Gaya Island Hotels with Balcony

"This place is a perfect getaway for those who need a getaway from the hustle and bustle of their daily life. We had a warm welcome from the staff upon arrival (about 40mins boat ride from main island) and had a buggy send us to the rooms. Room was spacious. Dinner from the main restaurant was great. Staff were extremely friendly. Would recommend snorkelling in the morning from 8am onwards when the tides aren't too low. I was lucky enough to spot a turtle! Beware of crazy sandflies though. We got bitten real bad."

"The resort is very easy to get to from Kota Kinabalu airport. Using the Grab app makes it convenient to call a car to take you to the Jesselton Point to catch the boat to the resort. The resort is quite beautiful and clean. Reading other reviews, I wasn’t quite sure why several had complaints about the price and food. The food was all excellent - fresh and reasonably priced. We ate at both specialty restaurants as well - Fisherman’s Cove and Omakase - and both were excellent. The breakfast and dinner buffets had a lot of variety to choose from and all the staff were friendly and helpful. The bed was incredibly comfortable and we loved the sea view from our terrace. The bathroom was well-equipped and spacious. The pool was very clean and there were plenty of sun chairs to choose from. The gift shop had many cute items. The spa is beautiful and the massage was amazing! What needs improvement - the bathtub in our villa was a bit dirty with some dead bugs. It’s fantastic that they offer a complimentary boat shuttle to the other bay near the marine center but it’s extremely littered with plastic. I asked the staff for a garbage bag and ended up collecting about 5 kg worth of garbage from the beach and sea. This should be the government policy or authorities responsibility - they need to clean it up and charge fines for littering. Overall, we loved this resort and wanted to stay longer. We definitely recommend staying here. I would like to specifically mention Aileen, Rozana, Nathaniel and Shadar for making our stay memorable and comfortable."

"Just got back home yesterday, and I'm determined to write a thorough review for this hotel. My kids also encouraged me to review it, because it truly deserves it. We booked four ocean villas for two nights, and I initially thought our chances of encountering issues would be higher with such a large booking. But we didn't run into any problems at all! In fact, I even regretted not booking more nights, mainly because I was put off by too many negative reviews on Ctrip. 1. **Service:** If you're comfortable communicating in English, the hotel service is absolutely fantastic. Most of the staff speak excellent English and were diligent in explaining activities, facilities, schedules, and programs. They showed us where everything was in the room and proactively informed us about the cost if we broke any of the toiletries bottles. The higher cost for broken bottles is because the contents are genuinely expensive – they're pure plant essential oil toiletries. As someone who regularly uses essential oils, I know they shouldn't be stored in plastic. Plus, these toiletries left our hair and skin feeling moisturized, not dry. I found them to be very effective. If you're worried about breaking them, just place them on the floor. 2. **Seawater:** The seawater is quite clear. While it's not a 'jelly blue,' the clarity is definitely good. We did experience a heavy downpour one day, and the water became a bit murky the next, but it was still perfectly acceptable. The photo of the large sea turtle looks a bit blurry because it was taken with a waterproof phone case, but the water itself was actually very clear. That was taken from under our water villa. The manta ray was photographed near the stairs of our water villa room. 3. **No Outside Food Policy:** They don't allow outside food in the rooms because it attracts ants and monkeys. The front desk has a dedicated area for storing snacks. We didn't bring any snacks into our room and always closed the door promptly, so we didn't have any bugs or insects. A crucial point: absolutely do not feed the monkeys! 4. **Meals:** We had all our meals at the hotel restaurant, and the food was truly delicious. A main meal costs around 90+ MYR per person (about 160 CNY). We felt the food was excellent, with a good variety of dishes and drinks beyond just the main courses. The kids' portions were a bit small; our four children ordered 7 kids' meals, and eventually, we just ordered them regular adult meals instead. 5. **Hot Water:** Regarding previous reviews mentioning no hot water, one of our rooms indeed had this issue. We called the front desk, and it turned out there's a 'water heater' button on the wall. Hot water was available within 15 minutes. So, don't hesitate to ask! Don't be shy; good service often requires you to speak up. 6. **Free Rentals:** Paddleboards, small boats, fins, and masks are all available for free rental. 7. **Marine Life:** In the ocean, we spotted baby sharks, baby manta rays, triggerfish, archerfish (the ones that shoot water), porcupinefish, and even a large sea turtle (which is rare, but we got lucky!). 8. **Welcome/Farewell:** We received a welcome ceremony and a welcome drink upon arrival. Upon departure, we sometimes had the whole staff waving goodbye to us. 9. **Guest Demographics:** There were a lot of European and American guests at the hotel, some Koreans, but not many Chinese guests. I wonder if this is due to the excessive negative reviews on Ctrip. 10. **Cleanliness:** The hygiene was excellent, and the rooms were very clean. Each room came with life vests, so you could go snorkeling anytime. That pretty much covers it. I believe if your English communication is good, feel free to chat with the front desk and restaurant staff; they are very engaging. At 8 AM, the hotel organizes a free jungle trek. It was a bit tiring, and we didn't see much – just hiking uphill. For reference, my experience this trip, and with these four rooms, was genuinely excellent. Having been to places like the Maldives, Bali, and Koh Lipe... I think this hotel offers great value for money, and I would definitely come back. Hotels at this price point on Koh Lipe before were significantly worse."