We stayed here towards the end of our tour of Borneo, and enjoyed the lodge. Our room actually had views of MT Kinabalu from the bed, and was very comfortable. No A/C, but as you are at altitude it gets cool at night, so no problem. You can often hear noise from people staying in the same block of rooms, but no-one seemed to stay up late, and we slept very well.
Food was well prepared and plentiful, and the staff were all excellent, and very friendly.
Previous reviewer fretted over the name of the lodge, but it IS a lodge, and it is near, and within sight of, the mountain. The name of many hotels and lodges do not reflect their surroundings 9we recently stayed at a Jury Inn, which turned out to be nowhere near the courthouse! And the Ritz never served me crackers). The lodge is close to the main road, but we could not hear traffic noise, and it was within 1km of the Park entrance.
Overall, a very enjoyable stay.

Used exclusively by a tour company, this place is very basic. The room was clean and the staff were obliging but there is little to do if you have spare time and not much within walking distance. The only common area to gather is the dining room. However, touring centres on wildlife and outdoor activities, so international standard accommodation is not to be expected. The local food they served was quite good.

My wife and I stayed here in late March 2011 for two nights, as we were planning on doing the Mesilau to Kinabalu Park hike one one of the days.

The first reviewer had such bad things to say about the location that we wondered where we were going to end up. Thankfully we ended up at the place that the 3rd reviewer had described. Either number 1 was at a completely different lodge altogether or would not be pleased by anything!

The lodge itself is a two story wooden building perched on a hill overlooking the valley. On a clear day, the mountain itself can be seen behind the lodge, though clear days are rare (the lodge actually faces away from the mountain). It is very new-looking and all wood, with a beautiful shared balcony in front. We stayed in a private double room with shared bathroom (from what I can tell, all the bathrooms are shared) for 90 ringgits. While not necessarily budget friendly, nothing on Kinabalu is, and this was actually the cheapest option we found and well worth the money, relatively speaking...

The entire place is basic, but very nice, with the hardwood construction giving it a nice feel. The view from the balcony is excellent, and we were sure to keep the binoculars handy while we ate as there were quite a few birds species in the immediate vicinity. The rooms are basic, and yes, the walls are paper thin. On our first night we were the only people there, but on our second, another couple was there. No big deal, but it helps with BOTH parties are aware of how thin the walls are!

Food: the room came with breakfast which was surprisingly hearty: coffee, tiny omelette, three pieces of bread, beans, and a sausage (ie hot dog!). Supper on the other hand, was rice and vegetables for 8 ringgit. It was a decent meal, but not really worth the price. Thankfully, the use of the kitchen facilities is open to guests. There are no grocery stores nearby (obviously!) though there are a couple small veggie stands by the main road, and we planned ahead and brought some basic supplies from KK.

The lodge is located 2 km south of Kinabalu park, toward KK. However, only 1 km of this is the main road; the other km is the "driveway" up to the lodge. There are a couple other lodges on the road, but chances are you won't see a soul - other than birds. Despite the sound of it, it's not that far from the park, and easily walkable if you've got the energy. We walked back and forth a few times. But if you really don't want to, a local cap will pick you up or drop you off. Timothy, a friendly local cabbie with good English, will transport you for 15 ringgit (phone: 0198426571).

All in all, an excellent choice for a stay near Kinabalu park, especially if you happen to get the whole place you yourselves!

My mum and myself decided to stay here, when we wanted to visit mount Kinabulu national park. Dont be fooled by the name, It is not a mountain lodge. It is located on the side of the main road to Kota Kinabalu. It was spotlessly clean, however there is no excuse for such an old, dated and basic lodge in such close proximity to a big city and with easy access. It is NOT a mountain lodge due to its location on the side of the main road.

It would be perfectly acceptable however if it actually was a rural mountain lodge.

The food was ok, better then its sister hotel the Sakau river lodge. Toast in the mornings is a bonus. The bedroom and bathrooms are spotless. However the walls are paper thin... From experience, ensure you are not in a room near a honeymoon couple!!!!

I would also ensure you bring a good book, as there is no internet, dvds or television, and quite often you can be back in the lodge quite early with nothing to do.

All in all, it would be acceptable to call it a mountain lodge if it actually was one,. It is not!!!

I believe there are nicer more authentic paces to stay in the area.