Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa

English Version: Randy Lee Svendsen

Chinese Version: Lily & Vivian  Photos: by Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa

Dear Cherry,

Wow, Sanya! What a great place! Lately I have been hearing a lot about Sanya from friends and acquaintances, and reading about it in Grand Hotels magazine. I decided I better go take a look. So, on my last birthday I took off from Beijing for a 1week vacation at too lovely resorts on Yalong Bay in Sanya. This fabulous week will result in 4 consecutive articles about my stay, including my experiences at 2 resorts and 2 restaurants. Furthermore, this wonderful vacation sparked my interest in Sanya’s history and development plans, as well as those of the rest of Hainan. The development potential for this island is incredible, like Hawaii 50 years ago. Although Yalong Bay is largely developed, there are several other areas of Sanya that are semi-developed with big plans for the future. As for the rest of Hainan, “the sky is the limit”, as the old saying goes. I will be sure to research the history and development plans for Sanya, and indeed all of Hainan, and report to you periodically on their progress and plans for the future.

Stepping off the plane at the airport in Sanya, my first impression was the familiar look and feel of the tropics of Southeast Asia. Having traveled throughout much of Southeast Asia, I have learned to appreciate the familiar feelings, smells, and sensations associated with the region and its climate. An extension off a peninsula descending south from China’s mainland, Hainan Island, a Province in itself, sits firmly off the central coast of Vietnam helping to form the Gulf of Tonkin on its West coast and surrounded otherwise by the South China Sea. The climate feels like Southeast Asia because it is Southeast Asia, and I love it!

Now for my experience! At the airport, I was greeted at the baggage claim by a nice young man from Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa, who drove me swiftly away from the airport to the lovely Yalong Bay. We drove out of the city and into the local farming community.  Palm trees were plentiful and the farmers in the rice fields still employ water buffalo to help them with the work, which provided brief glimpses into the ancient traditions of the region. Arriving in central Yalong Bay we turned right. I noticed that there were many resorts situated next to each other along the beach. The Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa is second to last at the secluded Western end of the developed area. We turned left into the entranceway, which is nicely paved in sand colored flagstone and the discrete sign is simple bronze lettering on sand colored stone. Proceeding up the driveway we drove through gardens of thick tropical flora studded with many of my favorite coconut palm trees. A large circular driveway at the top of a hill, paved in square stone bricks, led us to the entrance to the hotel. Inside the circle is a square shaped lush garden with a few bushes in the center surrounded by a green grass lawn. Around the outer edges are floral bushes with big yellow flowers and in each of the 4 corners are sand colored stone urns on white stone bases. The driveway in front of the entrance to the hotel is covered by a nice open beamed peaked structure of teak colored wood supported by beige concrete columns and superstructure. This theme continues into the huge open hotel lobby, with highly polished marble floors. Turning left, I was ushered quickly to the check-in counter made of light colored wood with beige marble top, further accented by all the smiling faces greeting me there. Behind the counter there is a brightly lighted sand colored wall relief that looks like seaweed or tropical plants going all the way from the floor to the tall ceiling. Very impressive! At this point, the driver turned me over to the care of the highly professional Katrin Segbert, Assistant Front Desk Manager, who very quickly led me through the check-in process and personally delivered me to my room. This was one of the best check-in experiences I have had in any hotel, and it really set a positive tone for my two day stay in what promised to be, based on what I had seen so far, a truly wonderful tropical resort. I loved my room, a kingsize non-smoking room with lagoon view. Although my room had all the traditional fixtures of a luxury hotel room (sink, shower, toilet, and bathtub), the layout was far from traditional. Entering the room, there was a sink on the left and a small room with a toilet. On the right was a walk-in closet with lots of room for everything you might need to put there. The floor was made of medium grey colored stone tiles that felt comfortably cool on my feet. In the center of the room was the kingsize bed on a woven hemp rug. Along the right wall was the dresser and desk with TV, and then two steps down to the open bathroom, and I mean open!  There were no interior walls and the only thing between me and the lagoon pools was the glass and the curtains! From the bed, you look across the room, over the bathtub, and out the balcony window to the lagoon pools below. Really nice! On the right is the bathroom sink, white porcelain bowl on grey stone top to match the floor. The white bathtub stands on legs in the middle of the bathroom, and the clear glass shower enclosure with rainwater shower head, stands in the corner opposite the sink. All fixtures are chrome and of top quality. The outer wall is all glass with sliding doors to the balcony, which looks over the lagoon pools and gardens. To the left, I could see the bay leading out to the ocean beyond. This is a room I could get used to. After unpacking, I took a walk around the resort to have a look. Walking back to the lobby I took the time to really look at the details. The high ceilings and peaked roof are supported by several large medium colored round wood columns. Matching wooden beams support the roof and you can see the bottom of the grey slate tiles that cover the roof between the strips of wood they are mounted to. This expansive lobby is completely open to the outside and additional light beams in through windows mounted high up in the ceiling. Other light is provided by recessed ceiling lighting and several large round shaped lampshades hanging from the ceiling and made from dried woven reeds. Floors are beige and tan squares of marble tile.  The centerpiece of the lobby is a water pool encased in black metal frame studded with some emerging beige colored rocks and several full sized palm trees. The bottom of the pool is lined with small rocks and a few square recesses in the pool contain modern stone sculptures. On the back side of this centerpiece is the lobby lounge. The floor in this area is made from dark wood planks and seating areas are arranged in small groups around the room. This opens to an outside patio with light colored wooden tables and seating with beige cushions. Large beige cloth umbrellas with light wood frames offer shade from the bright sunlight. Flooring outside is light colored teak wood that reminded me of the deck of a fine yacht. Whereas the entrance to the lobby is at ground level, the back of the lobby is one floor up, so the open patio looks out over the gardens and lagoon pools below providing a spectacular view all the way to the beach and the ocean beyond. This was a very popular place to take pictures and many people took advantage of this spectacular view to fill their cameras with memorable images of their experiences at Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa.

