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

Hotels
•
Howard Johnson
8.1 (1964 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:
Very clean rooms and good housekeeping
Convenient, central location (near Gaya Street / city centre)
Good value for money
Friendly/helpful staff (several mentions, named staff praised)
Good breakfast variety and taste
Rooftop and ample parking
Cons:
At least one serious unprofessional front desk incident / inattentive reception
Wifi reported poor by guests
Some facilities and rooftop artificial turf are old/run down or a maintenance/safety concern
Occasional room issues: dated decor and noise for rooms facing busy roads
Some staff sometimes need clearer attention to detail (repeated confirmations required)

Categories

Cleanliness
9
Multiple guests commented the hotel and rooms are very clean and well maintained; housekeeping specifically praised.
Service
6.8
Mixed: several reviews praise helpful, friendly staff (named staff highlighted), quick maintenance response and attentive F&B team, but at least one serious complaint about rude/unresponsive front desk behaviour and other comments about staff needing to clarify details.
Location
9
Consistently described as strategically located, close to Gaya Street and shopping, city centre access and about 20 mins from the airport.
Room Quality
8
Generally comfortable rooms with good water pressure and AC (issues were resolved quickly), though some guests noted dated rooms and one report of noise for rooms facing a busy flyover.
Amenities
7.6
Guests liked rooftop and parking and cited filtered water and other basics; however wifi was reported poor by at least one guest, and rooftop artificial turf and some facilities were described as old/run down and in need of maintenance.
Value for Money
9
Multiple guests stated the hotel offers very good value for the price and exceeds expectations for cost.
Food and Beverage
8.3
Breakfast was repeatedly praised for variety and taste and staff attention to the buffet, though one guest suggested breakfast improvement.
Overall Experience
7.1
Overall many guests found their stays satisfactory with positives like cleanliness, location and value, but the serious front desk incident and some dated/noisy rooms/amenity issues lowered the overall impression for some visitors.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-11-05 14:25

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 1964 reviews
Cleanliness: 9
Service: 6.8
Location: 9
Room Quality: 8
Amenities: 7.6
Value for Money: 9
Food and Beverage: 8.3
Overall Experience: 7.1
G
Grace • couple • my
5
Pros:

Housekeeping

Cons:

The Front Desk staff need urgent customer service training. The receptionists were inattentive, lazy, and completely unresponsive to guest needs and comfort. I was deeply disappointed with my stay.

On the morning of my check-out, my sleep was disrupted early by two consecutive phone calls. I chose to ignore the first call to stay positive, but a second call came just a few minutes later. When I called the reception back to report the disturbance, the staff member asked me where the call came from and demanded to know who I was. I actually thought I had dialed the wrong number at first, but the person confirmed they were indeed the Front Office staff. WOW!

I have never encountered such an unprofessional experience at any other hotel. Instead of telling me they didn't know what happened and couldn't do anything, the staff should have apologized for the inconvenience and assured me they would investigate the issue. I sincerely hope management reads this feedback and addresses the FO department accordingly.

Let me be the last guest encounter such ignorance service from your team. Honestly, I rarely write reviews for the hotels I stay at, whether the experience is good or bad, but this specific incident left me deeply disappointed.

2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
W
William Thien • couple • my
10
2026-10-31 • via Nuitee
S
sueddan • couple • my
8
nice
Pros:

everything...............

Cons:

none

2026-10-26 • via Nuitee
M
Mia • couple • au
10
2026-10-25 • via Nuitee
C
CARINE • extended_group • my
10
2026-10-25 • via Nuitee
Y
YI CHEN • family_with_children • tw
6
2026-10-23 • via Nuitee
S
Shaheera • extended_group • my
8
Pros:

The hotel is value for money. For what you pay for, it exceeds expectations. The location is also not too far from Gaya Street and other shopping outlets. Only 20 mins from the airport.

2026-10-22 • via Nuitee
N
Nazira • family_with_children • my
10
very nice and comfortable place to stay
Pros:

location sangat strategik , tengah2 bandar . kedai-kedai makan pon boleh jalan kaki . hotel sangat bersih, selesa dan cantik. staff pon peramah dan mudah untuk berurusan.

2026-10-21 • via Nuitee
S
Siti Murshidah • couple • my
10
Its a great experience to stay at this property. Clean and comfortable at a good price.
Pros:

Easy access, within cuty centre and a lot of parking space.

Cons:

None

2026-10-20 • via Nuitee
C
Chit Choy • couple • my
7
2026-10-20 • via Nuitee
N
Nurul Zuezamaslin • extended_group • my
9
2026-10-20 • via Nuitee
M
Maizatul • couple • my
10
Cons:

Food for breakfast need improvement

2026-10-19 • via Nuitee
K
Khairunnisa • solo_traveller • my
8
2026-10-19 • via Nuitee
W
Wildeman • couple • pl
8
2026-10-19 • via Nuitee
A
AINOL • couple • my
8
2026-10-17 • via Nuitee
T
Toralf • solo_traveller • my
10
2026-10-15 • via Nuitee
B
Brian Wei Liang • solo_traveller • my
9
2026-10-15 • via Nuitee
M
Matthew • solo_traveller • hk
9
2026-10-15 • via Nuitee
A
Alexandra • couple • mo
8
2026-10-14 • via Nuitee
C
CHIA HSUAN • couple • tw
9
2026-10-14 • via Nuitee