The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort

Half a world away from its Beaux Arts forebear, on a white stretch of beach where Yalong Bay National Resort’s verdant mangroves meet the South China Sea, this St. Regis property satisfies the typical East Asian resort hallmarks: isolation, opulence, and the kind of fawning, maximalist service that many C-suite travelers have come to expect. It’s the type of immersive, cloistered retreat where you needn’t leave the premises for any reason whatsoever. Here on Hainan Island, the southern tip of China’s southernmost province, is a sanctuary purpose-built for the business elite.

Case in point: St. Regis Sanya makes a point of offering the region’s only sail-in and sail-out services for luxury yachters, no doubt a major privilege given the world-class marina just next door. Come to think of it, just about every aspect of the stay centers around waterfront appeal — a full suite of water sports, massages on the beach, speedboat and jet-ski excursions, private pools surrounded by manicured tropical flora, and of course a bevy of al fresco dining options. The rooms take full advantage of the visual smorgasbord, pairing floor-to-ceiling views of the bay and/or jungle-clad hills with furnished private balconies. Wisely, they’ve opted to emphasize glass and polished marble to retain an airy, light-drenched feel in the interiors. Everything comes in smooth, calculated curves offset by plenty of negative space. It’s resolutely unchallenging and well-suited to a daily siesta.

Of course, textbook luxury abounds; look just about anywhere and you’ll find chenille furniture, sumptuous area rugs, mahogany highlights, and oodles of track lighting. Bathrooms in particular go all-out with in-mirror TVs, double vanities, deep-soak tubs, rainforest showers, and Remède bath products. A tasteful blend of technology and aristocracy rounds out the experience: each room boasts flatscreens, an iPod dock, and a built-in sound system, but you’ll also encounter a butler service window, complimentary shoeshines, and in-room flower arrangements.

Really, it would be hard not to lapse into a soothed, frictionless haze after just a few hours here. Everything from the persimmon-and-eggshell palette to the high, coffered ceilings to the gardened courtyard with attached spa facilities bespeaks a breezy, island M.O. Take in the champagne-sabering ritual and live jazz at the Drawing Room, go for a poolside cocktail (hell, go for three), stroll through the banyan groves, and don’t feel bad about unadulterated indulgence. You can afford to be this carefree.