--- title: "Dancenter Esplanade vs Hotel Prima: which hotel is better?" description: "Dancenter Esplanade or Hotel Prima in Sandakan? Compare guest ratings, location, amenities, rooms and prices side by side." url: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/dancenter-esplanade-sandakan-vs-hotel-prima-sandakan/ language: en source: StayVersus (https://stayversus.com) retrieved: 2026-10-30 --- # Dancenter Esplanade vs Hotel Prima Both are in Sandakan, 420 m apart. Here is where each one is stronger. Hotel · ★★★ ## [Dancenter Esplanade](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/dancenter-esplanade-sandakan/) - **Guest rating:** 8.6 · Very good - **Location score:** 5.2 - **Score by category:** 2 of 15 [Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1339578/agoda/?lang=en) Hotel · ★★★★ ## [Hotel Prima](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/hotel-prima-sandakan/) - **Guest rating:** 9.3 · Exceptional - **Location score:** 5.0 - **Score by category:** 6 of 15 [Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1615531/agoda/?lang=en) The short answer ## Pick Hotel Prima It comes out ahead on 6 of 15 compared facts. 420 m apart. ### Choose Hotel Prima if you want - the more consistently praised stay (9.3 / 8.6) ### Why is Dancenter Esplanade better than Hotel Prima? 1. 27 more restaurants and cafés within 500 m (+27) ### Why is Hotel Prima better than Dancenter Esplanade? 1. Higher guest rating (9.3 vs 8.6) (+0.7) 2. Higher star rating (4★ vs 3★) (+1★) 3. More guest reviews (240 vs 25), so the rating is more reliable (×9.6) ## All compared facts Every category is scored from 0 to 10 with the same formula for every hotel. | | Dancenter Esplanade | Hotel Prima | | --- | --- | --- | | Score by category | | Guest rating | 8.6 | 9.3 (+0.7) | | Location | 5.2 | 5.0 | | Ratings & reviews | | StayVersus score | 8.7 | 9.2 (+0.5) | | Guest rating | 8.6 | 9.3 (+0.7) | | Number of reviews | 25 | 240 (+215) | | Rank in Sandakan | top 41% | top 7% (+34%) | | Location | | Location score | 5.2 (+0.2) | 5.0 | | Distance to the centre | 790 m | 860 m | | To the airport | 5.3 km | 5.0 km | | Restaurants within 500 m | 108 (+27) | 81 | | To the nearest food shop | 530 m | 240 m (−290 m) | | Shops within 500 m | 3 | 5 | | Sights within 1 km | 0 | 0 | | Rooms & building | | Star rating | ★★★ | ★★★★ (+1★) | | Rooms | 25 | 24 | | Floors | – | 1 | | Listed amenities | – | 6 | | Policies | | Check-in from | 14:00 | 14:00 | | Check-out until | 12:00 | 12:00 | | Amenities | | Free Wi-Fi | – | ✓ | | Parking | – | ✓ | | Wheelchair accessible | – | ✓ | | Smoke-free | – | ✓ | | In-room safe | – | ✓ | | Which hotel suits you | | Business trips | – | ✓ | ## Live prices around both hotels Real nightly rates from booking partners for the dates you picked above. Tap a price for the offer. ## Location 420 m apart Dancenter Esplanade: city centre: 790 m, Sandakan Airport (SDK): 5.3 km, 108 places to eat within 500 m. Hotel Prima: city centre: 860 m, Sandakan Airport (SDK): 5.0 km, 81 places to eat within 500 m. ## Weather in Sandakan [Sandakan weather: 15-day forecast](https://atlasofseasons.com/en/malaysia/sabah/sandakan/weather) ## Dancenter Esplanade or Hotel Prima: common questions ### Which is better, Dancenter Esplanade or Hotel Prima? Hotel Prima leads in 6 of 15 categories, including StayVersus score, guest rating, number of reviews. Dancenter Esplanade is stronger in location score, restaurants within 500 m. ### Which is cheaper, Dancenter Esplanade or Hotel Prima? Prices change by date. Pick your dates above to see both nightly prices side by side. ### How far apart are Dancenter Esplanade and Hotel Prima? The two hotels are 420 m apart in a straight line. ## More match-ups - [Dancenter Esplanade vs D North Star Hotel & Spa](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/d-north-star-hotel-spa-sandakan-vs-dancenter-esplanade-sandakan/) - [Dancenter Esplanade vs Hotel O Esplanade](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/dancenter-esplanade-sandakan-vs-hotel-o-esplanade-sandakan/) - [Dancenter Esplanade vs Asia Hotel by AeCOTEL](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/asia-hotel-by-aecotel-sandakan-vs-dancenter-esplanade-sandakan/) - [Dancenter Esplanade vs The Mark's Lodge](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/dancenter-esplanade-sandakan-vs-the-mark-s-lodge-sandakan/) - [Hotel Prima vs D North Star Hotel & Spa](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/d-north-star-hotel-spa-sandakan-vs-hotel-prima-sandakan/) - [Hotel Prima vs The Garden Boutique Hotel](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/hotel-prima-sandakan-vs-the-garden-boutique-hotel-sandakan/) - [Hotel Prima vs Hotel O Esplanade](https://stayversus.com/en/compare/hotel-o-esplanade-sandakan-vs-hotel-prima-sandakan/) ## Compare now Updated 6 Oct 2026. Data: Agoda, Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports and hotels' own websites. We may earn a commission from partner links; it never changes the comparison. [How we score](https://stayversus.com/en/about/) --- Source: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/dancenter-esplanade-sandakan-vs-hotel-prima-sandakan/. Facts are compiled by StayVersus from partner data (Agoda), Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports, public Google Maps listings and hotels' own websites. Scores use one formula for every hotel. Methodology: https://stayversus.com/en/about/