Moon Palace: Cancun and Jamaica
One lucky couple won the giveaway from Palace Resorts at our 2019 Enchanted Travel Destination Wedding Seminar earlier this week. Mary Weis won a 3-night stay for 2 adults at the Moon Palace property of her choice. This is a tough choice, because both Moon Palace Cancun and Moon Palace Jamaica are amazing options for a honeymoon, destination wedding, or vacation. Let’s take a look at both properties!
1. Moon Palace Cancun
Moon Palace Cancun is one of our favorite resorts to recommend to our clients for their destination weddings. It is such a versatile property, which makes it absolutely perfect for a large destination wedding group of various different ages and eclectic interests. Families can stay here, and kids will love the Kids Club and the huge water park. In addition, they have indoor kids activities like mini golf and a gaming center. Adults will love The Grande at Moon Palace, which has an adults-only pool to get away from the chaos, plus party-centric pools with DJ’s spinning beats all day and even foam parties. There is even a night club on the property, so there’s really no need to ever leave!
Our family stayed here last March, and the ages ranged from kids ages 4 to 9, adults in their 20’s, 30’s, and 60’s. We all had a blast and utilized the kids section and water park, the lazy river, and some of the more private poolside settings. We loved the steakhouse here and ate there more than once.
Our very own destination wedding specialist, Marissa, got married here in 2010. She had 26 guests attend her destination wedding at Moon Palace Cancun, and they chose it specifically for the large size and variety of activities and settings on the property. The biggest takeaway from Marissa’s experience as a Palace bride is that she felt like royalty during her entire stay and the staff was amazing!
Wedding Venue Options at Moon Palace Cancun
Marissa’s ceremony was held at the beach and her reception was at one of the restaurants. However, Moon Palace has several other wedding venue options to choose from. For instance, they have the oceanfront Bugambillas gazebo which is open air and gorgeous. In addition, there is a Catholic wedding chapel onsite, pictured above.
2. Moon Palace Jamaica
Moon Palace Jamaica is an absolutely stunning property! It is much smaller than the Moon Palace property in Cancun, so it provides more of an intimate setting for your big day. In addition to gorgeous views and amenities, the service at Moon Palace Jamaica Grande is unparalleled. Match that with the overwhelming hospitality of the Jamaican people in general, and you can’t go wrong! Moon Palace Jamaica Grande also has a night club on the property, so you can stay on the resort for your whole stay if you wish!
My fiance and I had the chance to stay here in October 2017 and absolutely loved it. I have been to Moon Palace Cancun several times for work and for pleasure, so my standards were high for this property. I was definitely not disappointed! Even though they are over 700 rooms, it has a quiet, intimate feel despite the number of rooms. Our room was especially private because it was located on the far side of the property closest to the mountains. The best part about it was that it had a direct ocean view and access to a seemingly private beach (it was not actually private, just was located on the far end of the resort so had less traffic).
There are plenty of dining options on the property, and our favorite was Pier 8. It is located in front of the main pool on the boardwalk-type area and open for lunch and dinner. In addition, this property is centrally located in Ocho Rios, which is near the best Jamaican attractions. This includes Dunn’s River Falls, Mystic Mountain and the White River.
Wedding Venue Options
There are 6 wedding venue options at Moon Palace Jamaica, including South Beach, the Ballroom, the Terrace, the North Gazebo, the North Gazebo Deck, and the South Gazebo. Our favorite is the Terrace.
To book your own Moon Palace destination wedding, call us at 402-390-9291 or get started here.
This week’s Travel Agent Favorite choice is Moon Palace Jamaica. Read on for everything we love about this stunning family-friendly all-inclusive property.
We LOVE Jamaica
Friendly, Laid-back Locals
First, let’s take some time to talk about why we absolutely love sending our clients to Jamaica. First off, the people are some of the kindest you will meet. They are laid-back, friendly, and fun-loving. This is true of the entire staff at Moon Palace Jamaica, as well as anyone you can expect to encounter off of your resort.
