We originally had the Hilton Kuching booked for this leg of our honeymoon. Then we heard the Sheraton Kuching had just opened its doors in February 2024 and we switched. A brand new Sheraton with a Club Lounge on Vincent's Marriott Platinum status was too good to pass on. We are talking about a hotel that had been open for barely two months when we arrived. Everything from the bedsheets to the elevator buttons was still fresh off the factory floor, and that made a bigger difference to the overall experience than I expected.
The hotel sits right near the Sarawak River and the Kuching waterfront. Padungan Street, the iconic cafes, and most of the landmarks you will want to see are all walkable from the front door. We were able to roll out of the hotel in the morning and hit the waterfront promenade, the old town shophouses, and the famous cat statues without needing a single Grab. Location-wise, the Sheraton Kuching positions itself perfectly for first-time visitors to the city.
Sheraton Kuching
Use our link to book your stay at Sheraton Kuching.
Check-In and Room Upgrade
We booked a Premier Larger Guest Room with a city view. At check-in, Vincent's Marriott Platinum status got us a complimentary upgrade to a Junior Suite, which we were not expecting and were very happy about.
The check-in process itself was smooth and quick. The staff were professional and warm, and when they mentioned the upgrade, they did it quietly and without fanfare, like it was just something they were happy to do. That tone carried through the rest of the stay. The team at this hotel genuinely seemed to enjoy working there, which you can usually tell within the first five minutes of arriving somewhere new.
The Junior Suite
Because the hotel opened in 2024, everything feels genuinely brand new. Walking into the suite for the first time, the ceilings are noticeably taller than most hotels we have stayed at, and the whole room smells fresh in that specific way that only a new-build property does. There is no tired carpet, no scuffed baseboards, no sticky remote controls. It just feels clean in a way that older hotels, even expensive ones, rarely manage.
Living room: Comfortable seating, a dining table, a half-bath powder room, and a mini-bar with an espresso machine. It is a proper separate living space, not just a couch shoved into the corner of a large room. We used the espresso machine every single morning before heading up to the Club Lounge, which is saying something because we were not paying for capsules.
Bedroom: A massive king bed with a vanity desk, international and USB-C outlets, and electronically controlled curtains. The staff went above and beyond for our honeymoon: they set up an elaborate towel swan display on the bed and left us a pandan cake and Sarawak chocolates as a welcome gift. A genuinely thoughtful touch. The pandan cake was soft and fragrant and gone within the hour. The chocolates had local flavor profiles and were worth saving in the luggage for the flight home. We did not save them.
The USB-C outlets next to the bed deserve a specific mention. Hotels that still require you to dig out a power brick adapter for every device are behind the times. The fact that a new-build property thought to include them on both nightstand sides felt like a small but real quality-of-life detail.
Bathroom: Dual vanity, a large soaking tub, and a walk-in shower with both a waterfall showerhead and a handheld wand. One of the more spacious hotel bathrooms we have had on this trip. The toiletries are proper Sheraton branded products, not generic dispensers, and there were enough of them that we did not have to ration. The soaking tub was large enough to use comfortably, which is not always the case even in suites that advertise one.
Sheraton Club Lounge (22nd Floor)
Marriott Platinum gave us complimentary access to the Sheraton Club on the 22nd floor. This was one of the highlights of the stay and, honestly, one of the better Club Lounges we have had on the entire Southeast Asia trip.
Views: Beautiful views over Kuching. The lounge is peaceful and quiet, especially compared to the busier main floor spaces. On our first evening, we sat by the window at dusk watching the city light up and had a hard time motivating ourselves to go back down to the room. It is the kind of view that slows you down in a good way.
Breakfast: We strongly recommend doing breakfast up here rather than the main buffet downstairs. The food selection is surprisingly broad and includes some items that do not even appear at the main restaurant. The quieter environment makes it noticeably more relaxing. On both mornings of our stay, we were in no rush to leave because the combination of good food, good coffee, and good views made it easy to linger. That is the mark of a lounge that is functioning the way it should.
