Tune Hotel Danga Bay, Johor Bahru

My Singapore trips are kinda like incomplete if I didn't involve Johor Bahru as part of the trip. Fly in Singapore and then fly out Johor Bahru or vice versa is always what I did for the past few years. After staying for a night in a cute and chic hostel with a reasonable price, A Beary Bear Hostel, my friends and I took public bus (CW2) from Queen Street Bus Terminal (Bugis MRT) to Woodlands. It's cheap but then, it wasn't convenient especially when you carry big luggage with you. 

This time around, we booked Tune Hotel in Danga Bay. It was actually suggested by my Johor friend as it was relatively near to her wedding venue.

#1: Overview of Tune Hotel - Danga Bay

#2: One of Lego's models displayed at the lobby - Please Do Not Touch Me!

I reserved a room with double bed whereas my other friends got themselves a room with two single beds. I can't clarify the differences, especially in terms of size of the rooms but my room was fairly cheaper than my friends. We even bought the Comfort Package consists 24 hours air-conditioning plus towels and toiletries kit. Similar to its sister airlines, this is a no frills hotel where no amenities is provided unless you purchase them. 

#3: My double bed room 

It's a simple and basic room with modern and minimalist designs. The room houses wall-mounted LCD television (need to pay one), portable table and safety box. One thing I love about the room is not just for its comfortable and fluffy bed but thank goodness, there's a window. The more I travel and stayed in numbers of hotels, somehow I would prefer a room with window. 

#4: Besides towel and toiletries kit, they gave us air-con remote control and TV too (I added TV right after I back from wedding dinner)

#5: Hangers corner

#5: Key access 

#6: Hot shower, hairdyer and toilet roll are provided without any additional charge

Other facilities can be found within the hotel are computer with internet connection, massage chairs and ample of free parking space provided for the in-house hotel guests. There are even AirAsia agency office, 7-Eleven and restaurant located right next to the hotel. 

My verdict? If you are looking for budget hotel just for the sake of rest and recharge, probably Tune Hotel Danga Bay would be your ideal option but in terms of location, honestly speaking I still prefer to stay nearby KSL Shopping Mall. There are nothing much you can linger around the vicinity - so quiet location I could say. One of the reasons I found out this hotel is packed with family is because there is a shuttle service directly to Legoland. 

On my way to the airport, I decided for a quick pitstop at Johor Premium Outlet. But then, it's hard to get any taxi outside the hotel until I tried to use MyTeksi apps, which recommended by another good friend of mine who is living in Johor Bahru. It's my first time of using this app but then, I quite enjoyed the ride - a friendly driver who non-stop chatting with me throughout the ride. 

Date Stayed: 7 December - 8 December 2014 (1 night)

Rate I Paid: RM77.68  per night for a double bed room including Comfort Package which consists of 24 hours air-conditioning plus towel and toiletries kit (Booked via TuneHotels.com)

Disclaimer:

This review is truly based on my own personal experience and is my genuine and honest opinion of this hostel, and that I have no personal or business relationship with this establishment.

KSL D' Esplanade Residence, Johor Bahru

Everytime when I visit Singapore, Johor Bahru will definitely be part of my itinerary. It's like hard to separate both of these places for me. So after my family and I spent 2 nights staying in The Southbridge Hotel of Singapore, we hired a private car to travel from Singapore directly to the hotel we booked in Johor Bahru. Although it was pricey comparing taking public transport, but it was absolutely hassle-free, convenient and faster than the latter one. 

I prefer to stay nearby KSL Shopping Mall and since there are 6 of us, hence I booked to stay in KSL D's Esplanade Residence. It is a serviced apartment connected directly to the shopping mall, which making this accomodation another favourable list not just only for me, but also for the rest of my family members.

#1: KSL D' Esplanade Residence

Do take note that D's Esplanade Residence is not located nearby KSL Hotel and therefore, better to inform the driver that you are heading to the serviced apartment type, not the main hotel. Upon check-in, once again we were requested to place a refundable security deposit of RM200 and in return, we were given two different access cards; one to access to the apartment and another one to the shopping mall which later on, I found it was quite troublesome.

#2: Spacious living and dining area

Stepped in the apartment and wow, we're quite impressed with the size of it. This fully furnished apartment was pretty spacious and huge. As for the living and dining area, these two are the perfect spots for my family and I to talk, laugh and watch television together. Next, let's us check out the rooms shall we.

