Moon Palace vs Beach Palace: Which Resort Is Right for You?

Looking for a luxury all-inclusive resort in Cancun, Mexico, but can’t decide between Moon Palace vs Beach Palace? With multiple resort options from Palace Resorts, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Each has its own vibe, features, and amenities.

As someone who frequently visits these resorts, I’ve experienced both firsthand. Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly resort experience, a quieter vibe, or a luxury experience, this guide will help you make an informed choice.

I’ll walk you through the differences and help you figure out which one will best suit your vacation style.

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Choose Moon Palace Cancun if:

• You want a large resort with a wide range of activities, restaurants, pools, and entertainment.
• You prefer a higher-end hotel experience with well-maintained, low-rise buildings.
• You want access to adults-only pools and amenities.
• You’re looking for a variety of room options, including swim-up rooms, family suites, and honeymoon suites.
• You want activities like golf, mini-golf, basketball, tennis, and pickleball.
• You’re travelling as a couple.

Choose Beach Palace if:

• You want to be located in the heart of Cancun’s hotel zone.
• You prefer a smaller resort that’s easy to navigate.
• You want ocean and beach views directly from your room.
• Swimming in the ocean is a top priority for your vacation.
• You’re working with a more limited budget.
• You want to be close to restaurants, shops, and entertainment in the Cancun hotel zone.

Which is Better? Beach Palace or Moon Palace Cancun

Without a doubt, Moon Palace Cancun is the better resort. During our stay at Moon Palace, we took a day trip to Beach Palace but didn’t stay overnight. Even in our short visit, Beach Palace felt small, dated, and overcrowded.

The hotel is showing significant wear and tear and feels very tired. In my opinion, it’s in desperate need of a renovation.

While it was fine for a day visit, I was relieved we hadn’t booked our entire week stay there. Thankfully, Beach Palace is scheduled for renovation, so my opinion might change afterward. That said, I’m very glad we chose Moon Palace Cancun for our family vacation instead.

Still, I’ll walk you through the key differences so you can make the best choice for your vacation.

What Can Be Expected at Moon Palace and Beach Palace?

Both Moon Palace Cancun and Beach Palace are part of the Palace Elite hotel family, offering all-inclusive, family-friendly experiences. 

The staff at both resorts are known for being exceptionally kind, helpful, and service-focused, ensuring you have a memorable stay no matter which one you choose.

Moon Palace Cancun Overview

Moon Palace is a sprawling resort made up of three properties in total. Moon Palace Cancun includes two properties Sunrise and Nizuc. Moon Palace The Grand Cancun is the third property, and is the largest of all three.

Guests staying at The Grand have full access to all three properties and their amenities, while those staying at Nizuc or Sunrise will need a day pass to access The Grand.

The resort is large, with golf carts available to transport guests across the grounds. Rooms are located in low-rise buildings, each about three to four stories high. Between the three properties, guests can choose from over 50 restaurants and bars and enjoy more than 10 pools.

There are a significant number of things to do throughout the Moon Palace properties. Activities include golf and spas to pickleball and kids’ clubs. There is even a massive water park at The Grand perfect for kids aged 4-16.

There are also adults-only pools and amenities within the properties for those seeking a quieter experience.

Beach Palace Cancun Overview

Beach Palace offers a completely different vibe from Moon Palace Cancun. Located right in the heart of Cancun’s Hotel Zone, this smaller all-inclusive resort features 285 guest rooms and a single, high-rise building.

Instead of the expansive grounds at Moon Palace, Beach Palace has one main pool for all guests on the beach. The standout feature here is the SkyBar on the top floor, offering 360-degree views of Cancun—a pretty spectacular sight.

When we visited in October, the resort felt quite busy, and I can only imagine how crowded it gets during the high season. Unlike Moon Palace, Beach Palace doesn’t have adults-only areas or amenities.

Where Are the Resorts Located?

Both Moon Palace Cancun and Beach Palace are located close to Cancun International Airport and have beachfront access.

