3-Star Hotels in Sabah, Malaysia

I stayed in Room 3121 (superior king). Cons - The room door can sometimes be difficult to open. You need to tap the key card, turn the handle, and push the door slightly harder than usual. The same issue occasionally occurs when opening the door from inside. - The hotel's WiFi signal does not reach the room. - An iron is not provided in the room. - The room door is only moderately soundproof (around 60%), so noise from outside can still be heard. - A laundry bag is not provided. Pros - The room rate is very affordable and reasonable for the condition and facilities offered by the hotel. - The room is very spacious and comfortable. - Five clothes hangers are provided. - A hair dryer is available. - Basic toiletries provided include shampoo, body wash, and a shower cap. - The TV offers five channels. - Two complimentary bottles of drinking water are provided. - A kettle, two sets of coffee and tea, along with sugar and creamer, are available. - Two mugs and spoons are provided. - The air conditioning works well and keeps the room very cool. - Basement parking is available. Access is through the side of the Tang Dynasty Hotel lobby. The parking system is cashless and uses number plate recognition. Inform the TD Plaza Hotel lobby staff of your vehicle registration number, and they will register it. Each exit is charged at a special rate of RM2 when you tap your bank card. - The hotel's location is excellent. Imago Shopping Mall is within walking distance (10min +-) - Nearby amenities include Bataras Supermarket, Orange Market, KFC, Papa's, and Golden Fish. - There is also a night market beside the building. - For seafood lovers, Anjung Senja is located behind Wawasan Plaza. - Beautiful sunset views can be enjoyed from the Anjung Senja area all the way to the back of Marriott Hotel. - For those who enjoy brisk walking, jogging, or running, there is a dedicated pedestrian and cycling path stretching from Anjung Senja towards the Tanjung Aru junction. Saya menginap di bilik 3121 (superior king) Kekurangan - Pintu bilik kadangkala sukar dibuka. Perlu tap kad, kemudian pusing pemegang pintu dan menolak pintu dengan sedikit kuat. Apabila ingin keluar dari bilik, masalah yang sama kadangkala turut berlaku. - Liputan WiFi hotel tidak sampai ke dalam bilik. - Seterika tidak disediakan di dalam bilik. - Pintu bilik hanya sekitar 60% kedap bunyi; bunyi dari luar masih boleh didengari. - Beg dobi (laundry bag) tidak disediakan. Kelebihan - Harga sangat berpatutan dan sepadan dengan keadaan serta kemudahan hotel. - Ruang bilik sangat luas dan selesa. - Disediakan 5 penyangkut baju (hanger). - Terdapat pengering rambut (hair dryer). - Kelengkapan mandian yang disediakan termasuk syampu, sabun mandi dan shower cap. - TV menyediakan 5 saluran. - Disediakan 2 botol air minuman. - Terdapat cerek elektrik, 2 set kopi dan teh bersama gula serta krimer. - Disediakan 2 cawan (mug) berserta sudu. - Penghawa dingin berfungsi dengan baik dan sangat sejuk. - Tempat letak kereta disediakan di ruang bawah tanah (basement). Laluan masuk adalah melalui sebelah lobi Tang Dynasty Hotel. Sistem parkir adalah tanpa tunai (cashless); hanya imbas nombor plat kenderaan. Maklumkan nombor plat kepada staf lobi TD Plaza Hotel dan mereka akan mendaftarkannya. Setiap kali keluar, hanya perlu tap kad bank dan kadar parkir adalah RM2 bagi setiap kemasukan. - Lokasi hotel sangat strategik. Imago Shopping Mall boleh dikunjungi dengan berjalan kaki dalam 10minit - Berdekatan dengan Bataras Supermarket, Orange Market, KFC, Papa's dan Golden Fish. - Terdapat pasar malam di tepi bangunan. - Bagi pencinta makanan laut, Anjung Senja terletak di belakang bangunan Wawasan Plaza. - Pemandangan matahari terbenam (sunset) yang cantik boleh dinikmati sekitar kawasan Anjung Senja hingga belakang Marriott Hotel. - Bagi yang gemar brisk walk, berjoging atau berlari, terdapat laluan khas pejalan kaki dan berbasikal dari kawasan Anjung Senja hingga ke persimpangan Tanjung Aru.

It was my first time coming here, and the experience was unexpectedly wonderful. I really loved the sunset view—it was so beautiful. Breakfast and dinner were good and suited us well. However, it would be great if the breakfast tables could be cleaned more thoroughly. Overall, it’s a very nice place to relax, chill, and heal.

Our room was on the second floor (with a ground floor entrance), and the king room was about 3-5 square meters smaller than the twin room. The style is similar to hotels in China that are 30-40 years old, but the location is excellent. Pros: They offer free luggage storage for guests; it's right opposite Suria mall and behind Gaya Street, so you'll have no trouble finding food and shopping; the concierge was very friendly, opening doors and greeting us proactively; the in-room hardware was well-maintained and clean, with no strange odors, and the bedding was clean with a fresh laundry scent! Cons: The soundproofing needs improvement. We could hear sports cars and motorcycles passing by, generating 20-40 decibels of noise about every ten minutes. We only got proper sleep late at night when traffic died down. The shower facilities are also quite old; the glass door didn't effectively prevent water from spilling out of the shower area, and the showerhead holder made it difficult to adjust the angle of the showerhead. Overall: Clean! Convenient! Great value for money! If you're very sensitive to noise, either bring earplugs or request a room on the opposite side, closer to the main entrance and facing the smaller road, instead of one facing the main road and Suria.

