Jamaica’s Half Moon, a favourite of the late Queen Elizabeth, has confirmed it will reopen its Eclipse beachfront hotel on 2 April, six months after the entire resort was forced to close following extensive damage caused by Hurricane Melissa.
The remainder of the resort, its recently renovated villas and the Founders Cove accommodation will reopen later this year.
“The reopening of Eclipse at Half Moon is a powerful signal of confidence in Jamaica’s tourism sector and our national recovery,” said Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett.
“As one of the Caribbean’s most iconic resorts, Half Moon has long set the standard for excellence, innovation and authentic Jamaican hospitality.”
Eclipse, an exclusive hotel within the Half Moon resort, first opened five years ago. All 57 rooms have sea views, and the property features an infinity pool at the edge of the beach.
In addition to Eclipse, Half Moon has modern, private villas, which were undergoing a major renovation when Melissa struck, and traditional beachfront cottages at Founders Cove.
The villas, which will also reopen at Easter, have been reimagined with fresh layouts that make the most of the stunning garden or sea views, new bathrooms and kitchens, large glass doors and open-concept living rooms.
Outside the villas, the private pool areas have been upgraded, including – for some – the installation of cabanas with large-screen TVs, grills and additional seating for outdoor dining and entertainment.
Several villas have infinity pools overlooking the Caribbean Sea, and family games rooms. Eleven of the villas were completed last year, and the remaining eight were due to be finished in time for the winter 2025/26 season, but the work was delayed by Melissa.
The transformation of the villas followed the recent renovation of Half Moon’s 68 beachfront rooms located in the resort’s legendary Founders Cove, which boasts its own private beach and swimming pools, and lies adjacent to the extensive tennis and fitness facilities, as well as a Children’s Village.
Traditionalists will be relieved to hear that the simplicity of Half Moon’s original cottages, sitting on a private beach, has been preserved and they still boast teak furniture, louvred shutters and white columns. French doors open on to terraces that stretch to the sand, giving a barefoot luxury vibe.
It’s here that the late Queen, the late Queen Mother and, more recently, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan chose to stay – the latter in Cottage One, last February.
All three areas – Villas at Half Moon, Founders Cove and Eclipse – are connected by a path that runs along Half Moon’s two miles of secluded private beachfront. It’s this exclusivity that no doubt appeals to celebrities, as well as royals. Half Moon’s past guests include A-listers Will Smith, Eddie Murphy, Forest Whitaker, singer Whitney Houston and professional footballers Jude and Jobe Bellingham.
Not-so-famous Editor-in-Chief Linsey McNeill also visited Half Moon, joining an agent fam trip to Jamaica last September, staying in an Eclipse double room.
I just missed [American TV personality] Gayle King, who was there a few days before me, but I can see why celebrities choose Half Moon for a secluded getaway. Service is friendly but never obtrusive, efficient but relaxed. Half Moon is the sort of place where the staff greet you by your name, but not in that rehearsed way that seems robotic, it feels more like a homecoming.
Celebrities aside, I asked General Manager Shernette Crichton what type of British traveller chooses to stay at the Half Moon. “That customer would be a golf enthusiast that likes experiences, they love to go out on excursions. They want lots of activities,” she said.
“They want to be in Jamaica, but they want to ensure that wherever they are staying, the level of service is there, the quality of the product is high, but they don’t want it to be over-stated, they don’t want glitzy, they don’t want the Ritz-Carlton. They want service, but at a relaxed pace.
“Our clients aren’t going to be jumping in the pool to music, but they want to know that, at night, there is entertainment and they can dress up in the evening and have a nice meal. They don’t want to stand in line at the buffet, they don’t want the all-inclusive experience.”
The hotel attracts many multi-generational families, who choose to stay in its villas or book multiple suites, and it has also spotted a rise in ‘social travel’, in other words, groups of friends holidaying together, explained Shernette.
“They want to know that if they want to be casual, they can go to the bar and be casual. We have options, so if people want to dress up and enjoy fine dining, they can, but if they want to be casual, we have North Pointe.”
North Pointe is Half Moon’s outdoor restaurant where burgers, steaks, wraps and salads are served on a deck overlooking the infinity pool and the sea. The resort has eight other restaurants – including Delmare, an intimate fine-dining Italian restaurant, where I had mouth-wateringly bitter cocoa pappardelle with lobster medallion, preserved black truffle and asparagus. The setting was less formal than I’d expected, though, and relaxed enough for one young couple to feel comfortable dining with their new-born baby, and another was brought a birthday cake complete with candles.
There are also five bars and cafes dotted around the resort. Forbes gives Half Moon only four stars but don’t be fooled by the absence of a fifth. The hotel lacks nothing in terms of location, luxury, amenities – including an 18-hole golf course and the largest spa in Jamaica – or service, and it makes no bones about that fact these come with a punchy price tag. Rooms start at about $400 a night, which is similar to the all-inclusive rate at neighbouring Dreams.
“We would be more like $700 for all-inclusive, but it’s chalk and cheese. Here, you get Wagyu beef and freshly caught fish. Nowhere else in Jamaica offers what we do,” said Shernette.
“Nowhere has two miles of private beach, a 68,000 square feet spa, a children’s village, 11 tennis courts, pickleball, squash and 13 dining outlets including two award-winning fine dining restaurants.
“There is no other property in Jamaica that can replicate this. Half Moon is a destination within a destination, and, in terms of its footprint and its amenities, we are leaps and bounds above the rest.”
That said, Half Moon acknowledges it would like to welcome more British visitors. In recent years, the UK market has fallen from 25% to 10% of its total business, partly due to British Airways’ decision to stop flying to Montego Bay, but the ailing UK economy has also had an impact.
For many years it didn’t have a representation in the UK, but it has recently joined the Calliope Collective, which represents two dozen luxury hotels. “We have seen renewed interest as a result from some partners who have been dormant,” added Shernette.
It seems likely Half Moon will continue to be favoured by the British royal family, given its understated elegance and seclusion, but it would be a shame if we let them have such a Caribbean gem to themselves.
Linsey McNeill was on a fam trip hosted by the Jamaica Tourist Board.
