Kota Kinabalu Hotels

Kota Kinabalu hotels with confusingly similar names

Several hotels in the city share a name, a brand or a former identity. Here is every one we know of, in one place.

Shangri-La

There are two Shangri-La resorts and one former Hotel Shangri-La. Shangri-La Tanjung Aru is the beach resort by the airport. Shangri-La Rasa Ria is 45 minutes north in Tuaran. The old Hotel Shangri-La in the city centre was never part of the group and is now Howard Johnson by Wyndham.

Hyatt

Hyatt Regency Kinabalu is the older waterfront tower next to the ferry terminal. Hyatt Centric Kota Kinabalu opened in 2022 a street back, by Signal Hill, with the rooftop pool. Both walkable to the islands.

Marriott brands

Marriott runs four hotels here under different names: Kota Kinabalu Marriott (waterfront, Oceanus mall), Le Meridien (waterfront, opposite the Filipino Market), Sheraton (opened December 2025, by Centre Point), and The LUMA (Design Hotels member, Sutera Avenue). They are not the same hotel and not next to each other.

Sutera

The Pacific Sutera and The Magellan Sutera are two hotels in the same Sutera Harbour resort; guests share the facilities. Sutera Sanctuary Lodges is a separate company that runs Manukan Island Resort, the Kinabalu Park lodges and Poring. Sutera Avenue is a shopping and apartment block in Sembulan, home to The LUMA.

Klagan

The Klagan Hotel is in Warisan Square in the CBD. The Klagan Regency is a different building at 1Borneo in the north of the city. Booking one and turning up at the other is a 20-minute mistake.

Stanton

Stanton Hotel is the heritage building in Karamunsing with the free airport shuttle. Stanton City Hotel is a separate hotel.

Platinum

Platinum Hotel has two branches, Lintas Jaya and Putatan, some distance apart under one brand. Check which one your confirmation says.

Imperial

Imperial Boutec is a small hotel inside Warisan Square. Imperial International Hotel is a different, larger property.

Gaya

Gaya Centre Hotel is a budget hotel on the city waterfront. Gaya Island Resort is a luxury resort on Pulau Gaya, reached by boat. Gaya Street is the old-town street with the Sunday market, and several hotels use it in their names.

Renamed hotels

"Kota Kinabalu" hotels that aren't in Kota Kinabalu

Rasa Ria, Hilton Garden Inn Kota Kinabalu Tuaran and Borneo Beach & Mangrove are in Tuaran district, about 40 km north. Nexus Karambunai is 30 to 45 minutes north. Langkah Syabas and Beringgis are in Kinarut and Papar to the south. All are marketed as Kota Kinabalu and all are a long way from Gaya Street.

If you've been sent a booking and aren't sure which hotel it is, send it to us and we'll tell you.