Month: August 2026

[Accommodation Review] – Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre (Suite), Johor Bahru, Malaysia (17 – 18 Jul 26)

/ kktong76 / 1 Comment

Location

Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre is one of the latest additions to Accor properties in Malaysia, opening its doors in Dec 2025. The hotel is very well located in the heart of Johor Bahru, with KSL Mall sitting right across from the hotel, which houses stores from supermarkets to restaurants to massage shops. Other than the shopping mall, there are tons of eateries along the street within a stone’s throw from the hotel, with some operating 24 hours. We also found quite a few convenience shops within a 5-minute walk from the hotel, where guests would be able to stock up on snacks and drinks throughout the day.

The Suite

We originally booked the Standard Room, but were pleasantly surprised to find that we were upgraded to the Suite Room during check-in due to our status with the hotel group. According to the lounge staff who checked us in, not all suites in the hotel are open, and they are being gradually opened as the hotel is currently refurbishing the suites. The 53㎡ Suite is decked in Muji-themed interior design with wood elements from the flooring to the feature wall in the TV area. The combination of dark and light wooden colours used in the Suite, together with mocha and grey furnishings, made the Suite feel cosy and comfortable. The Suite is segregated into a living room, bedroom and bathroom.

Layout of the Suite at Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre

Entryway

Entryway in the Suite at Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre

The entryway in the Suite at Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre is decked in a darker theme, but the dark tone does not make this part of the Suite feel small. Instead, we could immediately feel the cosiness that the Suite emits. Unlike most entryways in other hotels, the entryway of the Suite at Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre houses a vanity table and a minibar. Initially, I thought the vanity table being placed beside the entrance to the Suite was a tad out of place. However, upon closer observation, I thought it was clever for the hotel in its placement. By placing the vanity table at the entrance, the mirror at the table allows guests of the Suite to check their attire before heading out, other than using it for make-up. The Suite’s minibar is well placed in a luxurious leather-wrapped cabinet next to the vanity table in the entryway. On top of the minibar cabinet sits the Nespresso machine, a kettle and all that we needed to make a cup of coffee and tea. The mini fridge, stocked with complimentary drinks, is tucked inside the cabinet, in the lower part of the cabinet.

Living Room

Living room of the Suite at a glance from the entryway

The living room of the Suite sits further into the entryway. Though not a large space, it has all it needs to function as a living room for guests to relax and chill. A small marble round table forms an introduction to the living room. This marble table, furnished with only one chair, serves more as a work desk, although it can also be used as a dining table. A three-seater European-size L-shaped sofa occupies most of the space in the living room. The fabric sofa is very comfortable to sit on, while we were entertained by the many local and international channels on the 65″ LED TV mounted on the wall. I like how the hotel chose a more minimalist decor in the living room by omitting a TV console, which would otherwise make the living room look cluttered, instead of the relaxing vibe that it currently exudes. Other than the sofa, the hotel tastefully placed a mocha leather armchair next to the floor-to-ceiling window that not only increased the sitting capacity in the living room but also allowed us to chill while looking out into the city.

Bedroom

The minimalist Muji decor seen in the living room flows seamlessly into the bedroom, separated by a dark walnut coloured door. The king bed, placed by the wall of the bedroom, took up a bulk of the real estate allocated to the bedroom. The king bed has natural elements designed into its leather headboard. The headboard is designed with columned leather that makes it look like bamboo, reinforcing the Muji theme. To continue the natural theme seen in the Suite, Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre uses a round stone with LED lighting emitting from the bottom as the bedside lamp, which I thought looked like a moon. The sleep quality on the king bed is excellent, which kept me feeling refreshed the next day. The bedside tables on both sides of the king bed are merely small tables with no drawers, which makes the bedroom look clean and is consistent with its minimalist concept. Despite its size, I find there is plenty of space on these bedside tables for me to charge my lifestyle devices overnight. Mounted on the wall facing the king bed is the TV in the bedroom with the same entertainment options as that in the living room. I like how the hotel installed a ledge underneath the TV, which not only is consistent with the minimalist design language, but it also gave us space to stow our smaller items. Another armchair is placed between the floor-to-ceiling window and the king bed, which offered us a place in the bedroom to relax and look out into the bustling cityscape below.

