moonpalace.com Reviews 13

Since recommendations are being shared here, I want to offer a warning before anyone books Moon Palace, Palace Resorts.

We are a well-traveled family and have stayed at many all-inclusive resorts across the Caribbean and Mexico. We chose Moon Palace Jamaica for a group of 12 over Christmas, for 10 days, after confirming the property was in good shape following the hurricane. We wanted to support Jamaica's tourism industry. What followed was the worst resort experience of our lives.

Here is what happened during our stay.

Two family members have separate medical dietary needs. We called ahead, submitted documentation, gave allergy cards to the hostess at every meal, called restaurants before arriving, and worked directly with the chefs. Allergens were still served. Menu items were incorrectly marked throughout the trip. We were told the jerk chicken was safe. It had been marinating in beer. We were told the chips were safe. There was no dedicated fryer. During the allergy emergency, staff prioritized billing us for a bottle of wine over helping.

My husband was injured by an unmarked hazard at the gym entrance. After a visit to the on-site nurse and filing a report, signage appeared the following day.

During the evening Circus show, a resort employee committed a serious act of sexual indecency in a public area directly behind the theater, packed with families. A member of our group was directly targeted. There was no security present. My husband stood guard while I went for help. The employee barricaded himself in a bathroom stall and refused to come out. The resort fired him, which confirms exactly how serious this was.

An underage member of our group was served alcohol at a resort bar despite wearing a minor ID bracelet. We have stayed at resorts where security follows underage guests from bar to bar to ensure compliance. This resort did neither.

At checkout, our luggage was withheld until we had our bracelets cut, which we weren't allowed to have done until we signed for charges that we were disputing. By the way, the have security standing at the entrance to make sure you don't leave.

When we tried to resolve any of this, local management, their Guet Relations team, admitted they have no authority. Everything goes through corporate in Mexico.

During an official property tour a resort representative told us Moon Palace Jamaica is their worst resort. After everything we experienced, we believe it.

We have spent several months attempting to resolve this privately before posting. Formal complaints have been filed.

I appreciate that many guests have a wonderful experience when nothing goes wrong, and I wouldn't wish our trip on anyone. But this post is about informed consent for families who prioritize safety, accountability, and customer care above all else. Most people will never need to know the underlying operational failures that occur when something goes wrong. I hope they don't. But for those who do, this post is for them.

I am posting this with my full name because I stand behind every word. If anyone wants recommendations for resorts that handle dietary needs and family safety well, I am happy to share. There are some really good ones out there. I hope this helps someone make a more informed decision.

Our stay was deeply frustrating from the moment we arrived. We checked in at 3:30 PM, yet the check-in process took hours, and we were not able to see the resort until dinner which was at 8:00 PM. To make matters worse, the resort ran out of pull-out beds for minors, forcing my husband and me to sleep sideways on a bed that was too small, with our feet hanging off.

From the start, getting a straight answer to even one question required speaking with multiple staff members. We were repeatedly passed from person to person, often receiving conflicting information, which resulted in significant wasted time.

We were also told we needed to pay $200 per person a day for a water park day pass or we could attend a timeshare presentation. We were assured this presentation would take 90 minutes; it lasted four hours. When we declined the timeshare, we were repeatedly sent to different representatives and were not allowed to leave until we signed paperwork—paperwork that took an excessive amount of time to be brought to us by multiple people. Then as we’re leaving they’re still following us trying to sell us 60% off.

After finally leaving, we were sent to three different locations just to obtain the day pass. By that point, half the day was already gone. We later discovered that the staff member who checked us in never made the dinner reservations he claimed he had, resulting in even more time wasted sitting in the lobby.

Transportation throughout the resort is overly complicated and inefficient. The buses were fine but the golf cart situation is not ideal. Navigating between the lobby, our room, and other areas of the property required excessive walking and long waits for golf carts, which often took an unreasonable amount of time to arrive. As a result, my feet were sore every day from the constant walking and one of our dinner reservations were almost canceled.

We were also required to switch rooms with my sister over the bed situation. When the rooms were reassigned, no one had access to them after they said they reactivated our wrist bands, causing even more back-and-forth travel to the lobby to resolve the issue. Despite the delays and constant movement, we consistently returned to rooms that had not been cleaned.

Additional issues included:
• Limited towel availability
• Slow and inconsistent service
• No ability to select our room at booking or check in
• Resort credit that was misleading and unusable for many advertised options

To be fair, the New Year’s Eve show was excellent and very well planned, and while the buffet was below par, the specialty restaurants offered genuinely amazing food.

