Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel — Hotel in Johor

Surrounding the hotel were lotsa eateries, there is a Bangkok family spa and an aeon a few mins drive away, though I didnt have time to explore that. Managed to get an upgrade to the suite as a plat elite member which was great. They didn't have any welcome drink or platter etc which personally was ok for me since there was club lounge access. The suite was great, v spacious and huge. The bathroom was one of the biggest I have come across, it resembled a gym bathroom! AC was strong enough and bed was comfortable. Power points were insufficient and I believe not the international multi pin socket. One side of the bed had no power socket at all and the other just had 1. The other power points were in the living room area. As with other Marriott hotels they do have a pillow menu. However, we asked for latex pillows twice and both times housekeeping came back with some smelly pillows (not latex think it's polyester or something soft). Not sure if they ran out of latex pillows or they didn't understand? And housekeeping should look replacing those extra pillows as they definitely had a stench and maybe have sufficient stock of pillows else what's the point of a pillow menu. Club lounge access was alright. They had a few time slots for tea, cocktail etc. Only managed to join for the 530pm one. It was super packed and could barely get a seat..there was also hardly anyone clearing the tables. additionally the sun was setting and at one part of the lounge it was west facing and super hot and sunny as there weren't any blinds. Food at the lounge was honestly not good. They had this shrimp Kueh pie tee on the day I was there which looked so promising but ended up so disappointing. It was soo empty, just the shell and some thin omelette strips and strips of lettuce and 1 shrimp.

Breakfast though was surprisingly good and I feel 1 of the better ones in JB. Good variety and mostly taste good. They have fresh fruit juice but they do batches in jugs and u pour from the jugs. But they were v slow in topping up the juice and there was no clear labeling of the jugs. Quintessential nasi lemak corner was good, porridge corner was also great with lotsa condiments, they have the egg stations which also served soft boiled eggs and also a Indian corner which had freshly made Prata (roti canai). Most hotel serve frozen Prata but this are freshly made, they had egg and plain prata. Curry chicken was not bad but would have preferred fish curry too! The drink corner also had tea tarik so felt like breakfast in a mamak store! Only thing is the wait staff are not quick to clear the tables. Sometimes they come and oddly just clear 1 plate and then leave despite having 2 empty bowls around.

Update from 2nd stay over 23 Nov 2024. Rooms can get v cold I've seen the thermostat reflect 19 Deg despite trying to set it to 23 Deg. But personally I'd prefer a strong ac than a hot stuffy room. Just take note to bring a light jacket if u r afraid of the cold. Family escape room perks was misleading. It lists perks like getting access to kids zone and also kids amenities. Kids zone is free for all on level 6. It's a pretty small area w a kids slide with some toys and a TV playing cartoons. But chairs there seem unsafe for kids to be sitting on. Kids amenities was a platter w some candies like jelly beans and chocolate. Why would this be termed as an amenity? I think a kids tooth brush and toothpaste might sound more like kids amenities. One thing to highlight on the food during the recent stay is that it can get way too salty! Pls get your chefs to cut the salt. The chicken curry, longtong gravy was way too salty totally unpalatable like seawater. Fried chicken was also very salty. Other than this still an...

Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel is probably the first 5-star hotel to operate in Johor Bahru back in 2013. This was when Johor Bahru started to market itself as an international tourist destination, with the opening of LEGOLAND Malaysia in 2012. This property is in Permas Jaya, an area for expatriates and middle class professionals due to its proximity to the Pasir Gudang shipyards.

Even though this hotel first opened its doors a decade ago, I am impressed it is aging like fine wine. The service at the hotel, from the Front Desk, Room Service to Café BLD is good. The check in registration was fuss free upon my arrival on a Sunday afternoon. Do note there is a RM10 Tourism Tax payable to the Front Desk upon check out.

The rooms at this hotel start from the 6th to 17th level. I had booked a Bayview King Room and was accommodated on the 15th floor. The room is well maintained and showed little signs of wear and tear. I believed the bathroom had been renovated as the Grohe fittings look new and the tiles are clean. The shower pressure is strong and the warm water is consistent. The toiletries are from Argus by Margot Elena, a brand from USA.

