The Ship Guesthouse Inn

The air conditioning wasn't as cool as it should have been, but the hygiene was good. Overall, I'd still recommend it.

Semporna sounds beautiful, but that's mostly true for its waters. Hotels on land are generally quite average. This hotel, however, offers great value for money. The rooms are simple, and while it's a bit of a distance from the pier, it's very quiet, clean, and hygienic.

The hotel has a great location; it's less than a 10-minute taxi ride to the town and the pier, sometimes as fast as 5 minutes. It's very close to the Yongda Hotel, where there's a 7-Eleven, the popular DOJO restaurant, and fruit smoothies. There are also many local restaurants nearby, so you won't be short of food options. There's also a popular instant noodle shop for photos. And unlike in town, there's no fishy smell because it's about 1 kilometer from the sea. There are a few stray dogs, but they don't bite.

I booked this last minute, and overall I was satisfied. The receptionist was very friendly, and the hotel was clean enough for Semporna. The only downside was that it coincided with the Flower Boat Festival, and for two consecutive nights, the singing and motorcycle noise outside was extremely loud and continued very late, which was unbearable.

Towels and bath towels weren't provided in the room; you had to ask the front desk for them. There was an electrical outlet on the wall next to the bed, but boiling water was inconvenient. The only slightly better thing was that it was far from the road, so it was quieter at night.