I can't believe that the series of my Borneo trip will come to an end in a few minutes. And this post, in particular, is going to be the last post that I'm going to write, covering the places I've been in Borneo.
Now that I've shared with you what I did during my stay in Kota Kinabalu, it's time for me to share my view on the accommodation I booked for the trip. By far, the best accommodation where I stayed throughout Borneo would be The Room in Miri. So, what's my view of the hotel where I stayed during my stop in Sabah?
Well, I chose Yomi Hotel for this trip. Apart from the affordable night rate, the fact that they provide breakfasts for the guest is also my main consideration before finally booking the accommodation.
Yomi Hotel in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (East Malaysia)
When I booked this hotel around a month before my arrival in Sabah, I got the early booking saver from Agoda. I got 30% off from the normal rate, and I only paid IDR 528,393 (around $36.5 USD) for 3 nights in total. It was super affordable, especially as breakfast included within the rate.
I normally never really bothered about breakfast at the hotel, but then I thought it was such a bargain. Especially since Kota Kinabalu was my last destination in Borneo before heading back home. I thought it would be great to spend my nights at the hotel that served the breakfast so I could spend my meals budget into something else.
Superior single room at Yomi Hotel, Kota Kinabalu.
Before I arrived, I had little expectation about the hotel as I only hoped that the hotel was good enough to sleep at night.
Check-In Procedure and Superior Single Room at Yomi Hotel
TV and air conditioner are provided along with a small desk in the corner.
I arrived in Kota Kinabalu from Brunei later than I expected, as I ended up checking in late at around 5 PM. Once I stopped at the bus station in Kota Kinabalu, I directly ordered Grab to take me to the hotel.
From Terminal Mahkamah, the last bus station where you'd stop in Kota Kinabalu if you take Jesselton Express, Yomi Hotel only took around 5-minute drive. With Grabcar, it only cost you around 5 MYR to get there. And it was a fast check-in without any deposit necessary.
So I could just show them the booking voucher as well as my ID, and paid for the tourism tax… And I got the key to my room. I got the room on the second floor, although unfortunately there's no elevator in the hotel so I had to carry all my belongings through the staircase. Although there was a bellboy who helped me in that case. 🙂
The room was small, but then again I didn't expect anything more than that. For me personally, it was good enough. But I suppose it might be a bit terrifying for those who are claustrophobic. Especially as there was no window or any ventilation inside the room.
The shower.
However, the shower wasn't so small. In fact, it was quite spacious compared to the room itself. The only problem was that the door in the shower was a bit broken that some water could come out as the door couldn't be closed properly.
Breakfast at Yomi Hotel
Breakfast area at Yomi Hotel.
With the rate, I really thought that the breakfast they provided would be some basic menu like toast and/or scrambled egg. To my surprise, they actually provide buffet breakfast.
I had breakfast at the hotel twice as I had to check out early due to my morning flight on my last day. The menu is the same, so it could be boring if you stay at the hotel for several nights. For me, it was good enough. Especially with the fact that the menu was quite nice.
The breakfast opens at 6 in the morning, and there are a few sections where you could opt what kind of meals you want to have. They provide toaster, as well as buffets like fried rice and noodle. Coffee and tea are provided, as well as fruits for desserts.
I personally think that this gesture is not so bad for a hotel whose night rate is less than $15. Super nice and affordable.
And the fact that it's buffet, you could literally stay around for a few hours to just enjoy your breakfast slowly.
Review
I didn't have much to complain about the hotel in general. However, I found the humidity inside the room quite uncomfortable. For example, the bed sheet was rather smelly. Like it had this significant odor like you forced to use it when it was still half dry. I suppose it has something to do with the fact that there is no ventilation in the room as well.
But other than that, the room was quite okayish. Although, I suppose if I were given a chance to visit Kota Kinabalu again, I'd consider staying at a hotel that provides an elevator next time instead of here.
If anything, I suppose the breakfast option that they serve is actually a plus point of this hotel. The menu wasn't fancy, but it was quite tasty. Like the options they provide seem to be quite thoughtful for a hotel at this level.
Some breakfast menu they provide.
Apart from the standard menu, they also provide BBQ sausage by request. It was quite nice, and I particularly like the sauce they serve for the main breakfast menu. It had the unique taste that I took some more on my second day at the hotel.
(+)
The night rate is super affordable, less than $15 per night with breakfast included.
Check-in procedure is relatively easy.
The location is quite strategic since it's located in the center. You could get almost everything within walking distance. There are so many eateries around, and even if you need to do the laundry, some coin laundry is available around the area as well.
The variation of the breakfast menu is quite nice and tasty too.
It provides all your basic needs in accommodation.
Free wifi with a decent connection. I had no problem working from the room.
Toast is also provided on the breakfast menu.
(-)
The room is super small, it might be not suitable if you're claustrophobic.
The humid smell in the bed sheet was slightly annoying.
There is no elevator in the hotel, so you might want to reconsider this hotel if you have a lot of things to bring with you.
Would I Stay at Yomi Hotel Again?
Since I don't know whether I will go back to Kota Kinabalu anytime soon, most likely no. Well, I think I'd rather stay at a hotel with higher night rate but with an elevator instead of Yomi Hotel. But I think Yomi is a good place to crash in Kota Kinabalu, especially if you're looking for accommodation at a low rate.
What I had for breakfast at Yomi Hotel, including the special sauce that I particularly liked.
Just make sure that you're not claustrophobic before booking a room here though. Other than that, I'd recommend you to give it a try for your next visit to Kota Kinabalu! 😉
Disclaimer:
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