Grand Palladium Select White Sand - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

8835 reviews

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  16yrs since we last visited.

  We first visited this resort 16 years ago, and while much has changed since then, we still had a wonderful holiday overall. The grounds are absolutely immaculate, there is an endless amount of things to do on the complex, and you have a massive choice of bars to drink in across all three lobbies. Leaving the resort is also incredibly easy—just catch a local colectivo to Playa del Carmen for only $45 MXN each way, head down to 5th Avenue, and enjoy the great shops! That being said, there were definitely a few bumps along the way during our two weeks: • The A la Cartes: Honestly, they were not the greatest. The steaks were consistently tough in both the steakhouse and the Argentinian restaurant. They also seem to overbook the restaurants every day and cram as many people in as possible. One night, we were actually seated in what felt like the waiting area of the Japanese restaurant, which was a very weird dining experience. • The Buffet Farce: The process for the buffet restaurant is a joke. Having to book in at the entrance and then wait to be seated is just pointless and takes ages. In every other hotel I’ve ever visited, you just walk in and get your seat. Palladium does this same annoying system in Jamaica, too. • Room Cleaning Consistency: At the start of our stay, our room was completely cleaned and ready by 12:00 PM. However, by the second week, it frequently wasn't done even by 4:00 PM—which was right when we usually head back to the room for a nap. • The Beach: While the resort grounds are beautiful, the White Sands beach itself is in disarray. They have actually closed the beach snack bar there, which looks to be due to severe beach erosion. • The Travel Club (Time Share): You will be absolutely hounded by the "travel club"—which is just rebranded timeshare. Be very firm with them right from the start, or you will find yourself trapped in a presentation for about 3 hours, even though they promise it’s just a "90-minute breakfast"! 😂😂 The Best Spot on the Complex: If you love sports, the Xtra Time Sports Bar is absolutely the place to be! It shows all live sports, including the English Premier League. The air conditioning inside is a fantastic relief from the heat, and they serve a selection of quick, decent bar snacks that hit the spot while you watch the game. The Saving Grace: What truly makes this resort special is the staff. The staff are so friendly and always go the extra mile to look after you. Despite the management issues with the restaurants and room scheduling, the hard work of the team made our holiday. We would still recommend it for the great atmosphere and amenities!

  Oct 12, 2026
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  Amazing hotel amazing staff

  Had the most amazing holiday when we checked in we was upgraded and staff was brilliant and very polite

  Oct 12, 2026
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  Amazing resort and helpful staff

  We loved our stay, the hotel, amenities, food and staff are all amazing. We were lucky to have concierge in our building and Cielo and Erick were amazing, so helpful and friendly, helped with any queries or requests we had. You canny fault the staff, across the whole of the resort everyone is so helpful. The wildlife around the resort is amazing , our daughter loved it, would deffo recommend. Shout out to the lady working in the coffee shop at White Sands, sorry can't remember her name but she was so lovely!

  Oct 11, 2026
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  Best barman

  We love you Angel. Tnx for all the good drinks.

  Oct 10, 2026
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  Phenomenal vacation resort

  The absolute Best vacation Resort, for family, food, spa, pool or beach! We would thoroughly recommend anyone who wants a relaxing or adventurous vacation!

  Oct 10, 2026