Evening cocktails: The evening service is well done. Food comes pre-portioned as finger foods: scallops, duck, noodles. Easy to grab while you are drinking, and it cuts down on food waste. A smart format that a lot of lounges do not bother with. The drinks selection is solid: house wine, beer, spirits, and a few non-alcoholic options. We came up most evenings before heading out for dinner and it served as a comfortable transition between the afternoon and the night.
Dining: Nomadic
The hotel has multiple restaurants including a fine-dining Cantonese option (Gujing) and a Japanese restaurant (Ukui). We ate most of our breakfasts at Nomadic, the all-day dining restaurant.
At 88 RM (about $20 USD) per person, the buffet leans more toward quantity than quality. There is plenty of fruit and dessert, but the main hot dishes are mostly mediocre. For comparison, the Club Lounge breakfast upstairs is better in every measurable way and included in our stay. The main buffet is fine if you are staying on a standard room rate without lounge access, but it is not a destination meal.
One exception that completely saves the breakfast experience: the made-to-order Sarawak Laksa and Kolo Mee station. The laksa soup is deeply flavorful and unlike anything we had anywhere else on the trip. The broth has a coconut-and-sambal base that is richly savory and slightly sour, and they load it with fresh vermicelli, prawns, and chicken. If you eat here, go directly to that station first. It is also worth ordering even if you come back down after the Club Lounge breakfast, which we did on our second morning without any regret.
Kolo Mee, for anyone unfamiliar, is a dry noodle dish unique to Sarawak. Springy egg noodles tossed in a light sauce with minced pork and char siu. It is completely different from any noodle dish you will find in peninsular Malaysia and the version at Nomadic was a proper introduction to it.
Pool, Gym, and Laundry
Gym: On the top floor (level 23), small but fully equipped with brand-new machines. Accessible 24 hours with your room key. The equipment is current and well-maintained, the way only a brand-new gym can be. If you are used to gym access while traveling, this one will not disappoint.
Pool: Right next to the gym, an infinity pool with a clear view over the Kuching skyline. Worth using even just once. We went in the late afternoon when the sun was lower and the light on the river was spectacular. The pool is not large, but it is quiet, well-maintained, and the view makes it feel bigger than it is.
Laundry: The hotel offers in-house laundry service, but there is also a coin laundromat just outside the hotel if you want a cheaper option. On a longer trip, this matters. By the time we reached Kuching on the honeymoon circuit, we had been on the road for over two weeks and the laundromat was a genuinely useful amenity to have a short walk away.
Practical Tips
- Marriott status matters here. Even Marriott Silver or Gold will give you some upgrade priority. Platinum is the sweet spot for guaranteed lounge access and a real shot at a suite.
- Book Gujing or Ukui in advance. We did not get to try either restaurant and wish we had reserved earlier in the stay.
- Arrive early for breakfast at the laksa station. The line builds up quickly and the quality is consistent only if you catch it fresh.
- The waterfront is a five-minute walk. Evenings along the Kuching Waterfront are free, lively, and easy to combine with dinner at one of the nearby hawker spots or cafes.
- Currency: We paid in Malaysian Ringgit throughout. Cash is useful in Kuching, though the hotel itself accepts cards without issue.
Final Verdict
The Sheraton Kuching is an easy recommendation for anyone going to Kuching, especially if you have Marriott status that unlocks a suite upgrade and Club Lounge access. The location is genuinely perfect, the new-build quality makes everything feel premium, and the staff made the honeymoon touches feel personal rather than routine.
The main buffet at Nomadic is not worth paying cash for, but the Sarawak Laksa station fixes that problem completely. Use the Club Lounge for breakfast and you will not miss a thing. For the price point and the quality of the overall experience, this was one of the best value stays of the honeymoon. A brand-new Marriott property in a walkable city center with Club Lounge included: it does not get much easier to recommend than that.
Sheraton Kuching
Use our link to book your stay at Sheraton Kuching.
