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Palace Resorts Review: Everything Owners and Prospective Buyers Should Know
Palace Resorts has become one of the most visible vacation ownership brands in Mexico and the Caribbean. If you’ve been to Cancun or Riviera Maya, you’ve probably seen their glossy brochures, been invited to a “member breakfast,” or been offered resort credits in exchange for a sales presentation. For many travelers, the stay itself is impressive: modern rooms, comparatively strong food and beverage for an all-inclusive, and sprawling properties that deliver the Instagram version of a beach vacation. But for owners and prospective buyers, the story is more complicated.
This chapter is written for three main groups: current Palace members who want to understand what they own, travelers who have been invited to a presentation and are wondering whether to buy, and frustrated owners starting to think about cancellation or resale. My core conclusion: Palace offers a very good resort product wrapped in a complex membership system that can be a useful tool for frequent travelers—or an expensive long‑term liability if you buy on emotion instead of math.
In the pages that follow, we’ll unpack how Palace Resorts and Palace Elite memberships work, what real owners like and dislike, how the costs add up, and what options exist if you decide not to keep your membership. I’ll also share my own industry perspective as a former Mexican timeshare executive, reinforcing themes from other chapters: never buy on your first visit, always prioritize what’s written in the contract, and understand your exit options before you sign anything.
- What Is Palace Resorts?
Palace Resorts is a private resort company operating all‑inclusive properties, primarily in Mexico’s Caribbean region, with a presence in Jamaica and connections to brands like Le Blanc. Unlike traditional U.S. deeded timeshares, Palace typically sells right‑to‑use vacation memberships that give access to discounted stays and perks, not a real estate interest.
Company History
Palace grew rapidly in the 1990s and 2000s by riding Mexico’s tourism boom and the profitability of all‑inclusive resorts. They positioned themselves above basic packages, focusing on better food, polished decor, and sales operations that turned hotel guests into long‑term members. Brands like Moon Palace and Le Blanc became familiar to North American all‑inclusive travelers.
Palace Elite Membership Program
Today the primary membership product is Palace Elite, sometimes layered over older “Palace Premier” contracts. It’s marketed as a flexible club that lets you choose dates, room types, and resorts rather than a fixed week. Benefits can include discounted nightly rates, airport transfers, resort credits, spa discounts, and VIP check‑in areas—signaled by colored wristbands.
Relationship Between Resorts and Memberships
The resorts and membership club are related but separate. You can stay at Palace properties as a regular hotel guest by booking through travel sites, agents, or packages. Membership is not required. The membership, in theory, gives you preferential pricing and perks in exchange for a large upfront payment and ongoing obligations.
Growth Throughout Mexico and the Caribbean
Palace has expanded beyond Cancun and Riviera Maya to Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujeres, and Ocho Rios in Jamaica. They also manage ultra‑luxury brands like Le Blanc Spa Resorts and higher “Diamond” and “Residence” tiers. This expansion supports the sales narrative that your membership unlocks a growing network of high‑end resorts. - Palace Resorts Locations
For many owners, the resorts themselves are the best part.
Moon Palace Cancun
A huge flagship near Cancun airport, divided into sections like Sunrise and Nizuc. Families appreciate kids’ facilities, pools, and entertainment. Many members first buy here after a high‑energy sales tour.
Moon Palace The Grand
A premium section next to Moon Palace, with more upscale design, added restaurants, and a bigger water park. It’s heavily used for membership upgrades and is a center of complaints about high‑pressure sales and costly upsells.
Beach Palace
In Cancun’s Hotel Zone, Beach Palace is smaller and compact, popular with families who want an easy beach resort without shuttles. Owners often like the rooftop pool and walkable location.
Sun Palace
Historically adults‑only, Sun Palace attracts couples and honeymooners seeking a quieter atmosphere. Membership lets you split trips between Sun and larger family properties.
Cozumel Palace
On Cozumel island, this property attracts divers and snorkelers. It’s smaller and more intimate than Moon Palace, with easy ocean access and proximity to dive operations.
Playacar Palace
Steps from Playa del Carmen’s Fifth Avenue, Playacar Palace combines an all‑inclusive stay with walkable access to shopping and nightlife. Members often use it as a base for exploring beyond the resort.
Isla Mujeres Palace
A boutique, typically adults‑oriented property on Isla Mujeres, accessible by ferry from Cancun. It appeals to return guests looking for a quieter island feel.
Le Blanc Spa Resorts
Le Blanc in Cancun and Los Cabos is Palace’s luxury flagship: spa‑focused, elevated cuisine, and a refined aesthetic. Higher membership tiers and upgrades are marketed as ways to access Le Blanc more affordably.
