Holiday Inn Express Kota Kinabalu City Centre by IHG

Hotels
•
Holiday Inn Express
8.8 (2128 reviews)
No 1, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman , Kota Kinabalu , MY
+60 88-206 888

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

Fitness facilities
WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Free Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Fitness center
24-hour front desk
Business center
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly, helpful staff (multiple mentions)
Clean rooms and comfortable beds
Good/varied breakfast
Convenient location for many guests
Affordable on-site parking
Cons:
Perceived high price / poor value for some guests
Thin walls / hallway noise reported
Limited amenities (small gym, no pool)
Occasional bland or low-quality breakfast
Some guests found pillows too soft

Categories

Cleanliness
9.4
Multiple reviews describe the hotel and rooms as very clean and well maintained; one guest praised housekeeping by name. A minority noted nothing special, but overall cleanliness is consistently positive.
Service
10
Staff repeatedly described as friendly, helpful and attentive (multiple mentions of receptionists and specific staff). A single check-in incident was mentioned but manager resolved it; overall service sentiment is excellent.
Location
8.8
Location is described variously as convenient and near the city center, though several guests noted proximity to a busy road or a somewhat isolated spot; overall location is good but mixed.
Room Quality
9
Rooms described as spacious, comfortable and with good views; bedding generally praised. Some issues noted (pillows too soft for one guest, thin walls causing noise), but room quality is generally strong.
Amenities
8.1
On-site parking is affordable and appreciated, but facilities are limited for some guests (small gym, no pool mentioned by guests). Amenities are adequate but not extensive.
Value for Money
7.4
Several guests called out high prices and taxes (one review explicitly said price excessive for the market); value is the weakest area compared with other positives.
Food and Beverage
8.5
Breakfast is frequently noted as good and varied, though a few guests found it bland or low quality in parts. Overall F&B is positive but with occasional inconsistencies.
Overall Experience
9.2
Most reviewers report a very nice/enjoyable stay and willingness to return; positives (service, cleanliness, comfortable rooms) drive a strong overall impression despite a few negatives.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-11-05 14:16

Property Description

Prime Location
Located in the heart of Kota Kinabalu, just steps away from popular attractions such as Gaya Street and Sabah State Museum & Heritage Village.

Modern Amenities
Enjoy a comfortable stay in our well-equipped rooms featuring air conditioning, flat-screen TV, and free WiFi.

Convenient Facilities
Take advantage of our fitness centre, business centre, and on-site dining options for a hassle-free stay.

To experience the best of Kota Kinabalu, book your stay at Holiday Inn Express Kota Kinabalu City Centre today!

Important information:

From 1st January 2023, a tourist tax of RM 10 per room per night is applied to all foreign guests. This tax is not included in the room rate and must be paid upon check-in. Guests with a valid Malaysian Identity Card or valid permanent residents MY PR Card are exempted.Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Airport code: BKI

Location

Guest Reviews

8.8
Based on 2128 reviews
Cleanliness: 9.4
Service: 10
Location: 8.8
Room Quality: 9
Amenities: 8.1
Value for Money: 7.4
Food and Beverage: 8.5
Overall Experience: 9.2
F
FOCK CHEONG • solo_traveller • my
10
Excellent service especially front desk staff
Pros:

Will be good u have a separate Cafe for breakfast then next to lobby

2026-11-06 • via Nuitee
S
Sue • couple • ph
7
It was good even just for a short stay. My second time staying in this hotel
Pros:

Breakfast and the room is clean and the location

Cons:

So far none

2026-11-03 • via Nuitee
M
Mohd Sabri • couple • my
10
2026-11-01 • via Nuitee
Z
Zaiton • extended_group • bn
10
2026-11-01 • via Nuitee
T
Ting Yee • couple • my
8
Great stay
Pros:

Friendly staff

2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
S
Socradji • extended_group • my
9
2026-10-29 • via Nuitee
P
Pravin • couple • my
10
2026-10-28 • via Nuitee
N
Noor Fazira • couple • my
10
2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
H
Hidayah • family_with_children • my
7
2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
M
Michael • family_with_children • de
9
Pros:

The staff was very friendly. The room was spacious and the view into the forest was amazing.
The in-house parking was very affordable with 5RM per day for guests.
The breakfast was nice, but sadly a bit blend for my taste.

Cons:

The walls/doors are quite thin so when someone talks in the hallway it feels like there next to you.

2026-10-23 • via Nuitee
M
Md Aizzuddin • couple • bn
10
2026-10-23 • via Nuitee
C
CHONG LOH • family_with_children • bn
10
A short stay for leisure.
Pros:

Staff are friendly and helpful. Breakfast is good. The location is perfect.

Cons:

The pillows are not comfortable for me. They are too soft.

2026-10-23 • via Nuitee
X
Xavier • solo_traveller • my
4
Décevant
Pros:

Pas grand chose. La chambre était de bonne qualité, le reste on aurait dit hôtel ibis bas de gamme en France sauf que le prix à Kota Kinabalu est excessivement cher : plus de 100€ la nuit (avec 16% de taxes au moment de payer la facture)

Cons:

Tout le reste :
- petit déjeuner bas de gamme, même le riz est mal cuit
- mal placé (à côté d’une 6 voies)
- salle de sport minuscule
- prix exorbitants pour la qualité et encore plus si on le rapporte au salaire moyen du pays

2026-10-21 • via Nuitee
B
Bala Palani • family_with_children • sg
7
Pros:

Ok

Cons:

Too expensive

2026-10-20 • via Nuitee
S
Suphashine • extended_group • my
10
2026-10-19 • via Nuitee
K
Khan • family_with_children • ae
8
2026-10-18 • via Nuitee
L
Liew • family_with_children • sg
8
2026-10-17 • via Nuitee
L
leanne • couple • gb
9
Pros:

Lovely property. Very clean and had everything we needed in the room. Breakfast was good and a welcome addition. Would stay here again.

2026-10-16 • via Nuitee
S
Sulaiman • extended_group • my
8
2026-10-16 • via Nuitee
M
MIO • solo_traveller • jp
9
リーズナブルな宿
Pros:

朝食はメインディッシュが毎日変わるので飽きませんでした。ヒルトン側は大きな道路があるので裏側の部屋を利用して正解でした。7階の部屋でしたが、窓の外は一面緑の壁でとても静かでした。

Cons:

立地は必ずしも良いとは言えません。
ホテルの前は大きな道路があって街を散策するのにどうしようかと思いましたが、ホテルを出て右方向に100m程行くと信号機付きの横断歩道があります。早く見つけて良かったです。

2026-10-15 • via Nuitee