Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel

“Excellent location, warm hospitality and exceptionally friendly and attentive staff”

My family and I (three people) stayed thrice at this 5-star hotel (September 2024, March and October 2025) and each time for two nights. How to get there & hotel location: Even though this hotel is very close to the Singapore-Johor Causeway, we drove to the hotel from Singapore via the Tuas Secon… more

My family and I (three people) stayed thrice at this 5-star hotel (September 2024, March and October 2025) and each time for two nights. How to get there & hotel location: Even though this hotel is very close to the Singapore-Johor Causeway, we drove to the hotel from Singapore via the Tuas Second Link due to the significantly lesser congestion at the immigration checkpoints on weekdays just after noon. We chose Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel because firstly it is about 20 minutes’ drive each to Aeon Tebrau City Mall, Toppen Shopping Centre, Mid Valley Southkey Mall and Paradigm Mall as well as the fact it is the only Marriott Bonvoy hotel in Johor Bahru (before the new Sheraton Johor Bahru opened in November 2025) in which I can earn points and nights; secondly it has a famous Wan Li Chinese Restaurant in which we enjoyed dining; thirdly there are several cheap and reasonably priced eateries and restaurants at the surrounding Permas Jaya area. For the latest stay which was just before Mooncake Festival, Wan Li Restaurant was selling their renowned mooncakes in Johor Bahru at the hotel foyer. I parked my car for free (free parking for stay-in guests) at the hotel car park which has plenty of parking lots on several levels. There is a security guard on duty at the entry point of the car park. On our third stay, I was glad to see Renaissance Johor Bahru improved the car park entry and exit system using visual (camera) recognition of the car licence plate instead of past practice of the hotel receptionists validating the paper car park coupons for guests before exit. Hotel staff: As Renaissance Johor Bahru is a popular hotel, there was always a queue when we checked in (and checked out) on all three occasions; in all our check-ins, the busy receptionists – Kavilashani, Soleha, Thanshna, Imran, Helmsley – nonetheless efficiently welcomed and checked us in and explained concisely the check out, breakfast and other information (for example my Gold and Platinum Elite membership entitlements) in a warm and friendly manner. At the Executive Lounge (entry due to my Platinum Elite membership), our (and other guests) dining needs were well looked after by Khairunnisa (Nisa for short), Nash, Akmal, Christina just to name a few, especially the friendly and smiling Nisa who always conversed with my family and asking what else she could serve us with. The staff at the Café BLD restaurant for breakfast were also efficient in clearing the plates and re-setting the tables. Whenever we walked past any hotel staff be it along the corridor, at the swimming pool and at the reception area, they always greeted us and some even smiled. Hotel room: In our first stay, we stayed in a 38 square-meter non-smoking Deluxe Twin Bayview room on Level 10 with an added rollaway bed. Although the view from the Deluxe Twin Bayview room is nice, it nonetheless faces the Johor Bahru East Coast Parkway and the traffic noise particularly the horning caused us not to sleep well. Hence on our second and third stays, Renaissance Johor Bahru kindly put us in a much quieter 34 square-metre non-smoking Deluxe Twin Room on Level 15 which has two super single beds and a rollaway bed and which faces the swimming pool, the opposite hotel block, Pasir Gudang and partially Straits of Johor. On our first and second stays, the rollaway bed with the towels, toiletries and slippers were already set up were in place but not for our third stay which the hotel later apologized due to the exceptionally heavy guest arrivals and room reallocations that week. For the same reason, there was a handwritten welcome card on the table in our first two stays from the Front Desk Manager and Loyalty Manager thanking me for my loyalty as a Gold Elite member and Platinum Elite member respectively and I missed this “special touch” from the Loyalty Manager on the third stay. The Deluxe Twin Room comprises a carpeted bedroom and a tiled bathroom cum toilet. Besides the three beds, the bedroom has two sofa chairs, a round coffee table, a metal-leather armchair, a rectangular glass top working desk with a lamp, wall mounted LCD television with a long wooden console beneath, metal-legged wooden bench for luggage, a cupboard that houses a small refrigerator and tea and coffee bags and cups in the drawer as well as a kettle above the drawer, a wardrobe that houses a safe, iron, ironing board, several wooden hangers and slippers. There is no minbar. The restroom comprises large sink, enclosed shower area