InterContinental Hotels SANYA HAITANG BAY RESORT by IHG in Sanya

Our stay at the Sanya Haitang InterContinental was overall pleasant, with several highlights, but also a few drawbacks that are worth noting for future guests.

The staff were genuinely friendly, and eager to help. While English is not widely spoken, which sometimes made communication challenging, every staff member made a sincere effort to understand us and provide assistance, which we truly appreciated.
One of the true highlights of the stay was the breakfast. The selection was extremely diverse, offering both local and international options, and everything was fresh and well prepared.
That said, there were some areas that could be improved:

Spa Pricing
While the spa facilities looked appealing, the prices were extremely high and felt difficult to justify.

Gym Sauna Availability
The sauna in the gym was not consistently available. We had to request it to be turned on each time and then wait for it to heat up, which was inconvenient.

Helicopter Noise
Helicopter rides operating close to the hotel created constant noise during the day, which disrupted the peaceful resort atmosphere.

Cold Swimming Pools
Despite the warm climate, the pools were quite cold, especially on days when the weather was not particularly hot.

Beach Disturbances
The presence of quad bikes on the beach offering rides was unpleasant. The smell of gasoline, dust, and visible tire tracks on the sand significantly detracted from the calm, natural seaside ambiance.

Only one playlist on repeat in the pool area.
I have never listened Ed Sheeran so much in my life ! it’s time to change :)

This hotel's dining options are fantastic. Breakfast hours are long, and there's a wide variety of dishes, including delicious popcorn and ice cream! Overall, the food tastes great; I especially enjoyed the hot dishes and bread. In the evening, there's a buffet at the underwater restaurant, which has a beautiful and unique ambiance. The fish are huge, and there are many large sea turtles. The highlight is when the beautiful mermaids come to greet you – it's definitely worth experiencing with the whole family. Staying here was very comfortable, with a beautiful environment and satisfying food; no complaints at all.

The service was attentive and warm, and our butler, Winnie, was incredibly prompt in addressing our needs and questions. Although the hotel isn't brand new, it's well-maintained and doesn't feel old or dated. My only suggestion would be to have an additional omelet chef during peak breakfast hours, as one person really struggles to keep up with the demand.

I booked a sea-view room, and the view was absolutely stunning. The balcony was huge, and my kids loved it so much they didn't want to leave. The service was excellent, and the breakfast spread was very generous. The hotel also offers a lot of activities. Its location right next to the duty-free shop makes getting around super convenient. They even provide free sand-digging tools for kids on the beach, and the children's play area has plenty of fun things to do. It's really ideal for a family trip.

To sum it up, we were really happy with this hotel. We originally booked the InterContinental just because my child wanted to feed the sea turtles, and we planned to stay for three days and then leave. But surprisingly, for the first time ever, my homebody child said they didn't want to go home! Because they're still young, they only got to feed the sea turtles and make donuts. There are many other activities more suitable for kids aged four or five and up, so we plan to bring them back in a couple of years to try snorkeling.

Facilities: Although the hotel has been around for a while, it's very well-maintained. It doesn't feel old or dirty at all. The air conditioning at night was quiet, and even my elderly parent, who usually has trouble sleeping when away from home, said they slept really well this time.

Service: The staff, from the front desk to the restaurants to housekeeping, were all very friendly and helpful. Especially our butler, Winnie, who answered all our questions these past few days – we were very satisfied.

This was my first time staying at Intercontinental Haitang Bay, and Winnie's timely follow-up was excellent. She thoughtfully checked in with us daily about our stay. The hotel offers a wide range of fun activities for kids, and the dining quality is also top-notch, with various rice noodle dishes that really capture the local Hainanese flavor.

The hotel's private beach and lawn views are absolutely stunning, and the best part is how uncrowded it is. Every photo you take looks like a professional shot; there's no need to go to Dadonghai for pictures or a dip (I took a taxi there the day before, and it was packed with people and quite a bit of trash on the beach).

