Balai Serama Guesthouse

An excellent hotel with a beautiful small garden. The rooms are clean, equipped with private bathrooms and air conditioning. Breakfast and dinner are included in the stay, but they might not suit everyone's taste. Several cats live in the hotel, and they are very friendly. In the evening, cicadas sing quite loudly. The hosts can arrange jungle tours.

A nicely located hotel by the river with a view of the jungle. The rooms are very basic with annoyingly noisy air conditioners. Breakfast is also basic, but fortunately, dinner is more elaborate and very tasty. Unfortunately, the owner is a very moody person, which makes you reluctant to ask her anything. All in all, for the price, it’s an okay option.

If you visit Taman Negara, there are not that many options where it comes to hotels. So try something a bit different for a change and stay at the Balai Serama guesthouse. We did, and we had the utmost pleasant surprise. First off, you won’t find it. That is why the owners pick you up as soon as you arrive in the village of Kuala Tahan. Be that by boat or by bus. For free, that is. Just call them, or ask a local. Where do you find it these days… The guesthouse consists of a sort of main building where the dining room is. The rooms are situated in a building next to that. In the middle you’ll find a beautiful garden. Ijat, the male owner, takes pride in maintaining it and that shows. In front of the premises, there is the river and jungle. Sometimes elephants pass by. You’ll hear lots of birds singing and the occasional monkey. You will also meet Marja, Ijat’s wife. She is from Holland and she will help you with everything you might possibly need. Be it a car transfer to the jetty, or to go out on an excursion. No trouble at all. The rooms are clean, with a separate bathroom, and a good working airconditioning. It is not that spacious, but large enough for a few days. Out front, there is a terrace with chairs and a small table. The beds sleep well enough for most people. Should you want to enjoy a drink, you can just approach Ijat or Marja. They have a selection of soda’s and beer (no wine) which is then charged to your room and you just pay when you leave. If you want, you can book some excursions through the guesthouse. Especially the whole day jungle tour is highly recommended. It is hard to get an experience like it anytime soon. The whole place has a really laid back atmosphere. No rush. Breakfast and dinner are served in the dining room which is entirely open on all sides. The meals are simple, but tasty and you’ll find that is is good and enough to get to to the next day. I wrote this in English as there are quite a few reviews in Dutch already. Apart from the Dutch guests, you will also find other nationalities so this will make it easier for you to read. I can recommend this place highly. We certainly had a great time and after the crowds and noise of Kuala Lumpur, it turned out to be a gem of tranquility. If this review was helpfull to you, pleas give a “usefull vote” so I know I was of help to you. Enjoy your stay! -

Visited Taman Negara for Chinese New Year 2022. This place is certainly the best in town. Our host was fantastic. The guesthouse is composed of 7 or 8 rooms, very clean and with comfortable bedding. The front garden is taken care of with lots of attention by the owner and the view on the river is unbeatable. Food is good, very well suited for all tastes, whether you are asian or westerner. Breakfast and diner served with a view on the river - just fantastic after a day in the heat, trekking or enjoying the river beauties. I strongly recommend this place even if you need to drive the 3km to Kuala Tahan to reach the Park entrance, it's a small price to pay and very much worth it.

Visited on 1st week of March 2022. My family (3pax) was the only visitor at Resort. Many cancelled as last week has flooding at Jerantut but not at this resort. My family had a wonderful time. We stayed 3nites 4days. Resort owner (Ijat) was super helpfull. Ijat helped organise actives for us. All was well planned not too tiring. My hubby ❤️ love the jungle serenity. Our stay comes with breakfast and dinner. Since only 3 of us - the variety was good and we were often full. Tasty dishes too. Room was clean. Had good view of garden