Ranis Lodge

Ranis Lodge was even better than the pictures, and we loved every minute. The villas feel private and beautifully designed, with thoughtful details and a super comfortable bed. The setting is peaceful and surrounded by nature, without road noise. Instead, you wake to birdsong. The pool and communal area are lovely for relaxing and enjoying the views, while still leaving you space and privacy. The place is peaceful, welcoming and amazingly put together. Scot, the security dog, is a star too, gentle, loyal and always nearby with a wagging tail. We highly recommend it.

The grounds give a jungle feel, but they're immaculately clean and well maintained. We found Ranis Lodge easily after picking up our hire car at the airport. The pool area was a delight, and so far we'd had it to ourselves. Our spacious, private lodge had everything we could need, with great showers both inside and out. The shower soap and shampoo are the best we've ever known. One of the chickens even laid us an egg for breakfast, and the dogs are very friendly. It's perfect for a peaceful getaway, and we still had 6 night to go. We hoped time would slow down because it was going much too quickly. We definitely recommend it, and suggest having some sort of transport. At the end of our 10 day break, we were very sorry to leave this wonderful place. It's been great here.

Ranis Lodge was a peaceful, memorable nature retreat. From our villa window we watched monkeys, birds, squirrels and other wildlife. The gardens are lush enough to feel like a private botanical garden, and the villas and grounds are beautifully designed and meticulously maintained. We loved visits from the resident chicken, who kept us company on the balcony and at the Balai while we worked, and left us fresh eggs. Scott the adorable dog came by regularly too, and we'll miss him. Alif was a welcoming, responsive host who answered questions and made the visit easy. We also briefly met Reinhard, the kind and welcoming owner. The internet speed was quite good for getting work done. The hangout area is great, with hammocks and an honesty bar with nice little snacks. The hosts' booklet of food and island attraction recommendations made planning easier. We tried a lot of the suggested food places and they were all great. A few things could be better. The main couch is so soft that it sinks deeply and doesn't give much support for relaxing. Hot water pressure in the shower is low and the temperature control is unpredictable, so getting a steady warm shower was a challenge. There's no extraction hood in the kitchen, so cooking smells can linger. The villa has no washing machine or dishwasher. Laundry service costs 10 RM/kg, works efficiently and returns clothes the next day, but it's a small extra cost to factor in. Some clean bath towels were noticeably bleached, which took away a little from the otherwise refined look. Breakfast would be a welcome option for guests who don't want to cook or head out in the morning. Having to re-enter the password each time we reconnected to Wi-Fi was inconvenient. Even with those minor issues, we had a wonderful stay. The setting, design, warm hosts and delightful animal visitors made it special. We'd highly recommend Ranis Lodge for a unique nature getaway.

It felt like a safe haven after long days out. Staff were friendly and hardworking, and alif the manager gave us an especially warm welcome. The villa was the coziest place on top of a small hill, and I was shocked at how large it was. There's even a mini jungle trail, though I forgot its real name. The snack bar with hammocks just above the infinity pool was really cozy. Some villas are quite a hike from the main gate. Without luggage, I'd recommend taking the jungle trail. Getting Grab to and from the villa was pretty fuss-free for me. We even ordered GrabFood a few times, though picking it up meant walking to and from the gate.