Travel: TROVE hotel Johor Bahru, Malaysia

I am actively adding more hotel reviews recently (refer to 'Travel" tab above to read about others) before moving on to other topics.


Today, I would like to talk about one of many places I have stayed in Johor Bahru. It is many Singaporeans favourite weekend spot - trust me, the jam can be horrible at times. Staycations/short trips are gaining popularity among both Singaporeans and locals. I have visited and stayed at a number of hotels and airbnb (Susana, Holiday Villa, Belllo; just to name a few). I will get to them soon enough.


My most recent trip was an airbnb meant for 5 pax but I did not go with the intention to blog about it; hence the lack of photos. I will start with the previous stay at TROVE hotel instead.

Types of rooms available

There are 5 different types of room for you to choose from, namely Standard Twin, Deluxe Twin, Deluxe King, Club Deluxe King and suites.
TROVE has 7 different types of suites and some are even suitable for bigger groups (2-4 pax).
You can visit their website to find out more

Location

Close drive from JB CIQ and KSL city. KSL is the closest mall/option around TROVE but I don't find it very safe to walk back at night. The paths are among housing estates and it can get secluded at times.

Hence, despite the close proximity, I don't really like the location of TROVE

Facilities

Two dining options - a bar and all-day dining restaurant are available for people who wish to have a meal in the hotel itself. There are meeting rooms and ball rooms in hotel for booking.

I totally cannot remember whether how the pool looks like, or whether there is one (I'm guessing TROVE should have).

Used none of the facilities during our stay.

Deluxe Twin Room

My preference was Deluxe King Room (I really like the natural vibe this room gives off) but it was fully booked. Deluxe Twin was the next best option available.




When you enter the room, you will have an area to place your luggage and your shoes



And the things inside the wardrobe




The fridge provided is a chiller fridge. Not cold enough to keep the ice-cream solid


The most unique thing about this hotel is that they provide alkaline water dispenser in every room for guests. Such a good way to cut down on disposable waste.



Alkaline water doesn't taste like very much. Remember to on the switch before consumption.




Toilet/basin.

Comes with a typical rain shower.

Room is large and it can easily fit a baby cot. However, I feel it is not fully utilised to give that cozy feeling. TROVE was rated as 5-star hotel in booking.com but it is actually a 4-star hotel. The deco, amenities and toiletries provided cannot be categorized in that anyway.

Breakfast

Breakfast taste really good - pancakes, eggs, international and Asian dishes. However, TROVE was obviously short-staffed as:

1. No one was at the reception area
2. Tables weren't cleared
3. Food weren't replenished in time

In fact, the food ran out so fast. This is probably the first time not feeling full after hotel breakfast.

Service

Check in was rather hassle-free but when J was speaking to the receptionist regarding a surprise arrangement, he was bluntly left hanging because someone else joined the queue behind for check in.
I wasn't aware of this till much later but I feel this was very uncalled for.









Overall, TROVE is a clean and value for money place for a short stay. It is great for business travellers too. Location isn't the best in my opinion but what's lacking is the service. It is a hotel with great potential and to be honest, I really wouldn't mind giving this place a second chance to get things up and running.

However, J was very put off by the incidents and he is not very keen to come back again.

I shall see how then!



Things worth mentioning:
- Fast check in
- Alkaline water dispenser available, environmentally friendly and hassle-free
- Quiet around hotel
- Close proximity to KSL/immigration
- Service is not up to standard
- Netflix available from TV (Smart TV)
- Good breakfast but not replenished fast enough

Rating: 7/10
May or may not come back again