By Steve Griswold, Pixie Vacations — Sandals & Beaches Platinum Elite Advisor with 1,195+ verified client reviews averaging 5.0 stars and host of the 15-year MouseChat travel podcast. Updated October 29, 2026; originally published July 9, 2026.
- Half Moon says the rest of Founders Cove — the Hibiscus and Ocean Court rooms, the original lobby, Seagrape Terrace, The Cedar Bar and the West Cottages that date to 1954 — returns by Thanksgiving, November 26, 2026. Two more West Cottages follow for the festive season.
- Eclipse at Half Moon (57 beachfront rooms) and the Villas have been open since April 2, 2026. Sugar Mill, the plantation-house restaurant, is back under chef Christopher Golding.
- Reopening offer: book 3 consecutive nights at Eclipse and the 4th is free, with daily breakfast at Hayward’s and free dining for kids 5 and under. Book by December 14, 2026 for stays through December 19, 2026; blackout dates may apply.
- The Half Moon Founders Cup golf tournament is December 12, 2026 on the Robert Trent Jones Sr. course.
Half Moon Jamaica reopening update, October 29, 2026: the last wing comes back by Thanksgiving
One year after Hurricane Melissa, Half Moon’s own update (dated October 27, 2026) says the Montego Bay resort completes its phased reopening by Thanksgiving, November 26, 2026 — which is 28 days from today. That is the Half Moon Jamaica reopening date that matters if you are holding a holiday booking: the parts of the resort still closed are the ones longtime guests think of first, the garden-to-beach Founders Cove side, and the resort says those rooms, the original 1954 lobby and the Seagrape Terrace are the ones coming back.
I need to correct the record on this post, too. In July, Caribbean Journal reported the resort as fully open again and I wrote it up that way. Half Moon’s reopening FAQ still says the “additional legacy accommodations at Founders Cove” return in a second phase later in 2026, and the October 27 update puts a date on it. So the honest status today is: Eclipse and the Villas open, Founders Cove rooms back by Thanksgiving, the whole property back for the festive season.
| Part of Half Moon | Status (Oct 29, 2026) | When |
|---|---|---|
| Eclipse at Half Moon: 57 beachfront rooms, infinity pool, Delmare | Open | Since April 2, 2026 |
| The Villas: 6- and 7-bedroom staffed homes | Open | Since April 2, 2026 |
| Golf course, Fern Tree spa, equestrian center, Sugar Mill restaurant | Open | Golf and spa since April 2; Sugar Mill back under chef Christopher Golding |
| Founders Cove: Hibiscus and Ocean Court rooms (new two-bedroom Ocean Court suites), original lobby, Seagrape Terrace, The Cedar Bar, West Cottages | Reopening | By Thanksgiving, Nov 26, 2026 |
| Two remaining West Cottages | Reopening | Festive season, late Dec 2026 |
| Over the Moon shop, Garlandstone Gallery (Jamaican art) | New | Part of the restoration; no date given |
The booking math, and why Montego Bay’s holiday season just got crowded
The 4th-night-free offer is the number to use. On a 4-night Eclipse stay it is 25% off the room, and at the July ocean-room rate of about $761 a night that is roughly one night’s rate back in your pocket, plus breakfast for everyone and dinner for the under-5s. The catch is the window: you have to book by December 14 and finish the stay by December 19, 2026, so it is a pre-Christmas offer, not a Christmas one. If you want Christmas week at Half Moon, book it now at regular rates and ask us to watch for a better offer before your final payment — that is what we do for every client.
The bigger picture: Half Moon is one of three big Montego Bay comebacks landing in the same month. Sandals Jamaica South Coast reopens November 18, 2026, and Sandals Jamaica Montego Bay and Sandals Jamaica Caribbean Cay both reopen December 18, 2026. Add Half Moon’s Founders Cove by November 26 and Montego Bay goes from a thin winter to a full one in about four weeks. The airlift is coming back with it — the Jamaica Tourist Board has 1,324,965 seats committed for January through April 2027, 23.5% more than the same months this year. More seats help fares, but the first holiday season with everything open sells early, so book the room first and the flights the day the schedule opens.
What this means if you’re booking
- Before November 26, 2026: Eclipse or a villa only; expect finishing work on the Founders Cove side. Use the 4th-night-free offer (book by December 14).
- Thanksgiving through December 19: the whole resort except two West Cottages, and the offer still applies to Eclipse stays. Best value window of the winter.
- Christmas, New Year’s and January through April 2027: full resort, no published offer yet, peak demand. Book 12 months out for a villa, now for everything else.
Is Half Moon Jamaica fully open again?
Almost. Eclipse at Half Moon and the Villas have been open since April 2, 2026, and the resort’s October 27, 2026 update says the rest of Founders Cove returns by Thanksgiving, November 26, 2026 (see the update above). The Montego Bay landmark has spent a year restoring the 400-acre Rose Hall property after Hurricane Melissa — golf, spa, restaurants and beaches included.
