5-Star Hotels in Sabah, Malaysia

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.

The water in the hotel's area is heavily polluted; it's so dirty that snorkeling is completely out of the question! The front desk staff were very perfunctory with guest requests and didn't follow through on promises. In the morning, we requested a private boat tour for island hopping and snorkeling. We discussed the time and itinerary with the dive center staff and finalized the price with the front desk. We even altered our subsequent travel plans for this. However, by 4 PM, we still hadn't received confirmation. When we called the front desk, they told us they couldn't arrange it. We asked several people, and got different explanations: first they said there were no boats, then that other guests had already been arranged for island hopping, and then that there would be a storm the next day (which turned out to be perfectly calm). I suggest the hotel improve its island hopping service. For those looking to dive, definitely don't consider this hotel! Also, the beach is incredibly tiny, barely palm-sized!

Back again after a year and honestly, it felt like coming home to a little slice of paradise. I didn’t realize I missed this much. From the moment we arrived, everything just clicked. Huge shoutout to Hurin, Ying, Alam, and Jenny for remembering me (still impressed!) and for the kind of welcome that makes you feel like more than just a guest. Every greeting came with warm smiles and genuine conversations, it’s those little moments that stay with you. Rachel also deserves a special mention for her attentiveness and thoughtful assistance throughout our stay. And that photo frame? Such a heartfelt touch, we’re definitely keeping that forever. What I love most about this place is the peacefulness. It’s the kind of quiet that lets you actually breathe, slow down, and just be. And the farewell at the dock still touches my heart, somehow making goodbye the hardest part every single time. If there’s one small note for management, it would be to consider upgrading the shower amenities and toiletries to something more premium to better match the overall experience and pricing. That said, it doesn’t take away from how special this place is to me. Already looking forward to my next visit. See you again soon.

The room is spacious with a nice view of the ocean and sunset, though we missed a better sunset due to the weather. Breakfast was sufficient, but dinner was a bit mediocre; if you are out and about, you might want to eat before heading back. The Ocean Wing is relatively quiet, though quite far from the beach. You might have more fun lounging in the room's balcony pool or the main resort pool. The hotel is quite far from the city center. If you need to go to town, traffic is terrible on weekday mornings and evenings, taking about 1.5 to 2 hours. The only perk is that heading to Kawa saves a huge chunk of travel time—leaving around 2 PM and getting back a bit past 8 PM. Highly recommend visiting Kawa to see the fireflies, and the small group tours on Trip.com are quite good. Overall, it's a great hotel for just kicking back and doing nothing.

Will come back :) Babe sea turtle 🐳🐳🐳All the staff were nice ,and the front r perfect for snowkeling tons of fish and colorful coral .Wifi is fine YouTube and Netflix in room . Feed you 4 meals a day ,Very chill place to relax and clean Well maintained ，Vending machine has beers ,snacks,instant noodles all are cheap price.We did the scuba diving and will do fiahing next time. 有空會再來！10月10日後我們剛好避開很多團體，來的時候沒人非常棒，水下資源有夠美生態豐富多魚多珊瑚有傑克魚海狼海龜，員工們都非常友好，我們三個人被20個人服務覺得很棒！

The hotel is in a very convenient location—dining and shopping options are all within a few minutes' walk. The front desk service was excellent; a special shout-out to the lovely lady whose name starts with JA, thank you so much! We were very pleased with the floor assigned to us, and the housekeeping was spotless. The swimming pool is on the ground floor with a dedicated toddler area, and our child had a blast. Hyatt Regency Kinabalu is a trusted, classic brand that truly lives up to its reputation.

The room was lovely, with a beautiful view from the balcony. However, cleanliness could be improved, as I found some dust and a few hairs on the side of the cabinet where the glasses and complimentary drinks were placed, as well as a few hairs on the bed. Apart from that, I really enjoyed my stay. The bathroom was nice and well-equipped with toiletries, including shampoo, conditioner, and lotion. The bed was incredibly comfortable, and I slept like a baby! The breakfast buffet was also very good. I would also like to give a special mention to the front desk staff. The receptionists were so friendly, kind, and helpful. They even kindly allowed us to check out late without any extra charges. Unfortunately, I forgot to get the name of the lovely receptionist who assisted us, but I truly appreciate her kindness! The housekeeping staff were equally friendly and helpful, which made our stay even more pleasant. Overall, despite the minor cleanliness issues, we had a wonderful stay thanks to the comfortable room, beautiful views, good breakfast, and especially the warm hospitality of the staff. Definitely looking forward to staying here again!

Everything was perfect. Every staff member at the resort was incredibly welcoming and helpful, even the maintenance workers I passed on the paths greeted me warmly. The food in the restaurant was delicious, and breakfast was absolutely perfect – I couldn't find a single fault. The resort doesn't cut back on service or close facilities just because there are fewer guests, which is great. It was a perfect getaway, and I will definitely be returning.

I chose this hotel mainly because their twin rooms have two 1.5-meter large beds, which is very family-friendly. Being built in 2018, the hotel isn't too old, and the facilities are better than I expected. The bathroom is also quite spacious. The views are great; facing west, you can watch stunning sunsets, and facing east, you get sea views. The hotel doesn't have a kids' club, but the pool is decent, and the infinity pool directly overlooks the sea, perfect for catching the sunset. The location is also quite convenient. The service was okay. Overall, it was a good stay.

Great facilities ruined by the worst service. 1. On my first day, I asked the front desk about a late check-out and was told I needed to request it a day in advance. When the time came, I went straight to the front desk, and they flatly told me a late check-out wasn't possible. When I clarified that I was asking for the *next* day, the front desk said they needed to check and make me wait, only to come back and say no again. Being bounced around like this three times in a row felt like being played with. If the hotel doesn't offer this service, they should just state that upfront instead of making guests ask repeatedly. 2. The hotel Wi-Fi is abysmal. I had to enter my username and password every single time I left and returned to the room—at least 10 times over the past 2 days. On the night of October 29th, the internet was down for over 2 hours, and when I called the front desk, there wasn't even an apology. When I brought up the Wi-Fi issue at the front desk on the morning of the 30th, they just brushed it off, saying they were upgrading their network service and nothing could be done about it. 3. The front desk staff are unprofessional. When asking about check-out and the internet issue at different times, I was asked for my room number twice. I had clearly given them my room number just half a minute prior, only to be asked for it again. It gives off a very unprofessional and careless impression. On the positive side: The pool and gym are quite nice, and the breakfast has a great variety. To reiterate, the service is a complete mismatch for the hotel's hardware.