If you’re considering booking Moon Palace Jamaica for a family holiday, I’m going to be sharing our full experience of spending two weeks at this all inclusive resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. I’ll cover everything from how much we paid and our experience booking through Virgin Atlantic Holidays to the rooms, food, pools, beach, kids’ facilities, entertainment and whether I think Moon Palace Jamaica is actually worth the money.
For this trip, we travelled as two adults and one child, flying from London Heathrow to Montego Bay with Virgin Atlantic.
Booking Moon Palace Jamaica with Virgin Atlantic Holidays
We booked our two week Moon Palace Jamaica holiday through Virgin Atlantic Holidays on 23 August 2025. The total cost for two adults and one child was £7,630.42.
We were able to secure the holiday with a deposit rather than paying the full £7,630.42 upfront, with the remaining balance due by 12 May 2026. I’ve flown with Virgin Atlantic before, but this was actually our first time booking a full package holiday with Virgin Atlantic Holidays, so I was interested to see how the experience compared.
One thing worth knowing when booking is that airport transfers may not automatically be included with your Virgin Atlantic Holidays package, so definitely check exactly what is included in your individual booking.
Moon Palace Jamaica does offer complimentary round trip airport transfers on qualifying bookings. At the time of our trip, its offer stated that guests booking four nights or more could receive complimentary shared transfers.
I contacted the hotel with our booking and flight details to arrange our transfer. I would definitely recommend contacting Moon Palace before travelling to check whether your particular booking qualifies, rather than assuming a transfer is included.
Flying from London Heathrow to Montego Bay
We flew directly from London Heathrow to Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay with Virgin Atlantic.
There were a few changes to our outbound flight before we travelled, particularly with the flight times. They changed multiple times and our eventual arrival time was much later than originally expected.
By the time we landed in Jamaica, collected our luggage, travelled to Ocho Rios and arrived at Moon Palace Jamaica, it was after midnight. So although we left London on the Tuesday, technically we didn’t arrive at the hotel until Wednesday.
It wasn’t ideal losing that first evening at the resort, especially when you’ve paid for that night as part of a two week holiday, but thankfully there were no other major issues with the journey and we got there safely.
There was actually one unexpected advantage to arriving in Montego Bay so late: the airport was incredibly quick. Our luggage came through quickly and passport control was super quick too, so we weren’t hanging around the airport for ages after a long flight.
Montego Bay Airport to Moon Palace Jamaica
Moon Palace Jamaica is located in Ocho Rios on Jamaica’s north coast, so it isn’t particularly close to Montego Bay Airport.
The journey is roughly 100 km and you should generally allow around 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours for the drive, although this can vary depending on traffic and road conditions.
It is definitely something to factor into your travel day, particularly if you’re travelling with children. After a long flight from the UK, you still have a fairly substantial journey before reaching the resort.
Moon Palace Jamaica itself is an all inclusive family resort in Ocho Rios, with its own beach, swimming pools, restaurants, bars, kids’ facilities, entertainment and spa. Its location also makes it a useful base for exploring some of the popular attractions around Ocho Rios.
An Unexpected Health Check at Montego Bay Airport
There was one slightly unexpected part of our arrival into Jamaica.
Not too long before this holiday, we had travelled to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Because of our recent travel history, I was asked to speak to a medical officer at the airport.
They spoke to me about the potential risk of malaria following mosquito bites and advised me to keep an eye on things such as my temperature and any possible symptoms.
It sounds more dramatic than it actually was. There wasn’t an issue and it didn’t cause any major delay to our journey. It appeared to simply be a precaution based on where we had recently travelled, but I thought it was worth mentioning as it was part of our experience arriving in Jamaica.
After that, we were finally on our way to Ocho Rios and ready to start our two weeks at Moon Palace Jamaica.
Our Ocean View Room at Moon Palace Jamaica
We stayed in an ocean view room on the 10th floor of the North Tower at Moon Palace Jamaica, and the view was definitely one of my favourite things about the room.
During the day, we had gorgeous views out towards the ocean and could actually see the dolphins from our room. At night, you could see the lights and nightlife of Ocho Rios, which was really lovely, especially when everything was lit up.
The only thing I was slightly disappointed with was the balcony, or lack of one! It was absolutely tiny and personally, I wouldn’t really describe it as a proper balcony. You could step outside and enjoy the view, but it wasn’t the type of balcony where you could sit outside and relax, which would have been lovely considering how good the ocean view was.
