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Reviews of Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa

5 out of 5
Bunga Raya Island Resort & Spa
Polish Bay, Gaya Island, Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, Gaya Island, Sabah

Reviews

8.6

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 86 out of 156 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 42 out of 156 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 18 out of 156 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 6 out of 156 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 4 out of 156 reviews" "

8.6/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Staff & service

8.4/10

Amenities

8.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Binhao

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
fantastic stay in the island
it is a wonderful trip, we have a very good time during the stay, the sea is beautiful, the room is nice, all staff are so friendly and nice.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

4/10 Poor

Timothy

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ferenc Bence

Traveled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
If there is one thing to highlight about Bunga Raya, that's the staff: they were all really well trained, helpful and friendly - from this perspective, one of the best experiences we ever had. The ladies at the massage were also really good. We liked breakfast a lot: great variety and quantity, I would especially recommend Tuaran mee. The house reef has probably seen better days (condition of the corals), but you can see a lot of small fish, clownfish, rays and if you are lucky, even a green turtle. We were also told that leatherbacks frequent the area if you visit at the right time. There were two things that we did not like: the cocktails have really little alcohol and the beach is quite dirty (PET bottles and other bigger pieces too). While it's understandable that the property cannot control what's in the water, they could send staff around daily to collect the thrash. We hoped they would do this, but we saw the exact same pieces for several days. At this price / quality level (and with so many people employed there), we could not understand why they would not do this.

2/10 Terrible

TAN

Traveled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
No word could be described for such a terrifying ways of handling for no- show customers that faced emergency issues. Most probably I’m not dealing with human being that was the only ways I could say. “NO CRITICAL THINKING “
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023

6/10 Okay

Sion, London

Traveled with partner
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Has a lot of potential, but needs re-investment to bring back up to 4/5 star standards. Rubbish is a serious issue on the beach & the resort / hotel area needs a deep clean. Staff are lovely.

10/10 Excellent

Wendy

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We had an amazing time! The staff were incredible, always happy to help and very friendly!
Stayed 13 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Diane

Traveled with partner, Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
An amazing stay at a lovely resort in the rainforest, yet not too far away from KK. The staff are terrific and go out of their way to make you feel welcome at the resort. Thankfully we arrived the week after bad weather, so there was cleanup/fixing in progress, which is understandable. After seeing some of the other report options near KK, we definitely were lucky to get seclusion/privacy and nature in abundance. To mention some memorable staff (and other were also friendly/helpful but I can not recall their names, sorry!): Ellyrika, Cera, Eduardo, and Isaac (jungle guide with excellent English). Laurant, the French resort manager, does an amazing job at welcoming you, checking in regularly to make sure there is nothing you need and leaving personal notes/gifts to make the stay memorable. A big thank you to all at Bungaraya.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2022
Response from Laurent on Jan 10, 2023
Dear Diane, Dear Rogers,Greetings from all of us at Echoresorts!Thank you so much for this very kind and enthusiastic review. I really appreciate that you took some of your time on your road trip to post this outrageous comment based on your experience at the resort. On behalf of the whole team, I wish you a very good continuation in your tour around Borneo. Shall you need any assistance during your road trip please let us know we will be glad to help. Hope to welcome you back at Bungaraya to relax at the end of your drive!

10/10 Excellent

Per Jorgen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful place
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2022
Response from Laurent on Dec 28, 2022
Thank you for your concise review. We are glad that you enjoyed your stay at Bungaraya. Wishing you a joyful festive season!

10/10 Excellent

GONZALEZ CONCEPCION

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We stayed 2 nights 3 days and the whole experience was fantastic!! Beautiful beach, incredible location and superb staff. Highly recommend!!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022
Response from Laurent on Sep 8, 2022
We are glad you enjoyed your stay at the resort and so grateful for having spent some of your time to write a quick comment here. Hope to see you again!

