Before booking at Moon Palace I conducted lengthy research on this site as well as others. There are lots of good things about this resort, and others that need explanation. I'll try and keep things logical.... Firstly, the resort is split into 3 smaller resorts: 1. Moon Palace Sunrise - this is the busier of the 3 resorts. It's apparently the "cheaper" of the 3, but I saw no evidence of that. It's a very busy part, but there are more bars/restaurants/pools/activities to cater for that. 2. Moon Palace Nizuc - similar to Sunrise, but smaller and quieter with fewer outlets, but not so you'd notice. This is where we stayed 3. Moon Palace The Grand - this is the exclusive (and expensive) resort that has the Waterparks, Spas and Golf Courses. If you haven't booked to stay here, you have to pay $100 per day to gain access. So, my review will be mainly about Nizuc as that is where we (Wife, kids and me) stayed for a week.... CHECK-IN I downloaded the Palace Resorts App a week or so ahead of time and completed the pre-check in activities. I showed the check-in rep my QR code, who then proceeded to ask for my passports, address details etc which rendered the pre-check activities pointless. A note of caution here - we had booked 2 rooms at the resort and requested adjoining rooms. The Hotel Rep warned that our rooms would be in separate buildings, but for a fee ($50 per room, per night) he could "upgrade" us from an Ocean View Room, to an Ocean Front Room which apparently had better views of the sun rise/set each day. When I declined, he found a new option that was $25 per room, per night and still had the view etc etc Having declined that, he amazingly found us 2 adjoining rooms at the original price leading me to believe this was just an upselling tactic. The rooms we had looked over the pools/beach so I struggle to understand what benefit the Ocean Front rooms provided other than an extra $1400 for the hotel We each received a wrist band that entitled us to use the all-inclusive facilities, but also served as our room keys which I thought was a brilliant touch. They gave all of us access to each room which was extremely convenient. The helpful Bus Boys took our cases to the rooms and all was well. ROOMS Absolutely no complaints here. We booked 2 x Deluxe Superior Double Room with Sea View and Balcony and were not disappointed. Huge beds, loads of space and a massive Whirlpool bath by the window. The balconies aren't very big, but wasn't an issue for us. Lots of closet space, and a well stocked mini-bar, not to mention the row of optics that were all included in the price. I requested (via the app) that we have a rollaway bed added to one room and it was delivered/made up within an hour. Very impressive service. Sheets and towels are plentiful, you can decide to have them changed every day if you wish. The cleaning staff are very friendly and accommodating. POOLS Nizuc has 4 pools that are split into sections. The main pool (towards the north of the resort) is very busy and has activities most days/afternoons. The other pools are less busy and one has a swim up bar that is always popular. There is a quieter pool to the West that is surrounded by "Diamond" beds that have to be paid for as part of your booking, but is accessible to all and a nice, quiet alternative to the busier main pool. There are plenty beds, but worth getting to the pool before 8am if you want to "reserve" your favourite spot. None of the pools are above chest height, so they are ideal for a swim, but also safe for kids. The quieter pool at the South end of Nizuc has a gradual slope, so there is plenty of shallow end space for the smaller children. There is poolside service, and the men/women never stop working. More on that later, but don't believe the Hotel when they say gratuity is included. It most certainly is NOT. FOOD There are 2 Pool Bars that serve snacks during the day (I highly recommend the amazing Brisket Quesadilla) as well as a limited (but tasty) menu at night. It's a great alternative to the busier indoor eateries. There is also a burger van at the South of Nizuc that does great burgers and hot dogs if that's your sort of thing. There is also a burger bar near the main pool towards the North of Nizuc. Indoors, there are 3 main eateries: 1. Los Caporales - Mexican Restaurant. You don't need to book, but you may have a 10-15 min wait for a table. The menu is extensive with the standard Mexican fare (tacos, quesadillas, burritos etc) but also some more traditional Mexican dishes. The staff in here are superb and very welcoming 2. Arrecifes - Brazillian Steakhouse. Again, no booking required but there may be a short wait for a table. The wait is absolutely worth it. At this restaurant, the waiters attend your table every few mins with one form of cooked meat, or the other. On