Hotel Overated

We were booked to stay 7 nights but could only manage 2. My family of 4 found the hotel to be too big and the people very unfriendly. This was our first time to Malaysia so maybe we werent prepared for their way of life but we could not relax around the place. The drinks are very expensive in the hotel. The room service is very slow. Their fridges do not keep the drinks cold. You will have to get used to the toilets!!!! The breakfast is ample but most of the hot stuff is cold and do not drink their water. The airconditioner is our room wasnt working properly and they could not fix it so bad luck. The beds are hard and dont try and ask for another pillow or blanket because they dont understand you. If you are thinking about staying here maybe try somewhere else or just visit another country.

Fantastic hotel

As I work in travel I was offered an educational trip to Malaysia.

Our first hotel was the Sutera Harbour resort. It's made of two hotels - Magellan, the leisure resort and Pacific, the business end. We stayed in the Magellan Sutera which is the best if travelling on holiday. The rooms are more luxurious and the pools are lagoon like. The rooms were incredible with good quality fixtures and the bathroom was outstanding.

The entrance to the Magellan was stunning, especially after a 11 hour journey! Staff were so gracious and helpful.

The lagoon like pool was out of this world, so peaceful as it wasn't overcrowded. There were plenty of restaurants dotted around the resort but they are Eastern based. Their main business is the Far East so the food wasn't very Western-ised. Breakfast was very obviously what the Far Eastern community eat on a regular basis but was a real shock for us English! Chicken sausages, noodles and rice wasn't my idea of breakfast but each to their own, I managed on toast! We went across to the Pacific which was a typical high rise 5 star business hotel. Definately more business orientated, olympic pools, corporate restaurants, that sort of thing so you feel a little out of place in your shorts and flip-flops!

They have a boating dock and water sports.

The spa at Magellan is amazing! The costs are extremely cheap too. I had a body massage, an hour long treatment and it cost £20.00!!

Definately reccommend, in fact I'm going back with my husband it was that nice!!!!

Highly Recommend Pacific Sutera and Magellan Sutera

If you are looking for luxury accommodations at an exceptional value, this hotel is where it's at.

I was surprised that during our weeklong stay, we did not encounter any other Americans. The perception is that it is too far and it is not marketed to Americans.

The food was outstanding. If you stay, opt for a package that includes their all you can eat breakfast buffet, it is incredible.

Also, consider a sea view room as the views are magnificent.

Kota Kinabalu is a long way from the US, but Malaysia Airlines coach class puts most American carriers business and first class to shame, and the value for your US dollar here is oustanding. I will be returning here again.

Lots of facilities but a bit impersonal

We arrived at Magellan hotel for 4 night and our first impressions were what a big hotel.

The staff were very welcoming and extremely friendly. Luckily we had booked into a Magellan Club room with a great view overlooking the sea and islands and I loved the fact that you could watch the TV from sitting in the bath. We also loved the free drinks and nibbles at 5.30!

However there are a few problems with the place. There is pointless small man-made beach that was not very pleasant and a sign on it warning of the jelly fish and slippery rocks didn't really make me want to dive into the water. Despite its vast size there really wasn't very much room to relax away from people as the sunbeds were very crammed together and when anyone walked past the decking would shake.

The food options were diverse and I would highly reccomend Spice Island which was by far the best restaurant there. The others were distinctly average.

The facilities on offer were very good but non of them were free. The golf course was a real treat, well designed and playing during the evening under floodlights was a different a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Just a reminder that if you want your partner to watch then they have to be dressed in golfing attire including shoes which is stupid as if they had all that stuff they would probably be playing anyway.

The Mandara spa was very average and I wouldn't reccomend it, but perhaps this is because the one at out last hotel was so wonderful.

As a previous review says there is nothing much to see in town and thus I would definately reccomend a trip to the islands where there were a lot of watersports and good snorkling.

Altogther a good hotel for families and large groups of people, but is not for couples on a romantic break. It really was too big a place for it to be paradise.

Luxury and wellness in focus

We stayed at the Pacific Wing and had a room with a great view over the golf course.

The resort has lots to offer - both wellness and sports wise. There is a range of restaurants and the quality is absolutely good.

There are tennis courts, squash courts, a gym and not to mention the 27 hole golf course. The marina also has a range of water activities at quite reasonable prices.

Service was excellent and the staff was also very helpful with arranging day trips to other parts of Sabah.

Nice pool but small beach - didn't matter much cause there was never anyone except us and four to eight other people on it.

Great hotel, great resort, but somewhat disappointing city - the city centre of KK had nothing to offer.

Outstanding Service at the Magellan Sutera!!!

I spent 3 nights at this hotel with my girl friend. Got upgraded into a Magellan suite instead of a Magellan club sea view. We had the most wonderful time, outstanding service, extremelly professional and well trained staff. Hotel facillities of highest quality. In my book, this is the best hotel I have been in 25 years of worldwide travel. I can not wait to go back in Xmas 2005.

Great hotel

Stayed at both the Pacific and Magellan hotels. Initially booked into the Magellan, but on arrival was greeted by the manager and escorted to a separate meeting area. Not a good sign !!! The manager informed me that the Magellan was fully booked and that if it was not too much convenience would put me up at the Pacific for 1 night and then transfer me to the Magellan for the rest of my stay. For this inconvenience, my family was given a free buffet lunch and dinner on the first day, and on return to the Magellan, we were upgraded to an Executive Suite. The manager also organised for a free Mercedes limousine to transfer me back to the airport after the stay.

The staff were at all times courteous and helpful at both hotels - nothing was too much trouble. The facilities were excellent, and the indoor bowling kept my kids amused in between swimming in one of the five pools, feeding colourful reef fish in the harbour, snorkelling at one of the nearby islands and getting a cultural experience by viewing longhouses.

All in all an excellent venue to have a family holiday. The kids unanimously voted to return again.

Very Nice hotel but don't expect a beach

We stayed at this property in mid 2004. Of the 8 hotels we stayed in it was the highlight of the trip.

Located just outside the township it had everything anyone could ask for. For the golfers there is a huge day/night course while swimmers will have to be satified with the pools as the beach is not much bigger than a tennis court.

The food we ate while there was fantastic, the beds were very comfortable and the free shuttle bus to town each hour made it easy to get around.

With the Ringit being so weak it makes sense to treat yourself and stay in the Mangellan Wing (5 star) rather than the Sutera Wing (4 star).

Superb Stay

Stayed at the Sutera (magellan) in March of 2004. Superb Hotel, facilities and the staff could not be more friendly and helpful. We recommend you also take the island trips to Manukan, snorkeling fantastic and make the effort to go up the mountain. Can't wait to go back