Shernette Crichton, general manager of the iconic Half Moon Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, has been named “Caribbean Hotelier of the Year for 2023”.
Crichton was bestowed the honour during the recently announced Caribbean Travel Awards (CTA) in Florida.
“My journey started in 1990 straight out of the College of Arts Science & Technology in Kingston (the Jamaican capital),” Crichton, who has enjoyed a long career in the hospitality industry, told Caribbean Life.
“I started at Half Moon as a trainee manager and went to all departments including housekeeping, the bar, the kitchen, the front desk, sales and marketing – all areas,” she added attributing her success to her faith in God, a very supportive family and a “fantastic team” at the Half Moon.
Speaking about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the resort, Crichton said: “Some people may say it was challenging, but we used the opportunity to reinvent our standards and the product that we offer.
“We are shining brightly in all areas of our operation,” she added.
The Florida International University graduate is one of very few female general managers for a major resort in the Caribbean, and the first for the Half Moon, which was named by Forbes Magazine as one of the best hotels in the world for 2022.
The Westmoreland, Jamaica-born hotelier said the CTA award was “truly a great honour for me.”
The Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) hailed Crichton for steering the recovery of the resort following the pandemic in less than three years, while, simultaneously, managing the opening of an “exciting new wing” at the resort called the Eclipse that is considered to be one of the hemisphere’s most-sought-after hotels that boasts luxurious and spacious accommodations. It includes two restaurants; three bars; a market café; Fern Tree; a Salamander Spa; a sweeping, infinity-edge swimming pool; and a private beachfront with a natural swimming cove.
Crichton also oversees Founders Cove that incorporates sections of Half Moon that were developed by the original owners of the property and Rose Hall Villas that offers five, six and seven-bedroom accommodations that are “perfect for families, groups and golfers, with each featuring a living and dining room, outdoor living space and private pool”.
Each villa comes with a butler, housekeeper and a cook, Crichton said.