To ensure a good night’s sleep, the hotel offers a good pillow selection from Buckwheat, Foam, Lavender to Memory. I am impressed the work desk comes with a comfortable ergonomics chair that will delight business travellers. Although there is no SMART TV, Cable TV channels are offered which include BBC, Bloomberg, CCTV, NHK, KBS and AXN. There are three universal power sockets inside the room, though there is no USB charging port. So, remember to bring your charging plug during your stay here.

The club lounge is on the 16th floor. For fitness buffs, the swimming pool and fitness centre are on the 6th floor. The pool is open from 7am to 6pm, while the fitness centre can be accessed 24hrs daily.

When it comes to dining, you will be spoilt for choice as there are many eateries offering a wide variety of food from local, halal, Asian to European. The amenities in Permas Jaya are abundant. There is a laundrette, convenience stores, hair salons and massage parlours in the vicinity. Additionally, you can take a 14 mins walk (1 km) to AEON Permas Shopping Centre.

If you prefer not to dine out, consider ordering from Room Service. Its menu is rather extensive which offers both Asian and Western food. If you enjoy Chinese cuisine in a fine dining environment, you should head down to Wan Li Restaurant on the ground floor of the hotel. I had read positive reviews of the buffet breakfast served at Café BLD. Indeed, this is probably the best breakfast I had in the many hotels I had stayed in Johor Bahru. Hence, I recommend booking a room with breakfast package for your stay here.

With many 4 and 5-star properties in the city centre of Johor Bahru and several large scale properties opening in the next few years, Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel must continue to maintain its hotel and service standards to stay relevant in this competitive market. Its location may not be perfect compared to the hotels in the city centre. If you prefer a change and wish to stay somewhere in the city fringe, away from the crowds, this hotel is for you.

Tip: Plan your stay on a Sunday so that you visit the Permas Sunday Night Market (5pm to 9pm) next...

A Belated But Truly Deserved Appreciation for Mr Jong & Renaissance Hotel JB

This review is long overdue, but we felt it was important to express our heartfelt gratitude to Mr Jong from Renaissance Hotel Johor Bahru for going above and beyond—right from last year when we began planning our wedding dinner on 5 October 2024.

Even though ours was a small, intimate celebration with just five tables, Mr Jong never once treated it as any less important. From the beginning, he was attentive to all our requests and needs. He personally ensured that we had the best possible support and experience, including offering the VIP room behind the ballroom as a dedicated breakout space for the bride. It may seem like a small gesture to some, but it made a world of difference to us.

Fast forward to just last weekend, when we returned to utilise the complimentary one-night stay that came with our wedding package. We decided to extend it to a 3D2N stay and upgraded to a Club Room—and to our surprise, Mr Jong still remembered us. Once again, he ensured we had the best room available, extended warm hospitality throughout our stay, and even kindly offered us a late check-out on Monday due to lower occupancy. These thoughtful touches truly elevated our experience and made us feel so welcomed.

While some guests may leave poor reviews due to overly high expectations—perhaps expecting royal treatment—we personally believe in treating service professionals with the same respect we hope to receive. Every job deserves dignity, and it’s not about whether someone smiles 24/7 or bows at every turn. If your accommodation is clean, comfortable, and your meals are enjoyable, that should already count for a good stay. We’re all human.

That said, we do wish the hotel had firmer bed and pillow options, as the current setup was a little too soft for our comfort, resulting in some aches. Also, we think the room interiors could benefit from renovation if the budget allows—but these are just suggestions, not complaints.

Location-wise, the hotel is perfect—close to major malls and even the Sunday night market (pasar malam), which we thoroughly enjoyed. We were lucky to have stayed through to Monday and felt like we got a complete and relaxing weekend out of it.

Thank you once again, Mr Jong, for your sincerity, patience, and kindness throughout our journey—from wedding prep to staycation. Given the chance, we’ll definitely...