Today, I’m in Hainan, primarily Sanya, but there are also hotels in Haikou, Wanning, and Lingshui. Currently, it is still a good time to visit Hainan, which counts as off-peak travel. Flights and hotel prices are reasonable, the weather is pleasant, making it the perfect time for a trip.
Off-peak travel is indeed rewarding; hotels that cost 4,000 to 5,000 yuan per night during the Spring Festival now often go for just 1,000 yuan. Moreover, off-peak rooms are quite generous; most of the packages from this trip are for premium rooms.
Before diving into the article, let me share how to choose bays in Sanya and how to select destinations in Hainan. When it comes to domestic vacations, you cannot overlook Sanya. Even with the option to travel abroad and the booming popularity of Southeast Asia, many still choose Sanya each year. Of course, with the rise in popularity of Southeast Asia, hotel prices in Sanya have significantly dropped.
We’ve organized a map to illustrate the distribution of various attractions and several bays in Sanya, which looks like this:
The Coconut Dream Corridor, Deer Turning Back, Tianya Haijiao, Big and Small Dongtian, Nanshan Temple, and West Island are all close to Sanya Bay.
Deer Turning Back and the Bar Corridor are near Big and Small Donghai.
Yalong Bay is most famous for the Forest Park.
Haitang Bay is closest to the Betel Palm Valley, Yalong Paradise, and the must-visit duty-free shop.
On the western side of Sanya is Yazhou Bay, suitable for beachcombing.
If it’s your first or second visit to Sanya and you plan to choose a hotel based on the attractions you want to visit, that’s perfectly fine.
In addition, Yazhou Bay and Sanya Bay are suitable for watching sunsets; Haitang Bay and Qingshui Bay are ideal for sunrises; Shimei Bay and Riyue Bay are great for surfing.
Sanya Bay is the closest to the airport and the city center, making the hotels there the cheapest. However, the water quality is average, and it is the most crowded area with tourists, relatively noisy, and most hotels are quite old.
The hotels at Half Moon Peninsula and Big and Small Donghai offer the best value for money, with numerous water activities available. The bar corridor there represents Sanya’s nightlife.
Yalong Bay hotels are also older (newer than Sanya Bay), but you can swim here, and the sand is relatively good (though after last year’s beach renovation, the quality of Yalong Bay sand has decreased).
Haitang Bay is quieter, luxurious, has many newer hotels, is nearest to duty-free shops, and is closest to Wuzhizhou Island. However, the waves can be too strong for swimming.
Now, let me mention the spring promotion red packets from Ctrip (携程).
By entering the keyword “Exciting Travel Gifts” into the Ctrip APP, you can access the red packet page to receive discount coupons.
The discount coupons include: 30 yuan off for orders over 599 yuan, 80 yuan off for orders over 1599 yuan, 100 yuan off for orders over 3000 yuan, 120 yuan off for orders over 6000 yuan, and 318 yuan off for orders over 15000 yuan.
After successfully inviting three friends, you can receive additional discount coupons of 50 yuan off for orders over 599 yuan, 100 yuan off for orders over 1599 yuan, 150 yuan off for orders over 3000 yuan, 200 yuan off for orders over 10000 yuan, and 888 yuan off for orders over 28000 yuan.
What do we have today?
– Luxury sea view twin room at The Westin Blue Bay Green City, Hainan for 1 night with breakfast + 100 yuan dining voucher, 858 yuan.
– Two nights at The Ritz-Carlton, Yalong Bay, with a mangrove view room, including breakfast + a sunset snack cocktail package + Ritz Kids exclusive reception services, 2688 yuan.
– Two nights at JW Marriott Hotel Sanya Shanhaitian with breakfast (can be upgraded to a seaside room) + a Korean double-person army hot pot lunch + private car transfer in/out + 2 tickets to the 5A rated Betel Palm Valley, 1688 yuan.
– Two nights in a sea view suite at JW Marriott, including breakfast + executive perks + a single 30-minute head, neck, and shoulder relaxation massage + 2 tickets to Betel Palm Valley, 2688 yuan.
– Two nights at Sanya Shanhaitian Hotel, with exquisite luxury sea view room + a special barbecue dinner for two, 1788 yuan.
– Two nights at Sanya Shanhaitian Hotel, selected all-sea-view suite + private car transfer in/out + 2 tickets to Betel Palm Valley, 2888 yuan.
– Two nights at the Marriott Hotel, Yalong Bay with sea view + a seafood barbecue buffet dinner for two + go-karting + family activities, 2399 yuan.
– Two nights in a two-bedroom pool villa at The Ritz-Carlton, Haikou with breakfast for 4 adults + villa-exclusive amenities (morning breakfast basket, afternoon tea, unlimited tennis, mini-bar drinks on the first day, late check-out) + family package for 4 adults and 2 children (choose between Tianlong Xuan and Yifang), 6999 yuan.
