Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu – Hotel on the Waterfront

Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu

Words: Claire Matheson
Photos: Monica Tindall

Designed specifically for the culturally and ‘creative-minded traveller’, Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu is where the city meets the sea. Ideally located in the heart of the downtown area, guests are perfectly positioned to throw themselves into the vibrant buzz of Kota Kinabalu, the bustling local markets, and the Marine Parks and islands of the North West Bornean coastline. The incredible UNESCO protected Kinabalu Park is also a close enough distance for day trips, housing Malaysia’s tallest peak. Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu combines the adventurous spirit of Sabah with a refined sense of luxury.

Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu

Incorporating a recognition of local culture, art and cuisine into their spaces, the Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu extols this vision with local artists commissioned for works showcased throughout the hotel. In the Lobby Lounge, an expansive ceiling installation by Terence Quah is made in the style of a school of fish. Changing and shifting illuminations give the whimsical impression of their unified movement. Luxurious thick pile carpets contain raised Sabah tribal patterns in a neutral tone. Large thick-cut solid wood tables with raw natural edges play the role of ‘curiosity’ tables, beckoning you to admire and wonder about the gold sculptural mountain ranges peeking up from their timbers. Behind the check-in desk, softly gleaming metal meridian lines run across the ceiling down to the floor, echoing the points of latitude and longitude of all the Le Méridien hotel locations around the world etched into their glass windows and doors. 

The team at Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu offer a particularly personalised service. Staff are always on hand and quick to introduce themselves. Whether walking around the facilities or dining at one of their impressive restaurants, you will be on a first-name basis before you’ve even had time to take in the sumptuous decor. You may also like to get to know the new temporary additions to the Le Méridien team – a ‘buffoonery’ (A very ape-proriate collective noun) of Orangutans have moved in! These charming stuffed creatures are dotted around any shared lounge spaces in the hotel to assist guests with social distancing. Alas, they are not for sale but are at least available for selfies, should you want a souvenir.

Sea View Suite at Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu

Spacious, modern and gleaming, our Sea View Suite is beautifully appointed. Opening our door, we are met by an elegant white marble dining table lit by geometric pendant lamps, with soft, enveloping dining chairs clad in a rich claret fabric. On one wall of the dining space is an enchanting light installation, with tiny, glimmering points of light flickering against a wood background. A two-metre wide, floor-to-ceiling smoked glass mirror means you will never have to worry if your look is on point before walking out the door. 

Our eyes are immediately drawn to the intricate chocolate display delightfully arranged under a clear glass cloche. On an edible sugar printed mat is a range of hand made, sea-inspired chocolates. But sitting in pride of place is a staggering chocolate 3D rendering of a proboscis monkey, dusted in gold. The lifelike model would impress even ​​Amaury Guichon. I’m not sure if either of us can bring ourselves to destroy the artistry, even in the face of the strongest sweet-tooth cravings. 

On the other side of the dining area is a brightly lit powder room. A second bathroom in a hotel suite – the ultimate in luxury! More tempered smoked glass and darkened mirrors from the buffet console play off the wood and natural lighting to create space and texture. Staggered ceilings with natural hued lighting enhance the sunlight streaming through the window, framing the view of Gaya Island and the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. A curving circular lounge in navy blue, big enough to seat five, weaves in a nautical theme in keeping with the locale and sea views. Blue and gold marbled artworks tie the modern themes and natural elements together to create a seamless, elegant feel. Behind the large wall-mounted television is another artwork: ivory silken geometric shapes scatter across a soft grey background. They appear like a smattering of islands or continents, yet to be explored. 

Yet another magnificent floor to ceiling smoked glass mirror leads into the bedroom, doubling the feeling of the suite’s dimensions. Here, a capacious king-sized bed is covered in crisp white linens and a thick, downy mattress topper for premium comfort. The ivory and soft grey silken artwork is repeated here behind a second large television. In contrast, behind the bed, the soft grey fabric is woven in panels, like a traditional Sabah made basket. A slightly lowered wood ceiling gives a sense of cosy warmth. Armchairs in navy and claret echo those in the living and dining room, whilst a refined dark marble desktop imitates the motion of breaking waves on the islands outside. A generously sized dressing vestibule leads into the bathroom, with enough space to layout two full suitcases, side by side.

