*Image: Shangri-La Tanjung Aru, Kota Kinabalu*
> Quick view: Shangri-La Tanjung Aru has opened a short booking window for its Stay by the Sea rate: book by 30 November 2026, stay any time from 6 November to 31 January 2027 (minus Christmas and New Year), for at least two nights. On the hotel's own booking engine on 10 November, a 47 sqm Tanjung Wing Seaview Room came to RM758 a night for a late-November weekend, exactly 25% under the RM1,010 public rate, with breakfast for two adults and two small children. It is non-refundable, and the renovation calendar matters more than usual here.
Tanjung Aru is the resort most KK families mean when they say "the Shangri-La". It sits on its own headland at the end of Jalan Aru, a short drive from the airport, with a beach facing west over the South China Sea, so the sunset happens right in front of the bar. STAR Marina, on the property, runs boats out to the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park islands. For West Malaysians it is the classic first Sabah trip; for Sabahans it is the default "special occasion" staycation.
The resort is also in the middle of a two-phase renovation that runs to late 2027. Everything below about which pools are open comes from the resort's own renovation update page. The rate details come from the Stay by the Sea offer page and its terms, read on 10 November.
What the rate includes
- Daily breakfast at Café TATU for 2 adults and 2 children under 6.
- Unlimited Wi-Fi.
- Room: every date we searched offered it on the Tanjung Wing Seaview Room (47 sqm, king or twin). The engine showed "only 1 room left" or "only 2 rooms left" on several dates, so inventory is thin.
- Rate code ZSLCT if you book by phone or email instead of online.
That is a short list. The resort's standard Members Online Saver Rate lists the same breakfast plus entries to the Water Play Area and the Cool Zone Kids Club. The Stay by the Sea page does not mention either, so if your children want the slides, ask the hotel before you pay.
What it actually costs: three dates we priced
All figures are per night for two adults in a Tanjung Wing Seaview Room, read from shangri-la.com in ringgit on 10 November 2026, before service charge and SST.
- Fri 27 to Sun 29 November: Stay by the Sea RM758, Members Online Saver RM859, public rate RM1,010.
- Fri 18 to Sun 20 December: Stay by the Sea RM887, Saver RM917, public rate RM1,183.
- Tue 12 to Thu 14 January 2027: Stay by the Sea RM904, Saver RM935, public rate RM1,205.
The "25% off" is real against the public rate on all three dates. Against the Saver Rate, which any free member can already book, the gap is much smaller once you leave November.
Worked examples
Add 10% service charge and then 8% SST, which works out to roughly 18.8% on top.
- Late-November weekend, two nights: RM758 x 2 = RM1,516, about RM1,801 all-in. The same room on the Saver Rate is about RM2,041, so you save around RM240. Against the public rate (about RM2,400) you save about RM599.
- Mid-December weekend, two nights: RM887 x 2 = RM1,774, about RM2,108 all-in, against about RM2,179 on the Saver. The saving shrinks to around RM71.
- January weekday, two nights: RM904 x 2 = RM1,808, about RM2,148, against about RM2,222 on the Saver. Around RM74 saved.
- Family of four with two kids under 6: breakfast for all four is in the rate. At dinner, Shangri-La Circle members get up to two children aged 6 and below free at Café TATU's buffet, so a Café TATU buffet dinner should cost two adult seats, not four. The Thursday Malam Kampung buffet is RM178 nett pre-booked or RM200 walk-in per adult; confirm the child policy when you reserve, since it is held outdoors on Kinabalu Field.
The renovation calendar decides your dates
This is the part most people will miss. Per the resort's update page:
- November 2026: the existing infinity, family and baby pools and Splash are open. The new Tanjung Wing pool and main lobby are not finished yet.
- December 2026: the new Tanjung Wing pool (1.2m deep) and refurbished main lobby open, and the existing pools are still running. On paper this is the best month to go, outside the two blackout periods.
- January 2027: the infinity, family and baby pools and Splash close for refurbishment until mid-2027, along with the Health Club, buds by Shangri-La kids club and some recreation facilities. Only the new 1.2m Tanjung Wing pool remains for swimming.
- All stays: the Kinabalu Wing rooms are closed until late 2027, so every guest is in the Tanjung Wing. Works run daily from 9am to 6pm, and the hotel itself warns of "some noise and visual impact".
Who it suits, and who should skip it
Good for: couples and young families who are sure of their dates, especially a November weekend (biggest saving) or the first half of December (both pools open). Also for Sabahans planning a staycation who would otherwise pay the public rate at the counter.
Skip it if: your plans might change (no refunds), you want Christmas or New Year (blacked out), or you are travelling in January with children who want the slides and the family pool. If you only need one night, it does not apply: book the Saver Rate instead.
How to book, step by step
- Join Shangri-La Circle on shangri-la.com or the app. It is free, and the rate is member-only.
- Switch the currency to MYR at the top of the page. It defaults to US dollars, which makes comparisons harder.
- Search at least two nights on the Stay by the Sea offer page, then open the full room list and compare it with the Members Online Saver Rate for the same dates. Both are non-refundable, so take whichever is cheaper or includes more.
- Pay in full before 30 November. Reservations: (60 88) 327899 or reservations.tah@shangri-la.com.
Fine print that trips people up
- Booking deadline is 30 November, even though stays run to 31 January.
- Full prepayment, no refund on cancellation. Not valid for groups and cannot be combined with other offers.
- Blackouts: 24-27 December and 31 December to 3 January, both inclusive.
- Foreign passport holders pay RM10 tourism tax per room per night at check-out. Malaysians and PRs are exempt.
- Paying with an OCBC Premium credit card? The separate 1-for-1 Café TATU buffet dinner offer runs to 31 October 2027, but it is not valid on public holidays, their eves or festive periods.
