C'haya Hotel in Kota Kinabalu

The pool is indeed excellent, with good circulation and very clean. However, there are still many areas that are not fully renovated.

The room is spacious, and the air conditioning works great. The downside is that the sofa and curtains feel a bit unclean, and the chairs are full of stains. The fabric sofa covers, after all this time, definitely lower the rating.

The hotel's location is pretty good, very close to the beach, and also close to nearby supermarkets and dining options. If you plan on taking taxis for all your commutes, I'd suggest staying on Gaya Street instead.

The round-faced lady at the front desk, wearing a headscarf, provided mediocre service. She seemed rather unhappy.

Remember to ask for your deposit receipt. Out of all the hotels I've booked through Trip.com, this round-faced lady in the headscarf was the only one who repeatedly asked me for tax payment, even after I showed her the tax payment proof from Trip.com, and then asked for a deposit. And she didn't proactively give me a deposit receipt.

The hotel WiFi is terrible and very difficult to connect to. Every time I left and came back, I had to log in with my username and password again.

The area next to the hotel is quite open, so why make the WiFi so complicated? I stayed for five days and had to use my mobile data the entire time.

It's suitable for large families.

To all my Chinese folks, do NOT stay here! The male front desk staff was incredibly rude and clearly looked down on Chinese people. When issues arose, they were unhelpful and their communication was disrespectful. Their efficiency was abysmal and they were very dismissive of guests. When will they realize they're in the service industry?

I checked in by myself at night and was charged a 200 RMB deposit, which I understand. However, the next day, my friend booked a two-bedroom suite. I requested an extra blanket, which they said would cost extra, and the room wasn't ready to be assigned directly. I agreed with the front desk to pick up the room key after 5 PM, which I also understood. But when I returned to the hotel and gave the male staff member my booking confirmation number and my friend's name, he told me there was no such reservation. I got angry at the front desk, and only then was the booking found. To top it off, the extra blanket I requested wasn't added to the room. I asked for a refund, but this staff member told me that the charge wasn't for the blanket but for taxes, even though my friend had already paid all the fees. He was still lying. I demanded to see the bill, and he told me there wasn't one available and that it wouldn't be ready until after 8 AM the next morning.

The next day, my friend and I went to the front desk again. The female staff member confirmed it was a charge for the extra blanket. I told her the blanket was never provided and requested a refund, but she refused, stating it couldn't be refunded. She offered a late checkout until 4 PM, which I didn't need. She then said she needed to consult with the manager and suggested I return to the front desk after 3 PM to check on the progress. I refused and demanded that the issue be resolved on the spot. As expected, she processed the refund for me about 10 minutes later.

Very good location near airport runway can see aircraft taking off and landings. Big room space but with old furnitures and fittings. Need refurbishment!

It was okay.

Rooms were fairly clean. Tea kettle was beautiful. No international sockets. There was a phone in the room. No iron nor ironing board (again). It does have a safe. The mini fridge was just deep enough to fit a row of sodas. The hotel itself had a modern aesthetic with an impeccably clean, natural light lobby. Spacious, clean elevator. The upper floors and my room, however, were pretty scuffed up. Carpeted corners have plenty of dust.

Staff were professional but, from reception to the café, it seems as if they're in mourning or their life was flashing before their eyes whenever I appeared. Conversations just stopped, they freeze in place, etc. I used as much Malay as I know to greet and share courtesy but I just get "okay" in return. It's the hospitality industry. You might have to talk with people who don't look like you. Sorry, if that's a surprise.

The thing about the tourist tax and deposit was annoying. They only accept cash for that but there's no ATM in the lobby. I already paid online but I have to make a cash deposit and such. Had to take a walk through a couple parking lots to get the cash for the tax and come back. Then they asked me for a deposit. What are we doing? Also, I asked for another towel because I had to use one for the floor and the other had fallen later on. They charged me 10 ringgit cash and did not return it upon check out. Why am I being charged for a towel that I am not going to keep? Why couldn't house keeping just bring me a clean set when they came around?

Pool was running and seemed clean. Rooftop lounge area was okay. Bean bags and other furniture, again, looked scuffed up and water-damaged. Plenty of pool locker space, bathrooms and showers. Large, fully stocked vending machines on the ground and 8th floor.

There's a convenience center not far away with a dining hall, several restaurants, dessert spots and 7-eleven. Just search for the 7-eleven and you'll find it. But there's a bar and a couple more eateries directly across the street from the hotel. Most convenient part about this hotel is all the available snacks and alternative places to eat.

This hotel is okay for a few nights but it's not very welcoming. Staff are scammy and aloof.