Traveling as a gay individual or with a group member that identifies as gay is not always easy, especially when it includes international travel.
There are many factors to consider, including whether or not a location is gay-friendly. Are you looking for a gay-friendly resort to plan a vacation, or host a destination wedding or a corporate affair? Moon Palace Resorts provide impressive all-inclusive vacations with resorts located in Mexico and Jamaica. This blog will expand on the Grand at Moon Palace located in Cancun, which is the newest addition to all-inclusive resorts in the country of Mexico. The Grand at Moon Palace Cancun is located on the sunny south shore. It includes 1,300 guest rooms, 9 pools, an adult-only outdoor pool, a night club, 16 restaurants, 9 bars, a world-class spa and much more. The staff greets each individual with a flower and beverage upon entrance to the stunning lobby regardless of race, gender, colour or sexuality.
My 7-day trip vacation to the Grand Moon Palace in Cancun, Mexico
My trip consisted of 7 nights just after the busy Christmas holidays. This was a well-planned family trip (I was the only gay family member) booked roughly 8 months before travel. We paid $2800 USD per room (NOT per person) which comes up to about $400 a night. The resort even included a hassle-free escort to and from the airport for our entire group (10 individuals). As we arrived at the lobby to check-in, it was clear that the resort was a popular spot as there were vacationers of all kinds in the lobby. The service was tremendous and it didn’t take much time to get checked-in and on our way to our rooms.
Upon arrival to our rooms, we noticed a strong odor.
I instantly had a minor headache from the smell. There were construction workers in the hallway that were touching up paint. It was clear that our room had just been repainted. The smell was strong and we were concerned with inhaling the paint fumes into the lungs. Fortunately for us, with one quick phone call to the service desk, we were able to get new rooms and we were quite pleased with the resort’s response to our concerns. Our new room was elegant and filled with marble. We had two double beds, a cute patio, a beautiful bathroom, and a huge jacuzzi. The room service was amazing and extremely convenient. We were delivered our choice of breakfast every morning from filling out our orders the previous night and leaving it posted at the door. The cleaning service was also exceptional, as the fridge was full of pop & alcohol (very important!) and the snack bar was restocked daily.
What are the different types of rooms available?
The resort offers a variety of accommodations (choice of a king-size bed or two double beds for all suites) including the following:
- Grand Deluxe, Resort View – balcony view of the resort;
- Grand Deluxe, Garden View – balcony view of the gardens;
- Grand Swim-Up Suite – access to the pool right from your room;
- Grand Family Deluxe – Separate adult & children rooms. Accommodates up to 6 guests; and
- Grand Presidential Suite – Separate dining and living areas as well as adult & children rooms. Accommodates up to 6 guests;
All rooms come with a private double whirlpool.
Is it worth the upgrade to The Grand?
So you ask if it is worth paying a premium to stay at the Grand Moon Palace? In my honest opinion, it is! The resort offers highly trained staff to assist you 24/7 during your trip. Each individual is given a bracelet for ease of access to rooms, activities and more. Each bracelet is programmed with their computer system and used for identification (there are levels of resort membership which I will expand on later). The quality of the rooms, restaurants, and activities are like no other all-inclusive. Everything is located at your feet thus making commutes and traveling with groups easy and hassle-free. My family and I had a fabulous time and we all wish we could have extended our trip. You can see thousands of reviews from others raving about how great of a place this is.
What you can expect
Whether you are traveling with a gay family member, couple or individual the resort staff are friendly, provide great service and do not discriminate.
Carlos, a server at one of the outdoor pools where we were frequent, always greeted us by cracking a joke. He knew exactly what our drink preferences were (mine was a mimosa with a splash of mango juice) and always served them in great spirit!
As you explore, you will witness stunning interior and exterior decorations throughout the resort. It is evident that a lot of effort was put into the construction of the buildings and a tremendous amount of maintenance work is carried out to ensure the resort maintains its beauty (such as the repainting of the room I talked about earlier). The venue areas where weddings and conferences are hosted are gorgeous. I would seriously consider having a destination wedding at the resort, but then I remembered that I am single (lol).
Depending on the duration of your stay, the hotel offers a resort credit. With a 7-night stay, we were provided a $1500 room credit (USD) for tours, activities (such as swimming with dolphins), the spa and more. We spent the credits mostly on items from the gift shop and the spa. I suggest spending wisely as you are still required to pay a 16% tax for the good or service of purchase. There are additional tours and activities for purchase (resort credits cannot be used). Finally, the resort offers different levels of membership while staying at the resort. The color of the bracelets provided indicates your level of membership. The color-coding is as follows:
- Black bracelet – VIP Elite members;
- White bracelet – Diamond Elite members;
- Yellow Bracelet – General Member & adults above the age of 18; and
- Purple Bracelet – Children under the age of 18;
The black and white bracelet members are granted additional activities and priority seating in various locations including the pool, theatres, shows, and on the beach.
The resort has dining experiences from around the world. So many options yet so little time. The dining experience is what really makes the Grand Moon Palace Cancun stand out. However, it is that you identify the delicious and fancy dining experiences that will surely win you over. I will get more in detail about the resort’s restaurants and various selections further into the blog.
The Grand at Moon Palace provides an experience where the commute is a short walk (even shorter with gay strides) or a quick shuttle trip to your location within the resort. Transportation service is provided free for all visitors. In addition, access and transportation are provided to the two additional resorts (Sunrise and Nizuc) on the Moon Palace Cancun property for the visitors feeling adventurous and in the mood to explore. All water activities are located at the Sunrise resort. I was eager to jet ski in the ocean so we decided to use the shuttle service to Sunrise. Once we arrived, we discovered that the water activities were closed due to the high tides. That being said, the Grand is by far the best resort out of the 3 to choose to stay at.
