Sheraton Haikou Resort

We were there in April and it was quiet. The breakfast had lots of choices, and although there's no club lounge, elite members can get snacks and drinks during evening happy hour. There’s a nice swimming pool on site, with public beach access just across a small footpath. The rooms are large and comfortable too.

The beach scenery was beautiful, and the air felt clean and quiet. It was such a lovely place. I can't think of a better spot for a vacation.

The one bright spot at Sheraton Haikou was housekeeping. The facilities looked visibly old, but the room was kept clean. The location was okay, right by the beach, though fairly far from the activities in town. It seemed the hotel hadn't come through the pandemic well. Service was the real problem. For a tropical beach resort with balconies and terraces, they seemed unprepared for mosquitoes. There was no repellent spray in the room. At the concierge, the best they could offer was herbal essential oil, no more effective than alcohol wipes, and even that was in short supply. I was firmly asked to return the bottle ASAP. Staff often seemed unsure what they were doing. I asked for four wine glasses and got two, both water stained. I ordered a cafe latte and got an americano. Check-in was especially unpleasant. The boy at reception showed no hospitality and was hostile throughout our interaction. Maybe it was a long day or the stress of a full house, but I can't fathom it. A more sensible colleague had to step in and rescue the situation. Everyone has bad days, but if emotional stability is a weak suit, maybe that job isn't a good fit. I don't usually fuss over room upgrades, and I understood the hotel was reportedly full because of a concert in town. So I didn't mind not getting an upgrade. But later I learned a friend staying there, in a lower Bonvoy tier, who booked later and checked in just after me, had the same room type and dates yet got a presidential suite. It made me feel acutely how little my loyalty was appreciated. I don't expect hotels to be perfect. Most have a thing or two to fix, but the problems here added up across too many areas. My first visit to Haikou was almost ruined. I'm not sure I'll come back to Haikou, but if I do, I know where to AVOID.

Housekeeping was incredibly efficient, detailed, and responsive, and Breeze had a wonderful selection of international food with great wait staff service. The lush, tropical walkway lined with trees leads to the pool and beach, and looked especially beautiful at night. I also loved the live music and lobby bar. A multilingual singer and keyboardist took turns with English and Chinese songs, right in the middle of the lobby where you could watch people go by. The lighting was dim and relaxing. MGM Grand Sanya had no comparable central bar, and its singers' English songs were practically incomprehensible to native speakers. They clearly hadn't been born, raised, or studied in an English environment. I came straight from MGM Grand Sanya, and Sheraton Haikou was a much nicer experience in many ways. I'm a foreign tourist and understand there are procedures, but Sheraton check-in took under five minutes, compared with about 45 at MGM. Sheraton could also process a credit card right away, while the MGM staff first had to find a machine, then another after the first didn't work.