The Sanya Edition — Sanya, China

By
last updated
in Features
Outer look of hotel sanya edition
(Image credit: press)

Whether the Chinese island of Hainan really does deserves its moniker of ‘Hawaii of the East’ is still up for debate, but judging by the blue-chip hotel and resort brands that are shooting up along North Haitang Road in the island’s southern city of Sanya, there’s no gainsaying its lucre, especially among the massive mainland Chinese tourist market.

The latest bold-faced name to land on a prized slice of beach here is Ian Schrager’s Edition. The 512-room hotel was designed by Singaporean-based architecture fiem SCDA, whilst Schrager’s team furnished the capacious rooms with light oak, white drapes, Le Labo toiletries and gigantic circular bathtubs.

The grounds are mindboggling in their size, especially the port corchere whose cathedral-like splendour is lined with soaring wood-lined ceilings, a pair of teak pavilions, a 10,000 sq ft reflection pool carved out of solid black granite and huge bamboo groves. Landscape architects Madison Cox have framed the resort and its views of the South China Sea within 50 acres teeming with coconut palms, Beach Naupaka, Madagascar Almonds, Manila Grass and Birds of Paradise. 

Equally gratifying is the hotel’s artistic diversions, not the least of which is a double storey bookshop stocked with heavy duty art and cultural volumes, an en plein air gallery showcasing contemporary Chinese artists, and a boutique showcasing limited editions co-curated by UCCA (Ullens Center for Contemporary Art) Beijing and Steven Giles of Base Project.

interior of hotel sanya edition

(Image credit: press)

Interior of hotel sanya edition

(Image credit: press)

Reflection pool carved out of solid black granite and huge bamboo groves

(Image credit: press)

Dinning area of hotel sanya edition

(Image credit: press)

Dinning area with ceiling lights in hotel sanya edition

(Image credit: press)

Bedroom of hotel sanya edition

(Image credit: press)

Living area with soaring wood-lined ceiling in the hotel sanya edition

(Image credit: press)

Boutique showcasing limited editions co-curated by UCCA

(Image credit: press)

Bedroom with private pool in the hotel sanya edition

(Image credit: press)

Wood-lined ceilings, a pair of teak pavilions in the hotel sanya edition

(Image credit: press)

INFORMATION

Website

ADDRESS

100 North Haitang Road
Sanya
Hainan 572013

VIEW GOOGLE MAPS

Daven Wu

Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.