About this hotel
General information
Shangri-La Rasa Ria spreads across some 400 acres of the Sabah coast, where tropical forest runs right down to the sea. The estate takes in a 3 km white-sand beach, its own 64-acre forest sanctuary, the Rasa Ria Reserve, and an 18-hole golf course with Mount Kinabalu on the horizon on clear days. Interiors are done in warm, earthy colours with natural wood and motifs drawn from Sabah’s many cultures.
The 494 rooms and suites are split between two wings: the Garden Wing, close to the pools and the kids’ club, and the quieter Ocean Wing, with roomier suites, its own lobby and a private pool. There are six restaurants, three bars, a spa, more than 60 activities on land and water and six walking trails, and the reserve’s naturalists lead guests through the forest.
Location
The resort lies on Pantai Dalit in the Tuaran district of Sabah, on the South China Sea coast of Borneo. Kota Kinabalu International Airport is about 45 minutes away by car. The hotel arranges limousine transfers (book at least a day ahead; a representative meets guests in arrivals) and helicopter transfers on request; taxis and ride-hailing are also available, and a shuttle runs into the city.
Spa
At The Spa, treatments take place in private treatment villas and draw on the traditions of Sabah’s different peoples and use natural botanical and herbal products. The menu runs from traditional rituals, massages and holistic programmes to body treatments, bath soaks, hand and foot care and Pevonia facials. The spa is meant for adults; teenagers from 12 can be treated with signed parental consent. There is also a nail salon on site.
Sports & leisure
A 24-hour gym, tennis courts, croquet, pétanque, a games area and bicycle hire sit alongside the Dalit Bay Golf & Country Club: an 18-hole, par-72 championship course running between the Tambalang and Mengkabong rivers, with a 15-bay grass driving range hitting onto water, a chipping green with a practice bunker, two putting greens, a pro shop with equipment hire and lessons from the resort’s golf professional. A shuttle links the club with the hotel.
- Water sports — instructor-guided jet skis, banana boat, sea kayaks and kayak safaris, windsurfing, surfing, stand-up paddleboarding (including at sunset), bodyboarding and catamaran sailing
- Rasa Ria Reserve — sunrise walks with naturalists, birdwatching and paddleboard yoga; the forest is home to long-tailed macaques, slow lorises, binturongs and smooth-coated otters
- Horse riding, archery, traditional fishing, river trips and an evening cruise to watch fireflies
- Guided bike rides around Tuaran — to the local market, a traditional Bajau house and a crocodile farm
- A free daily programme — aqua aerobics, lawn games, lessons on traditional bamboo instruments and evening quests on Sabah’s heritage
For children
The Cool Zone kids’ club takes children aged 4 to 12 and runs a supervised daily schedule: painting, bracelet making, cupcake decorating, tie-dye T-shirts and tote bags, beach games and evening scavenger hunts (some activities are charged). The main pool, which has slides, is flanked by a children’s pool and an outdoor playground, and the Rasa Ria Reserve has an adventure area with animal sculptures, balance beams, swings, a climbing zone and a sandpit hiding dinosaur bones. Children of 8–11 can try pony rides in the paddock, and babysitting can be arranged.
Restaurants & bars
Six restaurants and three bars, plus 24-hour in-room dining:
- Coffee Terrace — international dishes and lighter options, breakfast and a dinner buffet, inside with air conditioning or out on the terrace
- Tepi Laut — poolside, styled on Malaysia’s street-food stalls and shophouse cafés, serving local dishes such as Tuaran fried noodles
- Oceano Modern Grill — local seafood and prime meats in a sea-toned dining room with a terrace above the beach
- Kozan Teppan-yaki — Japanese teppanyaki cooked on the iron griddle in front of guests
- The Eighth — contemporary Chinese cooking built around sharing
- Golfers’ Terrace — international food at the golf club, indoors or on a terrace overlooking the course
- Lobby Lounge — cocktails, teas, afternoon tea and light bites looking over the lawn to the sea
- Sampan Bar — a beachfront bar for sunset cocktails and light bites
- Dalit Karaoke — a bar with signature cocktails and private karaoke rooms
Swimming
Pantai Dalit runs for 3 km — a broad band of soft white sand on the South China Sea and the starting point for the water sports. The main Garden Wing pool is set in the gardens beside Tepi Laut, with the children’s pool next to it. Ocean Wing guests have their own pool with a jacuzzi pool and a private garden.
