A magnificent year-round destination: families bring children, corporate events increase and resorts expand services

Once known as a winter retreat, Sanya has become a year-round destination, attracting families, business people and sports lovers from around the world. At least three-dozen five-star hotels now service Sanya’s 15 million annual visitors. The area’s premier hotels are responding to the changes with an expanded set of services and amenities. “The profile has changed, it used to be predominantly couples and friends coming in groups for meetings, and team members or customers to Sanya and Yalong Bay,” according to Stephan Stoss, general manager of the Hilton Sanya Yalong Bay Resort and Spa and Hainan South Cluster general manager. “Now it’s more of a family destination where parents bring the children on a vacation.” Julian Wong, general manager of the Sanya Marriott Hotel Dadonghai Bay, notes that he sees more middle-class Generation Y and Millennial families. “Feeder markets include Shanghai, Beijing, Guangdong and southwest China,” he says. “For international arrivals, Hong Kong and Russia feature prominently.” Ulf Pauschardt, general manager of the Sheraton Sanya Resort at Yalong Bay, notes that “second-tier cities such as Chongqing, Chengdu, Zhejiang and Hangzhou are on the rise”. He also sees a trend towards families, who are “certainly the most important focus for us”. Guest visits tend to be fairly short-term, according to Christophe Hazebrouck, area general manager for Accor Hotels in Hainan (Luxury and Upscale Brands) and general manager of the Sofitel Sanya Leeman Resort. “Two to three nights is a typical stay,” he says. The resorts that stand out are those that offer unique services and amenities. The Hilton Sanya is located in Yalong Bay, “a premier destination that is the safest destination for beaches; you can go swimming in the ocean”, Stoss says. The resort features eight swimming pools, including a heated children’s pool. With a decade of experience in the local market, the Hilton is not standing still – 75 per cent of the rooms will have been renovated by July, including the addition of family-friendly suites with dedicated children’s bedrooms. Timothy Bruce, general manager of the Grand Hyatt Sanya Haitang Bay Resort and Spa, which held its grand opening on July 8, says the property features “very spacious rooms, suites and villas, creative food and beverage outlets and significant recreation facilities”, Bruce says. As the first Grand Hyatt beachfront resort in China, the hotel is geared towards “grand events, family vacations and stylish destination weddings”, a spokesman adds. The profile has changed, it used to be predominantly couples and friends in groups. Now it’s more of a family destination where parents bring the children on a vacation. Stephan Stoss, general manager, Hilton Sanya Yalong Bay Resort and Spa The Ritz-Carlton Sanya, Yalong Bay prides itself on its customer experience, refreshing scenography and range of children’s activities, says general manager Hoss Vetry. Guests are greeted with mocktails made from local ingredients while a “Li minority craftswoman creates traditional brocades to [local sounds] played on a Chinese zither”, Vetry says. Spa services are available for parents while younger guests can explore for sea crabs, he adds. At the Sanya Marriott Hotel Dadonghai Bay, Wong says the resort’s location is convenient “to the city centre and tourist attractions as well as shopping malls and a wide array of dining options”. With a new wing that opened in May, the hotel has brand-new amenities such as restaurants for Cantonese, Japanese, Korean food and more, as well as “the biggest indoor Kid’s Club for a hotel in Sanya that is extremely popular with children and for family travel”. The Sheraton Sanya Resort features “the most stunning hotel park with old trees and plants throughout”, according to Pauschardt. Sports enthusiasts are particularly drawn to the Sheraton. “The beach is safe for swimming, basically all year round, and water sports such as jet ski, diving and sailing are offered every day,” Pauschardt adds. “Our hotel is one of the very few in Sanya which offers a heated outdoor pool during the winter .” The Sofitel Sanya Leeman Resort is distinguished by its contemporary design with a French touch, Hazebrouck says, noting that the facility’s ballroom includes “a beautiful garden in the pre-function foyer”. The resort’s lap pool is on the beach overlooking the sea, and guests can participate in a wide range of activities, including “horse riding, helicopter rides, a children’s club, karaoke and mahjong”, Hazebrouck says. At all these hotels, guests are no longer restricted to seasonal expectations. The area has “moved from a low and high season to an all-year-round destination”, Stoss says. Business guests remain a mainstay of the local market. “The Sanya government and Haitang Bay government have very friendly policies to attract meeting, incentive, conference and event guests,” Bruce says. Stoss sees a concentration of “business meetings from mid-October through the end of March, when companies have presentations for new products, group events to thank everybody at the end of the year for their achievements, and internal events for team members to rally for the start of the year”. Wong notes that the growth in the number of high-end hotels is leading to great deals for guests. “Pricing is much more competitive compared to the past, especially over the low season,” he says. “This is good for travellers, meaning they have more choices and options.”