This is a big and beautiful resort and it is difficult to describe all the features that are available to please the eye. Let’s start with a general overview. This resort has 501 guest rooms, suites, and villas all housed in several buildings arranged in a U shape that opens on the 400 meter sandy beach. In the center are the lagoon pools (the largest in China), water pool gardens, tropical plant and flower gardens, outdoor massage huts, the .IZE Restaurant, a bar, and many seating areas all of which are surrounded by beautiful and plentiful palm trees. It is really a remarkable thing to behold. It was while wandering about the grounds that I met the General Manager of the resort, Mr. Jean-Pierre Mainardi.  We talked beneath the palms about my initial reactions to the resort and I told him I was very happy with what I had seen so far, and I was looking forward to enjoying the rest of my stay there. A kindly gentleman with a big smile, I could tell he knew his business and it was comforting to know as I went on my way to experience more of the resort’s offerings. In this lagoon area, there are two kinds of water pools, the lagoon pools for swimming and the water gardens which take the form of terraced layers of pools and rivers through the grounds with bridges over them for guests to cross. It would be easy to spend a whole day relaxing in different parts of these gardens, soaking up the beauty of the surroundings as well as the occasional Mai Tai from the thatched roofed poolside bar.  The old saying that “a picture is worth a 1000 words” comes to mind here. Please look at the photographs accompanying this article for some views of these beautiful gardens.  Next, I met Serena Liu, the Marketing and Communications Manager for the resort, and we talked about the beautiful gardens and the resort in general. Then we took a walk down to the beach and I was happy to see the pristine cleanliness of the sand and the water looked very clear. Since this location is on a bay, the surf is small but still leaves behind that sound we all love of waves crashing gently on the beach. There are several grass thatched roofed umbrellas providing shade to the lounge chairs below them.  Guests can enjoy the shade or sit in the direct sunlight to feel its warmth. The sandy beach is wide, leaving ample room for building sand castles, playing games, or for children to play. As it was getting late in the day, I walked back to the main lobby with Serena where we talked for a while about the decorations in the main lobby and the demographics of the clientele. Promising to meet again the next day, I went to my room to clean up and prepare for an evening of fine dining at .IZE restaurant where I had excellent drinks, dinner, and wine.

Additional to the amenities normally associated with relaxing at a resort on vacation, there are complete conference facilities with a stand alone MICE Pavilion, located just beyond the main lobby on the circular driveway, with over 3000sqm of space, including 11 function rooms, a ballroom, an event lawn, and beachfront event lawn. Wireless network is available throughout these facilities, as well as in all public areas of the resort.  Also available are creative theme nights and event ideas, supported by a teambuilding crew to provide additional tailored activities. Ample space and facilities are available to accommodate exhibitions, product launches, and most other business needs. Although 13 golf courses are available on the island, the nearest to the resort, the Yalong Bay Golf Club, is only 5 minutes walk away. For other sporting activities, the Yalong Bay Adventure Club offers fishing, scuba diving, water-skiing, boating, rock climbing, and trekking. Visits to ethnic villages, guided tours, and other activities are also available.  With only 2 days to enjoy this paradise, I did not have time to take advantage of The Spa Retreat, 6780sqm encompassing 6 single and 2 couple spa pavilions, a relaxation area, a reflex zone for foot reflexology, a tea lounge, a beauty salon, and a complete fitness center with a studio for aerobics and yoga. I will be sure to spend some quality time at the spa facilities when I return, and I won’t wait too long!

