The Centrepoint Hotel

Rooms and decor

Rooms here are a standard 4-star size that work just fine — soft beds, clean linens, steady air-conditioning, and strong hot water in the bathroom. Free Wi-Fi runs smoothly enough for everyday use. Take a high floor on the Gadong city-view side and you'll look out over the night lights of Brunei's busiest district, which is a pleasant way to wind down. The design leans warm and traditional — brown-and-cream tones, the feel of a familiar Asian city hotel rather than a sharp modern boutique. It reads as comfortable and unfussy, not cutting-edge.

Food and amenities

The lobby restaurant serves a buffet breakfast with a reasonable spread across both Asian and Western options. The real draw, though, is what's downstairs: ride the lift to the lobby, walk through the connecting door, and you're in the mall food court with satay stalls, noodle shops, the Hua Ho supermarket, and rows of gift shops. On-site you also get an outdoor pool tucked behind the building — quieter than you'd expect for a mall hotel, with loungers and a clean surface that reviewers single out for praise — plus a tennis court and a gym, both free for guests. For this price, the package is genuinely complete.

Location and getting there

Gadong is the district most foreign travelers like best, because it packs a mall, restaurants, and a night market into one spot. Step out of the hotel and within five minutes you'll pass dozens of places to eat — Chinese noodles, Malay food, Indian restaurants, plus KFC, McDonald's, and a few cafes. The Gadong Night Market is about an 8-minute walk and opens every evening; the satay is excellent, and Nasi Katok, the national plate, starts at roughly 1 Brunei dollar. Central Bandar Seri Begawan — home to the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, the Istana Nurul Iman palace, and the Kampong Ayer water village — is about a 10-minute drive; use the Dart or MaxiM Brunei app, around 5 to 8 Brunei dollars a trip. The airport (BWN) is roughly 15 minutes away, which makes this an easy base for a short 1-to-2-night stay.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. The most common complaint is the building's age — The Centrepoint has been open for years, and some rooms and common areas look dated, with carpets and furniture that aren't new and the odd sign of wear in unrenovated units. If you want crisp, modern design, this one may feel a touch too classic. Second, you're in Gadong, not central BSB, so a trip to the mosque or water village means budgeting for a Dart or Grab car — you can't walk it. Third, and important: Brunei is a dry country by law, so there's no bar and no wine or beer; plan around it. And once the mall closes around 10pm, food choices in the area thin out, so night owls may find it quiet — though that calm is part of what Brunei is.

Our take

After reading the real reviews and weighing it against the other options in town, The Centrepoint Hotel is the most sensible pick for travelers who want an easy stay in Brunei's most convenient eating-and-shopping district without renting a car or traveling far. The price is fair, the facilities are complete — pool, tennis court, gym, restaurant — and the lift drops you straight into the mall. It's ideal for families on a short 1-to-3-night visit, business travelers who want a convenient base, and anyone stopping over in Brunei on a transit. If you're after polished modern design or a riverside room at Kampong Ayer in the old town, this isn't the perfect fit. Overall we give it 8.2/10 — the 4-star that nails "convenient and good value" better than anything else in Gadong.