Mandarin Oriental, Sanya

The Mandarin Oriental Sanya has that classic old-hotel charm. There are many huge, mature trees and beautifully maintained lawns. The public areas exude a beauty that comes with age. A stroll along the beach path towards the villas is absolutely stunning – on a clear day, it feels like a mini-Maldives! 🥰 The service was exceptional. The moment I stepped out of the car, they greeted me by my full name. We were whisked away by buggy straight to our villa for check-in. When checking out, I simply messaged our butler on WeChat to arrange a buggy for our luggage, and before the buggy even arrived, my deposit was already refunded – so generous! I'm easily won over by these little details. [blush] Knowing we had a late flight, they even granted us a late check-out. Special thanks to the butler team: Jacky, Jason, Gavin, Lee, and Eason. They made our two-day stay incredibly comfortable. The location is superb. Coral Bay is beautiful on a sunny day. The entire beach is covered in coral, which my child loved collecting. You can go tide pooling at low tide and snorkeling at high tide. Initially, an older hotel like this, which typically wouldn't offer great value for money, wasn't on my radar. But my husband wanted to stay, and I was worried that the basic rooms might be old and not well-maintained. Then I saw a deal for an entry-level two-bedroom villa that seemed quite reasonable, so I booked it. Before arrival, the butler contacted me to ask about any requests. I mentioned I liked sea views and a good location, and that it was my child's birthday, so a small decoration would be nice. They upgraded us directly to the top-tier Coral Bay full sea view villa! My superficial self found it hard to be objective after that, haha. Breakfast was decent. It closes at 11 AM, and even arriving at 10:30 AM, there was still a short queue – this was probably the only minor drawback. For dinner, we ate at The Corner, one of the hotel's restaurants. We ordered a set menu for two, and the chef came to inquire about our preferences. We mentioned the steak was a little dry, and without hesitation, they immediately prepared another excellent ribeye. Again, so generous! [strong_emoji]

This was my first time visiting Sanya, and the Mandarin Oriental truly lived up to its reputation. It's like an aging Ferrari – still a Ferrari! My butler contacted me beforehand via WeChat and had a great attitude. Check-in was much faster than I expected, and they provided complimentary fruit, which was delicious. The lobster wontons at breakfast were amazing; I regretted not having more bowls since the line was long when I went later. The soufflé was also excellent. I honestly couldn't find a single fault. My room, Cuiyuanxuan 8101, wasn't run-down at all. All the charging outlets worked, which was much better than I anticipated. Waking up to the birds chirping was lovely, though I didn't encounter any wild monkeys. The Mandarin Oriental's private beach was incredibly beautiful; it's something you truly need to experience in person, as photos don't do it justice. The public areas are vast, so it's best to call for the shuttle service in advance if you plan to leave the area. There isn't much for kids to do, especially those over 5. Overall, I was very satisfied and would definitely visit again if I get the chance.

My second stop in Sanya this year was the Mandarin Oriental. I booked an Ocean View room. I arrived at the hotel around 1 PM and wanted a room on the sixth floor, but since it wasn't ready yet, we went to the recreation area for the kids to play for a bit. The room cleaning took a while, but they quickly offered a solution: we could rest in a temporary room and switch to our assigned room once it was prepared. The front desk lady even gave me some facial mask samples. The staff's response time was quite fast, which I really appreciate! Especially Jessica. The wait was worth it; the view was truly amazing. After checking in, I wanted to take photos in the hotel's public areas, but several popular spots had queues, which was a bit… hmmm. The breakfast lobster wontons, durian soufflé, and wagyu hot and sour noodles were all fantastic. The overall quality was good, and since we went around 9 AM, there was no queue. We relied on the shuttle bus for transportation. Sometimes during peak hours, when our requested car hadn't arrived yet, passing shuttles would still greet us and ask if we needed a ride, which was a great experience! One evening, the air conditioning wasn't cooling. After the staff inspected it, they reported the issue and immediately offered a room upgrade as a solution. We repacked our luggage and moved rooms. On the second night, we were upgraded to a sea view suite, which was fantastic! 👍👍👍 The snorkeling was also a good experience. My child is quite young and was a bit hesitant to go into the water, but the staff patiently guided them. 👍 The toiletries were of good quality. When checking out, the staff proactively gave us a necklace and a room keycard, which was a nice touch. Overall, the experience was great and it's perfect for a relaxing holiday.

The room was well-maintained and not as old as some reviews suggested. The family room was very spacious, and the view from the window was beautiful. I regretted not booking more nights after seeing how nice it was. I even felt a bit let down when I visited Raffles afterward, as the family room here at the Mandarin Oriental was much better. It wasn't crowded, so we had the pool almost to ourselves. We even saw monkeys the next morning! The shuttle service was prompt, arriving shortly after we called. Our butler, Sally, was very responsive and helpful with any requests, even providing large bottles of Evian water. The only slight downside was the limited breakfast options.