All good! We chose a room with plenty of single beds. There were 5 beds, haha, perfect for families, friends, or even a honeymoon. The room was really spacious too. Just a heads-up about the water heater, you can't adjust the temperature; the water gets super hot! You have to mix in cold water to get it lukewarm. Overall, it was great. There's a kettle and a water dispenser right outside the room door. And the views? Right at Mount Kinabalu itself!

The location is excellent. Great value for money too. During my 6-night stay, I used breakfast once, and I was satisfied with the quality. From the window, you can see the port of Jezertun directly, and across the way is Suriasbahamol. It was nice that it was close to Filipino Market and Gayatri Street, and there was a convenience store and a bank. The room cleaning wasn’t done properly, so I mentioned it, and it was fixed immediately. I changed the shower filter every other day. Best value-for-money hotel. If I go to Kota Kinabalu again, I will use it once more. A little further on there’s a Dikingsaba durian shop, and it’s delicious.

The location is excellent, right in the city center. It's very close to the Atkinson Clock Tower and the entrance to Gaya Street. Popular spots like the Kinabalu Coffee House and Yuan Tea House are all within walking distance. There's also a convenience store downstairs. Our triple room was spacious with a sea view, but the hygiene was a bit... lacking. The sheets and pillowcases had bloodstains and clearly hadn't been washed properly. Good thing we brought our own bedding. Also, the shower gel and shampoo weren't great, but we just bought some from the convenience store downstairs, which solved that problem.

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 .

I contacted the hotel via WhatsApp 3 days before check-in, and they replied very quickly. They even called me back, and the communication was very smooth. The boat departs from the jetty at 1:30 PM, but when we arrived at 12:30 PM, the boat was already waiting. Someone helped us with our luggage when we boarded. Later, we found out they weren't hotel staff, so we tipped each of them RM5. The hotel's check-out time is 10 AM, and the latest guests can leave by boat is 11 AM because the boat cannot sail after low tide. So, no late check-outs are possible. On the way there, it was high tide, and the boat sailed over shallow waters. The 'jelly sea' was absolutely stunning. My initial apprehension instantly turned into pure delight – it was so worth it! We were 6 adults and 3 children. We originally booked one triple fan room and one quintuple fan room. Because I didn't want a corner room, and the quintuple room was in the westernmost corner, and since there weren't many guests during the off-peak season (we practically had the place to ourselves, which was a pleasant surprise!), the hotel generously gave us an additional triple room and upgraded all our rooms to air-conditioned ones. Another great surprise! Actually, the sea breeze was strong, and opening the window with a fan was already very comfortable, so we didn't really need the air conditioning. In fact, after snorkeling, we found it too cold in the room, so we promptly turned off the AC. The hotel is currently undergoing renovations. The quintuple room was newer, while the two triple rooms were smaller and older. However, the sea view was so beautiful, and given the great value for money, these minor issues were acceptable. The hotel owner was also very accommodating and gave us keys to a few rooms, letting us choose which ones we wanted. Since the quintuple room was on the western side, the sunset views were spectacular. My friends even saw sea turtles twice from their room at night. After watching the sunrise, we walked to the easternmost part of the hotel. There's a bridge there that's perfect for photos, and we kept seeing sea turtles, which was such an amazing surprise! We saw about 7-8 sea turtles intermittently, and they were huge! It might have been the start of low tide, and they were all swimming towards the deep sea. This must be a common path for them, and it was the biggest highlight of our trip. The hotel has Wi-Fi and accepts TNG for payment. The round-trip boat ticket costs RM100, and children ride for free. Life jackets are RM5, and swimming rings are RM10 (no time limit). The hotel's snorkeling masks were broken and unavailable for rent, so it's best to bring your own. The sea has lots of corals, starfish, and fish, making it excellent for snorkeling. Bring extra bread to feed the fish. The hotel doesn't provide bottled water or hair dryers, but there's hot water and tea bags. Dinner was local Malay food, which might not suit everyone's palate, but we found it quite good, and the fish was cooked tenderly. The simple breakfast included delicious fried rice noodles. We also brought some chocolates and instant cereal/drink mixes to prepare with the hotel's hot water. There's also free karaoke and Lami mahjong, though they can only be used until 11 PM. The karaoke is a new facility, only 4 months old, and the sound system is excellent. The Lami mahjong set was brand new. In summary: Although the hotel is a bit old, the sea is incredibly beautiful, and we even saw sea turtles. For the price, it offers great value. Overall, I highly recommend it.

The Lighthouse Hotel Semporna boasts an excellent location, directly facing the jetty for boat excursions. It's within walking distance of island hopping meeting points and seafood restaurants, making it incredibly convenient for getting around and finding food. Opened in 2023, the rooms are spacious and clean, with separate wet and dry areas in the bathroom. The rooftop pool offers sea views, and the overall environment is quiet and peaceful. The front desk service is thoughtful, and they support WeChat communication, offering great value for money. The only downsides are that the breakfast selection is simple and the facilities are quite basic. If you're looking for a luxurious experience, you might want to consider other options. However, it's perfect for travelers primarily focused on island hopping who prioritize convenient accommodation.

first 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.