Holiday Inn Express & Suites is open!

 

Johor Baru, an important city in the South and a connecting hub between Malaysia and Singapore, is the first choice for the first Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Malaysia.

 

The reception counter in the lobby of the
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Johor Baru

On 15 December 2021, Johor Baru welcomed the opening of Holiday Inn Express & Suites in the heart of the city. [Holiday Inn is a familiar hotel brand here as it was one of the first international hotel brands to open in Johor Baru, some decades ago.]

 

The all-new Holiday Inn Express & Suites is where leisure and business travellers can expect efficient and seamless experiences with a speedy check-in, a good night’s rest, power showers and the convenience of complimentary Wi-Fi connection.

 

This 203-room hotel aims to be the smarter choice among travel-savvy guests who are seeking a simple and engaging place to rest, recharge and get a little work done.

 

Facade of the hotel viewed from
Jalan Syed Mohd Mufti

In the hotel tour to view some of the room configurations, I was delighted to discover that while the rooms may be compact, they were created with comfort in mind.

 

Comfortable beds that come with a promise of good sleep, a plush duvet to snuggle up in and even a choice of soft or firm pillows to rest on.

 

Cosy accommodation is provided in a range of Standard Rooms with Queen or Twin beds, One-bedroom suites and Two-bedroom suites and there is even a spacious Accessible Room, specially equipped for physically disabled and elderly guests.

 

While this may be a smaller hotel, it is equipped with a restaurant, a Meeting Space, ideal for hosting corporate and social events for up to 120 people, as well as Fitness Centre and Laundry Room, both open 24 hours for the guests’ convenience.

 

Standard rooms are compact yet comfortable

As the world adjusts to new travel norms and expectations, the hotel has adopted the IHG Clean Promise standards to maintain cleanliness and provide guests with greater confidence and protection.

 

In addition to the IHG Clean Promise, the hotel also uses new, science-led protocols and service measures in partnership with industry leading experts like Cleveland Clinic, Ecolab and Diversey.

 

This hotel is also the latest addition to one of the world’s largest hotel loyalty programmes, IHG Rewards, where guests can earn and redeem points at nearly 6,000 hotels and major airlines globally.

 

A cosy two-bedroom suite

In a simple ceremony held at the front porch, General Manager of Holiday Inn Express & Suites Johor Baru, Melanie Rahayu, shared her aspirations for the hotel on its opening here.

 

“I am excited to unveil Holiday Inn Express & Suites as the latest addition to the IHG Hotels & Resorts’ portfolio of hotels in Johor Baru, one of the most vibrant cities in Malaysia,” said Melanie.

 

“Our hotel concept will enable even more business and leisure travellers to experience a smarter way of travelling as we provide what matters most to travellers,” she added.

 

Guests can expect more of what really matters especially with the hotel’s central location, close to shopping malls like KOMTAR JBCC and Johor Baru City Square, the international convention centre, government offices like KWSP or Employees Provident Fund, and the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) as well as walking distance to the city’s charming heritage quarter.

 

A choice of Soft or Firm pillows

The hotel is also a short walk away from the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration & Quarantine (CIQ) Complex which houses the checkpoint into Singapore and the railway station, and the nearby Singapore-Johor Baru Rapid Transit System (RTS) terminal, which is currently under construction.

 

To drum up good fortune and a favourable future for the hotel at this auspicious occasion, it was fitting to feature a dramatic drum performance by the drum troop of the 24 Festive Drums.*

 

The hotel has the advantage of enjoying dual road frontages so while its entrance is from Jalan Syed Mohd Mufti, access to the carpark is through Jalan Dato Dalam.

 

Guests who arrive on foot by way of Jalan Dato Dalam can take a convenient shortcut via a flight of stairs and covered walkway, located next to the building to reach the front of the hotel at Jalan Syed Mohd Mufti.

 

An impressive performance by the
24 Festive Drums on this auspicious occasion
 

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Johor Baru is located at Lot 512, Jalan Syed Mohd Mufti, 80000 Johor Baru, Johor. For reservations, Tel: +607 218 3333 or email to: holidayinnexpress.com/johorbahru

 

For more info and latest news, visit the hotel’s Newsroom or follow the hotel’s page on Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter.

 

*The 24 Festive Drums art of drumming is a proudly Johor-born tradition and I had the privilege to feature Tan Chai Puan, co-founder of the 24 Festive Drums in an exclusive story under Portraits in my 2017 Bestseller, My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage.

 

Balloons were released at the end of
the hotel's opening ceremony

And for this, My Johor Stories earned a place of pride in the Museum of the 24 Festive Drums, a destination which is located in the city’s heritage quarter.

 

[When I arrived at the event, I recognised the drummers from their traditional costumes. Then while waiting for the event to start, I was pleasantly surprised when two of the drummers approached me simply to say, “Hello.”

 

I was much impressed that they not only know me (even behind my mask!) but had the courage and initiative to step up and speak to me.

 

That's me [Centre] with the drum troop of
the 24 Festive Drums, taken after the event

It was rare for young people to approach me – mainly because they lacked confidence to converse in English – but these drummers were not only disciplined and skilled in drumming but they also had the confidence to speak up. Well done, guys!

 

After the ceremony, while everyone was invited indoors for refreshments, I was slowly making my way to the entrance when the drummers approached me again.

 

This time, to invite me to pose for a photo with them. Two drumsticks were handed to me and when I accepted, I hesitated because I was overwhelmed with such honour and pleasure. I did not know what to do with those sticks… so I just held them up.]

 

Congratulations Holiday Inn Express & Suites Johor Baru and thank you drummers of the 24 Festive Drums, for a memorable experience at the hotel’s opening ceremony on 15 December 2021.