Our Storytel experience
LOOKING for accommodations especially cheap ones in a foreign place can really be tough and that’s where websites like Airbnb come in handy.
Through the site, we were able to find not only the most affordable and ideal room to stay in Kota Kinabalu (KK) but also met the kindest people.
For our four days in KK, we initially planned to stay in an apartment type unit but since it was not available during our travel schedule we tried our luck in choosing a hotel instead which led us to Storytel.
A tip for travelers: when looking for a hotel/room to stay in accommodation sites like Airbnb other than the location, make sure to always check its ratings and reviews.
Storytel was rated five stars and had a bunch of positive reviews which made us feel pretty positive on choosing it. The owner was also very kind to allow us to check in at around 2 AM since that was our arrival time in the city from Manila.
About Storytel
Unlike the common room accommodations in Airbnb, Storytel is a boutique hotel situated inside Asia City, a mall in Kota Kinabalu.
As what one of their staff told us, their hotel opened a few years ago.
The owner renovated the place and improved it and I can say that it is really a hidden gem inside the mall.
It is a very ideal location and best for travelers as some city sites are just a few blocks from the area.
Our story to tell
Since it was clearly stated in the profile description of the hotel that it is not that easy to find, we really did some research to properly locate the hotel. The best known landmark for the building/mall where it is located is KK’s popular Welcome Seafood Restaurant. We rode a taxi going there for about 20 RM.
The searching does not stop there since we still have to locate it inside the building and because it is a mall it was obviously closed at 2 a.m. so we had to pass by the fire exit (not scared at all. Lol). All we knew is that it is on the third floor but thank God for two people who were still there to point the way to us.
Upon arrival we were greeted by Natalie, one of their staff who is also a Filipina, who checked us in. We paid some deposit fee and went straight to our room to get some rest for our first day in the city.
We stayed in an air-conditioned double room with toilet and bath. All we wanted was a place to sleep and to take a bath but we got so much more since for its price of P775/night our bed was very comfortable and we even have hot and cold shower! A true value for money. Wi-Fi connection is also pretty fast even inside our room so we did not have any problems sharing updates to our friends and families.
The hotel lobby is also chic and cozy perfect for those business travelers who needs to do some business work while on vacation.
Storytel staff and owner are also very friendly as they are very willing to help you in locating places and give suggestions on places to go to. They also gave us a free city tour courtesy of their staff Hari who took us even to the train station which has not opened to the public yet. The owner also allowed us to leave our things while we toured the city before heading to the airport for our early morning flight to Manila.
The Verdict
Overall, Claudette (my travel buddy) and I is giving a two thumbs up to Storytel! We highly recommend it for those who will be travelling to KK especially for first timers.
Thank you again to Storytel KK for making us feel at home during our stay!
Storytel Kota Kinabalu is located at Unit 3.15, 3rd Floor, Star City North Complex, Asia City, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
You can reach them through email at storytel.booking@gmail.com.
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Hi, I’m Kriztja and thanks for reading My Notebook! Check out my blog: rainbow-wishes.blogspot.com for more. Comments? Suggestions? Email me at: kriztja.labrador@gmail.com.