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I made my way to Cancun this past September. I desperately wanted to attend a travel bloggers conference and figured combining a retreat with my husband and learning to expand my business was the perfect excuse.
The TBEX conference was held at the Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort. This was my first experience at an all-inclusive resort and I wasn’t disappointed!
Moon Palace Resorts Cancun:
Moon Palace has 4 separate sections – Nizuc, Sunrise, Moon Grand and Golf Villas. We stayed at Sunrise which is right next to the conference center. Let me tell you, the resort is HUGE – massive even.
One night for dinner, Derrick and I walked from Sunrise down to Moon Grand. It’s not a short hike by any means but it’s definitely a nice stroll. Everyone was surprised that we walked instead of taking one of the golf carts. We found the shock to be quite amusing. Maybe if I was wearing heels a cart would have been necessary…..
Hands down, the #1 reason to visit Moon Palace is the staff. The employees were amazing. During our entire visit, everyone was so friendly and helpful. They went out of their way to make our stay a memorable one.
We were always greeted with an “Hola or Buenas Noches” as we walked around the resort. Service at the bars and restaurants was always top-notch and as we were being driven around the resort on golf carts our drivers were quick to point out animals or give event suggestions.
More Good Features:
- Nightlight in bathroom to help you find the potty at night is nice touch.
- Large floor tiles offer a nice aesthetic to the rooms.
- Huge bathtub perfect for relaxing after a long day of exploring.
- Chairs and hammock on balcony great for reading a book or people watching.
- The peacefulness of visiting in September – I couldn’t image coming during the busy season.
- Several beautiful pools each designed for kids, relaxing or water sports/games.
- Speedy drink service is always a plus!
- Clean bathrooms in pool area. Everywhere I turned the entire resort was sparkling and clean. As a neat freak and germaphobe, I highly appreciate.
- Gorgeous, well maintained grounds.
- I don’t golf but the golf course looked nice and people seemed to enjoy playing it. We rode past as we visited the spa for a relaxing massage and for our final dinner.
- Variety of animals throughout the resort from large iguana, little geckos, Mexican Racoons and crocs (didn’t see one but others did).
- Location – secluded away from the busy center of Cancun. I loved the quiet and laid back feel of the resort. I would have felt “off” in the crazy, party side of Cancun.
- Good food which warrants its own post here.
Not Our Favorite:
- Amount of seaweed in the ocean. They work to keep most of it off the beach and the sand is soft with plenty of lounge chairs to relax, but I wouldn’t want to swim in the water. The pools definitely made up for this though!
- Fixes to the property don’t seem to be of a high quality, but maybe just my husband noticed these things as he has an eye for craftsmanship and a background in construction.
- Headboard didn’t seem attached to the wall well.
- Not the greatest coffee.
- Loud AC unit in bedroom that woke me up as it shut on and off all night long. But hey, it worked and kept us cool!
- Don’t lose your wristband or you will be charged $75 – a pretty hefty fee.
A big pet peeve of mine that we noticed is the lack of tipping from the guests. Not that this is part of the hotel review itself, just an observation for travelers. Don’t forget to tip all staff – housekeeping, drivers, bartenders, waiters, bellhops. It may be all-inclusive, but you should still tip for good service. You tip the waiter at home and tip staff members on a cruise, so you should follow this same practice at an all-inclusive resort. A few dollars or pesos for good service not only says “thank you” but can be a tremendous asset to the staffs family.
Overall, I’m not sure how I feel about all-inclusive resorts in general. I had a wonderful experience at Moon Palace, but I still question if it’s the most budget friendly travel option. Considering I don’t drink liquor, the super cool dispenser in my room wasn’t all the helpful. We did drink wine and beer, but did we drink (and eat) enough to balance the cost? I really don’t know.
I have friends that swear by all-inclusive resorts and even felt Moon Palace was a great value. Hubs and I met several older couples that are Elite members and have stayed at Moon Palace for years. They told us how they’ve traveled to Moon Palace with their kids every year and now come with their grand kids – when not traveling alone. They told us which restaurants not to miss and their favorite excursions. It was fascinating to learn just how much the resort meant to their family.
If you are in the market for an all-inclusive resort, Moon Palace is a great choice. They also offer discounts, so definitely look into those before booking!
What is your experience with all-inclusive resorts? Have you stayed at Moon Palace?
It’s buried in the FAQs on the Moon Palace website, but they actually include gratuities for staff in your all-inclusive price (similar to what cruises do). So no tipping is needed at this type of all-inclusive resort! They will take your cash if you want to tip additional amounts anyway, but it’s not necessary, and getting away from US tipping culture is one of the benefits of this type of resort!
I’ve never really considered all inclusive as I’m generally a budget backpacker but certainly something to aspire to. I love Mexican food from my time backpacking through Mexico City. Safe travels. Jonny
This was our first All Inclusive. We usually find it cheaper to pay per meal, but it was a nice change of pace. I’m sure backpacking through Mexico City was an amazing experience!