Beds and Storage
Our Moon Palace Jamaica room had two beds, which I would describe as small doubles. They were really comfortable, but I need to give a special mention to the pillows because they were honestly some of the best hotel pillows I’ve ever slept on!
There was also plenty of storage space, which is always important when you’re staying somewhere for two weeks. We had more than enough space to properly unpack rather than living out of our suitcases for the entire holiday.
There was also a safe in the room for storing valuables.
Minibar, Drinks and Other Room Facilities
Our room had a minibar which was included as part of the all inclusive stay and was supposed to be restocked daily. Most of the time this was fine, although there were a few occasions when we needed to ask for it to be restocked.
There were also tea and coffee making facilities, bottled water and an ice bucket. There was an ice machine literally around the corner from our room, which was really convenient.
The room also had a table and chair, towels and all of the usual essentials you would expect.
One little extra that I absolutely loved was the JBL speaker in the room. I always seem to forget to pack a speaker when we go away, so having one already there was perfect for playing music while we were getting ready for our nights out.
There is also a TV in the room, although honestly, with so much happening around the resort, we barely had time to watch it.
Bathroom and Complimentary Amenities
The bathroom came with a selection of toiletries and amenities, but one thing I really liked about Moon Palace Jamaica was that you could request additional items through the resort app.
This included things such as a robe, toothbrush, toothpaste and other useful bits and bobs. From our experience, there didn’t appear to be an additional charge for requesting these items, which is really handy if you’ve forgotten to pack something.
Room Service at Moon Palace Jamaica
Another big benefit of staying at Moon Palace Jamaica is that room service is included, so there was no additional charge when we ordered food to the room.
There were different options available throughout the day, including breakfast, as well as food you could order later on. This was particularly useful after a night out when the last thing you wanted to do was get dressed again and head to one of the restaurants.
Being able to order food straight to the room without worrying about an additional room service charge was definitely something we appreciated during our two week stay.
Housekeeping
Our room was cleaned daily throughout our stay, with fresh towels provided and the room generally kept really clean.
Overall, I was really happy with our ocean view room at Moon Palace Jamaica. It was comfortable, spacious enough for the three of us and had plenty of storage for a longer stay. The ocean view was absolutely worth having, particularly being able to spot the dolphins during the day and see Ocho Rios lit up at night.
My main criticism would definitely be the tiny balcony. With such a beautiful view, having a proper balcony with somewhere to sit would have made the room even better.
Food and Restaurants at Moon Palace Jamaica
The food at Moon Palace Jamaica was genuinely one of the highlights of our two week stay. There was a really good selection, plenty of variety and, most importantly, the food actually tasted good. Even something as simple as the pizza was really nice.
One of my biggest tips for anyone staying at Moon Palace Jamaica is to make your restaurant reservations as early as possible. I would recommend getting up in the morning and booking your restaurants for that day or the following day because the popular times can get booked up really quickly.
You don’t need to make a reservation for Buccaneers Reef, the main buffet restaurant, but I would definitely recommend booking the other restaurants through the app where possible. It saves you potentially having to wait around or missing out on somewhere you really want to try.
Buccaneers Reef
Buccaneers Reef is the main buffet restaurant at Moon Palace Jamaica and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I was really impressed with the variety here, especially considering we were staying for two weeks. There were different options available each day, so I never felt like we were constantly eating the same things.
Normally, when I visit a country, I want to eat the local food. If I’m in Jamaica, I want Jamaican food! There were Jamaican options including ackee and saltfish, curry chicken, curry goat and plenty of other dishes.
This time I was also much more open to trying the different cuisines available throughout the resort, and I’m glad I did because the food was genuinely really good.
Momo
Momo was one of the restaurants we really enjoyed. It serves Pan Asian food, with options including sushi and plenty of other dishes to try.
You can also book the interactive teppanyaki dining experience, where the chefs cook right in front of you. This was really fun and made dinner feel like an experience rather than simply going out for a meal.
The chef was really interactive while preparing the food, so this is definitely one I would recommend trying, particularly if you’re visiting Moon Palace Jamaica with kids.
Agra
Agra was another restaurant I really enjoyed and serves Indian cuisine.
The food was really tasty and this ended up being one of my favourite meals during our stay. If you enjoy Indian food, I would definitely recommend making a reservation and giving Agra a try.
