Romantic Hotels in Sabah, Malaysia

"🌴 Huge thanks to Darren at the front desk for giving us the best ocean-view room! Although we didn't get to see a spectacular sunset this time, enjoying a couple of drinks at the sunset bar was pure bliss. As we were leaving, the sushi chef even gave us a complimentary sushi platter, calling us his ”good friends.” That moment was truly touching, especially since I was feeling a bit disappointed about missing the perfect sunset. The hotel was packed during this holiday, and breakfast was a bit crowded, but every staff member was working incredibly hard. I even saw the sushi chef busy in the restaurant during breakfast. I'm so sorry I can't recall the chef's name (he's the one in photo 2!) 🥲 but I was incredibly happy 🥳 and super satisfied with The Magellan Sutera Resort!"

"Overall, the room was satisfactory. Even though it faced the road, it had soundproof windows, so it was very quiet, and I didn't find it noisy at night. However, the hotel doesn't have a self-service laundry room. I stayed for seven consecutive nights and had nowhere to wash my clothes, so I had to handwash them in the room's bathroom. The long-haired male staff member at the front desk in the evening had a terrible attitude. He wouldn't answer calls to the front desk. When I went down in person, I found him hiding in the office playing video games, and he looked very unhappy because I interrupted his game. His attitude was truly awful; the hotel should fire an employee like that. The hotel doesn't offer breakfast, and there are no places to eat nearby. The only place to get breakfast requires crossing a fast-paced road with no traffic lights or crosswalks, where cars drive incredibly fast, which is really dangerous. Otherwise, you have to take a taxi to Gaya Street to find food. The hotel's surroundings are quite remote, with no dining options or places to explore, so getting around entirely depends on taxis."

"Many of the positive reviews for this place are likely influenced by the free coconut water offered for writing a review upon check-out. Without any incentives, I'll honestly share my experience. 1. **Pros:** The water quality around Mantanani Island is excellent, and the snorkeling and diving offer stunning views. The staff are friendly, and the island scenery is definitely worth experiencing. 2. **Cons:** The island is swarming with tour groups, and there's a constant stream of elderly people and children, so it's not ideal if you're looking for a peaceful atmosphere. We stayed for three nights, paying over 4,000, and were assigned room 27, which was right next to the staff dormitory. The facilities in the room were very old. Additionally, the adjacent room housed different tour guides every day, and we couldn't see the sea at all from our room. For independent travelers paying this price, getting a room like this is truly unsatisfactory."

"The hotel's central location was fantastic for getting to shopping malls, the port, and the airport. As it was a suite, they replenished the bottled water daily—I think it was 6 bottles—which was great as I didn't need to buy any. The bathtub was perfect for unwinding after a day of travel, and the staff's response was excellent. When the air conditioner broke down late at night, they arrived within 5 minutes of my call and fixed it right away. The only downside was the breakfast; it wasn't great (even the lounge breakfast felt like a scaled-down version of the regular one, with not much to eat), so I skipped it a few times."

"Many people visit Kota Kinabalu just for its legendary sunsets, rumored to be among the top three in the world 🌇. That's why we chose to stay at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru. The hotel boasts its own private beach, so you don't have to jostle with crowds at the public Tanjung Aru beach. The Sunset Bar, the lawn, and the beachfront boardwalk all offer incredible vantage points for the sunset. Although there was haze when we visited, we were lucky enough to catch a decent sunset that day 🌇 – a delicate pink and purple hue, perfect for photos. To be honest, the hotel 🏨 grounds are massive, to the point where it's easy to get lost. After checking in, we couldn't find our room initially and had to ask staff to escort us. Even checking out, we almost couldn't find the front desk. However, the hotel offers a plethora of activities, and we simply didn't have enough time to explore everything. If you're booking, I recommend getting a ground-floor sea view room. You can walk straight from your balcony to the beach, saving you a long detour. Guests get priority for sunset viewing spots at the bar, with three price tiers. I think even if you book the cheapest option, you can still take photos in the more expensive sofa areas – no big deal. We booked the 198MB per person high-top seats, and the sunset photos turned out amazing. The hotel even provides beach flip-flops, which is a thoughtful touch. However, when I called the front desk later that evening to request another pair, they sent a different type of standard hotel slipper. The person who delivered them seemed to be a local, and communication was a bit difficult. When I explained I wanted the other type, he seemed annoyed or something, and told me they only provide them once and don't restock those specific flip-flops. Is that really a rule? I think it's just laziness; that staff member was unhelpful 🙅‍♀️. On a positive note, I have to commend the bar staff. They're super engaging, posing with a🫰 hand gesture in photos and even showing off a cool trick, balancing a bottle on their elbow – absolutely brilliant. Another special shout-out goes to the young man at the coconut 🥥 stall by the beach. He's genuinely handsome and kind, with a great personality. It was incredibly hot on the beach that day, so we went to buy a coconut drink. While chatting, he asked how many days we were staying, and I mentioned I was leaving that very day. When it was time to pay, he refused to take my money, saying it was on him since it was my last day. I was so touched by his generosity. The hotel breakfast is incredibly rich and delicious, with something for everyone. I would definitely book here again next time. Everything was wonderful. I imagine many people also have lawn weddings here – it must be so romantic. If you're going diving at Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, it's very close to this hotel too."

