Sabah
Owner Max makes his guests feel extremely welcome at this rustic spot right by the sea. Rooms are simple and come with mosquito nets (with the exception…
Must-see hotels in Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei
Johor
A short walk from the bus terminal, this hotel with a cheery yellow exterior is a great pick to bed down for a night en route to Tioman. The rooms are…
Pulau Tioman
The 54-villa Tunamaya overlooks white-sand beaches and provides high-quality amenities including an infinity pool, a plunge pool, spa, a bar with beers…
Bandar Seri Begawan
A smart hotel with a surprising amount of flair for businesslike BSB. The well-lit rooms have clean lines, wood-effect floors, colourful cushions and good…
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
Providing access to architect Ng Seksan’s superlative private collection of contemporary Malaysian art – displayed in the rooms of the adjoining house –…
Gunung Mulu National Park
Situated 3km from park HQ, this 101-room complex has been designed and decorated in a way that is both stylish and sympathetic to its jungle surroundings…
Perak
Furnished kampung (village) style, with fabrics, wooden shutters and tinted glass, this Gopeng town guesthouse has a magically nostalgic atmosphere. If…
Cameron Highlands
This charismatic 1939 property looks as though it was lifted straight out of the English countryside with its exposed beams, four-poster beds and even a…
Chinatown & the CBD
Dramatic, cascading gardens, bird-cage cabanas right on the infinity pool, and a striking design evocative of terraced paddy fields: this outstanding…
Chinatown & the CBD
Not many hotels are accessed through a historic Chinese temple, but the Amoy is no ordinary slumber pad. History inspires this contemporary belle, from…
Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
Fifty-two stunning villas stuffed with modern amenities and island-chic touches make up posh Gayana. The Bakau (mangrove) Villa overlooks a tangled,…
Singapore
One of the swankiest additions to Orchard Rd's five-star hotel scene, St Regis doesn't disappoint: from its striking facade to its classic, French…
George Town
Unlike the slick heritage hotels you’ll find elsewhere, the renovation of this row of 1920s shophouses has left them feeling wonderfully rustic, and the…
Penang
Accommodation at the top of this 518m-high peak takes the form of eight splendidly restored century-old rice barns, united in a private retreat. Walk…
Cameron Highlands
Primo pampering and exceptionally classy rooms lift Strawberry Park above its resort competition. All room types are elegant, from the ample doubles to…
George Town
Crafted from a row of seven joined shophouses, surrounding a beautiful central courtyard, Seven Terraces is one of the most luxurious places to stay in…
Sabah
Winking with fairy lights and drowning in greenery, this resort has a welcoming restaurant, glossed wood floors and a well-stocked shop. Bungalows are…
Sabah
Situated on a sweeping river bend, Myne has an open, breezy reception, games room and restaurant festooned with lifeguard rings, vaguely reminiscent of a…
Gunung Mulu National Park
Located around 3km from the park entrance, well-run Mulu Village has basic but decent accommodation, and offers a big list of services and excursions…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
Grooving to a beat that's superior to most backpacker places, Reggae Mansion instantly impresses with its faux-colonial style and contemporary touches,…
Sabah
Tabin Wildlife Resort, run by Tabin Wildlife Holidays, is an attractive retreat with a clutch of upscale, pricey chalets with polished wooden floors and…
Pulau Langkawi
Tucked in a corner in the far northwest of Pulau Langkawi and surrounded by ancient rainforest, the Datai manages to feel both untamed and luxurious…
Cameron Highlands
This 1960s-built country manor is a sophisticated choice. Furnished with writing desks, four-poster beds and wood-beamed ceilings, the 19 sumptuous rooms…
Sabah
Lankayan Island Resort is a popular spot for diving romantics that's also heavily involved in turtle conservation. There are a couple of dozen cabins…
Peninsular Malaysia's Northeast
One of Redang’s most luxurious resorts, Taaras offers beachside bungalows and hillside apartments set in delightful, landscaped gardens. Pride of place…
Sabah
Run by Narsalis Larvatus tours, this secluded spot on Pulau Libaran consists of a handful of fan-cooled safari tents with twin beds inside, and outdoorsy…
Pulau Pangkor
Rooms at MNY are clean, candy-coloured and mercifully lacking the mildewy feel that prevails in too many Teluk Nipah hotels. The better rooms have…
Kuala Lumpur
There are only 55 rooms at this luxury hotel occupying the loftiest floors of a 59-storey building – which guarantees sweeping views all around. You'll…
Sabah
Idyllically lapped by turquoise water, these Balinese-style stilted bungalows with their peaked roofs, fine interiors and palm-fronted porches are…
Sabah
Dedicated to sustainable living and bursting forth from a riot of greenery, a minute's walk from Pulau Mantanani's loveliest beach, this is the kind of…
Kuala Lumpur
Opened in 2019, the KL branch of this hip hotel chain offers 210 capsule-like rooms that are more spacious than the Citizen M standard – request one with…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
Occupying an atmospheric 1920s building, Mingle offers small but pleasant dorms and doubles. Most dorm beds are curtained and all come with locker (BYO…
Pulau Pangkor
On the northern stretch of Teluk Nipah's main drag, Anjungan is quieter than neighbouring resorts, with a chic, family-friendly ambience. The chalet-style…
Peninsular Malaysia's Northeast
Qimi offers comfortable hillside bungalows with excellent sea views and private bathrooms. It also has rustic and cheaper bungalows that lack the hillside…
Sama Sama Hotel, KL International Airport
Malaysia
Practically palatial, Sama Sama is linked by a bridge to the main KLIA terminal, with golf buggies to ferry guests back and forth. Once you're inside the…
Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park
Well-spaced villas with mod cons from satellite TVs to safe-deposit boxes, iPod docks and Bose sound systems are spread around this tasty resort. The deep…
Sabah
Moored beside Pulau Mabul, this orange and polar-blue former oil rig accommodation platform is for serious divers. The dive centre is terrific, as are the…
Chinatown, Merdeka Square & Bukit Nanas
Dark-wood four-poster beds are handsomely offset by crisp white sheets at this boutique hotel that successfully channels Chinatown's atmosphere minus the…
Kuala Lumpur
On the lower floors of the circular Vortex tower, this innovative hotel offers capsule beds with good levels of privacy – choose between 10-bed dorms…
Sarawak
Owned by the Sarawak Bank Employees Union, this is the ideal place to mix chilling on the beach with workers’ solidarity. The grassy, family-friendly…
