Hotel Review: Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall (King Bed with Pool View) - New, Modern Hotel Connected to Paradigm Mall with Great Shopping and Food Options

It is extremely easy to visit Johor Bahru from Singapore and I have done this trip on multiple occassions over the years. There are many reasons why you should consider visiting Johor Bahru, but if I were to be perfectly candid, the favourable exchange rate and a change of surroundings would be top of my list. So when the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall opened in November 2023, I knew I had to check it out for myself since I love a good weekend getaway from Singapore. Getting from Singapore to Johor Bahru is pretty easy and you can consider taking the bus, train, or even charter a private car to take you across the borders. The private car option would likely provide the most comfortable journey but you might save quite a bit of time if you are traveling via the train or bus (since there is a dedicated bus lane). 

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Transtar Cross Border Bus
Johor Bahru

As I was traveling on a week day, I decided to take one of the Transtar Cross Border Buses to Johor Bahru before hopping on a GrabCar to the hotel. Getting from the JB CIQ Checkpoint to Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall takes approximately 15-20 minutes without traffic. Now i have personally never been to this part of Johor Bahru as I typically stay at the Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel (which has plenty of great food options) or the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Johor Bahru which is just a stone's throw away from CIQ. Now I love the relatively new Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre a lot but I do not have significant status in the IHG One Rewards program as I have just lost Diamond Elite in 2024. 

Hotel Lobby
Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

Check-in is located on Level 7 of the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall which is directly connected to Paradigm Mall, one of the largest regional malls in the city. Even though Paradigm Mall opened back in 2017, Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall only officially opened its doors to the public in November 2023. I have not been to many Hyatt Place properties myself but my stays at the Hyatt Place Bangkok Sukhumvit have always been pleasant. The check-in process was fairly straightforward and as a Globalist member, I was informed that my room had been upgraded to the best room category (just one category below a suite) - the King Bed with Pool View. Now it is important to remember that Hyatt Place properties are not required to provide any upgrades to Globalist members under the World of Hyatt program so this is a nice bonus to have. Additionally, I was also informed that complimentary breakfast is also included in my stay as a Globalist benefit. 

Bedroom
King Bed with Pool View - Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

The King Bed with Pool View rooms overlook the swimming pool and gym of the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall which are both located on Level 7 of the property. Measuring 27-31 sqm in size, these rooms feature a king-size Hyatt Grand Bed, a Cozy Corner (which is a Hyatt Place signature), and a sofa-sleeper. Even though 27 sqm does not sound like a lot of space, the layout of the room makes it feel larger than it is.

Welcome Amenities
King Bed with Pool View - Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

I received a bowl of fresh fruits, some cookies, and a letter as my welcome amenities. I always appreciate fresh fruits over chocolates so this is a nice touch and the signed letter from the General Manager is also an appreciated gesture. Strangely though, the letter included the Globalist benefits for the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall, and breakfast is only included for one registered guest. As I have mentioned previously, complimentary breakfast is not a Globalist benefit at Hyatt Place properties but I did find it strange that breakfast is only extended to one guest (assuming the Globalist member) for the stay.

Bedroom
King Bed with Pool View - Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

Located next to the king-size bed is the Cozy Corner where you will find a long sofa with a small coffee table. While the room does come with a long work desk near the window, it faces a wall and the chair is not very comfortable to sit on for a long period of time. I ended up working on my laptop from the Cozy Corner instead - at least it looked out to a view and there was also a universal power outlet located by the side of the wall.

Bedside Controls
King Bed with Pool View - Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

Even though not all the power outlets are universal, I found at least four of them that were and three more that will fit a G-type plug (the same one that we use in Singapore). Now that’s plenty and I have to say that this is pretty impressive for a Hyatt Place property. Located on both sides of the bed are universal power outlets and two USB ports for you to keep your devices nearby while you allow them to charge. A lot of hotels only provide these charging ports on one side of the bed so this is certainly a nice surprise at the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall. The mattress of the Hyatt Grand Bed is on the firmer side but I did find it very comfortable to sleep in. The air-conditioning in the room also works perfectly and you can even set the temperature below 18°C. With that being said, do note that it reverts to an energy-efficient temperature (22.5°C) if the room is not occupied so be prepared to come back to a warmer room.

TV and Work Desk
King Bed with Pool View - Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

All of the rooms here at the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall come with a 55-inch HDTV that is mounted on the wall and a spacious work desk. The smart TV supports wireless casting so you can easily cast your favourite TV shows using the interTouch Cast system (which works for both iOS and Android devices) that is commonly found in newer Hyatt properties. The TV cannot be adjusted so if you are watching it from the sofa, you might have to deal with the slight angle of viewing but otherwise, the problem can be easily solved if you just simply hop into bed.

