Moon Palace Punta Cana (2026): The Grand’s Opening, Rooms & What We Know

Moon Palace Punta Cana, officially Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana, is the biggest resort opening the Caribbean has seen in 2026: Palace Resorts’ first property in the Dominican Republic, with 2,171 rooms planned across two 18-story towers, a water park and its own golf course. It opened on June 1, 2026, but it is still being finished. This guide sums up what is confirmed about its opening, rooms, restaurants and prices, what is not open yet, and why it should not be confused with Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana.

Is Moon Palace Punta Cana open?

Yes, but not completely. The project has been a long time coming: Palace Resorts broke ground in 2018 on what was then called Moon Palace Punta Cana, with about 2,149 rooms planned. By July 2025 the two towers and the central clubhouse had reached structural completion, and The Palace Company, which reported an investment of more than $1.5 billion, targeted an opening in spring 2026. The resort welcomed its first guests on June 1, 2026.

The opening has been phased. Air Canada Vacations lists several facilities as temporarily unavailable and expected by mid-January 2027: the JC Prime steakhouse, Joe’s Deck and Fuego restaurants, some bars (including the speakeasy and a beach club), the tennis, pickleball and padel courts, mini-golf, the kids’ outdoor playground, meeting rooms, wedding gazebos and the casino. It also notes that construction is ongoing in some areas. Tour operators are currently selling about 1,660 to 1,680 rooms rather than the full 2,171, which also points to a phased opening, although Palace has not published a phasing plan.

Is Moon Palace Punta Cana part of Hyatt Vivid?

No, and the mix-up is understandable because both resorts opened in Punta Cana in summer 2026. Moon Palace The Grand belongs to Palace Resorts, part of the Mexico-based Palace Company behind Moon Palace Cancun, Moon Palace Jamaica and the adults-only Le Blanc Spa Resorts. It has no connection with Hyatt.

Hyatt Vivid Punta Cana is a separate resort: a 467-room, adults-only all-inclusive that Hyatt opened at the end of August 2026 on the Cabeza de Toro coast, about 16 km from the airport, in partnership with Grupo Anacaona. It has five à la carte restaurants plus a food hall, seven bars and lounges, a hidden speakeasy and the Zenda Spa. In short, Moon Palace is a giant family resort with golf and a water park, while Hyatt Vivid is a mid-size resort for adults only. Both appear in our roundup of new resorts in Punta Cana.

Where is Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana?

The address is Boulevard Turístico del Este, Km 28, in the Macao area on the northern side of the Bávaro and Arena Gorda resort strip, a stretch it shares with big resorts such as Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana. Air Canada Vacations puts it about 28 km from Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) and roughly 3.8 km from Arena Gorda Beach, and Caribbean Journal estimates transfers at 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. Farther along the same coast, Hyatt is building the adults-only Secrets Macao Beach Punta Cana, now targeting 2027.

The site covers about 297 acres. The Palace Company says it preserved more than 228,000 square meters of natural vegetation, including about 400 meters of protected mangrove, and guests reach the sand on elevated walkways. The beach faces the open Atlantic, so expect breeze and waves rather than a calm lagoon, plus the possibility of sargassum in the warmer months. Our Bávaro Beach vs Arena Gorda guide explains how this northern stretch compares with central Bávaro.

Moon Palace Punta Cana rooms and suites

Every category comes with a whirlpool tub, 24-hour room service and premium drinks. Palace says 66% of the rooms have direct ocean views, and the resort says every room looks over either the ocean or the golf course. Maximum occupancy differs slightly between booking channels, so confirm it for your party.

Grand Superior Deluxe rooms

The entry category comes with a golf view or an ocean view, measures roughly 635 to 840 square feet, and has one king or two queen beds. It is the category behind most of the advertised “from” prices, and the ocean-view version is the one to pick if you care about watching the sunrise from the tower.

Junior suites and swim-up suites

The Grand Junior Suite Golf View measures over 1,000 square feet, with a terrace and a double whirlpool tub. The Grand Swim-Up Suite (ocean view) has direct terrace access to a semi-private pool. As with any swim-up, check sun exposure and how many rooms share the pool; our guide to the best swim-up suites in Punta Cana explains what to look for.

