Pearl Island Resort

This hotel is located inside a national park, offering an exceptional natural environment that's absolutely stunning. There are lots of turtles and various fish, making it perfect for snorkeling. The food, however, was just average in terms of variety and taste.

Exceeded expectations, the scenery is comparable to the Maldives! From our overwater bungalow, we could see schools of fish and even turtles. Snorkeling directly from the hotel was also super convenient. This is one of the best hotels in Semporna, and I'll definitely be back.

Absolutely beautiful, service was 100%. The food was okay, but everything else was perfect.

This is by far the worst five-star hotel I've ever stayed in. The service simply doesn't match the price. This fairy island has multiple embarkation piers, but the hotel failed to notify us in advance which pier to use for Pearl Island. We contacted Ctrip customer service, but they gave us the wrong pier name. Luckily, we arrived at the pier 40 minutes early. Luckily, we didn't just wait until 12:30 as the pier vendors told us. Luckily, when we contacted Ctrip, someone mentioned that we needed to register at the pier. We asked over 10 people, and everyone gave us conflicting directions. Finally, a local told us the correct pier name and offered to drive us there for 50 yuan. Luckily, we made it in the last few minutes (otherwise there's only one boat per day, imagine the urgency!). Upon reaching our room, we found it had two air conditioners, but the temperature just wouldn't go down. The bathroom floor and ceiling were hollow, so we had to keep the thick curtains completely drawn all day, blocking the view outside, making it feel like a sauna. The room also 'coexisted with nature' – there were mosquitoes 🦟, cockroaches 🪳, ants 🐜, and geckos 🦎… To go hiking, you need to book a day in advance and are required to pay at the front desk at 7:30 AM the next day. We went at 7:30 AM sharp, but the front desk wasn't open yet. After waiting a while, someone arrived, we paid, and returned to our room. Immediately, the phone rang – the trip was canceled because it was a holiday. We had to go back to the front desk for a refund, which could only be given in cash. The whole process was incredibly bizarre and showed no consideration for customer convenience or experience. The hotel has no swimming pool and no entertainment. The breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets are predominantly fried food. All drinks are locked up. For such an expensive room rate, they are extremely stingy. An elderly woman who came to the island on the same boat didn't speak English. Seeing snacks on the buffet, she thought they were free (the hotel's own setup was unreasonable) and took some. A staff member loudly reprimanded her, shouting 'money money pay,' and even swore at her. The front desk service isn't 24-hour. The golf carts also have operating hours. The day before check-out, no one contacted us in advance. In the morning, we had to drag our luggage to the pier ourselves. The life jackets on the boat were dirty and had missing buttons… There are too many things to complain about. The day we left, I finally felt a sense of escape. This was my first and last time here.

Round-trip airport transfer (requires advance booking): Very convenient. The airport is tiny, and there's someone waiting to pick you up right outside. The airport to the pier is quite a distance, nearly an hour one way, so make sure to allow plenty of time. Round-trip boat transfer (requires advance booking): Everyone waits at the pier for their respective boats to different islands. Facilities: Good Cleanliness: Good Ambiance: Good Service: Good

I rarely write reviews, but this resort is truly worth every penny. The whole day was rich and wonderful, with perfect meals and free snorkeling. Hiking cost an extra 200, but the service was still excellent, and it was incredibly peaceful. We chased the sun, moon, sea, stars, went up mountains and into the water. The room directly faced the sea, with ample space, and two AC units provided plenty of power. My friend went snorkeling for the first time, and the staff at the hotel's jetty were incredibly patient and responsible. They accompanied her the entire time, reassured her, even caught starfish, and took us to see sea turtles.

The process of finding the pier after booking was a hassle, but the stay itself was great. We saw Nemo during the snorkeling trip, and our snorkeling guide was really enthusiastic and helpful!