Instead of a staycation, why not try JBcation? Afterall, a train ride to Johor Bahru (JB) takes just 5 minutes and you have one whole day to try all the must-have dishes (without burning a whole in your wallet, we have to re-iterate). Most importantly, a night stay across the border barely costs $100 😉
This time, we decided to give the new kid in the block – Amari Johor Bahru – a shot.
Would we come back again? You’ll find out.
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#1. Location – 9/10
The location is close to perfect. Why? It’s right opposite City Square (you just have to cross a road) so that means you don’t need a ride to CIQ or JB Sentral and you can easily unload your haul at the hotel before continuing with the rest of your itinerary!
It would have been perfect if it’s right on top of a mall (like KSL Hotel) but to be honest, we are more than happy with this!
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#2. Rooms – 8/10
This hotel just recently opened its doors in June 2017 so the room is super clean, room decoration is modern with luxurious furnishings. Just look at our inviting king-sized bed and the comfortable sofa! The study table makes it perfect for those who needs to be on standby for work too. #justincase
Unfortunately the view was quite disappointing in our case (because it was facing a hotel that was still under construction). Not the best view IF you are intending to stay in your room the whole day.
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#3. Ambience – 8/10
You’ll be greeted by this grand lobby the moment your lift door opens (you’ll need to take a lift from the ground floor but we didn’t have an issue with this since that’s quite common nowadays!). Service is great with everyone eager to please. Our check-in was a little slow but the lady at the reception apologized profusely – which is something we really can’t take for granted.
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#4. Safety – 7/10
Safety has always been my key concern in JB and I believe it would be the same for young families especially! We felt safe most of the time, especially since there’s security at the ground reception and it’s brightly-lit. However, this part of Jalan Trus is pretty quiet so do stay alert if you are intending to walk back at night. 🙂
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#5. Nearby amenities – 10/10
You have everything you need within walking distance. Cinema? Check. Shopping? Check. Restaurants? Check. Hipster cafes? Check. Traditional coffee shops? Check check check.
Here are our 5 favorite breakfast in JB – most of which are within walking distance from Amari!
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So, would we come back again?
We paid about S$80 for a night stay and we can’t be happier with our choice! We saved so much from not having to cab/Uber/Grab everywhere and the service/amenities is a bargain for the price we paid. I’m curious what’s the new hotel next to Amari but from now till it’s ready, I think Amari will be my first choice 🙂
Amari Johor Bahru is still running their opening special (fr RM238/night), so book fast!
