Beach Hotels in Sabah, Malaysia

The hotel's location is pretty good; you can walk to popular restaurants and the market in about ten minutes. However, they don't provide bottled water or tissues, which makes it feel like a five-star hotel from the early 2000s in China. Still, for the price, it's definitely a steal. There's an open-air terrace and a gym one floor above the tenth floor. The gym had a strong 'new renovation' smell, but the equipment was quite decent.

Thank you for providing an all-in-one environment for busy professionals like me. A place where I can work, meeting old friends, and at the same time allow my 3 boys to enjoy themselves safely. The availability of both a swimming pool and a small beach, with lifeguards on duty, gave me peace of mind throughout the day. the room was also clean and convinient for us also to enjoy beautiful morning sunrise. I was able to continue my work comfortably, spending time reading and writing on my laptop by the pool, surrounded by beautiful seaside scenery while watching my son playing. The experience was further enhanced by the availability of good food at the restaurant despite busy with customer, waitress e.g Ms Shamira and all were very helpful. Added with relaxing drinks in the evening while listening to live band performances, and quiet moments of healing by the beach, resting on the sofa with the sound of the sea. The staff were friendly and helpful, e.g Mr Alex and the team, who made our stay even more pleasant. Hopefully, we will have the opportunity to come again.

Had a wonderful Christmas Eve stay here. I stayed in a golf field view room, which was incredibly peaceful and calming. Even with the golf field view, I could still see parts of the ocean, and the sunset was absolutely beautiful. I spent some time at the pool and was able to enjoy a stunning sunset from there as well, overlooking the pier by the beach — it was truly an amazing view. I ordered room service during my stay and was very impressed with how prompt and friendly the service was. The room was cozy, clean, and very comfortable, and I especially enjoyed relaxing in the bathtub after a long day. Overall, everything felt calm and well taken care of, making it a perfect stay. I would definitely choose to stay here again next time.

We brought our kids, and everyone loved the activities here. We tried surfing and kayaking. The staff were very friendly, greeting and smiling at our baby whenever they saw her. There was also a live singer at the lobby bar at 7:30 PM, which our baby really enjoyed. The hotel's overall outdoor environment was great; we saw many small animals, and it was very walkable. However, the hotel rooms were indeed mediocre. We booked a Borneo Garden View room and didn't get an upgrade. Even though it was my birthday on check-in day, there were no greetings (not even a verbal one...). We had to check in strictly at 3 PM; no early check-in was allowed. During check-in, there was no information given about the hotel's activities, facilities, or restaurants. I didn't even know there was a shuttle bus! I only learned about some activities and restaurant pricing from reviews on various platforms. Until we left, I didn't even know there were mahjong and billiards rooms! After completing the check-in formalities, we waited and waited, but no one came to show us to our room. We had to drag our luggage ourselves and search for it, going quite a long way before finding it. The room was on the second floor of a small villa, so we had to carry our luggage up the stairs ourselves. It was a king-sized bed room. All the lights were controlled by a single panel on the bedside table, but some of the buttons were broken. The air conditioning wouldn't turn on, and the balcony light wasn't working. When I tried to call the front desk, the phone was also broken. I had no choice but to go out in the heavy rain to find the front desk. Someone eventually came to fix the phone, but the AC repair person wouldn't arrive until 11 PM. We had no choice but to change rooms. The front desk agreed and sent a car to pick us up. We moved to another villa, still a Borneo Garden View, but this time with twin beds. The bedside control panel was slightly more advanced. The TV in the room didn't work, and the next day, the toilet broke, constantly flushing, but someone came to fix it quickly after I called the front desk. On the night I switched rooms, I left my necklace on the bathroom counter. I had recorded a video of the room before leaving, and the video clearly showed the necklace on the counter. I didn't notice it at the time and left. It was only when I checked out that I realized the necklace was gone. I still had the key card for the first room, so I went back to look for it, but the necklace was no longer there, and the room had already been cleaned. I had to go to the front desk, and they contacted the housekeeping staff, who said they hadn't seen the necklace... In short, even though the necklace wasn't very expensive (bought on 🍑), I had video evidence, and yet they claimed they hadn't seen it... I didn't want to make a big fuss and just considered it a gift to someone. The hotel restaurants were okay for a meal, but there was a lack of information before check-in. One day, we went to the Turtle Restaurant for dinner, only to find it closed and the Kingfisher open instead. The next day, we went to Kingfisher, and it was closed, with the Turtle Restaurant open... I had no idea about the buffet prices and had to inquire each time. I think a pre-check-in guide would be much better. Attached are the activity schedules for the Kids Club and Sports Center.

