On the brink of its golden anniversary as the most esteemed and familiar luxury resort in Jamaica, Half Moon in Montego Bay finds itself emerging from a series of major renovations, designed ensure that the reputation of this colonial oasis is preserved, that the steady stream of awards that Half Moon secures perennially continue to flow in for another half-century. 

That these ‘major renovations’ will affect only five or so of the resort’s 400 acres offers a little insight into the commitment to perfection from the past that Half Moon’s new management is intent on upholding. The oldest Superior and Junior suites have been leveled, and clusters of rooms and suites erected in their place, opening up vistas, from private balconies, of the Caribbean Sea . A beach bar has been re-opened. Landscaping at the entrance has been subtly modified to augment the aesthetic inflections of the land. An island adjacent to Sunrise Beach and the Dolphin Lagoon now features an open-walled interdenominational church for private destination weddings. Four fairways on the Robert Trent Jones, Sr. golf course have been rototilled, with the pro shop and tournament offices upgraded for modern demands. The attention to detail is astonishing, a model for resorts everywhere to seek out not the flaws, but the potential for improvement. This proactive mantra ensures a desirable but demanding cycle for a world-class sun resort; an impressive reputation, and the ability to trump the expectations of guests, borne of that Half Moon repute.

The standard is first set and exceeded, in each of the 47 rooms, 174 suites, or 32 villas that serve as versatile accommodation options for guests of Half Moon. Each room option has the features one would expect in upscale rooms, including bathrobes, direct-dial telephones, private balconies and a nightly turn down service. With views of either the ocean or the property gardens, all rooms at Half Moon offer solitude and luxury, and fine mahogany and rattan furnishings provide an environment of class and elegance in which to enjoy this own sense of space. Suites decorated with the same mahogany and tropical fabrics are popular with larger groups and the romantics, while the Royal Villas, five- to seven-bedroom suites that are popular with large groups, are all individually ornamented, and each features their own private pool, chef, housekeeper, and butler service.

For those not staying in the Royal Villas, and without access to their own chef or even their own kitchen, there is nevertheless no limit to the culinary options. Few resorts anywhere can satisfy the diversity of the palatte as Half Moon does with a complex selection of fine international cuisine. To enjoy a true and authentic taste of Jamaican fare, the Seagrape Terrace Restaurant, set in a lush grove of green buttonwood trees, deliver nouveau Caribbean cuisine in a spirited, open-air atmosphere. For familiar Italian fare, the elegant Il Giardino has its own distinctive style, but without the drama of The Sugar Mill Restaurant, which sits on a gentle slope overlooking the golf course and beneath the sentinel of the old water mill, an historic monument that infuses an occasion there with drama and jouissance. For all the gluttonous pleasure without the drama, head to Royal Stocks, for pints and pub fare. Sakura, Jamaica’s only authentic Japanese restaurant, allows patrons to sit around a traditional hibachi table and watch personal chefs prepare dishes personally for you, from filet mignon to shrimp, scallops, and tempura. A taste of the east in the West Indies rounds out a cosmopolitan collection of dining options at Half Moon.

Where the cuisine at Half Moon offers an eclectic array of options, the recreational activities, perhaps more so, affirm the resort’s accessibility to every guest. Whatever your athletic inclination, it can be found within Half Moon’s 400 acres. 17 tennis and squash courts, badminton, volleyball, basketball, and modern gymnasium facilities are merely a touchstone. Half Moon also boasts a dance studio, cardio theatre, and fully-equipped fitness and weight center, as well as a spa facility including steam rooms, a reflexology clinic, hydrotherapy, and nail, facial, and body services. Rocky Point horse stables offer a variety of ride options, and North Coast Marine Sports offers glass bottom boat rides, kayaking, water skiing, deep sea fishing outings, snorkeling, and pedal boat rentals for a nominal fee.

The joys of Half Moon are endless, an enduring commitment by the resort to its guests that is 50 years in the making. It is, indeed, a union worth celebrating.