DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru — Hotel in Johor

Case close :

The GM of the hotel has to personally look into this matter to help us though the mistake made by the floor staff hence the refund has been made and received.

We were offered to come over again but due to our work schedule won't be travelling anytime soon to Johor. Thank you for taking my comment seriously.

4th Dec 2024 : Pending action from Hotel on refund. The man, assistant manager who met us to apologised for bad night, was no where to be seen though we contacted him. Have to call in the GM directly to get the matter solved. Please note that we are upset and we are not serial complainers for nothing. It was already upsetting that we did not get a good night rest and have to rush to book another hotel while most big hotel chains like Marriott in Jb is fully booked for weekend. Money cannot compensate us for the time and effort we planned for the week. We travelled 5 hours to JB from KL to expect a good night rest and was expecting a short holiday at Doubletree. Not a nightmare.

Today 2pm, 4th Dec 2024: We checked our cc bills today only to know that we been charged MYR3500++ instead of MYR800++ . It was assured on the day where we complained where we checkout the remaining nights that we decide not to stay will be refunded. How can this be???

29th Nov 2024 : Honestly I'm not sure where the high ratings is coming from but based on my personal experience, this hotel does not live up to the Hilton brand standards.

The hotel is rundown. The pictures shown on the booking site does not represent the actual photo of the rooms. Mind you, we upgraded to deluxe king corner which cost RM1.1k +per night.

We checked in at 8pm, put our luggage and went out to run errands and came back at 1am. That's where we realised what a shitty room we had which is worst than a hospital ward. Funny that I have to say that I find hospital bed is more comfy and cleaner than this room. Though we requested to change room, it's still the show the same problem and we could not get any sleep at all ya. Changing rooms at 5am. Pack and unpack x 2.

Problems - refer to picts.

1. The room walls and ceilings were moldy.

2. The room is full of dust. Like a lot.

3. Toilet sinkhole has faulty smell after shower.

4. Hairdryer - pensonic or cheapest basic model.

5. Mattress - It's the worst. It's hard and not comfortable at all!

6. Your pillows are absolutely smelly! It's been used so many times that the human body oil odour is stuck to it. Even though we request to change it, it still remains the same. All they did was to cover it in sheets which still smells.

7. The foam pillow menu seems to be a nice offer but after trying it, there is no difference in using it as the quality of pillow is subpar.

8. AC in room is not COLD. Though we left it at 16C for 3 hours to cool down, it still feels like it's at 25C.

9. Duvet - the worst. It's so rough and I felt like I'm covering myself with curtain.

10. Hotel repairs are like non-consistent, first room no towel hooks, then the 2nd room we change to has it.

11. Water pressure for shower - non- existence and also the quality water is bad. My hair got tangled badly after shower even though I brought my home shampoo.

12. There is no hair dryer socket in toilet.

Due to all the complains, we did bring it up to the management. A guy came, show his sorry face and said he cannot do much because we book it through booking sites, and he can only charge us for basic fee night which is 800++ per night.

We paid 800++ to torture ourselves for the night, and yes...

This was my third stay, and each time has been consistently exceptional. I think I’ve been spoiled by their high service standards because it has made me come to expect the same level of standards when staying at any other 5-star establishment, and unfortunately, many have failed to even meet them. DoubleTree Hilton JB stands out as one of the best in my experience.

Service: The service is impeccable. It's not just about smiles and greetings; it's the genuine care you sense from every interaction. They engage in meaningful conversations, go the extra mile by offering your favorite drink, and even check in the back for any more traditional kuehs you’ve missed at breakfast. The Careline support team responds promptly via in-app messaging—making it so convenient to make requests. Nearly everyone we encountered was exceptionally nice and friendly. Loved every bit of it.

Breakfast: The breakfast spread is amazing, complemented by a fantastic service team. There's plenty of variety; if you're staying one night, take your time (6:30-10:30 am) or explore different sections on different days—some items rotate daily. Special thanks to Appy, who took care of us over our three-night stay, and to Hafi, who checked the back for more traditional kueh. Kudos also to the chef who promptly acted on our feedback regarding one of the buffet items. The team listens to their guests and does a fantastic job.

Rooms & Housekeeping: The rooms are well-maintained, super clean, and come with all necessary amenities. I especially appreciated the large toiletry bottles—no more squeezing tiny tubes. The water pressure was fantastic, akin to a hydrotherapy massage. Beds were comfortable, and there's even a pillow menu if you prefer firmer pillows. The spacious room was perfect for us, considering we have kids and lots of belongings. Housekeeping did an excellent job of turning down the room and replacing towels, despite us hanging them up. My heartfelt thanks to the housekeeping team.

Check-in / Concierge: Aisyah made check-in the quickest I've experienced at any DoubleTree property. We also received assistance from a friendly member of the concierge team, who helped with our bags multiple times during our stay. His name escapes me, but his warmth and friendliness were memorable.

Areas for Improvement: To enhance the seamless experience, I suggest improving the speed of check-in and check-out processes. These seem unnecessarily time-consuming and could benefit from streamlining or automation. It seems the same across doubletree properties I’ve stayed in Malaysia. Additionally, deploying more resources during peak check-out times would prevent long queues like the one I encountered, where only one counter was available at around 12pm.

Overall: I will definitely return. Having visited several DoubleTree properties across Malaysia, I applaud their consistency in service and genuine hospitality. Kudos to the management for motivating and empowering their team to deliver such exceptional guest experiences. And my deepest appreciation for the entire DoubleTree JB team for making our experience a wonderful...

Disappointing Stay at DoubleTree by Hilton JB

This was my second time staying at DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru, but the first time for a family trip, having previously visited for business. Unfortunately, the experience this time around was far from what I expected from a Hilton property.

Upon arrival, we had to wait quite a while for assistance with our luggage, eventually being helped by a concierge member instead of a bellboy. The check-in process, however, was smooth and efficient thanks to the dedicated counter for Hilton Honors members. Despite being regular patrons of Hilton & Doubletree by Hilton hotels, we were surprised that the signature welcome cookies were unavailable as they were still being baked. We only managed to redeem them upon check-out.

The real issue arose when the concierge called our room, requesting us to move our car, despite us opting for valet service. We were told that our parking spot was being prioritized for a royal from a certain state, which was highly unexpected and, frankly, unprofessional. Being royalty myself, I’ve never experienced this sort of treatment at any hotel worldwide, especially as a loyal patron of Hilton. Respect and professionalism should be extended to all guests, regardless of status, and I found this entire situation unsettling.

What made matters worse was the valet parking fee – RM50 per entry. This is absurd! If you need to go in and out multiple times, the charges accumulate significantly. Even high-end hotels like Four Seasons KL have more reasonable valet policies, often waiving fees for Elite members. We reluctantly paid the RM50 and decided to park in the basement after returning from dinner, as it was complimentary.

The parking situation only worsened. After searching for nearly an hour, we found a spot, only to be told by a valet worker that it was “reserved.” We were followed around, which made us feel uncomfortable. Eventually, they asked us to park in a handicapped spot temporarily, but then insisted we leave our car keys with them in case the space was needed. This whole experience was unnecessarily chaotic and poorly managed.

The room itself was adequate, though small, with a sink that was inconveniently tiny. On the bright side, the Crabtree & Evelyn products were a nice touch, as they are no longer available physically in Malaysia. Breakfast at Makan Kitchen was enjoyable, with a wide selection of options and decent quality.

Will I return with my family? Likely not. However, I might consider staying here again for a business trip when traveling with a chauffeur. Overall, this hotel failed to meet the standards I expect from Hilton, and the level of unprofessionalism is something that should...