Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa is due to soft open later this year, in what has been hailed by tourism officials as the "Hawaii of China".

Located in Yalong Bay on the southernmost tip of Hainan Island and separated from the mainland by a 20-kilometre stretch of South China Sea, the luxury hotel, a 501-room low-rise beachfront resort will be Hilton's first Worldwide Resort in the People's Republic of China and will form an important part of the steadily growing network of seven Hilton hotels in China.

"Sanya has everything the classic holidaymaker wants," says the resort's newly appointed General Manager, Mr Dirk De Cuyper. "Post card perfect views, crunchy white sand, magnificent mountain backdrop and a year-round tropical climate. The opening of an international brand name resort like Hilton is part of the master plan to help put the destination on the world traveller map."

In 2004, 3.7 million tourists visited the island, marking a 20 percent increase over the previous year. De Cuyper's initial strategy is to attract the rising pool of affluent Chinese to the luxurious resort with a long-term view of attracting the Asian and European traveller.

"There are at least 200,000 Chinese millionaires working in cities just a few hours flying time from Hainan. They and others with the propensity for high-end travel will be our initial targets – including families and honeymooners. The resort will also cater for the MICE market including special events, reward and award nights; and we will have a dedicated team looking after the interest of guests who require these facilities."

De Cuyper is confident that with time and Hilton's international sales and marketing network, Sanya will attract visitors from Asia, specifically from Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Korea, as well as holidaymakers from Europe. The aim is to have Sanya compete against Phuket, Bali and other popular holiday spots in Asia.

"The Asian traveller looks at Sanya as an ideal location for a few days beach holiday at the end of a tour around China. But, having done the usual cultural and city tours, Asian travellers are now looking for new destination options in China and we have an enormous opportunity to introduce the country's tropical beaches. Hopefully we can shift the focus from the traveller looking for an alternative destination to the mainstream tourist wanting a one-stop relaxation spot."

Hilton Sanya Resort & Spa will feature a total of 501 guestrooms and villas. It commands prime position on 746 metres of unspoiled beach front at the western end of Yalong Bay, a 30 minute drive from the city of Sanya and the international airport. Based around a low-rise village set in lush tropical gardens, the key feature of the resort is a meandering lagoon that runs the length of the site.

The average room size will be 48.5 square metres, with almost three quarters of the rooms overlooking a wide, crescent-shaped sandy beach and the South China Sea. The remainder have vistas over the surrounding National Park.  Other facilities include a villa-style spa, the largest laguna swimming pool in a  China resort, two tennis courts, Kidz Paradise, and a full recreational and leisure center. The resort also features extensive meeting and banquet facilities and a 1,500 square metre function room. 

Hilton International has teamed up with one of China's foremost developers, China Jin Mao Group Co., who are behind China's tallest building, the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai. Wimberley Allison Tong & Goo (WATG) have been appointed the architects. WATG are renowned for the stunning Conrad Bali Resort & Spa which opened in March 2004.

Hainan is served by two airports offering flights to more than 50 destinations. It is linked to the mainland by the recently opened Guangdong-Hainan railway and 13 deep-water berths for passenger and cargo transport. The island offers a range of leisure activities including fishing, diving and golf.