Permai Rainforest Resort — Hotel in Borneo

Thia resort was a real conundrum for my family of four. We stayed in one of the villas (a 6 berth cabin), which was snuggled beautifully away in the idealistic rainforest. The environment itself is stunning, with probiscis monkeys and other natural wonders all around us. The beach was also beautiful, with paddle boards, kayaks and other equipment easily available to hire right on the shore. The staff were also very friendly and helpful- so there are the positives.||However - Unfortunately for us, these positives were really undermined by the state of the cabin itself, and the one cafe/restaurant at the resort. The cabin could be described as basic and rustic, which isn't necessarily bad, but I'd say a more accurate description is that the cabin was just neglected and run down. The bathroom was a real issue for us. Firstly, first flush of the toilet was horrific- the smell was awful- presumably due to stagnant water, which is understandable but still something id hope the staff would manage before we arrive. The smell did pass after a few more flushes, but that was our introduction to the cabin, and it really undermined our confidence. The bathroom had separate stalls for toilet and shower, and a communal wash basin area which had no door separating it from main living area. The toilet also leaked, and the shower was lukewarm at best, but to be honest, with the mouldy grouting and generally uninviting bathroom environment, you'd not want to spend long having a shower anyway. The beds were not very comfortable either, and while they had fitted sheets over the mattress, did not have a sheets to lie under - some pillow cases had stains, and the blankets on top seemed old and tattered. I'm sure it was all clean but not at all inviting. The walls looked weathered and worn, with paint/wall paper peeling off, and the couches in the living space also looked old and worn. In summary, the cabin was a real let down, and did not make ua feel comfortable. We were not looking for luxury either .. we can cope with basic, but this was really just neglected and run down. || The restaurant was the other major downside. It would be too dramatic to see half the menu was inedible, but the food was not great. Stay clear of the western options as they may look like you expect, but often don't taste. But also, the more local options were also pretty disappointing - the exception would be the roto canai and the Kway Teow Goreng. Drinks wise, be aware there is no alcohol! This was not a deal breaker for us, but I won't lie - I would have loved a beer on the deck of that restaurant which does have an incredible view! Fruit juice options exist, but it appears the supply doesn't always match demand -.we were told on one day they had run our of fruit! On other days we were also often told certain ingredients were out of stock. It felt like the whole operation was being g run with minimal margins. The breakfast was also a significant disappointment. Firstly, none of the drinks options on the menu were available, and so only pretty ordinary coffee and almost undrinkable fruit drink (not juice!) were available. They did have an omelette maker on hand which was good, but every morning we felt like options were being progressively removed, and for our family at least, few options we liked seemed to exist. The short story is that the restaurant was doing its best, but really fell short of expectations. We knew the food would be basic based on other reviews, but it was also just not very good. It's not something I day lightly and I do not want to say everything was bad - but mostly it was. The tea options and milkshake options were good though! So that's it - an amazing environment with so much potential, but for us at least, all of this was undermined by a fairly run down and frugally run operation. I...

First time at this “resort” and I brought my fam with young children and in-laws. We stayed in the 6-pax Cabin during RWMFestival. Costed us RM5,656 for 4 nights! I’m fine with glamping but I’m honestly confused with the quality of this place versus the money I spent - things just don’t add up. This place is def NOT IDEAL with young and old (yet fit) family. So few great things among so many wrong things. To put jt simply, I’ve categorised remarks as the Good, the Bad and the Ugly!

GOOD: People are super friendly and will try to go the extra mile because they know the place is basic AF. Restaurant staff was very helpful, again, they know the place (and tools) is basic AF. Cabin has running tap water by entrance to clean your feet from mud and sand Location is really great as its right beside Cultural Village (15mins walk) There’s access to a beach and manmade rustic pool. No idea how the manmade Jungle Pool is filtered though. There’s a buggie service BUT it only carries your bags. You have to walk to the rooms (in my case of fam of young and old, this was quite tough). This place should include a shuttle lah aiyo

BAD: Buggy service is only limited till evening. So if you arrive late (which in-laws did) with lots of carry-ons, all the best wheeling your luggage through their loooong poorly paved dim path. Dim and poorly lit path through the jungle. Can be scary. Bring a street lamp with you lol. Or just beam with light and positivity when walking alone in the jungle at night! Cabin has lots of mosquitos due to jungle. Bring your own mozzy vape or coil. Stained sofas. I don’t dare to lie on it. Clearly no deep cleaning happens here No mirror in bedroom. Only a single half height one in bathroom Bathroom is too open with only single doors to shower and toilet. Sink is open for everyone to see you brush your teeth lol Ceramic shelf in Shower room was on the verge of falling off. No other place to put your toiletries. No extra toilet rolls in bathroom. Make sure you ask for extra. Cleanliness of bathroom was bad. My kid was scared to sit on the toilet seat.