Bathroom & Wardrobe

Bathroom seen from the entryway of the Suite at Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre

Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre did not fit its Suite with a powder room; rather, the hotel worked around this issue by designing two entrances to the bathroom, one at the entryway and the other from the bedroom. The second entrance from the entryway creates the illusion of having a powder room. The bathroom entrance from the entryway leads to the wardrobe area, fitted with a two-door wardrobe. Both panels of the wardrobe are designed with hanging racks, with the right panel capable of stowing longer clothing. The left panel houses the in-room safe and is fitted with a single large drawer, which we found useful for putting away smaller clothing items. Despite being designed with a hanging rack on the left wardrobe panel, this side of the wardrobe was not furnished with any hangers, and it doesn’t help that the hangers on the right panel are being fixed to the hanging rack, rendering this side of the wardrobe useless. As we were only staying for one night, we did not request additional hangers from the hotel. I like how the hotel fitted a luggage rack opposite the wardrobe, providing guests with the convenience of unpacking their luggage.

Decked in dark grey marble that exuded a luxurious vibe, the bathroom sits further into the Suite, with direct access from the bedroom. There is only one sink fitted in the bathroom that comes with generous countertop space to place our toiletries. The walk-in shower, fitted with both a regular and rain shower head, and the toilet cubicles sit across from the sink, have generous space allocations. A sizeable bathtub sits furthest into the bathroom from the entrance at the entryway and next to the bedroom entrance. The size of the bathtub was perfect for soaking the tiredness from the shopping outings in the city.

Service

The staff at Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre were friendly and welcoming. The staff welcomed us at the reception with the warmest Malaysian smile one could get. Upon checking our reservation, she gave us the option of checking in at the lounge instead of the reception. She escorted us to the lift, gave us access to the Executive Lounge level, and gave us specific instructions on the location of the lounge. The lounge staff who checked us in were very friendly. He invited us to enjoy the evening cocktail while processing our check-in, as the evening cocktail time was ending. Apart from manning the front desk at the lounge, the staff also doubled as server in the lounge, taking our drink orders and bringing the drinks to us. I witnessed the staff patrolling the lounge frequently and clearing our empty plates despite us sitting in one corner of the lounge. The rest of the staff around the hotel were friendly and welcoming. There was no lack of smiles and greetings from the random staff we met in the lift and around the hotel. The staff at the restaurant came across as lukewarm initially, but they were observant and very efficient in clearing empty plates despite our sitting in one corner of the restaurant.

Welcome amenities were placed in the living room waiting for us

Hotel Facilities

Executive Lounge

The Executive Lounge at Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre is located on the top floor of the hotel at level 34. The Executive Lounge, decked with natural wood elements, provided us with a great space to relax. Most of the lounge is decked with dining tables for two to four guests, mainly placed next to the floor-to-ceiling window that allowed us to look out into the city. There are a couple of lounge seating areas in the lounge, catering to a larger crowd by the entrance and in one corner of the lounge. There is a small food station at the back of the lounge where evening cocktails and breakfast are served. This is also where we could help ourselves to drinks, ranging from coffee, tea and a variety of soft drinks, next to the food station. Due to the thin crowd at the lounge, I find it a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Swimming Pool

The swimming pool at Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre is situated on the 12th floor of the hotel. The hotel has an infinity pool, which is a tad small, that looks out into the nearby buildings. Despite the small pool, guests would still be able to get some decent swimming laps in the pool. However, as the pool is situated indoors, with only four sundeck chairs, one would find it challenging to soak up the Malaysian sunshine. There is a small wading pool for younger guests next to the lap pool.

Gym

The gym at Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre is located on the 12th floor next to the swimming pool. Despite the small size, guests are still able to get a good workout from the gym. Guests who want a cardio workout can use the four elliptical and treadmill machines, and one of the three stationary bikes. For guests who want functional and strength training, there are the multi-workout machines and the free weights.

