Sabah
Simple rainbow-coloured huts with attached bathroom, Caribbean-blue walls, fresh linen, a dive outfit and less-cramped quarters than other budget places…
Must-see hotels in Sabah
Sandakan
We like Nak for its quirky lobby of oxblood walls, Chinese lanterns, giant bird cages and Oriental vases. Rooms aren't large but they are stylish, with…
Sabah
Uncle Tan was one of the earliest environmentalists working along the Kinabatangan. This is not the Hilton: accommodation consists of raised, open huts…
Semporna
Likely to appeal to Star Trek fans (but less to folks suffering from claustrophobia), these futuristic pods, lit with neon, look like something you crawl…
Mt Kinabalu & Kinabalu National Park
Outside Sutera Sanctuary Lodges accommodation, the only other option for sleeping on Mt Kinabalu is Mountain Torq's Pendant Hut. Guests take two of three…
Sabah
Managed by SI Tours, ecofriendly Abai Jungle Lodge sits 37km downstream from Sukau as the river emerges from secondary forest. Rooms are comfortable fan…
Sabah
This admirable community ecotourism initiative is a refreshing alternative to the big lodges, and it’s great value to boot – rates include all meals and…
Semporna
At first glance this place exudes urban chic, which is much needed in Semporna: a graffiti-scrawled yet inviting common area, private rooms that are all…
Sabah
Welcoming staff await in this fine eco-conscious lodge, run by River Junkie and divided into the Civet Wing dorm-style huts and the Agamid Wing with twin…
Kota Kinabalu
Smart and sleek, the Hilton has many modern touches. Rooms are straightforward international style with sumptuous beds, big TV and neutral colour scheme…
Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
Manukan Island Resort, managed by Sutera Sanctuary Lodges, has the only non-camping accommodation on the island. It comprises a restaurant, swimming pool,…
Sabah
This clutch of cabins in a lofty hilltop location makes for an ideal retreat from Tenom's bustle. Owned by coffee-growing legend Foong Choon Sang, they…
Kota Kinabalu
Built in 1967, the Hyatt looks decidedly dated from the outside, but inside it's a marble oasis of soaring ceilings, dark-wood chic and an inviting open…
Kota Kinabalu
Four-star comfort with a glass-and-wood-accented lobby and soothing lighting seguing blue to pink. Rooms are less inventive with international, somewhat…
Mt Kinabalu & Kinabalu National Park
On the site of an earlier resort, Mountain Valley is much modernised version of the hill station mansion. In keeping with what was the original…
Mt Kinabalu & Kinabalu National Park
A newer sibling to nearby J Residence, Ayana has stylish rooms boasting dark-timber accents and white linen. Rooms are set in a steep, landscaped garden…
Semporna
This guesthouse, a short walk from the waterfront, is part a row of shops. Rooms are spotless and furnished either with a bunk bed, a bunk bed and a…
Mt Kinabalu & Kinabalu National Park
Close to the Kinabalu National Park entrance, this motel-like lodge boasts an open-sided restaurant and spartan yet balconied rooms with jaw-dropping…
Kota Kinabalu
This compact, friendly hotel has plenty of boutique flair, with stylish rooms decked in chocolate drapes, glass-topped desks, contemporary bedsteads and…
Sabah
Pulau Labuan's favourite hotel is a cut above the rest with its cobalt-blue outdoor pool nestled in manicured gardens at Tanjung Batu. There's a good…
Sabah
Rainforest has 24 rooms with stained-wood floors, balcony complete with hammock, armoire and bathroom. Although it's comparatively bland compared with…
Kota Kinabalu
Turquoise and chic with Hoi An lanterns, art, wood floors and the excellent licensed Biru Biru cafe downstairs, this is one of KK's better backpacker…
Sandakan
This super-clean, welcoming hostel has cool white walls, air con in every room and a lobby with a flat-screen TV. It also serves up a decent,…
Sabah
This resort has a range of tasteful rooms, from garden chalets and beach villas to dreamy stilted water cabanas, and resident turtles looking for a…
Sabah
At 1800m above sea level, high up in montane forest en route from KK to Tambunan, this lodge is surrounded by humongous pitcher plants and a wealth of…
Kota Kinabalu
This superclean backpackers has four eight-bed dorms featuring pod-like bunks. There are three mixed dorms and one dorm is female only. The former have…
Kota Kinabalu
Fat Rhino is bright and breezy with an in-house cafe and bar, indoor and rooftop lounges, and decent rooms and dorms (some with windows into the corridor)…
Kota Kinabalu
Occupying a fine stretch of peach-hued dunes about 45 minutes' drive north of KK's airport, this beautiful resort has its own 18-hole golf course, several…
Mt Kinabalu & Kinabalu National Park
Welcoming Lilly's is a good base close to the park entrance for budget travellers. Shared bathrooms are clean and have hot water. There's a communal BBQ…
Sabah
Consisting of a clutch of spacious, bamboo-accented rooms, this small, family-run resort is ideal for disconnecting and engaging in such pursuits as sea…
Sabah
Set in a horseshoe design with a decent restaurant at the centre, these 42 stilted chalets perched on the turquoise water are connected by wooden walkways…
Mt Kinabalu & Kinabalu National Park
Just 300m from the Kinabalu National Park entrance, this tasteful accommodation clinging to the mountainside is scented by the surrounding pine trees –…
Mt Kinabalu & Kinabalu National Park
The trademark signing says that it's 'The coldest and highest homestay village in Malaysia',. This organisation has nine different households you can stay…
Sabah
One of the most luxurious hotels in town, Dorsett is palatial, with a columned marble lobby, outdoor pool, pleasant carpeted rooms in neutral creams and…
Sandakan
Right near the waterfront, this hostel gets a lot of love from the backpacker contingent for its cleanliness and the helpfulness of its staff. The cosy…
Mt Kinabalu & Kinabalu National Park
This smart brick guesthouse with great views of Mt Kinabalu from its terraces sits in a quiet cul-de-sac in Kundasang village. Most of the spotless rooms…
Sabah
At the Maliau Basin headquarters, 30km from the reserve entrance, choose between upscale rooms (VIP House/deluxe/standard RM1400/540/410), regular…
Kota Kinabalu
Jolly hostel with a welcoming common area, plant-filled space with water feature and bold, crimson-and-lime-green rooms. Some have natural light, while…
Kota Kinabalu
Head up the steep stairs in the cosy little bar and you find yourself in a vast space with 33 bunks connected by metal walkways and scaffolding. Each…
Sabah
Run by locals, this lime-green wooden affair on the river has snug, fan-cooled dorms and basic rooms. There's also a pleasant cafe looking out on the…
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