Thistle Johor Bahru

Thistle Hotel Johor Bahru has a lovely interior, the lobby and overall deco are beautiful and welcoming. However, the room experience was quite disappointing. The air-conditioning didn’t feel cold at all, even after lowering the temperature. The room remained warm and stuffy, which made it uncomfortable to sleep. During breakfast, the dining area was overcrowded. There were too many guests and not enough seating. Many people had to wait in line for others to finish eating. It would be great if the hotel could expand the seating area or manage the breakfast crowd better. After all, guests are paying a premium and shouldn’t have to rush through meals. Overall, a decent stay in terms of aesthetics, but the comfort and facilities could use some improvement. 3/5

Very disappointing stay — not a 5-star experience I stayed at Thistle Hotel Johor Bahru and was unhappy from the start. The lower room category was not good at all: old furniture, dirty mould on the bath screen, a clogged toilet, and stuffy, very dirty carpets. Because of this, I asked for a new room. The new room was newly renovated, but the bathtub still drained very slowly. This is not what I expect from a 5-star hotel. Breakfast was also below standard. The spread was small and did not feel like a 5-star buffet. The food that was available tasted fine, but there was no proper coffee blend, which was disappointing. The gym was poorly kept. Both treadmills had malfunctioning buttons, so I could not use them properly. This shows weak maintenance and a lack of care for guests’ experience. On a positive note, Encik Arab was really friendly and helpful, and I appreciate his good service. The breakfast items that were available tasted good. However, these small positives do not make up for the many problems. My initial plan was to stay for four nights, but I cut my stay short and moved to another hotel in the centre of Johor Bahru. Overall, the hotel is not up to 5-star standard. Because of the poorly maintained rooms, weak breakfast selection, and broken gym equipment, I strongly do not recommend this hotel to others. For the price and the 5-star label, the lack of basic maintenance and cleanliness was unacceptable; I will not return until the hotel shows clear, consistent improvements.

Great room ambience. I like the room color and lighting. Nice view also Tv channel need major improvement. Mostly like the antenna is broken. Food was great, just that a bit awkward moment when the crew pickup our food plate which we reserve to eat it later without asking first.

Me & my husband stayed for a night. We chose the newly renovated Deluxe sea view room. It was superb! The staffs are so welcoming. The room is spacious, clean, aircond function well, bathroom is also spacious with basic amenities & the bed is super comfy! The highlight was also the night view from our room. Breakfast just OK but good enough with us. The location is not so central with foodies or any shops & mall. But with grab car service, is still OK. Overall, its a nice stay for us! Thank you.

I rarely write reviews, but our recent stay at The Thistle Johor Bahru compels me to speak out. We were a large group traveling with children, having booked seven rooms in total. Unfortunately, what awaited us was not hospitality, but a series of distressing and unacceptable experiences. Every room we were assigned was in poor condition—dirty, mould-ridden, and visibly neglected. Even upgraded rooms offered no improvement. This wasn’t a one-off issue; it reflected a broader failure in maintenance and standards across the property. More alarmingly, several power outlets overheated to the point of causing minor burns. This is a serious safety hazard that should never be present in any hotel, let alone one claiming to offer quality service. We were not informed in advance that the pool was closed for maintenance—a key amenity that influenced our booking decision. The lack of communication was disappointing and inconvenient. While we inadvertently smoked in a non-smoking area upon arrival, we immediately complied once informed. However, what followed was deeply inappropriate: hotel staff approached two children in our group—separately—and warned them that if we returned “rowdy,” the police would be called. No adult was notified. The children were left frightened and confused, which was completely unjustified and unprofessional. The most disturbing incident involved a senior staff member photographing our children in swimwear without consent as we headed to a nearby water park. One child was just five years old. This act was invasive, culturally disrespectful, and left us deeply unsettled. Despite our request for written confirmation that the photo had been deleted and not used, none was provided. To compound matters, several members of our group experienced luggage tampering—an egregious breach of privacy and trust. We ultimately chose to leave early, forfeiting paid nights, simply to protect our wellbeing. Having worked in hospitality and traveled extensively, I can confidently say this was the most troubling hotel experience I’ve ever encountered. I sincerely hope management takes these issues seriously and implements the necessary changes—especially regarding staff conduct, cultural sensitivity, and guest safety. I contacted the hotel directly, once in person and twice via email and gave them an opportunity to respond however even though reception staff nodded in agreement when I politely explained why I was upset - we received no response at all which to me shows the lack of respect they have for paying customers.

5 star hotel, 2 star experience. I just revisited this hotel 9 years since my last visit. 9 years ago, it was a very good experience. However, let's talk about my visit this weekend, in the middle of 2025. After parking my car, I took a cranky old lift to the lobby. The entrance as far away from the lobby. While checking in, I waited patiently for the receptionist to clear every guest. They weren't prepared for the number weekend guest as the wait was slow. Some 3-4 star hotel handle this much better. Hotel room was OK, a little old and dark, but bearable. However the mattress has sinked in the middle, didnt feel well rested the next night. Fine, let us get to breakfast the next day, at least there's something to look forward in the stay, right? Wrong, the morning breakfast area was so run down, even a 3 star hotel could do better. Serving pot coffee in paper cups? If the management is reading this. I am not writing in bad faith but this is a genuine feedback. You can argue that your price is low. And that is the problem, charge higher and provide a better service like how a 5 star hotel should.

Did a 3D2N stay in their newly renovated Deluxe Seaview room, spacious and comfortable with all the standard amenities. The bed is clean and comfortable. The shower is powerful, and they do have a bathtub that I did not use. Breakfast spread is alright, and the food is delicious. I also had a buffet lunch and a buffet steamboat at the hotel, prices are very affordable, and food taste is good. The swimming pool is very nice, there is a fitness center and two tennis courts too. Parking is ample and the staff are friendly. The location of the hotel is very good too, close by to the city and the causeway.

1. Toilet tub water drainage area is rusty 2. Worst breakfast ever in 5-star hotel. 3. Dining area to be shared and the food doesn’t look appetising. Tastes not delicious.