We have stayed at Moon Palace Jamaica multiple times and returned based on strong prior experiences. Unfortunately, this visit reflects a significant and notable decline in operational execution, maintenance, and overall guest coordination.
The issues began before we even arrived. On the morning of Christmas Eve, we woke up to an email stating that our reservation had been canceled. This came without explanation and despite having a confirmed booking. We spent hours on the phone speaking with multiple people across different departments attempting to understand what had happened and to have our reservation reinstated. While the issue was eventually resolved, it was an early and concerning example of the amount of time and effort required simply to correct errors that should not have occurred.
The issues continued at check-in. The welcome room near reception, which previously offered refreshments and a comfortable arrival experience, is now reserved only for higher-tier members. While our membership status has not changed, our benefits clearly have. Instead, we were directed down to a dark room with a makeshift check-in table, only to be sent back to the main reception area shortly after to meet with guest services. We then still had to wait in the standard check-in line to have our wristbands activated. The process was confusing, inefficient, and poorly designed.
From there, the same administrative errors repeated across multiple areas of the resort. When attempting to make spa reservations, we were told our children were not listed on our reservation, despite their wristbands being active and their passports having been provided at check-in. We were sent back to the front desk, told the issue was resolved, sent back to the spa, and then told again that the children were still not added and that our resort credits had not been activated. This required multiple trips between the front desk, guest services, and the spa. The same issue occurred when attempting to check our children into the kids club, again requiring us to return to the front desk to resolve an error that should have been handled centrally.
Operational shortcomings were visible throughout the resort. Staff frequently advised that items were unavailable. At Pier 8, four out of five signature cocktails and at least one listed entrée were unavailable. Food service was consistently slow, with meals taking over an hour to arrive. On at least two days, the resort ran out of plates during lunch service, resulting in lines of guests waiting for basic service ware. Every day of our stay there was also a shortage of towels at the pool, requiring guests to wait or return later in hopes that towels had been restocked.
The quality of the food has also declined along with availability. Items that were previously standard were noticeably limited. In particular, the selection of fresh tropical fruit has been reduced, with options largely limited to melon rather than mango or papaya as offered on prior stays.
Upon entering our room on the first day, we discovered soiled bed linens. We immediately called to report the issue and request fresh linens. Four hours later, after no follow-up, we called again and were informed that the delay was due to significant understaffing. The issue was ultimately resolved several hours later.
There were also visible and concerning issues related to building maintenance. The kids club was closed at one point due to flooding. Portions of the ceiling in the main building collapsed following rain. Buckets were placed throughout the property to catch active leaks, including in stairwells and in guest-facing areas such as the café where coffee and desserts are served and near the lobby bar. These conditions raise concerns about ongoing maintenance and facility upkeep, particularly in high-traffic areas used by families and children.
A significant portion of our time was spent troubleshooting basic issues rather than enjoying the resort. From the hours spent resolving a canceled reservation before arrival to repeated trips between departments once onsite, waiting for basic supplies, and following up on unresolved requests, the cumulative time and energy required meaningfully detracted from what was meant to be a relaxing family vacation.
What makes this experience particularly disappointing is the contrast with prior stays. The decline in coordination, maintenance, food quality, and overall execution was noticeable and significant. This was not a matter of isolated inconvenience or elevated expectations, but a clear shift from the standards we previously associated with this resort.
It is important to note that the frontline staff we interacted with were consistently kind, professional, and doing their best within clear system constraints. Jayden at the bar provided excellent service, Abigail and Alicia by the pool were attentive, proactive, and welcoming, Racquel in guest services was thoughtful and helpful, and the women working in the kids club were warm, patient, and wonderful with our children. The issues described here are institutional in nature and should not be attributed to individual staff effort.
For clarity, the concerns outlined above are not the result of hurricane-related disruption. The resort was minimally impacted, and the issues we experienced were systemic in nature, related to operations, maintenance, and leadership rather than external events.
Taken together, these experiences suggest that expansion into new properties may be occurring at the expense of maintaining existing resorts to a reasonable standard.
Typically, we receive a member survey within the first few days of our stay and have used that channel in the past to provide feedback. In the absence of that outreach during this visit, and without any clear alternative for sharing concerns, we are using this public forum to document our experience. This feedback is intended both for Palace leadership and for future travelers evaluating whether this resort aligns with their expectations.