In the bathroom, gleaming white marble covers every surface, lit from all sides. Cleverly laid out to again give a perception of space, a bathtub takes up all of the back walls, while super-wide dual sinks sit on more darkly streaked marble. Another sweeping mirror provides an optical illusion, doubling the bathroom’s size. The shower has both a retractable handheld and gleaming rainfall shower head with excellent continuous water pressure. Fluffy, absorbent bathrobes and towels enhance the level of luxury. On the counter, in the shower, by the bathtub, and also in the powder room, generous tubes of Malin+Goetz Botanical toiletries are lined up. If you’re thinking you’ve heard that name before, perhaps you have coveted their range in a trip to Ken’s Apothecary. With active amino acid ingredients, the Malin+Goetz products purify and balance without stripping your hair or skin of oils. I’m particularly impressed by their lime bar soap, and sage body wash. You will feel like you are stepping out of a spa rather than just the bathroom.  

Throughout each room, there is plenty of floor space. Cot beds are available on request, and even with a couple of these setup, the suite would feel substantially roomy. Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu has a range of suites available, including a number with loft stylings, double floors, and even one with a bathtub on the balcony. After all, sea views and bubble baths are a match made in heaven. 

Weekend Buffet Dinner at Latest Recipe

Le Meridien’s Weekend Buffet is nothing short of extensive! Featuring local specialised Sabah seafood, as well as an array of Western and local dishes, enough meats to satisfy even the most ardent carnivore, and an almost ridiculous assortment of desserts.

From the seafood counter, there is fresh local Sabah slipper lobster, mussels, mud crab and fat juicy tiger prawns, as well as grilled scallops and whole fish fillets. Banana leaf stir-fries include beef and ginger, butter prawns with stir-fried crispy noodles, steamed vegetables with oyster sauce, and steamed fish with ginger and soy. If the whole roasted lamb (Kambing Bakar) doesn’t catch your eye, perhaps the roasted striploin beef or grilled lamb shoulder might. For the curry fiends, we spy a fragrant turkey masak kurma, and a rich and hearty oxtail assam pedas with nasi briyani to match.

Gearbox soup is an absolute specialty of chef Lupi Mansor and a must-try at Latest Recipe. He serves us with an absolutely gargantuan joint from the cow’s hip. This is the dish of dreams for those who love something over-the-top. An out of the ordinary eating challenge. Slow-cooked for between six to eight hours, it is complex with cardamom, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon, star anise, and countless other herbs and spices. The Gearbox is, no word of a lie, as big as our heads! Why the name gearbox? Because the straw sticking out the end of the joint opening looks like a gearbox stick shifter. You heard that right. It comes with a straw for sucking out the insane amount of marrow from the centre of the joint. But it is the soup broth that has us raving – the spice profile has no equal, and a dash of lime makes it sing.

General Manager of Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu, Kanit Sangmookda, is originally from Thailand and has shared his own personal family recipe for authentic spicy Tom Yum soup with Chef Lupi. Served with gigantic, succulent tiger prawns and a heaping of coriander, the aroma wafts between the tables and has everyone around us sniffing the air in appreciation. Striking a balance between sweet, salty, sour and spicy, it may just be the best Tom Yum in Sabah.

To wash down our feast, we sip on a 2018 Beringer Founders’ Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from California. Bold oaked fruits with vanilla and chocolate accentuate the hearty and comforting spice rich cuisine on offer, matching well with red meats and poultry dishes. 

For the dessert fiends, there is an entire ice kacang station with an ice-shaving machine and over 16 different toppings to pile up on top. The inordinately high number of sweet dishes span both iconic Malaysian and Sabah desserts, as well as Western favourites. Artfully moulded gula Melaka and mango and pandan puddings sit amongst various mousses, tarts and flans. Carrot cake, tiramisu, red velvet and chocolate cakes are arranged beside a plethora of delightfully colourful and appealing kuah as well as the quintessential bubur kacang. It is Malaysia’s famed multiculturalism in sugar form.

We return to our rooms with full and happy stomachs. I wonder how we’ll have room for breakfast tomorrow morning.

Buffet Breakfast at Latest Recipe

A good day’s exploring starts with a hearty breakfast. Miraculously, after the previous night’s feasting, we awake eager to see what Latest Recipe has in-store for guests. With a huge number of halal stations to choose from, and plenty of attentive staff standing by ready to help, every taste and breakfast craving is catered to. We are quickly seated, and our ordered coffees arrive moments later. 

