A friend and I I stayed at the Proboscis Lodge in September and overall it was THE best place we stayed in Borneo!
We were treated like Royalty the whole time we were there and the activities that were on offer were absolutely fantastic.

Food-

The food was fantastic. There was an immense variety to suit everyone's tastebuds. As we were the only two staying overnight (there were lots of other guests but they were mainly day trippers) we were offered lots of western food as well. The Malaysians really know how to eat. The quality was fantastic and it was never ending as there was so much of it. The food is laid out in buffet style so you can eat as much as you like and you eat right next to the river.

Accommodation -

We stayed in the lodge rather than the longhouse. The room was the biggest we had seen in Borneo. It was extremely clean and tidy and the beds were really comfortable. I would reccommend using a mosquito net.

Staff -

I cannot stress enough how fantastic all the staff were. Mr Tang, the owner is one of the friendliest people I have met and the hospitality we received was 5*!!! The management along with the rest of the staff team were extremely friendly and some of the staff also accompanied us on some of our trips. Their enthusiasm to deliver fantastic customer service was exceptional and they really went out of their way to make our holiday . I have never received that quality of customer service on any other holiday! This really made our holiday one to remember!
Cleanliness - I found the resort extremely clean and well kept at all times.

Activities -

The activities were great and all of them were organised by the resort so we never had to worry about anything. We did white water rafting, Survivor Island, Mamutik and laods of boat tours that are run by the resort. The activities were really well organised and we had a great time doing these. The boat tours to see the Proboscic monkeys were really enjoyable and the firefly night trips are a must.

Overall the time we spent at the lodge was really memorable and I would highly reccommend visiting to anyone going to Borneo. We both can't wait to go back!

A very peaceful environment. Large deck overlooking the river. We stayed in one of the huts made of local materials but with AC, ensuite bathroom and hot water! Basic but clean.

The staff were very friendly and helpful. All except the manager are local villagers with no prior hotel experience. Food was good and plentiful.

The boat trips were exceptional. We saw lots of proboscis monkeys and enjoyed all four trips.

Needless to say, after reading these reviews I was extremely hesitant about travelling to and staying at the Borneo Proboscis River Lodge. I am so glad we did, as it was a great experience and so much, much better than what we were expecting.

We (family group of 3 mums and 7 boys between the ages of 4 – 14) were met at the airport as previously arranged for the 1.30 hour journey by van to the Lodge (extra charge). Upon arrival we were served an excellent lunch then shown to the traditional Longhouse where we were to stay the night. The Longhouse was divided into rooms which were basic but fairly clean, with mattresses, mosquito nets, blanket and towel. There was even electricity for lights and fans, and a washbasin with running water, which I wasn’t expecting. The boys of course thought this was heaven and ran around exploring the place. The toilets were a (well lit) short walk from the Longhouse.

After a rest, high-tea was served at the restaurant from 3.30pm. We headed out in boats to search for proboscis monkeys from 5.00 to 6.30ish, saw a few monkeys but not a large number. On our return we were served a hearty dinner and the boys had some playtime. It was amazing when darkness fell and we headed out again to view the fireflies. It was the kind of pitch darkness us city dwellers are not used to. The fireflies were absolutely magical and our group stayed out in the boats for quite some time. Before we turned the lights out at 9pm we reluctantly agreed to be woken up at 6am for the morning cruise.

This ended up being a real highlight as we saw loads and loads of proboscis monkeys, many having breakfast quite near to the lodge. The morning was stunning and being on the river so very relaxing … there were no complaints from the children about the early wakeup! After another hearty meal, we went out again to head upstream and look at some of the kampong housing, leaving for Kota Kinabalu at about 10am.

It was a lovely stay and the staff were very relaxed and helpful, a real highlight during our 10 day trip to Sabah. We saw the owner Mr Tang a number of times and he was extremely helpful and chatty. This is a comfortable way to get “back to nature” and experience more laid back Malaysian hospitality.
I would comment about a few things:
1. Toilets – never an enjoyable experience in Malaysia, I would say the toilets and bathrooms here are above average but still not somewhere I would choose to relax! They were clean though.
2. Food – those used to a totally western diet may struggle with some of the food but the pancakes for breakfast were a highlight for the kids.
3. Day-trippers – come in droves for the afternoon and evening cruise, and the dinner. So much nicer to stay overnight.
4. General comment to the industry – I was a bit disappointed with the afternoon proboscis cruise as it was more a chase amongst all the cruise operators to find the proboscis. When one is sighted, they race noisily to the spot and often end up scaring the monkeys away. Going out at dawn when you are the only boat on the river is the best way to do this.

Like the other poster, we hated as soon as we got there. Unfortunately, we could not leave, as we arrived to late and there was no transportation available at that hour. To itemize our complaints:

Broken Bed
Puddle in Room
Dirty Room (gecko poop everywhere)
No mosquito net
dirty bathroom
broken shower
--all other air-con rooms had not been cleaned in weeks and smelled of mold

in the longhouse, we had mosquito nets, but the bathroom was a 50m walk from the room. upon arriving we found human feces on the toilet lid and i was bitten by ants while looking for another toilet such that I could barely walk. Spoke with the owner for over an hour and he was unapologetic and accused me of being unfair and having expectations too high. I will NEVER accept a toilet covered in feces--i don't care how "rustic" the lodge is.

STAY AWAY!!!