You lucky, lucky human; you’re going to the jewel of China’s Hainan island! Having spent over 3 months in Sanya, I’ve got a pretty solid handle on its hotel situation. This post will cover all you need to know about Hotels in Sanya China before booking!
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy/book something through one of these links, I will receive a commission, at no extra cost to you!
Sanya has my heart. And I truly mean this. In 2020, when it became clear that I wasn’t going to be able to go home to the USA due to the closed borders, I ran away to Sanya to find a little peace.
And I fell in love. During the pandemic years, Sanya was always there for me, with open arms, warm breezes, and turquoise waters. It became my home away from home.
That being said, there’s a lot of my heart going into these coming posts about Sanya. I want you to have an amazing experience there, just like I did.
So let’s start with one of the biggest factors of planning your trip: the hotel situation in Sanya China!
This post will cover everything you need to know about location, pricing options, and reviews, so that you can make the best decision possible when booking.
I personally have always used trip.com for booking my hotels in Sanya. They’re a great resource and full of reviews and information to help you make the best decision.
Digging can take hours though, so this post will help you narrow down your search before you even get into the rabbit hole of the app. So let’s get started!
Location is EVERYTHING! Where to Book Your Hotel in Sanya China
This section will cover the places within Sanya where you can stay. So here’s the biggest thing to know about Sanya: it’s a coastal city which spreads out across 4 main bays. Those bays are:
- Sanya Bay (the most popular bay, closest to the airport, and most tourists)
- Dadonghai Bay (just 10 mins from Sanya bay, popular with foreigners, smaller, and a bit less crowded)
- Yalong Bay (farther away from the airport, WAY less crowded and MUCH more nature)
- Houhai Bay (the party bay with tons of bars and surfing, foreigner hotspot, and farthest from the airport)
Step one for booking a hotel in Sanya is to choose which location you want. Each location has a variety of options for pricing.
If you want the most family-friendly spot, Sanya Bay, Yalong, or Dadonghai will do. For the best party vibes, you’ll want either Houhai or Dadonghai.
If you want a trip that’s more “off-the-grid”, Yalong Bay is very close to Sanya’s rainforest park, and its beaches are the least crowded and lifeguarded.
Personally, I always stayed in Dadonghai. I felt that it wasn’t overly crowded, and had the best mix of relaxation and party vibes. Plus, it hosts several Western restaurants and bars which attracted other foreign friends.
I will say, if you want the most “bang for your buck”, go to Yalong Bay! There’s less to do in the area in terms of partying, but the hotels are BEAUTIFUL and the prices are unbeatable since it’s a quieter area.
Even when I visited the other three bays, I just kept feeling that Dadonghai was “my spot” in Sanya. So this is more my personal preference than a recommendation. But it’s a great, central area!
Can Foreigners STay At Hotels in Sanya China?
If you haven’t traveled in China before, this section will go over some critical information. In short, not every hotel in China holds the licenses to host foreign guests.
If you book with a hotel which can’t host foreigners, one of two things will happen:
One: if you’re lucky, they’ll call you in advance to let you know, cancel, refund everything, and you move on.
Two: if you’re NOT lucky, you’ll show up at the hotels to check in, and they’ll tell you ON THE SPOT that they can’t host you. Obviously, even though they’ll fully refund, this is very problematic as it leaves you hotel-less.
Here are my tips to make sure you book a hotel that can accept foreigners:
- Use foreign apps (like trip.com) to search for and book hotels.
- Look on hotel booking apps for RECENT reviews left by foreigners.
- EVEN IF you follow these 2 steps, still message or call the hotel in advance and ask if they can accept foreigners!
- Once you’ve ensured you can stay there, continue to book as normal.
Since Sanya is a very internationally-friendly city (and is even visa-free for 59 countries as of 2023!), the odds of a hotel being able to host foreigners are pretty high (I’d say 90%). Still, it’s always better to be safe then sorry!
About the Money: Prices of Hotels in Sanya China
As far as money goes, timing is a big thing.
If you visit Sanya during the first week of May, the first week of October, or during China’s Lunar New Year holiday, prices will be DOUBLE, if not TRIPLE the rates that they’ll be at other times.
Believe it or not, the cheapest time to visit Sanya is in the SUMMER! (As in late May to early September).
During the holiday peak travel times, it’s very likely that you’ll pay upwards of $100-200 USD for a basic hotel.
Meanwhile, these same rooms could be anywhere from $40-70 USD during off-season times.
For example, when my fiancé and I stayed at one hotel in Dadonghai during the off-season, we paid about $50 USD per night for one of the BEST ocean view rooms in our favorite hotel.
When we came back during the Spring Festival holiday, we paid TWICE that price (about $100 USD) for the BASIC room in the same hotel.
We were pretty salty about that…but I guess that’s just how tourism works.
Here are the breakdowns of price ranges for the OFF SEASON weeks (summertime) as of 2023.
in Sanya Bay
Hostels: average $12-25 USD per day
Basic hotels: average $35-80 USD per day
Luxury hotels: $150-$400 USD per day
In Dadgonghai Bay
Hostels: $12-25 USD per day
Basic hotels: average $20-60 USD per day
Luxury hotels: $100-350 USD per day
In Yalong Bay
Doesn’t have hostels (but their “basic hotels” are SUPER nice, almost like resorts!)
Basic hotels: $30-60 USD per day (and very luxurious for this price)
Luxury hotels: $100-500 USD per day
In Houhai Bay
Hostels: $15-20 USD per day
Basic hotels: $30-55 USD per day
Luxury hotels: $150-500 USD per day
Summary
In summary: in each of the four bays, there is something for everyone, no matter what your budget!
I would say, first choose which bay to stay at. Then decide what you want to spend. You’ll definitely find something gorgeous within your budget for your stay, in whichever bay best suits you.
Reviews for Hotels in sanya China
One of the reasons why I love apps like trip.com is because of the reviews. I’ve used them for almost all of my trips in China, and can highly recommend them as my experiences with them have been super positive.
China is ESPECIALLY big on reviews with photos, so most hotels here will have lots of reviews and photos to check out, so you can make sure you know what you’re getting into!
Summary of What To Know Before Booking Hotels in Sanya China
- You really can’t go wrong with the location; it just depends on your preferences.
- While most hotels in Sanya can accept foreigners, always contact them ahead of time to check.
- Whether you’re looking for a hostel, or a luxury stay, it’s all there. You just need to choose what your budget is!
- Use apps to help you filter through reviews. Or check out my post with recommended hotels, based on my and my friends’ experiences in Sanya.
I hope this helps you! Is there anything I missed? Let me know any additional advice or questions you have about hotels in Sanya China in the comments!
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