Find 4-Star Hotels in Semporna

This is a very understated overwater bungalow, only available for booking on Trip.com. It's about 10 kilometers from the port, and the owner is a Malaysian Chinese. If you're looking to take those 'influencer-style' photos, showing off luxury and extravagance to the world, then this might not be the place for you. However, if you want peace and quiet to enjoy your vacation, this is definitely a great choice. Downsides: - There's occasional trash in the surrounding area, which isn't the hotel's fault. - The decor and facilities aren't luxurious. Upsides: - They offer a unique Bajau historical and cultural knowledge tour and exploration (something other overwater bungalows don't have). - They take guests by boat to beautiful large coral reefs for snorkeling. - The bungalow has its own marine life enclosure, perfect for families with young children or those who can't snorkel, allowing them to enjoy marine life during low tide. Finally, there's a fantastic local staff member named Shafry, whose Chinese name is 'Wanshidao' (Mr. Know-It-All). When you go snorkeling, he'll dive to the seabed to catch sea cucumbers, giant clams, clownfish, and all sorts of marine creatures for you. He's also an excellent photographer, perfect for guys who are constantly scolded by their girlfriends for not taking good pictures (like me 😅). He can help you with anything, just remember to tip him! ~~

Unlike most guesthouses, which are typically large houses with several rooms, Pineapple Resort feels more like a hotel. It consists of a dozen small, standalone wooden cottages nestled among palm trees. The management is also quite hotel-like, and while breakfast isn't extensive, it offers a good variety. Although the resort is about five kilometers from Semporna town, considering the town's general disarray (especially near the jetty with seafood vendors and Bajau beggars), which can easily spoil a good mood, it's better to stay a bit further out in a quiet resort. Pineapple Resort offers free shuttle buses to and from Semporna jetty from morning to midday and in the evening, making transportation very convenient. What's more, it provides a warmer experience than a star-rated hotel, giving me a home-away-from-home feeling. For foodies, if you're a good cook (the resort doesn't yet have a professional chef), Pineapple Resort is happy to provide a cooking area for seafood bought from the town market, which is incredibly convenient for those of us who love beautiful views and good food.

An New Year's Eve experience that completely exceeded expectations! The overwater bungalows have fewer than 10 rooms, making it lively but never noisy. We snorkeled in the crystal-clear waters, accompanied by schools of fish and sea turtles, bidding farewell to 2025. We paddle-boarded on the Pacific Ocean, bathed in the morning sun and dawn light, welcoming 2026. Every meal at the hotel was different and delicious, perfectly suited for Chinese palates and incredibly satisfying. The hotel staff, particularly the Malaysian guy, was fantastic! He accompanied us snorkeling and cliff jumping, taught us paddleboarding, and helped the kids dig for crabs and spot sea turtles. His phone photography was as good as a professional's; he was always available for free photoshoots and even provided great emotional support! The thoughtful details at the overwater bungalow's front desk, like sunscreen, sun hats, children's toys, and books, were a delightful surprise. And hearing Jay Chou and JJ Lin songs playing in the restaurant brought back so many memories from my school days! From diving during high tide to beachcombing at low tide, karaoke after dinner, midnight fireworks over the ocean, and morning ocean yoga – our family enjoyed all these experiences completely free without even leaving the hotel!

This used to be called Pom Pom Island Dragon Pearl Resort, but now it has a new name. It's a 45-minute speedboat ride from Semporna jetty. This is a private island, free from tour groups and local disturbances. There are very few people on the island, so it feels like you have the whole island to yourself for three days, with only the sound of the waves for company. The 'jellyfish sea' lives up to its reputation. The shallow waters are vast and incredibly clear, even at two to three meters deep, where you can easily see coral and schools of fish. Every photo you take looks like a wallpaper. Sea turtles and clownfish are frequent visitors. The beach is spacious, and there are sun loungers and hammocks right outside the beach bungalows, giving you a true private beach experience. This time we stayed in a beach bungalow. The facilities are indeed dated – wooden structure, and electricity relies on its own system, with two short power outages every day (something to consider if this bothers you). However, the cleaning was very thorough. The ant problem was quite prominent, so remember to put away all food. The room comes with life jackets, and upon arrival, guests are reminded to wear them when swimming and that swimming is prohibited after 6 PM. Safety warnings are visible everywhere. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are buffet-style, with very limited choices and ordinary taste. The only fruits available are watermelon and papaya, rotated daily. Perhaps because there are so few guests, the food replenishment is also slow. Don't go with high expectations; just consider it as a way to refuel. Tips: There's no WiFi on the island, and mobile signal is sporadic. The service is neither good nor bad, not particularly enthusiastic. The facilities are old, but the scenery and tranquility are its strong points. If you're looking for luxury and comfort, I'd advise against it.