10/10 Excellent

Susan

Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022
Response from Laurent on Sep 8, 2022
Thank you for giving our property the maximum score.We are glad you very much enjoyed your stay with us and we hope to welcome you back in the nearest future!

8/10 Good

Tudor

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

8/10 Good

Kim Yoke

Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2022

8/10 Good

Francis

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A Beautiful Location
We stayed here for 2 nights recently. The management had to make some adjustments as the current Covid regulations changed suddenly. I must say they coped very well and we were extremely well looked after. The resort is beautiful, with excellent grounds, and the general location is stunning. Can't wait to get back!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2021
Response from Resort Manager on Jun 3, 2021
Dear Mr Francis, Greetings from all of us at Echoresorts. Indeed the lockdown announcement with also some dine in restrictions did not help in giving you a chance to enjoy our resort fully. Nevertheless we thank you for this review and we hope to welcome you once the pandemic is over in better conditions.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Tegan, Darwin, Australia

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff where amazing, so helpful, friendly and happy. The staff we encountered made every possible attempt to accommodate us at every turn, we wanted for nothing at Bunga Raya Resort. The resort was breathtaking, we stayed in a villa with an amazing view overlooking the bay. Our villa was huge, with the largest King bed I have stayed in. It was very comfortable. The bathroom was spacious and clean. The grounds where filled with wildlife and hundreds of hibiscus flowers, we enjoyed just walking around the grounds and taking it all in. Snorkeling in the bay was very safe and very enjoyable. The boat ride into the resort was well organised and the boat drivers made every attempt to make our trip as smooth as possible, the sea was a little rough on one trip, but the driver took note and made every attempt for a smooth ride.
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Hyo-seok

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place for family vacation
Amazing holiday experience in a beautiful private island. Harmonized with the sea and mountain, makes an absolutely beautiful scenery. The employees are really friendly to us, always smiling, do everything what we want from them. Best place for holidays with family.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful eco conscious resort affiliated with the marine research center where you can adopt a baby coral and help regenerate the reef
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Sheetal

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Fantastic setting and magnificent beach. Villas beautifully designed and well equipped. Staff extremely attentive and helpful. A great place for a relaxing getaway.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Of course the natural beauty is out of this world. The service is second to none, really had a wonderful experience with each staff member we encountered. The villas are superb. A perfect way to unwind in a small private space of your own. Each room is equipped with refill water and your own water bottles. The restaurants have refilling stations too. The rooms are also equipped with natural mosquito repellent and toiletries. Every morning staff are cleaning the beach from plastics that get washed up on the shore.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The great escape
Amazing place, peaceful and one with nature. Great food and also try the seafood restaurant at Gayana!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The resort is perfect if you want to relax. It was very quiet, even at CNY, we practically had the place to ourselves. The staff were so friendly and helpful, and the setting is beautiful.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2019

8/10 Good

Alex

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing views and beautiful bay and snorkling.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

Mitch

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Heavenly!!
Amazingly beautiful place!! We arrived on a late flight but they had a transfer waiting for us to take us to the island. The staff was friendly and quick to bring the golf cart to take us to meals and home again. We loved the open air huts on the pier but would suggest to have a system to alert the staff when in need of a cocktail as they don't service this area. Otherwise, a wonderful time and wouldn't hesitate to go again. The snorkeling was fantastic right off the pier! No need to book a tour to do this as other boats come from KK to the same reef right outside your door!!!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Paradise
Amazing place, resort is beautiful. Have thought of everything and go the extra mile. Would highly recommend.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2018

