included in the membership package.
The food praise is notable and specific. Unlike vague 'food was good' comments, Moon Palace The Grand gets detailed compliments: specific restaurants called out, specific dishes recommended, and the general sentiment that the dining experience is appreciably above what most Cancun all-inclusives deliver. For families who spend significant time eating at the resort, this matters over the course of a week.
The honest trade-off is that the Palace membership structure can feel like a timeshare pitch. Expect an invitation to a membership presentation — it's optional but aggressively marketed. The resort is also large and can feel crowded during holidays, and mid-2026 renovation work is a real wildcard: while most recent guests still rave about the staff and food, one June 2026 stay hit six simultaneously closed restaurants and visible wear in the water park and common areas, with management acknowledging the renovation closures. Ask what's closed during your dates before booking. But the core experience — food, pools, service, amenities — consistently delivers at a level that justifies the buzz it generates in travel forums.
Pros
- +Widely considered one of the best all-inclusive resorts in Cancun — appears at the top of travelers's best-of lists
- +Food quality is exceptional for all-inclusive — 'the restaurants are all great' comes up repeatedly
- +Incredible pool complex with multiple pools, swim-up bars, and lazy river options
- +Palace membership discounts can dramatically reduce the price — often the smartest way to book
- +Service quality is outstanding — staff attentiveness and responsiveness consistently praised
- +Perks through Palace membership include free airport transfers, spa treatments, and massage credits
- +Large enough to feel like a destination unto itself with consistent entertainment
- +Good for families with comprehensive kids programming and activities
Cons
- −Full rack rate is expensive — comparable to Hyatt Ziva or higher without membership pricing
- −Palace membership program can feel like a timeshare pitch — expect a presentation invite
- −Large resort scale means it can feel crowded during peak season
- −Beach at this location is decent but not as impressive as Riviera Maya's natural beaches
- −Not adults-only — if you want an adults-only Cancun experience, look elsewhere
- −Cancun Hotel Zone location lacks the natural setting of Riviera Maya properties
- −Mid-2026 renovation work has disrupted some stays - a June 2026 guest found six venues closed at once (Caribeno, Los Tacos, The Grand Buffet, The Grill, Joe's Deck, Riviera Maya) plus visible wear in the water park, walkways, halls, and lifts, and management acknowledged the renovation closures
- −Member-pricing dependent — non-member rates can be surprisingly high
Common Questions
Google Rating
Google Reviews
“This part of the greater Moon Palace facility is my favorite part. The layout is expansive with tons of pools. I would avoid the Christmas and New Year's time unless you are good with lots of families and people in general. The Mexican buffet on the...”
“Dad+3 stayed 6 nights in a Family Suite, a connecting King room and two double bed room. Both sides were massive and each had a large indoor whirlpool tub near the balcony door. Bathrooms were very nice, except that on 3 occasions, there was no hot w...”