The Hostelz.com Review
The Borneo bed and breakfast is a good place to base yourself if arriving in Borneo for the first time. It's easily reached by taxi, or by pick up from the airport if pre-arranged. Kuching itself has doesn't have much to offer, but there are a couple small museums, a fort, and a meandering river which is nice to walk down at sunset. It's a small town, but is the central point to several good must visit sites, including Bako National Park, and the orangutan rehabilitation centre.
The hostel is run by an Iban family, who are pleasant and always on hand. However, they give you little information. There are plenty of leaflets, but first hand experiences would be beneficial. Upon arrival they will happily show you the room before you decide to stay and the prices are reasonable. The hostel although attempting to give a good presentation, fails in several key places. Firstly the toilets leave a lot to be desired, three out of the five we wouldn't use (one actually flooded onto my feet upon flushing), and there are damp patches in the rooms - which are also in need of painting. The beds have very thin mattresses on wooden slats that you can feel right through. On the positive side, the rooms are spacious and most have air conditioning. The free breakfast is rather meager, consisting of tea and a couple slices of toast.
The atmosphere in the hostel is a good one. There is almost always someone to share a story or adventure with, and if not there are some DVDs to watch. The internet is also well priced.
In summary, use this place as a base as it has a good atmosphere and plenty of leaflet information, but don't expect too much.
The hostel is run by an Iban family, who are pleasant and always on hand. However, they give you little information. There are plenty of leaflets, but first hand experiences would be beneficial. Upon arrival they will happily show you the room before you decide to stay and the prices are reasonable. The hostel although attempting to give a good presentation, fails in several key places. Firstly the toilets leave a lot to be desired, three out of the five we wouldn't use (one actually flooded onto my feet upon flushing), and there are damp patches in the rooms - which are also in need of painting. The beds have very thin mattresses on wooden slats that you can feel right through. On the positive side, the rooms are spacious and most have air conditioning. The free breakfast is rather meager, consisting of tea and a couple slices of toast.
The atmosphere in the hostel is a good one. There is almost always someone to share a story or adventure with, and if not there are some DVDs to watch. The internet is also well priced.
In summary, use this place as a base as it has a good atmosphere and plenty of leaflet information, but don't expect too much.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
August 2005
Their Description
Borneo Bed & Breakfast Details
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Borneo Bed & Breakfast Reviews from the WebHostelz.com Guest Reviews
This B&B is by far the best guesthouse I have ever stayed in. The Iban owners, Bidas and May, are truly the most hospitable and caring individuals, always putting their guests' needs first. It's the only B&B in the area owned by an Iban couple and is clean, tidy, and comes with hot showers and breakfast! There is even internet in the common area. The owners are often around and can help organize trips to longhouses, National Parks, and the local sights in and around Kuching. This being my second trip to Sarawak, I highly recommend Borneo B&B as the only place to stay in Kuching! — Suzi Lee (2006-12-04) I stayed at Borneo B&B for a second time in March 2006. I came back because May and Bidas were so wonderful to me the first time I was there. There was absolutely no problem with the communal bathrooms, and a number of rooms had private bathrooms. Many of the rooms were freshly painted, and May and Bidas were as wonderful as always. — peggy (2006-05-12) Very friendly, nice rooms but the bathrooms have slipped a bit again. Definitely better than the rest, though. — George (2005-08-08) The family who runs the guesthouse is amazingly friendly. They welcomed me to sit and chat with them and often shared drinks and snacks. The rooms and bathrooms are average. The location is good; it's a few minutes walk to amazing laksa [Malaysian food], grocery and convenience stores and the waterfront. It was definitely quiet. I had an entire floor to myself and there only seemed to be a few other travellers there. — Anonymous (2005-01-10) I stayed at this hostel for over a week in Oct. 2004. The rooms are very clean and neat. The new bathrooms are perfect. The staff are very friendly. I think this is best place for travelers to stay. — Mary Olsen (2004-11-08) I stayed at this guesthouse in August. This hostel is very good, with comfortable rooms, toilets, bathrooms, and very good facilities. It has the friendliest people. The floor was very clean, and the bathrooms are in good condition. According to the owner, the broken pipes were caused by irresponsible guests. I thought this hostel is great, and a happy place. — Anonymous (2004-08-26) Thanks for everything. It was nice staying here, and your hospitality has warmed in my heart. It was nice having dinner (local foods) with the whole family. You guys can go a long way! Best wishes! — Ann (2004-08-16) We stayed at this guesthouse in July of 2004, after reading so many good reports about it. The family who run it are the friendliest, nicest people I have ever met in the hotel trade. Even the youngest son stopped playing a video game to chat with us. The rooms are large, the beds are comfortable, but the bathrooms are terrible (broken waste pipes, floors that had never been cleaned, and only one bathroom per floor of ten rooms). The owners said that they were in the process of updating the bathrooms, and I can only hope that this is true. The communal area is comfortable and welcoming, and the breakfasts of coffee and toast were good. In summary, good luck to them, but there is still a short way to go yet. — Anonymous (2004-07-23) It's one of the best hostels I have ever stayed in. The whole family was wonderful, welcoming me with a warm smile. Always polite and helpful, they made me feel at home. The hostel is bright and spotlessly clean. Fine location. Thank you for everything! I will always remember them as my friends!! — Elsa (2004-04-17) The location is superb and equally matched is the hospitality. Bidas, May & family treated us like their own. They showered us with kindness that we'll never forget. There was morning coffee and they made our stay in Kuching so memorable and fun! — Ryan & Jenny (2004-04-15) This was the best place I stayed in during this 5 month trip. I really enjoyed it -- it was very difficult to leave again. — Christian (2004-04-13) I was recommended to come and stay at the Borneo B+B. It was a little bit hard to find but well worth the effort! Very comfortable and very friendly place. Will come back if I come back to Kuching. — Simon (2004-04-10) Much less traffic noise than the only other hostel in town, but still centrally located. Clean. Very pleasant common areas, including TV lounge, small outdoor patio and homey breakfast area. And you actually get a good breakfast! But what makes this place really stand out is the people who run it, Bidas and May. They are both genuinely kind and intelligent people, and they make every effort to ensure that their guests have the best possible experience. They can even arrange a very non-commercial trip to the longhouse where Bidas grew up. I went, and it was terrific! — Peggy (Canada) (2004-04-06) We have been travelling for 6 months and this is absolutely the nicest guesthouse we had! May and Bides are so friendly and helpful, it feels like a "second family"! — Selma and Bert (2004-04-03)