Gaya Island Resort

Thomas Bauters

What an amazing place to end our Borneo trip. Very nice room (understatement!) with an amazing view over the sea & mount kinabalu (in clear weather). Food in all locations was great, although slightly expensive (but that is normal and to expect). The island is quite big so there is a bit a distance to cover between your room and the common areas but nothing excessive (although it includes going upwards). Nice pool and beach (including a private beach) with great snorkeling places. Personnel was cleaning the sea in front of hotel (this is endless but a nice gesture). Place does look like it gets crowed during summer months so would definitely recommend to avoid the busy periods. We booked a diving trip (via Borneo Dream) and had a great time with their team. Amazing breakfast with a variety of choices (included cheese, which we missed!).

Wendy Wei

I came here 5 years ago in November 2019. It was so amazing and I promised I would bring my family later—-and now is the time. We have wonderful experience here—- kayaking, snorkeling and private island lunch. Every staff is very friendly and helpful. The hotel is as same as 5 years ago. Hopefully I will come back in a short time.

Lynn Lee

Disappointing Stay at a Supposed 5-Star Resort Labelled as a 5-star resort, this hotel struggles to meet even 4-star standards. Despite the staff’s best efforts, the lack of proper training and basic hospitality skills—likely a cost-cutting measure by YTL—was evident. Many staff members struggled with communication, further diminishing the experience. For better value, consider alternatives like Marriott or Shangri-La, which offer superior service at a lower cost. Services 1. Ruined Birthday Surprise: I had planned a surprise birthday dinner for my husband and coordinated with the hotel a month in advance via email. Upon arrival, I discreetly booked Fisherman’s Cove while he was away. However, the assigned staff confirmed the surprise in his presence, completely spoiling it. 2. Incorrect Birthday Details: At check-in, the room was decorated with two balloons and a banana leaf reading “Happy Birthday.” Unfortunately, the name was mine, not my husband’s, and the birthday date was wrong. 3. Expensive Activities: While fun, most activities came with steep additional costs. 4. Boat Transfer Fees: A one-way boat transfer cost RM170+ per person, adding to the already high expenses. 5. Lack of Luxury Touches: Unlike true luxury resorts like Ritz Carlton Langkawi, this resort offered no thoughtful touches like poolside sorbets or complimentary sunscreen. Room 1. Room Upgrade Disappointment: We were upgraded to a Kinabalu Villa due to our initial room facing a construction dump. While the view improved, the villa’s interior was no better than the cheapest room—worn-out furnishings, a rusted sink pipe, and stained bed sheets that were never properly cleaned despite multiple requests. 2. No Buggy Service: The resort lacked buggy services, requiring us to trek uphill on poorly lit, uneven roads. While encountering wildlife was occasionally pleasant, it felt unsafe at night. 3. Lengthy Minibus Waits: Waiting for the minibus took up to 30 minutes, adding frustration to an already poor experience. 4. Unpleasant Water Quality: The provided drinking water tasted terrible, and even the shower water was salty. 5. Neglectful Housekeeping: Basic amenities like toilet paper were frequently not replenished. 6. Disappointing Birthday Decor: On my husband’s birthday, the bed was covered with hundreds of ixora flowers instead of larger, elegant petals. This resulted in bugs and ants on the bed, requiring us to clean up before sleeping. Food 1. Overpriced and Low-Quality Meals: The resort exploited its isolated location with exorbitant food prices—RM60 for Mee Goreng, RM80 for black pepper veggie udon, and RM210+ per person for teppanyaki or shabu-shabu. These prices would have been acceptable if the food quality matched, but it was subpar, with questionable ingredient quality. 2. Underwhelming Fine Dining: The birthday dinner at Fisherman’s Cove was below average, far from the fine dining experience advertised. My husband even suffered a stomach upset afterward. 3. Breakfast Issues: The egg station at breakfast was non-existent; omelets and scrambled eggs were pre-cooked and left out, lacking freshness or appeal. Beach 1. Limited Access: Visiting during monsoon season meant the private beach was accessible only once during our four-night stay. 2. Unclean Beach: The beach in front of the resort wasn’t pristine. Despite daily cleaning by staff, trash was visible, and the water was murky. This resort fails to justify its 5-star label or price tag. From poorly trained staff to substandard rooms and overpriced, mediocre food, the experience was disappointing. If you’re looking for a luxurious getaway, consider other options that deliver better value and true hospitality.

Katherine Ng

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I recently had an unforgettable stay at Gaya Resort with my husband. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with the White Lotus wave and staff were attentive throughout from check in to check out, with Fiz and her team assisting. The conservation team deserves special mention—they are passionate and knowledgeable, making a real difference in preserving the beautiful Sabah environment. One of the highlights was the mangrove kayaking and fishing trip, which was both eye-opening and educational. It beautifully showcased the harsh realities of overfishing in Sabah, the hardships faced by local fishermen, and the resilient lives of the sea nomads. This experience underscored the resort’s commitment to real sustainable tourism, highlighting the ecological impacts of climate change and the existing poverty gap. It’s inspiring to see how Gaya Resort is fostering education and eco-tourism to empower locals to care for their environment in a safe and sustainable manner for all stakeholders. The staff at Gaya Resort are incredibly attentive and always prompt in addressing any needs, making the stay comfortable and relaxing. I did notice that the seafood offerings were somewhat limited to small prawns, mussels, occasional crab legs, and fish that weren’t always the freshest. I’m curious if this is due to cost control measures or supply disruptions. Regardless, the quality of the overall experience more than makes up for it. Overall, Gaya Resort is a fantastic destination for those seeking a comfortable yet environmentally conscious getaway. Highly recommend it to anyone looking to enjoy nature’s beauty while supporting sustainable practices!

Oscar Knight

Amazing locations, saw loads of wild animals. Good time snorkelling and doing the mangrove expedition. They made a huge effort for us being vegan, different speically-prepared dishes for every meal, which were all great. Great for vegans. Incredibly expensive. £7 for a bottle of beer. They do have two happy hours, but they didn't change the drinks while we were there, and there is only one bar, so we spent each evening drinking the same drinks in the same place. I think they could have done a lot more placemaking, so there were more cosy spots rather than one pool bar. The pool bar is also not great, essentially only garden furniture. They charge you for the boat back (without telling you beforehand, it was described to us as a free transfer), and there is no other way back to the island. After we kicked up a fuss about this they removed it from the bill. We booked to do a snorkelling trip with them, and after we'd woken up early and arrived, they told us it had been cancelled because not enough people arrived. Everything is very expensive, they exploit the fact that you cannot go anywhere else. We were there for 3 nights and spent well over £1k while deliberately drinking during happy hour etc. Great place, but value for money is questionable. If we were planning this trip knowing what we do now, we probably would have stayed somewhere else.