Beach Hotels in Sabah, Malaysia

"I initially thought a 300 RMB hotel might be old and run-down. When I entered the lobby late at night, it was pitch black, but upon entering the room, I saw it had been nicely renovated. You could tell the faucets and bathroom door were older, but the room was well-maintained and very clean, comparable to a Hanting (All Seasons) hotel. The breakfast restaurant also serves as a lunch buffet. It's quite spacious, has a noodle bar, and offers a good variety of dishes, though it was a bit short on salad vegetables. Remember to go early; by 9:30 AM, not much was left. Most countries outside of China advocate for saving food. Kota Kinabalu city center is very small. Turn left when you leave the hotel and you'll find Holiday Inn, with Hilton and Sheraton across the street. The Welcome Seafood Restaurant street is behind the Hilton, and it seems like the Hyatt Centric (KK) is below the Sheraton. Convenience stores and KFC are just a few steps away, making the location very convenient."

"The hotel's location is excellent, with a shopping mall right downstairs. It's less than a ten-minute walk to Suria Sabah and Gaya Street, and only about a ten-minute walk to the Jesselton Point ferry terminal. Dining, shopping, and getting a taxi are all very convenient. The pool water is very clean. The room has all the necessary facilities, but the cleanliness wasn't great; there was dust on the nightstand. Also, toiletries weren't replenished in a timely manner. I stayed for three days and after using the bathrobe after swimming, it was never replaced. By the last day, I had no bathrobe to use. Same with the towels, but since I brought my own, I didn't bother calling housekeeping."

"It's a little out of town but I chose it for the close proximity to the beach and swimming ,which is about a 10min walk from the hotel. There are street food and drinks stalls available from about 3pm . Tanjung Aru beach is beautiful, uncrowded and the beach shelves away gently making it a safe swimming area. However, the beach had rubbish washed up and maintenance isn't a priority I guess. I swam everyday and didn't get sick ,that's a bonus. The room ( the whole place)was tired looking, it could do with a lick of paint and maintenance. Room was clean when I got there but I strongly doubt it was cleaned in the entire time I was there for five days. Often had to ask for toilet paper , shampoo and shower gel , and coffee sachets etc ,basics to be stocked whenever housekeeping does their cleaning. Air con worked for me although the settings couldn't be altered ! The bed springs creak and you feel the springs when you sit on the bed but I slept ok only because I was usually exhausted from the day's activities . The beds and mattresses definitely need renewing though. The fridge was mouldy and smelly , what a blooming shame : / The safe was broken - hallelujah! I kept my room door locked at all times only because Reception staff hardly looked up to see who comes and goes- they sit very low,almost out of view at their front desk. I wasn't convinced about their perception of safety especially as I'm a solo female traveller and I need to be alert and take great caution. Casuarina Hotel are you taking note? Reception is helpful but that depends who is present. Lifts work fine without too much of a wait. The cafe on ground level serves an American breakfast but I couldn't tell you whether that's worth your while. It looked like Mary Celeste everytime I peeped in there so wasn't convinced about getting fed or a service. Therefore, I had fruit and snacks as standby .. There's a lovely restaurant a few yards from the hotel called the Yolo Seafood Restaurant which tends to open from 11.30am- delicious and inexpensive with friendly staff. Grab taxi fare to city centre varies from MYR 7- 25 Ringgit ,the higher tariff if returning during commuter rush hours from city centre which is a 15- 25 min ride . Would I stay here again ? I would actually knowing all its idiosyncrasis compared to so many awful or simplly mediocre accommodation charging an arm and a leg , I think Casuarina is just ok . Value for money? I don't think so ."

"The place is beautiful. The ocean and the beach are amazing. The hotel is seafront, a few steps and you’re swimming in the ocean. The rooms needs a lot of maintenance and deep cleaning, our room had many things need to be repair so, they gave us upgrade to a huge wood villa with 2 floors. The restaurant is ok… but no delicious. Breakfast is not so good but they prepare eggs as you like. The hotel needs dee cleaning and a lot of maintenance. They have places looks like abandoned."

"Hygiene: There were two cockroaches, one large and one small, dead right by the entrance. The room itself was okay, quite clean. Environment: The surrounding area feels quite rural. There are places to eat, but the food is mediocre. The 'Sunset' restaurant is expensive, and '12 Dining' is even pricier. Service: Basically no service. Once you've checked in, you're on your own. Facilities: Simple apartment setup, sufficient for basic needs. The main reason I booked this hotel was for the kitchen, as I wanted to make a seafood hotpot. However, there's nowhere nearby to buy groceries. So, I had the tools but no ingredients. Tanjung Beach is very close, about a 10-minute walk. You can just cut through the 'Sunset' restaurant next to the hotel. However, the beach was really dirty, with yellowish water, and full of discarded shorts, dolls, and all sorts of things. My daughter had an allergic reaction after spending some time there. Didn't get to see the sunset. Eventually, I saw the afterglow of the sunset from the hotel's outdoor swimming pool, and also watched planes taking off and landing. Overall, this hotel is more suitable for large families. Transportation isn't convenient; you'll rely on GRAB to get around, which is very easy here – almost no waiting time."

"Excellent apartment for a vacation. The apartment has everything you need for a comfortable stay. The location is very convenient: right opposite is the port, where boats depart for the islands. There are many cafes, shops, a laundry, and convenient parking nearby. We especially loved the magnificent infinity pool with beautiful views, as well as the children's playground within the complex. The only drawback was a persistent smell of cigarette smoke in the apartment. Unfortunately, it didn't air out even after a week-long stay. It would be great if the owners paid more attention to enforcing the no-smoking policy indoors. Otherwise, everything was great, and we were very happy with our choice."

"This place is truly amazing! All my fellow Chinese travelers, come stay here! The owner is Chinese, so communication was a breeze. Our flight landed late at night, and it wasn't safe to take a taxi outside, so the owner even arranged a pick-up from the airport for us. The hotel just opened recently, and the overall decor is incredibly cozy and beautiful. The rooms are spotless, with no dust in the corners or bathrooms – it was a very comfortable stay. Most importantly, the owner is incredibly, incredibly, incredibly kind and generous; they even gave us fruit to eat. When we wanted to buy food at night, the owner helped us out, not wanting my friend and I to encounter any trouble, and they didn't mind the hassle at all. Every day, they'd proactively ask us where we were going and how our day was, patiently recommending and helping us find tours when we wanted to book an island day trip."

"This hotel is the only one on Manukan Island, and its service is exceptionally well-established. You won't have to worry about food, accommodation, or transportation. Transfers are complimentary via the hotel's boat service, just confirm in advance via email. Personally, I think the hillside villas are better. They're larger, offer a superior view, and you can sit at the base of the hill or on your villa balcony with an expansive view and a comfortable sea breeze that keeps you from feeling hot. Plus, directly in front of the hillside villas' base is the hotel's swimming and snorkeling area, which is uncrowded and has relatively clearer water. The hotel's food is also excellent. Breakfast is abundant, and lunch and dinner are very flavorful. My only slight disappointment, haha, was not having the Laksa I was craving. ***Definitely bring insect repellent! I ended up with 20 big bites!***"

"The location is excellent, just a short walk to popular eateries like Shuang Tian, Da Jia Lai, and Tian Xia Ke. I usually don't book breakfast when I reserve a hotel, but I saw a special deal this time and many people raved about the variety, so I decided to try it. There was indeed a good selection, and I especially enjoyed the hot noodles from the noodle station. Oh, one thing I wasn't happy with was the elevator's scent – it was way too strong. I had to hold my breath every time I went in. Could you perhaps choose a more subtle fragrance?"