with rain-shower, hand-shower, Argus shampoo and shower gel and a WC. The bathroom and WC are not separated. On the sink is a rack containing dental kits, comb, vanity kits and shower caps. I liked the following about our hotel room in our second and third stay: (1) High floor quiet hotel room facing the swimming pool, the opposite block and with partial view of the Singapore-Johor Causeway in the distant (2) Comfortable beds that allow us to have a good night’s sleep (3) The room is very clean and well maintained (4) The availability on the Pillow Menu in which we could choose either the buckwheat pillow which provides excellent support for one’s head, neck and back and/or lavender pillow that calms one’s soul and relaxes the muscle. We tried out the lavender pillow and faint lavender odor did play a small part in our well rested sleep. (5) Ceiling air-con was strong (6) Complimentary internet for Marriott Bonvoy guests with a very fast internet speed (7) Eco-friendliness and sustainability practices, e.g. separation of renewables and general trash in the waste bin, change bedlinens only on third day, wash towels thrown on the floor etc My only dislike is the water leaked from the bathroom shower hose – a result of the unavoidable wear and tear. Hotel amenities - Access to the hotel floors inside the elevator is through tapping your hotel room card. card access. In all our 3 stays, I swam in the main 20 meters long by 8 meters wide and 1.4 meter deep swimming pool on level 6; it is well cleaned judging by the clear visibility of the distance ahead during swimming (i.e. pool water was not cloudy). On our second stay, one of us used the fitness center or gymnasium which is also on Level 6 and has four treadmills, three stationary bicycles, three step trackers, weightlifting equipment amongst others. Renaissance Johor Bahru runs a shuttle bus service to and fro hotel and Mid Valley Southkey Mall only on Saturdays and Sundays (hotel departures at 3 pm, 5 pm and 7pm and Mall pickup at 4 pm, 6 pm, 8 pm and 9 pm) as well as to and fro Johor Bahru Sentral (hotel departure at 12 noon and Sentral pick up at 1 pm). Hotel Restaurant: We liked the extensive breakfast buffet spread at the Café BLD restaurant which has ample seats and becomes crowded between 8:15 am to 9:30am. The buffet comprises freshly squeezed and non-freshly squeezed fruit juices (at Juice Bar), cut and whole fruits (there is snake fruit), Noodle Station (pick your own ingredients and the type of noodles and the chef will cook for you), Egg Station (omelet, hard boiled and half boiled eggs), large pastry section, yogurt section (I would suggest sealed cup yogurt instead of yogurt in a bowl), western section (waffles, baked beans, sausages), Indian section (tosai, roti canai, roti susu, idli, vadai, tomato and coconut chutney etc), Chinese section (dim sum), local Cap Istana teh tarik, cereals and of course a Discover JB section with different popular local dishes every day (such as nasi lemak, nasi ulam, nasi minyak, nasi ampeng, nasi kak wok with ayam goreng kunyit, ayam goreng berempah, ayam masak merah, kambing ungkep, terung berlado, sambal belacan etc). On our second stay there was a honeycomb with dripping honey. We also liked the great Cantonese cuisine at the Wan Li Chinese hotel restaurant. Hotel Executive Lounge: Entry into the Executive Lounge is for Platinum and above tier membership although when I was a Gold member during my first stay, the hotel kindly granted me access only to the afternoon tea from 2:30 to 5pm. It is opened from 6am to 10:30pm and serves buffet breakfast (less buffet items compared to Café BLD but you get more exclusivity and tranquility), afternoon tea, evening dinner or hors d’oeuvres (5:30 – 7:30pm), evening light snacks (7:30 – 10:30pm). I enjoyed the afternoon tea snacks which has increased – at our third stay, there were on different days: chocolate eclairs, spicy tuna tartare, tepung bungkus, maki roll, , scones, red velvet cakes, bruschetta, kuih/kueh seri muka, kuih/kueh bugis as well as guava and orange juices, tea, coffee, marshmallows, nuts, whole fresh fruits (apples and oranges) and alcoholic drinks (in the evening). Situated on the 16th floor, we enjoyed even more, the fabulous panoramic view of Pasir Gudang, the Straits of Johor, the Singapore-Johor Causeway and the north central part of Singapore. This view became more beautiful at night when the surrounding area transformed into shimmering stationary lights (from buildings and bridges) and moving lights (from vehicles and vessels). The fact that in our last few visits to Johor Bahru, we always stayed at this hotel is testament of its value-for-money, excellent location, warm hospitality, friendly and attentive staff, extensive breakfast buffet, well maintained amenities and the cleanliness of the hotel room. It is no wonder that this hotel achieved the 2025 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice award.