But good luck finding a spot at the pools!

We have stayed at over a dozen resorts in Cancun, and this was by far the worst experience we’ve had overall. A vacation should be relaxing—not spent waiting, walking, and resolving preventable problems. Unfortunately, this resort failed to meet even basic expectations.

I want to share my experience so others do not go through the same disappointment.

Moon Palace made big promises if I secured a certain number of guests and room nights. I met those requirements, but when I arrived I was told the perks and events could not be provided because “something was wrong with the system” and they could not see all of my guests. My guests had booked months in advance, so waiting until my arrival to tell me this was a red flag.

I was then told that after my wedding everything was sorted and I could use the perks or events I had been promised. Of course, once the wedding was over, those perks were no longer useful. This was another red flag.

From my perspective this felt like a bait and switch. They waited until my wedding was finished, knowing I would not benefit from what was originally promised. To make up for the situation, they told me I would receive five free nights at any Moon Palace property. At the time it seemed like they were just trying to quiet my complaints. When I later went to claim it, I was first told it was on file, but then they denied ever making that promise. Fortunately I recorded the call and have proof of what was said. It was noted in my file, but they still went back on it when I asked to use it.

My advice: do not plan your wedding at Moon Palace. Brides and grooms deserve honesty and reliability, not broken promises.

I recently attended a presentation with Palace Elite in Mexico and was pressured into signing an “Affiliation Rights” contract. At first, it sounded like a good deal, but once I read the fine print, I realized it’s essentially a 25-year financial trap disguised as a vacation membership.
• The sales team promised flexibility and discounts, but the contract is full of hidden clauses, early expirations on benefits, and penalties that strongly favor the company.
• If you fall behind, they can keep your money and still demand the full balance.
• They claim you can sell your membership, but it requires their approval and hefty fees, making it nearly impossible to exit.
• Benefits they showcase expire within a few years, yet the payment obligation lasts decades.

I had to fight to use the 5-day cancellation clause, which they don’t highlight clearly during the pitch. They try to lock you in emotionally while you’re still on vacation.

If you’re considering Palace Elite, do not sign on the spot. Take the contract home, read it carefully, and compare with real travel deals online. You’ll find you can get the same or better rates without being stuck in a long-term contract.

This was a very disappointing and stressful experience. My advice: avoid Palace Elite at all costs.

Buyer Beware: Misleading Promotions at Le Blanc (a Moon Palace Property)

My recent stay at Le Blanc was tainted by a deceptive promotional offer that I feel obligated to warn others about. Upon departure, my friends and I were pitched what seemed like a great deal: a certificate for $299 per night for up to four nights. The terms were explained verbally and sounded straightforward, so we decided to purchase it.

However, when attempting to use the certificate, I discovered that the terms were completely different. Instead of being able to book for $299 per night, the certificate’s value is only determined at the time of booking based on the current rack rate and an unspecified discount. This crucial detail was never explained during the sales pitch. Essentially, we paid $299 upfront for a vague benefit with an unknown value.

This bait-and-switch tactic is deeply disappointing and feels like a calculated attempt to mislead guests during their departure. The lack of transparency and clear communication, coupled with fine print that doesn’t properly define the terms, makes it clear that this promotion is designed to confuse and entrap guests.

If you’re considering this or any similar promotion at Le Blanc, demand everything that’s verbally promised to you in writing before allowing them to charge your card. Do not rely on verbal assurances, as they hold no weight when it comes time to redeem the offer.

While Le Blanc may offer beautiful accommodations, their deceptive practices and lack of accountability in promotions reflect poorly on their brand. I won’t be returning and encourage others to think twice before purchasing any “exclusive offers” from this hotel or its parent company.

⭐️ Beware of Deceptive Practices and Scams!

We recently had the worst experience with this resort. On October 19, we were convinced to buy an expensive membership with promises of a presidential suite, which we agreed to. However, within hours, we contacted the representative via WhatsApp to cancel the suite and requested time to reconsider. He assured us it was canceled. But days later, after deciding the membership wasn’t worth it, we tried to cancel everything—only to be met with resistance and delays for two days straight.

The worst part? They claimed our suite cancellation was never processed. Then, they showed us a “cancellation fee” of a shocking $28,200! They even had a document with a FAKE signature of my partner, which they forged to make us seem obligated. It was obvious the ink was fresh, and the signature didn’t match. When we confronted them, they refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing.

