“Rest day prior to river cruise”

This is one of the best hotels to stay in Sandakan. Its primarily used by westerners who use it as a stop over to next stages of their holiday. While the hotel is somewhat outdated the staff and location are great. There is a small walk behind the hotel where you can see squirrels and birds. The… more

This is one of the best hotels to stay in Sandakan. Its primarily used by westerners who use it as a stop over to next stages of their holiday. While the hotel is somewhat outdated the staff and location are great. There is a small walk behind the hotel where you can see squirrels and birds. The buffet breakfast isn't great, especially if coming towards the end of service. What was delicious though was the iftar during Ramadan. This was a feast of different cuisines including drinks and desserts. A real treat, and a fantastic display put on by the hotel. You would need to reserve a table. The pool is really nice and offered plenty of entertainment for families. Overall a great experience and a wonderful team in the hotel. Would return.

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“Good place to stay in Sandakan”

Stayed here for one night prior to a couple of jungle lodge stays. While the hotel is somewhat dated, the stay was very comfortable. Dinner was good, as was breakfast. Staff were very friendly.

“A good base for visiting Turtle Island but character spoilt by catering to package holidays”

The Hotel Sabah makes a good base for trips to Turtle Island. It is well out of the old town in a leafy quiet area and has a somewhat relaxed vibe. The hotel is heavily used by package holidays from Europe and this does impact on the atmosphere – it doesn’t feel as if you are in Borneo. The rooms… more

The Hotel Sabah makes a good base for trips to Turtle Island. It is well out of the old town in a leafy quiet area and has a somewhat relaxed vibe. The hotel is heavily used by package holidays from Europe and this does impact on the atmosphere – it doesn’t feel as if you are in Borneo. The rooms are pretty standard but there was a well-lit mirror in the bathroom. The swimming pool is one of the highlights of the hotel. It is well designed for both children and adults. A large monitor lizard lives by the pool and causes amusement when it goes for a swim. The breakfast buffet is uninspiring, catering for Europeans and not offering local fare such as Nasi Lemak or Laksa. In the evening there is an a la carte restaurant but one has to work hard to get any authentic local dishes. The foyer café however is a good place to a get a coffee or cocktail. Finally, for those traveling to Turtle Island there is a good luggage storage facility.

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“Good location for wildlife trips, but the hotel itself needs improvement”

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… more

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.

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“Functional hotel”

Although rooms large and very comfortable in main building. The hotel was tired looking on the outside and around pool area. There was a distinct lack of service sometimes and the breakfast and main menu limited. Room was clean tidy and functional.