Mercure Hotels in Kota Kinabalu

This hotel absolutely blew my expectations out of the water! Both the location and the accommodations were superb. It's strategically located on a corner, directly across the street from the jetty, making it incredibly convenient for island-hopping excursions. We spent four days island hopping, and I must say, the two captains, especially for the mangrove and outer island tours, were absolutely hilarious, witty, and very responsible. The hotel is within easy walking distance of Gaya Street, Durian Street, and the Central Seafood Market, which was extremely convenient. Gaya Street also hosts a night market every Friday and Sunday, perfect for a leisurely stroll and sampling delicious street food. Diagonally opposite the hotel, there's a large shopping mall and a duty-free store. My only minor disappointment was that our three families were staying together. The room rates only differed by less than fifty (currency implied), but because I was with my son, I booked a twin room. It turned out to be quite small, whereas the other two families booked king rooms that even came with a living area! I was so incredibly jealous and felt it was a bit unfair! o(╥╥)o However, that didn't really impact our overall experience, and we still had a very enjoyable stay. The hotel also boasts an outdoor rooftop pool on the 25th floor. The elevators require a room key card to operate and only grant access to your assigned floor, which provided a great sense of security!