Hilton Wenchang: luxury resort for Hainan’s rocket-and-spade brigade

What do we have we here? Let’s start with Hainan Island. China’s “Hawaii”, known for its lush tropical vegetation, clean air and boulder-strewn coastline, is only a 90-minute direct flight from Hong Kong. And now that Hilton has opened a resort near Wenchang, in the island’s less developed northeast corner, there is yet another reason to visit. Like the local flora, the hotel is flourishing nicely, and celebrated its first birthday last month.

So it’s nowhere near Sanya? No. Infamous for traffic jams, drunk Russian tourists and rip-off seafood restaurants, Sanya has given Hainan a dubious repu­tation, perhaps unfairly, because the island covers more than 330,000 sq km and Wenchang is more than 200km away, offering a very different proposition, with little tourist infrastructure.

The hotel is the first to be built in the Tongguling International Eco-Tourism Area, in an 86 sq km development around scenic Qishui Bay, undertaken by the Luneng Group. The real-estate developer has appointed none other than David Beckham as its strategic partner and ambassador, and the handsome features of the retired England footballer and professional famous person are everywhere.

It’s too early to say whether the eco-tourism concept might extend beyond a few recycling bins and a green roof or two, as this is a work in pro­gress, but early indications are encouraging. For now, at least, it is green, quiet and the coastline is beautiful and unspoilt, with waves crashing against large, weathered granite boulders on empty beaches.

What’s the hotel like? The 439-room Hilton Wenchang is designed in a pseudo-Indonesian style (see Design file, page 48) and all the guest rooms face the sea, so no one will be checking in to this beachfront hotel only to enjoy panoramas of the car park or air-conditioning plants. About 70 per cent of rooms have direct sea views from their balconies and extensive gardens with carp ponds and pagodas separate the hotel from the coastline.