Ultimate Guide for Budget Traveler and Adventure Seeker

Travelling to Kota Kinabalu is one of my #travelgoals in 2018. It's been a long time I'm planning to visit to this beautiful destin...

Hotel Grandis : The Best Hotel in Kota Kinabalu

Travelling to Kota Kinabalu is one of my #travelgoals in 2018. It's been a long time I'm planning to visit to this beautiful destination which is on my bucket list. When I got a chance to file a (work) vacation leave, I immediately checked online to find the cheapest airfare and hotel in KK.


That time, Cebu Pacific was the only airline company that offer the cheapest airfare for Manila to Kota Kinabalu flight. The airfare also from Brunei to Manila was less than 2,000 pesos. I decided to book a one way flight from Manila to Malaysia and a one way flight from Brunei to Manila. The total ticket cost was less than 5,000 pesos without check-in baggage.


When I goggled the best hotel in Kota Kinabalu, there are lots of booking websites that popped up on my laptop like booking.com, kayak.com, trivago.com, agoda.com, expedia.com and airbnb.com. Most of these websites provide same information. One of the hotels that caught my attention was the Hotel Grandis. I saw a lot of good reviews of this hotel on TripAdvisor. The hotel sits in the heart of the city, a mere 15 minutes’ drive from Kota Kinabalu International Airport, and right next to the hippest lifestyle mall in town.

I arrived in the airport around 3:00 in the morning. I hired a taxi airport which cost RM45. I highly suggest to book a car via grab. It's cheaper compared to the regular and airport taxi. It took me estimated 15 minutes to reach the hotel. My check-in time was 2 o'clock in the afternoon but the reception officer allowed me to have an early check in as a courtesy. The staff was very polite and accommodating.


Upon entering the room, I was overwhelmed on its size. It's huge and fully furnished. By the way, I booked the Deluxe Room. The living area has comfy couches, center table, flat screen tv with cable channels and workstation. This was the perfect place to rest after a tiring day tour. I spent some of my time in this area. I always watch movies while eating my favorite hamburger and french fries from McDonalds.


Let's talk about their bedroom. The room comes in classic colors. It's designed to be luxurious and comfortable. It's stylishly furnished with king-size bed with quality linen, a cozy sofa, cabinet,  air conditioning, flat screen tv with cable channels, ironing facilities and a in-room safety deposit box. For two nights of my stay in Grandis Hotel, I had a complete sleep. It's very relaxing to lay down on its comfy bed. Near the main door is the restroom. It's spacious and clean. It has hot and cold shower, big mirror, hair dryer, bathtub, clean towels, and free toiletries.



Room rates start at RM750 per night. You can choose from Superior Room, Deluxe Room, Executive Room to Premiere Suite. There are rooms that offer a magnificent views of the South China Sea and Tunku Abdul Rahman Park islands. Each room include a complimentary buffet breakfast.



The hotel's restaurant offers international and fusion á la carte menus or specially prepared buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Rosea Café features a cooking-dining arena, where a high level of cooking activity in the open kitchen makes dining at their Café a truly theatrical experience. My dining experience here was truly superb. I always seat near the big glass window to have an overlooking view of the sea and nearby islands.


At the rooftop, I enjoyed the spectacular view of the glittering South China Sea, Kota Kinabalu’s breath-taking sunsets, and the picturesque Tunku Abdul Rahman Park islands. You can find here the 20-meter long swimming pool,  a fully equipped gym, and the Sky Blu Bar .


Daily newspaper is provided for free while laundry service is available at an additional charge. There are also meeting rooms on site.


Grandis Hotels and Resorts is 2 km from Gaya Street Sunday Market, while Handicraft Market is 3.5 km from the property. The nearest airport is Kota Kinabalu International Airport, a 13 km drive away.



A tourist tax of MYR 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.

Overall, I enjoyed my stay in Grandis Hotel and Resorts. The room is clean and spacious with comfy bed and pillow. The restaurant's sea view is stunning as well the sunset and sunrise at the rooftop. The staff are very friendly and accommodating. It's the best place to chill and relax. Last thing, it has the best location, walking distance to shopping malls, restaurants and Jesselton terminal. It's highly recommended hotel in Kota Kinabalu - great value for money and can't beat the location.

The Hotel Grandis is located at Suria Sabah Shopping Mall, 1A, Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia


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