The 14 Best Luxury Hotels in Sanya

A private ocean and pools above the rooftops: The Sanya EDITION has a seawater lagoon with a beach, laid out as a pool across 20,000 m², where you can kayak and paddleboard; up on the roof, next to the Sky Bar, an infinity pool sits away from the family areas. At the Rosewood Sanya you swim in a 110-meter infinity pool on the 13th floor, high above Haitang Bay. And on the Podium at The Shanhaitian Resort Sanya, the infinity pool leads to a swim-up bar, with floating lily lights on the water in the evening.Rosewood Sanya · HainanQuiet for couples: The Mandarin Oriental Sanya has three pools: the Vista Pool, an infinity pool overlooking the sea; Activo, a family pool with a slide; and, at the back of the resort, the tranquil Tranquillo for adults, also with sea views. The Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort has five pools, among them an indoor pool with atmospheric evening lighting and the infinity pool by the spa, which is rarely busy.

A pool at your own door: At the Banyan Tree Sanya Resort, each of the 49 villas has a private pool, set around a tropical lagoon, and a river-like main pool winds through the grounds. At The Ritz-Carlton Sanya Yalong Bay, all 33 villas have their own plunge pool, and one of the five pools is heated and sits right on the beach.

For families: At the Sofitel Sanya Leeman Resort, the heated main pool measures 2,300 m², joined by a lagoon pool with direct-access rooms, a beach pool and a swim-up bar. At the Shangri-La Sanya, kids have their own water park with slides and an Adventure Zone with rope ladders.

Luxury hotels further east, in Lingshui: At the Capella Tufu Bay Hainan, you can rent air-conditioned cabanas with a private bathroom by the main pool, kids splash around the Water Zone with its slides, and all 17 villas have a pool of their own. At the Raffles Hainan, the lagoon pool lies in tropical gardens, joined by a lap pool with two jacuzzis and 32 villas with private pools.

A village just for the spa: At the Mandarin Oriental Sanya, 18 treatment rooms are spread across eight spa villas, each with its own sauna or steam shower, indoor and outdoor showers and a soaking tub. Treatments combine traditional Chinese medicine with ocean-inspired rituals, plus Tai Chi and a Zen tea ceremony. At the Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort, the spa sits by Nan Hu Lake in traditional Chinese style: eight semi-open treatment villas around a courtyard, a room for TCM consultations, and a sauna, steam room and whirlpool.Mandarin Oriental Sanya · HainanWater and herbs: The Banyan Tree Spa at the Banyan Tree Sanya Resort is all about water, with a hydrotherapy cabin, a vitality pool, a yoga pavilion and a mindfulness studio. At the Rosewood Sanya, treatments at Sense, A Rosewood Spa draw on the herbal remedies of the Li, Hainan’s indigenous people; the Forbes Travel Guide rates the spa with four stars.

Hammam and snow cabin: The Auriga Spa at the Capella Tufu Bay Hainan follows the phases of the moon. It includes a marble hammam, a Snow Cabin in the middle of the tropics, sleep pods and two VIP suites with private plunge pools. The Raffles Spa at the Raffles Hainan covers more than 1,400 m² and draws on Hainan’s nature; spa journeys there last two, three or five hours.

At no extra cost: you pay the same rate as booking direct with the hotel – the suitespot benefits come on top, free of charge.

Across three levels: The spa at The Ritz-Carlton Sanya Yalong Bay has twelve treatment rooms, including two VIP suites, and works with coconut milk, bamboo and Himalayan salt as well as Valmont. At The Sanya EDITION, the BOHN Spa spans two floors, with eleven treatment rooms, saunas, steam rooms, a jacuzzi and a tea bar. For many guests, an afternoon at the spa is part of any beach stay at a 5-star hotel in Sanya; our travel advisors are happy to book your treatment in advance.

Prices start at 75 € at the Sofitel Sanya Leeman Resort on Haitang Bay and go up to 432 € at the Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort. In between you will find, for example, the Mandarin Oriental Sanya from 267 € and The Sanya EDITION from 324 €. The table shows all fourteen resorts by bay, with the two resorts in Lingshui County at the end; you will find today’s rates and availability in the hotel list further down.

What’s always included: daily breakfast for two, an upgrade subject to availability and a welcome gift; thirteen resorts add early check-in and late check-out subject to availability. At The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay, at The Sanya EDITION, at the Banyan Tree Sanya Resort and at the Capella Tufu Bay Hainan, the benefits apply from two nights, everywhere else from the first night.

When it comes to hotel credit, it pays to look closely: nine resorts give you 100 US dollars, and at the Mandarin Oriental Sanya suites even get 200, split equally between food and drinks and the spa. At the Capella Tufu Bay Hainan you get 50 US dollars for food and drinks plus another 50 for the spa, at the Raffles Hainan 50 US dollars.Sofitel Sanya Leeman Resort · HaitangWithout credit but with breakfast and an upgrade, you can book the Rosewood Sanya, The Shanhaitian Resort Sanya and the JW Marriott Hotel Sanya Dadonghai Bay; the Rosewood adds a welcome letter, and the JW Marriott serves breakfast as a buffet at JW Kitchen.

Points and status can be earned with Marriott Bonvoy at five resorts, with ALL (Accor) at four, with World of Hyatt at the Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort and with Shangri-La Golden Circle at the Shangri-La Sanya. At the Mandarin Oriental Sanya, the status benefits of Fans of Mandarin Oriental apply.

When it’s loveliest: from October to April, when it is dry, sunny and warm and Sanya becomes a winter escape. From May to September the sea is at its warmest, the hills are lush and green, and short tropical showers usually pass quickly – a lovely time for snorkeling off Wuzhizhou. Book early around Chinese New Year, especially if you have a particular 5-star hotel in Sanya in mind.

How long to stay: For a 5-star hotel in Sanya we recommend five to seven nights, ideally split between two bays.