Sabah Hotel

L'accueil , le petit déjeuner, la piscine.
Nous y avons passé une nuit avant de partir dans un lodge en forêt et une nuit au retour avant de reprendre l'avion..... correspond parfaitement à nos attentes.

Gera vieta.

Прекрасный бассейн.
Персонал очень приветливый.

Le personnel était très sympathique

We stayed at Sabah Hotel in Sandakan from February 14–17, 2026 as part of our family trip around Borneo. We chose this hotel specifically because it offers easy access to experiences with orangutans, sun bears and proboscis monkeys, without having to stay in jungle lodges – which felt more suitable for us traveling with children aged 6 and 8.

We booked a large room and were pleasantly surprised that our children each had their own bed. That was a real plus. However, the room itself felt worn and not entirely clean, and the bathroom was quite dated. The shower in particular was uncomfortable, more like a harsh spray than a pleasant shower experience.

The pool area was a big hit with our children. They loved the slides and the different pool levels. They were also very excited about the friendly lizard that came for a swim one afternoon! The pool area does feel somewhat worn, but it is clearly popular with both families and locals.

Service at the pool was minimal. On our first day, we had to lie on hard wooden sunbeds because no staff came with cushions. We later discovered that you have to collect them yourself from a small storage room near the fitness center – something that was not communicated to us.

Figuring out how and where to book dinner was confusing. We arrived on Valentine’s Day, and everything was fully booked. Fortunately, we found a table in the bar area and ordered from the à la carte menu – which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Instead of sitting in the very noisy (and rather uncharming) buffet restaurant without alcohol service, we enjoyed excellent à la carte dishes in the bar (the red snapper was fantastic!) where beer and wine were available.

It felt confusing that alcohol was strictly unavailable in the main restaurant, but served in the bar area, while at the same time promoting an aggressive “buy 5 drinks, get 1 free” happy hour. The marketing felt inconsistent and somewhat confusing for Western travelers who simply enjoy a beer or glass of wine with dinner.

The breakfast buffet was unfortunately a major disappointment – the weakest we experienced in Asia. Apart from the omelet station (which helped!) and some fruit (if available), the selection was limited and often empty. A croissant was a lucky find.

One memorable highlight was the Lion Dance performance arranged by the hotel for Chinese New Year. It was a big (and slightly loud!) experience for our children and something we truly appreciated.

Overall, the location is excellent for wildlife excursions, which is clearly the hotel’s main strength. It is also the only real option in Sandakan, and that lack of competition can be felt. While it worked well as a base for exploring the area, we would not return for the hotel experience itself.

Good breakfast and helpful staff on the whole.

Le personnel et plus globalement les Malais sont des gens adorables !
Nous avons la chance d'avoir un serveur de l'hôtel, nous voyant marcher sous un soleil de plomb, 0s'arrêter (alors qu'il était en fin de service) et nous proposer de nous poser en ville.
Le jeune homme de la salle de sport a été lui également adorable et quel talent pour apprendre le français en seulement 2 fois 5 minutes

Skønt hotel med gode faciliteter og morgenmad samt restauranter!
Virkelig sødt og hjælpsomt personale.
Skøn pool og udsigt og dejlige, rummelige værelser.
Gode toiletter og bad.
Stor anbefaling herfra!

The room was clean and very spacious. View of the forest was great as long as you chose not to look at the parking lot 🥹
Air conditioner worked very well. We only stayed 1 night but would definitely go back to use the amenities as well. Restaurant was ok, dulled down flavours but as it was pouring rain it made it very convenient to have that option. Staff were absolutely lovely. Location was easy for cab to find.