Elmark Hotel Johor — Hotel in Johor

Summary:

They can’t even say hello, and they don’t want to work either…

Full Review:

When we arrived, the hotel looked old and rundown compared to the pictures in the booking. At first, we couldn’t even find the entrance. The lobby had several couches, but they looked like second-hand furniture. We approached the reception desk. It was 1 PM, and we knew check-in was at 2 PM, but we thought we’d let them know we were there, hoping they would ask for our passports and start the paperwork in the meantime. That didn’t happen. Instead, we got a dismissive response: “Check-in is at 2 PM.”

Fine, we waited until 2 PM. Then they just shouted at us that we could check in. And that’s where the real problems started…

They asked for 10 MYR per night as a tourism tax. Normally, this wouldn’t have been an issue, but our booking explicitly stated that all fees and taxes were included (we booked through Agoda). Or, at the very least, the hotel should have informed us in advance.

A little extra detail:

After booking the room, the hotel sent us a message through Agoda, asking us to transfer the money directly and send proof of payment via WhatsApp. Otherwise, they wouldn’t guarantee our room. We had never heard of such a thing before! Agoda even sent us a warning, advising us to communicate with the hotel only through their platform for security reasons.

Eventually, we messaged them on WhatsApp to confirm our arrival, even sending our flight ticket and passport as proof. They didn’t even check the message. In the end, Agoda charged our card directly. So, I ask: if I had transferred the money and Agoda also charged me, would I have paid twice?!

PLUS:

While we were sitting in the lobby around 1 PM, waiting, they sent us another message via Agoda, saying that if we didn’t want a room facing the highway, we should let them know, and that a 50 MYR deposit would be required at check-in.

We didn’t see this message because we had just arrived in a new country and had no internet. But we were literally sitting in the lobby!

After a brief disagreement, we paid the extra tax (WHICH THEY COULD HAVE INFORMED US ABOUT EARLIER) and the deposit.

We went up to our room, and of course, it was facing the highway. At that point, we didn’t even have the energy to argue about it…

The Room:

The room was disgustingly dirty. I understand this is a 2-star hotel, but I don’t think the star rating should determine how clean a place is. It was simply unhygienic. I didn’t expect it to sparkle, but I was shocked to see mushrooms almost crawling out of the bathroom corner.

I would assume that wiping down the shower glass between guests is standard, but it was so covered in limescale that it was impossible to see through. And shouldn’t the previous guest’s hair be removed from the drain? I HAD TO REMOVE IT MYSELF. We didn’t dare sit on the toilet until we disinfected it. The white towels were gray, as if they had been used to clean the floor or shoes.

The Floor & Air Conditioner:

The floor was dark brown, cleverly hiding all the dirt. The AC had probably never been cleaned. Normally, it should be cleaned at least every six months, or at the very least, once a year—otherwise, it can cause serious health problems. Because of the dirt buildup, it didn’t even cool the room properly. And water was dripping from the air conditioner.

The room had double windows, yet the highway noise was constant 24/7. At night, it was even worse.

I didn’t even dare check under the sheets…

Other Issues:

There was a shared iron in the hallway. I tried it, and when my shirt sleeve touched the floor for a second, it picked up so much dust that I could barely brush it off.

During our 7-night stay, we saw housekeeping only twice.

Message to the Owner:

If you run a hotel, you need to maintain the building continuously. If you open a brand-new hotel today and hire this kind of staff, in one year, it will look like it hasn’t been renovated in 20 years.

You should also teach your staff how to clean. Wiping everything down with the same filthy rag is...

SEO-Friendly Google Business Listing Description (for Elmark Hotel Johor): Elmark Hotel – Clean, Comfortable, & Convenient Budget Stay in Johor Bahru Address: 2, Jalan Bayu Puteri 2/10, Taman Bayu Puteri, 80150 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'zim, Malaysia Phone: +60 16-206 2323 Looking for a comfortable and affordable hotel in Johor Bahru? Elmark Hotel offers a spacious and well-maintained stay with modern amenities and excellent service, ideal for business travellers, tourists, and transit guests heading to Singapore via the ferry terminal. ✅ Spacious Rooms with functional layouts ✅ Efficient Air Conditioning and comfortable bedding ✅ Well-designed bathrooms with modern fixtures ✅ Complimentary tea, coffee, and electric kettle ✅ Free high-speed Wi-Fi ✅ Work desk and ergonomic chair ✅ Security cameras for guest safety ✅ Mini-marts, local street food, and restaurants nearby ✅ Friendly and efficient housekeeping staff Some Tips for Guests: Elmark Hotel is slightly away from the main city centre but perfectly positioned near the ferry terminal, making it ideal for cross-border travellers. While public transportation options are limited, Grab taxis are readily available and inexpensive. 🛠️ Areas to Improve: Some hallways and interior walls may show signs of wear and could benefit from a fresh coat of paint. Minor maintenance fixes, such as door handles and window frames, can enhance the guest experience. My Feedback: Many visitors appreciate Elmark Hotel for offering great value for a 2-star property. With a few updates, it has the potential to become a top-rated budget hotel in Johor Bahru. Whether you're stopping over before catching a ferry or exploring the southern tip of Malaysia, Elmark Hotel provides a quiet, clean, and reliable base for...

booked 2 rooms for 1 nite .. need to pay RM50 for each room for deposit.. they'll refund the amount once u checked out.. |pros :|1. amazed by the cleanliness of the hotel and the room..keep up the good work..|2. check in and check out processes was smooth|3. the room is not too spacious but just enough..|4. provide basic amenities .. toothburush, towel, kettle, hair-dryer and much more|5. just a few miles to Senibong Seafood|6. strong wifi signal|7. lots of parking space ||cons :|1. they used the same material of tiles in the bathroom for the wall and the floor.. so, just be careful, it'll become slippery when the floor get wet|2. there are no phone in the room, difficult to reach the receptionist/hkeeping or make room-to-room contact|3. the building is still new, so there are no 7-eleven or whatsoever 24-hours shops in the same building or blocks nearby.. u need to go a little bit further .. but there was a construction near the hotel.. maybe in quite some time the location would be greater |4. it would be better if they could provide the rubbish bin in the room instead of the only one in the bathroom|5. limited choice of channel.. no channel for sport.. just basic 'johorean' channels.. but its just fine for me||actually the price exceeds my expectation.. satisfied and glad for choosing Elmark Hotel...