Rooms
The 494 rooms and suites are divided between two wings. Every Garden Wing room has a balcony with two armchairs and a coffee table looking over forest, garden or sea, and a marble-clad bathroom; the Ocean Wing is the suite wing, where guests check in at a private lobby, find a stocked minibar on arrival and have a pool of their own.
Balcony, Wi-Fi, cable TV with an in-room entertainment system, direct-dial phone, safe, minibar, tea and coffee facilities, still water in reusable glass bottles, iron and ironing board, bathrobes, slippers and Shangri-La toiletries; all rooms are non-smoking.
Garden Wing Superior Rainforest Room
Split-level room with a sofa bed and a balcony facing tropical greenery, furnished in natural wood and warm earthy tones.
Garden Wing Deluxe Room
Room looking over the garden in front of the beach, with a balcony and a convertible sofa bed suited to a child.
Garden Wing Deluxe Sea View
Upper-floor, split-level room with a day bed and a balcony taking in wide views of the South China Sea.
Garden Wing Family Balcony Room
Family room with bunk beds for children aged 7–11, a large L-shaped balcony and a bathroom with a separate walk-in shower and soaking tub; sea or garden views, for up to 2 adults and 2 children.
Garden Wing Family Garden Room
Ground-floor family room with a king bed and a queen bed, a balcony and direct access to the pools, gardens and kids’ club; for up to 2 adults and 2 children.
Garden Wing Executive Suite
One-bedroom suite with a separate sitting room, a bathroom with its own shower cubicle, a Nespresso machine and views of the sea and gardens.
Garden Wing Specialty Suite
One-bedroom suite with a generous lounge and a dining area, decorated with nods to Sabah’s heritage and looking over the gardens.
Ocean Wing Junior Suite Garden View
Ocean Wing suite in six zones — window seat, breakfast corner, desk, a king or twin sleeping area and a dressing area — with a large balcony or terrace holding an outdoor bathtub; garden views with the sea beyond.
Ocean Wing Junior Suite Sea View
Ocean Wing suite with a king bed, a marble bathroom with twin basins and a large balcony with an outdoor bathtub facing the sea.
Questers Ocean Wing Junior Family Room
Family suite with a king bed, bunk beds for children aged 7–11 and a playhouse with a slide for toddlers; the balcony opens onto the garden and pool, for up to 2 adults and 2 children.
Ocean Wing Executive Suite
The largest Ocean Wing suite, with a king bed, a sitting area, a dressing area and a large sea-view balcony with an outdoor bathtub and a dining table for 4–6.
Two Garden Wing Deluxe Connecting
Two connecting Deluxe rooms, one king and one twin, both split-level with balconies; for up to 4 adults and 4 children.
Two Garden Wing Deluxe Seaview Connecting
Two connecting upper-floor sea-view rooms, one king and one twin, each with a balcony; for up to 4 adults and 4 children.
Two Garden Wing Superior Rainforest Connecting
Two connecting rooms facing tropical greenery, one king and one twin, both split-level with balconies; for up to 4 adults and 4 children.
Two Ocean Wing Junior Suite Garden View Connecting
Two garden-view junior suites, each with its own door, behind a shared outer door that separates them from the rest of the floor; for up to 4 adults and 4 children.
Two Ocean Wing Junior Suite Seaview Connecting
Two sea-view junior suites behind a shared outer door, each with its own entrance and marble bathroom; for up to 4 adults and 4 children.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.