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About
4.5
#1 of 1 lodge in Sepilok
Location
4.7
Cleanliness
4.5
Service
4.4
Value
4.2
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Hidden amongst a veritable treasure trove of tropical plants and grasses, hug trees and spectacular orchids in bloom, the quaint bungalows of the Sepilok Nature Resort are within walking distance of the world-famous Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, precious home of the last wild Orang Utans of Northern Borneo. Combining rich traditional style with contemporary luxury, Sepilok Nature Resort is the ideal starting point for most other wildife land destinations in Sabah such as the fauna rich Kinabatangan River and the surrounding Sukau area.
Jalan Sepilok Off Jalan Sapi Nangoh, Sepilok 90000 Malaysia
Sepilok Nature Lodge (formerly known as Sepilok Nature Resort)
1,056 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Nestled near Orangutan and Sun bear sanctuaries, Sepilok Nature Lodge is celebrated for its serene environment and well-kept grounds, according to several reviews. Travelers often commend the cleanliness of the rooms and facilities, with a special nod to the refreshingly maintained bathrooms. The hotel exudes a charming atmosphere, particularly enchanting by the riverbank at night.
The staff's professionalism and friendly demeanor receive high praise, enhancing guests' experiences. While the air conditioning in rooms may seem outdated to some, the overall value, including the quality dining options, is appreciated by many visitors.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Modern
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Relaxing
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We booked this Resort through Amazing Borneo. The Resort was very tranquil with friendly staff. Our room was airy & spacious with no noisy air con, we did have to unplug the bedside lights to charge phones. The resort is a fantastic location to visit the Orang-utan Centre & Sun bear's
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Date of stay: March 2020
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 couldn’t recommend this place enough. Absolutely beautiful surroundings, literally backs on to the rainforest. Less than three minutes walk to the orang-utans and the sun bears. The rooms themselves are very comfortable and well appointed, and for us just hearing the noises of the rainforest around us at night was amazing. The food here was to a very high standard and reasonably priced given the location. You aren’t able to book online because they block book for a lot of nature tour groups, but if you email reservations you get a very quick reply in excellent English and very clear communication up until you arrive. One thing to watch out for is my email account was putting the replies to my junk box, so make sure to add the email address to your spam filter or whatever. I couldn’t have enjoyed my stay more, we saw the orang-utans during every visit to the centre including the enormous alpha which was an amazing sighting.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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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The staff here was really welcoming, friendly, helpful and happy. Receptionist, cleaners and restaurant workers all did their best to make our stay a pleasant experience and greeted us with a smile. They offered their trips but never pushed them too much.
The location is just perfect, because you can access the main attraction by walking. Orangutan and sunbear center are just 5 minutes walking distance away and we also visited rainforest center by walking. Rooms are surrounded by a lovely jungle-like forest and view from the restaurant is super beautiful and relaxing. There are frogs that make a noise 24/7, but that is expected since you are in the forest.
Our chalet (#11) was almost perfect for us. We could see the restaurant and even though wifi reached our room, the connection was pretty bad in the room but worked fine outside. Shower had a good water pressure and we always had warm water. Room had AC and fan. We didn’t use the AC during the night because it was pointed direct at the bed. That being said, fan was more than enough. There is also a safety box that worked fine.
The restaurant is great but the kitchen is not open all the time. The chef really knows their craft and the place served us some of the best food of our trip. The cocktails were delicious and beautiful and we liked how they added their own twist to classic cocktails. This is not the cheapest restaurant, but we felt that we get good value for the money. The waiters always had time for us and answered our questions whether it was about the food, how to say things in Malay or which reptiles live in the pond.
Receptionists helped us with all things possible and they, too, entertained us with chit-chat when we had downtime.
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Date of stay: February 2023
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Rooms closer to the restaurant can get a wifi in the room. Room further away might have a better...
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.
Stayed here for one night as part of a birthday trip to visit the orangutan sanctuary. Wish we had stayed longer as it was such a tranquil place amongst the forest.and very pleasant to just sit and chill. The room was massive and the shower was also huge.staff were great, food and drink were reasonably priced (£5.50 glass of sauv blanc) and the orangutans and sun bears were about 5 mins away. Cannot recommend this place highly enough.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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.
Set in lush rainforest surroundings, this resort feels exotic, comfortable and is perfectly located for walking to the Orangutan rehab centre and Sun Bears. The cottages are large but somewhat old fashioned both inside and out. Dark too. Mostly well equipped although toiletries were basically just a small bar of soap. Set around the lake, a nice terrace with furniture made for sublime outlook and place to enjoy the sounds of Rainforest critters and birds.
I was on breakfast and dinner board basis. The food was perfectly good but not fine dining. Tours available were exceedingly expensive for single travellers as they insist on a min of 2 pax and basically the single supplement is to pay double. Because of this I would have missed out on going to the river Kinabatangan but for the efforts of Ro? who managed to hook me up with an external tour group. It was a terrific day out and cost less than half the resort’s published price for a solo. Thank you Ro.
Undeniably, a nice resort in a plum location but cost of staying here and all associated charges reflects that.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
Stayed in room 17 which was the furthest from reception overlooking the lake. the room had windows on all sides with blinds and curtains. there was decking to sit on and a hammock. there was a wet room with a shower and toilet with a basin in the bedroom. The room was large with a wooden floor. Insecticide spray was provided. A glass of beer and a glass of wine were 26 Ringgits each. A bottle of Chilean red wine was 120 Ringgits. A 6% service/tax charge was added to meals in the restaurant. The hotel is used by tour groups as overnight accommodation and some groups stop for meals
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Date of stay: February 2020
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.
