Amazing Kota Kinabalu! (Part 2) : The Pacific Sutera Hotel

Our day in Kota Kinabalu just started and this was what greeted me outside the airport. Most of the cars are Proton, which is all proudly Malaysian made. They are very proud of this in fact, almost all the cabs and city cars carry this brand. Notice too on this shot how the back part of this parking area is extremely covered by huge trees. While we were on the tourist bus it was so evident how almost every part of the city had trees or small forests around them; no joke. It just shows how much they care for nature. We headed off to our awesome hotel afterwards.

Our Accommodation: The Pacific Sutera

The morning was great and as we were flying along the right hand drive highways of Kota Kinabalu, we entered a huge place a few minutes away from the airport. The hotel where we were going to stay was called The Pacific Sutera. Take a look at this!

Nestled at the middle of Kota Kinabalu's Sutera Harbor Resort, this hotel is part of a 384 acre land facility that's got its own resort, golf course, spa, marina and a country club. It's got 956 rooms and suites if you include the Magellan Sutera. This place is perfect for family, executives and business travelers. Pretty cool that we are staying here because its in the middle of everything in Kota Kinabalu.

Outside, we could see a glimpse of their UNESCO World Heritage site Mount Kinabalu (Gunung Kinabalu). The interiors are reminiscent of Hawaiian - Pacific Island hotels but still had that tropical vibe. An iconic marble/granite statue of dolphins shown jumping off waters is placed center of the hotel's lobby. Several indoor plants and Orchids endemic to Sabah are also on display on this floor. Checking in was a cinch since there were no lines on the front desk. They keep that managed because they have several counters up front. The high ceilings made this all so grand too!

 Then we were sent to our respective rooms.

The Pacific Sutera Hotel: Guest Suites Interior

This particular room is situated on the 4th floor's far right side. It's non smoking, and its got 2 beds on quite a spacious suite. 

It's interiors look more modern. The pillows are soft and comfy and would probably cause you to stay in the room too much that you'll forget your trip LOL.

It's got ample amount of lighting and 2 wall mounted lamps if you need more.The view of the harbor and the Japanese garden was unimaginable! I could live here.

This is the path that leads you to the large pool that's only a few steps away from the actual beach and a backdraft of the islands where the Sutera Sanctuary Lodges are. Tell you more about that later.

You also have your own office space plus the usual complimentary bottled water + goodies on the pantry if you prefer something to snack on and tired of going out after your whole day trip.

Each room probably have this huge TV where you can watch local and some business channels if you prefer to check your stocks while on vacation.

The toilet and and bath is squeaky clean. I love the bath tub because there's an adjacent window that you can open so you can still watch TV. Yes I did a couple of bubble baths on this joint. =) This place made my stay in Kota Kinabalu a very comfortable one. Then there was more.

We took a walk outside and checked out their pool area. Please, try not to drop your jaws while seeing this!

The huge pool was just wonderful. I saw families play volleyball on one side, while a Dad on the other side kept chasing his kids as they kept jumping in an out of it. Waves Pool Bar is that nearby integrated structure on the right side. I wouldn't mind having cocktails while taking a dip. :)

Whoever thought of placing the Hotel near the pool and the beach is genius. This place is blessed with nature and has got one of the best structures hosting guests from here and all over the world! Kota Kinabalu is just AMAZING! We are just starting to discover that!

 

Cafe Boleh @ The Pacific Sutera Hotel

The Pacific Sutera Hotel carries different places to get breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a simple drink. The Silk Garden, Waves Pool Bar, Lobby Lounge, JUGs and Cafe Boleh. Our day was just starting and after settling in on our rooms, we went ahead and had lunch at this fabulous restaurant called Cafe Boleh. Boleh means "Capable". This is how they picture their people. If they say Malaysia Boleh, it means Malaysia "Can do it!". It's how they also cheer on their peers when showing support. I Boleh this restaurant... I can do it I mean haha!

The restaurant serves continental cuisines but they always insert a few local Malay dishes which I had so much fun with. I love curry. Seeing that on the buffet was such a delight. The design was European but they have native pieces here and there. Their staff made sure we got what we want from the spread. I love the drink selection too.

We went ahead and got our favorites!

Roasted Chicken and Roasted Vegetables!

More of that Roasted Veggies again :)

Braised Mussels with Kam Heong Sauce

Wok Fried Lamb in Black Pepper Sauce

The yummy Prawn Mee Soup!

The Salad choices were good too! All fresh, all day!

And of course the "pièce de résistance", here's the dessert spread!

Chocolate rolls, Fruit based jello that are oh so good!

I know, you must be wondering where I'd end up putting all of these in my tummy. I tried them all by just having one slice each hehe. I was on a diet LOL! But really, the Mango Cheesecake and the Chocolate Mousse made me close my eyes and swear shout every once in a while. You should ask my friends :)) I figured they (locals and foreigners) don't know what I was saying anyway in Filipino so it's okay to swear shout! :D It was really that good! 

Obviously, just by the photos I got, you could imagine what I was saying.. I was calling for divine intervention, sent to heaven then back from each spoonful; especially the chocolate mousse! I mark this +100, totally my favorite!

The hotel represents not just a business, it reflects the manner on how the country and the people welcome guests. It's a blessing we're able to witness a tiny bit of Sabah in it's full natural glory. The Pacific Sutera did that to us and more. I'd like to take this bit to thank the Pacific Sutera's General Manager Mr. Stefan Willimann, Director of Marketing Communications Mayang Ismail, Ms. Clara Lim and Ryazilah Abdul Rahim for taking time to talk to us that afternoon and making us welcome during our stay at this hotel. I felt I haven't seen everything and a trip back there would probably be a great idea. Thank you so much for everything and I'm sure you're proud of your hotel and the people who run day to day operations. You should be coz I've seen it too! =) 

Next up is our island adventures. Stay tuned for that! Join me as we discover Kota Kinabalu and Sabah, Malaysia's fun, sun and amazing food on part 3 of this series! Sampai berjumpa lagi! 

For more details about The Pacific Sutera Hotel

Please visit their website

http://www.suteraharbour.com

Pacific Sutera Hotel
#1 Sutera Harbour Boulevard
Kota Kinabalu, 88100 Sabah, Malaysia
Phone: +6088318888
Fax: +6088317777

Or Like them on Facebook!

Pacific Sutera Harbour Kota Kinabalu

P.S. Zest Air flies on a regular basis to Kota Kinabalu. It happens every Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sunday. Check out Zest Air or Air Asia websites for flight schedules if you want to take a vacation to Sabah, Malaysia. It's 2 hours away from the Philippines and this is the perfect season to do it! Visit FlyZest.com or http://www.airasia.com/ for more details! Visit www.sabahtourism.com and discover more of Sabah soon!