Come September 2013, Raffles Hotels & Resorts opens its second property in China, achieving a new milestone as it expands its collection to ten hotels with the opening of Raffles Hainan.
The luxury resort is located at Clearwater Bay, the new hotspot on the southeast coast of Hainan Island – China’s answer to the French Riviera and a rising star in the luxury tourism market.
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 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.
Artisan wood furnishings, colourful fabrics and artworks pay homage to the traditional hill tribes in Hainan, and bring a sense of place to the interiors.
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.
Herbert Laubichler-Pichler, general manager of Raffles Hainan said: “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.