My local take
Half Moon is Montego Bay’s grand old resort, open since 1954: 400 acres between the sea and the hills, two miles of beach, a championship golf course and an equestrian center where you can swim with the horses. My take: it suits families and couples who want space and things to do, and who’d rather pay for quality than for an all-inclusive wristband.
Know before you book: Hurricane Melissa closed the resort in October 2025, and it’s reopening in phases. Eclipse at Half Moon and the Villas reopened on April 2, 2026. Founders Cove, with the Hibiscus junior suites and Ocean Court, comes back later.
If you’d rather go all-inclusive near Montego Bay, look at Iberostar Rose Hall Suites for families or Grand Palladium west of town. More options: the best all-inclusive resorts in Montego Bay.
At a glance
- Area
- Montego Bay, 10 minutes from Sangster International Airport (MBJ)
- Resort type
- Full-service luxury resort (not all-inclusive)
- Status
- Partly open: Eclipse at Half Moon and the Villas reopened April 2, 2026; Founders Cove (Hibiscus and Ocean Court) reopens in a later phase
- Grounds
- 400 acres with two miles of beachfront
- Rooms
- 210 rooms and suites and 19 villas across the resort; Eclipse has 57 beachfront rooms and suites
- Villas
- Private villas with a pool, cook, housekeeper and butler
- Dining
- Restaurants including Delmare, North Pointe and Spice, plus Lester's Bar; Friday beach BBQ
- Spa
- Fern Tree, a Salamander Spa
- Sports
- Robert Trent Jones Sr. golf course, tennis and pickleball, equestrian center, water sports
- Families
- Anancy Children's Village (supervised activities cost extra)
- Fees
- 10% nightly resort fee and 15% service charge, plus taxes
- Check-in / check-out
- 3 pm / 12 noon
Checked October 2026 against the sources below. See sources. Something changed? Tell me.
What stands out
- 400 acres and two miles of beach, so it never feels crowded.
- Ten minutes from Montego Bay airport.
- Golf, tennis, pickleball, an equestrian center and water sports on site.
- Private villas with a pool, cook, housekeeper and butler for families and groups.
- The Fern Tree spa and several restaurants, including Delmare and Spice.
What to know before booking
- Only partly reopened: Founders Cove and some amenities return in a later phase.
- Not all-inclusive: meals, drinks and most activities cost extra.
- A 10% resort fee and 15% service charge are added, plus taxes.
- Supervised children's activities cost extra.
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Rooms
Half Moon has 210 rooms and suites and 19 villas in total. Open now are Eclipse at Half Moon, with 57 beachfront rooms and suites, an infinity pool and its own beach with a natural swimming cove, and the Villas at Half Moon, private homes of five to seven bedrooms with a pool, cook, housekeeper and butler.
Food & drink
Half Moon lists restaurants including Delmare (smart casual), North Pointe and Spice, with Lester’s Bar as the social hub and a beach barbecue on Friday evenings. The Sugar Mill Restaurant is part of the wider resort. Dress runs from beach casual by day to smart casual at Delmare and the Sugar Mill. In-room dining is available.
Pool & beach
The resort has two miles of beachfront, an infinity-edge pool and natural swimming coves at Eclipse, and a swimming lagoon. Water sports include sailing, and the equestrian center runs rides and swims with horses.
Location
Half Moon is in Montego Bay, about ten minutes from Sangster International Airport, which makes it one of the easiest resorts in Jamaica to reach. Rose Hall Great House and the Montego Bay attractions are close by. See where to stay in Montego Bay for the wider area.
Questions people ask
Is Half Moon open?
Partly. Eclipse at Half Moon and the Villas reopened on April 2, 2026. Founders Cove, including the Hibiscus and Ocean Court accommodations, reopens in a later phase.
Is Half Moon all-inclusive?
No. It’s a full-service luxury resort: meals and drinks are extra, and a 10% nightly resort fee and 15% service charge are added, plus taxes.
How far is Half Moon from Montego Bay airport?
About ten minutes from Sangster International Airport (MBJ), according to the resort.
Is Half Moon good for families?
Yes. It has the Anancy Children’s Village, pony rides, tennis and golf clinics, and villas with a cook and butler. Supervised children’s activities cost extra.
Sources & updates
- Half Moon: home page · checked
- Half Moon: Eclipse reopens April 2 · checked
- Half Moon: accommodations · checked
- Half Moon: dining · checked
- Half Moon: resort fee and amenities · checked
Update log
- — Rewritten as a researched guide; facts re-checked; added post-hurricane reopening status.
- — Link refresh: Linked the Montego Bay best-of list in place of the island-wide list.
- — Removed repeated advice
- — Trimmed hurricane references to where they change the advice
Spotted something out of date? Tell me and I’ll check it.
