this hotel opened october 1, 2025, and i guess i'm the first flyertalker to stay. we checked in october 3rd for three nights. it's a nice property, and after they've had some time to get their sea legs, it'll be a good option for johor. we'd previously stayed at the renaissance, and wanted to try something new.

i'll start by saying that if you don't have a car, there is currently very little that's walkable from the hotel. that'll change when the SKS mall it's attached to opens in march of 2026, but at the moment there are a few local outdoor restaurants (two burger joints?!) in walking distance, a halal place where we witnessed local birthday celebrations, an ATM, and a couple car washes. it's not what i would call a walkable neighborhood. you can use grab anywhere, of course.

the room was lovely, as a titanium received exactly what i'd booked, which was a slightly larger than regular room, and no titanium recognition other than lounge access (not even 'thank you for your loyalty’).

lounge access included more than enough to make dinner out of in the afternoon and a lovely breakfast.

thought the room layout was spacious and comfortable although i’ll note that the toilet was behind a glass door, so if one person is showering or using the sink and another is using the toilet, there’s no privacy. this bathroom featured a tub along with the shower, which was awesome.

we inquired at and before check in about an upgrade, and were promised one for our last night, but due to a miscommunication weren't notified when the room was ready, and by the time i asked (yet again) it was too late in the evening for us to consider a move. the hotel was at 97% occupancy over the weekend, and the staff seemed completely unprepared, and overrun. i'd guess that as time goes on and they hire more staff--and the ones who stick around learn the ropes--it'll be fine. staff was friendly, and had excellent english, but it was clear much of what was happening was new to them.

the lounge is lovely, though the first night we were there it was chock full of singaporeans and their kids on holiday/escaping F1 and was quite frenetic. the line up when the food service started was something to behold. i’ll give the staff credit for keeping the food stocked, although it wasn’t necessarily hot, it was plentiful, and tasty. alcohol was wine, red or white. there was a fridge with sodas and water which was totally empty by the end of our trip, although they’ll bring water out if you ask.

that aside, the food was quite good, both at breakfast and dinner. breakfast included many options, from nasi lemak to an omlette station to nuts and seeds and pastries and fruits/cheeses/salads. beef bacon, chicken sausage and beef sausage—no pork.

my favorite thing at breakfast was there two out of three mornings, a fresh juice extractor—put in an apple, get a cup of juice! make your own. fun and fresh. one morning there was celery, cucumber and apples, so you could mix and match.

it’s worth noting that you can buy your way into the lounge, and the crowd reflected that. it may be less of an issue on weekdays, but should be considered if you have a weekend stay and want a quiet place to hang out.

the pool was lovely (see photo) and the gym had ample treadmills and lots of equipment. i had the place to myself the one weekday morning i went.

all in all, if the price was right i’d likely stay again, but probably not before the attached mall is finished.