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You won’t be on Jamaican soil long before you realize how iconic Half Moon is. Everyone from Queen Elizabeth and the Kennedys (Jackie’s will was written here and is hanging in the lobby) to Frank Sinatra and 50 Cent have stayed here since it opened in 1954. I was lucky enough to spend a weekend there this past spring, and it certainly lived up to its incredible legacy. Here’s what to expect during a stay at Half Moon.
At a Glance:
- 219 rooms and suites and 19 villas
- Seven restaurants, three bars, three cafes and in-room dining
- Tennis and pickleball courts with clinics and private instruction; 18-hole golf course; equestrian center; fitness center; yoga and pilates classes
- Two miles of private beaches and three pools
Details of My Stay:
My husband and I landed in Montego Bay for a three-night stay at Half Moon in May and settled into an Estate Ocean Room on the newer Eclipse side of the resort. Founder’s Cove is the resort’s original section that was built in 1954 and has a sumptuous glamor that features dark wood and rich, colorful prints. Eclipse has its own stunning appeal, awash in white and rattan touches.
The Estate Ocean Room was nothing short of glorious. Yes, the bed and linens were everything you’d expect from a resort of this caliber, but the layout of the room was one of the best I’ve ever experienced. It had a wraparound balcony that you could either access from the main part of the room or via a door next to the shower. The huge bathroom features a ton of natural light with double sinks and a soaking tub.
Jamaican food is so special, and it’s showcased beautifully at Half Moon. The highlight was the Friday night beach barbecue, which included a lush spread that will live in my memory for a long time. We dined on fresh salads (much of the resort’s produce comes from their expansive garden), grilled seafood, jerk chicken, suckling pig, curried goat, rice and peas, and roasted sweet potatoes. We also enjoyed a multi-course meal with wine pairings from chef Chris Golding at Sugar Mill, the resort’s fine dining restaurant. I have a handful of dietary restrictions, and chef and his team were so accommodating, and the meal was quite amazing. We also enjoyed a private dinner at one of the resort’s brand new villas, which are absolutely spectacular and perfect to book if you’re traveling with a group.
I ate ackee and saltfish, Jamaica’s national dish, for breakfast every day on the terrace of our room. What I would give to eat that glorious meal tomorrow morning! Lester’s Bar is also a dream — we either started or ended our evenings there, and the cocktails are so inventive and delicious. And the bar team is such a good time; we had a blast hanging out with them.
The resort is pretty sizable, but beach cruisers are available all around the property so you can bike from place to place. But the staff will also get you where you need to go in golf carts (I wasn’t about to ride those things to dinner in heels), and it’s also walkable, depending on how far you’re going. We enjoyed spa treatments (more on that below) and also had a private tennis lesson with Rayne Russell. He and his brother, Ryan, are the sons of Richard Russell, a former tennis pro, and they’re following in their father’s footsteps by running the program at Half Moon. As a beginner, I couldn’t serve worth a damn. One hour with Rayne completely changed that.
What I Liked:
- The impeccable service: I got to know a lot of the staff, and many of them have been there for 20, sometimes 30, years. Half Moon is one of those hotels where the staff knows what you need before you even ask them, and I love that. But the service wasn’t stuffy in any way, either — it was professional and detail-oriented but somehow laid back in its air. You feel like an old friend at someone’s very extravagant house rather than a number who comes and goes.
- The food: As mentioned above, the food here is really good, whether you’re enjoying fine dining with wine pairings at the Sugar Mill or a casual lunch al fresco at Seagrape. Definitely make time for a garden tour, from which the resort sources a lot of its fresh fruit and vegetables.
- The spa: Fern Tree, a Salamander Spa was definitely in the top three spas I’ve ever experienced. The facilities were immaculate, featuring a quiet courtyard pool and a three-tiered garden fountain pool that you could actually swim in. I’ve never seen anything like it. The whole spa is shrouded in tropical trees and plants, which gives it the most vibrant and relaxing air. Oh, and the massage was fantastic.
- The art: Half Moon commissions a lot of local artists, which is both wonderful for the community and for guests to enjoy during a stay here. They even have a resident artist, Janice Rankin, who teaches painting classes in the resort’s Rainforest Room.
In Closing:
Half Moon is one of the most iconic resorts in the Caribbean, and it’s a must-visit for anyone seeking both Jamaican luxury and culture rolled into one experience.
Photos courtesy of Max Schwartz and Half Moon
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