The Sundeck area also serves pizza during the day, and the pizza we had at Moon Palace Jamaica was really good. It was perfect when we wanted something quick and easy rather than sitting down for a full meal.
Gondola
Gondola is the Italian restaurant at Moon Palace Jamaica.
This probably wasn’t my favourite restaurant of the trip. It wasn’t necessarily bad, but when I compare it with some of the other meals we had around the resort, there were definitely other restaurants I enjoyed more.
With so many different restaurants included in the all inclusive package, it really does come down to personal preference.
Pier 8
We also tried Pier 8, which was another nice option at Moon Palace Jamaica.
There were seafood options available at dinner, so it’s worth trying if you enjoy seafood or simply want something different from the buffet and some of the other speciality restaurants.
Jerk Hut
Of course, you can’t come to Jamaica without having some jerk, so Jerk Hut was a big bonus for me.
I really loved this one. It was great being able to grab some Jamaican food during the day without having to stop everything and sit down for a full restaurant meal.
When you’re spending the day by the pool or beach, sometimes you just want to grab something, eat and get straight back to enjoying your holiday, so Jerk Hut was perfect for that.
Cocktails and Drinks at Moon Palace Jamaica
The drinks were another highlight. There was a great selection of cocktails around the resort and the ones I tried were really nice.
If, like me, you prefer your cocktails sweet but still strong, there were plenty of options. More importantly, the bartenders actually knew how to make the cocktails properly!
If you followed our trip to Bahia last year, you might remember me ordering a cocktail that was literally on their menu, only for the member of staff to ask me what was in it. I was absolutely flabbergasted at the time, although I can laugh about it now.
Thankfully, I didn’t have that problem at Moon Palace Jamaica. The cocktails were made properly, tasted good and there was plenty of choice.
Is the Food Good at Moon Palace Jamaica?
For me, the answer is definitely yes.
Food can make such a difference to an all inclusive holiday, particularly when you’re staying somewhere for two weeks, and I genuinely had no complaints about the overall food selection at Moon Palace Jamaica.
Between Buccaneers Reef, Momo, Agra, Gondola, Pier 8, Jerk Hut, the pizza, Jamaican food, sushi, teppanyaki experience, seafood and all the other options available, there was plenty of variety.
Add in the great selection of cocktails and drinks and I would say the food and drink is easily one of the strongest parts of Moon Palace Jamaica.
My biggest tip would simply be to make those restaurant reservations early. If there is somewhere you really want to try, don’t leave it until you’re hungry to start looking for a table!
Pools at Moon Palace Jamaica
The pools at Moon Palace Jamaica were definitely another highlight of our two week stay. There was plenty of space, the water was a really nice temperature and even when the resort was busy, I never felt like we were all packed into the pools like sardines.
There are different pool areas around the resort and, of course, I loved having a swim up bar. There’s just something about sitting in the pool with a cocktail that makes you feel like you’re properly on holiday.
One thing I do think Moon Palace Jamaica is missing is an adults only pool. Don’t get me wrong, you know I love kids. I mean, look at the name of this blog! But even at a family resort, I think it’s nice to have the option of a quieter adults only pool area.
Other than that, we really enjoyed the pools and spent plenty of time around them during our stay.
Beach at Moon Palace Jamaica
The beach at Moon Palace Jamaica is gorgeous. You’ve got lovely sand, beautiful Caribbean views and plenty of seating, so it’s a really nice place to spend the day when you want a break from the pools.
I do think the beach and pool areas could benefit from a few more parasols though. That Jamaican sun can be strong and having more shaded areas would definitely be a bonus.
My main annoyance around the beach and pool wasn’t actually anything to do with the facilities. It was people reserving sunbeds and then disappearing for hours.
If you know you’re going on an excursion or you’re going to be away from the pool for hours, there’s absolutely no need to leave a towel on a sunbed all day so nobody else can use it. Moon Palace Jamaica does have rules against reserving sunbeds, but personally I would like to see staff monitoring this more and removing towels when beds have clearly been left unused for a long time.
And as far as I’m concerned, if there are no valuables there and a towel has been sitting on an unused sunbed for ages, I will be moving it myself!
One thing I absolutely loved was that there were no silly towel cards to keep track of. There were always plenty of clean towels available, we never had to wait ages for fresh ones to arrive and they were really big too.
