mario33

Hotel had it's soft opening a month ago.

The FP is part of the new harbourfront development in downtown Sandakan which consists of a few rows of shops, a new central market, a shopping mall & the hotel. The hotel tower actually sits on top of the soon to be opened shopping mall. The ride from the airport to the hotel takes only slightly more than 20 mins under moderate traffic.

The approach & entrance to the hotel faces the sea and is quite impressive. On the ground floor is the concierge desk and a coffee bar Wrapped. Take the escalator up to the main lobby on the 1st floor where there is a lobby lounge facing the sea & a separate enclosed area functioning as the Club Lounge. The in-house pub Best Brew is also on the first floor. The main restaurant Eatery is on the 13th floor along with the infinity swimming pool and ballrooms.

The guest rooms starts from the 14th floor hence almost every room is guaranteed with a panoramic view of the sea. Rooms are functional & comfortable but not luxurious. The bathrooms do not come with a bathtub except in the larger executive deluxe rooms. There will be club floors & a few suites when the hotel is fully operational but for now with only 4 floors open the executive deluxe (which is similar to a jr suite in some hotels) are the largest rooms and there is only one on each floor.

Service is very attentive especially for platinum guests, I was addressed or greeted by name by nearly every associate most of whom I have never met before ! The restaurant supervisor even remembered what I ate each morning and offered to deliver them to my table. When I changed room, my preferred pillows were already in my new room and 2 bottles of drinking water were already in the fridge (housekeeping noticed my preference for cold drinking water in my first room).

Buffet breakfast at The Eatery is adequate but not as elaborate as some other higher end properties in the region, it's comparable to say the FP Bangkok. There is also an outdoor section next to the pool area. Being on the 13th floor, the view is breathtaking.

They do a simple evening cocktail in the Club Lounge; with one or two hot items, some sandwiches and cakes. Beer & wine are also available. Not the best evening cocktail, but the effort is appreciated. Even though the lounge is located only on the first floor, you get an unobstructed view of the sea and in the evening its a nice place for people watching since the driveway/promenade directly below seems to be a popular hangout spot for locals and tourists.

For off site dining, there are several local eateries (including a KFC) along the promenade facing the sea, and I believe there will be more choices when the new mall opens.

While I wish they have built a more upscale hotel like a Westin or Sheraton at this location, the Four Points Sandakan is a nice addition to the Starwood family in this remote corner of South East Asia !