– Two nights in a luxury sea view room at The Westin Minsheng, Haitang Bay + a lunch package for 2 adults and 2 children (choose from 3 restaurants) + airport shuttle bus, 2199 yuan.
– One night in a luxury sea view studio at TaiKang Vacation Hotel with breakfast + a romantic couple’s meal at Sea Salt Restaurant & Bar, 1299 yuan.
– Two nights in a luxury garden view room at The Westin, Shimei Bay + a full day’s family activities + airport shuttle bus, 1999 yuan.
– Two nights at Haitang Bay Renaissance with breakfast + a special gourmet meal for two,1299 yuan.
All products are listed at the pre-discount price, and each discount rate can only be used once, so indicating the post-discount price wouldn’t be very meaningful.
1) Luxury sea view twin room at The Westin Blue Bay Green City, Hainan for 1 night with breakfast + 100 yuan dining voucher, 858 yuan.
Valid until May 31, 2024, cannot be used during Qingming (April 4-6) and Labor Day (April 30-May 5), price increase applicable before March 15 (200-500 yuan per night, varying).
This hotel I have stayed at is located at Qingshui Bay in Lingshui, which claims to be a singing beach.
Have you seen the movie “The Vanished”? Most beach scenes were shot at Qingshui Bay and nearby. The frequently appearing Mosha Lighthouse in the movie is exactly Qingshui Bay’s freedom lighthouse.
The hotel is right across the beach, and the sand quality at Qingshui Bay is genuinely good.
This hotel boasts a generous foundation room as a sea view room, and its standard is 70㎡.
Let me show you the sea view from the room, with a 180° view of the South China Sea.
This hotel has appeared in many movies and dramas as well. The one where the characters Xiao Bao and Andy from “Ode to Joy 2” went for a vacation is the Westin Blue Bay.
2) Two nights at The Ritz-Carlton, Yalong Bay with a mangrove view room, including breakfast + a sunset snack cocktail package + Ritz Kids exclusive reception services, 2688 yuan.
Valid until June 30, 2024; not applicable during Labor Day holiday. Further price increases on the page.
The Ritz-Carlton is located in Yalong Bay. The advantage of Yalong Bay is that the hotels are close to the beach, you can swim there. You can tell how close the hotel is to the sea by looking at these pictures I took.
I especially love the fluffy pine tree balls by the Ritz, which I haven’t seen in other Sanya hotels.
The Ritz Kids program is attached with exclusive reception services including: 1. Cartoon welcome necklace; 2. Customized cartoon room card; 3. Children’s drawing manual; 4. Exclusive children’s reception desk.
Suffice it to say, the assortment of Ritz Kids activities is quite precious.
3) Two nights at JW Marriott Hotel Sanya Shanhaitian with breakfast (can be upgraded to a seaside room) + a Korean double-person army hot pot lunch + private car transfer in/out + 2 tickets to Betel Palm Valley, 1688 yuan.
Valid until May 31, 2024; additional cost of 500 yuan per night during Labor Day (April 30-May 5), 300 yuan in February and during Qingming (April 3-5), and no price increase for other dates.
This package guarantees an upgrade to the seaside room. The seaside room is classified as the third-level room type (with the other types being Deer Forest Room and Scenic Room), with an area of 54m².
It also includes a meal, a Korean hot pot lunch for two. Believe me, it’s absolutely enough for two people. Plus, a private car transfer is included as well.
I’ve stayed here too, located at Big and Small Donghai, along with Alila.
Alila might be more couple-oriented, while JW Marriott is more suitable for families. One of the biggest features is its indoor children’s paradise, and there’s also an outdoor area dedicated to kids.
4) Two nights in a sea view suite at JW Marriott, including breakfast + executive perks + a single 30-minute head, neck, and shoulder relaxation massage + 2 tickets to Betel Palm Valley, 2688 yuan.
Valid until May 31, 2024; additional cost of 500 yuan per night during Labor Day (April 30 – May 5), 300 yuan in February and during Qingming (April 3 – 5), no price increase for other dates.
This suite spans 108m² and is one of the best room types available at JW Marriott.
The washroom in this suite offers an unobstructed sea view.
In addition, the JW Marriott suites offer executive benefits; you can enjoy a happy hour in the lounge in the evening, which essentially provides a light meal each evening.
5) Two nights at Sanya Shanhaitian Hotel, selected exquisite luxury sea view room + a special barbecue dinner for two, 1788 yuan.
Valid until May 31, 2024; additional cost of 500 yuan per night during Labor Day (April 30 – May 5), 300 yuan in February and during Qingming (April 3 – 5), no price increase for other dates.
This hotel is one I’ve really grown fond of; I’ve stayed here twice, and design-wise, it ranks among Sanya’s top hotels.
Let me share some pictures; this place is stunning.
Especially the infinity pool on the third floor, which I believe is one of the most beautiful pools among Sanya hotels. It enables you to easily capture that seamless blue sky and ocean feel.
Shanhaitian is not limited to just one pool; they offer numerous pools, each with impressive visuals.
