My girlfriends and I were planning a quick weekend hop over to Johor Bahru so we were looking for a hotel near the causeway to maximize our time spent there. Capri Hotel seemed a suitable choice as it was a mere 2-minute drive away from the immigration checkpoint, plus the rooms looked quite modern and spacious.
Having had a poor experience at the hotel of this same brand in Singapore, I certainly hoped this stay would be nothing like that one. The online reviews for this hotel were more assuring so we decided to give it a shot! After comparing prices across platforms, we made our bookings via the hotel’s direct website as that was the cheapest option.
- Inclusions:
- 1-night stay in Studio Executive Room
- Breakfast
- Spent: MYR1144.80 + MYR30 tourism tax (for 3 rooms)
Check-in
Reception counters are located to the left of the drop-off point entrance on level UG. There were no queues at all when we arrived but oddly enough, the check-in process still took significantly longer than usual to complete. If you are a foreigner, do note that you’ll have to pay an additional MYR10 of tourism tax per room per night.
Room
All three of our rooms were situated on different floors – the one my husband and I were assigned to was on level 34 (out of 39 guest floors). It was indeed roomy and spacious with contemporary furnishings and neutral tones. The room category we booked comes with a small dining and pantry area that is semi-separated from the sleeping area.
Upon closer inspection, I did find minor signs of wear and tear, such as scuff marks on the chairs and walls, as well as some stained spots in the bathroom. With that said, the sheets and towels were clean, and the bed was sufficiently firm for a good night’s sleep. My requested firm pillow was also delivered very promptly. In terms of housekeeping, turndown service is not provided at this hotel and they don’t offer room make-up service on the day of check-in as well.
Our bathroom was generally hygienic, had ample space and was functioning properly so we had no concerns. However, my friends shared that the water in their showers drained extremely slowly, resulting in some ponding issues.
What I like about this bathroom is the generous amounts of natural light that come in through the full-length windows next to the shower. We just needed to remember to draw the blinds before using the bathroom as the neighbouring building is very close beside.
Facilities
On level 1 is where you’ll find the swimming pool, which overlooks the immigration checkpoint, as well as the bright and airy gym. There are steam rooms in the respective changing rooms too but the one in the female changing room wasn’t quite working when I tried it though.
Also on level 1 is the Spin & Play room, a 24-hour launderette that is supposedly equipped with interactive games. It was rather sparse when I was there and I don’t recall seeing any games, just a TV and some beanbags.
Hotel guests can take the complimentary shuttle bus that goes to the various shopping malls like City Square, KSL, Mid Valley Southkey and R&F. During our stay, the shuttle frequency was highest for City Square, with trips available almost every half an hour between 10.30am and 6pm, while the rest of the malls only got one trip per day at 1pm.
The staff shared that although it is a one-way shuttle, you can technically hitch a ride back to the hotel if you manage to hop on as other guests are alighting.
Breakfast is served between 6.30am and 10am at Caprilicious restaurant on level 1. We met around 8am thinking we could relish a leisurely breakfast but the restaurant was already bustling with people at that hour. Anyway, the buffet spread wasn’t the widest but it did have some variety, with the likes of local dishes, continental items, desserts and made-to-order eggs from a live station.
Of all the items, we preferred the Singapore mee hoon, sayur lodeh, chocolate muffins (these were nice and moist) and teh tarik (sweet and milky). Surprisingly, the simple pudding was really enjoyable for me too as it was a nostalgic reminder of those I had in my childhood. Many of the items were like comfort food with homely flavours.
Alas, there were a number of misses as well. The congee was incredibly watery and diluted, where rice grains were few and far between. Sausages were very bland and the waffles were extremely dense (although the batter itself did taste pleasant).
For quick grab-and-go options, head to Delite cafe on level UG for sandwiches, pastries and coffee. The ambience here is actually pretty inviting, I can imagine just chilling out with coffee and a good read in this little nook. We didn’t see much of a crowd here throughout our stay so this could be a prime spot for some peace and quiet.
My overall rating of the experience: 4 out of 5 stars. Comfortable common areas with a modern aesthetic, large rooms with clean sheets and comfy beds, plus decent facilities! Our room had no issues but the ones my friends stayed in did have a ponding problem in their showers. In addition, the hotel is conveniently located near the causeway and they even provide a complimentary shuttle bus to drop guests off at the popular shopping malls (albeit with limited timings for the malls further away). The food at breakfast was a bit of a mixed bag – it could certainly do with better quality ingredients and greater consistency. In terms of service, the staff were mostly polite and cordial, though none in particular made an impression. Having said that, it was a pleasant stay overall and definitely a viable option should we visit Johor Bahru again (:
If this post helped you in some way and you’d like to buy me a coffee, I’d be incredibly grateful (:
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