Montego Bay - Half Moon vs Ritz Carlton

[Marne]

Hi! My fiance and I are planning a March wedding in Montego Bay. We are expecting around 75 guests - 4 of which are in their 80s and 90s - and 2 of which are kids (14 and 9). We have basically narrowed down our choices to Half Moon and the Ritz Carlton. I'm wondering if anyone has compared these two resorts - and what your thoughts were.

 

I originally thought that I didn't want to get married at the Ritz Carlton because I wanted something more original - and felt like if I was getting married at a Ritz, I might as well get married in Cleveland. BUT, I called the resort just to have something to compare Half Moon to and the planner I spoke with was extremely helpful, responsive, patient -and sent me information right away. While the planner I spoke to at Half Moon was very nice, she has not yet sent me information. Also, I feel like the options at Half Moon are so complicated and overwhelming.

 

SO - has anyone been here? Does anyone have any advice to offer??

 

Thanks so much in advance!

[MTT0825]

We just got married (end of August) at the Ritz Carlton.... it was absolutely amazing! Not sure which wedding/event coordinator you spoke to but Marsha Bent handled our wedding and she was a pleasure to work with! We had our ceremony at the gazebo at 4pm, followed by cocktails by the lawn... For dinner, we originally wanted to be at the ballroom terrace but had to move it indoors to the Ballroom as the hotel has a 10pm curfew for outdoor events. It was well worth it as we all partied until almost 1pm!

 

Let me know if you have any questions... We didn't really look into Half Moon during the planning process so I can't compare.

[SHO]

I am considering the Ritz MB as well. Did you look at any of the other all inclusives before selecting the Ritz? What was the beach like there?

[MTT0825]

We also looked at other AIs like the Iberostar Rose Hall/Suites as well as Riu Ocho Rios. However, after looking at all the options, we decided that we didn't want the typical AI wedding... We had guests coming from Jamaica as well and most of the AIs require would have required them to stay at the resort for at least 1 night. We also looked at the Bellefield Great House but due to location we decided to stick with the Ritz and it was well worth it.... Yes, we paid a bit more but it was worth it from the beginning to the end... A town car picked us up from the airport, we got a huge suite (living room, large bedroom, 2 terraces and 2 bathrooms!) and an amazing wedding planner who helped us with absolutely everything...

 

as for the beach, i'm sure you've read some of the reviews and they are true. It's very small, rocky but very well kept and private. This wasn't a big deal for us as we only stayed in MB for 4 days and we all went to Negril after.... If you decide to get married at the gazebo, it is very, very private... it's on the east side of the property and hotel guests don't even have a reason to 'wander' around that side... it also has a tiny beach - good enough for pictures, etc.

[Marne]

We signed the contract for the Ritz-Carlton yesterday! I am excited - but it still doesn't seem real. My mom and I are going to take a trip down there in December so if anyone has an questions, I will soon be an expert!

[YaelM]

I vacationed at the Ritz in MB and it was SO nice!!! The food was seriously amazing...some of the best food i have EVER eaten. Also the service is impecable and the rooms are a good size. The only negative is the beach is kinda rocky so we spent 90% of our time by the pool rather than the beach. But its a great resort!

[purrfected]

I spent my honeymoon there this past August and it is a gorgeous resort. The service was great. It is comparable to a US hotel. The beach is man made so it is rocky and difficult to swim in, but the view is incredible. The grounds are manicured and spectacular. We went into a wedding reception while we were there and peaked in. It was beautiful and everyone seemed to be having a blast! The staff is what makes this hotel.

 

Things to keep in mind: Montego Bay is about 15-20 minutes away and it costs about 25$ each way to get there. However, there are lots of restaurants that have a shuttle service that will pick you up at the hotel and drop you off in the evening. Just ask the conceirge and they will set it up! The resort seems to shut down kinda early. Seems like most everyone stopped hanging out around 10pm. But that's ok, that is the perfect time to catch a shuttle or a cab and go into town! The food is really good, I didn't have a bad meal the entire time I was there! The drinks are a little pricey for Jamaica (my husband's top shelf cadillack margaritas were $18 each!) but hey, its still the Ritz. I didn't go to the spa, but some of my guests were at the resort for one day of my honeymoon and they said the spa was incredible. Their suites are gorgeous and you will have plenty of room to get dressed with your girls. The champagne they serve is really good so no worries there.

 

Congratulations and happy planning!

[SHO]

Thanks for this information. We are considering the Ritz for our wedding, it your insights are helpful.

[ssleenyc]

Hi all. I was married at the Ritz in November. Worth every penny. It was perfect and Marsha is the best come hands down. She has great relationships with her staff and more than anything she knows what she is doing. I am super type A and micro manager in life but seriously -- I did nothing and worried NONE all due to her.

[SeptemberBride]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssleenyc Hi all. I was married at the Ritz in November. Worth every penny. It was perfect and Marsha is the best come hands down. She has great relationships with her staff and more than anything she knows what she is doing. I am super type A and micro manager in life but seriously -- I did nothing and worried NONE all due to her.

So it was that good!! I am going to Jamaica in the summer I will do a visit then