The phased comeback began April 2, 2026, when Half Moon first reopened Eclipse and its reimagined villas. Founders Cove — the beloved, garden-shaded wing many longtime guests think of first — was held for a later phase, and the resort now puts its main accommodations back by Thanksgiving 2026. Back in July, Caribbean Journal, which reported the milestone on July 8, 2026, “a first-time visitor might never know the property spent months closed.”
Everything that has defined a stay here has returned with it: the Robert Trent Jones Sr. championship golf course, the Fern Tree Spa, the equestrian center’s beach rides, and Sugar Mill, the fine-dining restaurant set inside a restored 17th-century sugar plantation. Half Moon first welcomed guests in 1954 and has hosted names from Queen Elizabeth II to John F. Kennedy — but its real draw has always been the families who return winter after winter.
Half Moon’s three resort experiences, compared
Half Moon is really three stays in one 400-acre property. Here’s how the reopened experiences differ:
| Experience | Best for | What defines it |
|---|---|---|
| Eclipse at Half Moon | Couples & modern-luxury seekers | Newest wing; oversized oceanfront rooms, infinity pool, Delmare dining |
| Founders Cove | Return guests & easygoing beach days | Low-rise, garden-to-beach classic Half Moon; Hibiscus and Ocean Court rooms, the original lobby and Seagrape Terrace return by Thanksgiving 2026 |
| The Villas | Multigenerational families & groups | Private homes with dedicated housekeeper, cook and butler; 6- and 7-bedroom layouts |
Quick Facts
- What’s the news? Half Moon in Montego Bay completes its reopening by Thanksgiving, November 26, 2026, when the Founders Cove rooms, the original lobby, Seagrape Terrace, The Cedar Bar and the West Cottages return (resort update, October 27, 2026).
- What is open now? Eclipse at Half Moon and the Villas, since April 2, 2026, plus the golf course, Fern Tree spa, equestrian center and Sugar Mill.
- Why was it closed? Restoration following Hurricane Melissa (October 2025).
- Where is it? Rose Hall, about 10 minutes east of Sangster International Airport (MBJ), Montego Bay.
- How big is it? 400 acres with two miles of beachfront; open since 1954.
- What does it cost? Per Caribbean Journal (July 8, 2026), Eclipse ocean rooms were about $761/night booking direct; Founders Cove rooms about $851/night and ocean suites about $1,251/night.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Founders Cove open at Half Moon now?
Not yet. Half Moon’s October 27, 2026 update says the Hibiscus and Ocean Court accommodations, the original lobby, Seagrape Terrace, The Cedar Bar and the 1954 West Cottages return by Thanksgiving, November 26, 2026, with two more West Cottages following for the festive season. Eclipse and the villas have been open since April 2, 2026.
Is Half Moon a good choice for families?
Yes. The villas — each with a housekeeper, cook and butler — are built for multigenerational trips, and the resort has drawn returning families since 1954 with its beach, golf, equestrian center and kids’ activities.
How far is Half Moon from the Montego Bay airport?
About 10 minutes. It sits in Rose Hall, just east of Sangster International Airport (MBJ).
Is Half Moon all-inclusive?
Half Moon offers both room-only and all-inclusive plans depending on the experience and dates. A travel advisor can confirm the best plan for your travel window.
How much does Half Moon cost per night in 2026?
As reported by Caribbean Journal on July 8, 2026, Eclipse ocean rooms started around $761/night direct, with Founders Cove rooms near $851/night and ocean suites near $1,251/night.
Can Pixie Vacations book Half Moon for me?
Yes. Pixie Vacations books Half Moon and other Jamaica luxury and family resorts at no added fee — request a free quote.
Planning a Jamaica trip? Half Moon’s reopening is one more sign Jamaica’s tourism is not just recovering but expanding — we tracked the earlier phase in our April Caribbean travel wrap. If you’re weighing Montego Bay’s beaches, our friends at Pixie Honeymoons rank the best beaches in Jamaica — and the Pixie Vacations team can quote Half Moon or any Jamaica resort for you, no booking fees, at pixievacations.com/get-a-quote.
Original July source: Caribbean Journal, “In Jamaica, a Storied Luxury Resort Finds Its Way Back,” July 8, 2026; halfmoon.com. The October 29, 2026 update and its sources are above and below.
Timing your trip? See our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Jamaica.
Want us to check Half Moon for your dates?
Planning with Pixie Vacations is free — no fees — and we book Half Moon, Sandals and Beaches across Jamaica. Call 678-815-1584 or send your dates and we’ll price Eclipse, a villa or Founders Cove against the current offer.
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Have a fantastic vacation.
