This trip to Sanya began in Haikou. I took the high-speed train from Haikou to Sanya, and since I had never been to Haikou before, I booked the Renaissance Haikou Hotel. A few days before check-in, the hotel called to inform me that due to the pandemic, the Renaissance was temporarily closed, and I was upgraded for free to The Ritz-Carlton next door. Thus, my first-ever stay at a Ritz-Carlton happened quite unexpectedly.
The hotel is located within the Mission Hills Resort Haikou, far from the city center. There is an Outlets nearby, but it has few brands and isn’t really worth browsing. There is also Feng Xiaogang Movie Town, but I didn’t have time to visit. In short, aside from the hotel itself, I didn’t go anywhere else in Haikou. The service at The Ritz was truly excellent; staffing levels were ample, requests were met promptly, and everyone was very polite. As a Marriott Gold member, I was upgraded to a high-floor Executive Room with a view, though without Executive Lounge access. Overall, the hardware was extremely satisfying. While the decor is elegant, it avoids the dated European style, making this one of the more modern properties in the Ritz-Carlton portfolio.
The room also features a small balcony overlooking the entire golf course.
The hotel’s public spaces are spacious, with plenty of areas to relax.
The gym and swimming pool are situated between the Renaissance and The Ritz-Carlton, shared by both hotels. They are spacious and well-equipped. Although the infinity pool isn’t huge, it was practically empty on the day I visited, making for a very enjoyable experience.
I had dinner at the hotel’s Tian Long Xuan restaurant. Due to the pandemic, overall occupancy was low; during my meal, there was only one other table occupied. I ordered local specialties—Wenchang chicken and black goat—and both tasted quite good, with the lamb prepared particularly well. I also tried the black truffle shrimp dumplings. While I suppose adding black truffle is meant to enhance the flavor, the improvement was marginal at best, yet the price increased significantly, so it didn’t seem particularly worthwhile. The restaurant was very well-staffed; the menu explanations were thorough, and plates were changed and water refilled frequently. The service absolutely deserves top marks. Plus, Marriott members get a 30% discount, making the prices much more reasonable.
After breakfast early the next morning, I headed straight to the high-speed rail station. I must say, the breakfast venue has a wonderful ambiance, offers a wide variety of dishes, and provides excellent service—you can even customize your own Qingbuliang, a local specialty dessert soup. All in all, whether considering its facilities or service, this hotel comes highly recommended. The only downside is its somewhat remote location. As for whether it’s suitable for a vacation: if you’re already traveling all the way to Haikou for a holiday, why not just go to Sanya instead…
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