The Klagan Hotel

Rooms and decor

The location score for The Klagan Hotel sits around 9.1/10 — a single number that explains most of what is good about this 208-room, 3-star hotel in central Kota Kinabalu. Open the door and it does not feel like a typical 3-star: the rooms have been fully renovated across the building, so they read clean, modern, and more spacious than you would guess. Plenty of reviews land on the same two points — the rooms and the value. Every room is air-conditioned with free Wi-Fi throughout, which is exactly what you want if you are after clean, comfortable basics without the price jumping.

Food and amenities

Up top is Wanyan Rooftop Café, serving Asian and Malay food all day — a place to sit with a city view that is hard to match at this rate. The Klagan Lounge handles coffee and pastries if you just want to sit for a while, and breakfast earns compliments from guests. As a 3-star, the amenities are not as plush as a higher-end hotel, but they cover everything you need for sleeping and getting around the city.

Location and getting there

The hotel's position is the real selling point. You are in the middle of the city, just a 6-minute walk from Oceanus Waterfront Mall, the riverside mall with a full set of restaurants and shops. Local markets and a stack of restaurants surround the place too, so you can get out and eat without ever getting in a car. The trade-off is noise — this is a lively block, and some rooms catch street sound, so if you want quiet, ask for a high floor on the inner side when you book.

Things to know before booking

This is a 3-star, so set expectations accordingly: the amenities are functional rather than luxe. The downtown block is busy, which means some rooms hear the street below. Parking is limited as well, so if you are arriving by car it is worth checking ahead rather than assuming a spot. None of these are dealbreakers for the price — they are just the honest trade-offs that come with a central, value-focused stay.

Our take

This works for just about any traveler — solo, couples, or families — who puts a central location and value first. If you asked us to pick one 3-star on this block, The Klagan is a hard name to get wrong: new rooms, a price that is not steep, and everything within walking distance. Rates start around $43 a night, which is a lot of downtown for the money.