The Grand Punta Cana: Gluten-Free Expert

The White Party at The Grand Punta Cana

Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana was my very first all-inclusive resort experience, and I can officially say—I’m hooked!

I had the opportunity to experience The Grand shortly after it opened, and I was incredibly impressed with the resort. It offers a great mix of relaxation, dining, entertainment, and activities, making it a fantastic option for families, couples, and even multi-generational vacations.

Families have so much to look forward to here. The kids club was honestly a dream for kids of all ages. Gamers have a room filled with computers and Xboxes, while younger kids can explore a ropes course, jungle-style play areas, and more. Even better, the video games are included, so your kids can play without you worrying about how much money they are spending!

I visited not long after the resort's June opening, so it was still very much a brand-new property with additional activities, restaurants, and experiences continuing to open. Because of that, I recommend looking at spring or summer 2027 and beyond if you want to experience more of everything this resort is designed to offer. Like any brand-new resort, there were still a few hiccups being worked out during my stay, but I would absolutely return with my own family.

As someone with celiac disease, food is always a big part of how I experience a resort, and I was able to eat gluten-free throughout my stay. I also expect the process to become even smoother as the resort has more time to operate and the staff gains additional experience.

Casa Macao may be the most beautiful buffet I have ever seen! A chef personally walked me through the buffet, showed me what I could safely eat, and explained which dishes could be modified for me. At the sit-down restaurants, servers also took the time to walk me through the menus and explain what the chefs could prepare safely.

And I definitely did not go hungry!

Jade was one of my favorite meals. I'm not a big fish eater, so they prepared their version of a California roll for me, and it was absolutely delicious. The fried rice was incredible too. At Agra, the Indian restaurant, I found some of the clearest gluten-free labeling of the restaurants I experienced. The chicken was delicious, and I even got adventurous and tried the mutton!

Our first dinner was at Habibi, where they brought me gluten-free bread to enjoy with the hummus. I could have happily made an entire meal out of just that bread and hummus.

Some of my favorite food moments, however, were the simple ones. The chips and guacamole from room service and the pool snack bar were a favorite—I may have ordered them several times a day!

Nativo became my favorite evening stop for ice cream. During my visit, the mix-ins were kept separately from the ice cream, and I was able to enjoy the flavors without worrying about gluten-containing mix-ins being mixed into them. It's also a great place to grab an espresso martini. I highly recommend the Snickers Martini!

Then there's Boulangerie. With locations on both sides of the resort and coffee available 24 hours a day, this quickly became one of my favorite places. The coffee was AMAZING. I stopped by more than once a day, and several evenings ended with me taking a decaf latte back to my room to enjoy in bed.

Between the activities, beautiful pools, dining, kids spaces, adults-only experiences, and sheer size of the property, there is a lot to discover at Moon Palace The Grand Punta Cana. Having experienced the resort firsthand while it was still in its opening phase gives me a unique perspective on what it does incredibly well, what travelers should know before they arrive, and who I think will enjoy it most.

My first all-inclusive vacation definitely won't be my last. I would happily return to The Grand with my own family, and I'm excited to see how much more this resort has to offer as it continues to grow into its full experience.