About Us
A destination in itself, set on 400 acres of manicured grounds with two miles of beachfront.
We have individually-appointed rooms and suites, most of which have views of the Caribbean Sea. We also offer villas, Rose Hall Villas, available as 5-, 6- and 7-bedroom villas.
All of our guests, as well as those of Rose Hall Villas, can enjoy the extensive facilities of this destination, which include the largest award-winning spa oasis in Jamaica, an 18-hole par-72 Robert Trent Jones, Sr. designed championship golf course, our own equestrian centre with 28 horses and the Sugar Mill, awarded as Jamaica’s best restaurant.
As a discerning traveller, you will enjoy the luxury of space and tranquility we have to offer. Imagine your first morning taking in the panoramic view of the horizon, and watching the sunrise having just concluded yoga meditation in our overwater bungalow. Then, cycle to the Seagrape Terrace for breakfast before beginning a day of whatever you want.
Whether you choose to lounge on the beach, play a round tennis or golf, visit a local art gallery, or go horse riding along the beach, your days at Half Moon are yours to spend in any way you wish.
Explore it for yourself
Take a Tour
GARDENS & NATURE
Half Moon has many unique and special features, such as its abundant and lush gardens and varied wildlife.
Spread across 400 acres of grounds that were once part of a sugar plantation, the gardens have been meticulously cared for over the past 60 years.
Stroll along the pathways of Bougainvillaea, Oleander and Poinciana and look up at the majestic Washingtonian Palms that can grow up to 75 feet.
Explore the natural oasis of the Fern Tree Spa or visit the chefs’ garden where you’ll find lemongrass, basil and other herbs.
It is the wildlife that sets us apart, particularly the turtles that return year after year to lay their eggs. Each year, we record more than 20 nests on our beaches and release over 2,000 baby turtles into the sea.
Conservationist
"Are you the Turtle Lady?" Guests fondly ask Trudy, Half Moon's environmental coordinator, when meeting her for the first time. Trudy happily owns the title as she is responsible for increasing the number of successful turtle releases into the sea.
A fan of Animal Planet as a child, Trudy has always loved learning about wildlife. Today, she is committed to environmental conservation and sharing Half Moon's green practices with our guests.
Our Heritage
Our family has been involved with Half Moon since its inception in 1954. My grandparents, Curtis and Esther Steuart, first visited Jamaica in the early 1950s and fell in love with the island, its people and culture.
With 16 other families, 35 acres of beach fronting a magnificent crescent bay, used for stevedoring, were purchased from the sugar cane estate, which stretched several miles between foothills and Jamaican coastline. They built cottages by the beach so their families and friends could not only escape the cold winters of North America but also enjoy the warmth and friendly hospitality of the people of Jamaica all year-round.
Half Moon has grown into what we can proudly say is a landmark of world-class hospitality, and an authentic Jamaican experience.
We are a chosen retreat over the past 60 years for royalty, presidents, world-wide known entertainers and more importantly, generations of loyal guests seeking to escape to their private oasis and relax while enjoying the climate, culture and hospitality of this wonderful country, Jamaica.
We are an independently-managed resort and three of the original investing families remain involved – the Weiss, Pearce and Steuart families. We remain true to the guiding principles: to respect and contribute to the welfare of the community while offering discerning travelers the opportunity for remarkable vacation memories.
More than 800 team members make up our Half Moon family, some of whom have been with us for over 50 years. It is they who will make your stay here one to cherish and the reason for wanting to return year after year.
Welcome home.
Guy Steuart III, Chairman of Half Moon
Timeline
- 1954: Half Moon Hotel & Cottage Colony opens
- 1961: Robert Trent Jones Sr. designs golf course
- 1970: Club House Grill (now, Sugar Mill Restaurant) opens
- 1979: Half Moon purchases The Colony Hotel
- 1986: Equestrian Centre opens
- 1989: Royal Suites replace East Cottages destroyed by Hurricane Gilbert
- 2007: Fern Tree Spa opens
- 2014: Half Moon celebrates Diamond Jubilee
- 2015: Opening of renovated Sugar Mill restaurant, award-winning & considered Jamaica’s best
- 2020: Opening of Eclipse at Half Moon
History
In the early 1950s a group of American, British & Bermudian entrepreneurs spent their winter holidays on the cool, tropical shores of Jamaica’s idyllic North Coast. So enamored with the landscape, the climate and the people they decided to create a permanent winter escape for their families and friends to enjoy.
Thus began Half Moon on February 27, 1954 after a group of 17 American, British and Bermudian businessmen purchased 35-acres of land on a crescent-shaped bay that was once the loading dock for Rose Hall's sugar shipments.
Among Half Moon's original investors were: Donald Deskey designer of New York City's famous Radio City Music Hall; Harvey Firestone, Jr. of the Firestone Tyre and Rubber company; Richard Reynolds of the Reynolds Metal Company and Jamaican bauxite company Reynolds Jamaica; oil and real estate entrepreneur Curtis Steuart; as well as Mrs. Laurence Armour of US meat packaging giant Armour Packing Company.
Borrowing from the bay's beach for its name, the 17 investors opened Half Moon Hotel and Cottage Colony with 17 whitewashed cottages and 30 beachfront rooms.
Ten of the original cottages remain today as the West Cottages, standing as a stately reminder of the relaxed and gentile living of its ancestry.
These cottages as well as the many rooms and suites of Half Moon have been the home-away-from home for countless luminaries, including HRH Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip and Prince Charles; Prince Rainier of Monaco, Princess Caroline of Monaco and John F. and Jacqueline Kennedy.
The Kennedys spent a month at the resort prior to John F. Kennedy’s inauguration as President of the United States and a copy of one of Mrs. Kennedy's handwritten wills hangs in the main lobby of the hotel.
The Kennedys spent a month at the resort prior to John F. Kennedy’s inauguration as President of the United States and a copy of one of Mrs. Kennedy's handwritten wills hangs in the main lobby of the hotel.
Other celebrated visitors to the legendary resort include heads of government, celebrated athletes, celebrities and dignitaries.
Today three of the original families, the Steuarts, the Pearces and William Weiss, Sr, ensure that Half Moon’s future will continue to shine as a landmark for world-class hospitality.
