Fives Hotel Johor Bahru City Centre

Rooms and decor

Fives Hotel is a good example of how a small 3-star with no pool and no design statement can still win people over — a walkable address and a friendly face at the desk turn out to be enough. The overall score lands around 7.9/10, and as with so many hotels on this list, the word that comes up most in the reviews is the staff.

The rooms themselves are clean, simply furnished and practical — the kind you sleep in before heading back out to explore. For couples and solo travelers who treat a hotel as just a place to crash, that is plenty.

The most common gripe in the reviews is that standard rooms run small, and not every room has a full set of in-room amenities. If you are traveling with a few people or want a little breathing room, bump up to a larger room type when you book — reviewers say the gap in price is not big.

Food and amenities

There is a restaurant and a small gym on site. Breakfast is fine — nothing fancy, but it fills you up before a day out, and reviewers reckon it is fair for the price.

There is parking too — but a warning: it is tight and limited. Anyone driving in during a busy stretch may spend a while circling for a spot, so leave extra time.

Location and getting there

The location is the reason people still pick this place. You are in the city center, a short walk from Komtar JBCC and City Square, with food close by and the CIQ border checkpoint a quick ride away.

Being able to walk to most things means you save on Grab fares across the whole trip — on a budget, that adds up. At rush hour the traffic around here gets thick, so leave extra time when you head out, including the roughly 30-minute Grab to LEGOLAND.

Things to know before booking

This is a basic 3-star — clean and well located, but without premium facilities. The standard rooms are small and some lack a full set of in-room amenities, so book a larger type if you want more space. Parking is cramped and limited, which matters most if you are driving. And the streets nearby clog up at rush hour, so plan extra time for any border or theme-park runs.

Our take

Budget couples and solo travelers — anyone who uses the room only to sleep and does not need a pool or luxury extras — get the best of this hotel: the location and the warm service. If you want a pool or a roomier space for the family, look at other options on the list such as Suasana Suites or Hotel Sentral, which have pools.