our first visit we had tenderloin steak, chorizo sausages, pork tenderloin, Brazilian chicken and bacon loin. The waiters carve the meet directly onto your plate. You can accessorise your plate with endless salad, veg, breads, meats & cheeses. This place is highly recommended 3. El Manglar - this is the International Buffet that offers a great breakfast service and a wide range of evening meals. I can highly recommend the Huevos Rancheros from the Egg Station and the evening fare was a mix of mexican, indian and Chinese, with some sushi thrown in for good measure. It's impossible not to find something there for everyone. There is also a 24 hour bakery in the lobby (just next to Los Caporales) that does amazing crepes, paninis and ice cream. This was a firm favourite with my kids. Finally, Rooms Service - there is an extensive menu and the food is good, but the waiting times can be up to an hour which isn't ideal DRINKS As you'd expect, all the drinks are free in the resort......except they aren't. If you want a bottle of wine with your meal, you are presented with an ipad with which to choose (and pay for) your wine of choice. I DID see some people in the Lobby Bar taking wine by the glass, so not sure if that was paid for, or part of the all-inclusive offer. Other than that, the drinks are free and they are all of the highest quality - every spirit is the genuine labelled drink - I've been to some AI where the "named" bottles are taken away and topped up with local produce but not here. I drank Grey Goose and Belvedere Vodka and witnessed bottles being opened from new. No cheaper produce here! Poolside cocktails are excellent - highly recommend the Electric Lemonade, not to mention the wonderful Mojitos. Mango-Tango was a favourite with the kids, but be sure to ask for the Virgin MT and not the adult version! THINGS TO BE AWARE OF As stated previously, there is a lot of upselling at this hotel - Rooms, Excursions, even the shop sells you a bag for tor produce, then tries to upsell a bigger bag! The trinket shop opposite will only offer you change in MX Pesos when you pay with USD, so be sure to pay on card. Crisps do not exist in any form on the all-inclusive. The Hotel Shop sells them......at $9 a bag. So if you are a crisp fan, I suggest filling a spare suitcase with products from home. Tipping - this was a big issue for our holiday. Being Brits, we don't tip by nature. We were told by the hotel is "gratuity is included" and acted accordingly. On day 1 by the pool. our waiter was very friendly and very attentive. By day 3 (having not received any tips) he wouldn't even make eye contact. Getting drinks was almost impossible. At this point, having seen all the American guests tip and conferred with some Brits who admitted to also providing tips I relented and passed my waiter a $20 bill to grease the wheels. The turnaround was unbelievable, suddenly this guy was my best friend - wanting names and family history, fist bumps and smiles. The service for the rest of the week (I tipped him $1 every other round) was brilliant and really enhanced the stay, but I remain somewhat annoyed at the behaviour on days 2 & 3 and at the hotel for not being honest about the tipping policy. Ignore what the hotel says - if you want service, you have to tip. If you don't, you'll be getting your drinks from the bar, but expect everyone else to get served before you. Pool Beds - can be reserved, but if you use the hotel pool towels and leave the area then the Pool Concierge might remove the towels and free up the beds. It's best to either a) use your own towels, b) leave a book or a hat on the bed as well, or c) be on the bed after you pick it and not disappear back to your room for 4 hours like some did(!) The beach is nice, but the sea is full of seaweed so I'd avoid it Bikes can be rented free of charge, but depending on who is on duty that day, under 18s need a parent to hire a bike. Golf Carts are a handy way to travel between the resorts, they are all numbered (lettered) with different routes and there is a route map at every stop. Overall, this is a fabulous place to stay, The staff can't do enough for you and as soon as you understand some of the unwritten rules your stay will be enhanced further. Last tip - if you want a late check out, offer to pay for it on day 1. At that stage, they will do a variety of things: 1. Tell you there is no option (if they do, ask again on the last day) 2. Offer you an hour or two for free, then any extra time at an extortionate rate 3. Offer you 2 hours for $15 We offered to pay, and they gave us 1 hour free. That made a massive difference to our final day and avoided sitting around in the lobby kicking our heels - they let you use the facilities (bars, restaurants etc) even after checking out which is a nice touch. Show less…