Howard Johnson by Wyndham Kota Kinabalu City Centre, formerly Hotel Shangri-La Kota Kinabalu

Hotels
•
Howard Johnson
8.1 (2016 reviews)
11, Jalan Masjid Lama, Bandaran Berjaya , Kota Kinabalu , MY
+60 88-212 800

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Free
Children allowed

Facilities

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

Review Highlights

Pros:
Friendly staff
Good location
Great breakfast
Cons:
WiFi issues
Old towels
Outdated facilities

Categories

Cleanliness
7.56
Some complaints about old towels and dusty curtains were noted.
Service
8.53
Guests mentioned helpful and friendly staff.
Location
8.57
Convenient location, close to amenities and city center.
Room Quality
7.82
Some rooms are renovated but others are outdated.
Amenities
7.55
WiFi issues and some facilities not meeting expectations.
Value for Money
8.21
Good pricing for the quality overall.
Food and Beverage
8.56
Highly praised breakfast and food quality.
Overall Experience
8.03
Generally positive experiences but with some room for improvement.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-01-06 23:34

Property Description

Stunning Views of Kota Kinabalu and Tunku Abdul Rahman Park
Convenient Location near Major Attractions
Modern Rooms with 24-Hour Room Service

To enjoy breathtaking views of Kota Kinabalu and the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, book your stay at Hotel Shangri-la Kota Kinabalu. Indulge in Asian and Western fusion dishes at Tivoli Café & Bar and unwind with refreshing drinks at Bar Lounge. With a prime location near Atkinson Clock Tower and Gaya Street Sunday Market, exploring the city is a breeze. Experience comfort and convenience with modern rooms offering 24-hour room service. Don't miss out on this unforgettable experience – book your room now!

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. NB: • Early check-in allowed with additional charge of RM100
• Late check-out allowed with additional charge of RM100
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

8.1
Based on 2016 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.56
Service: 8.53
Location: 8.57
Room Quality: 7.82
Amenities: 7.55
Value for Money: 8.21
Food and Beverage: 8.56
Overall Experience: 8.03
R
Robert • solo_traveller • au
8
2026-09-19 • via Nuitee
E
Erivester • couple • my
10
Pros:

Shout out to the team! Especially Ira the receptionist and abang halim the bellman! They make my stay even much better! Ira very helpful. I told her that my room is not really cold. Maybe something happen to the AC. I told her she can send someone to check it since I went out for a lil bit. When I came back to my room, the room temp is good. The AC is working. Who ever maintenance team that attend my room on sept 9 (maybe the evening shift maintenance) thank you so much! The food is always good! The chef and the waiters often check the food and refill it.

Cons:

All good!

2026-09-17 • via Nuitee
F
Farah Dania • solo_traveller • my
10
Pros:

The room is clean & the facilities are nice. When I request extra tissue & shower gel, it was delivered really fast, no hassle. The location is also convenient & strategic. The breakfast buffet has a variety of food & tasted soo good. Love it! Thank you HoJo Team!

Cons:

The facilities looked a bit old/run down but how they maintained & keep clean makes it up.

2026-09-14 • via Nuitee
P
Patricia • couple • es
10
2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
N
nur shaza shafira • solo_traveller • my
4
2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
S
Sarah • couple • nz
8
Standard room was disappointing, Deluxe room is good
Pros:

Location was good, a short walk to the waterfront and night market. Roof bar was chilled, good for an easy dinner. The hotel changed our room when there was a problem with the only downlight in our room making a non-stop buzzing sound, appreciated the helpful and responsive staff.

Cons:

Room deposit is annoying if you don't have cash or a credit card on you. There was a connecting door in our room and because of this you could hear the guests next door, which was awkward. Definitely book the Deluxe room and not Standard - while there doesn't seem to be much difference in the photos here on booking.com they are like rooms in a different hotel.

2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
E
EDWINNA • solo_traveller • my
9
2026-09-12 • via Nuitee
B
Bronte • couple • au
10
A great place to stay for a one night stopover- clean and close to the airport
Pros:

Rooms were clean and modern, brekkie had heaps of options and was super close to the property

Cons:

Nothing! It was great!

2026-09-11 • via Nuitee
D
Dares saham • couple • my
6
2026-09-10 • via Nuitee
W
Wan Nur • couple • my
9
2026-09-09 • via Nuitee
A
Anke • solo_traveller • au
9
2026-09-06 • via Nuitee
R
Raduan • extended_group • my
9
2026-09-06 • via Nuitee
S
Sabina • solo_traveller • se
5
2026-09-05 • via Nuitee
A
Adzim • extended_group • my
6
Pros:

Room are nice but the Aircon not well functioned.

Cons:

Aircon need to upgrade

2026-09-03 • via Nuitee
H
hazarinah • couple • my
8
2026-09-02 • via Nuitee
M
Maria Angeli • couple • ph
10
Very good hotel
Pros:

Ho Jo hotel has excellent location...close to the waterfront, the shopping centre, restaurants, and the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. The room is clean, spacious, with complete amenities.

Cons:

There were times when the WiFi was slow and lagging.

There was a brief power outage during our first day of stay, but power was restored eventually.

2026-09-02 • via Nuitee
S
Sherlina • solo_traveller • my
9
2026-09-02 • via Nuitee
J
Jasson Neo • solo_traveller • my
9
2026-08-31 • via Nuitee
J
John • couple • au
8
Good apart from the fact that the bar and restaurant on the top floor is never available to guests.
Pros:

Great location good value for money

Cons:

Roof top bar / restaurant never available due to functions. Ground floor restaurant alcohol not permitted. So we went elsewhere

2026-08-31 • via Nuitee
K
KYLE • solo_traveller • bn
9
Lovely staff who went out of their way to help
Pros:

Checked in and had a race the next morning. They changed my room to face the hillside as it would be quieter. They gave me a late check out too. I was delayed returning and they phoned me and arranged for a new room key so that I could have a shower even though it was later than the check out time. Such helpful lovely staff.

2026-08-30 • via Nuitee