Moon Palace Location

Moon Palace is about 13 km south of Cancun International Airport. The resort is massive, combining three properties: The Grand, Sunrise, and Nizuc.

While it sits on the beach, the size of the property means you can’t easily walk off-site. You’ll need transportation to reach shopping areas or attractions in Cancun.

Beach Palace Location

Beach Palace is about 23 km north of the airport, right in the heart of the Cancun Hotel Zone. Its location offers direct access to nearby restaurants, bars, and attractions. You can walk to the La Isla Cancun shopping mall, which features luxury stores, restaurants, a sky wheel, and an aquarium.

Verdict: Beach Palace is the better choice if you want to explore Cancun on foot and easily access local attractions.

Cancun Beach at Moon Palace 

The beach is a major factor for many travellers when choosing a resort. While Cancun’s beaches aren’t quite like Turks and Caicos or Cozumel, they still offer beautiful views and access to the Caribbean Sea.

Beach at Moon Palace Cancun

Moon Palace Cancun offers a full mile of beachfront with plenty of seating, including umbrellas and hammocks. There’s direct access to the beach from the pools, and water sports are included. 

However, seaweed is more common here, and the resort works hard to keep the beach clear by using tractors throughout the day. The water isn’t the clearest, and it may not be ideal for swimming, but plenty of guests were still enjoying the water. 

Personally, I didn’t find the seaweed as big of an issue as some suggest. If swimming isn’t your main priority, the beach is still a great spot to relax. Another plus: no vendors have ever approached us on the beach here.

Beach Palace Beach

Beach Palace’s beach is the main reason most people come to this resort. The sand is clean, the water is seaweed-free, and the waves are fun to play in. However, the undertow can be strong, so it’s important to follow safety warnings. 

There’s less seaweed here than at Moon Palace, but you’ll likely encounter vendors selling items on the beach. We were approached within minutes of arriving. 

There are loungers and umbrellas available on the beach, but due to it’s popularity, they get reserved quickly.

Verdict: Beach Palace is the slight winner here! If the beach is a top priority for you, Beach Palace has the better beach overall.

Pools and Water Slides

Pools are a key factor when choosing an all-inclusive resort, and both Moon Palace and Beach Palace offer swim-up bars, lots of seating, and kid-friendly areas.

Pools at Moon Palace

Moon Palace offers a variety of fantastic pools. The Grand has several, while both Sunrise and Nizuc have large resort-wide pools with alcoves for a more relaxed experience. 

The Grand has multiple pools, while both Sunrise and Nizuc each feature massive resort-wide pools with alcoves. There’s no shortage of seating, and each pool area has swim-up bars.

You’ll find an entertainment section in each pool, perfect for activities, though it’s easy to avoid if you prefer quiet time. Kids can enjoy a waterslide and splash pad, and for guests at The Grand, there’s a massive water park.

Pools at Beach Palace

Beach Palace features a main pool on the ground level with a swim-up bar and ocean views. It also has a small waterslide in the main pool. 

On the Skybar Level, you’ll find two more pools and two hot tubs, though one was out of service when we visited. The views of the Cancun Hotel Zone from up there are amazing. 

That said, all the pools felt small and crowded, even though we visited in October during the low season.

Verdict: Moon Palace Cancun is the clear winner here, with multiple pool options, lots of seating, and a greater variety of experiences.

Restaurants

Food quality and dining options are important factors when choosing an all-inclusive resort, and both Moon Palace and Beach Palace offer different experiences.

Restaurants at Moon Palace

Moon Palace has over 50 restaurants and bars spread across its three properties. Each property has a large buffet and an authentic Mexican restaurant. The variety is impressive, with options ranging from French and Italian to Indian, Asian, and, of course, Mexican 

For guests of The Grand, there is even a dedicated kid-friendly restaurant called The Circus. But no matter where we ate, the food and drinks were consistently outstanding.

Restaurants at Beach Palace

Beach Palace offers a more limited selection, with four restaurants and four bars. Not all restaurants are open for every meal, so the buffet is the primary choice for breakfast and lunch. 

