Taman Negara Kinabalu Hotels

• travelpug
• Reviews: 357

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Panar Laban Hut: A Very Basic Place to crush

This very basic accomodation is about 150m above Laban Rata Guesthouse. It has 2 rooms, each has 3 bunk beds to accomodate 6 climbers. Unfortunately, it doesn't come with heater. It gets cold at night. I had to sleep with my freind in the same bed to keep each other warm!

There is a kitchen suplied with utensiles. You can cook something like if you bring some food up. If you don't, at least you can boil some hot water to keep yourself warm before your early climb to the summit. Oh, another caution, the toilets are located outside the room... :(

Warning: From Laban Rata Guesthouse, it's another 150m climb. So, once you reach the cafeteria, eat your dinner before it gets dark. When I was here in October, it got dark after 6:45pm!! At 7pm, it was pitch dark when I had to find my way up to this hut!! There was no street light leading my way here. I thought I was lost!

If you don't want to end up here, BOOK EARLY!!!

Basic! Cold!

• Opinion of Price: least expensive
• Related to: Mountain Climbing
• Written November 5, 2007

Panar Laban Hut at 8:30am! In the fog and rain!

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• schweethoney
• Reviews: 5

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• lilmisswongy81
• Reviews: 21

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Mt K headquarters, Laban Rata Resthouse: Beautiful Mt Kinabalu

Accommodation at the park Headquarters was at a lodge with two bedrooms. We paid RM50 for an extra mattress. They provided towels and tea / coffee facilities

Accommodation at 3000 m above sea level was at Laban Rata Resthouse. You cannot climb to the summit if you do not have accommodation at a resthouse. RM69 per night per person for a domitory room. We booked 3 months in advance. There were four of us and we were fortunate enough to received a bunk bed dorm room for four. Food is pricey at the resthouse (e.g. RM15 for fried rice, about 5X more than on ground) but well worth every ringgit. Once you see the hardworking porters carrying 20kgs of rice bags on their backs up the steep rockface, you will understand. The promise of hot water at Laban Rata was well and truly broken.

• Opinion of Price: about average
• Related to: Mountain Climbing, National/State Park, Backpacking
• Written May 22, 2007

Peak Lodge

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• kelnsha
• Reviews: 526

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Kinabalu Rose Cabin: Good Views of Mount Kinabalu!

A room starts from MYR70. Family rooms and chalets are available for MYR126 and MYR200 respectively.

The surrounding grounds are terraced vegetable and flower gardens, making this family-run hotel a pleasant place to stay. The restaurant serves delicious Chinese, Malay and Western dishes at reasonable price. A 5% government tax is added and rooms usually cost 40% more on weekends.

It is about 1 km southeast of park headquarter.

This clean and friendly place has spacious rooms with balconies facing Mount Kinabalu. They are comfortable and have good views of the mountain.

• Opinion of Price: less expensive than average
• Related to: Hiking and Walking, Budget Travel, National/State Park
• Written March 23, 2007

Group photo at Kinabalu Rose Cabin

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• dfactor
• Reviews: 216

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Kinabalu Rose Cabin: Gand View of the mountain at a steal

The rooms are pretty decent, nice beds, with attached bathroom and hot shower. At RM75 a nite, it's a steal. The view on the balcony makes it all the more worthwhile. The restaurant on the ground floor serve good food too, reasonably priced. Would definitely recommend to any1 who can't get a place in the park.

Most of the rooms has a balcony which have great view of Mt. Kinabalu, most of the pictures I like on the mountains are taken on the balcony in Rose Cabin. One thing odd abt the room though, is the huge, weird-looking, chinese-made shower. It seems, everytime I turned on the shower, there is a fire in the shower to heat the water. It made a sound, as if you turn on the knob on a stove. Fire in the shower!

• Opinion of Price: least expensive
• Written August 21, 2006

Entrace to the cabin

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• p_yenyen
• Reviews: 36

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U Merlin Resort: Cheap if you know some local who works here

The accommodation here will be cheap if you know the locals who works here. This year, is my first year, staying outside the national park. This place is about 2km away from National Park. Got this place for RM100 for 3 rooms. Original price for this is supposed to be at RM240. :-)

First time experience of getting cold shower here. Its like ice water.

Not much of outstanding facilities. Restaurant in this hotel is currently under renovation. So, you can just take a walk to Kinabalu Rose Cabin for your meal.

• Opinion of Price: least expensive
• Written April 22, 2006

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• Waxbag
• Reviews: 596

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Dorms in Mt. Kinabalu: The only budget option

The dorms of Kinabalu National Park are the only budget option for backpackers and they are expensive at that. For 46 RM you get a great dorm, with sheets, blankets, hot water, clean bathrooms, comumal area, and kitchen. But book in advanced or chance your luck in getting a bed. We got lucky for one night but had to leave the next day because the dorms were booked out and it was the low season.

• Opinion of Price: more expensive than average
• Related to: Mountain Climbing, National/State Park, Backpacking
• Written March 22, 2006

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• skyangel_k1
• Reviews: 58

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Laban Rata Guesthouse: Heating is essential - Laban Rata

It's the only one in the area with heating. We stayed in a dorm of 8 beds, and the heater was switched on at full blast. At times, it was just way too hot, but there was a sign which said not to adjust the heating. Perhaps many a tramper had been tampering too much with the heating and messed it up for everyone who had to sleep in the cold.

The beds are clean and acceptably comfortable. There is sufficient warm blankets. There is also a tiny window with a view of the mountain. I slept on the upper bunk and did not avoid banging my head on the low ceilings from the top double decker bunks.

The toilets and showers .....eeeweeuuu. The one I went that was closest to our dorm was Unisex. Only go when you have to. It stinks of ***. Bring a pair of slippers for the showers (I got my shoes wet in the end). And a plastic bag for your clothing. There is a hanger for clothes, but not enough. It's not 5-star, but you'll survive roughing it out. The toilets have toilet paper, but I brought my own anyway, just in case.....

Enjoy the views. The locals were playing Sepak Takraw there in the evenings. It is quite a sight to behold, with the court at the edge of the world, above the clouds (I'll include a pix in my next tip).

• Opinion of Price: N/A
• Related to: Hiking and Walking, National/State Park, Mountain Climbing
• Written July 28, 2005

Laban Rata and the mount in the background

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• skyangel_k1
• Reviews: 58

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Kinabalu Rose Cabins: Relaxing and affordable rooms near the park

I would certainly recommend this place.
This place is clean and comfortable. It has great balcony views of the impending Mount Kinabalu. There are public phones outside the hotel. Service is good and meals are reasonable priced at the restaurant. The food is well-cooked and tasty.

A double room with attached bathroom and hot showers is priced at RM73.50. There are other more expensive rooms up to 250 (chalet which holds 16 people). There are no cooking facilities, but the food here is good anyway.

They can help arrange for an airport pick up when you arrive. It cost us RM90 flat to get from KK T2 to KRC.

It has great views of the mountain and you can take a slow easy walk around the area. It is only 2-5 minutes away from the park HQ or you can walk for about 20 minutes.

More pictures can be found in my travelogue.

• Opinion of Price: less expensive than average
• Related to: National/State Park, Mountain Climbing, Budget Travel
• Written July 27, 2005

Kinabalu Rose Cabin - Motel

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