We’re taking this to PROFECO and pursuing legal action, but please, save yourself the nightmare. This was an appalling scam that we wouldn’t wish on anyone. Protect your money and don’t fall for their tactics!

This review should help share my story and alert others to proceed cautiously. Stay away from those salesmen’s! This is the biggest scam in my life.

Great hotel. Loved the stay at Nuzic. All the staff were friendly. Special thank you to Anna, for the morning yoga classes (5 stars for you). Anyone staying over a Saturday, don't miss the Saturday Yoga class.

My husband and I stayed at Moon Palace Nizuc (in Cancun) for 5 nights/6 days. The worst was that they held us captive at the hotel and threatened us with the Mexican Police coming to detain us unless we paid our outstanding balance for our account before we left at check out. At first, I did so happily with my Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card. They said the charge was pending and that I needed to use another card to post the payment. I said I would post the payment online if the card we just ran ultimately declined the transaction. They also had a credit card of mine on file, which they charged numerous times while we were there for services like excursions, golfing, spa visits, etc. Yet somehow this was also insufficient provision of payment so that we could leave. I called Chase half a dozen times to consult on what was happening with this charge. They said it is pending and will post within 24 hours. Moon Palace Nizuc said that if the payment does not immediately post, it will likely be declined by the credit card company, so they were considering our account as unpaid. I even tried just paying the balance on two other cards. They didn’t take one of the cards and the other card was declined for fraud protection when we ran it (it was a US Bank card). We ended up just paying the balance again on a debit card and decided we would dispute the initial Chase credit card transaction after it went through. The front desk said the initial Chase credit card transaction would not be approved. However, I called Chase and they said they approved the transaction from their end and that the transaction was pending because it was not marked as approved or denied on the merchant’s end (Moon Palace Nizuc). So we asked the front desk to approve it and they said they didn’t have the authority or access to do so. So we asked them to contact their billing department and they said the billing department doesn’t open for several hours. We had to leave imminently to catch our flight home. Lo and behold, two days later, the initial Chase Freedom Unlimited transaction was approved by the hotel and the funds were withdrawn. I contacted the resort for a refund since we paid twice now (on two different cards). It took them a week but they did reverse the charge on my credit card. However, the lies, rigidity, threats, and stress were unprecedented, exceptionally excessive, and entirely avoidable. They negated the pursuit of a relaxing and enjoyable vacation.

To boot, it was so hot in our hotel room that we would have to stand in front of the vent every few minutes to keep ourselves from melting. We requested a repair and someone did come to fulfill the request. They just told us that the thermometer, A/C, etc were all in good working order. The other wedding guests didn’t have this problem so I know it was just us. The real temp was in the mid 90’s and the heat index put the temp over 100 most days while we were there so the A/C was a necessity at that point, not that the resort cared.

I stayed at the moon palace Jamaica for my 10 year wedding renewal. We had a wedding renewal, small party with the entire ceremony and reception. My wedding consultant did absolutely nothing but rush me on the day of my ceremony while it was raining outside, instead of prompt Lee selecting the alternative room for my event, I was overcharged for my role and stay. Gloria was my contact, and she was absolutely horrible, even after speaking to her supervisor, there was not a change. Public relations with a joke, rude, and ignored you the entire time unless they were trying to sell you an excursion. I Brought 18 people with me and there was not any type of customer service at all. When asked to speak to a supervisor during my stay, no one was ever available, and I was there for five days. this is actually my second time staying at the Moon Palace Jamaica and the first time was quite different, I will never spend another dime at this resort. It is definitely not worth it. The day of my ceremony I was so stressed out. I started crying because there was no assistance or no clarity on what to do, this was supposed to be a very important and sentimental time because we celebrated 10 years of being Married and we performed the ceremony and reception over but it was horrific. In the beginning I tried to get things smooth out with no success please don't spend your money here. It is not worth it and it's over priced.

My family of 4 stayed at Sunrise cancun Easter 2022 and enjoyed so much we are here again this Easter.

As covid restrictions are being lifted the hotel is I've been told 98%full compared to 60%last year.
This can make it difficult to book a table at the restaurants that require a reservation.

Unfortunately I have suffered some sort of food poisoning. We think it was from the Sushi in one of the restaurants as I was the only one in our family to eat it.

The hotel have expressed concern and arranged for a doctor to visit for which they said they will pick up the tab. That was very kind.

Hopefully I will be better in a few days. The injection seems to have helped.

I do find the staff here excellent. The choice of food fabulous. I'm not going to eat sushi ever again tho😭

We thought we had booked directly with the resort- Cancun only to find that when we arrived our booking had been cancelled with no prior communication.