Expect to meet people from all over the world! We met individuals, couples, wedding parties and families from the US, London, Canada, Ireland, and many other places. It’s funny how a few activities and drinks can bring so many strangers together. I even met a gay couple part of a wedding party at the pool bar.
Activities and amenities at the resort
The Unique Day Club
An adult-only “Unique Day club” with a live DJ spinning poolside beats. This was a great location to meet other people. There was a foam pool party during our stay, but unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to attend. The bars served delicious cocktails, beers, drinks, and snacks. Whether you want to chill in a swinging chair hammock or take a dive in the pool, the Unique Day Club provides it all. This spot is a great location to celebrate a special date or take a group of friends to throw a memorable pool party.
The Waterpark
This was a prominent spot on the resort. The Waterpark includes a lazy river where you can sit and float, a wave pool to splash in and a variety of pleasure-filled slides. In addition, the park includes a simulated surfing ride (called a Flowrider). There are height restrictions and a waiver must be signed in order to take a ride on the Flowrider (be prepared to sign your life away gays lol). The waterpark has beach chairs and cabanas spread out throughout so the adults can chill and the children, young and old, can play. Bring your speedo/ swimsuit and be ready to get WET.
The Awe Spa
The Awe Spa, hands-down (no pun intended), is the best pampering experience. I used my resort credits to book an hour session of the holistic massage and I certainly was not disappointed. There are various packages for individuals or couples. The spa included a relaxation area, a co-ed hot tub area, and a pool. I even got to choose my room scent prior to my service being performed. Jennifer provided excellent service and was super polite.
The Restaurants
Whether it be Italian, Asian, Lebanese, Carribean or authentic Mexican, it is a part of the resorts culinary portfolio. Gays love their food experiences and there is no better place to do it at the resorts top-notch restaurants. Although I am not a picky eater, I do have tree-nut allergy (yes I know, rare for a gay) and often have to be cognizant of the menu and items on the table. At the Grand Moon Palace, I had no issues whatsoever, the restaurants were well aware of the allergies prior to our reservations and I had no concerns over the meals. The servers always cautiously asked if there were any allergies prior to ordering and the meals were delivered to the appropriate guests. I was pleased with the extreme care and diligence of each restaurant. In addition, the quality of the adult beverages at The Grand stood out from past all-inclusive experiences. Overall, every dining experience was exceptional. Each restaurant was beautifully constructed and provided a unique experience that did not disappoint.
Here is a review of some of the restaurants I tried:
JC Steakhouse – (must book a reservation in advance, spots go quick). I tried the Tomahawk ribeye, which ended up very tasty. The decor in the restaurant blew me away. I loved the setting and the interior finishes to the restaurant.
Tavola – An Italian restaurant. The quality of the food was great. I ended up with a creamy rosé pasta. If you’re not up for pasta, they have a wide selection of thin crust wood oven pizza. Definitely great quality and not cardboard-like, I can actually call it a pizza and eat it.
The Grill – The ribeye steak was delicious. I opted to have it medium-rare. It is probably one of the best steaks I’ve ever had. Fortunately, this place doesn’t require reservations unlike JC Steakhouse, and I found it better than JC Steakhouse anyways. We ended up going to The Grill at least 3 times for dinner. The lasagna was also delicious.
Habibi – Dinner and shisha, if that’s your cup of tea! The cheese pies were delicious. The meat skewers were also very good. Overall, a great quality middle eastern restaurant.
Grand Buffet – Ideal for breakfast and lunch only. Dinner is decent but it does not compare to the other restaurants. It also tends to get crowded.
Overall these restaurants are like 1 star Michelin rated. Truly amazing and impressive from an all-inclusive resort.
Night entertainment
Looking for a party night? We all know gays love their dance nights. The Unique Night Club is the place to get giggy and provides an upscale clubbing experience. I had spent quite a few nights at the club, busting moves and getting my dance on. The club serves an unlimited amount of drinks until 2AM, however every time I ordered the drinks tasted watered down. I offset that by ordering a bunch at once or taking shots. On various nights events are hosted such as beats from the past, Latino night, disco and more. The live DJ and entertainment is always bumping. The club also provides a fantastic light show and an electric social scene. If you’re looking for a night filled with dancing and amazing beats, this is your place.
If clubbing is not your vibe, there are other night time alternatives including the 9th pin bowling alley, live performances & theatre and multiple sit down bars throughout the resort. During our stay, we got to witness the Michael Jackson show and a magic show.
The Fitness Center
There are a handful of gays who love working out and staying fit can be a real struggle, especially while on vacation. Whether you are feeling guilty after overindulging at any of the restaurants or are looking to maintain your routine, the resort’s fitness center provides a premium gym experience. The gym is always stocked with water, cold towels, drinks and most importantly, is always clean. Feel like doing some yoga or pilates? There are often classes hosted at the gym. If you’re not into class fitness, then feel free to use the free weights, treadmills, bikes and cable machines. and a spinning room! I went every morning in order to kickstart my day and to gain the confidence to take poolside photos ha! The gym is open fairly early for those early birds and closes late for the night time gym-goers.
What next?
As I mentioned, The Grand at Moon Palace is not an exclusive gay-friendly resort but it’s indeed worth the trip, whether you’re going with friends or family or as a couple.
Start packing. The resort has so many locations for a great photo-op so pick out your best outfits! We all know that gays love a good photoshoot. I had a different bathing suit for every day we stayed at the resort.
Book your desired activities and restaurants of choice in advance! The best places get booked up quickly. I suggest booking everything for at least 2 weeks in advance of your trip.
Be yourself and get excited! All types of people travel to the resort. The environment is gay-friendly and everyone is happy to be there.