Sutera at Mantanani Island Resort & Spa

“The beach is really amazing”

The hotel sits on a stunning beach, offers a free snorkeling tour each morning, has board games, kayaks…

Samar·Un mese fa

“For the most part, gorgeous”

The room itself was gorgeous, the beach had turquoise water and clear skies, and the staff did a great job keeping litter out. The staff were generally very sweet and breakfast was excellent. The included snorkeling trip takes you a bit further out, where there’s something to see—most of the reef is bleached and dead, but the water is still beautiful for swimming off the shore. As other reviews note, the rest of the island is heavily littered, which isn’t the resort’s fault, and I hope every tourist sees it as a reminder of how badly we’re treating our oceans. The check‑in process could use a lot of improvement: after the boat you’re thrust into a rush to reception to get your key. They spend time walking each guest through the map, schedule, etc., even though that info isn’t in the rooms. Some guests use this as a chance to ask everything under the sun, so we’re left standing while all we want is to get to our room and shower after a sweaty boat ride. A better system is possible! I’d also like to see the resort push guests to respect the environment and adopt a no‑beach‑combing policy. It was disheartening to see a tourist walking the beach in the morning, collecting every shell she could find into a plastic bag, even ones that a hermit crab was using as a home. Finally, the kitchen closes for dinner at 8:45 pm, which feels very early since it’s the only on‑site dining option, and the jetty bar was closed, so it can’t serve as an evening spot. The manager’s reply below is disappointing—what’s the point of signage if nothing is enforced (like beach combing)? I understand everyone arrives at the same time, but you don’t need a separate, full induction for every guest while everyone else waits; you could a) do a group induction before handing out keys, b) give a brief induction and provide the rest of the info in an information folder in the rooms, or c) hand out keys so people can drop off bags and shower, then return for a welcome chat. There are many ways to streamline this with a little imagination, instead of just saying, “that’s just how it is.”

Sian·Un mese fa

“Great staff and great view.”

Sutera at Mantanani’s real strength is its staff: everyone was extremely kind, helpful, and attentive to our needs. The manager, Thomas, was always available and eager to help, and the restaurant crew went out of their way to satisfy every request, even going to the nearby village to buy fresh fish when the usual fisherman was absent and cooking it for us. At the start of our stay, we hit a snag with the return transfer: we thought the check‑out time would let us catch our flight, but the resort’s boat transfer wouldn’t get us to the airport on time. We bought another flight at our own cost, only to discover that even that flight didn’t line up with the resort’s transfer schedule. After we voiced our frustration, the resort handled the issue with great kindness and professionalism, arranging and paying for a private boat transfer to the port; we only paid for the onward land transfer, which should have been included. Overall, the resort is lovely but fairly basic. All rooms have a sea view, are simple yet generally adequate, and the value for money is good. Despite the initial organizational hiccups, the staff’s kindness and commitment made a major difference to our experience, so we would definitely recommend it if guests discuss transfer arrangements with the staff well in advance and plan their stay and onward journey carefully.

Valeria·2 mesi fa

The location and quietness were great, but the bathroom in my villa needs renovation and doesn’t match the rest of the place. The room and surroundings were truly beautiful.

Pietro·2 mesi fa

“Would I stay here again? Absolutely. And next time, I’d book four nights”

After traveling around Sabah with my family for 25 days, we were eager for some serious downtime, and our three‑night stay on Mantanani Island was meant to be the icing on the cake before heading back to the UK. I’d read plenty of reviews beforehand, so I arrived with realistic expectations. Overall, despite a rocky start, I can thoroughly recommend this resort. Our journey began at the check‑in pier in Kota Belud, where we arrived at 13:30. We were told the boat would leave by 14:15, but it actually departed at 14:45. The crossing took about 50 minutes, after which we headed to reception to check in. We were welcomed with some unusual and delicious local snacks, a nice touch. However, the check‑in queue was extremely long, so we sat down, played cards, and waited. Almost an hour later, we finally got our room keys. By the time we reached our room at around 16:45, I felt we’d lost most of the afternoon. Things didn’t improve right away. We went to dinner around 19:00 and waited about 20 minutes just to receive a menu; the food finally arrived around an hour and a half later. The staff seemed extremely stretched, and I genuinely started to wonder if I’d made a huge mistake booking the resort. I politely raised my concerns at reception before heading to bed with mixed feelings. Thankfully, the following morning completely changed my opinion. We woke early to watch the sunrise and then headed to breakfast. The food was excellent, with a great variety and everything you’d expect from a resort of this standard. Sitting there with coffee and fresh juice, looking across the turquoise sea and white sand with Mount Kinabalu in the distance, really reminded us why we’d chosen this place. While we were having breakfast, the resort manager introduced himself. Lots of previous reviews mention the dirty beaches that surround the property. I agree, but this didn’t impact our stay here. The beach owned by the property was very well kept. The resort picture should be updated to exclude the sandbank at the end of the island, which is no longer there due to currents and weather. Hopefully one day this may reappear!

Peter·2 mesi fa