Homestays in Sabah, Malaysia

had a wonderful stay at Bay Suites. The room was clean, spacious, and very comfortable. The location is convenient, just a few minutes from the city centre, making it easy to visit nearby attractions and restaurants. I also enjoyed the beautiful sea view from the room. The check-in process was smooth, and the staff was friendly and helpful throughout my stay. Overall, it was great value for money, and I would definitely stay here again when visiting Kota Kinabalu. Highly recommended!

1. Amazing Location – Located inside Kinabalu National Park (they're the only one inside) so you can imagine the fresh air and the amazing view. Wasnt sure if the mountain we saw early in the morning was the Kinabalu Mountain but it was majestic nevertheless.  2. Spacious Room – We booked the Hill Lodge with two single beds and included with the room are (i) two lounge chairs, (ii) one vanity table, (iii) one open closet, (iv) one balcony. Amazing space if you're looking for a quite and peaceful getaway. Sound proofing was definitely bad but since the location is in the park, you'll only hear birds most of the time. They're located away from the traffic. 3. Delicious Breakfast and Dinner – Breakfast is included but we ordered takeaway food for dinner from their restaurant. Both are amazing and exceeded our expectations. Plenty of options to choose from for breakfast and they also offer buffet for dinner but we opted for ala carte meals only. Nevertheless, both were amazing. Definitely recommended to atleast get their breakfast and/or dinner buffet. 4. Parking – Plenty of parking spaces provided right infront of the rooms. You dont have to carry your belongings too far. 5. Amenities – No fan/aircond provided but the room was never hot. Since they're located in Kundasang, their weather has always been cool. 10/10 definitely recommended. I would like to repeat this hotel if Im going to Kundasang again in the future. Perfect for couples and perfect for families too. Love the food, Im reminded of them again now ＜/3

The location is quite convenient, and there is ample free parking available. The outdoor environment is pleasant, well-maintained, and clean, making it a nice place to relax. There is also a BBQ pit provided, although guests need to bring their own utensils and ingredients. One downside is that there is no refrigerator in the room. The bed makes some slight noise, but it is still acceptable for a short stay. The room also comes with a small balcony, which is great for enjoying the night view. Check-in and check-out are quick and hassle-free. An ironing board is available at the reception area, and a hairdryer can be borrowed upon request. Overall, considering the price, it offers very good value for money.

Facilities: Fully equipped and practical. Cleanliness: Spotless. Environment: Spacious and comfortable. Service: Warm and attentive. The hotel is right by the seafood market, making it super convenient to go to places like Fat Mama's for meals. The room is quite large, the beds are very clean, and the water pressure for showering is excellent. We stayed with two kids, so four of us in total, and it was great value for money. There are even security guards patrolling, and Filipino housekeepers help with luggage, which is a nice touch.

I’m not sure it was a scam or not. I’ve booked this place for my parents from 10th till 13th December 2025. They were asked to pay deposit RM 200 before check-in. The location is near to the main market. My parents were happy to stay there; except - the lifts / elevators were always broken / malfunction. However, until now they didn’t receive their deposit yet despite numerous time we’ve messaged them. Hope my parents will get their deposit back, and hopefully others didn’t experience what’s they had.

This hotel is located in Semporna town. You can buy seafood and cook it yourself in the kitchen, as it's very close to the seafood market. There's a large supermarket nearby. Downstairs is a mosque, so you'll hear prayers at fixed times every morning and evening. There's a Chinese-speaking housekeeper who is incredibly nice and helps with booking cars and shopping.

We stayed there three nights. We had a family room. I couldn’t say it’s very clean, but it’s definitely not very dirty. It’s a rustic kind of stay. Staff was very helpful. Keen to help whenever we needed. We had laundry service, but quite expensive. So don’t bother. I think they said it’s done by outsider. Not many options for food. Didn’t see much at the jungle in front of our balcony. We had a snake visiting our bathroom. Quite scary. My partner threw it back into the jungle. They offer free transfers to and from orangutan and rainforest areas which was nice. Happy to recommend this place to anyone. It’s different from normal hotels.

Choosing Beanstalk Homestay for my Semporna trip was absolutely the right decision! The owner and staff are incredibly warm and welcoming, treating you like friends. Before I even arrived, they patiently answered all my questions and gave me tons of practical tips for island hopping and dining. While the room isn't luxurious, it's spotlessly clean, the AC works great, there's plenty of hot water, and the bedding is really comfortable. Getting a good night's sleep after a day of activities is so important. The service was the biggest plus! The seafood preparation prices were excellent, and the breakfast, though simple, was thoughtfully prepared – coffee, toast, and eggs, perfect for fueling up before heading out to sea. Next time I'm in Semporna, I'll definitely stay at Beanstalk Homestay again.

Overall, we had a pleasant stay and the staff were friendly and helpful. However, there was some hair left in the room when we checked in. The WiFi connection was very weak and kept disconnecting, making it difficult to use. We were also unable to turn on the TV during our stay. We hope these issues can be improved for future guests. Thank you for your hospitality.

My Semporna trip was full of pleasant surprises, and I absolutely have to rave about the overwater villa I stayed in! 😆 Before I left, I'd only booked a standard terraced room, but to my surprise, the owner upgraded us to a private standalone villa for free when we checked in! It worked out to only about 800 yuan a night for a private sea-view villa with its own terrace – what a steal! We were grinning from ear to ear the moment we stepped inside. Once we actually settled in, we didn't even feel like going out to sightsee. In the mornings, we'd just pull up a small chair on the terrace, feel the sea breeze, do some fishing with our feet dangling in the cool water, and just relax. It was so comfortable doing absolutely nothing. In the evenings, we'd sit on the terrace and watch the sunset paint the entire sea a fiery orange. And waking up, we'd see the sunrise emerge from the horizon right from our room. There's also a huge bathtub where you can soak and gaze at the sea – now *that's* a vacation! I have to give a special shout-out to the butler here; they were incredibly thoughtful. When we wanted to go sea fishing, they had bait ready for us in advance. When we wanted to go into town for food and shopping, we just mentioned it and a car was arranged to pick us up very quickly, no delays at all. Plus, when you look down from the overwater villa, you can clearly see all sorts of small fish swimming around in the sea. In the mornings, we even saw little crabs 'strolling' on our terrace. Feeding the fish breadcrumbs and just leisurely passing the morning was incredibly relaxing. This is absolutely the most satisfying overwater villa I've ever stayed in, hands down. If you're coming to Semporna, you really should consider this place! 👍