Breakfast @ Food Exchange

The main breakfast is served at the Food Exchange restaurant located on the 11th floor of the hotel, while Suite guests and higher-tier Accor members can enjoy breakfast from the Executive Lounge on the 34th floor. Food Exchange served a good variety of breakfast, ranging from local delights to Western cuisines. I like how the food is spread out around the restaurant to spread out the crowd getting the food. There are stations dedicated to beverages and the various types of cuisines. The hotel also has an à la minute station serving up various types of eggs and a noodle station. The food quality is average, with most of the food not as hot as I would prefer, but the taste was there. Some food was placed in a push cart for guests to help themselves. We found the Malaysian Nasi Lemak and Malaysian milk tea, Teh Tarik, in one of these push carts. I spotted some carts serving up waffles and pancakes, but they were not manned; unsure if these were available. Breakfast at the lounge is the watered-down version. Despite the limited menu, the lounge serves up both local and Western cuisines for breakfast. There is even a made-to-order menu featuring Western and local cuisines from the three main races in the country. I thought the food at the lounge seemed to look more appealing compared to Food Exchange, despite a smaller range.

Overall

I had a great stay at Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre. The hotel is located right next to the KSL Shopping Mall with tons of shopping and dining options. Apart from the dining options in the mall, there are numerous eateries next to the hotel, with some operating 24 hours. The well-appointed Suite was relaxing and comfortable, with excellent sleep quality on the king bed. The service at the hotel was great, with staff who were always friendly, cheerful and ready to help guests.

[Accommodation Review] – Casa del Rio Melaka (Casa Residence 2-Bedroom Suite), Melaka, Malaysia (13 – 14 Jun 26)

/ kktong76 / 1 Comment

Location

Casa del Rio Melaka is located at the river end of Jonker Walk, the famous weekend night market and the heart of Melaka. The hotel sits on the banks of the Melaka River, giving the rooms at the hotel front row seats to the river. The two major shopping malls, Mahkota Parade and Dataran Palawan, are about a 15-minute walk from Casa del Rio. The hotel is also near the major attractions such as Red Square, Christ Church Melaka and Church of St Paul, making the hotel an excellent choice for exploring these sights. There are several 24-hour convenience stores near the hotel, with the nearest one just across the street from the hotel. Being closer to the heart of Melaka also means there is no lack of shopping and eateries within a stone’s throw from the hotel, making Casa del Rio an ideal spot for exploring the culture and the food in Melaka.

The Suite

Casa del Rio has several types of suites. In fact, for the 2-bedroom suite category alone, the hotel has four configurations. We checked into the 109㎡ Casa Residence 2-Bedroom Suite, which is located in the residence building next to the hotel.

Layout of the Casa Residence 2-Bedroom Suite that we stayed in

Entryway

Unlike most suite layouts, the entryway to the Casa Residence 2-Bedroom Suite lies outside the suite. This entryway is enclosed by a metal gate with storage for shoes and a seat for changing into shoes. Unfortunately, this gate, though it comes with a lock, cannot be locked, as we were not issued the key to lock this gate.

The shoe cabinet is outside the apartment in the entryway
There is a washer and dryer in this cabinet in the entryway

Kitchen

The living room and pantry of the Casa Residence 2-bedroom Suite, seen from its entrance

The first part of the Casa Residence 2-Bedroom Suite that we came to when entering from its main entrance is the kitchen. The suite is fitted with a full kitchen, with a kitchen sink, a four-stove induction cooker, a full-size fridge, a microwave oven and even a dishwasher. On top of these, the hotel equipped the kitchen with a Nespresso machine and a kettle for our coffee and tea needs. The kitchen is where we got our first glimpse into the Peranakan theme that is present throughout the suite. This Peranakan identity is evident in the use of the cabinets in the pantry. Equipped with a full set of china and cutlery for four, I am certain that one can whip up a meal in the kitchen.