I am a student of Chinese history. One of the many subjects I have studied is the ancient concept of The 5 Phases, otherwise referred to as The 5 Elements. According to Chinese tradition the fundamental components of the universe are metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa restaurants have adopted these 5 elements in their style, décor, and ambience. For Metal there is Bar D’Or which represents gold and is decorated in gold colors. It is a very nice bar with good drinks and cigars, and at night there is live entertainment. A billiards table is available if you want to try your hand at the que. Golf is the main theme here with other sports covered as well in special night screenings of major sports events. For Wood there is the Teak Lounge, the expansive lobby lounge, which I partially described above. This lounge can be enjoyed throughout the day and into the evening. It is here, while lounging with a martini, where I met Darren Carnell, the Operations Manager for the resort. A very nice man, we exchanged pleasantries and talked about some upcoming changes to the decorations. I felt the operation was in good hands with Darren’s attention to detail. There is an elegantly decorated teak center table and specially commissioned sculptures placed throughout the area. Against the wall there is a nice tea counter offering teas from all over China. A confectionary display also lures your attention to an assortment of cakes and pastries that tempt even the best controlled dieters amongst us. After all, we are on vacation…..aren’t we? A special feature of this lobby lounge is that you can order a late breakfast, lunch, snack, or even dinner and enjoy it lazily in the casual splendor of this beautiful space. Water is represented by the excellent fine dining venue called .IZE. The “.” Represents a drop of water and IZE means ice. This restaurant is located on a koi fish pond with outdoor seating available or ever a special table on the sand. As you approach this restaurant water pools overflow on each side of the stone walkway, cascading down the wall and sounding like a distant waterfall. On the left is a glass enclosed bar area called The Ice Bar. Here you can have a drink, then walk a few more steps to the glass enclosed restaurant with transparent glass floors over the koi pond and a centrally located floor to ceiling aquarium with private dining table in the middle and accented by the all glass and metal wine cellar. There are 2 other private dining rooms offering a variety of dining options for individuals, couples, families, cocktail parties, or corporate functions. I found the “Beach Cuisine” served here to be excellent and it is difficult for me not to get into the details here, but I will devote my next article to .IZE where I will provide you with a complete review of this fine restaurant, the cuisine, and the pleasant and attentive service performed on my behalf.  No matter where you may stay in Sanya, this restaurant is a “must do” experience. Fire is in The Big Kitchen, a big, fun, and open place. It is here that breakfast is served every day and I enjoyed watching all the families having fun while starting another day in paradise. Children laughed and played as they lined up for one delicacy after another.  Light colored woods, open cooking areas, and orange and red decorations give the effect of fire. While enjoying my breakfast, I met a pleasant young man named Christian Bachinger, a Management Trainee who was in the restaurant to be sure all operational features were functioning as planned. He asked how I was enjoying my stay and we talked about that for a few minutes, then he was off to work again. Additionally, all day dining is offered here and you can watch the chefs create various dishes from all over the world. Breakfast is the full buffet from fruit to eggs, to meats and cheeses. Lunch includes everything from noodles and pasta, to sandwiches and sushi, to barbeque and grilled entrees. For dinner you have the option to combine international cuisine in whatever combinations you prefer. Or, you can just tell the chefs what you want and they will make it for you. You won’t run out of options here. Finally, there is Earth, a Chinese restaurant called China Harvest. I had a nice lunch there with Serena Liu, and I tried some of the traditional dishes from Hainan. It was interesting and very good. Serena did a very good job of explaining to me all the details of the services offered by this resort. I enjoyed discussing my experiences with her and it was nice to have someone associated with the resort, who I could share all of my positive impressions with, and in such a comfortable environment as China Harvest. This restaurant has dining options from many other regions of China and the modern interior is nicely decorated in earthy tones. You can sit inside or go out on the terrace and dine while looking over the tropical gardens and pools.

Let me summarize my delightful visit to Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa beginning with a quote directly from the official resort brochure: “The place you’d rather be. In ancient times, Sanya, at the southern-most tip of Hainan Island was known as ‘End of the Earth’.  Today this island paradise, with its perfect white sand beaches, spectacular mountains and diverse culture, is often called ‘Heaven on Earth’. Discover the stunning natural beauty of the surroundings and everything on offer at Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa.  Enjoy the modern, southern China style rooms and suites. Indulge in an array of contemporary dining experiences. Relax at the Spa Retreat, where Eastern wisdom meets state-of-the-art treatment techniques. Work out in the gym, take a fitness class, or try the latest in foot reflexology at the Reflex Zone. With 2 airports offering flights to over 50 destinations, Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa is accessible from the region and the world.” I could not have said it any better myself. Additionally, I found the service staff to be wonderful throughout the resort, always smiling and helpful to me, and a delight to talk with. There is a very strong management team working hard to assure the proper service levels and training to all the service staff. This was obvious to me throughout my stay as the service I received was excellent in all venues. Attitudes of management and staff were universally positive leaving me with nothing but an experience I can only describe as delightful. Unfortunately, as the old Beatles song says, “all things must pass” and my visit had to come to an end. I was shown to my car by Serena Liu, who I thanked profusely for my wonderful experiences, and I was whisked away to my next adventure in the paradise that is Sanya.

I highly recommend this resort to our readers, and especially to those with families.  There really is something for everyone at the Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa.

With Happiness, CHEERS!

My Best as Always,

Randy