Hotels With Spa in Sabah, Malaysia

Room: Very spacious, consisting of a dining area, living room, bedroom, two bathrooms, and a terrace. It was comfortable for three adults (though the extra bed in the living room was not very comfortable and not recommended for those with back problems). Decor: As a historic hotel, it's generally well-maintained. Although half of the rooms are currently undergoing renovation, my room was not affected – I neither saw nor heard any construction (I had specified my room preferences when booking on Ctrip and also emailed the hotel in advance). Room View: My room was on the 4th floor, which didn't have as good a view as the same room type on the 2nd or 3rd floors (the eaves above obstructed part of the view), and nearby pillars also blocked some of the scenery. It wasn't as good as the standard sea-view rooms at Tanjung Wing, but overall it was still very open with both sea and tree views. For watching the sunset, we'd go to Coco, so it didn't really matter. Room Location: The Tanjung Wing is quite a distance from the jetty/front desk/Shang Palace (Chinese restaurant). Although buggy bus service is available (by calling room service), during peak hours (12 PM / 3-4 PM), there are fewer buggies, leading to long waits, which is quite inconvenient. Once, I waited half an hour for a buggy from the jetty back to my room. Restaurants: The breakfast restaurant offered a good variety, but it didn't change much. After eating there four times, there were basically no variations, so it could get repetitive if staying for a long time. It was also very crowded during peak hours. We tried Shang Palace once; the food was delicious, but the air conditioning was very cold, so an extra layer of clothing is recommended. Coco offered afternoon tea as part of the executive lounge benefits; the food was decent, and the location was excellent for watching the sunset. Service: Overall, the service was quite good, with a few highlights. Firstly, executive rooms included a complimentary airport drop-off. Secondly, the hotel's jetty was very convenient for trips to nearby and distant islands, and they provided comprehensive gear (life jackets/snorkeling equipment/towels, etc.), which was a great experience. Thirdly, the lounge was excellent, available for use both before check-in and after check-out, which is very convenient for red-eye flights. Overall, I'd give the hotel an 85-90 out of 100. There's room for improvement, but in Kota Kinabalu, I don't think there are any better options. Chinese Service: When booking, I assumed many hotel staff would speak Chinese, but in reality, very few could communicate fluently in Chinese. So, if you don't speak any English, your stay experience will definitely be affected (e.g., when participating in water sports).

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!

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.

Getting there: You need to take the hotel's special speedboat from Megaton Jetty, which takes 10 minutes to reach the hotel's pier. This is charged per person. The hotel has a Southeast Asian resort vibe, with wooden structures that show their age. There are many monkeys 🐒 in the trees outside the room, as well as lizards of all sizes and hornbills. The sand isn't very fine, and the beach isn't large; it's not really big enough for a good walk. There are no other businesses, just the hotel's three restaurants. There are also corals 🪸 not far from the shore. Cleanliness: Average. Ambiance: If you're not too particular about room cleanliness, everything else is pretty good, but I personally care a lot about it. Service: Our luggage was taken directly to our room. When we were leaving, we had to depart at 6 AM, and they prepared breakfast for us – two large bags with fruit, bread, coffee, and milk. We mentioned that the shrimp was delicious but found some other dishes hard to get used to, so the chef specially prepared a delicious plate of shrimp just for us and brought it to our table.

Many of the positive reviews for this place are likely influenced by the free coconut water offered for writing a review upon check-out. Without any incentives, I'll honestly share my experience. 1. **Pros:** The water quality around Mantanani Island is excellent, and the snorkeling and diving offer stunning views. The staff are friendly, and the island scenery is definitely worth experiencing. 2. **Cons:** The island is swarming with tour groups, and there's a constant stream of elderly people and children, so it's not ideal if you're looking for a peaceful atmosphere. We stayed for three nights, paying over 4,000, and were assigned room 27, which was right next to the staff dormitory. The facilities in the room were very old. Additionally, the adjacent room housed different tour guides every day, and we couldn't see the sea at all from our room. For independent travelers paying this price, getting a room like this is truly unsatisfactory.

The room is spacious with a nice view of the ocean and sunset, though we missed a better sunset due to the weather. Breakfast was sufficient, but dinner was a bit mediocre; if you are out and about, you might want to eat before heading back. The Ocean Wing is relatively quiet, though quite far from the beach. You might have more fun lounging in the room's balcony pool or the main resort pool. The hotel is quite far from the city center. If you need to go to town, traffic is terrible on weekday mornings and evenings, taking about 1.5 to 2 hours. The only perk is that heading to Kawa saves a huge chunk of travel time—leaving around 2 PM and getting back a bit past 8 PM. Highly recommend visiting Kawa to see the fireflies, and the small group tours on Trip.com are quite good. Overall, it's a great hotel for just kicking back and doing nothing.

It took a 30-minute speedboat ride from Haifeng Pier to reach the overwater bungalows. The surroundings are beautiful, with clear blue waters, and sitting in the lobby feels incredibly serene and comfortable. The room was also nice, facing the ocean, which was a real treat. Although the facilities were a bit old, it's understandable – being out at sea, exposed to wind and sun, things are bound to age faster than usual! The service was excellent, and the owner was very helpful. My child left their phone in the pick-up car, and it was quickly found and returned to us, which we really appreciated! The overwater bungalows were a memorable and wonderful part of our family's trip!

We booked a room that was renovated in 2025, so it was very new. It was on the first floor and had a garden. The hotel breakfast wasn't great, but the hotel itself was massive and very quiet, like a hidden paradise. It was incredibly relaxing, and we even saw some small animals and kittens occasionally. The hotel also has a spa, which I highly recommend. The ambiance and music were super therapeutic, and the masseuses had excellent techniques. I'd definitely consider this hotel again for my next trip to Kota Kinabalu. It's about a 40-minute drive from the city center, and a taxi costs around 35-50 Malaysian Ringgit.

🌴 Huge thanks to Darren at the front desk for giving us the best ocean-view room! Although we didn't get to see a spectacular sunset this time, enjoying a couple of drinks at the sunset bar was pure bliss. As we were leaving, the sushi chef even gave us a complimentary sushi platter, calling us his ”good friends.” That moment was truly touching, especially since I was feeling a bit disappointed about missing the perfect sunset. The hotel was packed during this holiday, and breakfast was a bit crowded, but every staff member was working incredibly hard. I even saw the sushi chef busy in the restaurant during breakfast. I'm so sorry I can't recall the chef's name (he's the one in photo 2!) 🥲 but I was incredibly happy 🥳 and super satisfied with The Magellan Sutera Resort!

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!