I booked the one comprises of three rooms; two queen sized beds and one single bed comes along with two bathrooms.

#3: Master bedroom

#4: A queen-sized room

#5: A super single bed room - This room is so small and not suitable for tall people to sleep

#6: Master bedroom's bathroom and surprisingly, it was exceptionally huge

#7: Another bathroom complete with toiletries for the whole family but the size of it was small

#8: Small sized kitchen but it was well-equipped with fridge, rice cooker, rice cooker, cooking and eating utensils 

#9: Swimming pool but nay, we don't have the time for that 


#10: Tip - Request for higher floors for this city view pleasure 

With the price costing up to RM370 per night which I personally think it's pretty affordable, overall my family and I are satisfied with this serviced apartment mainly due to its location which attached to a shopping mall that it absolutely quite convenient for us with an abundance of eateries, lots of shopping and did I mention the mall even consist of cinema. My siblings even took the opportunity to watch late night movie while my mom and I comfortably stay in our apartment to watch the television which has quite number of channels.

However, there are few weaknesses to share here such as no free WiFi provided within our apartment and only available in the lobby, the confusing and troublesome access cards which you need to hold two at the same time and inadequate lifts that sometimes can cause long waiting time. But if don't take all the weakness into the consideration, actually KSL D'Esplanade Residence is an ideal place to stay especially for those who travel with family or big group of people.

Date Stayed: 22 August - 24 August 2014 (2 nights)

Rate We Paid :  RM370.00 per night without breakfast (Booked via Agoda.com)

Disclaimer:
This review is truly based on my own personal experience and is my genuine and honest opinion of this hotel, and that I have no personal or business relationship with this establishment.



#11: On other note which unrelated to this post, just want to share my shopping haul from Singapore. I just love to shop in Singapore. Maybe I should blog my favourite place for cheap shopping in Asia. 

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Hotel Review: 11@Century Hotel, Johor Bahru

I've been to Johor quite number of times but most of the times, either I stayed at my friends' house or mainly just for stopover to Singapore. So when I about to go Johor for Legoland, I asked my sister, who is currently working in Singapore and she always went to Johor for weekend trip, asking her which hotel would she recommend me to stay and she suggested me this - 11@Century Hotel, Johor Bahru. 

#1: Overview of 11@Century Hotel

As we reserved the room through Agoda.com, all we need to do was printed out the hotel reservation number and showed our identification card upon check-in. The check-in process was smooth and hassle-free and the next thing we know, we were given room card as well as breakfast coupon without any deposit needed.

#2: Standard queen size room

The size of the room was moderately spacious and it looked very modern and descent. The room was pretty simple which equipped with a queen size bed, LCD flat screen, free WiFi internet access and in-room safety box. There is no mini bar, table and chair provided within the room and in case you need hairdryer, iron and ironing board, you need to request from the housekeeping or counter desk, which I found it's kinda troublesome.
 

#3: Bathroom with standard toilet amenities provided

When we looked into the bathroom, we were quite surprised with the huge size of the bathroom. Like I mentioned above, there is no hairdryer within bathroom and they will provide you upon request.

#4: Complimentary coffee and tea making facilities

The room was adequate comfort but there still need a room for improvement when comes to cleanliness. We spotted quite number of small cockroaches not just inside the room, but also in the bathroom. Well, of course we weren't afraid of those cockroaches but somehow felt kind disgusting seeing them crawling within the room.

#5: Complimentary breakfast buffet

Throughout our stayed here, we were entitled for complimentary breakfast buffet every morning. The buffet spread was pretty simple with the range from Asian to western meals such toast bread, eggs, nasi lemak, fried noodle, baked bean and fruit juices.

#6: The main plus point of this hotel was it located very near to KSL City Mall

Travel Tip

If you plan to go to JB Sentral for entering Singapore Woodlands customs, it took less than 10 minute drive and the taxi fare mostly cost less than RM10.

Date Stayed: 24 January 2013 - 27 January 2013 (3 nights)

Rate We Paid :  RM115.00 per night for a standard queen size room inclusive breakfast (Booked via Agoda.com)

Disclaimer:
This review is truly based on my own personal experience and is my genuine and honest opinion of this hotel, and that I have no personal or business relationship with this establishment.

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