We just returned from the Half Moon Resort in Jamaica. The bottom line: it is the best resort we've been to in our twenty years visiting the Caribbean. The staff is friendly and helpful and by that I mean everyone from the front desk staff to the operator to the room service folks to the beach attendants to the wait staff to the housekeepers to the landscapers who will stop what they're doing to ask you if you want them to pick and open a coconut. Even when the resort was at capacity, it is large enough that it never seemed crowded. And almost unbelievably everything remained clean. The answer to any question is never no. No need to wake up at the crack of dawn to save a chair on the beach or by the pool here. The food is excellent. Folks will tell you that the Sugar Mill is the best restaurant on the property. We preferred Il Giordano but every meal was good, including the buffets which can be pretty scary at some resorts. Although everything about Half Moon is first class there is no snootiness. The dress code is enforced but putting on a shirt other than a t shirt and pants for dinner didn't seem unreasonable to me. I would say it is elegant in a laid back way. If you're looking for a place with loud music playing over loudspeakers and contests this isn't the place for you. The beaches are lively but naturally so. The pool areas are serene. It is the only place in the Caribbean we've been to where families with young children, families with teenagers and college age kids, and adults without children all seem to be having an equally good time. You can spend your days on the beach or run yourself ragged or do some of both. We -- two adults, a sixteen year old and a thirteen year old -- enjoyed diving, snorkling, horseback riding, sailing, a banana boat ride and swimming with dolphins, all without leaving the Resort and all with courteous and expert staff committed to our fun and safety. We had bicycles but you don't really need them. They're just fun for a change. The rooms are spacious and clean. The wi fi is lightening fast. The included transfers to and from the airport were perfect.

The only nit I would pick (like the difference between a 99 and a 100) is that the daily resort fee is annoying in context. I'd prefer that the Resort just increase the cost of the rooms by $27 instead of adding the fee. Also, the weight room air conditioning wasn't working well when we visited and the elliptical trainers could be updated. That's really all I can find to complain about.

We had a perfect week and we'll be back. We have been to the Iberostar and Fairmont in Playa Del Carmen, the Westin in St. John, Belize, the Dominican Republic, and St. Barth. No place else holds a candle to the Half Moon in terms of overall excellence across the board. Our only regret is that it took us so long to find it.

This is our second trip to Half Moon. Everything is wonderful. The most striking aspect of the resort is the customer experience. The staff from top to bottom are just so kind and courteous. Everyone that passes you smiles and says hello. The beaches are secluded and private and quiet. The rooms are spacious and well maintained. There is a feeling of British sensibility surrounding the estate. Restaurants are excellent (though not inexpensive). Friday night Barbecue on the Beach is a great experience. There is a plethora of activities during the day (tennis, golf, swimming, beaches, swimming with Dolphins, horseback riding, but a quiet nightlife (which appeals to us!). Overall a great experience! We definitely will be back.

What a superb resort - the villas are huge, the staff are superb and the resort caters for everything you could possibly want. Half Moon is teh only resort we have consistently returned to. The suites and rooms are also excellent. We recommend the all inclusive package where you can take advantage of the numerous bars and the 5 restaurants

My wife and I just got married at Half Moon last week and it was wonderful. Tashane, our wedding coordinator, went out of her way to make sure everything was perfect. She was very accomodating to our schedule and very understanding when we wanted to make some last minute changes. The ceremony went smoothly and everyone had a great time! It was a perfect beach wedding at sunset.

The staff at the reception was attentive without being intrusive. The DJ played great music and kept things lively. I'm sure we provided some entertainment for them, too. The food was wonderful! I would highly recommend the coconut shrimp and lobster cakes for appetizers. The snapper and jam asian chicken were perfect entrees.

While there, we stayed in villa 54 and Delton, Veneta, and Marlene spoiled us. We couldn't have asked for more attentive staff. Veneta provided great food and kept us asking for more. Her shrimp and jerk chicken was perfect. Delton kept us moving and took care of more details than I can count. Marlene kept the villa sparkling and clean. On the wedding night, her turn-down was stunning. The flower petals were a welcome touch, as was the bottle of champagne. Although, after the reception, the champagne was saved for the next night.

Our families thoroughly loved staying in the villa. Having the pool was great for the kids. It would have been perfect had the beach in front of the villa been usable, but we could walk to one in 5 minutes. The family thoroughly loved the dolphin encounter and equestrian center.

As our families were not present for our entire stay, we also used the hotel suites. Suite 93 was amazing. It was on the beach and had a perfect view of the ocean. That leads to one recommendation. As we were not in the villa for the entire stay, we had to "check in" separately and had to call several times to coordinate the transition from villa to suite. It seems that this should have been coordinated by the registration staff and seamless. It would not prevent us from returning or recommending Half Moon, but could have been easier to manage.

The only other change we would suggest is to improve the quality of the room service menu and food. We only used room service once and that was for dinner as we had a late arrival. The food was fair, at best. We did enjoy good food at the Sea Grape restaurant and great food and service at the Sugar Mill restaurant.