Waterfront Hotel Kuching Review: Honeymoon Suite Upgrade

We booked a King Suite at the Waterfront Hotel Kuching and got upgraded to a two-story loft suite worth 1,500 RM/night. Completely unprompted by the staff.

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The Waterfront Hotel sits on top of the Plaza Merdeka shopping center and looks directly out over the Sarawak River. It is one of the most well-known independent boutique hotels in Kuching, and the location in the heart of the city is genuinely hard to beat.

We booked the Waterfront Premium King Suite Riverview at around 550 RM per night. When Vincent made the reservation, he added a note mentioning we were on our honeymoon and that this was my first time visiting Southeast Asia. We did not expect anything from it. The hotel had other plans.

To be completely clear: this was not a sponsored stay. We are not big enough for that. This was just a genuinely unexpected and generous surprise from the staff.

The Upgrade: Nissa Adena Suite

At check-in, we were given a complimentary upgrade to the Nissa Adena Suite, which normally runs around 1,500 RM per night. It is one of the largest suites in the hotel and the one detail we did not see coming: it is a two-story loft.

The Suite

Downstairs: Living and Dining Area

The suite is named after the artist Nissa and the decor reflects that. Grand, with real character, rather than the standard neutral luxury palette. The hotel left us a beautiful welcome cake and a selection of local Malaysian snacks on arrival.

The dining area is large and fully equipped: microwave, Nespresso machine, a large kettle, and a working printer. This was the first time either of us has ever seen a printer in a hotel room. Genuinely useful if you need boarding passes or travel documents.

The one practical note: the bedroom is upstairs, which means carrying luggage up a flight of stairs yourself. Vincent handled that part.

Upstairs: Bedroom and Bathroom

The bedroom has a massive king bed, decorated with a towel heart for our honeymoon, a flat-screen Samsung TV, a dedicated air purifier, and its own separate air conditioning controls independent from the rest of the suite.

The closet is stocked with thick robes, branded slippers, a luggage scale (extremely useful for avoiding overweight bag fees), and a Dyson hair dryer. Having the Dyson was a highlight for me personally. The gap between a Dyson and a standard hotel dryer is significant.

The bathroom is large: a deep soaking tub, a walk-in shower with a waterfall showerhead, high-quality branded toiletries, and a bidet hose.

The view: Floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the Sarawak River and the Kuching skyline. This is the defining feature of the suite. Sitting up there in the evening looking at that view made the entire stay feel like a proper occasion.

Pool, Gym, and Lounge

Gym (Level 5): Open daily from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Solid equipment selection: cardio machines, free weights, kettlebells, barbells, and a hydration station. More complete than the average boutique hotel gym.

Pool (Level 4): Open from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with a scenic view of the city. Right next to the pool is Zapatos, the hotel's lounge bar. One note: the pool occasionally closes for private events, so check the schedule if you are planning around it.

Iredium Lounge: Complimentary access for suite guests. A comfortable space to wind down between outings.

Cafe Via Mare: The hotel's all-day dining restaurant, covering both local Sarawakian dishes and Western options.

Location

The hotel connects directly to the Plaza Merdeka shopping center below, which means you can walk straight into air-conditioned convenience without going outside. From the hotel entrance, it is a short walk to the Kuching Waterfront.

During our stay, there was a festival running right in front of the hotel. The waterfront was lively in the evenings and easy to explore on foot.

Final Verdict

The Waterfront Hotel Kuching gave us one of the most memorable check-in experiences of the trip, and we were not even trying for it. The location is excellent, the suite itself is genuinely beautiful, and the river views are the best you will find in Kuching from a hotel room.

If you are visiting Kuching, this hotel is worth at least one night. Even at the base King Suite rate, the view and the location make it worthwhile. Book it, leave a note about any occasion you are celebrating, and see what happens.

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