Hotéis Sofitel em Haikou

he Hilton Haikou is a very well located hotel and probably one of the best in Haikou. On arrival there was a heavy rainfall which caused me to get quite wet walking from the taxi to the hotel entrance. I booked the room online via trip for me and my travel companion with the payment in hotel option. Online-Prepayment was not possible. On check in, given that I was very wet because of the rainshower I was quite unsatisfied with the service. First there was apparently some issue, wether I or my companion booked the room because the order of names on the booking showed my name in second place. Also my companion wasnt with me at that time because of a one day delay. In my opinion it shouldnt be a matter who booked the room since both of our names were given, regardless of the order. This issue took some extra time which is very inconvenient if you are dripping wet and just want to rest. Secondly when it comes to payment instead of the 1959 RMB, 2000 RMB were deducted from my WeChat account without any communication about the deviation. I also only realized it later when I already arrived the room and was very confused what the 41 RMB were for. Like I said it has not been communicated to me at all. Maybe a tip or was it meant as a deposit? (Even though it would appear to be a very odd deposit amount and tipping in China is not a thing) I guess from a 5 Star Hilton I could expect accuracy and clear communication when it comes to payment. Which brings me to another downside. Even though my Mandarin is sufficient enough, I was very surprised that at a Hilton of this price category none of the staff at check in nor other employees were able to speak English. So for foreigners who dont speak Chinese this would be a bit difficult. The next day I went down to reception again to ask about the 41 RMB and was offered a refund, yet the reason why it has been deducted in the first place still remains unknown to me. Another small issue appeared at breakfast when I asked one of the waitresses where the tea/ teabags is/are located. I formulated my request precisely in Chinese and the lady was just behaving awkward and walked away. I thought maybe still something would happen, but 10 minutes later still nothing. Luckily I was able to find the overseeing waitress, asked her the same question and found out that the Teabags are not openly presented at the buffet (Which is an unexpected inconvenience for a 5-Star hotel yet again, + the tea choices are very limited) My last complaint is the minibar. I have been at budget hotels before, which offered a free minibar which is refilled every day. Why are there so many things in this Hotel with a hefty price tag. This appears not welcoming given the cost of this Hotel. Especially the price-tag of minibar drinks is outrageous. For example 0.33L Tsingtao Beer 28 RMB…. Speechless. In every shop around you get 0.5L for less than half the price. Now that all my complaints about the service have been mentioned, lets move on to the many upsides of the Hilton: -Great location and rooms -Very good breakfast buffet with many choices -Even better dinner buffet (298RMB/Person) -Great panorama view -luxurious -Some of the staff still did a great job, which is why I still give a 3/5 rating, regardless of previous issues.

The hotel was a little difficult for my DiDi driver to find at first, but it was worth the view in the end. The gym was huge and had ample equipment for me to get a good workout! The staff was amazing, I had accidentally left my phone in a DiDi car at the front desk was able to help me track the phone down and get it back the next day! It was a real life saver.

Hallways and lobby are gorgeous looks very classy There are also hot spring baths and buffet breakfast, the service is also in place and I am very satisfied! It’s just that the location is located in the urban area. It took a long time to take a taxi back to the hotel yesterday. However, there are many snack bars around at night, so it’s suitable for a stroll.

Let's start with the positives. The rooms at the hotel were undeniably great. They were spacious, well-designed, and offered a comfortable ambiance. I particularly appreciated the attention to detail in the room decor, making it a pleasant space to relax after a long day of exploring the area. The hotel's breakfast selection was another highlight of my stay. There was a good variety of options, and the quality of the food was quite impressive. Starting my day with a satisfying breakfast definitely set a positive tone for my daily adventures. Though the overall service at the hotel was just okay, there was one staff member who stood out and made a significant difference in my stay - Kitty. Kitty's exceptional assistance and attentiveness were truly commendable. She went above and beyond to ensure I had everything I needed and provided excellent recommendations for local attractions and dining options. However, there were some glaring issues that affected my experience. First and foremost, the Wi-Fi connection was terrible. As a traveler, having reliable internet access is essential for staying connected and planning daily activities. Unfortunately, the unreliable Wi-Fi at the hotel made this difficult, and it was quite frustrating. Additionally, the swimming pool was a letdown. Despite appearing beautiful in the pictures, it was actually dirty during my stay. I was looking forward to relaxing by the poolside, but the unclean water made it an unappealing option. Furthermore, the location of the hotel was a significant drawback. It was far from most of the popular attractions and amenities, making it inconvenient and time-consuming to travel to places of interest. I found myself spending more time commuting than enjoying the destination itself. On the culinary front, while there was a restaurant called ”China First,” the food was indeed excellent. However, I can't overlook the fact that it was expensive, and overall, the hotel felt overpriced for the amenities and services provided.

We came for the hot springs and were impressed by the hospitality of the hotel. They arranged a late checkout when my friend’s flight was delayed, as well as gave us complimentary soup and fruit. The breakfast is the best hotel breakfast buffet I’ve had of the three resorts I’ve stayed at in Hainan. Really a wonderful experience! The clove and Janine pools are a must, as well as the cold mint pool. Hope the African and Middle East pool sections are open next time I visit to be able to try all the “continents”.

It’s a great hotel at a very good price. You would pay about three times in Europe for this convenience. The buffet restaurant has very good selection of sushi and fish and meats, and the beer is included. The Chinese restaurant is also pretty good at a reasonable price. If you need a few things for shopping, just go across the street near the Holiday Inn.

On the positive side: The hotel itself is quite great, playground and pools were appealing, several good activities for kids, restaurant and breakfast were also very good and staff very friendly (especially in restaurant) In the negative side: the location is not good, at least 8-10km from everything. No any restaurant or activities nearby, need to take a taxi for everything with at least 40min to 1h drive. One of the restaurant (noodle one) closed quite early so dinner in hotel was limited to 2 restaurants. In addition, because of weather (wind and a bit cold) beach was not suitable for us to stay and pools were closed. Good hotel for company events or short family stay (max 2 days) but not for prolonged family vacation (week)

Breakfast had a vast selection, but none of it was very good. The sushi would make a Japanese person cry, the sausages and bacon would make an English person cry and you would get a better Chinese breakfast for 10RMB at a local market (baozi and yotiao are from frozen). The main reason for choosing this hotel over other options was the kids club. Unfortunately it is rubbish. A single member of staff doing some origami with leaves or basic art/craft. Requires adult supervision. Very disappointing by international standards. Hotel is very grand, but not maintained to the standard you would expect from the brand. Design of the hotel does not lend itself to Haikou's climate, the communal spaces are not aircondionable and so it is uncomfortably hot. Pool was good, but again needs maintenance. Children especially enjoyed the foam cannon. Room was spacious, clean and cool. Coffee is good. At the time of writing they offer ”good night” as a free gift which is a lavender spray. They also offer a free drink on arrival - which just means help yourself to a drink from the fridge in your room. Overall I would recommend paying a bit less and going with a newer hotel closer to the city.

Excellent service, amazing pools, nice beach view, perfect rooms, top!