Explore genuine reviews and ratings from real travellers to find the perfect accommodation for your needs.
Posted on May 14, 2026
Guest UserPros: Very clean, excellent hygiene, and quiet at night. We originally booked a triple room, but the owner upgraded us to a quad, which was a good size and suitable for families. The owner also recommended an island hopping tour, and the snorkeling instructor assigned to us was very good.
Cons: It's a bit far from the seafood market and somewhat secluded, but we used Grab for all our travel, costing between 6-10 Malaysian Ringgit. The soundproofing of the door could be better. It seems like the area has insufficient voltage, as we experienced a power outage for several hours one evening.
On a side note, there were a few friendly cats in the yard, so we bought some cat food from a local store in town to feed them. 😁
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Price per night from:PLN 243
Posted on Jun 18, 2026
Hotel Reviewer/Influencerfirst is the floor, it is sticky, it is sticky in the room and also at the gathering or public area where we take our meals. Next is the issue with the toilet, the shower head is broken, it's leaking and the water is too strong and thin, it is hurting me when i try to bathe. Thirdly, the floor mat is dirty and too thin, it is not absorbing water as it should. Fourth, the floor also has a lot of dust and sand. Fifth, the hotel does not have enough electrical plug, we only have two plugs and it is on the most left of the bed, it is better if it is in the middle of both beds. Sixth, the air conditioner is too weak for a room with 3 people, it is hot even at night. Seventh, the music is too loud, i cannot even rest properly at night, you can prepare earplugs at least. Eighth, the gathering or public area is too hot because there is no fan, please prepare some ceiling fans so guests can dine properly. Ninth, should have a table for a big room at least. the floor is wide enough, but it is so dirty that we do not dare to sit on the floor to play games or cards, we also do not want to play games or cards at the gathering or public area because it is too hot and loud. Tenth, rubbish in the sea or hotel area, i saw a huge pile of rubbish such as bottled water, food container, plastic bag just floating in the sea in the resort.
Here are some good things about the hotel, first, very nice scenery, the water is nice and clean in the morning. Secondly, the balcony area for each room is nice because we can look at the scenery while sitting on the chair and resting. Thirdly, the staff is very friendly and very responsible, they do their work fast, they carry our luggage, refill food fast, and are very nice. Fourthly, the overall atmosphere of the hotel is very comfortable. Fifth, the food is ok, breakfast is ok, it is not the best but it is edible, the dinner is the best, and the seafood is a very nice touch. Sixth, we can dry our wet cloth on the balcony too.
Overall i give it a 2 out of 5 stars. The price of your hotel does not match the pros and cons of your hotel. I would not want to stay in the hotel another day if the problems still stay the same. Please do your best to improve better.
This is my honest review as a Malaysian.
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Price per night from:PLN 908
Posted on Apr 30, 2026
Guest User
This village is all about beachfront holidays, and its pros and cons revolve around that.
**Pros:**
The private, secluded cabins offer unbeatable ocean views. You can lie on the terrace lounge chair at night, accompanied by the sound of waves and sea breeze, under a sky full of stars. During the day, various fish and birds keep you company.
It's a diving resort, with both scuba diving and snorkeling available. I heard the diving is good, but I didn't try scuba. The snorkeling right off the beach near the village entrance wasn't great. So, we hired a private boat to go snorkeling elsewhere, which was excellent; we saw multiple sea turtles.
**Cons:**
What made it great also made it less so. The cabin is drafty on all four sides, and the air conditioning is really weak and blows directly onto the bed, almost making me sick. However, it was still better than opening the windows. The ocean waves in the morning were definitely louder than a bus downstairs. The most bizarre thing was that only the terrace had curtains; the rest of the cabin didn't. So, the morning sun shone directly onto the head of the bed, which I guess is due to its orientation. These are points where opinions might differ.
Most frustratingly, aside from scuba diving and snorkeling, there are no other entertainment options in the village. Under the tropical sun, everyone just retreats to their rooms. Plus, scuba and snorkeling are handled at separate locations.
