Royal Resort Semporna — Local services in Sabah

Just completed 3 days 2 nights stay at Royal Resort. Felt the need to write my frank and fair review as the price paid was meant to match the many good reviews, mostly rated 5 stars. But sadly I feel the resort is certainly over rated as we certainly did not enjoy such high standard of service expected.

Before the negatives, the location of the resort is no doubt excellent. Not too far away from main land but far enough to have crystal clear water without rubbish from the Kampung Air. Layout is picturous with white color theme excellent for taking photos of sunrise and sunset. The booking and boat service is smooth having no issues.

The unit allotted to us is actually too plain in interior design and deco, not much better than other cheaper resorts we had previously stayed. The room is big and spacious but not that well thought of. There is no proper wardrobe or table for luggage or bags. Need to sacrifice the glass window counter for putting luggage bags. Only a simple wood rack with a few clothe hangers is provided. No proper coffee/tea making facility, just few packets of Nescafe and Lipton.

The bathroom and toilet is unexpectedly outside the room, accessible through a heavy sliding glass door with no connecting roof cover. My wife had trouble opening the tight and jerky sliding door. Imagine going to the toilet at night and worse during heavy rain...

The bathroom and toilet is equipped with a trendy looking bathtub but firstly the toilet flushing system was found not functioning. Next the hand-held shower was almost broken, water pressure was extremely low. The trendy bathtub has no water supply which rendered the tub unusable. It was full of stain anyway. My impression of the whole bathroom was that it is surely not fitting for a Resort having so many 5 star ratings but more like that of a normal hotel. Luckily after numerous complaints and visits by few attendants and serviceman, most of the water issue had been resolved albeit still found it hard to really enjoy a good session in the bathroom or the tub that's expected from a 5 star rated resort. Snorkeling equipment provided was far from those described in their website. Regretted not bringing my own snorkeling set. Anyway, I found the location is not that ideal for snorkeling as most corals are dead with too many building debris. The area cordoned off for snorkeling activity is too small with barely any beautiful corals. Some fishes could be seen around and under the resort units.

In room projector with Netflix or YouTube movies supposed to be part of package but it was only provided even after numerous and repeated requests despite promises by the supervisor as well as the serviceman multiple times.

The only consolation was that the buffet lunch and dinner were of quite reasonable quality and taste. However the highly anticipated buffet breakfast and high tea were another let down. Nothing much special that fit the 5 star ratings but more like usual hotel kind of breakfast. High tea snacks provided were some lekor, goreng pisang, cakes and others. No real coffee and tea was only made available upon multiple requests (my wife prefer tea rather than instant coffee). It was always replied with 'tea was out of stock'.

There was WhatsApp and Wechat QR code for room service but the response certainly could not be anywhere near 5 star service. Even the WhatsApp response before and after online booking was slow.

The WiFi was not stable. Most time it was connected without access to Internet. Mobile data depends very much on weather.

If you are just going for a night stay to take some nice photos with the clean water and beautiful sunrise or sunset, then it's okay. The supervisor could be helpful in taking some nice photos. For a more luxurious experience matching the price paid, then I would not recommend unless Royal Resort undertake immediate upgrading of their services and favilities which commensurate with such high prices they charge.

There maybe genuine efforts by the resort staffs to provide...

Came here for honeymoon with my wife and it was amazing! Arrived here with a warm welcome and refreshing drinks. All the staff are very friendly and helpful. We didn’t hire photographer for this trip but one of the staff named Ryan assist us to take photos until we got really tired and full phone storage! Haha. The photos they took are beautiful too! They even informed us for every meal and remind us again to come before the time runs out (we were chilling in the water haha).

When it comes to food, omg it is completely delicious! Freshly cooked foods and they even prepare some unique vegetables (i think from the sea) and it tastes really good! I love the shrimp and soft crabs! No need to break it hard, just twist the shells and enjoy the crab meat. I ate a lot and even ask them if its okay if i bring one plate to our room because I couldn’t finish and they allow it. In malay we’ll say “tak berkira” with their guest and we really appreciate it!

