Shangri-La Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu

Kirshan Reddy

Wonderful hotel secluded from hustle and bustle of the city. Whilst an old hotel, the staff are very friendly and excellent service throughout. Management has added touches to make it feel special and kept it looking good. Kids club needs an upgrade but mostly for relaxation. The food variety is astounding. Many dishes for all needs - Asian, western and semi buffet at Ocean Wing was a standout (although birds at breakfast are a nuisance, staff offer ability to close your plates whilst dining). You have to be prepared to accept the natural surroundings with birds, insects etc but didn’t cause us any issues.

Grace Kim

At check-in, the music in the lobby was far too loud, making it difficult to hear the staff explain the check-in procedure. This was quite disappointing. The check-in process itself took over 30 minutes—the longest we have ever experienced at any hotel—and our room was still not ready, even though it was already 3:30 pm and check-in officially starts at 3:00 pm. We were then told by a staff member named Kim to scan a QR code and wait for a WhatsApp message to inform us when the room became available. Having to wait in this way after such a long check-in was frustrating and unreasonable. Our friends experienced similar delays, and another friend’s luggage took over two hours to be delivered to their room. The service at the Christmas dinner at Coffee Terrace was also extremely disappointing. Despite booking in advance for indoor seating at 7:00 pm, we were told to wait more than 30 minutes and were only seated after 7:30 pm, with no apology. We ordered a bottle of Prosecco, which took a very long time to arrive, and when it did, there were no wine glasses. The waiter then had to leave to find them. In addition, no one informed us that a discount was available, which was very frustrating. Overall, the service throughout our stay was slow and unprofessional. The following day, I ordered an iced coffee by the pool, which again took over 30 minutes to arrive, and the bill was incorrect. We were also told that we had used up our credit, which made no sense. Room service orders consistently took a very long time. On our last evening, we requested six wine glasses and had to call four times before they finally arrived an hour later. After speaking with the manager, Sharlin, the service did improve slightly. She listened carefully to our frustrations, apologised sincerely, and ensured that better service was provided for the remainder of our stay. She kindly sent a bottle of champagne to our room and introduced us to another manager, Allen Cole, sharing his WhatsApp contact so we could reach out if we needed assistance. This made it much easier to receive help and follow-up care. On our final day, Sharlin also thoughtfully arranged a later check-out and provided a complimentary resting room for us and our friends before heading to the airport, which we truly appreciated. While her efforts improved our experience toward the end, the overall service issues were significant and not enough for us to consider returning.

지인JIIN

Ten years ago, I visited your resort with friends and created such wonderful memories that we decided to return this time to celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary. I visited with my husband, and I must say—the service this time was even more outstanding than it was ten years ago. Thanks to your team, we had an incredibly happy and memorable three-night stay. Thank you once again for making our anniversary trip so special.

KG

Stayed at the ocean wing (2 connecting seaview rooms and a third room). Also our first time in Borneo for a family holiday. Staff were great. Concierge staff were helpful and cheerful. Our thanks to them for responding to our requests and making our family comfortable, generously helping us with snacks top up, amenities, car hires, late checkouts:) For consideration: I think the hotel probably needs more staff in some areas, and more cutlery and plates and staff in the restaurants. F&B staff could be a bit more proactive and cheerful, in general. The room service tend to be slow (one experience took nearly 1.5 hours to reach), cutlery insufficient for our entire group even though we tried to remind them on the phone. Room service food often arrive lukewarm. The hotel seems to be overwhelmed at times (Oceano breakfast was excellent on one day, on another day Oceano’s breakfast was crowded, insufficient plates at the counters, and some buffet items keep running out). Seafood buffet at Coffee Terrace was average, poorer service and food quality than usually expected at such hotels in other locations. We tried Coffee Terrace’s breakfast one day, and it was also crowded and insufficiently staffed. “The Eight” served “warm” water that was actually tap-water temperature. Beach does not have enough beach umbrellas. 2-3 out of 5 were spoiled, and a very long distance to walk between the beach and the pool to get sand toys and towels. Family-friendly activities in the resort probably need better introduction. The many sheets of restaurant timetables, activity timetables, excursion time tables, and the WhatsApp chatbot, could be a better experience for families if all the information can be in one place.

Raja Abdul Muiz Bin Raja Jakaria -

An Unforgettable Getaway: Exceptional Service and Culinary Delights at Shangri-La Rasa Ria! From the moment we arrived, our stay at Shangri-La Rasa Ria was truly exceptional. This resort is a slice of paradise, but what made it stand out was the incredible team who went above and beyond. A massive credit is due to the Reservations staff, specifically Angel and Ruby. They handled our pre-arrival and check-in process with such smoothness and professionalism. They were highly efficient and incredibly accommodating, even graciously granting us a much-appreciated late check-out, which made our final day so much more relaxing. Their effort truly set a positive tone for the entire trip. The luxurious accommodations and stunning natural setting are a given, but I must highlight the delicious breakfast experience. Chef Agnes and her team deserve special praise. The quality, variety, and taste of the food were outstanding every morning. Her culinary talent made breakfast a genuine highlight of our day. Thank you to the entire team for a memorable stay. We can't wait to return here again!