Hainan during the off-season

Written: 3 march 2008
Travel time: 3 — 10 april 2007
Your rating of this hotel:
5.0
from 10
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I must say right away that they flew from Khabarovsk via Guangzhou. No problem) the time to travel around the airport is almost 4 hours - we had a delicious meal somewhere on the 2nd floor. On the internal lines, it was clean and they even gave tea not badly, but modestly.
The city of Sanya itself is only being built and adapted for tourism. Bays are all sad. In the sense that there is absolutely nothing to do there. Rest "bacon". When in the morning to the beach, after dinner to the beach, in the evening, too, to the beach with one single thought... where to put yourself all day long. Excursions vtyuhivayut expensive and complex. For example, they try to sell an excursion to the island of monkeys immediately with thermal springs. It turns out cheaper, but after the sources you don’t want to look at any monkeys. On the monkey island itself, too, without exotic and something advertised, yes - they fed animals, yes - Buddha statues. Yes - they extort money for everything that is possible. Taking away, everything that is in the hands and looking into the eyes of the monkey. Screaming and crying kids, from whom they snatched juices or water bottles. The performances are modest and uninteresting. Only the funicular road there captures everything. Thermal springs are better because there is something to do. But there are so many people that these puddles with hot water are not enough)
Zooworld impresses only those who see tigers or crocodiles for the first time. Crocodiles are full and not moving, the show with piglets is sad, the elephants are amused. The zoo is just getting better.

Butterfly Gorge - no experience at all. All butterflies after 8 am are sleeping safely, and it is impossible to see them. Pearl factories and other intricacies of jewelry production are also modest and uninteresting. If you are with children, you will suffer from boredom and take your child only in the sand and diving in the pool.
The problem was with how to feed the child... there are a lot of eateries, but they cook everything specifically Chinese. Not every child will eat it. We ate in restaurants, where they explained on the fingers what mashed potatoes are and that we need an ordinary chicken or cutlet. But in restaurants there are menus in Russian, pictures and you can choose something, however, it turns out to be expensive.
About the hotel itself. I wouldn't give the stars it promises. The main problem IS THE CARD FOR OPENING THE DOORS. It came to everyday scandals... a kid or a girl immediately came running with a hairdryer and dried, like the castle itself, and blew a hairdryer on the map. This is even with a simple visit to breakfast in a restaurant, when the card cannot get wet anywhere, what is there with the locks remains a mystery. But the people swore loudly and regularly about this. Batteries in the cell safe sat down with an accuracy of "once every two days", waiting for a specialist to replace it for almost half an hour. Cleaning every day, change of linen and replacement of all shower accessories every day. Mosquitoes in the room is a common thing. And until you explain at the reception what you want, they will not bring either a fumigator or plates. Water, tea, sugar - every day. One Russian-language channel on TV, I won’t say about the Internet - I didn’t use it.
Breakfasts are plentiful. The hotel is considered to have the most varied buffet on the coast. And that's the way it is. In other hotels it is more modest... BUT) one must be prepared for the fact that they will post yesterday's - warmed up. This is especially true for pastries and meat dishes: sausages - bacon. Our Russian compatriots like to sit longer and eat more. Foreigners rush about with their plates all over the hall - there was not enough space for everyone, they stood, waiting for free tables. Some modestly scolded, and could not do without the tantrums of Russian ladies. And if a crowd of Koreans-Chinese drove into the hotel (as it was with us), then after their invasion the assortment decreased significantly and no new fruits and vegetables were reported. Coffee darkness, tea is also not a fountain. Do not wait until they pour it - everything yourself.

About the population of the hotel. We were in the calm season - the end of April. Our compatriots could be recognized right away - this is the "SHOW OF HIPPOTS" from the very morning. Always busy sunbeds, both by the pools and on the beach itself. From 6 in the morning people get up and friendly streams stretch to take their place under the sun. At the same time, some do not even appear on the beach, and there were sunbeds day-to-day, not occupied by anyone. We rested on the sand - it was not a problem, then we got tired, and also got up in the morning to lie near the pool, and not on the fiery sand. Banana rides and jet skis are all entertainment. There are no attractions for children, no parks, nothing specifically for children. The village of nationalities is so modernized that it is not interesting. Were with my son for 8 years... the child has no rave reviews. Yes, it can be compared with Thailand, Egypt, Turkey, and the comparison will be positive not in the direction of Hainan. There is a rest for people of (pre) retirement age who have already traveled and skimmed off the famous resorts of the world. Or for those who love privacy, peace and unobtrusive Chinese service.
About the hotel is quite reliable. Gym - PAID, children's room for up to a year old. And the babysitting service is only for children under two years of age who understand the babysitter's Chinese-English.

About massage. I offer massage services to all and sundry. Not the fact that it will be a master, and you will pay your 100 yuan for a light kneading of the feet or body (more expensive). In salons, spas at hotels, they also do not always offer professional services, but they extort money professionally. More expensive than on the beaches. We went specifically to the doctor who has been dealing with parents for the fifth year - there was confidence in safety. But there is no sense) an elementary massage of the feet of the body, head... simple relaxation after a hot day. Parents are delighted, there are acupuncture and ointments, and drugs, it seems to help. Probably, young people are not yet old enough for this) Manicure-pedicure services are the same and according to a single technology. Make sure that the tools are disposable or at least disinfected.
About shops. Those on the street next to the hotels are expensive. If there is a desire to shop, then it is immediately to the city and not to the market, but to department stores for ordinary citizens of China. For themselves, they sell the same thing, but without extra zeros in the price or ones in front of the whole number. There are things of very high quality and exclusive, you can find a worthwhile thing. The kids have everything. There is still a problem with adult sizes, the Russian aunts were disappointed.

Audibility between rooms for 6 stars! If Chinese-Koreans have settled on your floor, be prepared for the fact that water will flow around the clock in the rooms, yelling - SHOUTING LOUDLY - children and their parents talking between rooms through open doors. And no exhortations that there are other people besides them - do not help) have suffered.

I’ll say it again) Hainan is the rest of “bacon”. The optimal age for a holiday there is after 50 years. For this category, all the conditions so that once again not to move and only relax for yourself)
I won't go to Hainan again. If only in retirement, to lie down - look at the palm trees - listen to the sound of the waves and spend a couple of weeks in the half-asleep of complete relaxation of the mortal body.
Translated automatically from Russian. View original