Shangri La Rasa Ria Hotel

Just got back from our stay and are ready to go back again! We wanted a holiday where we could relax in beautiful surrounds and we defiantly found it! The ground floor ocean view room that was home for 7 nights was fitted out very tastefully and to be able to wander out to the beach from the front sliding doors was just perfect. The staff were really attentive and friendly, I don’t think we ever waited more than a minute for service when we put up our flag by the pool for a drink! The beach volleyball games with the staff... more

stayed there for 10 nights jan 06 good resort staff are g8 room on 5 th floor views of sunset etc sounded like the 5th 6 th floors were new others were not food good plenty of choice in buffet style with restaurant offering finer dining. plenty to do horse riding water sports orangutans sactuary is fab saw 3 babies up close worth making the effort to go to sepilok long way but worth it very much bigger and better then rasa ria sanctuary. we went with exotic borneo who are situated in the resort good day out. worth doing the... more

Just returned from three nights at the Rasa Ria as part of a wider tour of Malaysia. While we very much enjoyed our stay, it's worth noting that this is a big resort with a "corporate" feel. The beach in front of the hotel is nice, but gets quite dirty if you walk further. The shortage of sunbeds noted in earlier reviews is still a problem. I'd very much like to know why the management hasn't addressed this. The rooms, while clean, are in need of renovation. They feel a bit dated compared to other beach resorts. The staff are friendly and... more

We have recently returned from a fantastic holiday over Christmas at the Rasa Ria resort. We found the Rasa Ria to have a relaxed, welcoming and family-friendly atmosphere. We stayed seven nights with our three young children. The resort was very well managed and seemed to run like clockwork, with no apparent hiccups at this busy time of year. The Rasa Ria staff were absolutely fantastic – nothing was too much trouble and service was always with a smile. The pool was great. As has been mentioned, other hotel guests seem to... more

I scrolled through some of the review of Rasa Ria and I cannot agree with the majorioty's view of Rasa Ria. We stayed there in August 2005 for only one day - after which quickly moved to the other Shangri-La (Tanjung Aru) for the rest of our stay in Sabah. The beach was no more than average. The worst thing was that is was swarming with sand flies. The hotel even had placed a warning sign for the flies in the garden. The rooms were ok but otherwise the hotel appeared to be a little run down. The plastic deck chairs by the... more

Amazingly this was our 6th trip back to this gem of a hotel tucked between the jungle and the South China sea. The things that make it so special are the relaxed atmosphere, the excellent service and attention to detail typical of the Shangri La family but especially well done here. The heat isn't oppresive as there is a nice cool breeze most days but high factor sunscreen is still the best way to stay safe in the sun. Although the town of Kota Kinabalu is a 30 to 40 minute bus ride away this helps to keep the place peaceful and... more

My family and I just returned from a 6 nt/7 day stay at the Rasa Ria and we all had a wonderful time. This was our first time to KK and we wanted a hotel with a beach, activity for kids and a nice swimming pool. We got all that and more with the friendly staff who made our stay so enjoyable, great food at all the restaurants and nice sandy beach. Our 3 y.o. daughter practically lived in the pools and met lots of other children while playing there. The kid's club is there if the kids want it but for us, it was more of a back-up. The best part... more

The resort is great and very child friendly. The service is excellent and people are very nice there. The restaurants are good too. Our room had a stunning view on the beach and was really very confortable. We're very happy with this resort, there are plenty of activities.

This place blew my mind. We travelled to the rasa ria after 2 weeks in bali and sadly only stayed 3 nights - i really wish it had been longer. The room we had was fabulous - spacious, lovely bathroom, great view across to the sea through the palms, and a nice lower level seating area in front of the balcony doors. Its the best room ive ever staying in at a hotel. The staff were great, so helpful! The pool was great with different depths in different sections, lots of comfy sunloungers either by the pool on the grassy areas or... more

We stayed at the Rasa Ria for ten nights in November and had a great time. I had read the reviews on here before my trip and went with a few minor concerns... I am pleased to report that the issues mentioned here before concerning sunbeds and breakfast service have been addressed. There were plenty of sunbeds available, and they were constantly replenishing the breakfast buffet. As others have stated the staff were incredible, we had excellent service. Food-wise , like many I would recommend the hawker style buffet at... more