4/28/2012

Best Western Kinabaly Daya Hotel (Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia)

BEST WESTERN Kinabalu Daya Hotel
Lot 3 & 4, Block 9 Jalan Pantai, 
Kota Kinabalu 88000, Malaysia
Telephone: (6088) 240 000
Fax Number: (6088) 263 909
Email Address:  info@kkdayahotel.com
The best thing about this hotel is that is centrally located, a few minutes from the seafront, and at walking distance to several shopping malls, banks, etc.

Free buffet breakfast is included in the price; I thought was excellent, with a mix of Asian and Western foods. The staff at the restaurant were OK.

I paid for a deluxe suite, with separate bedroom, kitchenette and living room, in a non-smoker floor. However, on arrival I was given another room in a smoking floor. I noticed that there was not kitchenette and went down to tell reception, and they tried to convince me that my fridge and coffee/tea facility was a kitchenette. At seeing me not happy, they immediately offered me another room, and asked me if I liked better - but I was asking for what I have paid for, not for a fancier room, and they were not making me any favour.  Still, the kitchenette in the new room was pathetic, with a sink with a bad tap, a microwave, kettle, mini-fridge and a few items of crockery and cutlery - No cooking tools, no washing tools.

The room was big and with large windows so during the day was very luminous. The room was also very quiet during the day and at night. However the room was poorly lightened, with no side tables or table lamps to help during the night (that would be so easy to fix!), the wall and ceiling had evident cracks, and part of the furniture was also chipped. The wardrobe had an ironing set, but no sleepers or bathrobe. The set of the amenities in the bathroom was the worse I found in Malaysia, despite me visiting much cheaper hotels. That would not be important if the price matched what you get, but Best Western is offering a cheap hotel service and rooms and asking you a 4-star hotel price in Malaysia.

The people at the tour desk and reception were OK. Some of the them very nice, but generally speaking a bit sour.

A hotel for backpackers and budget travellers if they had backpackers prices.

    Stayed January 2012