Incredible harbour view, lush greenery, and awesome theme parks at your doorsteps – just the idea of losing ourselves in a weekend retreat off the usual urban city scrapers and waking up to yachts and the spectacular view of the Johor straits is enough to trigger a serious case of wanderlust. We give you this piece of gem to add on to your travel bucket list with your kids, as the newest hotel brand in Shangri-La Group; Hotel Jen Puteri Habour in Malaysia is a great alternative to seaside resorts; and its is in the region’s luxury and serene spot, far from the hustle and bustle of city life.
The undeniable fact that Hotel Jen, Puteri Harbour is perched extremely near to the theme parks which your kids will beg to visit every school holiday: Sanrio Hello Kitty Town, The Little Red Cube which houses Bob the Builder, Barney, Angelina Ballerina , Pingu and Thomas & Friends, and in close proximity, another major theme park attraction in Johor for families and those young-at-heart; Legoland Malaysia which is merely a 5 mins ride away! (oh! We got the Sanrio Hello Kitty Town covered for you earlier, do check out our guide to the new theme attraction where you become one of the Wizard of Oz’s Heros to save Oz and meet the adorable Hello Kitty herself!)
LOCATION
Located in an economic zone of Iskandar Malaysia, at the Puteri Harbour waterfront in the Nusajaya Zone, passing the Tuas checkpoint only takes 15 minutes to reach the hotel! Conveniently if you are here for some shopping spree, do head over to Johor Premium Outlets, Johor’s finest outlet shopping which is 20 minutes ride away. If the men seek for some outdoor golfing experience, The Horizon Hills Gold & Country Club is also a 15 minutes drive from the hotel as well. Coming altogether as the perfect hotel for a fam-cation in Malaysia without getting on a plane!
Here’s the guide to our site visit and we curated our recommended rooms to get the weekend wanderlust dream fulfilled!
LOBBY
Hotel Jen – the new rebrand of Traders Hotel at Puteri Harbour, Johor is the tenth hotel to adopt the new Hotel Jen brand by Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd. Bringing in a new “Jeneration” to cater to the guests who seek simple pleasures or easy efficiencies during their stay here. There are in total 283 guestrooms with a selection of 8 varied room types ranging from a 33sqm Deluxe Room to the 96sqm Speciality Suite.
Checking in was fuss free at their wide contemporary designed lobby with curvy waves-liked decor which reminds vividly of the gorgeous harbour view by the marina. If you are constant on the move, be ensured of that high-speed internet access and mobile changing stations throughout the hotel. It’s good to know that complimentary fruit-infused waters and signature iced teas are available for a freshening up after the tiring bus rides while waiting for your room cards.
RESTAURANTS + CAFE
Additionally their little extra touches are the availability of food and drinks vending machine, 12-hour convenient store and free scheduled shuttle to Legoland which is easily within your reach and call. There is also an “On-the-Go” deli for nutritious and tasty grab and go food with 50% off discount once its 6 pm daily!
# LOBBY LOUNGE #
Alternatively, you can leave your luggage at the concierge counter and saunter to the Lobby Lounge to relax those worn out feet of yours on the comfy lounge sofas to grab some light snacks or cocktails before heading up to your rooms.
# HARBOUR CAFE #
Look towards Harbour Cafe for your serving of international and local cuisine in this all day dining outlet with live station such as sushi bar and dessert table decorated with an abundance of savory and tantalizing dainties such as creme brulee and chocolate fondue machine!
Mobile charging station also available within the restaurants as well as a PressReader app with free access to 2500 online publications but fret not if you prefer printed publication, they are still around for grabs!
CLUB LOUNGE
You can get all the fabulous perks being a member in their Club Lounge, from fuss-free check-in and check-out, amazing personalized concierge service at your every call, complimentary light refreshments thru out the day, special breakfast buffet, one piece of free laundry pressing per stay and many more benefits that you wish to stay longer than your current plan.. Oh and does that sounds liked what’s going thru our mind right now..
HEALTH CLUB
The Health Club provides well-equipped gym facilities, and comes with a luxury spa parlor where mummies can hop over for her indulging 1 hour treatment while the kids and Daddies can plunge into the gorgeous infinity pool or kids pool for a dip to catch that stunning sunsets and the vast greenery that stretch 180 degrees around the hotel. This is one holiday where everyone can be taken care of, Are you dreaming of it yet?
PREMIER ROOM
Staying at their stylish and comfy Premier Room is definitely one we wish to book after this site tour. Coming from the properties of Shangri-la group, you won’t be disappointed by its level of comfort. Modern designed en-suite bathroom, a spacious bedroom with a great ocean view from your window (if you have the harbour view rooms) and a separate living area where kids are free to roam or catch their favourite cartoons from the cable television.
With such a chic room and the awesome currency conversion rate at our favour, your expected damage range from MYR448 (S$159+) for advance booking to MYR800 (S$261+) which includes 2 tickets to Sanrio Hello Kitty Town and The Little Big Club & breakfast!
EXECUTIVE SUITE
For more luxury staycation, the 8 Executive Suites complements a more capacious living area than the Premier Room. You are also entitled to the Illy coffee machine and access to the Club Lounge. Adding on the usage of their dry-cleaning service is a godsend because no matter how much kilos your dirty clothes weight as long it fits into the laundry bag it only costs MYR70 nett to have it all washed and pressed (and this Great service is available to all guests!).
The cost of this room range from MYR824 (S$269+) for advance booking to MYR1270 (S$415+) which includes 2 tickets to Sanrio Hello Kitty Town and The Little Big Club & breakfast which is definitely more worth it than getting the tickets alone (MYR80 per theme park ticket)!
EAT
There are, of course, a collection of eateries dotted along the harbour where alfresco restaurants, retail outlets ( i.e Toys ‘R’ Us ) and the beautiful landscaped walkway which is just a few steps away from the hotel to feed the whole brood. We were told to check out the recommended local eateries such as liked Old Town Cafe, Brussel Beer Cafe (beer and finger food haven), Nusa Khao (serving delectable Thai cuisine), however we discovered a uber-stylish restaurant which caught us by their attractive promotion for every main course comes with free drinks + desserts at DINE.
At the sight of the stylish modern European-inspired setting, you may imagine it’s a venue for alcohol or wine drinking, however, be surprised by the galore of meal selection in its menu. We had our turn in going thru the menu over again to pick the perfect dish as they are so many to choose from. Our verdict was to order – Gangnam-styled wings and you will never want to order the same thing in Singapore. The sauce was heavenly delectable and the meat was tender to the bones. End it with a sweet note from their velvet panna cotta dessert that didn’t disappoint even from their starter!
Tips To Have That Awesome Staycation In Malaysia:
- Travelling over may just take more around an hour to two depending the traffic at the customs, so make sure your kiddo gets their dose of breakfast or lunch before getting on the bus.
- To get the best out of this staycation, check out their ongoing promotions for free breakfast, upgrades, family, theme park packages for a fraction of our local price.
For more info, your answer to a deserving vacation in Johor is here: www.hoteljen.com
This post is sponsored by Hotel Jen, Puteri Harbour.
By,
Familystaysg