"Very aesthetic looking hotel and tip top services from the hotel. The room were spacious and, the beddings are comfortable. They even provide coffee machine and drip coffee for each room. Location wise also very strategic, around 10min to the airport (I can see airplane flying closeup), and about 15min to famous attractions like Gaya Street etc. The only downside I would say is the breakfast option, they do not serve full buffet like normal hotels. For Rm48, the food choices and quality have to look into."

"For our Mid-Autumn family trip to Kota Kinabalu, we stayed at the Hyatt Regency Kinabalu. Over a month in advance, I emailed the hotel requesting that our three rooms be on the same floor for convenience, as it was a family trip. I even received a confirmation email from the hotel. Upon arrival that morning, we checked in, only to be told one room was on a different floor. Tired and sleepy, we had to 'battle' it out. After much discussion, staff member A said they could arrange for all rooms to be on the same floor, so we went out since it wasn't check-in time yet. In the afternoon, we went to check in and encountered staff member B, who told us one room was still on a different floor and claimed that staff member A had said in the morning that it couldn't be coordinated. I beg your pardon? All four of us clearly heard the confirmation... We continued to press our case, and the final solution was that they would arrange for us to be on the same floor the next day and provide a complimentary happy hour at the executive lounge for one day. With no other options, we had to compromise. At that time, we also had staff member B pre-book the complimentary happy hour, and she said we just needed to go to the front desk that day, and a hotel staff member would take us to the 13th floor. We repeatedly confirmed that no other voucher was needed. On the agreed-upon evening, we went to the front desk and spoke to staff member C, who then told us they couldn't find our reservation record. We had to explain the whole situation again. Staff member C then contacted staff member B from that day, who confirmed the details. This whole process took another half hour... In summary, it feels like the Hyatt Regency Kinabalu's management is very disorganized, and their solutions are inconsistent. My advice, if you encounter a similar situation or have an important discussion, is: 1) Remember the staff member's name tag. 2) It's best to record the conversation on the spot. Despite being advertised as a Chinese-friendly hotel, we didn't encounter any staff members who spoke good Chinese. If your English isn't good, you wouldn't be able to properly assert your rights. Of course, there are positives: the sea view rooms indeed offer a fantastic view; there's an outdoor pool; breakfast is decent (if you don't have very high expectations, it's pretty good); and the bellhops in the lobby are relatively enthusiastic."

"I booked 2 rooms for Studio 1 Queen Bed for my family - Provided cutlery, pan, few instant drinks , rice cooker etc. (based on picture) - I forgot to take a picture in the bathroom, but we loved it. :3 - Shout out to their customer service, friendly, helpful and responsive ! 👍🏻 - This place is conveniently located near popular hotspots like Centre Point and Imago, making it easy to shop, eat, and explore the area. Overall, a really pleasant stay! ⭐️ Maybe another day, we'll book this place again :)"

"The location is excellent, right in the city center. It's very convenient to walk across to Suria Sabah for dining and shopping. However, the sea view is a bit far from the hotel, especially since there's a new building under construction in front, which will obstruct the view. If you're looking for value for money, there's no need to book a sea view room; a mountain view room would be perfectly fine. The room itself is very new, and the design feels quite modern. I particularly loved the two armchairs placed in front of the bed. The front desk offers Chinese service, but not all staff members speak it. The swimming pool is located directly above the breakfast restaurant and offers a much wider view than the rooms. I highly recommend the tuna sandwich for breakfast!!"

"The Pacific Sutera Hotel has a huge number of guest rooms. The common areas, with their beach and swimming pool, offer a fantastic environment. Overall, the cleanliness is quite good, and the rooms are very spacious. All the staff are locals, so you need to speak English. Every time I requested room service, I had to call the front desk twice. The service was a bit lacking."