Borneo Cove Hotel

It was the worst... We, as backpackers, were wanting to pamper ourselves for one night at a nicer place, own room, pool, just not a hostel! So we found this place online while we were at the airport and instead of booking it on agoda (for 79 ringit, 3 pax) we called them, as my phone was only a few percent and I somehow (dumb afterwards) thought they would also give me the same deal when calling them. They said it would be 150 ringit including the extra bed and a nicer room, e were tired from our overnight trip and went ahead, ready for this swim, we thought!!! Nevertheless we got there, there was brown pool with only like 50 cm of water in it, there was very sick cats everywhere, it looked nothing liked the photos... When we checked out the manager was there who told us we had to pay for the extra bed, and I said we did as we already paid 150 (confirmed on the phone). I also showed her the price on Agoda and said I already fellt ripped off by them cause now we should have to pay more than double!!!!! There was no appologies what so ever, only: well you should have booked it on Agoda. She was so unfriendly and unhelpfull. In the end we paid 200 ringit for a dirty hotel, without a pool, a bad breakfast and a bad experience of Sandakan, Thank you very much Borneo Cove hotel!! :)

We booked in for a couple of nights before heading off to the jungle. Nothing to rave about this place. It is what you expect from a fairly low budget hotel. The rooms were OK, the breakfast not at all great. On the positive side, the staff were helpful and friendly. Overall, with a bit of effort and investment, this place good be great but as it stands slightly less than average.

I will start with the only positives - the staff were lovely and we had a TV . But its downhill from there... The location leaves a lot to be desired. Nestled in a district of unfinished flats the area attracts the sort of people that you would cross the street to avoid. As you enter the hotel, you are greeted by decor that is almost offensive to the eye- not at all similar to the photos on website. There are no hallways, brought to your room on street level. ( very dirty street with all the electrics on view) The same story continues in the room; there hasn't even been an attempt to clean it. The floors and surfaces are coated in dust and hair as well as a whole host of stains that I will not describe in detail in fear of putting you off your food. Some of the bed-sheets had been washed; but all still had hairs and stains on them. Our room had One door which did not seemed secure. We had booked 2 rooms as four of us travelling . One of rooms had only one bug (which was in the bathroom when we arrived) and bed bugs but other room u did have cockroaches and a toilet that wouldn't flush. The bathroom was covered in body hairs, and in one room, the sink wouldn't drain at all. There was no shower curtain, and the shower was very inconsistant in terms of heat. Intermittent wifi , broken air con . The room did have a safe - and it really needs one. We had to ask to get it opened and 5 members of staff came. ( as said before the staff were lovely) The TV had a remote control that wouldn't work. The breakfast was bread, cold beans and cold hash browns and some type of soup. I didn't try it. Seriously, do not stay here!! And before you ask yourself, "can it really be that bad?" Trust me, yes it can.