Havona Hotel @ CIQ Johor Bahru

Ross Ulbricht

a month ago

Terrible Hotel Management We booked and fully paid for a Queen Room via the Traveloka Website, with a special request for early check-in at 1:00 AM and check-out at 12:00 PM. We understand that special requests are subject to availability, and we knowingly accepted that risk. Upon arrival, the receptionist informed us that the Queen Room was not available for early check-in. However, they mentioned that a single capsule room was available. Since we only needed a place to sleep for a few hours, we agreed to downgrade the room without any complaint, expected it just for the exchange for the Queen room. The problem is we were told that we still had to pay the full price for the capsule room, even though we had already paid for the Queen Room, which costs more. We did not demand compensation or make unreasonable requests. We simply wanted a peaceful place to rest. Paying the full price again for a downgraded room is completely unacceptable and bullshit. The worst thing was that the receptionist doesn't have access to the booking system but only the manager, which is surprising and unprofessional for a hotel that claims to offer self check-in services. A hotel with good reviews should be able to handle such a basic situation. To avoid trouble, we peacefully decided to leave and booked another hotel instead. At Kingston Hotel 7 @ Johor Bahru, we made the same early check-in request and experienced no issues at all. This clearly highlights the difference in management quality, not policy. *** As for the Queen Room we already paid for, we will not stay that night, so just cancel it or assign it to another guest. Thank you for the chaotic night. *** Response to their Reply: We didn’t book the hotel with the wrong date. We came to JB from KL, and we thought we would reach JB earlier, around 11:00 PM, then go to Singapore and stay at a hotel on the 12th. That’s why we didn’t book any hotel in JB. However, when we arrived in JB, it was already 12:30 AM. The option available was from 12 January to 13 January, which is why we made a specific request to check in at 2:00 AM and check out at 12:00 PM on the same date. We are not trying to take advantage of the hotel by checking in early. In a hotel, the receptionist is the one who has access to the system. But in your reply, you mentioned security reasons and other explanations, which honestly don’t make much sense. It’s quite funny, actually. There was one available room, a capsule room. That’s why we requested the receptionist to switch the room for us. However, he said no, we had to pay for the capsule room price, and didn’t even care about the room we originally purchased. A hotel that doesn’t reflect on its own issues but instead tries to cover their mistakes is kind of funny and disappointing. Yes, we also know that booking at around 1AM creates some difficulties but as a service industry, hotels are expected to handle such situations with better communication and flexibility. As we mentioned above, we went to another hotel and made the same request (check-in at 2:00 AM and check-out at 12:00 PM on the same day). They agreed and arranged everything smoothly without any trouble.

Akmal Zulkarnain

3 months ago

This is a brand new hotel with a unique concept of self-check in. Definitely a value for money. I booked a Deluxe King room, which is reasonably sized (given its price) and was spotless. My 5-star rating is justified by two aspects - value for money and impeccable cleanliness. The only downside is the limited parking space. I am not sure how the system works, but it'll be nice if the management can apply for some dedicated parking spaces for the guests.

Timothy Bastian

3 months ago

This capsule hotel is perfect with one exception: This capsule hotel should charge a huge fine or kick out those who abuse the bathroom. Kick them out without a refund. There needs to be accountability of some kind. It is only the men and it happens every day. At this point, the staff probably know me as “The man who complains about the toilets.” I’ve already reported two men and tomorrow I’ll be reporting a third man. Roughly 80% of the men here absolutely refuse to flush the toilet. It is not hard…. just press the button. It is such a simple task that it shows a pure lack of respect for the hotel, the other guests, women, and the person who has to clean up after them. It is not a reflection of the hotel or the staff; this is based on the guests only. It is such a problem that I’m here writing this review. I’m tired of complaining, but women (and me) don’t deserve to walk in and see what I see. Other than that, this hotel is clean and the staff are amazing and very helpful.

Deepak Mann

3 months ago

My three-night stay in a single capsule room was very comfortable. The washroom facilities were impeccably clean, and the security measures were commendable. Furthermore, the location was highly advantageous. Overall, the experience was positive.

Cloe Wong

3 months ago

The bed here is quite comfy and unlumpy, though a bit small. Perfect for a solo trip or a couple's short stay. 😊 I really liked the self check-in kiosk it was super easy to use and great for introverts!