Conveniently situated just a 10-minute walk away from the JB Sentral train station, this hotel was one that I wanted to try after reading and hearing some good reviews about it. I hadn’t been to Johor Bahru in a while anyway so I figured it might be an apt time for a short getaway here. Furthermore, the total out-of-pocket amount for this stay was very enticing after stacking a promo code and some Trip coins on Trip.com.
- Inclusions:
- 1-night stay in Twin Executive Room
- Executive Lounge access
- Breakfast and evening cocktails (as part of club lounge access)
- Spent: SGD$5.57 + $172.09 in Trip coins
Check-in
The reception area on level 1 was quite empty when my husband and I arrived so we were able to receive assistance almost immediately. Since we booked the Executive Room, we opted to check in at the Executive Lounge on level 29 instead.
The DoubleTree brand of hotels has a known practice of offering their guests complimentary cookies (their signature welcome snack) during check-in, which I was really looking forward to. As we sat down at the lounge to wait, we were informed that there were two options to choose from (either chocolate chip or walnut) so we just went with one each for research purposes heh. Regrettably, the texture of both cookies was a lot drier than I expected ): Anyway, the check-in process was generally smooth, although it was a pity we weren’t able to swap to a room with a king bed as they were apparently completely occupied.
Room
It was great that the room we were assigned to was on level 29 (out of 30 floors), allowing us easy access to the lounge on the same floor. First impressions of the room were quite okay, though it was very simply furnished and had wood fixtures with that iconic oversaturated Hilton hue that I don’t particularly fancy. What was really nice was the city view from such a high vantage point right outside our window. The mini-bar was complimentary too.
In the bathroom, you will find the basic amenities and provisions for a fuss-free stay. It wasn’t spacious but it was adequately clean and functional. Turndown service was automatically provided but I noticed that only the trash in one dustbin (out of the two) was cleared. A pillow menu with 4 options was also available – I requested for a firm pillow and it was promptly placed in our room while we were having refreshments in the lounge. The bed was fairly firm but I would’ve preferred it to be more solid.
Facilities
On level 13 is where you will find the swimming pool, gym and gender-segregated changing rooms that each have a jacuzzi and steam room. At the time of our stay, the pool was still under renovation so guests had to take a hotel-scheduled shuttle bus to the nearby Amari Hotel to use their pool on level 8 instead, which looked like a decent alternative.
I think the hotel’s jacuzzi facility is super underrated as, despite the plain, no-frills aesthetic, it is a tranquil space that boasts a fantastic view. I regretted not bringing my swimwear to utilize it. In the duration of time I was there, no one else came in so it felt pretty much like a private area.
The lounge has a pleasant ambience with cushy seats all across the elongated, narrow space. All-day refreshments are available during its opening hours from 6.30am to 9pm, comprising some cakes, cookies, fruits, coffee, tea and soft drinks. Rozlin was the only staff there who made an impression as she came across as very approachable and friendly.
Evening cocktails was a free-flow affair, served between 6pm to 8pm, involving a small buffet selection of hot items, snacks and desserts. Unfortunately, the fare was very forgettable but props to the chefs for actively replenishing the dishes that were running low. Options for alcoholic beverages were limited to some beers, wines, cocktails and mocktails (they didn’t serve mimosas as there was no bubbly). Do note that children are only allowed in the lounge until 7pm.
In terms of hygiene, it was a little disconcerting to see ants crawling along the ledge next to the tables while we were dining. Well, at least the superb sunset view helped draw our attention away from that for a bit.
Breakfast the next morning was available in the lounge between 6.30am to 10am. There wasn’t a whole lot of items to choose from and the chefs didn’t seem to be taking the initiative to check if things needed replenishing (unlike during evening cocktails service). We could order freshly prepared eggs from a small menu but in general, the food here was average at best.
Lounge guests can opt to have their breakfast at Makan Kitchen on level 1, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant. The variety here was fantastic, with so many dishes from a plethora of cuisines like Chinese, Malay, Indian, Western and so on. There were also live stations for noodles, eggs, grilled toast and fresh juices. The live station that pleased my husband to no end was the one dedicated to making local coffee and tea (he immediately declared this breakfast buffet to be 5-star worthy). Honey here was served from an actual honeycomb too. Alas, despite the glorious variety, the food remained equally average-tasting as the lounge fare.
My overall rating of the experience: 3 out of 5 stars. Sufficiently clean and fuss-free rooms, decent facilities (especially the jacuzzi), and a fairly pleasant lounge environment with sweeping views. We concluded that food wasn’t really their strongest suit after dining at both the lounge and the main restaurant, Makan Kitchen. Beverages in the lounge also lacked variety and service from most staff was largely perfunctory in nature (except Rozlin who was more welcoming than the rest). The breakfast spread at Makan Kitchen had a much better range than that at the lounge, so unless you value a quieter, more private dining experience, I’d suggest going to the former as the variety sort of helps to cushion the impact of mediocre-tasting food. Having said that, there are plenty of (better) food options outside the hotel so if we were to return, we’d probably stay in a base room without the breakfast inclusion.
If this post helped you in some way and you’d like to buy me a coffee, I’d be incredibly grateful (:
Dania Experiences 
Saya sudah menginap d Hotel Double Tree Hilton sebanyak 4x . Oleh kerana Bilik , Layanan , sarapan yg Baik sbb itu Saya akan ulang menginap d Hotel itu.
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