Jamaica Properties
Moon Palace Jamaica in Ocho Rios extends the network into the Caribbean and supports sales claims about “worldwide” options, though the core concentration remains in Mexico. - How Palace Memberships Work
Understanding mechanics is essential before you sign—or decide whether to keep what you own.
Right-To-Use Memberships
Most Palace memberships are right‑to‑use contracts. You’re buying the right to use benefits for a fixed term or number of weeks, not property. You don’t hold a traditional asset, and the membership eventually expires.
Membership Tiers
Palace has multiple tiers: older Palace Premier, Palace Elite, and higher levels such as VIP, Presidential, Diamond, and Residence. Wristband color signals your tier and perks: room categories, discounts, private areas, or enhanced credits. Sales teams focus heavily on moving owners up a tier.
Points and Weeks Systems
Some memberships use a bank of “weeks” over the life of the contract, others use points or hybrids. Each stay draws down your total, and you still pay per‑stay all‑inclusive fees. Owners often underestimate how quickly weeks are consumed when they bring guests or book high season.
Reservation Rules
Contracts include reservation windows, blackout periods, and minimum stays. While salespeople often promise “no blackout dates,” many owners later report difficulty getting desired dates or room types, especially during holidays. Lower‑tier members feel this most.
Exchange Opportunities
Palace memberships may include access to exchange companies like Interval International or RCI. In practice, exchanges come with fees on both sides. When you add Palace charges, exchange fees, and extensions or guest certificates, exchanged weeks can cost as much as simply booking a rental.
VIP Benefits
Higher tiers may include VIP lounges, preferred restaurant seating, complimentary transfers, extra resort credits, or free companion stays. These can feel valuable when used often, but many owners later decide the benefits didn’t justify the upfront cost, especially if their travel habits change. - What Owners Like About Palace Resorts
There are real reasons many people stay loyal for years.
Luxury Accommodations
Rooms tend to be spacious and modern, with whirlpool tubs, stocked minibars, and comfortable beds. Housekeeping is generally reliable, and higher tiers can access larger suites.
Food and Beverage Quality
Compared to low‑end all‑inclusives, Palace’s food and beverage is a strong point, with multiple a la carte restaurants, premium drinks, and 24‑hour room service.
Resort Amenities
Guests enjoy large pools, water parks, spa facilities, nightly shows, golf, kids’ clubs, and off‑site tours, often subsidized by resort credits.
Family-Friendly Options
Moon Palace and similar properties are built for multi‑generational travel, with kids’ areas, teen lounges, and connecting rooms. Large families sometimes use memberships for annual gatherings.
Adults-Only Options
Sun Palace, Isla Mujeres Palace, and Le Blanc give couples and friend groups a quieter adults‑only environment within the same framework.
Customer Service
On property, many guests report warm, attentive service, especially when staff recognize higher membership wristbands. This contrasts with off‑site contract frustration.
Resort Locations
Cancun, Riviera Maya, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujeres, and Ocho Rios are easy to reach from major North American airports. Members like returning to familiar destinations while trying different properties. - Common Owner Complaints
Alongside the positive resort experience, several complaints repeat.
High-Pressure Sales Presentations
Reviews frequently reference presentations that run far longer than promised, use multiple closers, and create urgency or fear of missing out. Guests often accept “gifts” in exchange, then feel trapped.
Expensive Upgrades
Owners report being told their existing membership is “obsolete” and must be upgraded to get perks they believed they already had. Upgrades can cost tens of thousands of dollars, layered on older contracts.
Maintenance Fees
Even though memberships are not deeded, they involve per‑stay all‑inclusive fees and, in some cases, separate membership dues that increase over time. Owners are often surprised at how fast these grow.
Reservation Availability
Lack of availability is a common frustration. Members report being unable to book peak weeks or specific properties despite “no blackout dates” promises.
Contract Complexity
Contracts can run dozens of pages and reference Mexican consumer law and Profeco registration. Many buyers admit they did not fully read or understand the documents before signing.
Difficulty Exiting Ownership
Owners who change their minds often find no easy path out. They may be told there is no cancellation option, even though Mexican law provides a short rescission window immediately after purchase, which we discuss in detail in the general cancellation chapter.
Changes To Membership Benefits
Because benefits are tied to membership policies, Palace can change elements like resort credits or discount levels. Owners often complain that verbally promised perks are later reduced or removed. - Understanding Palace Membership Costs
To evaluate whether Palace is worth it, look beyond the sticker price.
Initial Purchase Price
Contracts can range from under $10,000 for small packages to well over $30,000 or more for higher tiers. Many buyers finance at high interest rates, adding substantial long‑term cost.
Annual Fees
Owners typically pay annual or per‑use amounts tied to membership, sometimes separate from daily all‑inclusive charges.
