Crystal Hill R

The view was superb, and for a single night it was okay since we were out doing activities all day. The room has basic necessities and a TV, though it wouldn’t turn on and had no channels. There’s no WiFi either. The bed dips in the middle, though I can’t say if that’s true of the other rooms. There’s no kitchen, but there is a BBQ pit within walking distance. You’ll still need to drive to pekan for a meal. The hot water wasn’t really hot, and the walls are thin enough that you can hear your neighbour walking as if they were in your room. That was creepy.

The view is very good, but the rooms aren’t proper places to sleep. Ours was a suite, and it smelled awful and felt creepy, so we couldn’t sleep there and asked to move. The other room wasn’t much better, though at least the bathroom was a little cleaner. It was dusty, dirty, and not hygienic. I wouldn’t recommend it.

We had a lovely family stay and would come back. The room was good value, with two queen beds and one single bed at a price lower than many nearby places. The road here is cemented, which makes access easier than at many other spots in Kundasang. The highlight was the direct view of majestic Gunung Kinabalu. Waking up to it was unforgettable. One small annoyance: the TV had no signal or channels, so we couldn’t use it. It’d be nice if management added a reliable TV connection or options like Netflix or YouTube through WiFi.

There was a strange drilled coin on the ceiling, which made me uneasy about how well the room was inspected. The TV didn’t work, one light kept flickering, and the general maintenance was poor. The smell in the room was overwhelming and gave me a headache. It seemed to come from several places, including the dirty toilet, bedsheets, and blanket, which smelled of urine and dampness, as if they hadn’t been washed properly. The toilet was unhygienic, and without a fan in the room there was no way to clear the odor. I know this is budget accommodation, but clean rooms and working facilities are basic expectations. The stay was very disappointing.