Things to Do at Moon Palace Jamaica
If you’re wondering whether there is enough to do at Moon Palace Jamaica for a two week holiday, we definitely didn’t struggle to keep ourselves entertained.
The resort has a FlowRider wave machine, a kids’ waterpark and splash area, a waterslide, swimming pools, a beautiful beach and a gym.
There are also water activities including kayaking and, during our stay, there was an inflatable course in the sea which was included at no additional charge.
There are dolphins at the resort too, although dolphin experiences are an additional charge.
Add in all the bars, restaurants, snacks, entertainment and organised activities and there is plenty happening throughout the day. You could quite easily spend several days without leaving Moon Palace Jamaica at all.
Moon Palace Jamaica App
The Moon Palace Jamaica app deserves a mention because it was genuinely one of the best hotel apps we’ve used.
And you know we do a lot of holidays, so we have quite a few hotel apps to compare it with!
It was really straightforward and easy to use. You could check what was happening around the resort, see the daily activities and use it for different requests during your stay.
I also loved the screens inside the lifts which showed you what was happening each day. There were information screens dotted around the resort too, so you didn’t constantly need to get your phone out to find out what was going on.
It sounds like a small thing, but at a large resort with so many different activities, it was really useful.
Moon Palace Jamaica Resort Credit
We had $250 Resort Credit included with our stay, but we actually left without using any of it.
Personally, I found the whole Resort Credit system a little confusing.
It wasn’t simply $250 that we could spend however we wanted. There were certain things you could use it towards, different conditions attached and then additional charges or taxes depending on what you were using it for.
In the end, I just couldn’t be bothered!
There was already so much included with our Moon Palace Jamaica all inclusive package that I didn’t feel like we needed to use the Resort Credit just for the sake of using it.
If your booking includes Resort Credit, I would definitely recommend checking the terms when you arrive and seeing whether there’s anything you actually want to use it towards.
Moon Palace Jamaica Kids’ Club
If you’re researching Moon Palace Jamaica with kids, The Playroom Kids Club is definitely something worth knowing about.
The ladies working in the kids’ club were so lovely and made my daughter and niece feel really welcome.
The Playroom Kids Club is aimed at children aged 4 to 12 and is open from 10am until 10pm. Children under four can also use the facilities when supervised by a responsible adult.
There are lots of different activities to keep children entertained, including games, arts and crafts, a jungle gym and water based activities at the Splash Park.
For me, the staff can make or break a kids’ club. If children don’t feel comfortable with the people looking after them, they’re simply not going to want to go back. Thankfully, we had a really positive experience here and the staff made the girls feel really welcome.
Wired Lounge at Moon Palace Jamaica
Another great facility for families is the Wired Lounge, which is the gaming and arcade area at Moon Palace Jamaica.
This was actually a really good space because it wasn’t just somewhere that appealed to younger children.
My daughter, who is 10, and my eight year old niece enjoyed it, but my nephew and cousin, who are both 16, had a good time in there too.
There are console games and other gaming options, so it’s somewhere that children, teenagers and even adults can enjoy.
I particularly liked that there were facilities for teenagers because that age group can sometimes be forgotten at family resorts. There’s often loads for small children and loads for adults, while teenagers are left somewhere in the middle.
Entertainment at Moon Palace Jamaica
There is plenty of entertainment at Moon Palace Jamaica throughout the day and evening.
You can use the Moon Palace app or the information screens around the resort to see exactly what’s happening each day.
During our stay there were activities including volleyball, football, pool games, pool parties and beach parties, as well as all of the different activities available through the kids’ club.
There was usually something happening somewhere, so if you’re the type of family who likes getting involved rather than just lying beside the pool all day, there are plenty of options.
The one thing I think they’re missing is a foam party!
I love a good foam party on an all inclusive holiday and unfortunately we didn’t have one during our entire two week stay. It’s obviously not something that would make or break a holiday, but I genuinely think a foam party would be the cherry on top.
Nightlife at Moon Palace Jamaica
There’s also nightlife at Moon Palace Jamaica, so the resort doesn’t completely shut down once the daytime activities finish.
There is a nightclub and at certain times teenagers are allowed in before it later becomes adults only, which I thought was a really good idea. It gives older kids something to do in the evening while still providing an adults only environment later at night.
There is also an adults only bar, which is another nice option when you fancy some child free time.
