Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa - All Inclusive
Last verified July 2026. Dining is the weakest mark at 7.3. No resort can pay to change a score. See the full Palmprint file
Dining, pools and the beach
Dining & bars
A few venues take reservations, the rest are walk-in
Official Palladium materials state 4 à la carte restaurants, 2 international show-cooking restaurants and 11 bars currently available to Colonial guests, with some sister-complex venues excluded after the resort configuration change.
Pools & waterplay
With waterslides
Expedia lists 5 outdoor pools plus a children's pool with waterslide; Palladium Travel Club references six freshwater pools across the Colonial/Kantenah access context.
The beach itself
Official materials describe a long Caribbean beach with white sand and warm water, but guest and regional Riviera Maya reports require seasonal sargassum caution.
- Caveat: Water conditions vary through the year
- Caveat: Entry depth varies along the shore
- Caveat: Sargassum seaweed lands seasonally, raked daily
Counts come from the resort's own published information; the scores are ours, from the Palmprint file below.
Who fits where at Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa - All Inclusive
All 4 categories, from the resort's own accommodations pages. The figures are the comparison: how many the room takes, against the most this property puts in any one key. Where a category carries no figures, the resort does not publish an occupancy for it, which at villa tier usually means it is set when you book.
| Suite | Occupancy | Bedrooms | Aspect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deluxe Garden View | Not published | 1 bedroom | Garden |
| Junior Suite Garden View | Not published | 1 bedroom | Garden |
| Romance Villa Suite | Not published | 1 bedroom | Not published |
| Family Suite | Sleeps 8 | 1 bedroom | Not published |
Occupancy is the maximum published occupancy including rollaways, not comfortable occupancy. Categories and occupancy change with renovations, and connecting rooms are usually request-only, so confirm when you book.
= sleeps 2 of 8 max
The dining, in outline
Counts and cuisines from the resort's own pages. We have not verified this property restaurant by restaurant yet, so we are not going to print a list that says nothing.
- Places to eat
- 6
- A la carte
- 4
- Buffets
- 2
- Bars and lounges
- 11
- Swim-up bars
- 1
Mexican, Japanese, American, Argentine grill, International buffet
Some restaurants take reservations; the rest are walk-in.
Guests can dine at sister resorts nearby.
Official Palladium materials state 4 à la carte restaurants, 2 international show-cooking restaurants and 11 bars currently available to Colonial guests, with some sister-complex venues excluded after the resort configuration change.
Before you book
Ten things the research turned up about Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa - All Inclusive that the brochure does not say.
Grand Palladium Colonial is a true all-inclusive resort under Palladium's Infinite Indulgence model.
The resort is part of a larger Riviera Maya complex, but access rules changed and some sister-property venues are excluded.
Families are the strongest fit because the resort has kids and teen programming plus large pool infrastructure.
Restaurant reservation friction and resort-complex size are recurring guest pain points.
Hidden tips
Check the current restaurant-access chart before booking because excluded venues changed after the complex reconfiguration.
Use the app and concierge early for specialty restaurant reservations.
Beach-first travelers should check very recent sargassum and shoreline photos before final payment.
Things guests wish they had known
Not every restaurant in the Grand Palladium complex is available to Colonial guests.
The resort is better for families and complex-style resort users than compact boutique-resort travelers.
Reservations should be handled early.
Most loved
4 themes- Family amenities and kids clubs
- Pools and swim-up bars
- Large tropical complex
- Beachfront setting
Most complained about
4 themes- Restaurant reservation friction
- Food consistency
- Large-property walking and shuttle logistics
- Older or inconsistent room condition
Reddit discussion is mixed: some travelers compare the Colonial favorably for restaurant variety and family resort scale, while others report poor reservation logistics, weak food, older rooms and service problems.
The rate, and where to check it
A checked price with a date on it, not a teaser. Here is the stay we price.
Taxes and fees vary by channel, so compare the final screen, not the first one.
Same rate you would pay yourself, booked for you. Prefer to do it yourself? Book on the resort's own site (opens in a new tab).
Independent reviews
We earn nothing on these links. How we are paid is set out here.
Not a cheaper rate
We are not going to undercut the big engines and we are not going to pretend to. Three things you get instead.
- The room
- The category worth paying for, not the cheapest one that sleeps you.
