The Grand at Moon Palace – Our Fifth Visit
We have just returned from our fifth stay at Moon Palace, having visited the resort five times over the past 16 years. We specifically chose The Grand section again because of the fantastic experiences we have had on previous visits and the consistently high level of service that, in our opinion, has always set Moon Palace apart.
Overall, we still had a really enjoyable holiday and there is no doubt that this remains a beautiful resort with excellent facilities and generally very good food. However, this was the first time we have left feeling that the overall standard of service has noticeably declined. Given that our two-week stay cost around £8,000, we felt the level of service did not always reflect the price we paid.
Arrival and check-in
Our booking consisted of two rooms: one for two adults and another for two adults and two children. On arrival, we were told by the check-in clerk that there was only one room for two adults on our reservation.
We showed the clerk our Loveholidays booking confirmation, which clearly stated that we had two rooms booked. Unfortunately, the initial response was essentially that it was not the hotel’s problem and that we needed to contact our travel agent.
We completely understand that mistakes can happen, particularly at a busy resort, but after travelling from the UK and completing a journey of around 16 hours door-to-door, this was not the welcome or level of assistance we expected from a resort of this calibre.
While we were on the phone to Loveholidays, who confirmed that we did indeed have two rooms booked, the check-in clerk somehow managed to locate the second room.
What made this particularly disappointing was that I had contacted the hotel approximately two months before our arrival to ask whether our two rooms could be allocated next to each other. I was advised that the request would be forwarded to the relevant team, but unfortunately this clearly hadn’t happened.
Housekeeping and room condition
Housekeeping was very inconsistent throughout our stay.
On several occasions, we returned from the pool at around 3:30–4:00pm to find that our room had still not been serviced. On one occasion, we actually had to request housekeeping through the app because the room had not been cleaned for two consecutive days.
We also ordered additional soft drinks for the minibar after we had run out, but unfortunately these never arrived.
There were also some maintenance issues around the accommodation areas. Our room had some dampness on the ceiling. It wasn’t particularly severe, but two days before the end of our 14-night stay, we received a letter advising that the hotel wanted to address the issue.
This did make us wonder why maintenance issues such as this aren’t identified and resolved before guests arrive, particularly when the hotel has such a long lead time between bookings.
There were also a number of cracked and broken floor tiles around the accommodation areas. While these are relatively minor issues individually, they do make some areas of the resort feel as though they are beginning to look tired and could benefit from refurbishment.
Cleanliness
Generally, the resort was very clean and well presented. However, there were a couple of areas where standards could have been better.
A bridge that we walked across every morning had animal faeces left on it which appeared not to have been cleaned for some time. There were also used glasses left on the bridge for around three days.
Again, these may sound like small issues, but it is the accumulation of these things that contributed to our feeling that the attention to detail wasn’t quite at the level we have experienced previously.
Food and restaurant service
The food was generally very good throughout the resort, and we particularly enjoyed the à la carte restaurants. In fact, the food and service in the à la carte restaurants were noticeably better than our experiences in some of the buffet restaurants and at breakfast.
On a few occasions, however, food arrived at our table which could have been warmer. The food itself always tasted good, but the temperature wasn’t always what we would have expected.
There were also a couple of occasions where a waiter would remove a drink that still had a small amount remaining without asking whether we wanted another. They would then disappear for a considerable amount of time without replacing it.
This is perhaps where the difference between our previous stays and this visit was most noticeable. Previously, the service was exceptionally attentive and staff seemed to anticipate what guests needed.
That said, I have to give a special mention to the French restaurant in The Grand. The steak I had there was the best steak I have ever eaten, and the overall food and service at the à la carte restaurants were excellent.
Peak season
I appreciate that August is an extremely busy time at Moon Palace, and I’m sure this places considerable pressure on the staff and facilities.
However, at times the resort did feel extremely busy. On one occasion, we couldn’t even find a seat in the Sunrise Lobby simply to have a drink, while the Secret Bar in The Grand was also completely full.
I appreciate that peak-season occupancy will inevitably affect availability and service, but given the premium price of the resort, I would expect the hotel to have sufficient resources and systems in place to maintain its usual standards during busy periods.
Has Moon Palace changed?
This is the part that is most difficult for us to write.
We have visited Moon Palace five times over 16 years, and we have always returned because of the exceptional level of service we experienced.
On previous visits, the attention to detail was genuinely outstanding. I remember going to the breakfast buffet and returning to my table to find that my serviette had been remade. On occasions, a waiter would even carry my plate back to the table for me.
I appreciate that carrying a guest’s plate might sound excessive, but it illustrates the level of service we experienced previously. It was that attention to detail that made Moon Palace stand out and made us want to keep returning.
This time, unfortunately, we felt that something had changed.
The resort is still beautiful, the food is generally excellent and there are many members of staff who provide fantastic service. However, the overall consistency just wasn’t there.
It feels as though the resort is becoming increasingly expensive while, at the same time, some aspects of the service are declining.
Would we return?
Despite everything I’ve mentioned, we still had a fantastic holiday and I would absolutely understand why people continue to love Moon Palace. There is a huge amount to enjoy, and the resort remains a very impressive place to stay.
We have recommended Moon Palace to our friends for many years, and they are now interested in joining us next year. However, for the first time, I’m genuinely unsure whether we would return ourselves.
That is probably the biggest disappointment of all.
We have stayed at Moon Palace five times because of the experience we had previously, and we genuinely want the resort to succeed. This review is therefore not intended simply as criticism, but as honest feedback from returning guests who have seen how exceptional the service can be.
We paid approximately £8,000 for a two-week stay, which is a significant amount of money, and we don’t expect perfection. We understand that mistakes happen, that August is incredibly busy and that no hotel can get everything right.
What we do expect, however, is that the overall experience and level of service reflect the premium price being charged.
Moon Palace still has all the ingredients to be an exceptional resort. We just hope that the level of service and attention to detail that made us fall in love with it in the first place can be restored.
We really hope that our sixth visit, should we decide to return, gives us the Moon Palace experience we remember and have always recommended to others.
