Holiday Inn Express Kota Kinabalu City Centre by IHG

We liked the hotel, enjoyed the room, and made use of the gym. Everyone we met had been friendly and helpful, until the laundry problem. After using one of the hotel’s mouldy machines, our clothes smelled. We asked the night manager for a refund so we could wash them again in a clean machine, but she refused, saying this had never happened before. We had to pay again because the machines weren’t maintained. She was incredibly rude, and that left us disappointed.

I wouldn’t recommend staying here. I ordered room service and was told it would take 20-30 minutes, but after more than an hour I called to ask about it. The receptionist said the kitchen would send it when it was ready. When I asked how much longer, she offered to cancel the order if I didn’t want to wait. What kind of service is that? I called again 15 minutes later to check, and they hung up on me twice. Nobody bothered to answer. This was around 5-6pm, and I don’t know whether that counts as peak check-in time. The receptionist was very rude and unfriendly.

The staff were all excellent, from the always-smiling security guard to Kish at reception, who was fantastic. The breakfast was very good, buffet style with English and Malay food, including noodles and spicy dishes if that’s what you fancy in the morning. There’s a good gym as well. The hotel is reasonably priced and about 15 minutes by taxi from the International Airport. It’s also a pleasant 15-minute walk to the harbour area for an evening meal or a drink. A great place to stay in Kota Kinabalu.

The staff were really friendly and welcoming, and it was easy to park. The location is convenient for the airport unless you’re looking to stay up on the mountain. I’ve always liked Holiday Inn in Europe, but this one was even better. It was my first time being able to eat meat at breakfast with everything halal.