Tanini Sepilok (Formerly Nature Lodge Sepilok)

The room was spacious and nice, and the location worked well as a middle point for the RDC and the rehabilitation centres, both within walking distance. For the price and location, it felt fair. The main thing keeping it from five stars was the bedding: the pillows felt like hard foam, though a kind staff member found us a softer one, and the mattresses were old and sagged in the middle, which hurt our backs. The staff were wonderful, kind, and friendly throughout. They work hard to help guests, so please be polite to them.

The biggest hassle was getting around the property with luggage. Reception sits up a steep hill, then the rooms are down another slope, and nobody helped carry bags. There was also little service overall: no way to call reception, and the rooms weren't cleaned during our stay. The staff were nice, but seemed unprepared for independent travellers. I chose Tanini Lodge Sepilok for its handy position near the RDC. The Orangutan and Sunbear center are nearby too, though the heat makes walking there unpleasant. The rooms are a good size, the AC works well, and breakfast was mostly fine. Eating at the onsite restaurant was a poor experience. It seemed geared toward groups with all-inclusive meal packages. During our stay, they only offered very expensive buffets, and food had run out by the time we arrived.

We spent three nights in the Gajah room. It was spacious, the AC worked well, and the bathroom was roomy. The shower was the largest and strongest we'd come across on our Borneo trip. The room, bathroom, and hotel grounds were spotless. WiFi was decent in the room. For a visit to the RDC, this place is handy, about a ten-minute walk away. The Orangutan and sun bear rehabilitation centres are about twenty minutes on foot. They have refill water at reception, but the dispenser's cooling side didn't work, so after a hot morning at the RDC the water wasn't very cool. The adjoining mango restaurant was awful. The food didn't taste great, and they served meat in vegetarian dishes. Breakfast has to be eaten there, though there's another good restaurant nearby. Getting bags to the room is a bit of a workout. Reception is about 21 steps up from the parking area, and the rooms are further down the slope. There's no staff to help, so you have to haul heavy luggage up to reception and back down again.

The staff were extremely friendly and helpful, and I appreciated being able to refill water for free at reception. Breakfast was delicious, and the WiFi worked very well. I stayed in the women's hostel section and had a good experience, though the room had no power outlets, which was inconvenient. Some pillow stains might have just been from age, but it was hard to tell. Since the hotel is in a natural setting, you can hear insects at night and sometimes something moving on the roof. That may not suit everyone, but I liked the atmosphere of being close to nature.