Mandarin Oriental, Sanya

I loved this hotel. It was so relaxing and pretty to walk around. 4 stars though as some of the pools had out of order signs even though they were fully functional and running and also they have a coral bay but you aren’t allowed to snorkel, so this is misleading on their front as they advertise that you are able to snorkel. The highlight for me is when it’s the dry season the dinner bbq buffet moves outside. Easy to get a didi to/from the hotel.

Mandarin Oriental Sanya prices for a property that looks as though maintenance stopped years ago. The room was tired, worn and embarrassingly shabby for a so-called luxury hotel, while the “beach” was little more than sharp coral rubble, unsuitable for swimming or even walking barefoot. The service was no better. Jessica at the third-floor arrival area assured me that my RMB 2,000 deposit had been refunded and told me to wait 24 hours, although she had apparently failed to process it at all. I then went to the main reception, where a competent employee completed the refund in under ten seconds. That neatly summed up the stay: inflated branding, neglected hardware and staff who seemed either poorly trained or simply uninterested. This hotel appears to believe that a famous name and some tropical landscaping can compensate for years of decline. They cannot. Expensive, decrepit and remarkably complacent. I would not return.

I booked this hotel through American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts as an Amex Platinum cardholder, with the reservation fully prepaid and non-refundable. Before arrival, I called the front desk to confirm that if the cardholder could not arrive, the listed guest could still check in (without FHR benefits). I was explicitly told this was acceptable. However, three days before check-in, the hotel manager (Mr. Shi) contacted me and stated that if the guest checked in without the cardholder present, the hotel would require a deposit equal to the full room rate and would forfeit it if the cardholder did not appear. Since the room was already paid in full, this effectively amounts to a double charge. The discrepancy between what the front desk confirmed and what management later imposed was frustrating and unprofessional.

The resort is amazing! Big shout out to Mihai who was exceptional and made us feel right at home. Fiona is a delightful young lady always attending to our needs and so did Danny always smiling! Our villa was superb, exceeding all expectations. Breakfast was awesome.The facilities and amenities are fabulous. We enjoyed the swimming pools and it was nice having an activity center for our 3 year old grand child who had a lot of fun there