Just did my first overnight stay at Amerin Hotel in Johor Baru!? Never really thought of doing so previously because I normally go JB for day trips only. This time round, I wanted to do some thorough home accents shopping so decided to stay near Paradigm Mall because it houses my favourite shops (Kaison, Romantika & Mr DIY) and cinema (Golden Screen). Could easily spend hours (or whole day) there so yeah, might as well do a one-night getaway at the same time so I can shop to my heart’s content without having to beat the rush-hour traffic to get home.?
Location
Amerin Hotel is located in Taman Perling and is about a 8-minute taxi ride away from Paradigm Mall. May be a little far away from the Johor Baru City Centre (CIQ/City Square Mall) but it’s actually quite convenient and quick to use Grab to get around. Routes are pretty much straightforward as most of the time travelling will be via the highway. The fares are not expensive too due to the exchange rate.
I have plotted the locations of the hotel, popular shopping malls (including the newest ones), must-try food places, hipster cafes, pasar malam and other places of interest (Legoland, Sanrio Hello Kitty Town, Danga Bay, etc) on this map. If you plan to go JB for a quick getaway trip with your family or friends, you may like to use this as a reference to work out your itinerary.
This little furball greeted us when we arrived at the hotel. Gave us a seemingly annoyed meow. Must be peeved at being disturbed from his nap, lol.?
Front Desk / Check-In
Check-in was a breeze. Staff was friendly. Service was adequate. Do note a tourism tax i.e. flat fee RM10 per room per night will be collected from all foreign tourists who are staying in hotels or registered private accommodation in Malaysia so do be prepared for it when staff asks you for payment.
Sitting area at the lobby
They have a Gloria Jean’s outlet at the lobby level as well. So if you need a place to work in or have a cuppa, just head downstairs.
Good size room
We booked a Super Deluxe King room for approx. S$78 via Hotels.com (not including tourism tax) which included breakfast for two and wifi too. The rate fluctuates depending on your period of travel. I had seen the same room category going for 60-ish during off peak weekdays.
This 22 square metre room was of a good size. Ample space to move around and to put stuffs.
Clean sheets. Comfy bed. Firm pillows. I had a pretty restful sleep.?
Sufficient power outlets to charge all your devices
Extra wash basin in addition to the one in the bathroom.
Drinking water, tea bags and instant coffee sachets
Clothes rail and safe to store your valuables
Bathroom – Not too shabby!
The bathroom was alright. No luxurious fittings obviously but was generally clean. Basic toiletries like toothbrush, shower cap, body lotion, shampoo and shower gel were provided.
No tub. Just standard shower and rain shower. Water pressure was good. The bottom of the shower screen had disgusting black mould though.?
Outside view from the window
That’s Perling Mall (opens from 10am to 10pm) across the road. Mainly the locals come here so it’s like a neighbourhood mall. There’s a Giant supermarket there where you can get supplies from. And there’s also a Mr DIY outlet. This Malaysian hardware chain is getting so popular that it’s also sprouting up everywhere in Singapore.
Sky Pool at 15th floor (opens from 7am to 7pm)
View from the top of the hotel
Rooftop Sky Gym (opens from 6.30am to 11pm)
When you walk out of the hotel and turn to the left, you can also find a 7-11 store, spa and fruits stall (pictured above) all within the hotel grounds. This is a good place for durians too when in season.
There are quite a number of eateries surrounding Amerin Hotel such as this food court that is just next to it. It offers a decent variety of local/Asian food.
Decent breakfast variety
The breakfast buffet spread was pretty decent. There were standard breakfast items like ham, baked beans, hash browns, etc as well as steamed dim sum, an egg station, corn flakes/cereals, plain porridge with condiments, nasi lemak, pastries, toast with spreads, fruits, and more.
Quite liked the nasi lemak. Didn’t try the rest of the things because we were planning to go food-hopping after checking-out so we didn’t want to waste all our calories here, lol.
For those who live in the west of Singapore, you can go to this bus stop opposite the hotel (and next to Perling Mall) to catch CW3 that will bring you to Jurong East Interchange via CIQ 2nd Link / Tuas Checkpoint. Click here for the bus schedule and fare.
All in all, we had a pleasant stay in Amerin Hotel. Though it wasn’t meant to be a luxurious staycation, we still had a comfortable and cosy stay. Room rate was reasonable and affordable too. So if you’re looking for an inexpensive option for a quick weekend getaway, this is definitely one to consider.