View from Room
King Bed with Pool View - Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

Located in the town of Skudai, the rooms over here at the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall do not look out to much and since you are 15-20 minutes away from the causeway, you will not be able to spot any large bodies of water from your rooms. My room looked out to the swimming pool which was rather pleasant but you will probably not notice anything else of interest otherwise. Even though my room was located on a lower floor, I did not have any prominent issues with ambient noise - you may get the occasional humming from the traffic and the door slam from a noisy neighbour but I slept pretty well as a light sleeper.

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You will not find a coffee machine here in the room but some basic freeze-dried coffee and teabags are provided if you need a caffeine fix. I would personally just head out for a coffee instead since there are quite several decent coffee shops in Paradigm Mall. It is also great that the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall does not require you to take two sets of lifts to get to the mall - the same lift that you take from your room will take you directly to the Ground Floor where you will be able to access the mall within seconds. A small unstocked minibar is also provided in the rooms and this also works great - I typically only drink chilled beverages and thankfully the minibar works great.

Bathroom
King Bed with Pool View - Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

I have stayed at most international chain hotels in Johor Bahru - the Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre, Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru, Amari Johor Bahru, as well as the Capri by Fraser, Johor Bahru - and all of the guest rooms (apart from the suites) here do not come with a bathtub. Similarly the bathrooms at the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall do not have a bathtub and it only comes with a standing shower (with no rain shower head).

Bathroom
King Bed with Pool View - Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

The bathroom is pretty nicely appointed but only toothbrushes and a shower cap are provided by default. If you require any of the typical personal hygiene amenities, you may request them from the front desk but do note that since this is a select service property, you will be required to pick them up from Level 7 yourself. Even though I did enjoy my stay at the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall, the bathroom needs work. Firstly, the water pressure at the hotel is pretty weak and as I have mentioned previously, my room was not even located on one of the higher floors. Secondly, there seems to be a problem with the hot water supply as it is fairly intermittent (when it works) so you could be halfway through a warm shower before it suddenly switches to a cold stream of water.

Bulk-size Amenities
King Bed with Pool View - Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

Thirdly, the bulk-size amenities on the wall were not even mounted or secured in any way (except glue I guess?). Halfway through my shower, these bath amenities fell from the wall (since they were not secured) and I had to inform the front desk of this - they eventually sent someone up to secure it with an electric drill but I just thought that it was pretty weird. Bulk-size bath amenities are provided here at the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall and they are from a brand called KenetMD which I am not familiar with. With that being said, they are the same ones that are offered at the Hyatt House Kuala Lumpur, Mont Kiara.

Open Wardrobe and Storage
King Bed with Pool View - Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

The rooms at the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall offer an open wardrobe where you will also find an electronic safe, an iron, ironing board, as well as some disposable bathroom slippers. There is actually quite a bit of storage space here but if like me, you are only visiting from Singapore for a short weekend getaway, you should have no issues fitting all your stuff in the provided space. I also really like the small sitting area which also doubles as a luggage rack near the entrance of the room.

Gym
Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

I try to maintain a reasonably active routine even when traveling, and in cities like Kuala Lumpur where there are plenty of fitness studios available, I use an app like ClassPass to access classes conveniently when I am traveling internationally. If you do not have a ClassPass account yet, signing up for a trial using my referral link will give you 20 more credits that you can use during your trial. Unfortunately, there are only a handful of fitness studios on ClassPass in Johor Bahru and most of them are not workouts that I would typically consider. Thankfully the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall has a gym on Level 7 and even though it was fairly small, it had a decent number of equipment that I could use to make it work.

Gym
Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

There are two treadmills, an elliptical machine, and two different exercise bikes in the gym if you are looking to do a bit of cardiovascular training. While I do enjoy an outdoor run, I am not familiar with the Skudai area in Johor Bahru and the busy road conditions outside are a major deterrence to me. There is a range of dumbbells in the gym and the heaviest pair you will find is 20kgs each - decent enough for most travelers. If you have to get a proper gym session in, there is a Celebrity Fitness outlet in Paradigm Mall but I am not sure whether they do casual sessions or whether it requires a long commitment period for access.

Gym
Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

Since I was only staying at the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall for a couple of nights, the gym was good enough for me as I just wanted some basic workouts in while feasting on the delicious food that the area has to offer.

Breakfast Buffet
On Seven Bistro - Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

There is only one F&B venue at the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall and that is the On Seven Bistro which is located on well, Level 7 of the hotel. A buffet breakfast is offered here for all guests staying on a breakfast-inclusive rate and I do believe breakfast is included in the opening offer that is currently running. I am not sure whether complimentary breakfast is offered to all registered guests occupying the same room as the Globalist member (as the front counter seems to suggest) or is only extended to the member (as the welcome letter implies) but it is an extra benefit that is nice to have.

