5 Best Hotels in Brunei

While there are plenty of good value, top-end hotels in BSB, those on a budget will find somewhat more meagre pickings. One good and friendly option that admirably fills the mid- to low-range gap is found in a suburb about 2 miles northwest of downtown BSB. Facilities here include an on-site restaurant, an outdoor terrace and swimming pool, and also a remarkably well equipped spa and fitness area—the latter would make many a larger establishment green with envy. Rooms are decorated in light shades and are simple but very clean, as are the modern en suite bathrooms.

For many years this youth hostel has been the main affordable choice for budget travelers in BSB, and at a mere B$10 per person per night, it offers value that simply can't be ignored. Officially it is reserved for local school groups and youth organisations, but in practise anyone can stay with an IYHA membership. It is also often empty, meaning you may end up having one of the clean 4-bed dorms to yourself. You can also make use of the hostel's outdoor pool for B$1. The male and female dorms are kept strictly segregated, however, so this is more an option for solo visitors than something for couples. Staff can also be hard to come by if you try to check in at odd times, especially on weekends.

Conveniently close to shopping, restaurants, and the major sites like the Royal Regalia Museum and the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, this large 4-star hotel is well equipped, with a spa and fitness center, three restaurants, and a pool. Rooms are clean, functional, and spacious enough that you're not banging your knees on the furniture, and many have nice city or garden views. Bathroom are clean, with modern fixtures. There's free parking in the hotel.

This medium-sized hotel, on a corner spot close to the major sites, is a good choice as a clean, comfortable base. A top-to-bottom makeover in 2011 upgraded rooms and bathrooms to an attractive modern style and each comes with a refrigerator stocked with complementary drinks and snacks. The rooftop Luna Lounge is a nice spot for a cool drink and a view of the city.

Asia-meets-Versailles splendor at this spectacular 5-star hotel right on the South China Sea, almost like its own fiefdom, with a private beach, four swimming pools, a full-service spa, golf course, and eight dining choices. Owned by the Sultan of Brunei, it takes its place among his other luxury hotels around the world, including Le Meurice in Paris and the Beverly Hills Hotel in the United States. Over-the-top though it may be, it still manages to be tasteful, for the most part, and the spacious rooms offer every modern comfort, many with wonderful views of the sea.