January 17, 2017
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company has opened its first golf resort in China at the Ritz-Carlton, Haikou. The golf resort, situated at Mission Hills on Hainan Island, boasts 10 18-hole championship courses.
According to a Ritz-Carlton press release, the 175-room, 16-suite hotel has a 350-acre Blackstone Course that weaves its way around the Mission Hills Golf Club. Built on top of a bedrock of ancient lava from extinct volcanos, the dramatic landscape features rocky outcrops with striking variations of jungle vegetation, expansive lakes and wetlands which can be viewed from every room.
The Ritz-Carlton, Haikou pays homage to the heritage of golf throughout. The architects AECOM, with interior designers HBA Los Angeles, have playfully created a design reminiscent of an elegant golf clubhouse. Guestrooms feature fabrics and patterns inspired by vintage golf elements, ensuring no two spaces are alike. Wall panels and light fixtures incorporate stitching that evokes handmade golf shoes, while antique leathers make references to a vintage golf bag. Tartan flooring remind guests of Scotland, the birthplace of golf.
Stories of holes won or lost can be enjoyed at sunset on the private patio of the hotel’s rooftop Flair Bar which overlooks the golf course. Cocktails feature local fruits, including lychees from the ancient trees that dot the grounds of Mission Hills. A Scottish bagpiper’s lament signals the end the day, or if you prefer, salutes the triumphs of the day, before dinner in Flair’s private dining room which offers a selection of single-malt whiskies and cigars.
Fine dining takes on new meaning in Haikou with the introduction of the elegant Tin Lung Heen Cantonese restaurant which features classic Chinese décor combined with contemporary textures of wood and stone. Diners can enjoy the best of the highly-revered Cantonese cuisine as well as regional delicacies while listening to a master recite classic T’ang Dynasty poetry. The modern rusticity of Terra provides a warm backdrop to an international world-class line-up of chefs preparing authentic dishes from Tuscany to China.
After the hard-fought battles on the fairway, The Ritz-Carlton Spa, with its seven treatment rooms offers a signature Golfer’s Retreat treatment, to sooth away the skirmishes of the day, amongst other rejuvenating and relaxing treatments. The Spa also has a steam room, cool mist showers and indoor vitality pools with jets, as well as a fitness center and swimming pool. Golfers can prepare for the day with Golfer’s Yoga on the lawn.
The luxury golf resort features 11,483 square feet of banquet facilities for conferences and celebrations. Spaces include a 4,429-square-foot Grand Ballroom, two Junior Ballrooms (902 square feet each), seven meeting rooms and one boardroom. With a manicured Fairway Lawn and vast expanses of greenery, the Ritz-Carlton, Haikou wedding specialists can create a memorabe experience to perfection.
The younger guests of the Ritz-Carlton can enjoy their own adventures with the immersive Ritz Kids program designed to build upon their imaginations. A variety of features include the Kids Club, an outdoor playground, a Kids swimming pool, bicycle rental and a Kids Golf Putting Area for golfers-to-be.
Within close proximity to the hotel, Mission Hills Centreville is a premier entertainment and nightlife hub. The design of the Town Center is influenced by design themes from all over the world, boasting an indoor and outdoor commercial shopping complex complete with ponds, bridges, islands and a plaza designed for festival activities.