New Singapore hotel option - Doubletree Johor Bahru, Malaysia

[Aussie_flyer]

My own view is that a stay in JB could be interesting if you has something to do in JB, or you wanted to get an addtional stay registered in HHonors. If commuting to Singapore each day, the whole thing would get old pretty quickly.

Indeed, I think by the time you returned to your hotel on the first day you would be utterly over it and ready to leave. I just can't imagine ANYONE I know staying in JB if the purpose of their trip was spending time in Singapore. You will lose hours a day. It's a total pain. It's incredibly cheap but I value my time much much much more highly than that. But then I am not a penny pincher when it comes to hotels.

 

[Austman]

Well this new hotel is pretty much only the 2nd international 5 star chain in Malaysia's second largest city. They have a Renaissance and that's about it! (A Traders is a bit out of town)

 

[anat0l]

Anyone staying in JB please take care. JB has one of the highest crime rates in Malaysia, and at one time recently, in the world. Bag snatching and violent robbery / assault is not unheard of.

Not alarmist or anything, but it's worth taking note.

 

[cgoh]

Couple of options to go Sin-JB-Sin but I prefer the cross border taxi.


1. By bus - Causeway Link and SBS 170 goes from Sin to JB and vice versa. Do take note that this should be your last options as you will need to embark/disembark twice at the CIQ (both MY and SG). It's troublesome and slow. If you however take this option the buses terminate at Larkin station - some 7-8 Km away or RM 10 taxi fare. The Landmark Plaza (DT JB) is located 500m from the JB CIQ so you might as well just get off at the CIQ and walk or taxi back to hotel.


2 By taxi - right opposite the landmark plaza is a dedicated cross border taxi stand (yellow taxi) to take you into Sin (Queens road or Rochor. Cost is RM15 person if you share a taxi, or RM60 per taxi. Advantage is you will not need to disembark at all. Disadvantage is you share a taxi with some strangers unless you pay for the whole taxi or have a party of 4. Return trip cost the same except it is in SGD (ie SGD15 or 60)


3. Private chauffeur - Cost is Rm120-150 depending on car type.


4. TEKS1M - taxi 1 Malaysia, metered taxi into Singapore. Probably the least cost effective.


Avoid the changi airport bus as it takes over 3 hours without traffic and it terminates at JHB airport. From JHB airport to Landmark is RM35.


Another note about landmark plaza. If you decided to do a trip to KL aero line bus terminal is only a stone throw away. Cost is RM55 one way but it's business class with AVOD and the bus terminates at corus hotel KL, again a stone throw away from DT KL. Bus from Larkin to KL cost RM35 and terminates at TBS. From landmark to Larkin taxi will cost RM10. From TBS to DT KL that's RM30. So go figure.


I can go on and on on what to do in JB but that probably requires a separate thread. But pubs and bars (legit!!!) are everywhere and you can get a 'set' of beer (10-12 pints) for RM130 nett.


Food? Dirt cheap.

 

[cgoh]

Anyone staying in JB please take care. JB has one of the highest crime rates in Malaysia, and at one time recently, in the world. Bag snatching and violent robbery / assault is not unheard of.

Not alarmist or anything, but it's worth taking note.

agree to an extend, but disagree mostly.

anywhere you travel you need to exercise caution, whether it is Europe, US of A or other parts of Asia. The only country that I will call safe, really safe is Singapore.

 

[Austman]

Anyone staying in JB please take care. JB has one of the highest crime rates in Malaysia, and at one time recently, in the world. Bag snatching and violent robbery / assault is not unheard of.

Not alarmist or anything, but it's worth taking note.

Could that be a little bit to do with the JB-Singapore rivalry? Johor "safe beyond doubt" and Singaporeans not crime targets: Johor police chief

I go to JB several times a year and feel safer there than I do in Melbourne! (But then again I do live in Fitzroy )

 

[drross]

agree to an extend, but disagree mostly.

anywhere you travel you need to exercise caution, whether it is Europe, US of A or other parts of Asia. The only country that I will call safe, really safe is Singapore.

Barcelona is a shocker for pick pockets and bag snatchers

 

[markis10]

Avoid the changi airport bus as it takes over 3 hours without traffic and it terminates at JHB airport. From JHB airport to Landmark is RM35.

.

Not sure what bus you are referring to but the official Changi bus stops at Kotaraya II Terminal which is the opposite block to the DT, taking two hours and ten minutes from Changi and an hour and 47 minutes to return.

 

[cgoh]

Not sure what bus you are referring to but the official Changi bus stops at Kotaraya II Terminal which is the opposite block to the DT, taking two hours and ten minutes from Changi and an hour and 47 minutes to return.

Sky shuttle.

I think you are right with your info re changi bus. That's a newish one and I apologise for not including that. Never taken it before as it stops at various places and takes a long time. Also limited service.

 

[markis10]

Sky shuttle.

