Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / China / Sanya / Mandarin Oriental, Sanya
Mandarin Oriental, Sanya
Sanya, China · Mandarin Oriental · Grand Luxury
Opened in 2009 as Mandarin Oriental's first mainland China resort, the property spreads across roughly 12 hectares on Coral Bay in Sanya, Hainan, with private beach frontage inside a protected red coral zone. Bill Bensley designed 120,000 square metres of tropical gardens around nearly 300 rooms and duplex villas with butler service. A 3,200-square-metre spa village includes 18 treatment rooms and a resident Shaolin kung fu master who leads morning tai chi.
- 278 rooms
- Opened 2009
- Neighborhood: Hainan
- Architect: Bill Bensley
- Interiors: LTW Design Works
About Mandarin Oriental, Sanya
- Landscape architect Bill Bensley designed about 120,000 square metres of gardens; LTW Design Works refreshed interiors in 2018.
- The spa spans 3,200 square metres with 18 rooms, each with a private steam shower and outdoor bathtub, plus on-site traditional Chinese medicine.
- A resident Shaolin kung fu master teaches tai chi to guests; yoga and qigong classes run alongside three named pools.
- Duplex villas include dedicated butler service and private infinity pools within the protected reef cove.
History
Opened in February 2009 as Mandarin Oriental's first mainland China property on a 12-hectare Coral Bay beachfront site, blending luxury with Hainanese culture in tropical Hainan, dubbed China's Hawaii. Renovated in 2018.[Mandarin Oriental Press](https://press.mandarinoriental.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2561a84fb0ebca5bffb2642e805cfc78.pdf) [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandarin_Oriental,_Sanya)
The setting
Mandarin Oriental, Sanya occupies a singularly private site at 12 Yuhai Road, secreted within Coral Bay in Jiyang District — a sheltered cove where the hotel holds the only stretch of beach, giving guests a seclusion exceptional even by Sanya standards. The surrounding waters form a protected red coral reef zone, while 120,000 square metres of tropical gardens — designed by landscape architect Bill Bensley — envelope the resort in a world of coconut groves and frangipani. Approximately 30 minutes from Sanya Phoenix International Airport, the address balances genuine isolation with easy reach of the Dadonghai beach promenade and Luhuitou Park.
Restaurants and bars
- Yi Yang — Restaurant · Cantonese
- Fresh — Restaurant · Seafood
- Pavilion — Restaurant · Buffet breakfast
- Mee & Mian — Restaurant · Handcrafted noodles
- Sunset Bar — Bar
- MO Blues — Restaurant
- The Cliff — Restaurant · All-day dining
Experiences
- The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Sanya — Eight luxury spa villas offering 18 treatment rooms, each with a private sauna, indoor and outdoor showers and a bathtub.
- Dining at Fresh, Pavilion, Yi Yang, Mee & Mian, The Cliff — Open-air seafood by the sea, buffet breakfast and beachfront barbecue, Hainan fusion, handmade noodles, and The Cliff for villa guests.
- Ocean-facing tennis courts — Tennis courts set in lush tropical greenery facing the ocean.
- Tai Chi & Zen Tea classes — Tai Chi and Zen Tea classes offered at the hotel.
Amenities
- 3,200 sqm Spa Village (18 rooms, hydrotherapy)
- 3 pools (incl. heated infinity)
- private beach
- fitness/yoga/tai chi
- tennis
- water sports
- Infinity pool
- Private pool
- Sauna
- Hot tub
- Cigar lounge
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star (2026)
- Forbes Travel Guide 5-Star (2025/2026)
- MICHELIN Guide selection
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