09/01/2026

FRIDAY | JAN 9, 2026

21

LYFE

Sheraton Kota Kinabalu Location: Sabah

HAWT HOTELS

Rising 24 storeys above the city, Sheraton Kota Kinabalu stands as one of Borneo’s tallest hotel buildings. The property has 307 rooms designed around Sabah’s coastal and mountainous landscapes, with standard rooms featuring large windows and spacious bathrooms with separate cubicles. Guests seeking higher-tier accommodation can choose from executive rooms, executive suites, the deluxe suite or the presidential suite, all offering expansive views of the city and sea. The hotel has two dining venues, including The Burger Box, which serves casual bites and gourmet burgers, and the Rooftop Bar, positioned 100m above sea level with views across the coastline, nearby islands and the city skyline. Event facilities include a 703 sq m grand ballroom, four meeting rooms and flexible event spaces. A fully equipped Sheraton Fitness Centre is also available to guests.

Pullman Kuching Location: Sarawak

Pullman Kuching recently completed a renovation programme inspired by Sarawak’s natural landscape and cultural identity. The refreshed spaces mark a new phase for the hotel, with updated interiors designed to reflect the city’s surroundings while catering to business and leisure travellers. The hotel has 389 rooms overlooking either the Sarawak River or the city skyline. Recent upgrades include a redesigned lobby inspired by the textures and tones of Sarawak’s forests and handicraft, with a glass ceiling that allows natural light during the day and softer lighting in the evening. The hotel’s upgraded grand ballroom takes cues from the limestone formations of Gunung Mulu and serves as its primary event venue. It can host up to 1,500 guests for banquets or 2,000 for theatre-style functions and can be divided into two separate halls measuring 983–631 sq m. Additional meeting spaces range from 65–1,615 sq m and incorporate local design elements alongside modern facilities.

Pullman Kuching.

Sheraton Kota Kinabalu.

M’sians lead in tourist visits to Thailand

THAILAND recorded more than 32 million foreign visitors in 2025, with Malaysians topping the list of arrivals at over 4.5 million visitors. Permanent secretary of the Thai Tourism and Sports Ministry Natthriya Taweewong said the total number of foreign tourists travelling to Thailand between Jan 1 and Dec 31, 2025 stood at 32,974,321, generating 1.53 trillion baht (RM197.5 billion) in revenue from foreign tourist spending. She said the top five source markets were Malaysia with 4.52 million visitors, followed by China (4.47 million), India (2.49 million), Russia (1.9 million) and South Korea (1.55 million). “Overall, foreign tourist arrivals last year generated approximately 1.53 trillion baht in tourism revenue,” she said in a statement on Tuesday. However, Natthriya noted that foreign tourist arrivals slowed across all market segments during the first week of 2026, a trend she described as normal following the end of the New Year holidays.

She said arrivals declined by 16.55% week on week, totalling 724,971 foreign tourists, a decrease of 143,823 visitors compared with the previous week. “As of Jan 5, 2026, Thailand recorded a cumulative total of 376,391 foreign tourists from Jan 1 to Jan 4, 2026, generating 18.16 billion baht in revenue from foreign tourist expenditure,” she added. Looking ahead, Natthriya said foreign tourist arrivals are expected to ease further in the coming week. However, she noted that supporting factors remain, including the high tourism season in Europe and the Americas, as well as measures to encourage airlines to increase flight frequencies. Thailand had aimed to attract at least 38 million international tourists in 2025, but severe flooding that swept across the northern, northeastern and southern regions in November last year affected the tourism sector and reduced tourist arrivals. – Bernama

CitizenM Kuala Lumpur.

CitizenM Kuala Lumpur Location: Bukit Bintang

at any hour and is within easy reach of Jalan Alor’s dining scene and major shopping centres such as Pavilion KL, Berjaya Times Square and LaLaport BBCC by Mitsui. For meetings and small gatherings, CitizenM has three SocietyM rooms, including a theatre style space for up to 40 participants.

and full-height windows. Room settings such as lighting, blinds and television controls can be adjusted using MoodPad tablets, while Chromecast allows guests to stream personal content. The hotel’s CanteenM operates around the clock, serving meals, snacks and beverages

Located along Jalan Pudu in Bukit Bintang, CitizenM Kuala Lumpur offers a centrally positioned base for visitors exploring the capital. The hotel has 210 tech-savvy rooms fitted with XL king-size beds, rain showers Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre Location: Johor Bahru Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre, located in the city’s commercial district, features 304 rooms and suites designed with flexible layouts, floor-to-ceiling windows and smart TVs. Suites come with espresso machines, while family-friendly configurations are also available. Dining venues include Food Exchange, offering a blend of local and international dishes, as well as the lobby-based Gourmet Bar, which serves light meals and drinks. Guests can also enjoy refreshments by the open-air infinity pool at the Pool Bar. The hotel caters to events with The Grand Chamber, a 520 sq m pillarless ballroom fitted with three LED screens and capable of hosting up to 300 guests. Six meeting rooms and a VIP waiting area further support corporate and social functions. The property has also installed filtered water taps in every room, reducing plastic bottle usage while providing guests with unlimited drinking water.

Malaysia, China and India are top tourist sources for Thailand. – 123RFPIC

Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre.