Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana: First Look at the Caribbean's Biggest New Resort

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Well, it finally happened. After two years of construction photos, rumors, and a TikTok feed full of videos about it, Moon Palace The Grand opened its doors on June 1st.

And I’ll be honest with you — I’ve been watching this one closely. Palace Resorts has been the king of the mega-resort in Cancun for decades, but they’d never set foot in the Dominican Republic until now. When a company drops $1.5 billion on their first property in a new country, that tells you something. They’re not dipping a toe in the water. They’re doing a cannonball.

So let me walk you through what this place actually is, who it’s for, and — because I know some of you are already hovering over the “book now” button — whether you should jump on it this summer or hold off a bit.

First, let’s talk about the size of this thing

I’ve been writing about Punta Cana resorts for a while now, and I’ve never had to describe anything like this. We’re talking 2,171 suites. Not rooms — suites. For comparison, most of the big all-inclusives in Bavaro top out somewhere around 700 to 1,000 rooms.

But here’s the part that surprised me: they didn’t build it the way Punta Cana resorts have always been built, sprawled out low and wide across the property. They went up. Two 18-story towers, which makes it the tallest resort in Punta Cana by a mile. If you’ve ever been to the hotel zone in Cancun, you know exactly the look I’m talking about. Some folks will love it, some won’t. I’ll admit it took me a minute to picture towers like that on the Bavaro coastline.

The payoff, though, is the views. About two-thirds of the rooms look straight out at the ocean — more oceanfront rooms than any resort in the country’s history. When you’re on the 15th floor looking out at that Caribbean blue, I imagine the tower debate settles itself pretty quick.

The mangrove walkways might be my favorite part

Here’s something I genuinely didn’t expect from a mega-resort. Because they built vertical instead of sprawling out, they left a huge chunk of the property untouched — including 400 meters of protected mangrove forest between the towers and the beach.

So instead of paving a path through it, they built elevated wooden walkways over the wetlands. Your walk to the beach is basically a little nature excursion. Folks who’ve been there during these opening weeks keep mentioning it — apparently you can spot birds and all kinds of life down in the mangroves on your morning walk to the sand.

They’re also saying the whole resort will run on renewable energy starting next year — solar during the day, wind at night. Whether everything pans out exactly as advertised, we’ll see. But I’d rather see a resort try than not.

If you’re bringing the kids (or the grandkids)

This is where The Grand makes the most sense to me. The centerpiece of the family side is the Palace Castle Waterpark — and yes, it’s an actual castle, with a lazy river wrapping around it and racing slides coming off it. I can think of a few kids in my own life who would lose their minds over this.

The smarter design choice, though, is the zoning. The resort is laid out so the family chaos and the adult quiet don’t bump into each other. Grandma can have her peaceful pool with a book while the kids are screaming down waterslides three zones away, and everybody meets up for dinner. With over 20 restaurants and bars on the property, you could stay a week and not eat at the same place twice.

That’s also what makes this work for big multi-generational trips — family reunions, anniversary trips, that kind of thing. With this many suites, including swim-up rooms, you can actually get everybody booked near each other. Anyone who’s tried to book six rooms at a smaller resort knows what a headache that usually is.

For the adults, there’s a rooftop bar with views that go on forever, a casino, a big spa, and a Greg Norman golf course.

Alright, what’s it cost?

Deep breath. Opening rates started at $849 a night, all-inclusive, for their entry-level room. The swim-up suites run around $1,400.

That’s premium territory — well above your typical Bavaro all-inclusive. Now, before you close the tab: Palace has been running opening promotions with free nights and resort credit to fill the place up, so the sticker price isn’t always the real price. If this resort is calling your name, watch for those deals.

Check Current Rates on Expedia →

My honest take: book now or wait?

Here’s where I’m going to shoot straight with you, because that’s the whole reason this blog exists.

I have not stayed at this resort yet. Nobody outside of the first wave of guests has. So anyone telling you it’s “the best resort in Punta Cana” right now is selling you something.

What I can tell you is how new mega-resorts usually go. The first few months, there are growing pains. Always. Restaurants open in phases. A few thousand brand-new staff members are still finding their rhythm. Something in your room doesn’t work quite right yet. If you’re the kind of traveler who wants everything polished and proven, give it until late this year or next — let them work out the kinks on someone else’s vacation.

But if you’re the kind who loves being first? The whole place is brand spanking new. Nobody has slept in that bed before you. The opening deals are real. And there’s something fun about coming home with stories from the resort everybody’s going to be talking about for the next five years.

One more thing since we’re being honest: if you’re going this summer, remember that June through August is seaweed season on Punta Cana’s east-facing beaches, and this year’s looking like a heavy one. The resort will be raking that beach every morning like everyone else in Bavaro, but if a postcard-perfect shoreline is the whole point of your trip, either aim for November through January or plan a day trip out to Saona Island — those west-facing beaches stay beautiful pretty much year-round.

Book a Saona Island Excursion on GetYourGuide →

Getting there

The resort sits in the Bavaro area, about 25 to 35 minutes from the Punta Cana airport. Do yourself a favor and book your transfer ahead of time — you do not want to be haggling with taxi drivers in the arrivals chaos with your luggage and tired kids in tow. I say this in every post and I’ll keep saying it.

Read Our Airport Transfer Tips →

And at these room rates, please protect the trip. Travel insurance feels like a waste of money right up until the day it isn’t.

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So what’s the verdict?

Punta Cana has never seen anything like Moon Palace The Grand, and honestly, neither has the rest of the Caribbean. For big family groups who want brand-new everything and can swing the price, I think it’s going to be awfully hard to beat. For everyone else, let it marinate a few months, watch the early reviews roll in, and pounce when the timing’s right.

Either way — our little corner of paradise just got a lot more interesting. I’ll be keeping an eye on this one, and you better believe the moment I get down there myself, you’ll get the full report.

Keep reading the Moon Palace cluster: Is Moon Palace worth it?, how’s the beach?, room types explained, and Moon Palace vs Hard Rock.

Planning a trip? Don’t miss our guides on airport transfers, the best time to visit on a budget, and is Punta Cana safe in 2026 — and grab our free Ultimate Punta Cana Travel Guide while you’re at it.

Compare Top Punta Cana Resorts →