Kingwood Sibu — Hotel in Borneo

Mon 27 Nov 2023

My wife and I had a pleasant 3D/2N stay at the Kingwood Hotel in Sibu, which is situated along the iconic Rajang River, the longest river in Malaysia. The hotel offers a stunning view of the river and the city from its rooms and facilities. The hotel is also conveniently located near the Sibu Central Market, the largest indoor market in Malaysia, where you can find a variety of local products and delicacies.

The room was spacious, clean, and comfortable, with a flat-screen TV, an electric kettle, a refrigerator, and a minibar. I appreciated the free Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, and safe in the room. The bathroom was well-stocked with toiletries, towels, and a hairdryer. The bed was cosy and the linens were fresh. I enjoyed the river view from the large windows, which also let in natural light.

The breakfast was included in my stay, and it was delicious and varied. I had a choice of halal local and international cuisines, such as fried noodles, nasi lemak, rice porridge, toast, eggs, sausages, cereals, and fresh fruits. The breakfast was served at the Riverfront Cafe, which had a nice ambience and a great view of the river. The staff were friendly and attentive, and they accommodated my dietary preferences.

The hotel also had other dining options, such as the Ming Jiang Count, which served authentic Chinese dishes and dim sum. We attended my alma mater's golden anniversary at the Perdana banquet room and I was impressed by the quality of the food and the service. The portions were generous and the taste was superb. The prices were reasonable for the standard and the location.

The hotel also had an outdoor pool, a fitness centre, and a bar and cafe at the Penthouse. I did not use these facilities, but I heard they were well-maintained and enjoyable. The hotel also offered a parking garage, a 24-hour front desk, a tour desk, and a concierge service.

Overall, I had a great stay at Kingwood Hotel in Sibu, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for comfortable and convenient accommodation in Sibu. The hotel has everything you need for a relaxing and memorable stay, and the staff are very helpful and professional. I would stay here again if I visit Sibu in the future.

Our favourite hotel whenever we balik kampung during festivals and holidays periods of the year. It's situated on the Rejang river bank. We always requested a deluxe room in the new wing which is bigger looks cleaner and has a great view of the river and parts of the Suburbs. Many of our favourite foods are within short walking distance. For Sunday church services, we simply turned on the LCD TV in the room and followed the good TV...

My wife and I stayed at Kingwood Sibu new wing for 3 days during the Ching Ming weekend. |There was not one experience in this hotel that was memorable or comfortable. |Checking in was done by a girl who could not find our booking and she screwed up her face, looking in disdain at the screen shot of our booking which we showed to her. There is a RM 50.00 deposit to be paid in cash for the key cards. In case of loss of the key card the deposit is forfeited. |The room was on the 16th floor facing the river. Unfortunately, the windows were so dirty that we could hardly see anything. There is no in room safe, only one hand towel even at double occupancy and there is a charge for an extra towel or extra anything. The floor was dusty with hair accumulated and during the 3 days stay room cleaning was just to empty the trash can and change the towels. |There was loud drilling and construction noise throughout our stay but no advance notice was given. Even during the early hours in the morning there was scraping sound when the debris from the construction was removed. The carpets in the corridors and lifts have a strong mouldy smell which permeates throughout the hotel. |Breakfast in the coffee shop on the ground floor was a sad affair. Everything, including cutleries, coffee & tea was buffet style. The plates were plastic and the food of low quality and by 8.45am mostly cold. |I took the last 2 soft boiled eggs from a chafing dish. The eggs were stone cold and still had feathers and chicken manure on the shell. The cutleries get a cursory wash and wipe in the sink behind the bar counter. How hygienic is that? Eating time is limited to 1/2 hour due to limited capacity! Never mind, with lousy food and no service, who wants to stay longer?|On the weekend when the hotel has banquets, the in door parking is full, yet cars are allowed to drive in and the attendant issues tickets. It took me about 1/2 hour driving around the car park to finally squeeze my car into an empty space near the ramp. Parking outside the hotel is impossible as at anytime there is already double parking in the small congested roads. |For a 4 star hotel the product and services offered are an insult to...

One of the Worst Hotel Experiences I Have Had. Avoid if You Value Basic Respect

I do not usually write bad reviews, but my experience at Kingwood Hotel Sibu was truly disappointing.

From the start, service was poor. I asked for additional drinking water and even offered to pay for it, but was flatly rejected. I was told that management only allows two bottles per room per day and that staff would get into trouble if they gave more. It felt petty and unwelcoming.

Was not allowed to sign to the room when I ordered room service even though I paid a deposit upon check in. Room service said that they didn’t have information about my deposit and if I want to order I need to pay by cash or card

Check out was even worse. The receptionist (I will not name her here) asked rudely about the second room key. I told her it was probably in the key holder in the room as I had forgotten to remove it. Instead of handling it professionally, she gave me a look like I had committed a serious offense, then told the bellman to go check the room.

What shocked me most was that she began talking negatively about us in Iban, not realizing my wife is Sarawakian and understood every word. My wife responded in Iban, and the look on the receptionist’s face said it all.

I asked to speak with a manager and was told there was no manager. When I asked to speak to the General Manager, the reply was just as rude. She said the GM goes home around 4.30pm - 5pm so the GM will only come to work at 8.30 in the morning. I left my contact details for the GM to call me. It has been two days and still no call or follow up.

Honestly, stay here only if you want to pay money to be treated with zero respect. It is like a local version of Karen’s Diner, except you do not expect rude service when you check into a hotel.

Kingwood Sibu seriously needs to look at how they train their team or at least remind them that guests are still human beings.

P/S - there’s only ONE good staff. An elderly gentleman in the lobby and sometimes at the door. Very polite and always greets everyone...