- The plan
- What it covers on your dates, and what it does not.
- The rate
- Agency rates that never reach the public page.
This is booking help by email, not a concierge service. Once your reservation is confirmed the resort looks after your stay, the way it would if you had booked yourself. Bookings are placed through an ARC and IATA accredited host agency. The resort pays the commission out of a rate it has already set, so booking this way costs you nothing extra and does not get you a worse rate.
We check this rate on a rotating schedule. Leave an email and we'll flag a real drop, not a countdown timer.
Nov to May
Temperature barely moves here across the year, so rain is the whole decision: the wet months run Jun to Oct. Hurricane season is real here: about 1 in 6 Octobers sees one pass within 100 miles, most recently Beryl in 2024.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average daily high | 84 degrees Fahrenheit | 86 degrees Fahrenheit | 88 degrees Fahrenheit | 90 degrees Fahrenheit | 91 degrees Fahrenheit | 91 degrees Fahrenheit | 93 degrees Fahrenheit | 93 degrees Fahrenheit | 91 degrees Fahrenheit | 90 degrees Fahrenheit | 86 degrees Fahrenheit | 84 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Rain days | 4 days | 3 days | 2 days | 2 days | 6 days | 10 days | 8 days | 8 days | 12 days | 11 days | 5 days | 4 days |
| hurricane odds | under 1 in 10 | under 1 in 10 | under 1 in 10 | under 1 in 10 | under 1 in 10 | 1 in 8 | 1 in 8 | 1 in 9 | 1 in 7 | 1 in 6 | under 1 in 10 | under 1 in 10 |
| Verdict | Best | Best | Best | Best | Best | Wet | Wet | Wet | Wet | Wet | Best | Best |
Odds count the complete years, 1980 to 2025, in which a hurricane passed within about 100 nautical miles of Cancún · Riviera Maya, the nearest point in the NOAA and IBTrACS records to this resort. Two storms in one month still count that year once. How the hurricane belt works
Getting there
60 minutes from CUN
- Nearest airport
- CUN · Cancun International Airport
- Transfer
- 60 min · costs extra
- Address
- Carretera Tulum - Cancún Km.259-100, Puerto Juarez, 77710 Playa del Carmen, Q.R., Mexico
- Phone
- +52 984 877 2100
The ride from CUN is not in your rate.
Book it before you land and the ride is settled. The alternative is a taxi rank at the end of a long flight.
- The fare
- Fixed when you book. No meter, no surge, no cash at the kerb.
- If you're late
- The driver tracks your flight and waits. Delays don't cost you the ride.
- On arrival
- Your name on a board in arrivals, past customs, before the taxi rank.
Mexico
- Language
- Spanish (English at resorts)
- Currency
- Mexican peso; USD widely accepted
- Power
- 110V, Type A/B plugs (same as the US)
- Driving
- On the right
- Main airport
- Cancún (CUN)
- Flight time
- ~2–4.5h from the US
Who it suits
Two of the 8 categories we score in the Palmprint file for Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa - All Inclusive; the full set is above.
What we'd book around it
Affiliate · commission at no cost to youFlights
Fly into CUN, 60 minutes from the gate; round trips from about $282.
Search fares (opens in a new tab)Insurance
Storms move flights in season, and the cheapest rates are usually non-refundable.
Compare cover (opens in a new tab)Data
An eSIM for the flight and the beach; Wi-Fi is included on the resort but stops at the gate.
Get an eSIM (opens in a new tab)Kayaks & paddleboards is already in the rate. Don't pay for them twice.
How we scored Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa - All Inclusive
8 categories, scored from official sources and read against what guests actually report. Verified 19 July 2026 under Palmprint methodology 1.0.
The six that set the score
And 2 more we track
Confidence is high across the board except value, service, beach, dining, rooms and nightlife, where the evidence is thinner.
