I stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru on a recent business trip, and it was good to be back at a hotel that feels familiar. As a Hilton Honors Diamond member, check-in came with the usual DoubleTree cookie, which is always a nice little welcome after travelling. The hotel is definitely showing its age now, and you can see it in some of the furniture and fittings, but credit where it is due, the place is still very clean and well maintained. Nothing looked rundown or neglected, and overall it still feels like a hotel that is being properly looked after.
For a business stay, the Executive Lounge was probably one of the biggest positives for me. After a full day of meetings and work, it was a welcome place to sit down, have something to eat or drink and just get away from the busier parts of the hotel. I always find a good lounge makes a difference when travelling for business, and this one was a useful retreat during the stay.
The room was comfortable enough and, again, while the age of the hotel is starting to show, everything was clean and in good order. I would not come here expecting a modern, newly renovated room, but that is not really what you are getting. What you do get is a comfortable room that has been kept reasonably well. For a few nights on a business trip, that works perfectly well for me.
Makan Kitchen was another highlight. I have always enjoyed the restaurant here, and it remained consistently good during this stay. I like the three distinct kitchen concept, as it gives the buffet a bit more character and makes it easy to try different Malaysian dishes in one sitting. There was plenty of choice, and I found myself coming back because the food was reliably good. It is one of those hotel restaurants where you don’t feel the need to head out every night just to find something better.
I also tried the massage spa located within the hotel, which is operated by a third party. After a long day, having a massage without having to leave the property was very convenient. The treatment itself was good and exactly what I needed after a busy day. It is a nice extra to have onsite, particularly if you are travelling for work and don’t have much free time.
Overall, I still think the DoubleTree Johor Bahru is a solid option, especially for business travellers and Hilton Honors members. Yes, the hotel is getting older and it would probably benefit from some refurbishment in the future. But an older hotel is not necessarily a bad hotel, and in this case the cleanliness and upkeep make a big difference. The Executive Lounge, Makan Kitchen and onsite spa all add value to the stay, while the service remains friendly and familiar.
It is not the sort of hotel I would describe as cutting edge or particularly stylish anymore, but it does the basics well. I had a comfortable stay, the food was good, the lounge gave me somewhere to unwind and the massage was a welcome bonus. For me, that is enough to keep the DoubleTree Johor Bahru on the list when I am back in Johor for business.
