Lorry Perkins
Writer, Travel Blogger
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Grand Palladium Hotel and Resorts: Home to Zentropia Palladium Spa & Wellness
The Grand Palladium Hotel and Resorts, located in Riviera Maya, Mexico, consists of 5 different all-inclusive resorts: Grand Palladium Kantenah Resort, Grand Palladium Colonial Resort, Grand Palladium White Sands, Grand Palladium Riviera, and TRS Yucatan Suites. All are within walking distance of each other, or you can use resort transportation. Each section of the resort has a variety of pools, restaurants, bars, activities, and entertainment. Yes, this all-inclusive is a megaresort. It is located approximately 20 miles from the Cancun airport or about an hour‘s drive depending on traffic. It will take a little longer if you are on a transport that makes stops along the way. It is about a half-hour drive from both Playa del Carmen and Tulum, so you are centrally located if you plan to visit those areas while staying at this resort. The Grand Palladium Riviera Maya reviews we received from our travel agent were wonderful, so we couldn’t wait to vacation here. When we stayed there, you couldn’t get free wifi at any of the resorts, but just about everyone has it available now. Because the resort is so large, there is a free shuttle train to transport guests throughout the day.
Our First Stay at the Grand Palladium All Inclusive
The first time we stayed at the Grand Palladium, we found a fantastic deal of only $725 a person, but that was more than ten years ago. I found it on the internet, so I confirmed it with our travel agent to ensure I read it right. She said it was legitimate, and we promptly booked our vacation just in time for me to celebrate my milestone birthday in sunny Mexico. We stayed in the Grand Palladium White Sand section in a junior suite garden view. We were upgraded to a room with a jacuzzi situated in the middle of it, with generous space beyond for the king-size bed and sitting area. When the bellman opened the door to our room, I literally gasped at how beautiful it was. My husband had ordered flowers for my birthday, which was an added surprise. We returned three years later, but before the TRS opened, we can’t wait to stay in that section the next time we visit. We’ve heard rave reviews about it.
Relaxing Nature Filled Grounds
The Grand Palladium is a village-like resort complex with an extensive lake located within the resort complex and a scenic pontoon boat with free access that transports guests from one place to the next. While it’s not necessary to travel within the resort, it is a nice way to see various parts of the resort from a different perspective. The resort complex, surrounded by tropical gardens, is perfect for unwinding from your daily stress. The freshwater pools are tucked creatively within the resort.
Barbeque on the Private Beach
On our second night there, we were invited to a barbeque on the beach. The food was delicious, and the setting was beautiful. We met a couple at dinner who told us all about the resort and suggested that we go to the saltwater pool and the spa, which was included at the time. The husband was a sailor, so they invited us to sail with them after breakfast one day that week.
Sailing on the Caribbean Sea
We would never have had the opportunity to sail if it were not for them. The Caribbean Sea was a little choppy, but because the staff at the resort knew our friend was an experienced sailor, they allowed him to take us out. We skidded across the waves and out into the sea, creating one of the most memorable moments we have had in Riviera Maya on the water.
Natural Saltwater Rock Pool
We love the saltwater pool. It is a small pool about waist-high, but it has a natural bottom to it and is connected by an inlet to the sea. Marine life swims in and out of this pool, allowing you to snorkel without any equipment, basically. There are loungers and Bali beds in white sand around the side of the pool, and it has its own bar service. But the best part is that it is a quiet pool. They play acoustic music at a low volume so that you can relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. To this day, I dream about this wonderfully secluded area of the resort.
Zentropia Palladium Spa & Wellness Center
When we visited, the Zentropia Spa was open to everyone, but I’ve learned that it is now only included in the TRS section. Guests staying in the other sections must pay a fee to use the amenities. Even if it were not included, I would pay extra to use it. There is an infinity pool surrounded by loungers, a sauna, and a huge hydrotherapy-based spa consisting of a circuit of hot and cold water features for relaxation. Once you finish the circuit, you can jump into a lazy river that takes you out to the infinity pool. We spent two different days there to chill out and get away from the crowds. It was fantastic. When we returned a couple of years later, we used the amenities, and I purchased a couple of spa treatments which were two of the best massages I’ve ever had. A meditation room full of loungers has different-sized paper-like globes suspended in the air gently sway with the air current. We voted the Zentropia Spa at the Grand Palladium one of our 25 “bests of” in Riviera Maya.
