Our daughter recently turned 1 year old, and the lucky girl already has a few stamps in her passport! We have stayed at an Airbnb in the Cayman Islands, visited the lovely Baha Mar in the Bahamas… but the one thing we hadn’t tried yet is an all-inclusive. Spoiler Alert: After spending a week at Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort and Spa with Sunwing Vacations, this is the type of vacation we will be booking again!
Why, you ask? I’ll first speak directly to the Moms aka Chief Planners of the family. As someone new to this group…you do a lot. And a vacation with the kids is VERY different then a vacation without (it was explained to me as a relocation, not a vacation). But Sunwing put the relaxation back into the vacation for me! Granted I still had to pack us, but otherwise I planned NOTHING. I’m going to say that again… I PLANNED NOTHING! From the one stop booking process on sunwing.ca for a vacation package that included the flights, accommodations and a transfer to and from the resort in destination, to the Family Butler service at the resort (I’ll talk more about this later), I actually got to relax!
The second biggest bonus for me with the all inclusive experience… is just that: everything is included. I was doing the math in my head of how much everything would cost if we had to purchase accommodations, flights, transfers, meals and beverages separately. Spoiler alert: huge difference in price! But with a Sunwing Vacations package, we didn’t have any surprises on our credit card statement when we got home. That feeling when you tally up your trip afterwards, isn’t always a great one – luckily that’s not the case with an all inclusive. And paying for everything in advance and not worrying about it while we were there was a weight off my mental load that I didn’t even realize I had!
It also helped that our resort was absolutely stunning. The Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort and Spa checked ALL the boxes—sun, sand, good food, amazing staff and lots of sunshine. We stayed in the Family Section, which I would highly recommend. Here’s a breakdown of what made the Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres an ideal vacation spot for us:
Location: A Slice of Paradise
Nestled along the stunning white-sand beaches of Costa Mujeres, and just a 30-minute drive from Cancun International Airport (I love a quick car ride to get me to the beach sooner!), the resort offers a tranquil escape without being too far from the vibrant culture of the Yucatán Peninsula. Families can enjoy sunbathing, swimming, and water sports on the beach, or explore nearby attractions like Isla Mujeres, a charming island that’s perfect for a day trip. Also, friendly reminder that Cancun is around a four-hour flight from Toronto… and when you have a toddler crawling all over you, I will take as little travel time as possible. 😊 We also opted for an upgrade to the private transfer, provided by Sunwing’s destination partner NexusTours, to ensure we went directly to the resort without any stops in between to drop off other passengers.
Accommodations: Spacious and Family-Friendly
When it comes to accommodations, the Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres doesn’t disappoint. The resort offers a variety of rooms and suites that cater to families of all sizes. We opted for the exclusive “Family Selection” rooms. Not only was the room a great size (with a balcony!) but we were right beside the pool and had access to Victor, our Family Butler, whose desk was close by. Victor was wonderful and made our trip spectacular! From creating fun balloon toys for our daughter’s bath to bringing daily creative snacks (my favourite was the cookie monster) I felt like Victor was my right hand during our stay.
The rooms are modern, comfortable, and well-equipped with everything a family needs for a hassle-free stay, including mini-fridges, flat-screen TVs, and spacious bathrooms. They also thought of everything, from bath toys to extra sunscreen to a full beach bag with towels. What I forgot to pack, they had us covered and then some!
Food: Delicious Variety for Every Taste
I am a foodie. The Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres is a place for foodies! I could write a full article on how good the food was at this resort. I’m going to start off with the breakfast because we still dream and talk about this breakfast buffet. From their eggs benedict station to homemade waffles and a breakfast taco area, we would joke and say we had 2 breakfasts each morning. I personally went up for my savoury then sweet (and some mornings back to my savory). It was the breakfast dreams are made of.
The dinner options also didn’t disappoint. We ate at a different restaurant every night (thanks again to Victor for booking us!). All were delicious, with our favourites being Portofino (Italian) and El Dorado (Steakhouse). There was also a buffet option that allowed us to sit and eat while the kids could play in their own area with supervision and still be within your sight.
Our daughter had recently started eating and I was a little nervous about the options for her. I didn’t need to be… there was something for everyone (including most dietary concerns).
We didn’t get to experience the adults-only options (grandparents will be invited on next year’s trip!) but they did look delicious (and quiet!).
Service: Family-Oriented Hospitality
The service at the Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres is truly exceptional. From the moment you arrive, the staff goes out of their way to make your stay as comfortable as possible. The resort even provides a kids’ club (one for babies, another for children and another for teens!) where children can play and engage in supervised activities, giving parents the chance to relax or enjoy some adult-only time. I was debating escaping to the kids club myself, these were seriously cool!
If you’re looking for a family vacation that’s not only relaxing but also offers a host of fun activities, the resort’s entertainment team is sure to keep everyone entertained with daily
programs, live shows, and water sports. Our favourite was the Disney Princess sing-along by the pool!
The Spa: Much Needed Mom Time
I have been to spas from Morocco to Byron Bay and this spa is in my Top 3. The aesthetic is dreamy, the amenities are next level and the service and skill of the attendants was superior. I was guided around their hot and cold circuit, then lounged on their rooftop terrace (where they served the most delicious sandwiches and smoothies) prior to my relaxation massage. Whether you are with a group or solo on this trip, book yourself an afternoon here. You won’t regret it.
Ease of Booking: Stress-Free Vacation Planning with Sunwing
Booking our getaway to the Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres was a breeze, thanks to Sunwings’ all-inclusive vacation packages. Sunwing takes care of all the details, including flights, transfers, accommodations, and even travel insurance. This means you can sit back and relax as everything is organized for you. Sunwing offers direct flights to Cancun from various Canadian cities, with convenient departure times that make traveling with kids a little easier (Hello booking flights during nap time!).
The biggest perk of an all inclusive is that you aren’t tallying up how much everything is going to cost or worrying about the conversion when you get back home.
A couple of pointers for making your trip as seamless as possible:
- Stay in the Family Section of the resort. This is where we had access to our Family Butler and programming for the kids!
- Upgrade your transfer to a NexusTours private transfer. Our driver was waiting for us when we got out of baggage claim and walked us directly to our car. No waiting for others to hop on the bus and it made the experience that much better as we were on our own schedule. It’s a small price to pay for the added convenience!
- Don’t sleep on June and September travel dates! If you have a little one or are travelling with other adults, the resorts are usually quieter and there are some great travel deals for these times of year.
Conclusion: A Perfect Family Retreat
Whether you’re lounging by the pool or enjoying the delicious meals, the Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres provides the ideal vacation experience for families. With Sunwing Vacations ensuring smooth travel from start to finish, this all-inclusive resort delivered on relaxation and memories. So hop on over to Sunwing.ca to book your next all inclusive vacation, pack your bags and get ready for an unforgettable family getaway at the Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort and Spa. We will see you there next year!
