Sabah Hotel Sandakan is a 4-star hotel at KM 1, Jalan Utara, on the northern side of Sandakan on Sabah's east coast. According to Traveloka's listing data, the building dates from 1991 and was last renovated in 2024, which makes it one of the longer-established full-service hotels in the town while still carrying a recent refurbishment. The property spreads its 116 rooms across seven floors, and it is served by lifts, a 24-hour front desk and on-site parking.
The hotel's own website describes the property as "nestled amidst one of the world's last natural tropical rainforests", and its grounds reflect that setting: the official site highlights tropical gardens, a herb garden, a sundeck and a free-form swimming pool. Rather than a compact city-block hotel, Sabah Hotel Sandakan is laid out more like a green retreat on the edge of town, which is a large part of its appeal for travellers heading into eastern Sabah.
Inside, the hotel runs two restaurants and one bar according to Traveloka's data. On the official site these appear as Plantation Cafe, Ming Restaurant and the Lobby Lounge. Recreation facilities include an outdoor pool, sauna, massage services, karaoke and a squash court, while business travellers have a business centre and meeting facilities on site. The combination of leisure facilities and event space means the property serves both holidaymakers and the local events and conference market, including weddings, which the hotel promotes through dedicated packages.
Sabah Hotel Sandakan has 116 rooms in total, spread over seven floors, according to Traveloka's listing data. Traveloka's structured feed for this property does not publish a confirmed list of room categories with sizes and bed configurations, and the hotel's own rooms page does not set them out in text either, so the clearest way to compare options is to search your dates on the property page and read each room card before you book.
The in-room features listed for the property on Traveloka are air conditioning, a work desk, a hair dryer, a shower and a television. Free WiFi is listed for the property, with WiFi also available in public areas. Room voltage is listed as 240V, so travellers from countries that use a different standard should pack a suitable adapter or converter for their devices.
Traveloka's listing records several accessibility features: an accessible bathroom, accessible parking, an accessible path of travel and wheelchair access. Lifts serve the seven floors. Guests with specific mobility needs should still confirm the details of an individual room type with the property before arrival, since accessible features can vary from room to room.
Because the room line-up and inclusions can differ between rates, check each room card for the bed type, occupancy limit and whether breakfast is included. Families should look closely at maximum occupancy, while business travellers may want to note the work desk and in-room television listed for the property. If you need a particular bed set-up or a quiet room, add a special request at booking; requests are subject to availability at check-in.
For a hotel in a mid-sized town, Sabah Hotel Sandakan has a broad facility list. Traveloka's listing groups them into leisure, business and guest-service categories, and the hotel's own website adds detail on opening hours and outlet names.
A business centre, meeting facilities and a photocopier are listed on Traveloka. The official site promotes event halls for meetings, seminars, conferences and weddings, along with meeting packages, wedding packages and high-tea and birthday celebrations. If you are planning an event, contact the hotel's events team directly for capacities and current packages.
Sabah Hotel Sandakan's address is KM 1, Jalan Utara, Sandakan, Sabah. The KM 1 address places the hotel close to the town centre, a short drive from the waterfront core of Sandakan while keeping the greener, quieter setting the property is known for. Its coordinates on Traveloka place it just north of the old town, and the listing's breadcrumb puts it within the Sandakan area of Sabah, which Traveloka shows with more than a hundred listed properties.
Most visitors reach Sandakan by air via Sandakan Airport, the town's own airport for domestic flights. If you are still planning your journey, you can compare flights to Sandakan on Traveloka and then arrange the last leg by taxi, e-hailing or the hotel's transfer service. Traveloka lists an airport transfer for this hotel as a paid service, but the property's transfer flag is not switched on in the same feed, so treat it as something to request and confirm with the hotel before you land rather than a guaranteed pick-up.
Drivers will find parking on site, listed on Traveloka as free of charge, and accessible parking is also recorded. For travellers touring Sabah by road, a hotel with its own car park is a practical base, and the front desk can advise on the best route into town for your onward plans.
Sandakan is a common base for trips into eastern Sabah, and the hotel's own website points guests to Sabah Tourism's Sandakan district guide for local attractions. The front desk is the best place to ask about current tour operators, opening hours and how long transfers take, since these change by season.
Traveloka's listing shows two restaurants and one bar at Sabah Hotel Sandakan, and the hotel's website names them as Plantation Cafe, Ming Restaurant and the Lobby Lounge. Breakfast at the property is served from 07:00 to 10:00, according to the hotel policy on Traveloka.
Plantation Cafe is the hotel's cafe outlet. The official site promotes a Saturday barbecue buffet, with a discount for in-house adult guests, alongside an all-day tea set, a local menu called Mana2 Makan and a beverage menu. Many of these are offered for dine-in, takeaway and delivery.
Ming Restaurant is the hotel's Chinese restaurant. Its signature, according to the official site, is a five-course Peking duck, and the menu also includes dim sum served a la carte or as a set, plus a selection the hotel calls Ming Delight. The restaurant can also be booked for private events; contact the hotel's restaurant team for details.
The Lobby Lounge is the hotel's bar and lounge, listed on the official site as open daily from 2pm to 10pm. It is a convenient spot for a drink or a light bite after a day out exploring Sandakan.
Room service is also available, and Traveloka lists it as running around the clock, which helps if you check in late after an evening flight. If you want to plan days out around your meals, browse tours and activities across Sabah, then book a table at Ming Restaurant for the evening you return.
The strongest reason to choose Sabah Hotel Sandakan is the mix of a long track record and a recent refresh: the hotel was built in 1991 and last renovated in 2024, according to Traveloka's data. That gives guests the space and grounds of an established property along with updated interiors.
Families, couples and business travellers all have something here, and the size of the hotel, with 116 rooms over seven floors, means it can handle groups as well as individual travellers. If you want to weigh it against nearby options first, compare other hotels in Sandakan and the rest of Sabah before you decide.
When you are ready to put the whole trip together, start from the Traveloka homepage to bundle your stay with flights and things to do.
Comparing options in Sandakan and elsewhere in Sabah? These live Traveloka listings are worth a look.
As announced by Royal Malaysian Customs Department, Tourism Tax is imposed starting 1 January 2023 for all hotel guests that are non-Malaysian or non-permanent Residents of Malaysia. Please expect that hotel will collect the Tourism Tax from you during check-in at the hotel. The Tourism Tax rate is 10 RM per room per night.
Popular Facilities | AC, Swimming Pool, Restaurant, 24-Hour Front Desk, Parking, Elevator, WiFi |
Check-In / Check-Out Time | From 15:00 - to 11:00 |
Available rooms at Sabah Hotel Sandakan | 116 |
Number of floors in Sabah Hotel Sandakan | 7 |
Another facilities in Sabah Hotel Sandakan | Garden, Karaoke, Massage, Outdoor pool, Sauna |
