originally booked another hotel in Haikou, but after a night of horrors, we decided to move and upgrade. via Hotels.com, the Haikou Marriott fit us in the next day, even with us arriving early by three hours.
entering the lobby and lounge for the first time made us feel that we should have booked sooner. compared to the cramped streets of the city, to be surrounded by the airy, open, well-designed spaces was such a refreshing change. each following experience reinforced that sentiment: quiet ocean view; big pools, hot tubs, gym (which we seemed to have to ourselves each day); spa treatments; design of our room, including balcony and bathroom.
we had buffets at the Bistro, and can say that the quality and selection was excellent. it should be noted, however, that the price is at least twice that of comparable buffets at hotels in Canada, in our experience.
we also had dinner at the Man Ho restaurant, which offered a surprisingly high level of service, in addition to an excellent meal. so much so that even though it is not customary to leave a tip at restaurants in China, we did so -- much to the confusion/embarrassment of our server, who was obviously not used to that kind of treatment.
one thing to mention: if you're looking to explore the city, the location won't be suitable, and you'll be paying for cabs to take you to other locations. however, if you want a resort to get away and quietly chill, this is a no-brainer.