Beach Hotels in Sabah, Malaysia

The front desk service was good, and they offered luggage storage. The environment was nice, it had a bathtub, and it was relatively clean. However, the air conditioning was broken. I called the front desk, but the landline volume was so low and garbled I could barely hear them. After a long conversation, they said the AC unit was broken and I requested a room change. They said a room change wouldn't fix the AC either. They called a maintenance person who then said it would take an hour to fix. We had already checked in at 10:30 PM, so the hotel's attitude was basically, either you wait for me to fix it before you sleep, or don't bother fixing it at all... Also, I must emphasize that this hotel requires a 100 MYR deposit!!! We had an early morning flight out of Kota Kinabalu the next day and didn't have enough cash on hand. We were forced to go out in the rain at 11 PM to an ATM at the bank across the street. The exchange rate was bad, and the fees were high; we were charged over 12 MYR in fees for 50 MYR, plus the 80-something MYR principal, it was almost 100 RMB. I didn't take pictures of the room. P1: The instant noodles were delicious. P2: Undrinkable.

Our small family decided to have a staycation in few hotel/resort and by far Sutera has won our heart. This place is amazing and i suggest anybody who wants to experience this place to stay more than 1Night. The room is still in its Vintage style , tv only has those old channel , there's one bathtub in the room which we loved specially my son,for the breakfast i do believe they can add more choices as they are more korean dishes focused, it'll be nice to have local kuih (hinompuka/pais pisang) other than kuih pisang only.. But other than that, you actually get free 1hour of bike rental on ur stay which we only know when we ask around, it was located right in front of the kids pool , other than that they do have a small train going around from Magellan to Pacific sutera and its FOC!!! I loved the staff energy the entire time, he asked our son to be in his seat as a driver and even let my son press few button and act like he's driving the train!! god bless your fun soul sir!! keep up the good work!! we will definitely be back again soon🥰❣️

The hotel staff were all polite and enthusiastic. I didn't encounter any issues with discrimination against Chinese guests, no hot water at night, and no deposit was required. You can tell the hotel is a bit old, but it's well-maintained, especially the large private beach where you can snorkel, swim, or leisurely watch the sunset without having to deal with crowds elsewhere. That's a huge plus! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 On the second night, I saw a dying cockroach in the bathroom (its antennae wiggled for a long time). Considering it's a tropical region, it's understandable, and the fact that it was dying suggests the hotel uses pest control. However, housekeeping randomly took guests' personal belongings when cleaning the room. Two plastic bags with items in them were on the TV cabinet, and they were gone when I returned at night. This is the first time I've encountered such a situation in my 10+ years of travel. Although the items weren't valuable, their absence was very inconvenient. Housekeeping shouldn't subjectively assume guests' items are trash and take them away. That was a bit frustrating. Additionally, service efficiency was very low. One evening, I went to the front desk to ask staff to send some bottled water to the room. The front desk staff were very friendly and enthusiastically agreed, but I waited over two hours and nothing arrived. The in-room service phone was either busy or completely silent (maybe just a prop?), so I had no choice but to go down to the lobby again to get water. We checked in around 12 PM, but were told we couldn't get into the room until 3 PM (they informed us politely). The next day, I turned on the 'make up room' light before going out for lunch, but when we returned to the room around 2 PM, it still hadn't been cleaned. In short, everything was slow; it felt like the hotel was understaffed and overwhelmed.

It seems I stayed in a newly renovated room. It was spacious and bright, and the bathroom was also large and very clean with all the necessary toiletries. Since it was off-season, there weren't many people. The downsides were the terrible Wi-Fi – it kept disconnecting and was practically unusable in the room – and there were quite a few bugs; a gecko even crawled into the room.

I had a wonderful stay at Shangri-La (Kota Kinabalu) and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The room was spacious, clean, and thoughtfully prepared. I especially appreciated the complimentary Nespresso coffee setup, which made mornings feel extra relaxing and convenient. The sea-facing balcony was a highlight — offering stunning views of lush greenery, palm trees, and the ocean beyond. It was the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Breakfast was excellent, with a good variety of fresh and well-prepared options. The food was delicious, and the dining area was comfortable and welcoming, making it a pleasant way to start the day. Overall, the hotel combines comfort, beautiful scenery, and attentive details that truly reflect Shangri-La’s standard of hospitality. A great choice for both relaxation and a memorable seaside getaway. I would definitely return and recommend this hotel to others.

We enjoyed the great hospitality from the hotel. Some privileges provided to hotel guests really enhanced the exclusiveness of the stay. Although it’s a public island, it didn’t sacrifice our comfort as hotel guests. Food was good. Portion was big so we ordered few dishes for sharing. I especially enjoyed the breakfast. We get to choose our set meals from the menu and they served the food to the table, unlike buffet breakfast that I have to bring my 2 kids around to choose their food. It was an enjoyable 3 d 2 n trip. We snorkelled at private beach area and we saw giant corals and a lot of fish. We walked across the island, not much things to do but we enjoyed the scenery and relaxing vibe.

The hotel's primary focus on Chinese guests is evident in its services and amenities, which are predominantly in Chinese. This should be clearly stated in the hotel description on the booking websites. The villa itself is well-maintained, spacious, and equipped with everything you need. The beds and linens are of good quality, the toiletries are nice, and the bathroom is modern and clean. The air conditioner is quiet, but the external unit is quite noisy. The exterior and garden are lovely and clean. The breakfast buffet was subpar, with cold food and coffee that required guests to microwave (completely in Chinese) it themselves, which was also a major inconvenience. Yet, the variety and quality of food was good and tasty. The staff seemed indifferent to the lack of coffee and food, and the lady who came to ”check” on us only brought coffee when we asked. Overall, our stay was satisfactory, but this place definitely needs to improve its hospitality and guest service. Given the above this place is too overpriced.

Environment: The scenery on the island is amazing. It was off-season when I went there, so there were few people and the scenery was beautiful. Although the sea was not as clear as those on the distant islands of Mermaid Island, it was still cleaner and comfortable, and it felt like a vacation. Service: The staff were very nice, the person in charge was Chinese, and the communication was very smooth. I especially want to praise the food. The chef was great, and it was much better than the seafood meal I had in Kota Kinabalu city!!! There was a performance after dinner, and the atmosphere was super good. You can also play kayaking on the island, but I didn't play it because the waves were too big that day. Health: The room is simple and clean, and the facilities are relatively average. Overall, it is still worth a visit

The facilities are superb..we had a really good time here..will be back for sure.

Such beautiful memories made here. The place is truly unique, and I loved every moment of my stay. The staff were incredibly friendly, and the food was delicious. Definitely a great choice for anyone traveling with family or someone special. Highly recommended! Hopefully I can stay here again.