Half Moon Jamaica Villas

The first opportunity to own a villa in Half Moon has arisen half a century after the Half Moon Hotel and Cottage Colony opened near Montego Bay on Jamaica's north coast.

Since that time, the bay that was once the loading dock for rose Hall's sugar shipments, been the choice of holiday destination for a string of lumuniaries and dignitaries including HRH Queen Elizabeth II, JFK and Prince Rainier of Monaco.

According to Richard Whitfield, managing director of Half Moon, it was after years of pestering from guests of the hotel that the current owners decided to release some of the 400-acre site for the development of 30 high end villas.

The move also comes after the Jamaican government's commitments to developing high end hotels along the north coast of the island, dubbed Jamaica's 'Gold Coast'. This has included the new private jet area of Montego Bay airport which provides clients with their own immigration and customs centre.

The Colony at Half Moon is scheduled to open in 2010 with a choice of 3,4 or 5-bedroom villas. 'While the architects we have appointed are American, the owners and management of the Half Moon have insisted that they spend time travelling around the entire island to capture the spirit of Jamaica in their design,' explains Mr Whitfield. 'We hope to be able to source the lion's share of the furnishings either from within Jamaica or from neighbouring Caribbean islands.'

Half Moon Bay and the famous Cottage No.1 where dignitaries have stayed

Each villa will have 5 staff on hand to look after owners and their guests (including a butler, cook, housekeeper, laundress and gardener). And all owners will be able to access the on-site facilities of the resort including the golf course, spa, equestrian centre, shopping village and tennis courts.

While the villas have only been on the market for 13 weeks, they've already sold out of all the 3-bedroom villas and have a total of 13 confirmed families wishing to buy.

Mr Whitfield says a large attraction of the Colony at Half Moon villas is made up of the staff that have worked (some as long as 50 years) on the resort. 'It is the Caribbean's most desirable ownership opportunity in over 50 years and the perfect chance for discerning travellers to become a part of the Half Moon family.'

Key details: * Pre-construction prices for villas at The Colony at Half Moon srat from $2.4 million * 4-bed & 5-bed villas remain * Annual management fees (which include staff costs) start from $80,000 for a 4-bed villa * All villas enter a compulsory rental pool * Villa owners receive 70% of the rental revenue

'It's a sound investment when you consider that most resorts in the Caribbean take 5/6 years to stablise whereas Half Moon has been business for 54 years.'

For further information, visit The Colony at Half Moon