Unlike Moon Palace, Beach Palace doesn’t have an authentic Mexican restaurant. On the plus side, the sports bar was a highlight for me and even better than what Moon Palace offers. 

There’s also a small coffee station outside the main lobby, though it felt a bit cramped. With fewer restaurant options and smaller capacity, I did wonder about how easy it would be to get reservations. We didn’t stay for dinner, but the options seemed similar to Moon Palace.

Verdict: Moon Palace wins for variety and ease of access, with more dining options and greater convenience.

Rooms

When staying at an all-inclusive resort, comfort in your room is essential. Both Moon Palace and Beach Palace provide standard amenities like liquor dispensers, CHI bathroom products, bathrobes, and daily restocked minibars to ensure a comfortable stay.

Rooms at Moon Palace Cancun

There are over 2000 rooms at Moon Palace. There are a wide range of room options at various price points, including swim-up rooms, presidential suites, honeymoon suites, and family suites to choose from.

The rooms are spread across low-rise buildings, each with 3-4 levels, so you won’t need to rely on elevators. 

I’ve stayed in several room types, including a Beach Front Room at Nizuc, a Presidential Suite at The Grand, and a Honeymoon Suite at The Grand—and I enjoyed each one. However, only Nizuc offers true oceanfront rooms.

Rooms at Beach Palace Hotel

I didn’t stay overnight at Beach Palace, but the standout feature is that all rooms have ocean views. That said, given the rest of the hotel’s condition, I suspect the rooms are also tired and in need of renovations. 

The single-building design means you’ll need to use elevators, which we found slow and busy. Some reviews mention issues with door slamming and lack of soundproofing.

Verdict: Moon Palace wins for its variety of room choices and easier access thanks to low-rise buildings. Beach Palace does offer ocean view rooms, so if that’s a priority for you, it may be worth considering.

Lobby Experience

The lobby is often the hub of a resort, serving as a check-in and check-out area, a place to gather, or somewhere to relax while waiting for your room or flight. Having a comfortable lobby can make a big difference in your stay.

Lobby at Moon Palace Cancun

Moon Palace Cancun has three separate lobbies—one at Sunrise, one at Nizuc, and one at The Grand. Each lobby is spacious, offering nightly entertainment, a lobby bar, and plenty of seating for guests to relax or gather. 

You’ll also find coffee shops, stores, and restaurants, making it a convenient place to spend time. For families, the Wired Lounge at both The Grand and Sunrise provides a gaming centre and arcade, perfect for kids and teens. 

Overall, these lobbies are lively, fun, and serve as the social center of the resort.

Lobby at Beach Palace

The lobby at Beach Palace felt much smaller, and I found it to be crowded. All the restaurants, spa, and stores are located in or around the lobby and on the second-floor mezzanine. 

There’s no dedicated lobby bar, though the sports bar upstairs fills that role. 

Unfortunately, there’s no Wired Lounge for kids and teens here. If you’re waiting for your room or hanging out after check-out, seating is limited, especially during busy times or in bad weather.

Verdict: Moon Palace Cancun offers the better lobby experience with more space to gather, relax, enjoy a drink, and even catch some entertainment.

Entertainment and Activities

At an all-inclusive resort, you’re probably looking for more than just swimming and dining—entertainment and activities are key to a well-rounded experience.

While both resorts offer a spa, gym, and daily entertainment, there are many differences in what’s available.

Moon Palace Entertainment and Activities

Moon Palace offers a wide range of entertainment and activities. Nightly shows, live musicians, pubs, and a dedicated activity staff ensure there’s always something going on. 

The activity options are plentiful, with mini-golf, basketball, pickleball, tennis, and even bowling available. 

The resort also features two Wired Lounges with video games and activities, as well as three playrooms—one in each property—designed to keep children entertained. 

Each property has its own spa and fitness centre, providing plenty of ways to unwind. With so many choices, it’s impossible to get bored at Moon Palace.

