Sheraton Johor Bahru opened its doors in October 2025 as the first Sheraton in the city. We stayed at the neighbouring SKS Pavillion Residences earlier this year, and having watched it being built, we were curious to see how it would fare a couple of months after opening.

Location

The hotel sits along Jalan Storey, a short drive from JB Sentral and the CIQ complex. It’s not really walking distance from the CIQ, so you should get here on a Grab instead.

During our stay, we could already see the shell of the upcoming RTS station, which will make the area even more accessible once complete. There’s also a shopping mall connected to the hotel on the first floor, but that will only be completed in 2026.

The lobby is on level 5, and an art installation greets you before you reach the reception desks.

Check-in

Check‑in was fast and there were no queues, granted it was a Sunday afternoon check-in. We booked a Deluxe King room and shortly before check-in, we saw that we’ve been upgraded to a Club room. There were no suite upgrades available that day.

Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status was also recognised, and the front desk staff offered a choice between welcome points, a snack or some chocolates. Breakfast was not automatically included with our rate, and the front desk staff initially suggested we use the Sheraton Club for breakfast. We asked whether we could instead take breakfast in the restaurant, which they agreed to upon request. So it does seem like breakfast isn’t offered to you upfront, and has to be requested.

The room

We got the Club room on level 21, which was already considered an “upgrade”. The Club room category is essentially the same as the Deluxe King, just on a higher floor. At 35 sqm, our room felt generous regardless of whether it was the Deluxe King room or the Club room.

It contained a king bed, a small sitting area with an ottoman and sofa, and a circular table. The furnishings were modern, with muted tones and soft lighting. The curtains were drawn on arrival, and opening them revealed an airy space with plenty of natural light.

As we were here to celebrate our anniversary, the housekeeping team presented us with a very lovely towel art, and they later left a fruit platter and chocolates after we came back from the pool.

A Nespresso machine and a selection of Dilmah teas sat on a cabinet, alongside complimentary bottled water.

The bathroom was equally spacious, featuring a walk‑in shower and a vanity sink.

Toiletries came from Gilchrist & Soames’s Warm Oak line.

Amenities

Guest facilities are concentrated on level 6, where there is a fitness centre and swimming pools. The physical signage mentions a steam room somewhere on this floor, but despite looking, we never located it.

The gym is large and well‑equipped. During our visits it was empty, and towels and water were readily available.

Outside, the pool area has a proper lap pool with shaded cabanas, plus a separate pool for children and a small bar.

Around the lobby level and near the entrance of Club Sheraton, the hotel has created open co‑working areas with communal tables. I suppose you could always work here if you needed a space urgently for work, since these are in the public areas of the hotel.

The lounge

The Sheraton Club is on level 5, next to the reception. It is compact but on a low‑occupancy weekend stay, seats were plentiful. We’ve read that it gets pretty full quickly on busier weekends.

There is a small outdoor section, while the interior offers a mix of sofas, casual chairs, café tables and work desks.

Evening canapés run from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. Cold items and fruit are kept in an open fridge, while hot dishes are laid out buffet‑style alongside a made‑to‑order noodle station.

As a reminder, Club‑level rooms and Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite members (and above) are entitled to lounge access.

A selection of desserts is also available. The vanilla and matcha pudding were pretty nice.

The lounge features a small bar with a cocktail list; we tried the Malibu Cola and found it pretty coconutty.

Breakfast

Breakfast is served in Daily Social on level 5. The restaurant has a spacious, bright interior and was not crowded during our stay.

The buffet selection was very extensive: cereals, yoghurt, cold cuts, salads, an egg station, soups, noodles, congee, pancakes, pastries, roti prata, and fresh juices were all on offer.

Upon entering the restaurant, you will be greeted by the pastries and drinks section.

The bakery corner featured pastries such as danishes, muffins, croissants and even some madelines.

Behind the pastries section are the breads and pancakes.

A live cooking counter prepared eggs to order. The spread was replenished regularly, and staff kept the area clean.

The roti prata was surprisingly good, and it was always almost gone when it’s replenished.

Concluding thoughts

Sheraton Johor Bahru delivers a polished experience for a brand‑new property, granted this was few months after opening. The location is convenient for travellers heading to or from Singapore. Marriott Platinum benefits were honoured at check‑in, although you may need to request restaurant breakfast (which we highly recommend) if you prefer it over the standard club lounge breakfast offering.

Rooms are on the spacious side, with very modern decor and amenities, granted it’s a new property. The gym and pool deck are standout features, but the steam room (as posted on the signage) proved elusive. The club lounge is compact yet offers a decent evening spread and cocktails, while the buffet breakfast at Daily Social is impressive in variety.

Overall, Sheraton Johor Bahru is a solid addition to the city’s hotel scene and worth considering for weekend stays or border runs.