Pantai Inn — Hotel in Borneo

We really didn’t know what to expect from our first “budget rate” accommodation in Malaysia. And first impressions aside (read on) it didn’t take long for us to appreciate what we had found.

So, let’s get first impressions out of the way. This is an older property in the heart of KK’s Chinatown. The “fit and finish” is certainly in need of a refresh. For example, the peeling wallpaper in the hallway on our floor was unappealing to say the least. And the wall plug that was disconnected from the wall was functional, but disconcerting.

To be clear, the rooms are tiny. There was no closet of any description in our room, and very, very limited floor space to put our suitcases. There is no vanity to speak of, and only a small shelf in the shower space for things like shampoo etc. This hotel (almost hostel) clearly caters to short term stays with very little luggage.

But after some creative adjustments (like turning a small stool on its side under the sink to create a makeshift vanity), and reconciling ourselves that we’d be living out of our suitcases for the duration of our stay, we began to appreciate the upsides.

The staff at the front desk are super friendly and accommodating (most speak some English, while one young woman in particular was very fluent), and the free breakfast at the restaurant next door is very yummy.

The bed was comfortable. The AC worked perfectly (nice and quiet), and the shower had lots of hot water and good pressure. And the daily housekeeping service, which included refreshing instant coffees and delicious Sabahan teas, was impeccable and friendly. (*Note: there is filtered water available in the hallway, including nearly boiling hot water which was perfect for making a quick cup of instant coffee or tea in the room).

But best of all was the location. The Inn is a few steps away from Gaya Street, which is the home of KK’s famous Api Api Night Market (held every Friday & Saturday evening) and the weekly Sunday morning market. Taking these markets in while you’re in KK is a must.

We were also very close to a nearby sports park which afforded us a great space for morning workouts. And we were centrally located to things like the Jesselton Jetty (your jumping off point to the islands in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park), the waterfront seafood restaurants and markets, a host of local KopiTiams and small restos.

Overall, we are happy to recommend Pantai Inn, especially for...

My friend and I decided to go to Kota Kinabalu to unwind and relax after busy days at work... and I must say that this hotel made our trip amazing!!! Stayed here from Feb. 16 - 18, 2018. Didn't know that these dates are also exactly KK's holiday due to CNY. Perfect timing, right? No traffic congestion yeeey! :)||Anyways, we arrived here around past 8PM. Receptionists Rani and Stallone welcomed us. They are very accommodating and attentive to our needs (all the staff are nice actually! My bad for not getting all their names). During our stay, I often called the Reception due to some requests such as adaptor and hair dryer. I'm glad that they were able to provide all of these without any hesitations. Room is super clean! I am very particular with the bathroom cleanliness and they didn't disappointed us. Although the sliding door is a bit weird 'coz you can't close the toilet and shower at the same time but not a big deal! We booked a twin room and the size is perfect for 2 people. WIFI is stable and fast. Design of the room is cozy and relaxing. Good job for refurbishing the hotel after 20 years of operation - for your info guys! ;) Location is excellent because it's in the city center, we just walked going to the Jesselton Point, Suriah Sabah/Centre Point/Oceanus Malls then used Uber to go to other places which is wayyy cheaper than taxi.||Well all in all, our experience was beyond our expectation! Kota Kinabalu is such a beautiful place with beautiful people. Would definitely come back! Thank you Pantai Inn for...

Stayed in this Inn for one night. The inn is clean and the location is superb! Walking distance to shopping mall and located in Gaya Street where all the famous eateries locate. You are spoil with choice.||Pro -Room is ok size, clean and toilet seem newly renovated.||Value for money!|||Con - aircon was Abit noisy (but we are too tired to be bothered after our wonderful dive trip)||Room layout for toilet and bed is a bit weird. There is no proper "space" for toilet, the sink is actually can said locate in the room itself. In term of privacy, the toilet layout not really suitable for sharing room if you are on business trip with someone.||We are traveling in the midst of Covid19 (Sabah zero case and lockdown is not started), was disappointed that the government still collect RM10 tax where the hotel business is already seem bad with less tourist. Not very supportive to the Hotel business I felt.||Overall, good hotel for family or...