Beach Palace Entertainment and Activities

While there are some entertainment and activity options, Beach Palace offers fewer choices. There’s a small spa and a gym located on the Skybar Level, but there’s less variety overall. 

The playroom is small, and online reviews mention that it feels outdated and limited. 

Beach Palace lacks mini-golf, basketball, tennis, and a Wired Lounge, which further reduces the range of activities available compared to Moon Palace.

Verdict: Moon Palace Cancun is the clear winner here. Not only does it offer a wide variety of activities, but there’s also daily choice to keep everyone entertained.

Which Resort Costs More: Moon Palace or Beach Palace?

Cost varies based on many factors like time of year, room type, and number of guests. In general, Beach Palace tends to be less expensive than Moon Palace Cancun. 

That said, both resorts are considered luxury hotels, so neither option is particularly cheap. If your budget allows, I’d recommend spending a little extra to stay at Moon Palace Cancun, even in one of their more budget-friendly rooms. 

It’s a better overall value compared to Beach Palace. The Grand at Moon Palace is a splurge, and while I enjoy staying there, unless you plan to take full advantage of all the additional amenities, the standard Moon Palace Cancun rooms offer much better value than Beach Palace.

For instance, during a recent trip, we priced a Garden View room at Moon Palace Cancun, which came to about $600 more for a 7-night stay than Beach Palace. In my opinion, the extra cost was well worth it for the better quality experience and variety of amenities.

Can You Travel Between the Resorts?

Yes, you can travel between Moon Palace Cancun and Beach Palace. The distance between the two resorts is about a 20-minute drive. If you’re staying at Moon Palace Cancun, you’re welcome to visit Beach Palace and have full access to the resort.

Day passes are available, but they’re limited and need to be booked through the Palace Elite app. If you have a membership at the resort, a shuttle to Beach Palace may be provided, but for the average guest, you’ll likely need to arrange a taxi ride.

What About Sun Palace Cancun?

Sun Palace Cancun is another option within the Palace Elite hotel chain. It is also located in the Cancun Hotel Zone. Sun Palace, however, is an adults-only resort.

It was recently remodelled and reopened in 2020, offering a more intimate atmosphere with 252 guest rooms.

Sun Palace has two incredible infinity pools with stunning ocean views. All the rooms also face the ocean. While much smaller than Moon Palace Cancun, Sun Palace is of much higher quality compared to Beach Palace.

If you’re seeking a quieter, adults-only experience, Sun Palace could be the perfect alternative.

Final Thoughts: Moon Palace or Beach Palace

While Moon Palace Cancun offers an impressive experience across all three of its properties—The Grand, Sunrise, and Nizuc—Beach Palace left me less impressed. 

The smaller size, fewer amenities, and overall condition of Beach Palace didn’t measure up. However, renovations are planned, and I’m hopeful the resort will improve after these updates.

That said, if you’re staying at Moon Palace Cancun or The Grand at Moon Palace and want a day at the beach, you can easily visit Beach Palace with a day pass and a quick taxi ride. This way, you get the best of both worlds: the variety and luxury of Moon Palace, plus a beach day at Beach Palace.

Of course, while these are my personal experiences, I always recommend reading other online reviews to get a broader perspective. 

If you’re planning a trip to Cancun, now is the perfect time to book your stay. Whether you’re looking for the luxury and endless amenities of Moon Palace Cancun or a more budget-friendly option like Beach Palace, you’re sure to find the resort that best fits your vacation style.

Before You Go: Learn More About the Moon Palace Cancun Resorts

Now that you’ve compared Beach Palace vs Moon Palace in Cancun here are a few more articles to help you plan your next visit to Mexico.

If you’re considering upgrading your stay, check out my comprehensive review of The Grand to see why it’s one of the best all-inclusive options in Cancun. For those travelling with families, you will want to read all about the Water Park at The Grand.

Moon Palace Cancun also has two properties and, although you have access to both with your stay, you may be wondering whether to stay at Nizuc or Sunrise when you book your vacation.