The location is fantastic, just across the road from the beach. The facilities aren't as new as some of the hotels downtown, which is to be expected, but the cleanliness and service were absolutely fine. There are shops and restaurants in the nearby streets, and a durian street is just a few minutes' walk away, haha! The large window in the sea-view room was a big plus. Right downstairs is the pier where my husband and I watched the sunset during our honeymoon 10 years ago. Breakfast was plentiful, and the outdoor section of the breakfast restaurant has a lovely little bar facing the sea – so relaxing! My only regret is that we were a bit short on time this trip and didn't get to use the pool. My kid was already asking when we could come back as we were leaving.

We had an absolutely wonderful honeymoon stay at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with genuine warmth and excellent hospitality that made our honeymoon feel truly special. The room was spacious, beautifully maintained, and offered a stunning sea view perfect for a romantic and relaxing getaway. The ambiance throughout the resort was calm and luxurious, ideal for couples celebrating a special occasion. The facilities were top-notch, especially the swimming pool and beachfront area, where we enjoyed breathtaking sunsets every evening. Breakfast was delightful with a wide variety of choices, and the staff were always attentive, friendly, and professional. A special thank you to the team for the thoughtful touches that made our honeymoon memorable. Shangri-La Tanjung Aru is truly the perfect place for a romantic escape, and we would definitely love to return again. Highly recommended for honeymooners and anyone looking for a peaceful, luxurious retreat in Kota Kinabalu.

We enjoyed the great hospitality from the hotel. Some privileges provided to hotel guests really enhanced the exclusiveness of the stay. Although it’s a public island, it didn’t sacrifice our comfort as hotel guests. Food was good. Portion was big so we ordered few dishes for sharing. I especially enjoyed the breakfast. We get to choose our set meals from the menu and they served the food to the table, unlike buffet breakfast that I have to bring my 2 kids around to choose their food. It was an enjoyable 3 d 2 n trip. We snorkelled at private beach area and we saw giant corals and a lot of fish. We walked across the island, not much things to do but we enjoyed the scenery and relaxing vibe.

The hotel's primary focus on Chinese guests is evident in its services and amenities, which are predominantly in Chinese. This should be clearly stated in the hotel description on the booking websites. The villa itself is well-maintained, spacious, and equipped with everything you need. The beds and linens are of good quality, the toiletries are nice, and the bathroom is modern and clean. The air conditioner is quiet, but the external unit is quite noisy. The exterior and garden are lovely and clean. The breakfast buffet was subpar, with cold food and coffee that required guests to microwave (completely in Chinese) it themselves, which was also a major inconvenience. Yet, the variety and quality of food was good and tasty. The staff seemed indifferent to the lack of coffee and food, and the lady who came to ”check” on us only brought coffee when we asked. Overall, our stay was satisfactory, but this place definitely needs to improve its hospitality and guest service. Given the above this place is too overpriced.

Environment: The scenery on the island is amazing. It was off-season when I went there, so there were few people and the scenery was beautiful. Although the sea was not as clear as those on the distant islands of Mermaid Island, it was still cleaner and comfortable, and it felt like a vacation. Service: The staff were very nice, the person in charge was Chinese, and the communication was very smooth. I especially want to praise the food. The chef was great, and it was much better than the seafood meal I had in Kota Kinabalu city!!! There was a performance after dinner, and the atmosphere was super good. You can also play kayaking on the island, but I didn't play it because the waves were too big that day. Health: The room is simple and clean, and the facilities are relatively average. Overall, it is still worth a visit

The rooms are divided into villa-style and apartment-style. There were just two of us, so we opted for the apartment. The villas come with a private pool, and the back door leads directly to the sea 🌊 (the villa area doesn't have gates or fences, so passersby can walk right in). The apartment has two bedrooms, both with en-suite bathrooms 🛀, a kitchen, a balcony, and a living room 🛋️. The master bedroom has large floor-to-ceiling windows, perfect for watching the sunrise 🌅, though it was unfortunately raining that day 😢... The soundproofing was terrible; we could feel the vibrations when the neighbors had a party. We happened to be there during their National Day, so the price wasn't cheap either 😶.