Opened in January 2012, the MGM Grand Sanya isn't shy about its luxury pedigree: a gargantuan rendering of the iconic gold lion and a fleet of Ferraris parked out front is testament to that. It also received the all-important celebrity stamp of approval with Hong Kong heartthrob Jordan Chan's recent visit.

Set on the pristine sweep of Yalong Bay, the 675-room resort boasts the same powdery white sands and clear waters of neighbours the St Regis, the Sheraton and the Hilton, but, they claim, comparisons end there. Unlike the 'luxury dormitory' approach of the other resorts (read: a nice room and not much else), the raft of dining and entertainment options on offer – twelve eateries and bars, an underground Euro-style nightclub (the VIP room comes complete with two-way mirror) and a clutch of private karaoke booths – means there's little need to set foot outside the resort.

However, the gaming giant's first foray into mainland China comes with one glaring omission – there's no casino. Instead, expect Vegas-style, crowd-pleasing entertainment, with a resident beachside 'bubbleologist', magicians flipping cards at the dinner table and, until the end of this month, the Nuits Blanches Asia Circus, a troupe of acrobats who pop up in various different guises throughout the day, from waitstaff on stilts precariously pouring morning coffee to classic Cirque du Soleil tumblers, glow-in-the-dark body-popping club dancers and even (in a surreal twist) a jet ski-riding Dalmatian.

Service in general is second-to-none, with nice touches such as perfumed iced towels and leis placed round your neck on arrival; and what the resort claims are a few firsts on Yalong Bay, such as four flavours of shisha in the floating-effect lobby bar, and a chocolate fountain permanently drizzling delectable molten streams in the window of the Atelier de Joël Robuchon concession.

If poolside posing is your thing, you'll be spoilt for choice – in addition to the four interconnecting pools leading from the lobby down to the beach entrance, there's Wet Republic, a Jersey Shore-esque space with mirrored lounging cubby-holes and 250-inch poolside LED screens, which hosts fortnightly parties and bikini-clad lovelies Zumba-ing it down the catwalk.

For the stupendously wealthy, you can stave off any cabin fever by hiring a sailboat from the nearby Yalong Bay Yacht Club – a snip at 18,000RMB/hour. Mere mortals can get cheaper thrills at the massive CDF duty-free shopping centre in downtown Sanya (albeit in a rather annoying process that involves paying in store then picking up your loot at the airport).

Room-wise, the corner suites are attractive; upper floor suites boast huge balconies with jaw-dropping views of the bay, while their ground floor counterparts lead onto a series of private pools. Standard rooms, with floor-to-ceiling views of the gardens, mountains or golf course start from 1,150RMB/night, including breakfast, but until the end of this month you can also try out their summer family package from 1,688RMB/night, which includes breakfast, airport transfers and family-friendly activities such as chocolate-making, cooking and even DJ classes.