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“Perfect Weekend Stay”

Check In : 21st Feb 2026 Check Out : 22nd Feb 2026 First Time Stay Location : The hotel is located in the eastern side of JB not too far from the CIQ, Midvalley but a distant away from Aeon Tebrau. The building is easily spotted from the main road, but soon to be 'overpowered' by the next door con… more

Check In : 21st Feb 2026 Check Out : 22nd Feb 2026 First Time Stay Location : The hotel is located in the eastern side of JB not too far from the CIQ, Midvalley but a distant away from Aeon Tebrau. The building is easily spotted from the main road, but soon to be 'overpowered' by the next door construction site. There are many eateries around the area from Malay, Chinese, Thai, Fast Food, Japanese, Bakery, you name it. And a short walk away, there are at least 3 convenience stores. To top it off, the area is not congested. Lobby : The lobby is spacious but has limited sitting area. Maybe due to the fact that there is a stage there for Puasa performance. But otherwise, it is spotlessly clean and AC in full throttle. Check in was swissh swossh, and within 4 mins, I get the card to my room. Highly efficient FO team. I was attended by a lady (free hair) and she was kind enough to explain to me what to expect during my stay and also the Sahur arrangement. Room : I got a free upgrade to the Bay View room, which I cant thank enough. The view is just amazing day and night. The room is spacious and smells fresh. The bathroom is big and AC works well. All amenities are complete and I love the bathroom lighting so much. The minibar works well. I felt uneasy with the glass study table. Maybe this one can be looked into. The room lighting is not too bright, also not too dim, which I consider just nice. I love the soft touch of the mattress and the pillow. Breakfast / Sahur : When I check in, I was informed that Sahur will be available between 4 - 6am. I was expecting it to be just a simple 4 types of fried food topped with some juice. Boy, I was wrong. The Sahur is complete buffet setup minus the Indian section. Some of the food of course isnt complete but I do have to admit that I am impressed with the wide selection of food for Sahur. Chinese, Malay, Western and Pastry are complete. I love the Nasi Goreng which is tasty and filling. The food cut section is also generous. Fresh juice section is another level. Love the offering. Facilities : Parking is available on level 3 and above. The hotel is disable friendly down to the tiny details. My bathroom has disable railings fitted which I cant thank enough. The elevator works good and parking is manned 24/7. The pool surprises me as it is 1.4m in depth. Most hotels' pool are 1.2m. I was standing inside the pool and the water is on my neck level. Luckily the kids pool are separated away from the adults pool, so it prevents something terrible from happening. Satisfaction : 10/10. I will totally come back again in the future and love to recommend this establishment to my friends.

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“Luxurious stay”

We booked two adjoining rooms and were most satisfied with the size and furnishings, each with two double beds with choice of pillows, armchairs and a work-desk. The bathrooms had quality fittings, Grohe, grip bars, good water pressure and toiletries (dental kits, comb, wall-mounte shampoo, condit… more

We booked two adjoining rooms and were most satisfied with the size and furnishings, each with two double beds with choice of pillows, armchairs and a work-desk. The bathrooms had quality fittings, Grohe, grip bars, good water pressure and toiletries (dental kits, comb, wall-mounte shampoo, conditioner, shower gel) that were meticulously replenished every day. Housekeeping was excellent, the only annoyance probably was that bottles of water were provided rather than a central source in the corridor where we were free to collect our own water from a dispenser (more sustainable). A pretty baby cot was provided on request, thank you! Staff were efficient, friendly and obliging at all times, especially door staff who helped with luggage and assisting with baby stroller. Excellent security in the hotel, lifts were never a problem and we felt welcomed and cared for throughout our stay.

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“Great for Weekends (especially with kids), but Weekday Experience Fell Short”

Actually, one of the main reasons I choose to stay at this hotel is because of “Uncle Fishy,” as my son really likes it. Another reason is that I enjoy the breakfast here. However, we didn’t see Uncle Fishy during this stay. We checked in on a Tuesday, so I assume he is only available on weekends? … more

Actually, one of the main reasons I choose to stay at this hotel is because of “Uncle Fishy,” as my son really likes it. Another reason is that I enjoy the breakfast here. However, we didn’t see Uncle Fishy during this stay. We checked in on a Tuesday, so I assume he is only available on weekends? I was also not very satisfied with the breakfast this time. Is there a difference between weekend and weekday breakfasts? The weekend breakfast seems to be better and more abundant, while the weekday one feels quite ordinary. If that’s the case, then this hotel will not be my choice for weekday stays in the future, because the thing my child likes (Uncle Fishy) and the breakfast I enjoy are both unavailable or not up to standard on weekdays. In addition, the hotel’s soundproofing is relatively poor. Lastly, the curtain design is less than ideal, as a significant amount of sunlight streams in early in the morning.

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