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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
The award winning Borneo Rainforest Lodge (BRL) is nestled within 43,800 hectares of protected virgin rainforest of the Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, listed also as an Important Birding Area (IBA MY24) site. The immense biodiversity of 200 species of plants per hectare in this pristine 130 million years old rainforest is home to more than 320 species of birds and 124 species of mammals. Accessible via a 55 minutes flight from Kota Kinabalu International Airport (BKI) and 2.5 hours overland drive from Lahad Datu (LDU), BRL has 30 chalets and a spa which adopts eco sensitivity, sustainability and minimum impact as the core principles of designs and operations. Full board packages include guides and return transfer of LDU-BRL-LDU. Reviews recommends a 4 days/3 nights package to experience the vast biodiversity of this magical 130 million years old rainforest and to pamper yourself with traditional Borneo massages at the in-house Spa.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Modern
Family
Languages Spoken
English, Malay
Location
Off Coastal Highway Block B, Lot 11 & 12, 3rd Floor, KK Times Square, Danum Valley Conservation Area 88100 Malaysia
Borneo Rainforest Lodge, Danum Valley Conservation Area
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Nestled in a unique rainforest location, the Borneo Rainforest Lodge in the Danum Valley Conservation Area is often celebrated for its luxurious amenities, including plunge pools and outdoor showers, that complement its well-appointed rooms. Guests frequently commend the attentive service and the tranquil, albeit occasionally noisy, atmosphere. While the remote position is a highlight for many, it does raise accessibility issues for some.
The lodge's commitment to cleanliness and eco-friendly practices receives accolades, even as a few guests suggest improvements. Room spaciousness and comfort are well-regarded, although there are sporadic mentions of maintenance needs. Opinions on value vary, with experiences perceived as either worthy or not quite living up to the cost.
Location
Remote
Atmosphere
Serene
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Lavish
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This place is incredible — I will never forget it.
The hotel is very nice. We stayed in a Deluxe room, which was spacious and had a nice deck and outdoor bath. All of the guest rooms and walkways are on stilts, so wildlife can pass underneath. (For example, I saw a samba deer right under the walkway.) The lodge has a wonderful dining area with a view of the forest canopy and a few lounge areas. They are all open air, but this is not an issue as I did not see a single mosquito during our stay. The food is very good buffet-style food. Don’t expect fine, made to order dining, but we were very happy with it!
While the hotel is very nice, it’s the environment and wildlife that make this place spectacular. Even if you saw no animals, seeing the primary rainforest, with its towering trees, and plants-on-plants, would be worth the trip. But you will see wildlife! We were hoping to see at least one orangutan in the wild. We saw 13 (including a few babies), and at least one on each of our 4 days. My sense is that this was unusual, but it gives you a sense that an orangutan sighting, while not guaranteed, is achievable. We saw lots of other great wildlife, including: pigtail macaque, long tail macaque, gibbons, greater argus pheasant, hornbills, red leaf monkeys, civet, flying squirrel, samba deer, and lots of birds, as well as small stuff like tiger leeches, spiders, millipedes, huge roly-poly bugs. We even saw an orangutan while relaxing in our outdoor plunge tub. They do a great job of spreading out the groups, especially on the morning hikes, so we often got to see the wildlife with just our group.
A few tips: - Good clothing is key for enjoying your stay here. It is very hot and humid, but long sleeves and pants (plus leech socks) are recommended due to the leeches. Lightweight and breathable clothes, ideally long sleeves/ pants, are key. - Waterproof hiking boots, or at least trail running shoes with serious tread, are recommended, as the trails can be a bit muddy. - It is very hot and humid, and the AC can’t quite keep up, so splurging on a Premium Deluxe (plunge pool) or Deluxe (outdoor plunge bath) provides a nice way to cool down.