Between the bars, parties, entertainment and nightclub, we certainly weren’t heading back to our room every night because there was nothing to do.
Staff and Service at Moon Palace Jamaica
This was our third time staying at an all inclusive resort in Jamaica. We’ve previously stayed at Riu Ocho Rios and Bahia Principe, so naturally I found myself comparing the three.
When it comes to service, Moon Palace Jamaica was the best of the three for me.
Overall, I found the staff much friendlier and more willing to go the extra mile.
Staff around the resort would come over and take drink orders, and in general we had a really positive experience with the service throughout our two week stay.
Obviously everyone can have a different experience at the same hotel, but based on our stay, the staff and service were definitely another positive for Moon Palace Jamaica.
Moon Palace Jamaica Location in Ocho Rios
One of the biggest advantages of staying at Moon Palace Jamaica is its location in Ocho Rios.
You always hear people say that you haven’t really visited Jamaica if you don’t leave your all inclusive resort, but with Moon Palace Jamaica you can literally step outside and you’re right in Ocho Rios.
There are shops, bars and plenty happening nearby. If you’re someone who likes going out at night, you’ll also find nightlife and nightclubs in Ocho Rios.
I really liked having the option of enjoying an all inclusive resort while still being able to easily get out and explore.
Things to Do Near Moon Palace Jamaica and Ocho Rios
There are loads of things to do near Moon Palace Jamaica, so I would definitely recommend getting out and exploring at least once during your holiday.
We visited Coconut Grove Beach, which was only a short drive away. It’s quite a small beach but really lovely and was a nice place to visit away from the resort.
We also visited Spring Paradise, which is a beautiful river experience and somewhere I would definitely recommend.
When we visited, entry to Spring Paradise was 500 Jamaican dollars for adults and 250 Jamaican dollars for children, making it a really affordable thing to do near Ocho Rios.
There are plenty of other excursions and attractions around Ocho Rios and the surrounding areas too. The hotel offers excursions, or you can compare different tours and activities before deciding what you want to do.
Can You Experience Jamaica While Staying All Inclusive?
I have to mention this because all inclusive holidays seem to get such a bad reputation sometimes.
People will say, “You haven’t really visited Jamaica if you stayed in an all inclusive resort.”
I completely disagree.
Firstly, imagine not cooking or cleaning for two weeks. That is my idea of heaven!
But I also think choosing the right resort makes a huge difference.
Moon Palace Jamaica didn’t feel like one of those Caribbean resorts where everything has been completely changed to cater to international tourists and you could almost forget which country you’re in.
There was plenty of Jamaican food available throughout our stay, we heard lots of Jamaican music around the resort and there was still a real Jamaican feel to the experience.
You can enjoy the convenience of an all inclusive holiday and still leave your resort, visit local beaches, swim in rivers, explore Ocho Rios, eat Jamaican food and experience more of the country.
It doesn’t have to be one or the other.
Is Moon Palace Jamaica Worth It? Our Final Verdict
So, is Moon Palace Jamaica worth it for a family holiday?
For us, yes.
We had a really good two week holiday at Moon Palace Jamaica and there was very little that I could seriously complain about.
The food was genuinely one of the highlights. The pools were lovely, the beach was beautiful, our ocean view room was clean and comfortable and there were plenty of activities for kids, teenagers and adults.
The service was also the best we’ve experienced out of the three all inclusive resorts we’ve stayed at in Jamaica so far.
There is so much to do at Moon Palace Jamaica that you barely have to leave the resort unless you really want to. At the same time, the location in Ocho Rios means getting out and exploring is really easy.
The weather was great during our stay too. It rained maybe once or twice, but shortly afterwards the sun was back out again, so it didn’t ruin our holiday at all.
Would I change a few things? Absolutely.
I’d add an adults only pool, provide more parasols around the beach and pool areas, monitor people reserving sunbeds for hours and throw in a foam party while we’re at it!
But none of those things would stop me from returning.
Overall, Moon Palace Jamaica is a great all inclusive family resort in Ocho Rios with beautiful pools, a lovely beach and ocean views, plenty of food choices, speciality restaurants, activities for different ages and friendly staff.
We had a brilliant two weeks here and I honestly can’t imagine having a bad time in Jamaica anyway. It’s such a great country and there’s a very good chance we’ll be back again next year.
You’ll just have to wait and see where we stay next time!