Our stay at the Sagittarius Water Bungalow was absolutely fantastic! From our butler Xiao Gu to all the staff on the water bungalows and even the owners, everyone was incredibly nice. The rooms are equipped with smart Xiaomi home devices, clean and tidy. Opening the curtains reveals the beautiful 'jellyfish sea,' and the scenery is simply captivating. The food at the water bungalows is also delicious; breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner are all included in the price. Airport transfers and boat rides to the island are also covered, making it excellent value for money! We stayed for five days and four nights and didn't want to leave. The atmosphere on the island is also great, with KTV and song requests every night – the owner and his wife sing really well, by the way! The water bungalows offer a lot of entertainment, including sea fishing, snorkeling, glass-bottom boat tours, and drone photography. The local staff (Xiao Hei) are also happy to help with photos 📸. You can even get your diving certification and go on island-hopping day trips, keeping you thoroughly entertained. We came to Semporna specifically to get our diving certification, and the water bungalow's own dive shop is highly recommended. The instructors are very responsible and dedicated. I'd like to thank Xiao Li and Instructor Mohd Rizal Baba Selleh. The prices are fair, and the teaching focuses on the safety and skills of the students, which is very reassuring. The dive shop owner's wife is also super nice. All in all, this trip was incredibly worthwhile, and we'll definitely be back! I'll also be recommending it to my friends and family 😊

I have mixed feelings about this hotel. The location is beautiful, set in a jungle with lush greenery and flowers all around and it feels peaceful the moment you arrive. The staff were generally nice, especially the Chinese-speaking lady. The rooms are quite spacious, with two large double beds that were very comfortable, and relatively clean given the remote location. They also offer shuttle buses to and from town, though these are limited and require advance booking. On the downside, the remoteness creates some challenges. The shuttle requires early wake-ups and long waits as the day tours start later, and there isn’t much to do in town once you arrive. Prices at the resort are very high compared to town, and they charge extra when paying with Alipay or WeChat in Chinese yuan as instead of local currency they charge in Chinese yuan with elevated rates, which felt unfair. Also the room’s roof material made the rain extremely loud. During our stays,it rained all nights during, and even earplugs didn’t fully help with the sound. Breakfast was also limited and not great in quality. Overall, the hotel has a lovely setting and comfortable rooms, but advertising it as 5-star felt misleading. It’s more like a 3–3.5 star experience. Worth visiting if you want the location and nature, but be aware of the extra costs and limitations.

Three days, two nights, and every day brought a new kind of 'excitement.' Day one, the air conditioning didn't work, there were tons of mosquitoes, and the shower only had cold water. The only decent thing for dinner was the fried shrimp, which disappeared in seconds, and the few other dishes available were practically snatched away. It felt like a refugee experience. Day two, we got a different room. After swimming, I went back to shower, and there was no water, then cold water, then extremely hot water, constantly cycling. The water pressure was also incredibly low; I almost lost my mind trying to rinse the shampoo out of my hair. That night, it was very windy, and there was a lot of noise outside, as if something wasn't properly secured. On the third day, as we were checking out, our luggage was mistakenly taken by a staff member and given to other guests. It was only returned after the other guests realized the error. Our luggage was perfectly fine in the restaurant; how dare you just take it away? Do you have any basic management sense? Of course, the environment is nice, that's the only highlight. Given how expensive it was during Chinese New Year, you should provide a service level that matches the price. The buffet was cafeteria-standard, and we still had to fight for food. Are you not ashamed?

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! 👍

I chose this hotel for a one-night stay before heading to the overwater bungalow the next day. Although the room facilities were a bit old, they were very clean. There's a convenience store right downstairs, and it's very close to the pier. The sea breeze was a bit loud at night, but the breakfast was excellent and plentiful.

First of all, let me talk about the conclusion. It is still worth recommending. Reasons: 1. The room is very new, a large capsule-style room, new facilities, smart toilet, air conditioning is also very quiet, and the space is basically enough. The room is built on a cement column more than 1 meter high, and the room is dry. 2. There are currently 11 rooms with intervals between each other. They do not interfere with each other and are very quiet. If you are disturbed, it is the sound of small animals climbing on the roof or raindrops. It feels pretty good. 3. It is 15 minutes away from the town or the pier without traffic jams, and 25 minutes with traffic jams. Between 8 am and 8 pm, free pick-up and drop-off are available at any time, and the time is almost the same. If there is more deviation, 50 Malaysian ringgits will be charged each time, but it is safe and the vehicle is in good condition, so it is worth it. 4. The restaurant can arrange for the processing of seafood, and the vehicle will be sent to buy, then picked up, and then processed. The taste of the seafood is very good, not worse than the pier restaurant. The processing fee is also transparent and fair. 5. I felt unwell one day, and I arranged a vehicle to take me to buy medicine in time. I came back and made a vegetable noodle soup with eggs as required. It was very comfortable to eat. Although it was a little expensive, I was grateful. See the attached picture 55 Malaysian ringgit. 6. I feel that the hotel is a group hotel, which is quite powerful. The restaurant is very large and equipped with five vans. I heard that there are more and bigger plans in the future. There are also many service staff and their attitude is also good. Here are some of the shortcomings I encountered: 1. The hotel confirmed the order by email, and the name and date were sent incorrectly. I contacted by email twice later, but no one responded. At present, the Malaysian customs is friendly to Chinese people and has not checked. 2. You need to contact in advance for airport pick-up. Please remind me in the reply email and clearly provide contact information, preferably WeChat account. 3. Set a fixed WeChat number for the service butler. There are five butlers in the service group. I really don’t know who to contact if there is a problem. 4. The bath towels were changed twice during the five-day stay. During the period, I asked to clean the floor, but it was never cleaned. 5. During the period, there was one time when a vehicle was needed to pick up the car, and the waiting time was as long as 70 minutes. During the period, the reason was not informed in time. I stood at the door of KFC for 50 minutes. If I had informed you in time, I could have taken a rest nearby. 6. The hotel is still a little far from the pier and town, but the shuttle service compensates for it. However, the price is still slightly high, the price is the same as the Sheraton Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, and the cost performance is not very good. Personal experience and opinions, for reference only. It is still worth recommending after overall improvement.