Membership Dues
Some agreements include explicit dues, others build them into per‑night rates. Either way, you’re paying for the privilege of access, on top of what regular hotel guests might pay.
Upgrade Costs
Upgrades to Palace Elite, VIP, or Diamond often require new contracts and additional purchases, frequently involving significant extra expense.
Transfer Fees
If you want to transfer or resell your membership, Palace may charge administrative or transfer fees, further eroding any potential return.
Exchange Fees
Using Interval International or RCI involves multiple layers of cost: the Palace exchange charge, the exchange company’s fee, annual exchange dues, and possible extension or guest certificate fees. “Cheap” exchanges can become costly. - What Many Owners Don’t Know
Several key points are often glossed over.
Palace Memberships Are Generally Right-To-Use Agreements
You do not own real estate. Your rights expire at the end of the term or when your weeks are used, which affects resale value and inheritance.
Benefits Can Change Over Time
Because most benefits are contractual, Palace can adjust resort credits, discount levels, or access rules. Verbal promises may not survive policy changes.
Upgrades Often Require Significant Additional Purchases
That “simple” upgrade to fix availability or unlock a resort usually comes with another round of five‑figure pricing.
Resale Values May Be Significantly Lower Than Original Purchase Prices
On the secondary market, Palace memberships often sell for pennies on the dollar, if they sell at all. This makes owners vulnerable to scammers offering bogus high‑price resale deals.
Membership Ownership Is Different From Real Estate Ownership
With no deed and limited market demand, treat the purchase as a prepaid vacation program, not an investment. - Wayne’s Industry Perspective
As a former timeshare executive who worked throughout Mexico and the Caribbean, I encourage consumers to focus on what is written in the contract rather than what is promised during a sales presentation. Buyers should take time to review all documents before making a decision. In earlier chapters we discussed how Mexican timeshare contracts must be registered with Profeco and how discrepancies between the registered version and the one you sign can create cancellation opportunities. That principle absolutely applies here.
Sales practices at Palace mirror patterns across the Mexican timeshare industry: free gifts, emotional appeals, complex financing, and pressure to “lock in today’s price.” This is why I advise readers never to purchase on the first visit. Take the contract back to your room, or better yet, home. Show it to a licensed Mexican attorney if you’re serious. Compare the total cost of ownership—purchase price, annual fees, and all‑inclusive charges—to simply booking cash stays.
Verbal promises about resale value, guaranteed upgrades, or “no blackout dates” are legally meaningless if they do not appear in writing. The only enforceable commitments are those you can find, in clear language, in your contract. Before upgrading, owners should understand their long‑term obligations and remember what we cover in the cancellation chapter: it is much harder and more expensive to unwind a timeshare or membership than to avoid buying in the first place. - Is Palace Resorts Worth It?
For some travelers, Palace can work. For many, the math doesn’t add up.
Pros
Luxury‑leaning all‑inclusive resorts, consistently good accommodations, strong amenities, and a recognizable brand many guests trust for repeat travel.
Cons
High purchase prices, ongoing financial obligations, upgrade pressure, and weak resale demand. Once you factor in financing and escalating fees, many owners discover they could replicate the same vacations for less by renting from members or booking cash stays. - Palace Resorts Resale Market
What Owners Should Expect
Most Palace memberships have little to no positive resale value. At best, you may transfer your obligations to someone else at a steep discount.
Typical Resale Challenges
Right‑to‑use structures, ongoing fees, and competition from rental deals make it hard to find buyers. This opens the door to scammers who cold‑call owners with promises of high‑dollar corporate buyers, then demand upfront “taxes” or “permit fees.”
Why Some Memberships Have Little Resale Value
The core problem is oversupply. Prospective vacationers can book Palace resorts without owning anything, often at prices comparable to or lower than members’ effective costs. That removes the main incentive to pay for a second‑hand membership.
Alternatives To Selling
Alternatives include renting out weeks, transferring to family, negotiating directly with Palace for a surrender, or pursuing legal cancellation if there is evidence of misrepresentation or contract irregularities. These options are covered in greater detail in the cancellation‑focused chapter of this book. - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Palace Resorts a deeded timeshare?
Generally no. It’s usually a right‑to‑use membership, not a deeded real estate interest.
What Is Palace Elite?
Palace Elite is the primary membership club that offers flexible stays, discounts, and perks at Palace properties.
Can I sell my Palace membership?
You can attempt to transfer or resell, but demand is limited and prices are low. Be extremely cautious of unsolicited resale offers that require upfront fees.
Are maintenance fees mandatory?
If your contract requires annual dues or per‑stay all‑inclusive fees, those obligations are mandatory for as long as the membership is active.