Visiting Coba Ruins and Climbing Nohoch Mul
We booked an excursion to the Coba ruins with our travel representative at the resort. We climbed more than 120 or maybe 125 steps (depending on who you ask) to the top of the temple, experiencing a breathtaking view. Our tour included lunch in a Mexican restaurant on a lake outside of the ruins, a visit to a Mayan home, a purification ceremony, and a swim in a cenote. Read more about Coba in the excursions section, Tips for Visiting Coba Ruins and Climbing Nohoch Mul
Visiting the Ruins in Tulum
The second time we stayed at the Grand Palladium, we booked an excursion to the ruins in Tulum. It is usually sweltering at this site because there is minimal tree coverage or other shade. Still, because the ruins were built by the water, you can walk down the stairs to the beach below for a swim in the beautiful aquamarine water.
Grand Palladium TRS Yucatan
The TRS Yucatan is the new modern section that was built since we visited the Palladium. This section of the resort, which opened in December of 2017, features rooms with memory foam beds, deep soaking tubs, and state-of-the-art technology. Romance suites include plunge pools and canoes that can use to paddle around the resort’s natural inland channels. Some rooms feature an outdoor Mayan shower.
While other resorts have butlers, the TRS has personal assistants to serve you with pillows menus, exclusive room service, and other needs. If you can pull yourself away from your impressive room, take a swim in the infinity pool, or soak up the sun on a comfortable Bali bed with sheer white curtains billowing in the cool breeze. Interested in a walk on the beach? Guests of TRS have their own exclusive beach area with plenty of loungers. No need to interrupt your relaxation to walk to the bar; your server will bring you whatever you desire.
Restaurants at the Grand Palladium TRS Yucatan
Years ago, when we visited the Grand Palladium, there were a number of dining options. Still, the food wasn’t anything special, but reports from those who have stayed at the TRS Yucatan recently tell me that the restaurants are “top-notch” now. We like to eat dinner in the a la carte restaurants rather than the buffets. According to the Palladium Hotel Group website, “we recommend that you leave this haven of peace on the odd evening to savour the delights of the sophisticated international culinary range on offer at the hotel: La Bohème, in the purest French style; Tentazione, an irresistible Italian, El Gaucho, to treat yourself to a splendid cut of meat, El Capricho for gourmet excellence or Chic Cabaret & Restaurant for real foodies.”
We have always felt the entertainment was the best at the Grand Palladium Resorts, but they have “stepped it up” and now offer show-stopping Vegas-like entertainment.
The Grand Palladium is located next to one of our favorite resorts, The Grand Bahia. When we stay at the TRS, we will let you know if the improvements made now rival the resort next door. I have a feeling it will. All in all, this was a unique and unforgettable vacation.
Update: Since our stay here, we’ve had the pleasure of returning to stay at the TRS Yucatan Hotel located in the Grand Palladium resort. Take a look at what the TRS has to offer.
Book Your Travel
When traveling to Riviera Maya, we always book with our travel agent Jim Lucente. Rest assured that you will know the latest Covid protocols and have the added layer of a professional to contact directly with any questions or concerns. I highly recommend that you contact Jim Lucente, owner of Lucente Travel, at 412-299-7699 or email him at jim@lucentetravel.com to book your all-inclusive vacation.
If you prefer to book online, you can book here or compare reviews at Tripadvisor.
How interesting that the Grand Palladium Hotel and Resorts has 5 different resorts. Great that you got to try more than one. I might want to spend all my time in that salt water pool. Although I would not miss a chance to get out on the Caribbean Sea. The location does seem good for taking a day trip to visit the ruins as well. A good mix of activities for a vacation.
I can’t wait to get to the Caribbean some day. Grand Palladium looks like a great resort and I am sold at the idea of having such an amazing spa! I haven’t had a spa day in a while and I could use one. I also want to visit the ruins in Tulum some day, its on my bucket list.
Omg does it even get better than a saltwater pool, a jacuzzi and a bbq on the beach! It looks like you had an awesome time there. Can’t wait to go to Tulum myself one day.