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Date of stay: July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I wasn't quite sure whether to give BRL 3 or 4 out of 5, but settled for 3 on the grounds of comparing it with other lodges we stayed at in Sabah. Some points were excellent. Our Premium chalet was superb, well worth the additional cost. We also had a tremendous guide in Emanuel who was very helpful and really knew his stuff. We had a night walk after dinner when the forest was really quiet and saw absolutely masses of life, from spiders to sambar with lots of frogs, poisonous and long legged centipedes and beetles. We also had a night drive which produced very good, close views of a tarsier (and some god photos of it), but not much else. So far, so good. The first major negative was food. There is an extensive buffet with theoretically a lot of choice. However, it is not replenished. In particular, most of the salads quickly were taken and not replaced. The lodge was due to close for a month shortly after our stay; that should not mean that items such as yoghurts disappear, or that choice of juices becomes restricted, particularly as you are paying a substantial price to stay here. The second major negative was crowds, particularly as this was not high season. Many of the paths in the rainforest are very busy; it feels more like walking round a zoo than wild, virgin rainforest. This is going to become even worse as two houses with an extra 10 rooms are being built. If you simply go for a couple of nights for a "rainforest experience" in some luxury, it is probably fine. If you are looking for wildlife in untouched forest, try elsewhere.
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Date of stay: November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Borneo Rainforest Lodge, Owner at Borneo Rainforest Lodge, Danum Valley Conservation Area
Responded 6 days ago
Dear Alvis1250, Warmest greetings from Borneo Rainforest Lodge. Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback with us. We appreciate your kind words regarding our premium chalet, Emanuel, and the night walk and drive. We are thrilled to hear that you had an enriching wildlife experience with our guide and were able to capture some fantastic photos of the tarsier! That being said, we sincerely apologize for the aspects of your stay that did not meet expectations. We deeply value your input on the food offerings. We strive to ensure that our guests enjoy a fresh and varied selection throughout their stay, and we will certainly review the replenishment process and choices to avoid such lapses in the future. We also appreciate your feedback regarding the crowds. Our goal is to offer a serene and immersive rainforest experience, and we apologize if the presence of other guests detracted from that. As we grow and expand, we remain committed to preserving the authentic feel of the jungle while also being mindful of the impact that development has on the guest experience. We’ll take your concerns to heart as we continue to assess our approach to guest numbers and the overall atmosphere of the lodge. We hope that, despite these points, you were able to take away some lasting memories from your time here. If you decide to return in the future, we would love to ensure your experience aligns more closely with your expectations. Please feel free to reach out to us directly with any further suggestions. We hope to see you again with an even better experience with us!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveller reviews.
This is a pricy rainforest stay but it is worth every cent. It is a safari stay in a rainforest. I kept thinking that every morning we have to trek a few hours into a jungle to see wild life. Finally I realized, that I am actually already in the middle of a primary forest. There is no need to trek long hours to go deep into the jungle, I am actually living in the jungle. That is the best thing. You go for morning, afternoon and night walk/treks and come back to the lodge and can wash up and relax in the lodge. The lodge is very comfortable with aircond, buffet (B,L,D) and wifi at the main lodge. Good food too. This is a place to relax and unplug, so I am fine with no wifi at our chalet. If you need to do airline check in. Well, the Lahad Datu airport is so small, half of the passengers for our flight were from the Lodge. So you actually check in at the airport. As I mentioned, this place is located in a primary forest. So you can hear and see wildlife at the lodge itself. We saw Sambar deer, red leaf monkey as we were walking back to our chalet. At the main lodge, we saw an orang utan. Our guide Messi is a very experience guide who can spot a slow loris up on a tree in the dark at night and a civet and samba deer in the bushes during our night drive. He gave some valuable lessons on the some of the commonly found plants which are edible. We also saw leaf frogs and lotus that bloom at night. Million leg millipedes, hornbill, bulbul bird, pill millipede. Others saw moon rat. Heard gibbons. Leeches are commonly found and you will have some of them attached to your pants and shoes. They are not poisonous, just a nuisance but and there is no need to panick about it. They are can be easily dealt with by just flicking them away. All in all, it was a great experience for my family with teenagers. They loved it too being able to see the wildlife up close and for them to develop more appreciation for all conveniences of life back home. Also I like the idea that the Lodge is operated by locals and there is conservation evidenced by the presence of wildlife. The 2-3 hours ride on unpaved road is all part of the experience.