Breakfast Buffet
On Seven Bistro - Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

While the breakfast spread is pretty decent with a mixture of cold and hot food selections, I cannot help but compare it to the fantastic spread over at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Johor Bahru and the Renaissance Johor Bahru Hote - both hotels are also priced at a similar price point on most days. At the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall, you will find a typical continental breakfast spread consisting of freshly-baked pastries, cereals, sausages, and scrambled eggs.

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If you are craving something local, Nasi Lemak and Roti Canai seem to be the recurring items on the breakfast spread but nothing else changes significantly on a day-to-day basis. If you are visiting from Singapore or simply doing a short stay here, this should not be an issue at all but if you are planning to stay here for a longer duration, you might get bored of the selection pretty quickly.

Breakfast Buffet
On Seven Bistro - Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

Hotel guests may also order sunny side up or omelets from the live egg station at the On Seven Bistro and even though there is a sign that restricts the maximum number of orders per guest to two, this is never really enforced during my stay - I suspect it is just there to deter people from wasting food and to potentially meet the higher demand on weekends. You may help yourself to coffee from one of two coffee machines or if you prefer, there is also a range of teabags to select from. There is also a fresh orange juice dispensing machine that you can help yourself to - simply roll a few oranges into it and enjoy freshly squeezed orange juice.

Hotel Lobby
Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

There is plenty of seating around the lobby and the On Seven Bistro extends to this area on weekends or when the hotel is running high on occupancy. On a regular day, however, this place is typically quite quiet and I have found it quite conducive to getting some work done outside of meal periods. Even though the space is technically part of On Seven Bistro, it also seems to be a public area where hotel guests may choose to work from unofficially.

Al Freso Sitting Area
Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

During my stay at the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall, I was blessed with pretty windy and sunny weather so I ended up getting a lot of work done in the al fresco area by the pool. Even though the occupancy was pretty high, the al fresco area was almost always empty whenever I visited - I guess people just prefer sitting in air-conditioning but I enjoyed working on my laptop in this area.

The Marketplace
Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

Located next to the check-in area is The Marketplace and I believe this is a signature of the Hyatt Place brand where guests can pick up necessities (at a cost) without having to head out of the hotel conveniently. The Hyatt Place Bangkok Sukhumvit where I have stayed on multiple occassions has a Marketplace as well but honestly, if you are staying at the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall, you are just seconds away from a massive shopping mall where you will find popular convenience stores like FamilyMart and 7-Eleven. There is also a Village Grocer if you are after a real supermarket and that should have everything you require - just remember to bring a bag because plastic bags are no longer offered.

Swimming Pool
Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

If you are staying here over the weekends, do note that the pool gets very busy in the early morning and in the late evening - most people seem to avoid the sun but if you wish to enjoy a good dose of Vitamin D, the pool was practically empty from 12 PM to 3 PM every day that I was there. The Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall is a great hotel in Johor Bahru at a reasonable price point - the location is quite atypical for Singaporeans to stay at (since most people rather stay near the CIQ area where you can access the shopping malls, cafes, and local eateries in the area) but if you do enjoy being away from that area, I do recommend giving the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall a try. Now if you are driving, you should not really be bothered by the hotel’s location but if you would like to stay in the hotel mostly, the massive shopping mall should have everything you need and you can always order food in if you prefer to enjoy something a little bit more authentic.

Swimming Pool
Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

I have found the general service levels at the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall to be good - the hotel staff will always acknowledge you in the public areas and they all seem to be generally happy. Empty plates were also quickly removed from the dining table at breakfast and restaurant staff are always pretty attentive. With all that being said, the hotel does need to work on a handful of things - the water pressure and temperature in the showers need to be fixed. I have showered with cold water on some occassions during my short stay simply because I do not have the patience to wait for the water’s temperature to be perfect. The housekeeping service is also pretty patchy as I had to request it twice on a given day - I wanted them to come by around lunchtime when I was out so I could take a work call in the afternoon but my room wasn’t cleaned after two hours later.

Hotel Lobby
Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall

As someone who does not travel a lot for work (less than 20 days a year), I am always on the lookout for affordable properties in the region where I can work remotely to keep top-tier status in hotel loyalty programs that I care about. While I used to go to Kuala Lumpur quite a lot for this purpose, the Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall seems like a fantastic option for now and I will be back again very soon for another weekend stay.

Hyatt Place Johor Bahru Paradigm Mall
Paradigm Mall, Jln Mewah Ria 2, Taman Bukit Mewah, 81200 Johor Bahru, Johor
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