The luxurious sea view room is not a basic room; it is a third-level room type (Classic, Fashion, Elegant), with an area of 65-70m².
6) Two nights in a full sea view suite at Shanhaitian Hotel, including breakfast + private car transfer in/out + 2 tickets to Betel Palm Valley, 2888 yuan.
Valid until May 31, 2024; additional cost of 500 yuan per night during Labor Day (April 30 – May 5), 300 yuan in February and during Qingming (April 3 – 5), no price increase for other dates.
The full sea view suite measures a generous 95m².
The bedroom enjoys a 180° sea view.
Additionally, the living room also offers amazing vistas.
The washroom’s design is exquisite; the large bathtub allows you to enjoy a sea view while soaking.
7) Two nights at Yalong Bay Marriott with sea view + a seafood barbecue buffet dinner for two + go-karting + family activities, 2399 yuan.
Valid until June 30, 2024; additional cost of 1195 yuan per night during Labor Day (April 30 – May 5), with increased prices during Qingming, Duanwu, and February (details on the page).
The highlight of Yalong Bay lies in the ability to swim, with better quality sand than other bays (though, to be honest, the quality of Yalong Bay’s sand has decreased after last year’s beach renovation).
The stretch of beach at Yalong Bay Marriott is indeed among the widest available.
Let me show you the view of the sea from the lobby of Yalong Bay Marriott.
Another key point is that this hotel has been entirely renovated.
As we know, most hotels in Yalong Bay are over ten years old.
Although Yalong Bay Marriott opened in 2004 and was once named the first Marriott branded resort in Greater China, it underwent renovation in 2020 carried out by the Hong Kong-based design firm CCD. This essentially makes it a brand-new hotel.
This package includes a seafood barbecue buffet dinner for two, and their buffet is quite commendable.
On some review platforms, this buffet is priced at 338 yuan per person, even at a discounted rate.
Moreover, Yalong Bay Marriott offers a variety of family activities. On the beach, there are many sand digging tools available for free. The swimming pool has free children’s life rings available for use.
Many Sanya hotels charge for these amenities, so this is quite generous.
I also obtained a current activity schedule from Yalong Bay Marriott, allowing you to check out all that they offer.
8) Two nights in a dual-bedroom pool villa at The Ritz-Carlton, Haikou, with daily breakfast for four adults + villa-exclusive perks (morning breakfast basket, afternoon tea, unlimited tennis, first-day mini-bar drinks, late check-out) + family package for 4 adults and 2 children (choose either Tianlong Xuan or Yifang), 6999 yuan.
Valid until May 31, 2024, when it cannot be used from April 10-18, nor during Labor Day holidays.
This dual-bedroom pool villa is incredibly luxurious, covering an area of 280m², and includes a private pool.
One room has a king bed, and the other has twin beds, each with its own bathroom.
There’s also a large living room, making it especially suitable for a family vacation.
The villa provides daily executive lounge afternoon tea experiences, along with a morning breakfast basket, and allows for tennis and golf practice experiences, making for a truly enjoyable stay.
Additionally, the family package for 4 adults and 2 children lets you choose from Tianlong Xuan and Yifang. I have images of both options; personally, I favor Tianlong Xuan, the Chinese restaurant, which can be relatively expensive to dine at.
Now let’s talk about the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Haikou. Located in the Mission Hills resort area, this hotel, distinct from the beach, is still situated within a vacation district boasting a golf course, shopping mall, NBA museum, hot springs…
There’s also a century-old memory community of Mission Hills nearby, which was the filming location for the movie “Youth.”
Overall, the supporting amenities are quite extensive.
The hotel features a sky bar that offers an impressive view of the Mission Hills landscape.
In general, the Ritz-Carlton is exceptionally suitable for vacations.
9) Two nights at The Westin, Haitang Bay, luxury sea view room + lunch package for 2 adults and 2 children (select from 3 restaurants) + airport shuttle bus, 2199 yuan.
Valid until June 30, 2024; additional cost of 1000 yuan per night during Labor Day (April 30 – May 5), increased fees during Qingming (April 3-6) and Duanwu (June 7-9).
Located in Haitang Bay, its biggest highlight is its proximity to the duty-free shop.
I’ll arrange a graphic so you can easily see the relationship between The Westin and the duty-free city— they are adjacent; just a short walk away.
Furthermore, the Minsheng Westin itself is quite impressive. There are several well-known attractions here, such as a paddleboard-friendly river pool around the hotel. They also have an infinity pool with breathtaking ocean views, perfect for photographing stunning pictures.
The Westin’s programming also caters well to families.
Looking at the hotel’s current family activity schedule, you can see that it’s packed full of activities.
One activity that I personally enjoy is the “Luban’s House,” where kids can be guided through fun crafts.
Additionally, there’s a baking class for children, which is also quite enjoyable.
The luxury sea view offered in this package corresponds to the Westin’s fourth-level room type (Luxury Room – Superior Luxury Room – Lagoon View Room – Luxury Sea View Room).