Club Mobay
One tip we like to share with every client we send to Jamaica is to purchase a Club Mobay pass. A Club Mobay pass expedites you to the front of the immigration and customs lines when you first arrive in Jamaica. You’ll be greeted by a host who meets you from your plane and walks you through customs and immigration. Then they will guide you to the Club Mobay Lounge to wait for transportation to your resort. Here you’ll find snacks, drinks, comfortable seating, and friendly service. They’ll let you know when your transportation has arrived and handle your bags until then. The pass costs $50 per person for arrival only and $80 per person for arrival and departure.
Perfect Beach Weather
Another reason we love Jamaica is the gorgeous tropical warm weather. With an average temp of 81° F, you can visit the beaches of Jamaica at any time of the year.
One-of-a-kind Culture
Besides the friendly locals and beautiful weather, we also can’t get enough of the Jamaican culture. In fact, hospitality is one of the aspects of Jamaican culture that sets it apart from other countries. In addition, Jamaica embraces amazing food and music. You can learn about the history and culture of Jamaica at many cultural spots included the Bob Marley Museum and Devon House.
We LOVE Moon Palace Jamaica
Great for Families
We are constantly recommending this property for families because there is so much for kids to do here. The main pool has a huge water slide, for starters. This is known as the “Activity Pool”. You’ll also find tons of daily entertainment here like trivia and dance contests. The property also has a Splash Park that is great for kids ages 1-4.
The beach here is also great for small children. It is quiet and private. In addition, the water is shallow and there aren’t any large waves. There are also tons of water activities for kids at the beach on property. You can take your kids sailing or kayaking, and they can use the water bikes and paddleboards as often as they want – it’s all included.
The Flow Rider is another big attraction for kids. This is a simulated surfing experience for all ages. It’s harder than it looks but once you try it once, you’ll want to keep trying until you master it.
Your kids will also love the Wired Lounge on the property. This is for kids of all ages, and you can drop the kids off here with their staff who are very hands-on. Here you’ll find a snack bar that serves ice cream and slushies all day, video games, air hockey, and a movie room.
Incredible Food
Moon Palace Jamaica is home to 7 restaurants. Momo is a Hibachi restaurant that is open for dinner nightly. You do need reservations here and men must wear long pants and closed toed shoes (including children). You will also need to make reservations and adhere to the dress code at Gondola, Moon Palace Jamaica’s fine dining Italian restaurant. Gondola is also only open for dinner.
For daytime, head to Buccaneers Reef. This is a full-service buffet restaurant open to breakfast, lunch and dinner. You’ll find about 40+ food options for each meal here. This is a great choice for families with picky eaters or different tastes.
Pier 8 was my favorite! This seafood restaurant sits right on the edge of the ocean and they have a great kids menu. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and serves a variety of seafood, steaks and salads.
Sundeck Grill & Bar also overlooks the ocean. Menu items include pizza, pasta, steaks, salads, and soups.
In addition to the fab specialty restaurants, there is also a snack bar located next to the activity pool. Here you can order hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, etc. For more snacks and sweets, head to Boulangerie. This bake shop and cafe is open 24 hours and a great place to grab coffee in the morning. Gourmet Corner is located across the hall from Boulangerie and serves sushi, pizza and paninis. In addition, there is 24-hour room service here for all guests. You’ll also find 3 bars including the Piano Bar, Loud Bar, and the Noir Dance Club.
Other things we love about the resort
In addition to the friendly staff, top notch dining, and kid-friendly activities, there are a few other things to note about this property that set it apart.
The Awe Spa is an incredible spa on the property. I had a great massage here and would highly recommend it. You can use your resort credits to pay for services here – ask your Enchanted Travel expert for more details on this. The fitness center here is also great and open from 6 AM to 10 PM.
The nightly entertainment here is also great, especially for families. They have live shows every night starting at 9 PM.
Want to book your own stay at Moon Palace Jamaica? Call us at 402-390-9291 or get started here.