Hotels With Bars in Sabah, Malaysia

Family trip: Booked a pool view room and got upgraded to a sea view room. The room was spacious with plenty of spots to hang wet clothes, which was very convenient after swimming, island hopping, and snorkeling. The hotel has its own pier, making island hopping easy, although it's a bit pricier. If you're traveling with kids and are concerned about primitive facilities on the islands, the hotel's direct round-trip option is quick and convenient. There's a simple water park and a pool where kids can play for a long time. They also provide two buckets of water balloons (5 per bucket) for the water war activity each day, free of charge. The hotel offers a variety of activities as well. We joined the 'Green Tour,' where staff took us to a herb garden to learn about and taste tropical plants, and to the Clownfish Discovery Center to touch starfish and sea cucumbers and feed clownfish. The kids absolutely loved it! Requests for water or other services were also handled very promptly.

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!

This is a pretty good hotel with an excellent location. The facilities are a bit old, but that's understandable for a hotel in this town. If you have the budget, you might consider booking the new Haifeng hotel across the street instead.

Facilities: Given we're on an island, the conditions can't compare to the mainland, which is understandable. The AC was strong, and there was plenty of hot water. Hygiene: Our room type was relatively new, the bedding was comfortable, and the water quality was acceptable. Environment: Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! I've wanted to come here for three years, and it was absolutely worth the trip. During the day, it's turquoise waters and soft white sand, and at night, we saw a blood moon and stars. Service: Although there was a bit of a language barrier, the staff (both male and female) were excellent at understanding our needs! The entire boat transfer process was smooth and seamless. They even helped us switch rooms late at night to fix a circuit breaker issue. Many thanks for your hard work! 🌹 (The restaurant breakfast was also good.) I hope to have the chance to vacation on Mantanani Island again in the future~

📍Shangri-La Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu | A Thorough Review, Pros and Cons Included First, the conclusion: This is a typical 'lie-flat' resort for Westerners. Most Chinese tourists have packed itineraries and busy schedules, so choose this hotel with caution. ❌ Cons (The Honest Truth) 1️⃣ **Remote Location.** It's an hour's drive from Kota Kinabalu city center, and traffic in KK is often bad. This makes island hopping and snorkeling trips inconvenient. 2️⃣ **Beach Not Swimmable.** A red flag was up every day, prohibiting swimming in the sea. If you're looking to swim, you'll be stuck with the pool. Those hoping for ocean swimming will be disappointed. 3️⃣ **No Chinese Service.** Communication relies mainly on English, which isn't ideal for families with young children. 4️⃣ **Service Lapses.** After room cleaning, they forgot to replenish our 3 bottles of drinking water. Every time I ordered online, I requested 'no chili,' but it always arrived with chili, making it impossible for my child to eat (I didn't complain again to the restaurant, just a heads-up for others). 5️⃣ **Inflexible Policy.** The hotel does not allow early check-out with a refund. Any changes to your itinerary will leave you in a difficult position; it's not very accommodating. 6️⃣ **Outdated Facilities.** In my room, two out of three power strips on the desk were broken. Maintenance of hardware is lacking. 7️⃣ **Endless Beach Walk.** The beach is incredibly vast. Walking from the hotel to the actual seashore is a long trek, and doing it under the scorching sun is quite uncomfortable. ✅ Pros (No Ambiguity Here) 1️⃣ **Exclusive Beach + Stunning Sunsets.** Very few people, so no need to Photoshop anyone out of your photos. Watching the sunset on the private beach in the evening, or dining and enjoying activities right by the sea with the vibrant sky as a backdrop, is incredibly relaxing. 2️⃣ **Plenty of Activities, Great for Kids.** There are free shows, and the evening fire torch performance is good. They also have activities like 'Little Bees' (which my child was afraid of, so we didn't go). It's a one-stop shop for a 'lie-flat' vacation. 3️⃣ **Location Depends on Your Plans.** It's close to Mount Kinabalu, making it suitable for hiking and outdoor activities. 🍽️ Dining - The Honest Scoop The hotel's restaurants generally offer good food, but the prices are genuinely expensive. A money-saving tip: Order takeout via Grab and have it delivered to the hotel – it's much more economical. I even managed to get Mixue ice cream delivered, so no problem with milk tea cravings. 💡 Snorkeling Route - Essential Info To Mantanani Island, don't go through Magellan Jetty; that's for people coming from the city. Instead, use Kuala Abai Jetty in the north: it's a 2-hour drive from the city, but only 1 hour from Rasa Ria, and it's less crowded. Staying here makes a trip to Mantanani Island more convenient. 🏁 Summary The inability to swim in the sea from the beach is a major drawback, but if you treat it as a 'sunset viewing spot + family lie-flat base,' it's worth the price. If it's part of your itinerary, plan Mantanani Island and Mount Kinabalu for the same period. Avoid traveling back and forth to the city; the 1-hour drive plus traffic is a real deterrent. Plan carefully!