Open a category
Value8.0Medium confidence
- Family Value
- 8.7
- Included Activity Depth
- 8.5
- Restaurant Access Penalty
- 6.5
Service7.6Medium confidence
- Service Consistency
- 7.3
- Expedia Overall Score
- 8.2
- Reservation Service Penalty
- 6.2
Beach8.0Medium confidence
- Swimmability
- 8.0
- Beach Length M
- 800.0
- Sargassum Risk
- 6.8
- Beachfront Support
- 1.0
Dining7.3Medium confidence
- Buffets
- 2.0
- Bar Count
- 11.0
- A La Carte Restaurants
- 4.0
- Reservation Friction Penalty
- 6.2
Rooms7.8Medium confidence
- Room Count
- 252.0
- Max Sleep Count
- 8.0
- Older Room Caution
- 6.8
Pools & Spa8.5High confidence
- Kids Pool Support
- 1.0
- Outdoor Pool Count
- 5.0
- Waterslide Support
- 1.0
- Swim Up Bar Support
- 1.0
Family8.7High confidence
- Kids Club Max Age
- 19.0
- Kids Club Min Age
- 1.0
- Kids Pool Support
- 1.0
- Family Suite Support
- 1.0
Nightlife7.2Medium confidence
- Bar Count
- 11.0
- Show Support
- 1.0
- Family Resort Penalty
- 7.0
What it does best
- True all-inclusive beachfront resort.
- Strong family infrastructure with kids and teen programming.
- Large pool and bar network.
- Access to selected Kantenah/Colonial complex facilities.
Where it costs you
- Restaurant access and booking rules can be confusing.
- Some recent guest reports are negative on food and service consistency.
- Large resort footprint means walking or shuttle logistics.
- Exact main-entrance coordinates need manual verification.
Room intelligence
- Rooms To Avoid
- Rooms farthest from preferred restaurant and shuttle routesRecent guest discussions emphasize the large complex and restaurant-access logistics.
- Best Value Room
- Deluxe Garden ViewBest value if guests plan to spend most time using the complex pools, kids clubs, beach and dining.
- Best Room Category
- Romance Villa SuiteBest fit for couples who want a more distinctive room near beach or pool areas.
Everything we read on Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa - All Inclusive
In the plan, or on the bill
Where the line sits at Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa - All Inclusive, item by item, with what we checked it against.
| What you'd expect to pay for | Status |
|---|---|
| Premium & à la carte diningOfficial and Expedia sources confirm all food and beverages are included under the Infinite Indulgence all-inclusive model, with access restrictions for selected neighboring venues. | Included |
| Top-shelf liquorAll-inclusive materials mention national and international premium drinks, but bottle-service and higher-tier exceptions should be confirmed.Per the resort, not yet verified | Partly included |
| Room serviceRoom service availability was not fully verified as unrestricted for all categories. | Partly included |
| Wi-Fi | Included |
| In-room minibar | Included |
| Non-motorized water sportsExpedia states activities include windsurfing, snorkeling, kayaking and more. | Included |
| Spa treatmentsZentropia Palladium Spa & Wellness is available, with treatments and hydrotherapy typically charged separately.Per the resort, not yet verified | Costs extra |
| Kids' clubOfficial materials list clubs and activities for children and teens. | Included |
| Airport transfersAirport transfers are not part of the all-inclusive rate; the resort offers private transfers from and to Cancun International Airport at published prices, or guests can book their own transport for the roughly one-hour drive. | Costs extra |
Inclusions change and vary by room category and season, so confirm with the resort before booking. How we verify this
Bringing the kids to Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa - All Inclusive
What decides whether a resort works with children in tow, answered from what the resort publishes rather than from the brochure.
- Kids' club
- Supervised program
- Drop-off care from
- Age 1, covers toddlers
- Teen program
- Active: events teens actually show up to
- Rooms that fit a family
- Family Suite
- Beach for young swimmers
- Entry varies along the beach
- Dinner reservations
- Needed at some restaurants
- Can a family of 5 stay in one room at Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa - All Inclusive?
- Yes. Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa - All Inclusive has room categories that sleep 5 or more in one key: Family Suite. The largest stated occupancy is 8. Occupancy rules count most children (and sometimes infants) toward the limit, so confirm your exact ages with the resort when you book.
- Does Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa - All Inclusive have a kids' club, and from what age?
- Yes. Grand Palladium Colonial Resort & Spa - All Inclusive runs a supervised kids' club. Drop-off starts at age 1, so it covers toddlers. Hours and age bands shift seasonally, so confirm before booking.
Tell us the trip, we'll tell you the resort
Tell us your dates, budget, home airport, and who's traveling, and we'll point you to the best-fit resorts. Free, no obligation.
Kids' club hours, teen programs and group availability all move with the season. Confirm the specifics with the resort for your dates.
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