Howard Johnson Resort Sanya Bay — a coconut-garden resort on the beach where the kids can swim all day and never leave
Picture a resort where you step out of your room into more than a hundred thousand square metres of lush tropical garden, wander through the palms a little further and reach a run of swimming pools stretching out over 4,500 square metres, and at the far edge of the garden you hit the soft sand of Sanya Bay, facing west into the sunset. That is Howard Johnson Resort Sanya Bay (三亚湾豪生度假酒店), a big family resort in the heart of Sanya Bay (三亚湾), sitting right on the Coconut Dream Corridor (椰梦长廊) — the beachfront avenue famous for its long ribbon of coconut palms. With ~850 rooms, a kids' club, a spa, a gym and Chinese, Korean and local restaurants all in one place, this is the kind of resort where parents arrive with the kids and barely need to step outside all day. It scores 9.4/10 from around 12,064 real guest reviews, and if what you want is a spacious, fun beachfront resort that the kids will love — at a price well below the marquee bays — this one is genuinely good value.
Honestly, the first thing guests all say is the same: it is big and it is green. The resort is laid out as low-rise buildings scattered through more than 100,000 square metres of tropical garden — not a single tower. Wherever you walk you pass palms, coconut trees and shaded paths. At the centre is a run of connected swimming pools covering more than 4,500 square metres, with separate areas for kids and adults, sun loungers, poolside umbrellas and plenty of pretty corners for photos. At the far edge of the garden is the Sanya Bay beach itself, where you can walk straight down for a swim in the sea. Plenty of families say the kids spent the whole day moving between the pools and the sand without leaving the resort once.
"Came with two young kids and they were in the pools from morning to evening — the pool area is huge and they never got bored. The gardens are lovely to stroll, and our sea-view room looked straight out at a gorgeous sunset. Staff were helpful. For a beachfront resort at this price, it's excellent value."
On location, it helps to understand that Sanya is split across several bays, and this one sits on Sanya Bay (三亚湾) — the long beach hugging the city on the western side, close to Sanya's airport (SYX) and Phoenix Island. The signature of this bay is the Coconut Dream Corridor (椰梦长廊), the palm-lined beachfront avenue that catches a beautiful sunset and is lovely for an evening cycle or stroll. Downtown Sanya and the First Market (第一市场) seafood hub are an easy drive away. But to be straight with you: compared with Yalong Bay (亚龙湾) or Haitang Bay (海棠湾) over on the eastern side, the Sanya Bay beach is narrower, busier and the water isn't as clear. What you trade that for is a much lighter price and a spot that's closer to both the city and the airport — so it suits travellers who care more about convenience, fun and value than a postcard-perfect beach.
Rooms and facilities are generous, as you'd expect from a large family resort. There are ~850 rooms across several types, from garden-view rooms to sea-view rooms to family suites and villas for bigger groups. The sea-view rooms facing Sanya Bay are the popular pick, since you get the sunset from your window. Beyond the pools and beach there's a kids' club, a spa, a gym, and several restaurants spanning Chinese, Korean and local cooking, plus an airport shuttle. What reviewers praise most is the sheer amount of space for kids to run around, the photogenic gardens, and helpful staff. All told, it's a resort that gives you a lot of ground and a lot of on-site activity.
Now the honest gripes, compiled from real guest reviews, because they're real and worth knowing before you book. First, because the resort is so big, the walk from your room to the pools, the restaurants or the beach can be a fair distance — if walking is hard for you, ask about your room's location or any in-resort buggy at check-in. Second, it's hugely popular with families and tour groups, so on long holidays it gets crowded and the pools and restaurants fill up; the vibe is lively rather than quiet and private. Third, some of the buildings and rooms read mid-tier, in keeping with the resort's age — they're not as sleek as the five-star brands over in Yalong or Haitang Bay, which is fair enough given the price is a fraction of theirs.
Standard rates start at around ~¥550 (฿2,750) a night for a garden-view room, and in normal periods swing roughly ¥550–1,200 (฿2,750–6,000) depending on season, room type and view, with sea-view rooms and suites/villas costing noticeably more. On the big Chinese holidays — Spring Festival (Hainan's high season) and the October Golden Week (1–7 Oct) — prices can jump two or three times over and rooms sell out fast, because Sanya is China's favourite winter-sun escape. If you want a good rate, avoid those peaks, book several weeks ahead, and lock in a free-cancellation rate. One handy bonus: Hainan offers visa-free entry (currently 30 days) for many nationalities, including Thai passport-holders, which makes flying down to Sanya simpler (policies can change, so check before you travel).
So, friend to friend — Howard Johnson Resort Sanya Bay is for families who want a big beachfront resort with large pools the kids can splash in all day, pretty gardens, lots of on-site activity, and a price that's far kinder than the luxury bays. If you're coming to Sanya with the family or a group of friends and you prioritise fun, convenience and being close to the city and airport, this delivers nicely on an easy budget. But if your heart is set on the whitest sand and clearest water with a quiet, private five-star feel, take a look at Pullman Oceanview in the same Sanya Bay for a step up, or cross to the eastern bays — Grand Hyatt in Haitang Bay and the Ritz-Carlton in Yalong Bay are both on our list to compare first.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Beachfront on Sanya Bay, with over 100,000 m² of tropical garden
- ✓ Over 4,500 m² of pools including a kids' area — superb for families
- ✓ Sea-view rooms catch the Sanya Bay sunset; relaxed, holiday mood
- ✓ Great value, close to city and airport, with an airport shuttle
- ! Very large resort — the walk from room to pools/restaurants/beach can be long
- ! Popular with families and tour groups; crowded and busy on long holidays
- ✓ ~850 rooms across garden-view, sea-view and family suites/villas
- ✓ Kids' club, spa, gym and Chinese/Korean/local restaurants on-site
- ✓ Lots of space for kids to run, photogenic gardens, helpful staff
- ✓ On the Coconut Dream Corridor — easy evening cycle or stroll by the beach
- ! Sanya Bay beach is narrower and busier than Yalong/Haitang Bay in the east
- ! Some buildings and rooms read mid-tier, in line with the resort's age
- 💡If you want Sanya's whitest sand and clearest water · the Sanya Bay beach is narrower and busier than Yalong/Haitang Bay in the east, and the water isn't as clear · Fix → if a beautiful beach matters more than price, cross to Yalong Bay (the Ritz-Carlton) or Haitang Bay (Grand Hyatt) on our list, where the sand is wider and whiter.
- 💡If you can't manage long walks or dislike sprawling resorts · the resort is very large, so it can be a fair distance from your room to the pools, restaurants or beach · Fix → ask for a room near the pools/beach, or check about an in-resort buggy when you check in.
- 💡If you want a quiet, private atmosphere · this place is popular with families and tour groups, so at peak times it's crowded and the pools and restaurants are busy · Fix → avoid the big Chinese holidays, or look at Pullman Oceanview in the same Sanya Bay, a step up with a gentler feel.