UGLY: Cabin has only ONE power socket in each room. So imagine we have to boil water on the floor in the bedroom while living room can only power the fridge. Make sure bring power extension. Termites eaten the bottom half of open closet Hot water pipe broken in shower so had to shower 4 nights with cold water. 2 out of 6 beds were severely broken in the middle hence had this dip in the mattress. No shuttle service in between Cultural Village to your rooms. Again, considering thousands of cash you have paid for this, you’d think this is pretty basic service during the festival. Shuttle service would be ideal for young and old since so much money is spent in this “resort” esp. highlighted for the festival. “Resort” is a total con name. They ought to change it to Permai Rainforest Camp.

On the 3rd day, I couldn’t tahan and took my whole family out to 1 night in Damai Resort and omg that was such a relief. Consider that 1 night as a further burn to the pocket, but to end my family’s experience in the dismal Permai is something I didn’t want to leave with.

Would never ever consider this place again, but would probably swing by the...

This is basic and comfortable accommodation, right on the edge of Santubong National Park. The hiking trails from the Resort actually go into the National Park. We LOVED our stay. We saw silverleaf monkeys, lots of proboscis monkeys, long-tailed macaques and squirrels, birds, butterflies, a snake, lizards and many insects. We saw most of the monkeys and macaques around the cafe and by the path to reception - not deep in the jungle! They were plentiful and easy to spot, and stayed nearby for long periods, especially in the early morning between 7-8.30am. ||The staff were helpful and kind, tracking me down when I left my car lights on. They gave lots of useful advice, especially at reception. ||We enjoyed the disconnect with no TVs, though we did maintain basic internet access. The aircon worked well. The bathroom was basic but clean and the room was serviced every day. We had to figure out there was a specific electric switch to the turn the hot water on. Our 2BR cabin had beds, a rack to put our luggage on, 2 sofas and a coffee table and mini fridge. We would have liked bedside tables or a bigger surface for card games or to put phones on while charging.||The eco friendly approach of the resort includes minimal use of plastic bottles, with drinking water refilled in glass carafes each day. The paths are a bit rough around the resort - this is not suitable for anyone with any mobility impairment. However, there is no litter and outdoor areas are being constantly maintained. ||The jungle pool is roughly concrete lined and fills with cool water spilling down from a waterfall and creek uphill, then spills over into the creek and out to sea.. It's very clean and clear and well maintained, and delightful. It's surrounded by a timber deck, but no poolside furniture.||The cafe has a simple and limited menu, which was fine. There is a food court at nearby Damai central (7 min walk/2 min drive?) with cheap and tasty offerings from a wide range of vendors. Damai Central also has a 7-Eleven and souvenir store where we bought pool towels for 15MR, as Permai was renting them (?) for 13MR per hour. It has an ATM - but apparently it rarely works. There's another ATM inside the Sarawak Cultural Village that sometimes works. ||We were there in monsoon season and enjoyed great walks, the jungle pool and visiting the nearby Sarawak Cultural Village. We didn't use the kayaks, paddleboards or beach equipment, partly due to the weather, but also I think the hire rates are a little bit expensive. When the tide is high the beach mostly disappears and the waves looked a bit rough with the possibility of strong currents - I would be very careful with children in the water. The beach was pleasant and well looked after by staff. ||We enjoyed the wildlife and the jungle trails here very much. It is not a 'luxury resort' by any stretch, but people who love the outdoors will have a fantastic time here. I rented a car that was quite handy and the drive from Kuching to Permai is very easy and pleasant on well-signed, good roads. We got stuck in peak-hour traffic leaving Kuching but apart from that, driving around between Permai, Kuching and over to Bako National Park was very easy, especially if you're used to driving...