Rating8.2
Rating8.1
Rating7.9Above Average
Based on 12k reviews
Exceptional Service
Guests consistently laud the resort's staff for their warmth, attentiveness, and friendly service, creating a welcoming and memorable experience for visitors.
Diverse Culinary Delights
The resort receives high praise for its extensive selection of dining options, from varied buffets to numerous à la carte restaurants, all noted for their quality and diverse offerings.
Stunning Grounds & Pools
The expansive, beautifully maintained tropical gardens, abundant wildlife, and multitude of freshwater pools, including a children's water park, are major guest favorites.
Family-Friendly Amenities
Families highly appreciate the comprehensive amenities, including dedicated kids' and teen clubs with extensive hours, ensuring entertainment and activities for all age groups.
Complex-Wide Access
Guests value the 'Infinite Indulgence' program, which grants them access to most facilities and services across the larger Grand Palladium complex, significantly enhancing their stay.
Dated Room Decor
A recurring concern among guests is the outdated decor and condition of some rooms, with occasional reports of issues like uncomfortable beds or minor maintenance needs.
À La Carte Reservations
Many guests experience frustration with the difficulty and early queuing required to secure reservations for the popular à la carte restaurants.
Beach Conditions
While beautiful, the private beach can have rocky areas and seaweed, prompting advice for guests to bring water shoes for more comfortable ocean entry.
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Grand Palladium Colonial opened in 2002 and was last renovated in 2014, making it one of the older physical plants in the Riviera Maya all-inclusive market. It sits in Akumal within a protected tropical nature reserve — lush grounds, wildlife, and mangrove-adjacent buildings that feel genuinely embedded in the landscape rather than just landscaped. The 413 rooms and suites are distributed across the reserve in Spanish colonial-style buildings.
This resort is part of the larger Grand Palladium complex, and guests have access to all facilities across Grand Palladium Colonial, Grand Palladium Kantenah, and Grand Palladium White Sand — but not the adults-only TRS Yucatan Hotel. That complex-wide access is the core operational value: the combined program offers 9 à la carte restaurants, 5 show-cooking venues, and 21 bars, making the dining variety notably richer than what any single standalone 413-room resort could offer.
The airport is a real consideration: Cancun International (CUN) is 90 km away, roughly a 1-hour drive. This is among the longer transfers in the Riviera Maya, which is worth knowing before booking if you're arriving late or leaving early.
This is a strong family property. Three kids clubs run with extended hours: Baby Club (1–3 years, 9 AM–8 PM), El Ranchito Mini Club (4–12, 9 AM–11 PM), and Black & White Junior Club (13–19 years, 11 AM–midnight). A pirate-themed children's water park is on-site. The Infinite Indulgence® all-inclusive program covers essentially all food, drink, activities, and entertainment.
The honest limitations are well-documented: room decor is dated (the 2014 renovation has aged), à la carte restaurant reservations are notoriously difficult to secure and sometimes require queuing at the concierge desk by 7:30 AM. Beach access is real — half a mile of Kantenah Beach — but some sections are rocky and seaweed is a factor, making water shoes a practical necessity. An 'Eco Tax' or 'Environmental Sanitation Law' fee applies payable at check-in.