Living Room

The living room has a split-level design, taking up the space on the lower elevation with a short flight of stairs from the kitchen. The living room is furnished with a European-style three-seater sofa and a matching single-seat armchair, surrounding the round coffee table. The living room has a mix of colonial flair seen in the choice of the sofa, the two chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and the wall-mounted lamps next to the TV. The choice of wooden furniture pays tribute to the Peranakan identity that Melaka is well known for. There is no lack of entertainment options from the flat-screen TV mounted on the wall opposite the sofa. Other than local channels, the TV has Amazon Prime, Netflix and iQiyi to keep us entertained at night after a day’s exploring the town. Wedged between the lounging area and the pantry is a small dining area. The dining area is furnished with a small round dining table for four people, great for consuming our takeaways and street food from Jonker Walk.

Master Bedroom

The master bedroom in the Casa Residence 2-Bedroom Suite

The two bedrooms’ entrances face each other, with the master bedroom situated on the right, facing the Melaka River. The master bedroom mainly takes on the Peranakan decor, seen in the massive use of dark wood in the furniture and the design of the furniture. At the entrance of the master bedroom sits a large wardrobe set. These wardrobes are capable of stowing away weeks of clothing. The shelves in the wardrobe gave us additional space to stow our smaller clothing items. The only flaw in the wardrobe is that there is no in-room safe that we can use to keep our valuables. Further into the bedroom, along the same wall as the wardrobe, sits the vanity table with a large mirror hanging on the wall. This table can also double up as a work desk with the power outlet fitted onto the wall, keeping our laptops juiced up while working. Next to the vanity table, facing the king bed, is the TV cabinet with a 43” flat-screen TV having the same entertainment options as that in the living room. The TV cabinet has a similar Peranakan-influenced design to that in the living room, paying tribute to the Peranakan identity of the town.

The king bed occupies most of the real estate in the master bedroom, topped with a firm mattress that is comfortable to sleep on. However, the pillows are too soft for my liking. On either side of the king bed lies the bedside table that is designed with one drawer and a cabinet. The size of these tables would otherwise be sufficient for us to leave our lifestyle devices to charge overnight if not for the large bedside lamps that took up the entire space of the bedside table. I like how the hotel fitted a window seat by the window in the master bedroom, which not only provides us with a space to relax and look out into the Melaka River, but also gives us additional space to put our backpacks.

Master Bathroom

The master bathroom is located opposite the wardrobe and next to the entrance to the bedroom. The European fused with Peranakan design theme flowed into the bathroom, with the cabinets fitted with Peranakan elements and the European design seen in the mosaic on the wall in the walk-in shower and the floor of the bathroom. The overall space allocated to this bathroom is sufficient. I applaud the hotel for making the right decision in only installing one sink instead of dual sinks due to the space limitation. This has given us sufficient countertop space to place our toiletries. The main functional part of the bathroom lies to the left of the sink, with the toilet fitted next to its entrance and the walk-in shower next to the sink. I like the relatively large space allocated to the walk-in shower and the ledge where the hotel places their shower amenities. The allocated space in the walk-in shower allowed us to shower comfortably, while the ledge gave us space to place our facial wash and dental kits. On the other side of the sink, opposite the walk-in shower, is a large bathtub. Despite not having a jacuzzi function, I was able to get a relaxing soak in the sizeable tub.

Bedroom 2

The second bedroom in the suite

The smaller Bedroom 2 sits opposite the master bedroom, decorated with a Peranakan theme seen in the details of the furniture. Similar to the master bedroom, Bedroom 2 is furnished with a smaller wardrobe at its entrance. The three-panel wardrobe has a larger two-panel space dedicated to hanging racks and one panel with shelves. Despite being a smaller setup, the wardrobe can still swallow a sizeable amount of clothing. There is a TV cabinet installed next to the wardrobe; however, this furniture seems more like an ornament as there are no TVs installed in this bedroom, though we can use this as an alternate space for storage. The vanity table, the same as the one in the master bedroom, sits in one corner of the bedroom. As Bedroom 2 has a smaller size, the bedroom is furnished with a queen bed that is equally comfortable as that in the master bedroom. Due to the smaller size, the queen bed is only fitted with one bedside table.

