Cozy & comfortable stay in D'Borneo

Touching down in Kota Kinabalu International Airport Getting into Kota Kinabalu (KK) after a lapse of 3 years heightened my excitement to witness the change which could possibly had taken place in the city.

What was in my mind is the gap between the high-end and budget hotels available in KK then. The budget hotels then was those located in the shop houses along Api-Api, Kampung Air and Jalan Gaya area.

Used to staying in Hyatt Kinabalu, Promenade and Jesselton, I had decided way ahead to find the elusive clean and "attractive" budget accommodation in the heart of KK. Along the journey into the city, the taxi driver had given me a short brief of the changes which had taken taken place.

True enough, it was a pleasant change which had certainly rendered KK as a vibrant and exciting destination while maintaining the friendly nature of the people from Land Below the Wind, Sabah.

During this trip I had the opportunity to experience a typical traditional budget hotel in Kampung Air area and which really need some improvement in the service and infrastructure.This hotel certainly doesn't fall into the value for money category.

It was a welcome surprise after browsing through a catalog of alternative accommodation when I "stumble" upon this exotic named hotel called D'Borneo Hotel located in Sinsuran, a few minutes walk away from popular shopping destinations.

We decided to book a nite stay there and upon check-in it was a welcome change the process was a breeze and we suddenly felt at home. The warm and friendly front desk staff relieved our exhaustion from the past few days work.

This was a boutique hotel in the middle of the city and walking into the guest room, we were surpised how well laid out the rooms were with wall-to-wall carpeting and color tone of the room.

The in-room Astro channels cover the needs for the wide range of hotel guest while watching from the cozy beds.

We didn't waste much time to explore KK with a sweeping visit to shop at the famed Filipino Market products ranging for pearls, t-shirts, batik, handicrafts and etc. Visiting Warisan Square, Centrepoint, Waterfront and Promenade was so easy with all places within 5-10 minutes away from the hotel which is true with the tagline of the hotel of "nestled in D'Best location in Kota Kinabalu city".

Next morning breakfast was a choice of scrambled eggs with sausage or the traditional nasi lemak. The fresh orange juice was a great relieve for the long night while the cereal, fresh fruits and toast bread provide a satisfied morning breakfast for us.

The newly opened Suria Shopping Centre was a 15 minutes walk which overlook the Jesselton Waterfront which was given a facelift that provides a scenic view of the waterfront of KK including the islands nearby.

A pre-book taxi was on standby during check-out to take us to the airport and it was really a great help for us. I personally felt staying back but the flight tickets and busy schedule doesn't allow such manouvres.

Would I recommend D'Borneo Hotel to anyone or my accommodation choice on my next KK visit, the answer is an overwhelming YES!