InterContinental Sanya Haitang Bay Resort opened in 2013, featuring 295 rooms and covering an area of 150,000 square meters. The owner is Tianjin Real Estate Group Co., Ltd., also known as Tianfang Group. There are two InterContinental hotels in Sanya; the other is the InterContinental Sanya Resort located in Dadonghai’s Mid-Hill Peninsula. I experienced that one over ten years ago when I visited Sanya. At that time, this newer InterContinental had not yet opened, and I didn’t expect it to have been open for ten years now.
Originally, my last night in Sanya was meant to be just a simple stopover before heading to the airport early the next morning. I had initially booked a night at the Hilton Garden Inn in the city center, but when checking the app two days in advance, I unexpectedly found that this InterContinental could be redeemed with points for only 18,000 points. Usually, on regular days, 20,000 IHG points can only get you a fairly average Crowne Plaza, so this was quite a bargain. I decisively switched my booking to this InterContinental.
The butler added me on WeChat well in advance. Since it was the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, Fairmont could only extend checkout until 1:00 PM, so I dragged my luggage over to the InterContinental at 1:00 PM. My room wasn’t ready yet, so they gave me drink vouchers to relax in the Lobby Lounge, and the room was ready after just a 20-minute wait.
Although it has been open for ten years, its original high-end positioning still stands out. The infrastructure is excellent, with base room categories starting at 88 square meters. The rooms are very spacious, and all face the ocean, while the other side faces the corridor. All rooms are equipped with Dyson hair dryers and double sinks. Moreover, the hardware maintenance is superb, and the style is relatively modern, so there is absolutely no feeling of it being old or dated.
Additionally, the location is truly convenient. The Duty-Free Shopping Complex is right next door, just a 5-minute walk away. Whether you want to grab a meal, have coffee, or go shopping, it’s incredibly handy—no need to wait for shuttle buses or take taxis.
The lobby is very grand, but it suffers from a common issue among hotels in Sanya: the air conditioning in the lobby isn’t quite strong enough…
This sea view was captured from a high floor, and it is truly beautiful. The hotel’s public areas are expansive, making for a very comfortable stroll when the weather isn’t too hot.
Although the beaches in Haitang Bay are all public, the beach section at the InterContinental is clearly better maintained than that of the Fairmont, and there is also a beach bar nearby.
Outside of dining hours, I took a look at their most famous underwater restaurant. In reality, it’s essentially just a pool, and the water clarity leaves something to be desired. During meal times, there are mermaid performances daily.
The floor level still wasn’t quite high enough, offering only a glimpse of the sea view, with more of a view overlooking the ponds and swimming pools.
After enjoying breakfast early the next morning, I hurried off to the airport. The quality of the breakfast was excellent, with a wide variety of options and great taste. Overall, the hotel’s service was up to par. During the off-season, both hotels and flights in Sanya are very affordable, making a vacation here truly delightful.
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