Family suites, Governor and Presidential suites, and villas

The Grand Family Suite combines two connected rooms of about 1,292 to 1,981 square feet in total, sleeping up to six or seven depending on the channel. The Grand Governor Suite Ocean View adds a separate living room, and the Grand Presidential Suite comes with two king or two queen beds and a private lounge. At the top are three-bedroom ocean-view villas (about 5,683 square feet), a three-bedroom rooftop villa (about 8,804 square feet) and the Grand Four Bedroom Rooftop Villa, a 10,946-square-foot residence for up to 12 guests. For other options with separate bedrooms, see our best two-bedroom family suites in Punta Cana.

Restaurants and bars at Moon Palace The Grand

Moon Palace opened with 16 restaurants plus cafés, snack bars and dessert counters, and tour-operator listings already show more than 20 food outlets in total. The main buffets are Casa Macao and The Grand Buffet, and Camino Street is a street-food alley with six counters. À la carte options include:

• La Cantina (Mexican), Carvao (Brazilian) and Madremía (Latin American).
• Nikos by Athinagoras Kostakos (Greek), Tavola (Italian) and Le Jiraf (French).
• Habibi (Middle Eastern), Jade (Japanese), Agra (Indian) and Teppan by Momo (teppanyaki).
• Wonderwoods by The Dreamery, aimed at kids, and League’s, a sports pub.
• Coming later: JC Prime Room 84 (steakhouse), Joe’s Deck (seafood) and Fuego by The Grilling Bastards (open-fire cooking).

At launch the bars included the Lobby Bar Terrace, League’s, the Jungle Pool Bar, a nightclub and Kassette, a karaoke bar; an adults-only day club and a speakeasy-style lounge were announced for later. Chef’s Kitchen culinary workshops cost extra. Several restaurants follow a smart-casual dress code (long pants or tailored shorts and sleeved shirts for men), so pack accordingly; our Punta Cana all-inclusive dining guide explains how reservations and dress codes usually work.

Pools, water park, golf, spa and kids’ clubs

There are nine pools, from an infinity pool and an adults’ pool to a kids’ pool, two wellness pools, a sports pool and the water-park pool with its lazy river. The water park adds slides, and a wave simulator is available for a fee. Families will also find the Playroom kids’ club, a teens’ club, the Ninth Pin bowling alley and bar, and the Wired arcade. Our guide to the best Punta Cana family resorts with waterparks compares the alternatives.

Golfers get a Greg Norman Eco Signature course, which the golf-view rooms overlook. A Stay and Play promotion offers free golf for guests sharing a room, with a mandatory cart fee of $90 per person per round. O Spa (treatments extra), a fitness center and classes such as yoga and pilates round out the wellness side, and the casino is expected by mid-January 2027. For other courses in the area, see our Punta Cana golf resorts guide.

How much does Moon Palace Punta Cana cost?

Prices are only rough guides at a resort this new. Opening-week rates started at about $849 a night all-inclusive for a Grand Superior Deluxe Golf View, according to Caribbean Journal. For late-August and early-September 2026 stays, it found averages of about $667 a night for a promotional Grand Junior Suite Golf View, $848 for the Superior Deluxe Ocean View, $1,106 for the Grand Swim-Up Suite and $1,698 for the Grand Governor Suite, for two adults.

Opening promotions reported at the time included up to 25% off, a $500 resort credit, airport transfers on direct bookings of four nights or more, and kids-and-teens-stay-free offers. Terms vary by booking channel and date, so read the fine print, and remember that the spa, golf carts and some activities cost extra.

Moon Palace The Grand pros and cons

Who should book Moon Palace now, and who should wait?

Book now if you are a family or a multigenerational group that wants brand-new suites, lots of restaurants and a water park, and you can live with a few venues opening later; opening promotions can make the value attractive. Golfers will also like having a course on site. Wait until at least February 2027 if the casino, the steakhouse or a fully finished resort matter to you, or if you prefer a resort with a long track record.

If you would rather book an established resort nearby, Hard Rock offers a similar entertainment-heavy formula with a casino that is already open (see our Hard Rock Punta Cana review), Dreams Macao Beach is a smaller family option on Playa Macao, and Lopesan Costa Bávaro offers a calmer beach farther south.

Comparing dates? Check Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana rates on Booking.com and compare them with Palace Resorts’ direct offers, which have included resort credits and transfers.

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