The Jesselton Hotel

I stayed in the twin bed room it was huge. After being in small rooms elsewhere in Malaysia it was so good to be in a room the size of an apartment. Wonderfully comfortable, well located and with all mod cons. Worth it.

So they need to reupholster their chairs as all of them are the thread is running bare on the arms - it's not a good look. They probably need to replace the carpets too. But hey - the room facilities and comfort are definitely on a par with a 4 star hotel not kidding. Important point to note - in the photos here on booking.com and elsewhere the entrance is rather grand and on a street corner. Doesn't exist anymore - this is now a Sushi restaurant and separate from the hotel. When I turned up I was trying to work out where the grand entrance was instead of the the little side entrance that was there - but don't let that put you off staying there as the rooms are so big and relaxing. Would stay again.

Its walking distance to all the attractions nearby. Banks, convenience stores (kedai runcit), pharmacy (guardian etc) were very near by. Used google map to navigate around and it was very easy. Grab is cheaper too (RM5-RM10) to move around anywhere. The hotel staffs are very nice and prompt in fulfilling requests made. The housekeeping service is also very nice. They did a great job cleaning the room and making the bed after guest went out

The noisy neighbors. The other hotel guests should be mindful to keep their voice down and respectful to other hotel guests. I had difficulties sleeping after long hours of meeting due to the laughter coming from other room.

I'll definitely choose The Jesselton Hotel again over all others if blessed to return to Kota Kinabalu. Everything about The Jesselton was just right for a modest hotel with historic value in KK's cultural Old Town where ambiance is authentic, unlike corporate multi-national hotels. The Jesselton Hotel's bed was far more comfy than some pricier hotels. That plus superb air-conditioning and good hot water and water pressure for showers before bed meant a good sleep each night. This was even more important in KK due to its endless new things to do each day and many of the best of those within walking distance of The Jesselton Hotel. A comfortable little seating area in The Jesselton's foyer is so cozy, it offers an atmosphere conducive for guests to socialize and share tour and travel information. Although this historic hotel has no restaurant, it's in the middle of cafe row, with one fascinating cafe or restaurant after another, all within walking distance. Others, such as Friendly Seafood is only a short Grab or Taxi ride away. The location couldn't be better. The Government Tourist Center being only a few doors down is a plus. It's only a couple of blocks from KK's famous not-to-be-missed Weekend Night Food Market each Friday and Saturday, the perfect cultural dinner place. On Sunday mornings, just walk out The Jesselton Hotel's front door to enjoy the street transformed into KK's amazing Sunday Street Market, complete with musicians and handicrafts. Even the famous daily and nightly Handicraft Market stretching for a total of a mile with its world famous seafood stalls at the back on the riverfront is within walking distance if one likes to hike a bit longer. The women receptionists were extremely helpful and kind. They looked out for my safety, helped ensure I was where I needed to be on time, and quickly attended to every other need. On top of all that, The Jesselton is very reasonably priced. It's amazingly good...

There is simply nothing I didn't like about The Jesselton. Perhaps a larger room is important for some people, perhaps some couples. As a solo traveler, it was perfect for me.

The location in the city is very convenient. It is walking distance to the waterfront and behind it, the walk into Signal Hill. Bars and restaurants (including the El Centro which we visited 6 times in 3 days) and local eateries and supermarkets abound. Parking for our hired car was not a problem outside peak hours. The hotel is also 2 mins walk away from the Sabah Tourism office where we could get detailed information. Although in a busy main street, once in our room, it was a cozy haven to rest and rejuvenate.

Location, big room, spacious bathroom. I appreciated the clothes line over the bath. I enjoyed the big bed and the tea making facilities. I was glad there was a safe in the room. Being so close to the day market and night market was fantastic, with lots of interesting shops around.

No breakfast option that I was aware of.

The staff were so lovely, super helpful - we arrived early so left our bags with them while we went for a wander. On our final day we got a rental car which we were able to park directly outside while we got ourselves organised for the drive. Whilst the Jesselton is beginning to ‘show her age’ it was all super clean, room attended to every day. Very central which was super handy as we were able to see so much on foot. Highly recommend!

Watch the lift, the doors close really quickly!😆

The location is very central. Lots of nice eating places in walking distance. Laundry is also nearby which is a big plus to us. The hotel including the room we stayed in are clean. Hotel staff are friendly and helpful. Value for money. Very happy with our stay.

Nope

Located right on the corner of the night market street. Also close to all amentites. The room was a lovely size and able to walk to all of the city areas from here. The breakfast included in our price was nice and set us up for the day exploring

Bed wasn't as comfy as we would have liked, a small issue but didn't have the best sleep

very nicely decorated rooms (we stayed in the colonial style room in wood) with warm colors and nice atmosphere. the location is excellent next to many restaurants and local markets. the staff was great as they also helped us find good local restaurants.

the fridge in the room made a weird noise throughout the night, and the ac could not be controlled

Excellent location, easy to access to food, malls, night market, banks & etc. As the room I stayed this round at new wing section was much more nicer than my last stay, and the window between the bathroom and bed, it feels like a studio design, love it! Overall, good place to stay & will visit again for sure.