Johor Bahru
Opened in 2019, this top pick for both the budget- and style-conscious features comfy, twin- and queen-size bunk beds with plush linens and privacy…
Must-see hotels in Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei
Sarawak
Tucked away in the quiet Malay village of Santubong, this place exudes serenity. Rooms with belian (ironwood) floors and four-poster beds are arranged…
Pulau Perhentian
Family-run D'Lagoon is the sole property on a tranquil bay, Teluk Kerma, with fine coral a short swim from the beach. Accommodation ranges from camping…
Taiping
In a high-ceilinged 1930s shophouse, cheerful Sojourn has four-bed dorms with pod-style bunks – that means more privacy and less rocking from the top bunk…
Melaka City
Why merely tour one of Melaka's heritage buildings when you can stay overnight in one? Inhabiting a superbly renovated 1822 Peranakan mansion, this hotel…
Cameron Highlands
Old-school hostel friendliness meets modern amenities at Father's, where staff go the extra mile to help guests get the best out of the Cameron Highlands…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
This chic pit stop for flashpackers offers a Zen decor featuring polished concrete and has a particularly attractive central courtyard. Mixed and female…
Sepilok
Beside an ornamental pond, this beautiful wood-accented hotel is a study in comfort, with mature trees shading its two-tiered central lodge, and carriage…
Melaka City
There's a fun flashpacker vibe at this great budget choice. The cheapest rooms are in mock 'caravans' on the ground floor, each given a famous star's name…
Little India & Kampong Glam
This popular hostel is spick and span, with comfy beds in a pod formation and super-helpful staff. The location is quiet but hip (you'll find decent…
Sarawak
After a few nights upriver, the Velton Inn's cool, spacious air-con rooms and slick bathrooms with excellent rainforest showers could be just what you…
George Town
Occupying a former mansion, its kitchen and stables, 23 Love Lane tastefully combines antique furniture and fixtures with modern design touches and arty…
Sarawak
This 16-room, longhouse-style guesthouse with valley views is full of evocative photographs, each with a story that owners Lucy and David Labang will…
Sabah
With flower-filled lawns, this charming accommodation has lovely chalets with wood floors and boutique accents, clustered around the pool. The restaurant…
Sarawak
Run by Norwegian-born Lars and his Bidayuh wife, Liza, this superfriendly, sustainable jungle homestay occupies a wooden house built on land that once…
Kuching
This riverfront property, housed in two old shophouses that were rebuilt after a fire, has a truly boutique ambience. All 24 rooms are different, with…
Pulau Perhentian
Located at the northern end of the bay, this top-end option offers 36 rooms in a modern, three-storey setting overlooking Long Beach. All rooms face the…
Kuala Terengganu
Located in the heart of Chinatown this three-storey guesthouse has spotless rooms and a friendly welcome. The cheapest rooms have no windows, but all…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
Having established its brand in Bali, Alila (which means 'supreme' in Bahasa Indonesia) has opened one of KL's most appealing new hotels. The pared-back…
Johor Bahru
Complete your Legoland experience with a night or two at this Lego-tastic hotel. From the giant Lego playground in the lobby, to the themed rooms (such as…
Sabah
Perched on a hill overlooking a beautiful 1.5km swath of sand lapped by teal-green sea, these two bijou one-bedroom cabanas, Treetops and Clifftop, have…
George Town
This former Chinese medicine warehouse has been artfully restored into a boutique hotel where history seeps from every creaking floorboard. Each of its 17…
Pulau Langkawi
This clutch of minimalist, contemporary structures perched on a forested hillside forms a pleasing contrast. Choose from one of six inviting studios,…
Kuching
Setting the Kuching standard for backpacker digs, this hugely popular guesthouse, decked out with stylish Sarawakian crafts, has an unbeatable location, a…
Sabah
As the only resort on leaf-shaped Pulau Mataking, this hotel is something special. With its deluxe villas, some with private balcony, and attractive…
George Town
Dating back to 1903, this once-standard hotel is seeing a new life as a sumptuous boutique property. Thoughtful details, such as fragrant, locally sourced…
Sarawak
Excellent value in Sibu, the Zuhra features simple but spotless rooms redecorated in 2018, and a top location a short walk from the city's night market…
Melaka City
Three shophouses built in 1825 have been combined to create this classy hotel. Original features such as lofty ceilings, brick walls and wood beams…
George Town
There are just four rooms at this refined shophouse B&B, set around a calm central courtyard. The tasteful rooms have a 1940s feel, with exposed brick…
Pulau Perhentian
Located at the northern end of Main Beach, with its own pier and good snorkelling close by, this modern resort comprises lovely wooden chalets with…
Sabah
This sumptuous stilted water village sits on its own private sandbar on the Ligitan reefs and has beautiful, wood-accented rooms with finely chosen decor…
Singapore
Dating back to 1900, this wonderful heritage hotel with gracious service feels like an elegant, old-world retreat: the kind of place you just want to hang…
Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay
BEAT. Capsules is located right in the action, smack bang on the Singapore River. The sleek single and queen capsules offer underbed storage, folding…
Penang
For a truly unique stay, consider a night or two at this working durian farm. Accommodation takes the form of spacious, modern villas perched on a…
Sabah
With its infinity pool, dark-wood floors, moody subdued lighting and exquisitely chosen furniture, this fine three-bedroom villa on a private beach leaps…
George Town
Tucked off a quiet street is this row of 19th-century servants' houses that have been transformed into one of central George Town's loveliest boutique…
Miri
The Kingwood is one of the most comfortable and convenient places to stay in Miri. Rooms and suites blend modern and heritage decor, bathrooms feature…
Pulau Langkawi
Sporting a youthful vibe (at least for a Four Seasons resort) and a Moroccan theme, this place is among Langkawi’s most luxurious resorts. Amenities are…
George Town
Occupying one of George Town's most emblematic buildings, the Blue Mansion wrote the book on how to craft the ideal heritage hotel. The 18 spacious, high…
Penang
Dating back to the 1940s, this is one of Batu Ferringhi’s oldest – and best – resorts. The 90 rooms are spacious and bright; a few offer personal plunge…
