Mr & Mrs Smith

Bunga Raya

Sabah, Malaysia

Laid-back Bunga Raya boutique hotel and spa in Sabah, Borneo, is a tropical-island paradise without the schlep. Its powdery white beach, rainforest backdrop and endless ocean views will ensure you’ll feel miles away from the real world, even though the airport is just half an hour away. Your villa is a cool enclave of simple luxury from which you can step directly onto the beach or into the jungle.

Need to know

• Rooms 48 villas, including two- and three-bedroom suites.
• Rates Double rooms from $444.13 (MYR1,401), excluding tax at 6 per cent.
  Prices have been converted from the hotel's local currency (MYR1,401), via XE.com, using today's exchange rate.
• More details Rates include full breakfast, scheduled deluxe speedboat transfers from/to Jesselton Point Wharf, all non-motorised watersports and entrance to Gayana Eco Resort's Marine Ecology Research Centre.
• Facilities Spa, gym, watersports including PADI scuba diving, snorkelling and kayaking, beach volleyball, Clubhouse with pool table, jungle canopy walk, library with books, DVDs and board games, 24-hour butler service, free WiFi throughout. In rooms: flatscreen TV, CD/DVD player, free minibar (excluding wine and champagne), Thann toiletries. Plunge Pool Villas sport espresso machines and private pools with balcony decks; Tree House Villas have a private plunge pool and outdoor Jacuzzi.
• Poolside Offering serene ocean views, the gorgeous 25-metre-long infinity pool will keep casual dippers and serious swimmers equally happy. It's set in front of the resort's Koi restaurant, handy for ordering snacks and cool drinks poolside.
• Check-out 11am, but flexible subject to availability and a 50 per cent room rate charge until 6pm; after 6pm, you'll need to pay for an extra night. Check in, 2pm.
• Children Bunga Raya is very child-friendly although the number of family rooms is limited, so you’ll never feel overrun by kids. Baby cots are for free and extra beds for older children cost RM350 a night. Staff can babysit for RM35 an hour. More...
• Eco-friendly Using locally sourced materials, Bunga Raya is built around the natural environment, so don't be surprised to spy trees growing out of rooms. The hotel recycles avidly, participates in local beach and coral restoration schemes, and even serves seasonal seafood from its own fish farm.
• Also Smoking is allowed on balconies only. Budding marine biologists can book a session at nearby sister resort Gayana's Marine Ecology Research Centre (MERC) to help out with coral replanting.

Food and drink at Bunga Raya

• Hotel restaurant

  Occupying the ground floor of the Clubhouse, the Koi restaurant is a spacious, open-sided dining room offering a choice of pool or koi-pond and waterfall views. As with your villa, the timber and stone interior is kept simple so you can enjoy the natural surroundings. The overall effect is one of casual elegance, with sweeping staircases and classy furniture hinting at colonial influences. The menu is a well thought out selection of Malay, Chinese, western and fusion food – our tip is to go Asian – with highlights such as steamed fish and grilled tiger prawns with miso mayonnaise. Informal, oceanfront eatery Pantai Grill serves barbecue treats, seafood platters and snacks down on the beach, and is a romantic pick at sunset.
   

• Dress code Relaxed but stylish resort-wear. Bear in mind Malaysia is a Muslim country so guys should avoid walking into the bar topless in board shorts, and women should opt for subtle over sexy.
• Top table Venture off menu and let Chef Lung prepare a special dining experience for you. Choose Malay or western food, or a combination of the two, and he’ll concoct a memorable feast served by a butler in a private overwater pavilion by the beach.
• Last orders The Koi restaurant and Pantai Grill both serve lunch from 11.30am–2.30pm and dinner from 6pm–10pm. Latitude Bar plies you with drinks from 5pm–10pm.
• Room service An edited version of the Koi's main menu is available from 7am–10pm and private dining can also be arranged.
• Hotel bar

  Next to Koi, casual Latitude Bar serves up refreshing cocktails, spirits and beers along with fresh juices and smoothies throughout the day. It’s a popular spot at sundown, when your first drink is free. Nurse a classic whisky sour at one of the high bar tables or sit on the chilled-out deck area by the pool. Bunga Raya’s owner is a passionate wine buff, and oenophiles will delight in the award-winning wine cellar, considered to be one of the best stocked in Malaysia (the team are also working on a Cognac and single-malt collection). Pull up a rancher chair in the underground Wine Cave by the koi pond and enjoy a private wine tasting or savour a cigar on the patio.
   

Also worth knowing

• Weddings This property is suitable for weddings. More...

Bunga Raya Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa, Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal, Jalan Haji Saman, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu, 88300