The LUMA Hotel

A former office block in central Kota Kinabalu, converted into a hotel whose name translates as "home" in Sama-Bajau. The lobby sets the tone with a spiral staircase in local Sabahan wood and a soundtrack curated by nearby musicians, while guest rooms go quieter, think curved wood panels, raffia headboards, and deep-green tiled bathrooms. An all-day coffee shop, a bar, and a rooftop Asian fusion terrace round things out for anyone not keen on rainforest lodges.