I have to complain about the somewhat old facilities. You can see sea fish through the gaps in the wooden floorboards. The bathroom had various issues: the toilet needed two flushes (and I, being an engineer, still can't figure out why), the overhead shower only produced about a third of its normal water flow, with the rest squirting out horizontally onto the partition. Luckily, there was a handheld shower that worked for one day. The next evening, the handle broke off when I tried to turn it on, and water started gushing out. So, two security guards came, both claiming they were just security. The last time, around 11 PM, I was already in bed when three people arrived, again stating they'd fix it tomorrow. The next day, both showers were repaired...
The food was... edible, I guess.
In short, this village is a matter of personal taste.
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Price per night from:PLN 1,469
Posted on Apr 24, 2026|Seaview Pool Water Villa
Kiki~07Our stay at the Sagittarius Water Bungalow was absolutely fantastic! From our butler Xiao Gu to all the staff on the water bungalows and even the owners, everyone was incredibly nice. The rooms are equipped with smart Xiaomi home devices, clean and tidy. Opening the curtains reveals the beautiful 'jellyfish sea,' and the scenery is simply captivating. The food at the water bungalows is also delicious; breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner are all included in the price. Airport transfers and boat rides to the island are also covered, making it excellent value for money! We stayed for five days and four nights and didn't want to leave. The atmosphere on the island is also great, with KTV and song requests every night – the owner and his wife sing really well, by the way! The water bungalows offer a lot of entertainment, including sea fishing, snorkeling, glass-bottom boat tours, and drone photography. The local staff (Xiao Hei) are also happy to help with photos 📸. You can even get your diving certification and go on island-hopping day trips, keeping you thoroughly entertained. We came to Semporna specifically to get our diving certification, and the water bungalow's own dive shop is highly recommended. The instructors are very responsible and dedicated. I'd like to thank Xiao Li and Instructor Mohd Rizal Baba Selleh. The prices are fair, and the teaching focuses on the safety and skills of the students, which is very reassuring. The dive shop owner's wife is also super nice. All in all, this trip was incredibly worthwhile, and we'll definitely be back! I'll also be recommending it to my friends and family 😊
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Price per night from:PLN 2,149
Posted on Jan 16, 2026|Mixed Dormitory Room
TrippingtheuniverseSemporna is an interesting place to visit, with several islands surrounded by coral reefs for snorkeling and diving, more beautiful than many other snorkeling spots worldwide. Staying at this hostel instead of moving to an island resort is a good way to budget. And not only that, the fish market in Semporna is the most incredible one I have seen, seafood like lobsters, large shrimps, crabs so fresh, not even the one at Kota Kinabalu can be compared good as it was too. The DZ hostel lady staff was very helpful and can arrange for island trips at a reasonable price. The dorms are separated into boys and girls, something I truly appreciate. The bathrooms faced the afternoon sun, so they were dried easily and kept clean. Laundry by machine was offered free, a super plus for swimmers. The hostel also offered local Malay snack food for breakfast, and coffee or tea were always available. To be honest, it's a good budget place to stay while splurging on the island tours. It's a bit sad that no cooking is allowed here, even though there was a kitchen. Sad because the seafood mentioned above was so available. The facade of the building is nothing to boast about, and like many places, the external (streets, pavement, eyc) can be a mess. That should not deter visiting this part of the world mainly because the sea in this area is astoundingly replenished with marine life.
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Price per night from:PLN 23
Posted on Oct 12, 2025
M532750****
My stay at 'Fairy Tale Wonderland Resort' in Semporna completely exceeded my expectations. Let's start with transportation: the hotel offers a shuttle service that picks you up directly from the airport, which was a huge convenience. The driver was incredibly friendly and even gave us tips on where to exchange money and reliable dive shops.
The accommodation was fantastic. The room had wooden floors and a high ceiling, and it felt clean and dry. The bed was super soft, and the pillows weren't flat at all. The big sea turtle plushie on the bed was absolutely adorable. Both the fan and air conditioning were quiet at night, ensuring a very restful sleep. The courtyard felt like a small garden with coconut trees, flower walls, and colorful signs. It was incredibly relaxing to just sit on the woven hanging chair and zone out; every photo I took turned out beautifully.