Room filtered water has an unpleasant odor. Sutera Avenue lack of management maintenance, parking basement is dirty and dark, corridor amd lift also dirty.

The hotel room offers stunning sea views right from the bed. We also witnessed breathtaking skies. Breakfast was excellent, and the service was very warm and friendly. The hotel's location in Kota Kinabalu city center is incredibly convenient. Gaya Street is just a 10-minute walk away. Dining and shopping options are abundant nearby. While the room wasn't huge, the facilities were quite good. Overall, I highly recommend it; it offers great value for money.

Originally, because we landed in Kota Kinabalu past 2 AM on the first day and had to rush to Mantanani Island early the next morning, I just thought of booking any transitional hotel. But wow! This Citadines Waterfront Kota Kinabalu hotel apartment really exceeded all expectations! It was only a little over HKD 500 per night, less than half the price of the Sheraton. It was such an amazing deal, I could cry tears of joy! 😭 ✨ Must-Recommend Highlights 🌅 Amazing Sunset Infinity Pool: The hotel's pool offers an unobstructed sea view! Watching the Sabah sunset from the poolside in the evening, the view is absolutely stunning and easily rivals luxury hotels. It's super photogenic! 📷 🍳 Apartment-Style Rooms, Perfect for Families/Kids: The rooms are standard apartment layouts with separate living rooms and bedrooms, offering plenty of space! The best part is the fully equipped kitchen: a large refrigerator, induction hob, microwave, toaster, kettle, and even a full set of cutlery 🍴! It's incredibly convenient for those traveling with children or elderly parents, whether you need to warm milk, make a simple breakfast, or a late-night snack! 🧺 Well-Equipped & Clean: The bathroom is very clean and well-maintained. The hotel also has a self-service laundry room in the common areas (a huge bonus for those who've just been to the beach or are on a long trip!). 📍 Excellent Location: Right next to the waterfront, it's convenient to get around by taxi or walk to nearby restaurants, shops, and attractions. It's perfect whether you're just passing through or using it as a base for an in-depth exploration. 💡 Summary & Recommendation If you're on a budget, or traveling with family and kids and need a kitchen/large space, definitely book this place without hesitation! For less than half the price of the Sheraton, you get an unobstructed sea view, a beautiful sunset pool, and a spacious suite. The value for money is just incredible. I highly recommend it to all my sisters visiting Kota Kinabalu!

We had a wonderful stay at Nexus Resort. The large private beach, beautiful sunsets, and peaceful natural environment were amazing. We loved seeing monkeys, colorful birds, and monitor lizards around the resort. Although the hotel is older, it was clean, and we were kindly upgraded to a renovated, spacious ocean-view room with a fantastic view. The staff were friendly, the spa was beautiful, and the restaurants offered good food at very reasonable prices, although service could sometimes be slow due to limited staff. Overall, Nexus offers excellent value for money, especially considering its beautiful beach, nature, reasonable restaurant and tour prices, and affordable transportation. Even the hotel taxi to the airport was only RM80, cheaper than Grab. We already miss this resort and hope to come back again.

This hotel has been my go-to choice for business trips to Kota Kinabalu ever since it opened. The best part is how convenient and close it is to the airport. Plus, there's a really good vegetarian restaurant right next door.