We were a family of 4 (2 kids of 10+12) and stayed 2 nights. The surroundings are simply stunning, there is no other word for it. The villa was ok, but it’s really a pity that they don’t cater for family of 4. Three of us shared a queen bed and it really was a bit of a squeeze, plus there was a single bed. An extra mattress on the floor would have been really appreciated. Bathroom looked new and was lovely. Room smelt very musty, not sure whether this was due to the location or the fact that it hadn’t been aired or used in a while. The restaurant has gorgeous surroundings. We had a full board meal package which included any starter, main and dessert from a la carte menu. The food was good and there was a lot of choice, with some western options too which was really appreciated by the kids. Only suggestion would be to add a cereal option for breakfast for kids. The resort is next to the orangutan and Sunbear sanctuaries so we were able to go there by foot, and witness both the morning and afternoon feeds (the latter is less crowded). Staff were very kind and attentive.
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
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 had a fantastic time at Sepilok Nature Reserve. From the moment we arrived, the staff were so friendly and helpful. The Bistro Restaurant served a great range of food and the food was all super tasty. It was lovely to sit out on the terrace, with a G&T or one of the resorts signature cocktails and just listen to the sounds of nature. The room was spacious, clean and comfortable- the hammock was a nice touch too. We arranged our own transport to the resort, via Grab, we just connected to the free wifi at the airport and it was only 20MYR- we took a note of the drivers number and WhatsApp’d him throughout our stay to arrange taxis to the Labuk Bay sanctuary, Sandakan and to the airport. We would highly recommend staying at Sepilok Nature Resort.
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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.
The resort is set in nature and gorgeous. The wooden walkways to the rooms had amazing trees growing onto the paths, wildlife and flowers, and view of the small lake. It was definitely on the luxurious side and the most expensive place to stay. I would recommend SNP to friends as it really is a beautiful setting. The restaurant had an OK range of food, with some vegetarian options, curries, pizzas, and a good cocktail menu. However, there could definitely be more options and bigger portion sizes for such a resort. The kitchen was open at specific times, which was fine. But while the staff were friendly, this seemed to be quite regulated and caused them hassle. The bungalows were big and comfortable. However, I was disappointed that the bath could not be used as the hot water was on a timer - such as shame, the bath looked amazing! The TV did not work in both rooms my family was staying in, and with no WiFi available in the rooms, we would have liked to watch nature documentaries in the evenings. We did see orangutans in the trees near the resort, which was incredible, and the location was ace. Overall, I would recommend this stay because the setting was beautiful, and it seemed the best option around. However, for the price paid, it seems there are a few problems which could be easily resolved to make the experience even better.
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
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.
As noted in our Family of Four in Malaysian Borneo & Singapore: Dec. 2022/Jan. 2023 Trip Report. SNR was our base for travels in Sabah. SNR is ~25 individual chalets in a wonderful nature preserve, anchored by a main open-aired restaurant/lounge. While we were enthralled by the wildlife of the Kinabatangan River, we also saw plenty of hornbills and other birds while just sitting on the veranda of our chalets. We’d recommend walking around the property to see its orchids. The staff are hospitable and genuinely helpful. We became friendly with “Rul”who was gregarious and fun, and a great source of knowledge and travel ‘hacks’ about the surrounding area. We felt the SNR restaurant to be tasty, but “safe” insofar that its dishes are geared towards tourists, so aren’t spicy or of strong flavor. As there are a few restaurants at adjacent hotels, the SNR restaurant will be your main option. The “night walk” offered by SNR, is simply a van ride over to the Sandakan Rainforest Discovery Centre. That said, the night walk is great and the van ride from SNR is worth the added fee of RM 20. WIFI is mainly available from the central building. The beautiful hotel rooms and its grounds; the hotel’s staff; and the 4-5 touristic sites - all within a 15 minute walk, all make SNR a great place to stay.
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Date of stay: December 2022
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Reliable WIFI from main building is accessible in Chalets #9 & 10.
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.
"If you're new to Borneo, getting to Sepilok is easy using Grab. You can also book Grab between the Orangutan sanctuary and the Rainforest Discovery centre"
There are more places to choose from in the Sepilok area.
PRICE RANGE
$56 - $114 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
sepilok nature hotel sepilok
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Sepilok Nature Resort
LOCATION
MalaysiaSabahSandakan DivisionSepilok
NUMBER OF ROOMS
23
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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SEPILOK NATURE LODGE (FORMERLY KNOWN AS SEPILOK NATURE RESORT) - Updated 2024
Frequently Asked Questions about Sepilok Nature Lodge (formerly known as Sepilok Nature Resort)
Which popular attractions are close to Sepilok Nature Lodge (formerly known as Sepilok Nature Resort)?
Nearby attractions include Sandakan Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) (0.4 miles), Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (0.6 miles), and Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (0.6 miles).
Does Sepilok Nature Lodge (formerly known as Sepilok Nature Resort) have airport transportation?
Yes, Sepilok Nature Lodge (formerly known as Sepilok Nature Resort) offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
