During June school holiday, we brought Y to Malaysia and stayed for one night. This round, we decided to experience the newly opened hotel in Johor Bahru - The Novotel Johor Bahru
Officially opened in Dec 2025, The Novotel Johor Bahru is the reliable choice for a Singapore family doing a JB overnight. It is located in popular location, sitting in the middle of JB's city centre, minutes' walk to KSL. We paid MYR 450 a night, which works out to roughly SGD 150 on a weekend.
The standard room is well-sized and well maintained room, it's hard to argue with the value. Here's what the stay was actually like.
At a Glance
| Hotel | Novotel Johor Bahru (Accor, 4-star) |
| Room type | Standard Room, King Bed |
| Rate paid | MYR 450 per night (approx. SGD 150) — prices correct as of June 2026 |
| Stayed | [1 night, weekend June 2026] |
| Best for | Families, couples, Singapore day-trippers extending to overnight |
| Location | City centre JB — ~ 3 min walk to KSL mall, ~15 min Grab to CIQ |
| Book via | Agoda |
The Standard Room
The standard room at Novotel JB is 26 sqm — enough floor space that one kids with carry-on luggage doesn't feel claustrophobic. The king bed is firm and we slept well! Blackout curtains do the job fully. There were complimentary snacks too! We were upgraded to the executive room that is basically The Standard Room with Lounge access.
The desk and USB charging points are well-positioned. Mini fridge, kettle, and a small selection of Accor-brand toiletries in the bathroom. Nothing unexpected, nothing missing. The only setback was the stench coming out from the bathroom.
The Executive Lounge
Hotel Breakfast at Food Exchange
Breakfast is included in our room but we wouldn't pay to experience it.There are many other options near the hotel. The spread includes mix of Western and local — nasi lemak, roti, eggs made to order, and a decent coffee station.
Location — City Square, JB Sentral, and Getting Around
The Novotel sits in Johor Bahru's city centre, on Jalan Pelanduk. KSL mall is 3 minutes walk which covers most practical needs. Supermarket, food court, pharmacies, and the usual Malaysian mall mix. Grab works reliably in JB. Wait times were under 10 minutes at most times of day, and fares around the centre were MYR 10–30 .
Getting to Novotel JB from Singapore
The standard Causeway crossing applies: take the Causeway Link bus from Queen Street Bus Terminal or Kranji MRT to JB Sentral (fare: SGD 3.30 / MYR 11.30, roughly 45–60 min including the CIQ crossing on both sides). One can also take CW bus from JB sentral to KSL and walk over.
Value: What MYR 450 Gets You
At the rate we paid — MYR 450 per night, approximately SGD 150 — the Novotel JB offers a 4-star stay at solidly 3-star Singapore prices. The room is bigger than most Singapore business hotels at this SGD price point, the pool is a usable size, and the location saves you a Grab every time you want to reach the main shops.
Another family friendly hotel one can consider is The St Giles, located right above Mid Valley. is a 20 minutes away. For a family trip where you're mostly out eating and shopping, the both hotel is great for families!
Book the Novotel Johor Bahru
Rates vary by date — weekends and Malaysian public holidays push prices up by MYR 50–100. Check both platforms below; Agoda often has better rates for Malaysian hotels.
Practical Info
- Address: Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre., Jalan Pelanduk, Taman Abad
80250 JOHOR BAHRU Malaysia
GPS:1.48659, 103.76123
- Check-in / Check-out: 3pm/ 12pm
- Parking: Free Parking in the hotel
- WiFi: Complimentary throughout