We had an unforgettable two-night, three-day stay at the Mandarin Oriental Sanya (MO Sanya). The moment we arrived, a welcoming bellhop opened our car door, took our luggage, and greeted us with "Welcome to Mandarin Oriental Sanya!" – that instantly put us in a holiday mood. Our butler, Jessica, did an outstanding job arranging everything. The room was mostly ready, so we headed to Yi Yang Chinese Restaurant for a delightful Chinese meal, and by the time we returned, check-in was seamless. This time, we stayed in a Seaview Pavilion, and opening the door to the ocean view immediately heightened the vacation vibes. The room's layout was well-designed, the space was just right, and it was well-maintained. The air conditioning was already on and at a comfortable temperature. Despite the lush greenery and beautiful surroundings, we didn't see a single insect during our two-day stay. It was also my girlfriend's birthday, and Jessica had decorated the room for the occasion, providing welcome fruits and a cake, which made my girlfriend very happy. The room featured Acqua di Parma toiletries, which I absolutely loved, and the location was excellent, a short walk to both the lobby and the breakfast restaurant. This was a room number recommended by the front desk lady who checked us in – kudos to her! We booked dinner at the Pavilion that evening. Lisa from The Pavilion had contacted us days in advance and even helped us order a cake and flowers herself. We received a pre-dinner call while having lunch, and later that evening, a kind bellhop from the concierge department delivered everything to The Pavilion and helped us set it up. The evening ambiance at The Pavilion was amazing, and the food was absolutely superb. We didn't catch the names of the two staff members who served us that evening, but they left a deep impression. Lisa was also incredibly enthusiastic! The next morning, we had breakfast, and the wagyu beef noodle soup was a definite highlight (our top pick!). In the afternoon, we couldn't resist doing the photo shoot with MO Sanya. The photographer, Zhang Haonan, took such beautiful pictures that we couldn't stop praising him, and his guidance during the shoot was excellent. We ended up selecting several extra photos. Every staff member we encountered during our two days at MO Sanya was smiling and enthusiastic. In particular, Drake, a young man we met while taking the shuttle back to our room, was humorous, understood my needs clearly, was an excellent driver, and quite handsome! We did encounter a few minor issues during our stay, but both the butler and the front desk followed up quickly and resolved them effectively. Kiki from Guest Relations even called during our stay to check on our experience and arranged a late check-out for us, showing genuine care for guests, which was truly comforting. There was even a surprise on our last day: Grace and Jeff from the check-out team were fantastic! They presented us with a farewell gift, helped us load our luggage into the car, and made us feel warm even as we departed, making us look forward to our next return to Mandarin Oriental Sanya.

For a relaxing getaway in Sanya, Mandarin Oriental Sanya, Coral Bay is my top choice, and a huge part of the wonderful experience was thanks to our dedicated butler, Kiki. Whether it was a last-minute request for toiletries in the evening or recommendations for local eateries, her responses were always prompt, efficient, and delivered with a gentle touch. The hotel is tucked away amidst a lush coconut grove, and the private beach is wonderfully uncrowded with soft, clean sand. Watching the sunset while feeling the sea breeze in the evening was incredibly therapeutic. The ambiance is serene and sophisticated, yet the service feels genuinely warm and personable. A special thank you to Kiki!

The villa rooms offer stunning views. Jacky, Jason, Gavin, and Lee, our butlers, provided exceptional service from check-in to check-out, always responding promptly. Whether it was arranging a shuttle or delivering amenities, all our requests were met immediately. The package included a spa treatment, and the experience was fantastic, starting with a sauna in the spa suite followed by a massage. The spa area itself was spacious and beautiful. The beach buffet was delicious, with unlimited lobster and durian. We're already planning to bring our children next time!

Having stayed at numerous high-end hotels in Sanya, Mandarin Oriental Sanya, Coral Bay still consistently ranks at the top for me. What truly impressed me most was the genuine and thoughtful service from our butler, Kiki. The hotel offers a serene escape while being conveniently located, boasting a 1.2 km private beach with exclusive views. The grounds are lush with greenery, and the pathways are clean and well-maintained, creating a wonderful atmosphere without the usual crowds. Kiki proactively followed up on my itinerary throughout our stay, from check-in and guiding us through the resort, to arranging transportation and providing dining recommendations. She was incredibly responsive to every request, addressing all our needs without us having to repeatedly ask for assistance. Even small requests were handled with care and professionalism, delivered with a gentle demeanor. With such stunning scenery complemented by warm and attentive service, this trip was exceptionally perfect. A huge thank you to Kiki, and I highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Sanya.

Following up on my last review, the weather gradually cleared up on the second day, and the scenery was absolutely stunning. The 'jellyfish sea' even made an appearance! Whether in the room or in the common areas, every photo turned out picture-perfect. Breakfast was a bit crowded, but the variety was excellent. The ocean here is much richer than Haitang Bay; the ecosystem is incredibly well-preserved. After the tide recedes, you can go beachcombing among the coral reefs and find all sorts of interesting things in the crevices. My child collected many small seashells, and I caught several crabs and mantis shrimp, all of which we released. Finally, as we were leaving, they even gave my child a small squirrel plushie, and we saw monkeys! All in all, this trip was absolutely perfect. A big thank you again to the butlers Jacky, Jason, Gavin, Lee, and others for their warm service. We hope to visit again next year if we get the chance.