Everything about this place was great! The courtyard was clean and even had little cats. Communication in Chinese was seamless, and the owner was a really nice, young guy from mainland China. There's also a pool in the courtyard, which was lovely for an evening breeze. It's super close to the pier, just a few minutes' walk, so getting around was easy. The owner was incredibly helpful. The room had an electric mosquito repellent, and all the usual disposable toiletries were well-stocked. We even saw a group of people who thought they'd lost their phone, and the owner immediately helped them search for it, only for it to turn out it was in their car – it just goes to show how warm-hearted and positive the owner is, thumbs up! He also gave us tips on seafood prices to help us bargain and recommended some great restaurants for processing seafood. Honestly, it was a fantastic stay, and I'd definitely choose to stay here again if I come back.
My Semporna trip was full of pleasant surprises, and I absolutely have to rave about the overwater villa I stayed in! 😆
Before I left, I'd only booked a standard terraced room, but to my surprise, the owner upgraded us to a private standalone villa for free when we checked in! It worked out to only about 800 yuan a night for a private sea-view villa with its own terrace – what a steal! We were grinning from ear to ear the moment we stepped inside.
Once we actually settled in, we didn't even feel like going out to sightsee. In the mornings, we'd just pull up a small chair on the terrace, feel the sea breeze, do some fishing with our feet dangling in the cool water, and just relax. It was so comfortable doing absolutely nothing. In the evenings, we'd sit on the terrace and watch the sunset paint the entire sea a fiery orange. And waking up, we'd see the sunrise emerge from the horizon right from our room. There's also a huge bathtub where you can soak and gaze at the sea – now *that's* a vacation!
I have to give a special shout-out to the butler here; they were incredibly thoughtful. When we wanted to go sea fishing, they had bait ready for us in advance. When we wanted to go into town for food and shopping, we just mentioned it and a car was arranged to pick us up very quickly, no delays at all. Plus, when you look down from the overwater villa, you can clearly see all sorts of small fish swimming around in the sea. In the mornings, we even saw little crabs 'strolling' on our terrace. Feeding the fish breadcrumbs and just leisurely passing the morning was incredibly relaxing.
This is absolutely the most satisfying overwater villa I've ever stayed in, hands down. If you're coming to Semporna, you really should consider this place! 👍
We had a perfect time at Eaglebay Retreat. It’s truly an undisturbed paradise. You have an entire house and hundreds of meters of coastline all to yourself. Every morning, you can wake up in the sunshine and decide whether to go snorkeling or just relax in the sun—you have the choice. The sunsets were always perfect, and experiencing them on a paddleboard is far better than being in a crowded place like KK.
At the same time, the retreat offers a wide range of activities that are both rich and reasonably priced—paddleboarding, jet skiing, kayaking, and more, so you’ll never feel bored.
During our stay, Arlyn and h is family provided us with everything we needed: they inflated our paddleboards, helped us arrange sea activities, climbed trees to pick coconuts for us, and prepared delicious meals. Whenever we needed them, they were always available, without intruding on our privacy. Their presence was always perfectly balanced.
I would also like to thank Faizal, who did a lot of work before our arrival, and Jamri, the kind lady who helped us recover our lost Apple Pencil during our stay. She assisted in finding it, came up with several ways to return it (considering Eaglebay Retreat’s remote location), and finally delivered it to my friend personally, asking for nothing in return. Your kindness will be remembered.
Yes, I think we would definitely recommend this place to our friends, and we will visit Eaglebay again in the future.
Unlike most guesthouses, which are typically large houses with several rooms, Pineapple Resort feels more like a hotel. It consists of a dozen small, standalone wooden cottages nestled among palm trees. The management is also quite hotel-like, and while breakfast isn't extensive, it offers a good variety. Although the resort is about five kilometers from Semporna town, considering the town's general disarray (especially near the jetty with seafood vendors and Bajau beggars), which can easily spoil a good mood, it's better to stay a bit further out in a quiet resort. Pineapple Resort offers free shuttle buses to and from Semporna jetty from morning to midday and in the evening, making transportation very convenient. What's more, it provides a warmer experience than a star-rated hotel, giving me a home-away-from-home feeling. For foodies, if you're a good cook (the resort doesn't yet have a professional chef), Pineapple Resort is happy to provide a cooking area for seafood bought from the town market, which is incredibly convenient for those of us who love beautiful views and good food.
The room was quite clean, and the facilities were similar to those of the old domestic express hotel chains. There were only bath towels in the room, no towels, no shampoo or shower gel, only small soap. Lahad Datu is not a big city, more than 100 meters away from the beach and 1.3 kilometers away from the long-distance bus station. There are many restaurants around.