6/10 Okay

Toesel, Singapore

Disliked: Staff & service
Nice beach - in 3***-star hotel environment
We went with 5*****-star expectations and experienced a 3***-hotel-service which is 10 years old with huge patina. Doing nothing than beach and pool. Activities are very, very limited. Enjoy the pure nature! Cleaner couches in the public are strongly recommended!
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Great place on the beach! Expected more from the kitchen but the wine collection and wine cellar are impressive. Their lunch and breakfast meal preparation is mediocre and inconsistent. You pay for the great beach and the remote setting. Overall a nice ocean resort.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice but couldn't cope with poor weather
We stayed for three nights during a heavy storm which did impact upon our stay quite a bit. We liked the resort in terms of how it looked, the room (huge and well appointed with them being well hidden in the jungle which was very cool listening to the sounds!) and the food at the restaurant was superb. The shower was very poor (weak and couldn't maintain a temperature) and we were given the reasoning that its in the rain forest but sadly when they charge what they do, that isn't an acceptable excuse. Our room was up a steep hill and staff were great in coming to get us with a buggy whenever we wanted as it was dangerous to walk when wet. The rain meant that we only had limited time at the pool (which was nice and comfy in a nice spot. We also tried the short canopy walk which was good (we saw a snake!) and wanted to do a longer one but the rain meant it was cancelled. We also did a short snorkeling but visibility was poor due to the rain. We found the resort and staff to be nice but there really was a lack of things to do or effort from staff in bad weather. Their response was to spend more money at either the spa or on cooking classes. They told me there was a games area which burned down over a year ago but no attempt to replace what was there as that would have kept us occupied whilst raining. Having stayed in similar resort type place where you are stuck on the island, many offer discounts at the spa during storms and that would have been enough to get us to go along.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2017

10/10 Excellent

Ashe, Dunsborough WA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Tropical Perfection
The staff are courteous and warm, genuinely invested in making your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. The rooms are jaw dropping - you'll never find your partner in the giant bed, the bathrooms are just beautiful and the fit out is sublime. Then turn around and look at the view, amazing. The food is generally decent, the booze is expensive (the wine list makes your eyes water) but that is almost an aside as you can purchase French Rose / Italian reds and a vast array of delicious wines from The Wine Cellar in Kota Kinabalu so thats easy enough to remedy. Warm water for snorkeling, a bazillion tropical fish species, monkeys, hornbills, tree top jungle walks, infinity pool, kayaking, hobie cat and enough sun lounges for everyone. We cannot wait to return to this incredible resort.
Stayed 8 nights in Sep 2017

10/10 Excellent

Paul

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2017

10/10 Excellent

thia, london

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Island resort
Everything was excellent however the food did not have much variety and was quite basic considering that it was a 5 star hotel so that could be improved.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2017

10/10 Excellent

Mathias V, Hong Kong

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Awesome hotel
Top notch service and an ideal location if you want to unwind, relax and enjoy an idyllic view with white sand beaches, pristine waters and tropical rainforest. Lots of activities available, from snorkelling to scuba diving and kayaking.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2017

8/10 Good

Patrick

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Gaya Island_First Malaysian Island Adventure
Overall a very beautiful and enjoyable place and we were well looked after by a friendly and efficient staff. However, apart from finding a rat in our room, the absolute spoiler was sand flies, which were a new and unpleasant experience for us and we felt we should have been more informed about the pesky bugs upon our arrival. Three weeks later and still have visible bites. And for the length of our stay we found the food menu choices at both the beach and main restaurants limited, plus the beach restaurant & bar with its black tables and chairs lacked ambience and character, especially at night.
Stayed 10 nights in Jun 2017

10/10 Excellent

Marc D, KL Malaysia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great beach resort in a small private bay.
We wanted to spend a few days just the 2 of us without the children. Bunga Raya was the safe haven we were dreaming of. Great place in a quite bay with numerous activities offered. Still 30 min away from Kota Kinabalu.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2017

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful location and good hotel
The location is amazing. It is quiet from people noise but full of wildlife noise. The beach and pool are wonderful. The staff can move on "island time" when ordering but everyone is very friendly and accommodating. Our villa was up the hillside a bit but a staff person was always ready to drive us up in a golf cart if necessary.