We learned that the bookings go through a third party
- though there is nothing on the site to tell you this. No-one at MoonPalace Sunrise could help. This was massively stressful, having flown for over 10 hours from the UK, with 2 young children we were without a room and the kids desperately needed to rest.

The reception staff eventually managed to sort out another room at significant extra cost, 15% more than we had paid online. Despite numerous attempts on our part to get clarity and rectify the situation the staff at Sunrise either didn't have the authority, or simply didn't want to know, blaming the 'booking agency'.

Not at all what you would expect from an organisation like this and it certainly impacted our holiday in a very negative way.

I am posting this review to help others, as we found out during our stay that the 'cancelled booking' from web reservations happens frequently.

Wow, what a hotel! Moon Palace Jamaica has everything that you could possibly want and more on site. There is everything from 24hour room service, food and drink, to shops and excursions that can be booked at the hotel. There are numerous clubs, bars, snack bars and places to eat, as well as constant entertainment for both children and adults. This holiday helped to bring us out of our shells, as we loved joining in some of the activities.

On our first day we were slightly apprehensive that the wired lounge would cost us a fortune in arcade games, but everything was free, with refreshments readily available for the children all day long.

The cleanleness of the hotel was without fault, everything was always spotless, with maintenance and cleaning staff working tirelessly around the clock, and always eager to help.

What really makes this hotel shine though, is the staff. From the second you get out of your taxi, you are welcomed by a sea of smiling happy faces, ready to get your holiday off to the best start. The staff have always got a smile on their face, with the most positive and upbeat attitudes. They are always ready to help, and nothing is ever too much trouble. If you never wanted to leave your seat, you wouldn't have to, you could literally be waited on hand and foot with staff bringing over food and drinks, andf clearing rubbish as often as wanted or needed.

Every single member of staff deserves the utmost appreciation as what they do goes above and beyond any obligation. We would go back in a heartbeat, just to see them. We have never felt so welcome in any hotel before.

We would like to give special thanks to a few staff members that really stood out to us, but believe me, if i could name everyone i would. please forgive spelling of names.

First off the entertainment team, who always put a smile on our faces with great games and shows, and amazing attitudes:
Jada
Wade
Sherana
Kasita
Nickellia

Next, the wait staff, who would do literally anything for you, and always with a smile and maybe even a little song:
Chrisann
Kwayne
Althea
Hairell (Tiffany)

The bar staff, who will make any drink you throw at them, always up for a challenge, and work non stop to make sure you are always refreshed. They make the effort to get to know all the guests, and are great at making a drink to suit you, even when you are unsure of what you want:
Javon
Rahje
Ojay
Oshane
Michael
Sonia
Peter
Leonardo
Jaeme (unsure of spelling, but a lovely intern who was always smiling)

Next the fantastic maintenance staff, who always ensured you had a clean dry towel, by either giving them out or collecting them in, and keeping insects at bay by being always vigilant and cleaning any and all spills:
Menace
Crystal

Always making sure everyone was always safe in the pool, and never missing a thing:
Annieffe

Fantastic service in the Buccaneers, and great conversation:
Daeton
Shenica

Going the extra mile on the flow rider, and making our sons holiday one he will never forget:
Devar
Wayne

Providing the most enjoyable experience on the sea, and ensuring everyones safety and wellbeing (All equipment free to hire) at the watersports station:
Dwayne

From the bottom of our hearts we are forever greatful, for the memories you have given us, and the experiences we had, the holiday would not have been the same without these fantastic people, who in a short space, I would concider friends. They do more than just a job, they provide a service with a smile, way beyond what is expected of them. They all work so hard, but always seem so happy to be there and help with anything.

Are honey moon was disgraceful but it wasn’t all bad a fella called Anthony who at the time was cooking omelettes in sunrise was one of the most memorable parts he was helpful, kind and we meet his family as they got give two night free stay as he just one something. the food was very good but safety wise for the one in Mexico Cancun was below what I would expect 3rd floor corner rooms have massive gaps for kids to slip though and fall we all so had a problem with ants and the flooding between the complexes was bad funny to me but some would think otherwise when we upgraded we was sold the top floor then to be told you can not pick but we was meant to be in the grand at first and was told we couldn’t have our room we had booked so had to pay for the holiday agin would like to go again but it cost us 12,000 GDP so about 17,000 usd when we paid 9,000 to start with and had to rebook and pay again then claim our money bk 24/sep/2019 we went