The food deserves a special mention. For dinner, we ordered steamed crab, mantis shrimp, soy-sauce steamed fish, and a plate of water spinach. The freshness was undeniable, and the cooking was perfectly executed, bringing out the natural flavors of the seafood without being overly salty or greasy.
Overall, the hotel's attention to detail in service was excellent: convenient transfers, clean and comfortable rooms, and high-quality food. If you're looking for a relaxing holiday in Semporna, I highly recommend staying here.
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Price per night from:PLN 395
Posted on Feb 19, 2026|Standard Family Room
TinayuGiven that it's an offshore stay, the facilities and amenities can't be compared to those on land... but the scenery is fantastic and the staff are very enthusiastic, even if communication was a bit difficult due to language barriers. Overall, I'm very satisfied. As for areas for improvement, I have a suggestion regarding the meal package format! Personally, I think: 1. The meal package should be canceled in favor of an à la carte system. 2. A set menu option should be offered. 3. There should be improvements to management systems and oversight measures, etc. Overall, the dining experience was very poor and chaotic... Some people ate until they were stuffed, some wasted food, and some couldn't get any good food at all... The experience was extremely bad. I believe this isn't solely an issue with individual guests, but rather a significant hotel management problem ^_^
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Price per night from:PLN 1,544
Posted on Jun 13, 2026
Guest User
For my trip to Semporna, I spent a long time searching online before finally choosing this place, and I'm so glad I did! Even though it's a guesthouse-style hotel in town, the experience exceeded my expectations.
Location: It's right in the center of Semporna town, by the sea. Downstairs is the famous seafood market, making it super convenient to buy fresh seafood and bargain for prices. There are also many seafood restaurants nearby that can cook it for you, offering great value for money and a truly satisfying meal. It's only a 5-10 minute walk to the jetty, with two jetties nearby, making island hopping tours very convenient. Next to the hotel, there's also a Sayang specialty store where you can buy souvenirs, and it's also a pharmacy with daily disposable contact lenses. Watson's and convenience stores are also nearby.
Room Facilities: I booked a sea-view king room. The room was large and spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering an amazing sea view right from the bed! The bedding was very comfortable, and the linens were clean. From what I saw online, it's a hotel that opened in the last two years, so the facilities are still quite new. My relatives booked a family room, which was also excellent, with two beds more than enough for a family of three.
Service: The owner is Chinese, and there's a 24-hour Chinese-speaking butler, so communication is seamless. The front desk staff were incredibly enthusiastic and even recommended great places to eat in town. The front desk attendant was also very friendly, helping us carry our luggage upstairs (even though there's no elevator, their service made up for it). There's also a vending machine in the lobby where you can buy frozen aloe vera gel, highly recommended for sunburn!
Breakfast: Although simple, it includes coffee, fried noodles, eggs, and bread – perfectly adequate to fill you up before heading out for island activities.
Summary: If you manage your expectations for a hotel in Semporna town (after all, you can't compare it to a 4 or 5-star hotel in a city center), this is definitely a hidden gem in town. It's clean, convenient, the owner is reliable, and it offers great value for money. I've already recommended it to my friends and family!
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Price per night from:PLN 179
Posted on Feb 5, 2025
Anonymous User
I think I might be the first Korean visitor :) I am from Malaysia but it was a beautiful experience in East Malaysia, which was my first visit. For safety, I recommend that you understand the territorial disputes and historical background of East Malaysia. You will need to communicate with the local resort through email and WhatsApp, so if you have difficulty speaking English, you can get information about boats and resorts with plenty of time.
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Price per night from:PLN 850
Posted on Apr 27, 2026
Shanyouzhen
I chose this hotel for a one-night stay before heading to the overwater bungalow the next day. Although the room facilities were a bit old, they were very clean. There's a convenience store right downstairs, and it's very close to the pier. The sea breeze was a bit loud at night, but the breakfast was excellent and plentiful.
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Price per night from:PLN 259