The hosts are wonderful, friendly people who made our stay comfortable. Our room was a small room with a bed, a table, air conditioning and a combined bathroom. The room is clean. You can order food delivery and it will be delivered fairly quickly, the food is delicious. You can buy coffee, tea, and drinks on site. It takes about 15 minutes to walk to the entrance to Hot Poring Springs, but they can give you a ride for free. There is a transfer to Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan. More expensive than Grab, but you can't call a Grab from there. Grab cost us 200 ringgit from Kota Kinabalu, the transfer back cost 300. Don't expect luxury from this place (or from others nearby). It's like visiting your grandmother in the village). Very soulful.
Had an absolutely fantastic two-day, one-night stay! The owner was incredibly welcoming and the staff even helped us take photos and played in the water with us. The room was very clean, and lying on the hammock net, feeling the sea breeze, was just heavenly. There's also KTV every night, which was a huge bonus. We got to try paddleboarding and snorkeling – everything was amazing!
The hotel is very clean!!! The boss from Northeast China is very enthusiastic. We booked the sea diving and other activities directly with the boss. It is a blessing for lazy people. The experience is great. The location is very close to the pier, just a few minutes walk away, very convenient. I made an appointment with the boss to come again next time! There is also a Xiaomi big TV!!! There is no need to convert the plug for charging, so touching🥰
GGuest UserWe had a perfect time at Eaglebay Retreat. It’s truly an undisturbed paradise. You have an entire house and hundreds of meters of coastline all to yourself. Every morning, you can wake up in the sunshine and decide whether to go snorkeling or just relax in the sun—you have the choice. The sunsets were always perfect, and experiencing them on a paddleboard is far better than being in a crowded place like KK.
At the same time, the retreat offers a wide range of activities that are both rich and reasonably priced—paddleboarding, jet skiing, kayaking, and more, so you’ll never feel bored.
During our stay, Arlyn and h is family provided us with everything we needed: they inflated our paddleboards, helped us arrange sea activities, climbed trees to pick coconuts for us, and prepared delicious meals. Whenever we needed them, they were always available, without intruding on our privacy. Their presence was always perfectly balanced.
I would also like to thank Faizal, who did a lot of work before our arrival, and Jamri, the kind lady who helped us recover our lost Apple Pencil during our stay. She assisted in finding it, came up with several ways to return it (considering Eaglebay Retreat’s remote location), and finally delivered it to my friend personally, asking for nothing in return. Your kindness will be remembered.
Yes, I think we would definitely recommend this place to our friends, and we will visit Eaglebay again in the future.
GGuest UserMy Semporna trip was full of pleasant surprises, and I absolutely have to rave about the overwater villa I stayed in! 😆
Before I left, I'd only booked a standard terraced room, but to my surprise, the owner upgraded us to a private standalone villa for free when we checked in! It worked out to only about 800 yuan a night for a private sea-view villa with its own terrace – what a steal! We were grinning from ear to ear the moment we stepped inside.
Once we actually settled in, we didn't even feel like going out to sightsee. In the mornings, we'd just pull up a small chair on the terrace, feel the sea breeze, do some fishing with our feet dangling in the cool water, and just relax. It was so comfortable doing absolutely nothing. In the evenings, we'd sit on the terrace and watch the sunset paint the entire sea a fiery orange. And waking up, we'd see the sunrise emerge from the horizon right from our room. There's also a huge bathtub where you can soak and gaze at the sea – now *that's* a vacation!
I have to give a special shout-out to the butler here; they were incredibly thoughtful. When we wanted to go sea fishing, they had bait ready for us in advance. When we wanted to go into town for food and shopping, we just mentioned it and a car was arranged to pick us up very quickly, no delays at all. Plus, when you look down from the overwater villa, you can clearly see all sorts of small fish swimming around in the sea. In the mornings, we even saw little crabs 'strolling' on our terrace. Feeding the fish breadcrumbs and just leisurely passing the morning was incredibly relaxing.
This is absolutely the most satisfying overwater villa I've ever stayed in, hands down. If you're coming to Semporna, you really should consider this place! 👍
GGuest UserThe hotel is very clean!!! The boss from Northeast China is very enthusiastic. We booked the sea diving and other activities directly with the boss. It is a blessing for lazy people. The experience is great. The location is very close to the pier, just a few minutes walk away, very convenient. I made an appointment with the boss to come again next time! There is also a Xiaomi big TV!!! There is no need to convert the plug for charging, so touching🥰
GGuest UserEverything about this place was great! The courtyard was clean and even had little cats. Communication in Chinese was seamless, and the owner was a really nice, young guy from mainland China. There's also a pool in the courtyard, which was lovely for an evening breeze. It's super close to the pier, just a few minutes' walk, so getting around was easy. The owner was incredibly helpful. The room had an electric mosquito repellent, and all the usual disposable toiletries were well-stocked. We even saw a group of people who thought they'd lost their phone, and the owner immediately helped them search for it, only for it to turn out it was in their car – it just goes to show how warm-hearted and positive the owner is, thumbs up! He also gave us tips on seafood prices to help us bargain and recommended some great restaurants for processing seafood. Honestly, it was a fantastic stay, and I'd definitely choose to stay here again if I come back.