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Date of stay: July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is how a lodge should be run. Nicest we been to in Borneo. Facilities, ground, staff, food, service, clean - all top notch. I'm being nitpicky here -> Villa room we had was great (except for swallow type birds chirping all night long below the room - they really need need to fence them out). Plunge pool was nice and much needed, wish they cleaned it during our stay (bugs) - same with outdoor shower area. Laundry was nice, cleaning of shoes was needed. Guide great at explaining what we doing, what we needed to wear and bring and time we meeting etc.. He open to changing. Place has lots of trails into forest (not just on a main road). Nite hikes/drives were decent. Food has plenty to choose from (veggie, meat, desserts, soup, grill items). Kitchen manager was super friendly and the view from dining room was great. Boardwalk to/from main lodge, could see animals at times, - very pretty. Spa was nice. For villa - wish bathroom a tad more private. No a/c - it is a dehumidifier that made it cool, generally worked, but wish they had a/c. Nice back patio with plunge pool and chairs and river over look. Front area covered to store your leech socks, and dirty shoes, ponchos etc. Big room. (as an aside, if you are going to visit tabin (here much much better so come here last). The guides here had earpieces, so they communicated when one saw an orangutan, so others if nearby could come view. Our daily walks saw many animals,flowers, huge trees etc - wish we saw more birds. This was highlight resort and area in Borneo. Even their meeting point in the city before they shuttle you to hotel was nice. They like to leave early to get to airport, tell them to delay a bit.
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Date of stay: September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My partner and I stayed in the premier deluxe for 4D3N. It is expensive, but my gosh - we were blown away by how magical our time was and it was worth every penny. The Borneo Rainforest Lodge isn’t just accomodation - it’s a built in experience from start to finish.
The costs are all inclusive (save for alcohol). You have your own private driver in and out of the rainforest, a guide for every 5 guests (we shared our guide with a lovely family of 3) for the duration of your stay and all meals included.
Our guide, Casey, was phenomenal and knowledgeable of the forms and flora. She met us on our arrival, and took us on a hike every morning, afternoon and evening. You will notice generally how dedicated and attentive staff are and (importantly) all locally hired.
The lodge itself is set in the heart of primary rainforest, with animals, insects and plants everywhere you look.
I also loved that we were cut off from the world (there is limited to no reception). I felt like I could truly switch off and enjoy my experience. It was also nice how guests would spend a lot of time just sharing stories of what they saw on hikes with other guests.
In terms of the Premier Deluxe - we were very thankful that we upgraded to have the plunge pool on our balcony. The walks are intense and you will sweat a lot. It was refreshing (and a luxury) to head back to our accom and jump straight into our private pool.
Overall, our stay at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge was one of the best travel experiences we’ve ever had and can’t recommend it highly enough!
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Date of stay: April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
What can we say that hasn't already been written about the qualities of this lodge? The beauty of the surrounding area, the quality of the rooms, especially the Premium Deluxe (whose balcony and jacuzzi are well worth the extra cost), the friendly welcome and the wide choice of food in the restaurant make a stay of at least 3 nights well worthwhile. Not forgetting my guide, Sher Wood, who spares no effort in showing you the flora and fauna of the forest and has encyclopaedic knowledge. It's an investment, of course, but my only regret at the end of the trip is that I didn't stay longer. Congratulations to the whole team and to the management! Ronan.