At the hot food station, there are baked beans, potato wedges, chicken sausages, sauteed vegetables and streaky beef available. Malaysian favourites are well covered, and guests will be satiated by beef curry, fried rice, fried noodles, nasi lemak with all the classic toppings, as well as plain and chicken congee, also with numerous toppings. A few metres over, there is an entire station of Malaysian style soups and broths with four different kinds of noodles and loads of vegetables available. Specialist noodle soup chefs stand at the ready, helping to explain any unknown ingredients and whip up a bowl of deliciousness for you.

At the egg station, you can order eggs any way you like them, but boiled eggs, sunny side up, and omelettes are kept ready and prepared, no waiting necessary. The perfect accompaniment to eggs, a range of cheeses, cold cuts and smoked salmon are kept on iced silver trays, providing a more continental option for lighter breakfast fare. There is also an array of cereals, hot oatmeal, bircher muesli, low fat, full cream and soy milk, a range of juices, locally sourced fresh tropical fruits, and various yoghurts. There is also a frozen yoghurt section for the more health-conscious sweet tooths.

Out of the numerous serving displays and stations, of greatest note are the fresh pastries from the Latest Recipe Bakery. Rows upon rows of croissants, pain au chocolat, cinnamon scrolls, danishes with all manner of glazed berry toppings, waffles, thick fluffy pancakes and cinnamon-dusted french toast with accompanying sauces all lie in wait for your selection. Next to the pastries are an assortment of different loaves of bread and bread rolls for toasting, while sugary jam-filled and glazed doughnuts and chiffon treats are a decadent morning treat. For the first time at a breakfast buffet, I spy a range of gluten-free bread and muffins, as well as a rye spelt seed loaf at their own separate table, free from any cross-contamination under glass casings. 

If all this isn’t enough, chefs regularly appear table side with platters of daily specials. I don’t think we’ll need to eat again all day.

Facilities – Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu

Framed by a canopy of luscious Sabah rain trees, the pool deck on level two gives swimmers and sun lovers a slice of tranquillity. This outdoor, partially shaded pool is long enough for lap swimmers, with a shallower, child-friendly area up one end. On the outer edge, a row of shaded cabanas offers closer views of the sea beyond, while rows of loungers and royal blue umbrellas await for those seeking a calm oasis from the city’s busy pace. Even poolside, more art installations hover from the three-storied ceiling, mimicking the dappled patterns of wind across water. The pool bottom is tiled in a squared Sabah-inspired tribal pattern, a thoughtful cultural nod to this intensely beautiful region.  

Next to the pool, the fitness centre is well equipped with an impressive number of cardio and weight machines. Treadmills, stationary bikes and ellipticals are perfect for working up a sweat, while two rows of weight machines and weight racks will satisfy the workout needs of any fitness fanatic. The centre is clean and well-maintained.

Le Méridien Club Lounge

Situated on the fourteenth floor, the Le Méridien Club Lounge (header photo) is a spacious haven for VIP guests. The glass-walled expanse reaches across the space, yielding uninterrupted views of the South China Sea. A range of comfortable dining spaces, sofas, and armchairs are on offer for you to enjoy evening refreshments and afternoon coffees and teas. There are a number of business services available, as well as a futuristic and private conference room for meetings. 

However, the most notable space, well frequented by Kota Kinabalu residents and visitors to the region alike, is, of course, Rooftop @ Le Méridien. To find out more about the live music, cultivated cocktail menu, and Happier Hour specials, check out our article on ‘Sunset in Motion’ at this fantastic rooftop bar.

As part of the Marriott group, the Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu provides extra benefits and special offers to Marriott Bonvoy members. For travellers to Borneo wishing to balance their immersion in Sabah’s rich traditions and culture with luxurious finishes and outstanding service, the Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu is the answer. Where the medians of 5.9800° N Latitude and 116.0717° E Longitude meet, the people, artworks and local ingredients of Sabah are celebrated, and adventure lies waiting for you.

Reasons to stay at Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu: great rooftop bar, Le Méridien Club Lounge and its sea views, the famous “gearbox” at Latest Recipe, good location if you want to experience the local market.

Le Méridien Kota Kinabalu
Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens,
Sinsuran Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia 88000
+60 88 322 222

Find more travel recommendations for Sabah here and stay up to date with the latest gourmet happenings around Malaysia here and here.