Beach hotels in Sabah, Malaysia

Extremely satisfied! The lovely lady at the front desk upgraded our room, and her service was fantastic – she even spoke Chinese and answered all our questions. Every time we took a taxi in, they'd check our booking information, which made us feel very safe. The breakfast buffet was also very rich and diverse, and the kids had a great time. The lifeguard at the pool was also very responsible, which gave us peace of mind. The sunset was also beautiful, with few people around, so it wasn't crowded. Highly recommend!

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!

The staff friendliness is just amzing 10/10. Excellent Service.Our room had amazing view of the sea and opposite resort called Gayana. Dinner: Only Buffet option is available and its about RM167/person +taxes. The spread are fairly good and it is delicious. Though they do have 2 more different Restaurant in the island,Japanese and fine dining. Breakfast: Included in the room price. Menu changes daily. I have nothing to complaint about the room,for us its comfortable.All rooms have exactly the dane Designs the only difference is where it is located. You are paying for the view. Activities: For me I think 3 days 2 nights are perfect to spend your time here, swimming by the pool,kayaking,snorkling,Jungle trekking, visiting the private beach. 1 hour complimentary use of snorklinh masks. I like the public guests showers and towel provided.Very convinient. One thing that I would like to comment is the boat fees are relatively very expansive.15 mins speedboat per person one way cost about Rm80+taxes..Just return trip cost RM170++ per person. This is not even including island conservation fees and tourist fees. All this added fees makes the Hotel cost more expansive. Because a boat trip to nearby or same Island cost only Rm40. GAYANA ECO RESORT provided inclusive/complimentary return boat fees. I hope the Management can improve this because we as Guests are going to spend more money on F&B and at the Bar. Last but not least I would like to compliment the service and staffs in thsi Resort I think they did such an amazing job. Overalö the Resort is beautiful andclose to the nature.

The room was simple and clean, and although the decor was a bit old-fashioned, the location was excellent. However, rooms facing the street were indeed quite noisy. It's very close to the pier, directly opposite a large shopping mall, and right next to Gaya Street... super convenient for everything.

The scenery is unbelievably beautiful, every photo is a masterpiece. The hotel is huge and the breakfast is delicious. There's also a free shuttle bus to the airport and city center; check the last picture for the schedule. This is the most recommended hotel in Kota Kinabalu! Super value for money! Highly recommended! It's just a bit far from the city center, but you can take a taxi. The hotel's location is a bit secluded, but it doesn't detract from its beauty.

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 room was quite spacious, and although a bit old, it didn't have any strange odors. The only downsides were the lack of an exhaust fan in the toilet, an old-fashioned hairdryer, and the shower head would inexplicably stop working. The hotel's location is excellent, close to Gaya Street and the seafood market, and the front desk service was quite good. The breakfast variety changed daily, though the staff seemed more attentive to Western guests. The pool is located next to the restaurant on the ground floor.

The room was great, and the staff were exceptionally good. We took a taxi to the hotel and intended to pay with Alipay, but the driver didn't have it set up. We'd been in Kota Kinabalu for four days, and Alipay worked for every other taxi, just not this one. We didn't have enough cash, short by over 10 MYR. Just as we were getting flustered, a staff member named Nancy Huang helped us out by paying the driver directly. We added each other on WeChat, and I offered to transfer the money to her, but her WeChat couldn't receive payments either. She said not to worry about the 10+ MYR. We felt so bad owing her after such a huge favor! Luckily, some fellow Chinese travelers came by and exchanged 20 MYR for us. This was the most heartwarming thing that happened to me in Kota Kinabalu, and I'm very grateful to Nancy. The hotel itself is also excellent, with a huge private beach, and even monitor lizards and monkeys! I'll definitely come back for a longer stay next time.

The resort's overall environment is indeed beautiful, situated right by the coast, perfect for enjoying sunsets, swimming, snorkeling, and cycling. There's also a private pier for island hopping. The scenery is absolutely stunning and great for taking beautiful photos, especially for women. The in-room facilities are quite old, and there's a musty smell inside. However, the exterior environment is excellent, with soft lawns and a variety of entertainment facilities. As for service, for a five-star resort, I'd say it's almost non-existent. There's an internal tour available, but I wouldn't highly recommend it; the value for money is quite low.

A fantastic stay and a perfect resort and team. Only issues are 1) plastic from sea, nothing they can do about it but it affects enjoyment, 2) we had a minor issue with housekeeping not coming and then coming when it was dark and letting a lots of bugs in the room (we had been careful to avoid that). Honestly amazing value and a great time though!