The Ritz-Carlton Sanya, Yalong Bay

As a Marriott Ambassador member for nearly 10 years, I am extremely disappointed with my stay at The Ritz-Carlton Sanya. I have stayed here several times over the years and previously found the property acceptable, but sadly, not anymore. Frankly, I am surprised Marriott continues to allow the Ritz-Carlton brand on this property, especially if it is indeed Marriott-managed. Property & Condition The hotel feels tired and neglected. It is obvious the owners are not reinvesting, and the property is simply being milked. The beach, once enjoyable for swimming, is now badly eroded with rocks and stones. What was once great for body surfing is now unsafe. Service & Staff Since arrival, I have not met a single staff member who speaks English. Every interaction has been through translation apps. While this may work at a mid-tier property, for a Ritz-Carlton it is completely unacceptable. Hospitality should be about warmth and connection—here it feels robotic and distant. Check-in was another low point: I arrived late at night, the receptionist had her head on the desk, popped up when I approached, and said simply “passport.” No greeting, no welcome, no acknowledgment of my Ambassador status, and certainly no warmth. I was handed my key and pointed toward the elevator. No welcome amenity in the room either, which is standard at this level. Club Lounge & Dining I booked the Club Level expecting Ritz-Carlton standards. Instead, I found the food and beverage offerings mediocre, with limited selections. Drinks are kept in a tiny, dorm-style refrigerator with a broken door—everything is warm. This is embarrassing for a property of this brand. At breakfast, scrambled eggs required multiple attempts via translation apps before staff finally understood. A simple bilingual menu in English and Mandarin would solve this instantly. On another morning, when I asked for more orange juice, the server picked up my half-full glass to “see what it was,” then placed it back on the table. This is not luxury service. Value I am spending over 11,000 RMB for three nights, and the experience is nowhere near worth it. The property is overpriced, under serviced, and simply not representative of the Ritz-Carlton or Marriott standards. Final Observation I am not trying to critique for the sake of being critical—I am observing, and I hope someone in Marriott leadership cares. On property, unfortunately, it feels like nobody does. For foreigners seeking a luxury Ritz-Carlton experience, this is not the place. It is overpriced, poorly serviced, unimpressive, and fails to live up to the brand.

Beautiful hotel, the staff were super friendly and attentive and the food was fabulous. Got to talk to the head chef Stuart, attention is o detail seems to be a speciality at the hotel, we will definitely be back in the near future. The gardens were a real feature on the restaurant terrace with a welcome breeze

Had a great time at the Ritz Carlton, the room was spacious with an amazing view. Staff was friendly, food was delicious. Had a complimentary photo and video shoot on the beach, 思思~ was very talented and almost all photos came out beautifully. Highly recommended!

“I had a fantastic stay! The room was spotless, the staff were incredibly friendly. The views from the room were lovely and peaceful. 🍃 🏖 The hotel area is gorgeous 😍😍 Overall, I highly recommend this hotel for your next travel adventure!”

we had a delightful dinner at sofia restaurant. Italian food was so so so delicious . we friends enjoying a lots. Perfect service , very attentive and friendly staff. Ambience is beautiful. The way they setup their tables .The outside view from the sofia is just wow 😍……