View from the room at Raffles Hainan

Raffles Hotels & Resorts, the luxury international hotel company well renowned for the opening of Raffles Singapore back in 1887, will be launching Raffles Hainan - their second property in China, following Raffles Beijing. The resort will be set in Clearwater Bay, the new hotspot on the southeast coast of Hainan Island - China's answer to the French Riviera.

Raffles Hainan enjoys a prime beachfront location with 299 rooms - starting at 80sqm - and 32 villas, all with private balconies and scenic views of the ocean or golf course. A large Raffles Spa offering both Asian and Western treatments, seven restaurants and bars, and private events spaces will sit alongside Hainan's homage to the Long Bar at Raffles Singapore, in tribute to the Hainanese bartender who created the Singapore Sling.

Clearwater Bay is a 500 square-kilometre development that encompasses the Raffles resort, two championship golf courses designed by US-based Schmidt-Curley Design located directly adjacent to Raffles, private residences, luxury retail, a cinema complex, yacht clubs and a 780-berth marina for sailing and water sports. Boasting 12 kilometres of beautiful coastline, Clearwater Bay is regarded as one of only three "singing beaches" in the world.

Raffles Hotels & Resorts' connection to art continues in Hainan as Raffles Hainan showcases over 1,000 works of art throughout the resort. Curated by Willow Gallery from Hong Kong, these include specially commissioned works from contemporary Chinese artists, sculptures, tribal ornaments and even multimedia art. Meetings and events space include seven multifunctional rooms, with beachfront pavilion that comes with a breathtaking sea views or the ballroom, for formal occasions.

"Raffles Hainan will be one of the most prestigious addresses on China's popular holiday island as the first luxury opening on Clearwater Bay, the only resort adjoining championship golf courses and with Sanya's largest guestrooms, all with sea-view balconies.  With the addition of Raffles' signature warm and graceful service embodied by the Raffles Butlers, we are setting a new luxury benchmark on the island," said Herbert Laubichler-Pichler, general manager, Raffles Hainan.

"Drawing on the timeless quality of the flagship Raffles Singapore, Raffles Hainan continues our commitment to bringing 125 years of heritage and experience in bespoke luxury service to our strategic expansion," added Peter French, president, Raffles Hotels & Resorts.

Source: TravelWeekly