10/10 Excellent

Jenny, Sydney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely resort away from the hustle and bustle.
Although nearly booked out never felt that we were crowded in any area. Staff are sensational. Manager Thomas and ALL duty managers - never felt they were rushed to answer our questions about the Island or history of the area. Will return definitely in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Ximena

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Service was a little bit slow considering that the resort didn't look very busy but otherwise, the staff is very friendly and welcoming. The resort itself felt very secluded and it felt like we had the beach to ourselves many times. I stayed at villa 1 which was the villa closest to everything so getting around was easy and we never needed a buggie to drive us around. We got a visit from a few curious monkeys in the morning and slept with all the doors open and the screen doors closed to hear the ocean waves at night. The beach can get a lot of trash after the rain, unfortunately, but its usually clean in the mornings. Mosquito repellent is a must! Even with the rain, our stay was incredible. I can't wait to come back!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Came here with my Husband & Parents (no kids) & we had a great time! Beautiful surroundings & excellent food! The extremely nice staff made us feel very welcome. The only downsides were the trash from the ocean & the sand flies - both of which are no fault of the resort! They give out natural bug repellent & clean the beach every morning. We had a lovely time here!

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The brakfast was very bad. No choice at all. With very high price I pay, definitely not worth

6/10 Okay

Hanyong

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Dirty beach

10/10 Excellent

Jay, Melbourne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
6 nights for the two of us at Bunga Raya
We stayed 6 nights with the sole intent of relaxing, which we duly achieved. The resort is in a picturesque and secluded cove with a brilliant beach and clean and clear water. There is a decent pool, great service two restaurants with a varied selection of decent food and a good spa for a range of treatments. The resort was also very quiet. We weren't interested in any activities beyond sitting on the beach of by the pool but there were numerous options.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fabulous location & great staff
We had a lovely relaxing stay in this rustic jungle resort. Fabulous views and lots of wild life. We twice took the boat to eat at the sister eco resort which was great.

10/10 Excellent

Chun Ming

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

8/10 Good

gro, Norway

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Nice and relaxing but need some improvements
Nice and relaxing, friendly staff.Resort was built nicely into the nature. One big dissapointment was garbage on the beach and in the water.The first days water was clear and nice for bathing and snorkling. Last day the beach and water was filled up with garbage, and we could not stay in water or on the beach. Staff did not clean the beach, that was dissapointing, they did not look busy.Restaurant was a bit dissapointing, boring menu.

8/10 Good

Helen, Brisbane, Australia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place to get away from it all
We stayed 2 nights at Bunga Raya and would have liked an extra night to really relax. There is not a lot to do other than walk along the beach, relax by the pool or sip cocktails on the deck - so great if you need some time away with a partner or friend. the food was really good and the staff could not do enough for you.

8/10 Good

Lindsey, Singapore

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Gorgeous, Easy Private Island Getaway
Bunga Raya is a gorgeous resort with a secluded vibe. The service was 5-star. Everyone from drivers to waiters to spa staff was incredibly friendly and made us feel welcome. Spa was one of the better ones I've experienced in SE Asia, and our bungalow was right on the beach with amazing views. Check in/transport incredibly easy and efficient. My only suggestion for improvement would be food - more fresh options like fruit, vegetables, smoothies, pool snacks, etc. We saw many wild boar and exotic birds! It really is a jungle paradise.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Well worth it...
...it does look a bit tried in places but it was well worth the trip to the Island to stay in a piece of paradise for five nights...after two weeks of travelling around Borneo. We had a lot of ran and there is not much to do when that happens...but wait for it to stop - so if travelling with teenagers then you need to have thinks to entertain them with. The staff were very friendly and helpful - always trying to make your stay pleasant.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful romantic location
We had a very nice time at this resort and would recommend it to couples looking for a romantic getaway. We stayed in one of the Villa's which looked directly onto the beach. There is good snorkeling and water equipment for activities.

10/10 Excellent

fiona, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic
Fantastic in all aspects