I think you are right with your info re changi bus. That's a newish one and I apologise for not including that. Never taken it before as it stops at various places and takes a long time. Also limited service.

Cheers, I figured you would know

 

[tuapekastar]

Anyone staying in JB please take care. JB has one of the highest crime rates in Malaysia, and at one time recently, in the world. Bag snatching and violent robbery / assault is not unheard of.

Not alarmist or anything, but it's worth taking note.

Indeed. I was about to chip in that JB does not have the most salubrious reputation in Malaysia as a place to visit/reside.

Mind you, I would certainly consider the DT as an option.

 

[Mal]

I have not been impressed with JB, and the crime rate is quite high. To save points on a SIN stay, I really don't think this is worth the hassle.

 

[Austman]

I have not been impressed with JB, and the crime rate is quite high. To save points on a SIN stay, I really don't think this is worth the hassle.

Well I have not seen any crime personally and when I mentioned this today to people I know who live in JB, they were a bit puzzled.

Anyway, I agree if wanting to be in Singapore, staying in JB is not a very good option. Apart from the time it takes to make the crossing, you get your passport stamped twice in each direction and need to fill out a Singapore arrival card each time (but not a Malaysian one).

It's much cheaper to buy things and to dine in JB than Singapore. And if you like them, they have a LOT of pubs including American, Irish and a good German one - The Bierhaus at Taman Sentosa, Johor Bahru |JOHOR KAKI trusted guide to the best food of Johor

And there's nearby kids attractions like Lego Land and Hello Kitty Town.

But it's not a very walk-able place and the local public transport is essentially taxis.

 

[anat0l]

Well I have not seen any crime personally and when I mentioned this today to people I know who live in JB, they were a bit puzzled.

Guess it depends on experience and who you know.

I'll confess that I haven't been to JB before, but I do have relations on Mum's side in Malaysia (Mum's from KB). One of my cousins knows a few cases in JB where bags have been snatched - one woman dragged along the street for a bit - and one of their former classmates robbed and had their hand chopped off. More females involved in incidents seem to be known than males. They also like to opine about the rising crime rate in KL.

Naturally, most of us are street smart and there are principles that apply to any country where you're not a native (and even in countries where you are)... things like holding onto your valuables, not drawing attention to yourself, etc. Of course the crime rate can't be horridly bad that it would drive people away, though suffice to say JB isn't exactly a tourist town in the first place anyway. There are also reports that combating crime in JB has stepped up a notch - that does say something in a country like Malaysia (again, half-cynicism and half-hard truth), plus also acknowledging that there has been a prevalent problem.

And practically anywhere in Malaysia is cheaper than Singapore.

 

[Austman]

And practically anywhere in Malaysia is cheaper than Singapore.

Yes, but the point I was trying to make is that many Singaporeans make the trip over just for the cheaper shopping and dining. It's that much cheaper that they are willing to go through the hassle of the crossing in both directions.

And food can be excellent in JB. But I guess it helps to have some local knowledge! When I read out Tripadvisor's list of the top restaurants in JB to a group of JB locals, they just laughed!

 

[cgoh]

I'll confess that I haven't been to JB before, but I do have relations on Mum's side in Malaysia (Mum's from KB). One of my cousins knows a few cases in JB where bags have been snatched - one woman dragged along the street for a bit - and one of their former classmates robbed and had their hand chopped off. More females involved in incidents seem to be known than males. They also like to opine about the rising crime rate in KL.

My question is have you not heard of someone's bag being snatched in Sydney, or another being king hit at the bar in Melbourne? Can one then safely assumed that crime rate in Australia is high????

We have all heard about others' stories, and they can be wildly exaggerated. Sure it happens, but again it's about exercising caution wherever you travel. There are definitely places in JB you should avoid at all cost, just like you would in Sydney or Melbourne. I spend at least 1-2 days per fortnight in JB and I'm enjoying it!

 

[JohnK]

Scrap that idea for an ~18 hour transit in SIN.

When does this hotel open?

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Scrap that idea for an ~18 hour transit in SIN.

When does this hotel open?

15th August apparently.

I agree with scraping this hotel for an 18 hour transit.

 

[Austman]

Actually its very close, some 26km from Orchard Rd from memory. And served by the MRT at Woodlands. At 5K a night its worth of consideration vs Singapore pricing.

From Changi its $7 on the bus http://www.changiairport.com/getting-around/to-and-from-the-airport/coach-to-johor-bahru-malaysia (free if your flying 3K/JQ)

OK but has anyone actually used this bus and can report back?

I'm planning to use it on Wednesday morning JB to Changi.

The bus company doesn't answer their phone.

 

[Austman]

My JB hosts refuse to let me get this bus!

They are very wary of any bus service where you need to get a morning flight from SIN.

The claimed 2-hour journey time (on the timetable), regardless of the time of day is enough for them to mistrust it. They know the crossing times vary enormously depending on the time of day, day of week and the direction of travel.

I was willing to give it a try!