Let's talk about...the difference between Moon Palace Cancun and Moon Palace The Grand

One of the most common questions I get is if staying at The Grand is worth the additional cost. You can count on paying roughly 30% more if you choose to stay at The Grand. Understandably, many people get confused by the "Moon Palace" naming convention (there's one in Jamaica too). So let's go over the basics of the property.

Moon Palace in Cancun used to have three equal sections. Those consisted of Sunrise, Nizuc, and Grand (not "The Grand"). A number of years ago, Palace Resorts decided to expand and overhaul the last section and make it a step up from it's other two sister sections of Sunrise and Nizuc. This is when The Grand was born.

If you look at a map, you will see that all three sections still reside on the same property, with The Grand at the southern-most part of the compound. This adds a bit more confusion to guests because the assumption can be made that if you pay to stay in one section, you have access to all of them. That is not the case. If you stay at The Grand, you have access to all three sections. If you stay at Nizuc or Sunrise, you have access to the other equal section, but not The Grand (exceptions apply).

So why would someone pay to stay at The Grand if it's on the same property? The Grand offers many features and amenities that the other two sections do not. Although the Sunrise section does have a small water park, it's quite small in comparison to the one at The Grand. The water park at The Grand has a few large slides, a lazy river, and a number of other water features. The Grand also has it's own bowling alley, an adults-only (Unique) pool, and a "hidden" speakeasy.

One fault that The Grand does have is it's limited ocean views. Unless you are staying in a Villa or Diamond Presidential, you will most likely not have an ocean view. Whereas in Sunrise and Nizuc, there are a number of options should you desire to see the water.

It all boils down to if those additional amenities are worth the 30% price difference it to you.

Please feel free to offer comments or corrections and I will update this post accordingly.

• Brian