Sepilok Jungle Resort

It's a shame that more isn't being made of the facility. Beautifully situated, with jungle and lakes all around. However, some parts like the pool area are in urgent need of investment. The quite simple rooms could also use some renovation, especially the sanitary area and bed linen; we were not satisfied with those. Staff mostly friendly and helpful, e.g., in the restaurant, but partly also bored and uninterested, e.g., at the pool. Probably very few guests stay for several days, so that service mindset is hardly needed there. Deluxe and superior rooms are located very far from the reception; definitely have yourself driven there upon arrival. A heads-up about that before our driver left would have been nice on the part of the reception. Breakfast was very, very simple; there was just one jam (pineapple), bread, an egg, coffee, nothing else. Also unpleasant was the experience during the night hike organized by the hotel: despite our small children, the guide almost ran ahead, walking in the near darkness with us in tow over discarded, old, partly broken bottles (!) right in the jungle next to the property. Questionable what that stuff is even doing in the jungle :-(

We stayed here as part of a tour organised by Sepilok Tropical Wildlife Adventure package who organised us extra nights so we could go to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre for extra visits. I'd been to Sepilok Wildlife Resort (SWR) 14 years previously when, as a volunteer at the Orangutan centre, I was able to use the pool. The pool was just as I remembered it and whilst there maybe be smarter pools - I still found it magical being ab le to swim with the jungle around and hear and see various animals and birds. Our ensuite room was comfortable and spacious, with a kettle, tea, coffee and milk powder - these items were topped up daily and bottled water provided daily too. The room had efficient AC (though it was a bit noisy) and mesh over the windows to keep insects out! The setting is wonderful and I just LOVED being surrounded by the jungle and animal noises. I loved the walk from our room to the Banana Cafe & Reception spotting and listening for wildlife. All the staff at SJR were friendly. There was a varied menu and the food was excellent and served with a smile. It's not glamorous and maybe calling it a resort gives the wrong impression but I definitely think is is value for money. We weren't expecting luxury and I'd rather have had the experiences we had there - ie wildlife on the roof, macaques, peering down over the roof, birds and butterflies around as we went along the walkways and being serenaded by frogs. I was sad to leave and I'd stay again any day.

There are far better ways to stay here. Rooms are substandard - at least the booked superior Breakfast is a mass check-in The pool a joke - I don't think you want to bathe there When at 15:00 the room was still not made and we wanted to go to Sandakan anyway we decided to stay right there! Absolutely the right decision