The breakfast is rich and delicious, and it's served until 11 am, which is perfect for late risers, essentially saving you lunch. They even have a children's menu.

A special shout-out to our butler, Lucas! My phone's unknown caller rejection setting prevented me from answering about five or six calls from the hotel before our trip. After calling back, I connected with Lucas on WeChat. His service was incredibly warm and responsive; he was always there to help, no matter the time, and instantly resolved any issues, making it feel like we had a friend in town. He even thoughtfully decorated our room and surprised my husband with a small cake for his birthday. We'll definitely be back!

Holiday with a 2.5-year-old.

Initially, I planned to book the Grand Hyatt or The Sanya EDITION due to negative online reviews for other hotels. However, after a busy work period, I found the Grand Hyatt was suddenly fully booked, so I switched to the InterContinental at the last minute. It turned out to be a really pleasant surprise!

Coming from The Sanya EDITION (which is also very good and excels in many aspects for families), I felt its 3000-yuan-a-night price wasn't quite justified, and the constant drafts were genuinely hard to tolerate. The EDITION is better suited for young couples; it's not ideal for very young children. The kids' club also had strong drafts, making me constantly worry about my child catching a cold. Every time we waited for the elevator, we had to huddle in a corner, praying for it to arrive quickly. 😂 The InterContinental, perhaps due to its orientation, has hallways facing the duty-free shop and enclosed, draft-free elevator areas.

1. **InterContinental's large lawn** is fantastic and perfect for children to run around.
2. **The beach is also great:** adults can relax on loungers while kids play in the sand. Finally, parents of young children can momentarily unwind their tense nerves.
3. **InterContinental staff** are all very friendly (though the evening staff at the Tianjin restaurant seemed a bit new).
4. **Convenient for food delivery:** The duty-free shop opposite offers many choices for food and drinks, and a new direct passage to the duty-free shop has opened.

**Family-related:**
1. **Dining:** We ate two meals at China Red. The food was good, they offer kids' meals, and there were suitable dishes for children on the a la carte menu. Most importantly, while eating, kids could play in the courtyard and watch fish, allowing one parent to rotate and dine comfortably. The Tianjin Hall on the first floor was decent; the chicken fried rice and pasta kids' meals were also quite good. You can also watch fish while eating there, which facilitates rotating meal times.
2. **Room:** The room type was very spacious. The bathtub on the balcony was a major highlight, perfect for young children to play in the water while adults could relax in the room.
3. **Activities:** Our child was too young for most activities, but the indoor kids' club was quite comprehensive. The small train, bicycles, watching fish, and playing in the sand on the beach (the hotel provides sand toys) were more than enough to fill a 2.5-year-old's day.

This is a classic five-star hotel, very well-maintained, especially compared to some beachfront hotels in Yalong Bay. There's no musty smell, and all the amenities are provided. Our ocean-view family room was close to the central axis, offering fantastic views. The room layout was also great for families with kids or elderly guests. We also enjoyed the executive benefits, which included snacks and dinner. After a swim, the kids could grab a small cake, and when we were tired from shopping, we could just have dinner there without having to go out. It's also very close to the duty-free shop, with a direct hotel entrance. The service was exceptional! The pool staff proactively asked if we needed inflatables or towels, and there were 4-5 lifeguards sitting high up. The hotel has a large lawn, and the beach is perfect for photos. There are also plenty of activities for kids, especially the sea turtle feeding with educational explanations. The kids had a wonderful time! ☀☀☀

The InterContinental was incredibly quiet. The room wasn't just clean; the cross-breeze from the balcony and the sea kept it from feeling damp. The butler service was very attentive, and the kids loved diving and feeding turtles at the hotel. The coconut chicken hotpot was especially authentic, and the seafood was super meaty. Overall, we had a very comfortable stay. Highly recommend!