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Date of stay: June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
After a 2.5 hour drive on a bumpy road from Lahad Datu, we were impressed with this place. The lodge was spacious with its own mini-pool, a large terrace and a view on the tropical forest, meadow and river. The bathroom was also spacious, with an outdoor shower. The Lodge was equipped with a minibar with complimentary drinks, a Nespresso coffee machine, an electric kettle, bottled drinking water. Bathrobes, slippers, umbrellas, binoculars, flashlight, hotel amenities, aroma diffuser were available. The program was carefully planned, the guide spoke excellent English, he had a lot of knowledge about the local fauna and flora.
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Date of stay: February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We booked 4D3N in Jungle Chalet, family with 2 teenagers, 14 and 15 years. After a 2.5 hour drive with 4x4 you arrive at the lodge in the middle of the jungle, very attentive and friendly staff is waiting for you with an ice cold towel and welcome drink. As your luggage is brought to your chalet you will meet your Guide who will guide you through the jungle for the next few days. Be sure to buy “leech socks” or leech stockings in the shop, you need them! Our Guide Alex was fantastic and passionate about his job. We did 3-4 hikes a day, they are not long (1-4km), but some are heavier due to the slopes and wildlife search. Of course, you can also skip a hike if you want to rest. We did all the trails. The food in buffet form (breakfast-lunch-dinner) is very quality and varied. Our daughter is a very difficult eater and has eaten her belly around! The score is not a lie, just book! Book it!
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Date of stay: July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hands down the most beautiful lodge we have ever stayed at. Everything here breathes luxury and the beauty of nature. The large wooden main building has a restaurant which is unseen, providing wonderful views of the extensive garden and river below. The staff is very friendly and attentive. The food is unmatched. They offer both Malaysian and western dishes. The rooms are located in cottages dotted along a wooden deck path in the garden. Each one has a lot of privacy. Our cottages had private decks with a pool. The interior of the rooms is also very elegant and equipped with everything you could need. The lodge has their own guides. Ours was Alex. He was very knowledgeable and just a really friendly and sociable man. He provided excellent service, going above and beyond to make our stay memorable and to show us the flora and fauna of Danum Valley. He even made lists of the animal sightings we did, and sent it to us. Great hikes in the area, including early morning and evening walks. Our stay here was very memorable.
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Date of stay: July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I stayed two nights at BRL in a standard lodge that was very nice, great size, clean although dim lighting if you’re a reader. The staff are friendly and welcoming.
The reception started off in Ladah Datu where a Covid RAT was required before entering the lodge, unexpected when turned up to the office.
Be prepared for the 2.5 hour bumpy off-road drive into the lodge, and keep watch for wildlife during the journey in/out.
The accommodation includes buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner, all which offer a large range of tasty food to cater for all taste requirements. The balcony for eating has stunning views of the rainforest and river below. Keep an eye out for movement in the trees opposite at any stage for primates.
The BRL is the perfect location to explore Danum Valley’s natural environment with many walks and wildlife on offer
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Date of stay: September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Halifax, United Kingdom26 contributions10 helpful votes
Depends how many nights you are going and the type of clothing you are taking. If they’re synthetic and quick drying you might get away with one set for a two night stay. We took two sets for two nights, but could have made do with one set.
Hello! Apologies for my late response - I hope you managed to get in touch!
Along with others’ responses - you contact via WhatsApp mostly! It feels abit weird at first but that’s their primary contact method!
I note that their Instagram seemed to be hacked last year, so they had to create a new account.
All the best,
Steph
Bathford, United Kingdom16 contributions12 helpful votes
You can’t explore the trails etc without a guide but you’ll be assigned a guide by the hotel when you arrive (at no extra cost). They normally have small groups (around 6/8) per guide. They are all extremely knowledgeable and talk to you about what you want to get out of your time at Danum Valley
Hi, I had military jungle boots which I usually use during such a trips but I saw many tourist in trainers and it seemed to be ok. IMHO leech socks are more crucial ;)
There are more places to choose from in the Danum Valley Conservation Area area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
borneo rainforest hotel sabah, borneo rainforest lodge
LOCATION
MalaysiaSabahDanum Valley Conservation Area
NUMBER OF ROOMS
30
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