Bathroom

The bathroom for Bedroom 2 is located outside between the two bedrooms. The bathroom has a smaller size compared to the master bathroom, fitted with a sizeable walk-in shower, sink and a toilet. The sink in the common bathroom is exactly the same as that in the master bathroom, fitted in one corner of the room. Like the sink in the master bathroom, this sink also gives us ample space to stow our toiletries. The walk-in shower, taking up the space next to the sink, is also quite spacious, so we do not have to engage in an elbow war with walls. The toilet sits next to the entrance to the bathroom.

Balcony

The balcony of the Casa Residence 2-Bedroom Suite at Casa del Rio Melaka is rather large. Facing the Melaka River, the balcony is furnished with a day bed and a set of outdoor tables for two; this part of the suite is perfect for us to relax while looking out into the city and the river.

Service

We received excellent service from the staff at the hotel, from the check-in to the security guard and the housekeeping staff. Our first interaction with the staff at Casa del Rio Melaka was with the security guard at the carpark, who helped us find a good parking spot and reminded us to get the stamp from the reception for our complimentary parking. Nana was the main person from reception with whom we interacted the most. She was very friendly and welcoming. Despite having arrived 5 hours before the standard check-in time, Nana helped us register our arrival and arranged for our early check-in at noon. When escorting us to our apartment, Nana oriented us around the hotel, pointing out the various facilities. She also gave us a brief room tour and added us to WhatsApp for easier coordination. The hotel staff was very responsive on WhatsApp. When we requested additional items, they were delivered in a short period of time. The staff at The Grill restaurant, where we had our breakfast, were equally welcoming. They ensured we were very well taken care of and were very diligent in clearing our empty plates, despite us sitting in one corner of the restaurant.

Hotel Facilities

Breakfast @ The River Grill

Breakfast at the hotel was served in The River Grill, the only restaurant in the hotel. The restaurant uses both a buffet system and a small menu of à la carte buffet style during breakfast. There is quite a number of selections from the buffet, mainly local cuisine and a small selection of Western options. There is also a small counter serving à la minute local noodles at the buffet station. The food was delicious and hearty.

Swimming Pool

As we were staying at the apartment complex next to the hotel, we had access to both the swimming pool at the hotel and the one at the apartment. The hotel’s rooftop swimming pool is perched on the 4th floor. The rooftop infinity pool is large enough for one to do some decent laps or to laze to cool off from the Melaka heat. There is also a small wading pool to cater for young guests. This rooftop swimming pool is perfect for guests to relax and get a good tan on one of the eight sundeck chairs, as there is no vegetation or high-rise buildings nearby to block out the sun.

The other pool in the apartment complex sits on level 1 of the apartment building. Here we found a small wading pool and a separate jacuzzi pool. Despite being a lower level, the infinity swimming pool at the apartment complex allows one to do some laps. However, there are limited sundeck chairs. Other than the four sundeck chairs at each end of the pool, we could also use one of the two outdoor tables. Due to the placement of the pool, getting a tan in this pool was a tad more challenging. We also had to bring our towel from the apartment to use the pool (unlike the one from the pool on the hotel side).

Gym

Like the swimming pools, we also had access to two gyms at Casa de Rio Melaka. The hotel’s main gym is also located on the 4th floor, next to the swimming pool. The gym at the hotel is a tad small, equipped with only three cardio machines and a chest press machine. There are some free weights inside the gym for guests to work out other parts of their muscular system.

The other gym is located on the ground floor of the apartment complex. Like the gym in the main hotel, this gym also has a small setup with three cardio machines and a multi-functional strength workout machine. There is also a row of free weights for guests to work out the other parts of their upper body.

Overall

We had a great stay at Casa del Rio Melaka. The location of the hotel is perfect for those who want to explore the heart of Melaka. It is within a 5-minute walk from Jonker Street and 7 minutes from the museums and attractions in the town. There is no lack of eateries around the hotel, and the nearest convenience shop is right across from the hotel. The apartment we stayed in was perfect for a family and was very well-appointed. The beds were comfortable to sleep on, and the entertainment options on the TV kept us entertained in the evening after exploring the town. The service is excellent at the hotel, where every staff member we met was welcoming and friendly. I would return to this hotel the next time I come to Melaka.