"Location: As soon as we disembarked, someone holding an Alila sign picked us up. The golf cart ride to the hotel took a quick 10 minutes. Anlu, however, is much further, at least 20 minutes away.
Style: Alila has a very design-forward, resort-like feel, with a touch of mystery. It's relatively new, and all the rooms are spacious. The anniversary suite at 2.4K was an excellent deal. We checked in before May Day and checked out just as the holiday began. They even gave us a free upgrade to a sea-view suite on the 6th floor (though it was just a higher floor, the sea view was indeed much more expansive). Personally, I found the tea room fantastic; our whole family enjoyed lying around drinking Gongfu tea, so much so that we didn't even crave coffee. The only minor drawback for kids was the dim lighting, which contributes to the 'mysterious' vibe. On the other hand, I wasn't particularly fond of Anlu's new Chinese style; it felt quite ordinary.
Service: Our butlers, Brian and Colin, proactively contacted us a day in advance. All our requests were promptly addressed and resolved. The hotel staff generally went out of their way to fulfill our needs. The service was extremely satisfying, contrary to some online reviews. The complimentary travel photography package was a nice touch. Initially, I didn't plan on buying any, but I ended up purchasing over a dozen photos, which will look beautiful in an album.
Dining: Since breakfast was at Haiyan, I highly recommend Haitang for dinner. We booked the best sea-view spot in advance and enjoyed Cantonese cuisine of a similar standard to Guangyuxuan on the islet. I recommend eating seafood as it's incredibly fresh on Dong'ao Island. The scallops, eel rice, and crab steamed with minced pork were all excellent. My child even got to shake hands with the chef when we left. The Hyatt's catering is simply outstanding. Breakfast was fantastic, semi-buffet style, with every item being delicious. From the à la carte menu, I loved the cheung fun (even as a Guangzhou native, I found it delicious), French toast, tea eggs, and the steamed spareribs with silver fish rice, which my child adored. The salmon at the buffet was superb (garnished with lemon zest, it was very refreshing), and the bread was excellent (I mostly ate bread, although the tarts could have been crispier). The yogurt wasn't too sweet, and they had fresh squeezed juice. Even the wax apples were incredibly sweet. I never expected such a rich culinary experience on an island. Of course, I also compared it to Anlu's Chinese restaurant. Yes, it was definitely Chinese food and quite good, but not particularly amazing, except for the pepper-baked grouper, which was incredibly fresh and fragrant!
This isn't meant to be a put-down, but Anlu has more of a ceremonial feel. For instance, their evening ritual includes a performance in front of the lobby's scenic view, which feels more ritualistic than Alila's simple drink and a staff member telling a story. However, Alila maintains its mysterious ambiance. I must say, Anlu's toiletries are much better, and they even use Le Labo in their public areas. Alila's own brand shampoo left my hair feeling very dry after one wash. Anlu is also better at marketing, offering things like a toiletries set for checking in and dining vouchers. But I also appreciate the sense of balance Alila maintains.
Island Tour: To cut to the chase, exploring just line 3 is enough. We went on both lines 1 and 3. Line 1 goes uphill towards Anlu, which is quite a distance. The endpoint is essentially the hillside opposite the pier. The sea view is indeed good, but the stops along the way weren't very interesting. Line 3 goes downhill to another hilltop, where you can climb the tower. The sand at Nansha Bay beach is the most beautiful, and my child loved playing in the sand and collecting shells there; I highly recommend it. We didn't go on line 2 because even the people at the pier didn't recommend it.
Overall, Dong'ao Island's hotels are very well-developed. The island itself isn't heavily developed, and there aren't many shops or tourist spots. However, on a clear day, the natural scenery is quite good. Transportation on the island is also very convenient; with my elderly parents and child, we hardly had to wait for a car or walk, as golf carts provide point-to-point service. This 3-day, 2-night island trip was very relaxing, and as a food lover, I wasn't disappointed at all, surprisingly finding some truly delicious restaurants."