By PAUL MU
Email: muvitet@gmail.com
TUARAN: Tuaran is a bit far from the city, so people come to Hilton Garden Inn to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Here, it’s all about the jungle, the beach and the activities, said its general manager Kristine Chan.
Since Hilton is an international brand, its presence in Tuaran would help attract foreign guests in the near future, she said when hosting a group of media representatives and bloggers from Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia.
“We only opened about a month ago on March 26, so most of our guests now are locals and we are still ramping up, but we are already getting some guests from Taiwan.
“In fact, on our first day, we had a Japanese guest who came because he is a Hilton Honours member,” she said, adding that the hotel’s official opening has been set for June 7, 2026.
The hotel offers activities such as firefly watching along Sungai Papat, kayaking at the beachfront, mangrove exploration along Sungai Serusop and fishing near the hotel with a view of Mount Kinabalu.
“We are also looking into hosting local handicraft workshops so guests can experience traditional beadwork and basket weaving,” she said.
She added that the hotel also wanted to promote Sabah-made products by working closely with local communities, including single mothers involved in handicraft making.
“We want this to be a community project as well for them,” she said.
The hotel features 167 guestrooms designed in chalet style, with 48 wooden units originally built about 30 years ago under the previous Mimpian Jadi Resort development.
“The balconies of the original structures were built using belian wood and the flooring remains wooden, although we renovated the interior,” she said.
The current owner has a strong interest in wood-based design.
“The owner collected and kept the timber for many years before deciding to use it in the hotel.
“If you look around the hotel, it is mostly wood-based, including belian wood, which is very hard to find nowadays,” she said.
She pointed out that several parts of the resort, including the reception counter and restaurant, feature large single-piece timber slabs.
Kristine said the hotel also plans to introduce more activities in collaboration with local tourism operators.
“We want to introduce activities like surfing because during certain months, the waves here are suitable.
“Since this is a family hotel, we also want to organise more activities involving parents and children,” she said.
Towards the end of the year, Kristine said the hotel hoped to organise beachside gatherings for guests.
“We want to have things like bonfires and fireworks for guests staying with us,” she said.
On Hilton Garden Inn’s signature offerings, Kristine said the hotel brand focuses on consistency in service and guest experience.
“For breakfast, our signature is the noodle station. One soup base is local while the other is vegetarian,” she said, adding that the hotel also serves the famous Tuaran mee.
The hotel is also working with local tour agents to promote nearby attractions such as Kundasang and the crocodile farm, among others.
Original belian wood chalets with renovated interiors.
General manager Kristine Chan.
A belian wood slab and the famous Tuaran mee.
Guests taking part in a traditional cake-making activity.
