Our top 10 places to stay in and around Sandakan
Homely and friendly
The first thing we noticed walking into the rooms at Hotel Lutana was the lovely fresh smell and homely touches to an otherwise ordinary hotel.
The warm and friendly receptionist said she opened windows every day to let the rooms air and she obviously takes pride in overseeing that the hotel is kept neat as a pin.
Rooms are modest and a tad old fashioned and worn, but bright and comfortable. The unpretentious home-spun style includes rose-patterned padded bedheads, and vases of fake flowers. Holes in the pretty blue blankets are cleverly disguised with embroidered flowers. The TV is a tiny old fashioned box, and the air-con in some rooms looks antiquated too, but they do offer free WiFi. A thermos of hot water and instant coffee sachet is provided. Bathrooms are very basic, but the water is hot.
The four-storey hotel has a lift, and a few upper rooms offer sea glimpses, though it’s not very pretty, just an industrial section of the port. Hotel Lutana is located in a quiet area two kilometres west of the city centre amid a group of shophouses. It’s even quieter at night, but a few restaurants around the hotel mean it’s not deserted. We like the welcoming atmosphere in this basic but friendly hotel. For something closer to town, Hotel Seafront offers an even better deal, but no lift and lots of stairs.
Address: Lot 1, Block J, Bandar Ramai-ramai, Jalan Leila, Sandakan
T: (0892) 72111; F: (0892) 72999
Coordinates (for GPS): 118º6'5.8" E, 5º50'10.63" N
See position in Apple or Google Maps: Apple Maps | Google Maps
Room rates: 60 to 120 ringgit
What we were quoted as a walk-in.
| Standard double room Twin: 80 ringgit. | 70 ringgit | 70 ringgit |
Reviewed by
Sally Arnold
Sally spent twelve years leading tourists around Indonesia and Malaysia where she collected a lot of stuff. She once carried a 40kg rug overland across Java. Her house has been described as a cross between a museum and a library. Fuelled by coffee, she can often be found riding her bike or petting stray cats. Sally believes travel is the key to world peace.
Our top 10 places to stay in and around Sandakan
