Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites

Rooms and decor

Honestly, Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites is a 4-star that leans on one pitch and still wins with it: very big rooms at a surprisingly low price, near Padang Merdeka park and the Sarawak Museum. The overall guest score sits around 7.6/10, below the leaders on this list, yet plenty of families come back anyway — and there's a reason for that. The whole game here is space. Rooms and suites come in several sizes, and some sleep up to 5 people, so a big family that would normally book two rooms can settle into a single suite. The praise in reviews tends to repeat the same words: roomy, comfortable, quiet.

What you should know before booking is that the building has been through a lot. Several reviewers say it's overdue a refresh, and a handful flag stained bathrooms, worn linens, and water marks on the windows. It's real, it isn't every room, but a bad draw is possible. If you check in and the room isn't up to scratch, ask to move — the front desk is happy to switch you.

Food and amenities

The small surprise is the amenities. You get a pool, a gym, and a sauna on site at this price, and the sauna in particular is hard to find in Kuching — handy if you like to unwind after a full day on your feet. Breakfast gets described as filling and good value, which translates to: not fancy, but you'll leave full. The simple rule for this place is to swap newer decor for size and facilities, and you'll read it right.

Location and getting there

You're close to Padang Merdeka park and the Sarawak Museum, so wandering the old town around the hotel is easy. It's about a 7-minute walk to the Kuching Waterfront — not far at all. From the airport it's 12 km, roughly a 15-20 minute drive in.

Things to know before booking

This is value over polish. The building and rooms are aging, and the overall look is dated rather than modern. Some guests have run into stained bathrooms, worn linens, and smudged windows, so room condition is not consistent. The fix is simple — ask at check-in and switch if needed — but go in expecting an older property, not a slick one.

Our take

For a big family, or a group of friends who want to bunk together in one room to keep costs down, this is an answer that's genuinely hard to match at the same rate. If you're solo or a couple and don't need this much room, the newer, better-located picks on this list are the more interesting call.