The Resort design, ultimately amazing. Beautiful minimalist deco, white blue and wooden floor is exactly what we love and expected to experience! The resort is fully complete! Beds at the centre of the room (for couple room), beautiful side window, large sliding door glass to watch the view, amazing glass floor to see fish in the water, small pool outside, nets to lay around and chill, stairs straigt to the water and bathtub at the side of the window. They even provide projector for entertainment and they provide snorkelling equipment at our room to go snorkelling around the resort. We can use it anytime we’re allowed to snorkel, no need to ask the staff (which is really cool!).

We add on island hopping from the Package and OHHSEM team picked us up with a boat, had one of their team called Azlan welcome us by singing us song while we getting on the boat, and assist on taking our photos all day! He recorded us while we were snorkelling and even had photoshoot session at the Mataking Island beach! We produce a beautiful video out of it thanks to them. haha. Even they provide us meals during the island hopping session. brought us to see turtles and explain to us unique kind of fish. It was so fun!

All i can say is, if you wanted an exciting calm retreat moments with your love one or family, this is the place. I spend hours just by looking at the sea from our room. Very peaceful with beautiful view and a beautiful Resort. I kept staring at the clear water and watched the fish swims around. I told my wife that we might not get this moment again somewhere else, so we might come here again someday. But we wanted to explore Kundasang and Kota Kinabalu as well. Might come here again after that inshaAllah!

Thank you Royal Resort for the pleasant service that you provided us dan kami bersyukur dengan keputusan kami datang ke sini untuk honeymoon kami. Totally worth it. Tak...

I had a truly memorable and refreshing stay at this locally managed resort, and I couldn’t be more proud that such a gem exists right here in Malaysia 🇲🇾.

The overall design and architecture are absolutely Instagrammable — every corner is thoughtfully crafted and makes the perfect photo spot. The place is a visual treat and an absolute dream for travel photography lovers.

The warm hospitality from the staff made the experience even better. I especially appreciate how well-trained they are — even politely declining tips, which shows strong service ethics and professionalism. Special shout-out to the staff with unexpectedly amazing photography skills — thank you for capturing such great moments for us!

Snorkelling here was one of the biggest highlights. The clear waters, abundant marine life, and even starfish and coral sightings made it such a magical and recharging experience. Honestly, there’s no need to go island hopping — this place alone offers a perfect full-day retreat with calm waters, cute fishes, and natural beauty right at your doorstep.

That said, I’d love to share a few suggestions that could help take this resort to the next level:

Food variety: It would be lovely to see more variety in the food offerings to cater to guests from diverse cultural backgrounds. For example, including hard-boiled eggs, or placing milk in a more visible area could make a difference for international guests who may be used to different breakfast norms. While fried eggs are great for locals, some guests might appreciate options cooked in styles more familiar to them.

Facilities & utilities: With a little more attention to maintenance, particularly electricity and water stability, the stay could truly feel five-star in every way.

Environmental care: While smoking is allowed in open spaces, it would be wonderful if the resort could implement a designated smoking area to prevent cigarette butts from accidentally being blown into the ocean — protecting marine life and water quality is so important. Similarly, windblown plastic waste could be addressed with quick-response clean-ups or proactive measures to secure loose items.

Sustainability efforts: It would be inspiring to see the resort take a leadership role in environmental sustainability — perhaps by introducing recycling bins, eco-awareness signage, or even small initiatives to encourage guests to protect this beautiful location. It could become a role model for other resorts in the region!

Overall, it was an incredibly enjoyable and heartwarming stay. With just a few thoughtful improvements, this resort has all the potential to become an eco-conscious paradise and a benchmark for sustainable, locally run tourism. 💙 I’ll definitely be back — and will recommend it to friends looking for a peaceful recharge...