I stayed 2 nights at the Hainan Guest House (or "State Guest House of Hainan Province" which is its official name) in March 2011 when visiting the HNA Group.

The hotel is located right across the street from the brand new skyscraper housing the HNA Group headquarters, and adjacent to the Hainan Provincial Assembly. It is managed by HNA Hotels and is a high quality international standard 5-star estanblishment, despite the somewhat misleading name.

Rooms are very modern and spacious, featuring not just free high-speed internet access but also a flat screen computer to access the internet if you don't have a laptop with you. The buffet breakfast is adequate and filling and the other restaurants are also ok - nothing special by any means.

Overall, this is an excellent quality and value property if visiting Haikou.

The disappointments started as soon as we arrived. Friendly enough at check in, but not too competent. There were four of us in own for one night and meetings the next day.

Two of my colleagues were assigned dirty rooms - at 10:30pm. They had to go back downstairs to be re-assigned.

I was given the wonky key card for door opening. Yep, standing in the hallway fuming after a long day traveling. Traipse back to the lift lobby to use the phone; told someone would come to help me. I foolishly assumed they meant the same day. Back to the lifts to call again. Getting as cranky as my syntax here gets choppy. (just reliving the moment makes me bristle).

The same issue bedeviled me the next morning, but there was a maid handy to open my door.

Breakfast was average, certainly not 5-star standard.

We tried to eat tin the hotel at lunchtime, but the "western" restaurant was unimpressive, the Chinese restaurant was closed, and the Hainan cuisine place was WAY too expensive. So, we walked 200 meters to another place.

The hotel looks nice, rooms are large and comfy, the internet worked fine, the folks were nice - even granting us a 2pm checkout. Wireless in the lobby was good. It just isn't up to standard. That standard has to drop a little in these regional towns, but we expected more from one of the "best" hotels in town. I wish I had been the one booking, we would have tried the Hainan Airlines Minguan.