Jamaica

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At a Glance

This seaside retreat offers the best of resort living with a variety of facilities and activities, and is ideal for active types as well as those looking to completely unplug.

Review

Set along a two-mile stretch of Montego Bay’s most pristine coastline, Half Moon is a short drive—yet worlds away—from Sangster International Airport.

The property’s 210 rooms and suites (including 27 royal villas) are spread across 400 primly kept acres, and are easily accessed on foot or via bicycle or club car from the hotel’s public spaces. Accommodations are classic and comfortable, designed with dark wood furnishings and pops of tropical fabrics and décor. Those looking to splurge should book the grand colonial-style villas that offer an especially lavish stay, replete with a staff of three (a cook, butler and housekeeper), a private outdoor living area and swimming pool, plus a string of amenities.

Shared pools at the hotel include the Hibiscus, which boasts a swim-up cocktail bar, the Olympic Lap Pool, the infinity pool overlooking the Caribbean Sea at Eclipse and the intimate, kidney-shaped Oleander Pool. Other water activities include diving and snorkeling, kayaking, waterskiing and windsurfing.

For those less aquatic, there are sightseeing tours around the island, golf at the resort’s 18-hole championship course, fitness and sports offerings and horseback riding at the on-site equestrian center with dressage, show jumps and a mini polo field.

For those looking to decompress, the 68,000-square-foot, full-service Fern Tree Spa is located within a gorgeous tropical garden. The facility is complete with a relaxation lounge, yoga pavilion, sauna, steam rooms, meditation labyrinth and waterfall-fed hot tub. There is even the option to enjoy a spa treatment in an overwater bungalow where guests can feel the ocean breeze and hear the waves crash beneath the table. One of Half Moon’s greatest draws is the private white sand beach, which is particularly enchanting at sunset.

Guests have a choice of thirteen restaurants on property, including the highly acclaimed Sugar Mill, which features upscale Jamaican cuisine and is considered by locals and visitors alike to be among the country’s top eateries. There is also Delmare, a runner-up to Sugar Mill, which is located in Half Moon’s newest addition, Eclipse, and features freshly caught seafood with Italian influences.

Who Should Stay

Families will be pleased with the variety of activities available for all vacationing preferences.