Can Palace Resorts affect my credit?
If you finance your membership and stop paying, or if unpaid amounts are sent to collections, your credit can be impacted.
What happens if I stop paying?
The resort may suspend benefits, pursue collections, and in some cases attempt legal action. Before stopping payment, understand your legal position and consider professional advice.
Can I transfer my membership?
Many contracts allow transfers, often with fees and Palace’s approval. Read your specific agreement for the process and restrictions.
Is Palace worth buying resale?
Resale prices are far lower than developer prices and can reduce your sunk cost, but you must confirm which benefits transfer and what ongoing obligations you’ll assume. - Palace Resorts Cancellation Options
Understanding Your Membership
Before pursuing cancellation, review your contract: term, obligations, Profeco registration, and any discrepancies. This echoes the broader framework we outline in the general cancellation chapter.
Available Exit Options
Options may include rescission within the legal window, negotiated surrender, legal challenge based on misrepresentation or registration issues, or structured exit through a reputable firm.
Transfer Possibilities
Some owners transfer memberships to friends or family, either as a gift or at a nominal price, to relieve themselves of future obligations.
Resale Considerations
Given the weak resale market, focus less on recouping money and more on reducing long‑term liabilities. Beware of “guaranteed buyer” scams.
Professional Assistance
If you feel trapped, consult a professional team that understands Mexican law and Palace contract structures. In later chapters, we outline criteria for choosing a reputable exit company and avoiding secondary scams. - Owner Reviews And Experiences
Positive Reviews
Positive reviews praise the rooms, food, friendly staff, and family memories created at multiple Palace properties. Many guests genuinely love their vacations.
Negative Reviews
Negative reviews focus on sales tactics, unexpected fees, exchange costs, limited availability, and unresponsive customer service when problems arise.
Common Themes Reported By Owners
Across sources—TripAdvisor, BBB complaints, and owner forums—the same themes repeat: high‑pressure sales, confusing contracts, difficulty using promised benefits, and challenges exiting or obtaining refunds.
Lessons For Prospective Buyers
Enjoy the resort, but treat the membership like any major financial commitment. Do your homework before you sign. - Sources & References
Official information appears on Palace’s own websites and Palace Elite materials, while consumer perspectives appear in TripAdvisor reviews, owner forums like Timeshare Users Group, Better Business Bureau complaints, cancellation‑oriented sites, and resale platforms. Together, they offer a fuller picture than any single brochure or review. - Final Thoughts
Palace Resorts delivers strong all‑inclusive vacations in desirable locations, but the membership structure is complex, costly, and difficult to unwind. Ownership may make sense for travelers who run the math carefully, visit often, and understand exactly what their contract says. For others—especially those uncertain about future travel, finances, or heirs—the risks may outweigh the rewards. As with every resort we examine in this book, the goal isn’t to scare you away, but to equip you to make decisions based on facts rather than sales pressure.
Call To Action
Thinking About Leaving Palace Resorts?
Before spending thousands on attorneys or exit companies, start with a FREE Timeshare Exit Review. We’ll review your ownership, explain your options, and help you determine the most effective path forward.
Reference List
(2026). Redweek.com. https://www.redweek.com/forums/messages?thread_id=20426
(2023). JustAnswer. https://www.justanswer.com/canada-law/ngo4x-offered-sum-membership-week-palace.html
An Exclusive Membership Experience | The Palace Company. (2026). Thepalacecompany.com. https://www.thepalacecompany.com/palace-elite
C, L. (2021). Buyer beware – Vacation membership with Palace Resorts. TripAdvisor. Retrieved from https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g150807-d13138532-r859969487-Moon_Palace_The_Grand_Cancun-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html
International Hotel Company, LLC. (2016). Bbb.org. https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/doral/profile/hotel-reservation/palace-resorts-0633-26000893/complaints
Mexican Timeshare Solutions. (2021, December 22). PALACE RESORTS Timeshare: What is a Palace resort? Timesharescam.com; Mexican Timeshare Solutions. https://www.timesharescam.com/blog/236-palace-resorts/
Palace Resorts – Membership. (2018, August 8). SellMyTimeshareNow. https://www.sellmytimesharenow.com/palace-resorts-timeshares/palace-resorts-membership/
Palace Elite. (2026). Palace Elite. https://www.palaceelite.com/help-center/additional-benefits
Palace Resorts Timeshare Cancellation: Step-By-Step Guide. (2026, February 4). Resort Victory. https://resortvictory.com/timeshare-cancellation/palace-resorts/
Thinking of purchasing a Palace Resort membership. (2007, June 2). Timeshare Users Group Online Owner Forums. https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/thinking-of-purchasing-a-palace-resort-membership.47892/
