Hako Hotel Taman Mount Austin — Hotel in Johor

My husband and I stayed one night at Hako Hotel Mount Austin (Room 02-18). Overall, it’s a minimalist, no-frills hotel that covers the basics, but there are a few key things guests—and the hotel—should take note of.

Check-in experience: We were surprised to be asked for a RM10 tourism tax per person and a RM50 deposit, both cash-only, which was frustrating since we had paid for the room in full via card. As foreigners, we didn’t bring Malaysian cash and found out nearby ATMs only accept Malaysian bank cards, making this requirement unnecessarily difficult for overseas guests.

Room condition: The room was functional but could use better upkeep. The floor was slightly wet due to a leaking aircon, and the bathroom had visible mould around the sink and shower area—more acceptable for an Airbnb than a hotel. The hair dryer produced hot air but sounded like it was about to break down, with loud mechanical noises.

That said, basic toiletries like toothbrush and toothpaste were provided, hot water worked well, and the bed and pillows were comfortable, which made for a good night’s sleep. The room had a kettle and two bottled waters, and soundproofing was decent. There's no window, just curtains on a blank wall—which we found a bit amusing.

One downside was the lack of instructions on how to request additional amenities like shavers or what items are available upon request. Nothing in the room or at the lobby indicated what’s included, which could help improve the guest experience.

Facilities & breakfast: No gym or pool, but the hotel earns points for offering a simple DIY breakfast at the lobby: toast-your-own bread, hard-boil-your-own eggs, Milo packets, tea and coffee in pots. They also provide biscuits throughout the day, which is a thoughtful touch.

Suggestions for the hotel:

Offer more payment flexibility for deposit and tax (e.g., card or e-wallet).

Provide clearer information in-room on amenities available on request.

Fix the aircon leak and improve bathroom cleanliness.

Replace or maintain noisy appliances like the hair dryer.

Consider adding a small info sheet or QR code with hotel services, WiFi, and breakfast timing.

With these improvements, Hako could better meet the expectations of both local and foreign guests looking for a simple stay in...

Here’s a compilation of feedbacks we have:

(+) Location is accessible, surrounded with cafes and hipster places. Wasn’t noisy considering the ktv bar is a level down. Lobby is welcoming. Two bottles of water/room provided. 24/7 check in (take note there’ll be a charge of ~10RM/ room upon checking in, and a 50RM/room deposit) Towels provided. Shower necessities provided. Simple breakfast (egg + bread and coffee) provided, not complaining. Check out was smooth and direct. There’s two charging ports. Clothes hangers 3 provided.

(-) Unfriendly front desk staff. We checked in the evening and instead of feeling welcomed, we felt as though we interrupted her phone time. That aside, we asked if we could leave our baggage at the storage room after checkout and she assured us, yes. But, upon checking out, the staff on shift (in black spectacle) rejected that idea claiming that it’s only for checking in guests. Okay? So we carried our luggage around.

We booked four rooms and all the rooms had a mouldy-stuffy scent. There were stains on the bed sheets.

2/4 rooms had leaking sinks and cracks on the walls. (Not a major issue to us)

The rooms ain’t well ventilated. Went Jaya to get air fresheners. Haha

Mould stains on the hair dryer and telephone cables. Stains on the wall.

No refrigerator.

Room phone not working.

The bed and pillows had a funky smell. I’ll advise to lay a towel on the pillow?

Breakfast, not enough seatings.

For the price and convenience, a yes if you don’t mind just a short stay.

A no if you’re looking for a...

Having heard of Mount Austin but not visited for awhile, we have decided to give it a try and book our stay in this area to take advantage of the proximities to the surrounding entertainment.

(+) Mini suite was at $80 (240RM) on Agoda, and it was relatively spacious for a room at this price. Every room key you gotten requires a 50RM deposit which they will collect upon check in.

(+) The rooms are clean and have pretty much all the amenities you need.

(+) Location is superb, right in the middle of everything, and a 10 minutes grab to many other cafes and restaurants, even AEON tebrau.

However, there’s quite a bit to complain about..

(-) Our room, despite being located nearest to the elevator, wasn’t affected by the Karaoke a few levels below. But, the constant revving of vehicles constantly disrupted our sleep, not to mention someone ticking away on their calculators past midnight at the front desk.

(-) The water heater is working, but the temperature of the water is constantly changing, so much so that it gets too hot at times even when the tap is tilted towards the colder end

(-) The Smart TV just wasn’t smart enough to deal with the internet.. We had troubles navigating through the screen as there’s just too much lag. No point having 2 TVs if it’s not going to work.

All in all, good stay but you would have to deal with the noise which wrecks your sleep and the...