5 first-class hotels in the Malaysian states of Sarawak & Sabah
The northern part of Borneo was the destination of a trip of two befriended families with an adult son each. What to do in the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah was the subject of my last post. In this post, you find the reviews of the hotels we stayed at during our tour from Kuching to Kota Kinabalu.
As we
booked this vacation with a Swiss tour operator (Tour Asia), the hotels of our trip
were fixed, however we made sure that we had first-class resorts. At least we
were able to pick out our beach hotel ourselves (Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria), although the
choice of luxury resorts on the beach in the area is limited. A good alternative may also be the Gaya Island Resort on a small island near Kota Kinabalu.
 |
| Sunset at Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort |
Hotel 1: Pullman Hotel, Kuching/Sarawak
Our two
nights’ stay at the Pullman Hotel was certainly not the highlight of our trip.
The hotel, situated on the hillside overlooking the city of Kuching, is
advertised as five-star resort, which is hard to believe. There are modern
amenities, but neither is the Pullman well maintained nor kept especially clean. Also the breakfast has to be called subpar, with quite many choices, but
of an underwhelming quality. The staff is neither friendly nor well trained. At
least, we did not overpay our stay at this hotel as prices are low.
Overall,
Pullman is cheaply run, it feels more like a small local business hotel than a
luxury hotel suitable for demanding international travelers.
 |
| Exterior of Pullman Hotel (photo credit by hotel) |
Hotel 2: Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort, nowAiman Batang Ai Resort, Batang Ai/Sarawak
Aiman
Batang Ai Resort is a replica of a longhouse. When we stayed there for one
night, it was managed by Hilton, now it is a Aiman hotel. It already needed
renovation when we were there and it seems that not much has been done in terms
of remodeling in the meantime. While the setting on a lake and the ambiance in
the isolation of the rainforest are favorable, the rooms are simple and the
dining facilities are nothing to write home about.
All in all,
a nicely located resort that serves as a springboard for a trip to the Iban
people, but in need of a thorough refurbishment.
 |
| Setting of Aiman Batang Ai Resort |
Hotel 3: Marriot Resort & Spa, Mulu/Sarawak
Our stay at
the Marriot was the first and only real highlight in terms of accommodations
when touring on Borneo.
This resort
offers luxury in the middle of the jungle. It is in near proximity to the Gunung mule National Park
and has a comfortable shuttle to it. Rooms are newly renovated in a contemporary
style and have all the amenities also for discerning travelers. There is quite
a good restaurant and the pool area is nice. Everything is well maintained and
the staff is friendly and helpful.
In balance,
The Marriot is the spot in Sarawak to experience luxury in the rainforest.
 |
| Pool at The Marriot Hotel |
Hotel 4: Le Meridien, Kota Kinabalu/Sabah
We
experienced a pleasant enough stay at the Meridien, which is favorably located
on the waterfront and has all the amenities of a first class hotel. When
staying there, the lobby had been renovated, but the rooms not yet.
Notwithstanding that, we felt comfortable in our Deluxe Sea View Room. In the
meantime, it seems that the refurbishment of all the accommodations has been
completed. We did not have dinner at the hotel, only breakfast and found it
pretty good. Staff is nice and helpful.
On the
whole, Meridien is quite a good choice when looking for an accommodation in the
city of Kota Kinabalu.
 |
| Lobby at Le Meridian Hotel |
Hotel 5: Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort & Spa,Tuaran/Sabah
After the
tour through the states of Sarawak and Sabah on Borneo, we spent some quiet
days on the beach about 45 minutes north of Kota Kinablau at the hotel
Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria. While the resort is located in a secluded, idyllic area,
we had to note with displeasure that it faces a sandfly problem.
 |
| Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort (Ocean Wing on the right side) |
Out of the
two wings of the hotel, we opted for the more expensive Ocean Wing because it
is more upscale and newer. When choosing the other Wing (Garden Wing) you are
likely to encounter many families. We had an Ocean Wing Premier Room, which was
gorgeous. It is huge (95 sqm), well appointed and contemporarily furnished
featuring a private outdoor bathtub, an exclusive breakfast venue with a good
selection, a separate, nicely landscaped pool area for Ocean Wing guests only
and complimentary pre-dinner drinks & canapés (new feature, we were not
treated to this on the occasion of our stay). As far as dining is concerned,
there is quite a selection, my favorite venues are the Japanese and the Italian
restaurant. In terms of service there is nothing to fault.
 |
| Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort from hotel room (Ocean Wing) |
In sum, the
Ocean Wing at Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria is a good place for relaxation with great
rooms and first-class amenities. The beach is beautiful, but unfortunately
facing a sandfly problem.
 |
| Orangutan at Semenggoh Nature Reserve |
Overall picture
When touring the northern part of Borneo as a luxury traveler - which is a thing worthwile doing, and not only for meeting orangutans -, you are in the position to find adequate hotels, although they do not always meet the requirements of demanding travelers.Out of the hotels we stayed at during our vacation in Sarawak and Sabah following ones are recommended for travelers looking for luxury accommodations:
- Marriot Resort & Spa, Mulu/Sarawak: beautiful location, newly renovated, friendly staff
- Le Meridian, Kota Kinabalu/Sabah: waterfront setting (but not necessarily idyllic), recently refurbished, good service
- Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort & Spa, Tuaran/Sabah near Kota Kinabalu: amazingly located on secluded beach (but sandfly problem), newly constructed Ocean Wing, kind and helpful staff
Date of stay: July 2015
No comments:
Post a Comment