Top 10 Hotels Near Istana Besar in Johor Bahru for 2026

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Our top choices for Istana Besar hotels

A Holiday Inn Express & Suites hotel with a modern design, featuring a prominent sign and a well-lit entrance.

A hotel room with a bed, a sofa, a small table, and a TV.

A modern cafe with a curved wooden bench, a buffet counter with various food items, and multiple pendant lights.

A spacious lobby with a curved reception desk, multiple seating areas, and a staircase leading to an upper level.

1. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Johor Bahru by IHG

Johor Bahru Old Town, 0.7 km from Istana Besar

Abdul Ghani

RM183

RM245 total

includes taxes & fees

22 Oct - 23 Oct

A rooftop pool area with lounge chairs, a small pool, and surrounding greenery.

A modern hotel lobby with a reception desk, seating area, and a decorative plant display.

An outdoor café with wooden tables and chairs, surrounded by potted plants and a view of a building.

A modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances, wooden countertops, and a buffet setup.

2. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.2 km from Istana Besar

Natasha

RM286

RM347 total

includes taxes & fees

19 Oct - 20 Oct

A rooftop infinity pool with lounge chairs and a glass ceiling overlooking the ocean.

A hotel room with a large bed, a chair, a nightstand, and a view of the city.

A modern bar area with a marble countertop, red bar stools, and a beverage display.

A modern hotel room with a large window, a sofa with colorful pillows, a yellow armchair, a small round table, and a bed with a striped rug.

3. Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre by IHG

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.1 km from Istana Besar

Poomahdevi

RM318

RM388 total

includes taxes & fees

19 Oct - 20 Oct

A modern restaurant with a central bar, multiple dining tables, and a large window offering a view of the outdoors.

An aerial view of a rooftop pool with a tiled floor, a white border, and lounge chairs.

A modern hotel room with a bed, bedside table, and a view into the dining area.

4. Capri by Fraser Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.6 km from Istana Besar

Arnel

RM425

RM469 total

includes taxes & fees

23 Sept - 24 Sept

A rooftop bar with outdoor seating, a city view, and a bar area with bottles and glasses.

A rooftop terrace with wicker furniture, a table with a candle, and a cityscape view at night.

A bar area with a bartender, shelves of bottles, and a menu board.

A modern reception area with marble countertops, decorative wall panels, and a skylight.

5. Amari Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.1 km from Istana Besar

Chee Seng David

RM316

RM383 total

includes taxes & fees

27 Sept - 28 Sept

A modern hotel lobby with a central bar area, seating arrangements, and a city view.

A spacious lobby with a modern chandelier, comfortable seating, and a city view.

A modern living room with a dining area, large windows, and a city view.

A swimming pool with a water feature, surrounded by lounge chairs and umbrellas, with tall buildings in the background.

6. Sheraton Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.9 km from Istana Besar

Hamizul

RM650

RM712 total

includes taxes & fees

23 Sept - 24 Sept

A modern dining area with tables set for meals, a large window offering a city view, and a potted plant adding greenery.

A rooftop infinity pool with a wooden deck, surrounded by glass walls offering city views.

A modern hotel entrance with a glass facade, prominent pillars, and a well-lit exterior.

7. Shama Suasana Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1 km from Istana Besar

Abdul Rahim

RM227

RM255 total

includes taxes & fees

29 Sept - 30 Sept

A modern building with a green sign reading 'ibis Styles' above the entrance.

A modern restaurant interior with wooden panel ceilings, marble walls, and a long counter with seating.

A modern interior with a wooden floor, a striped sofa, a dining area with a table and chairs, and a view of the city through large windows.

A modern bathroom with a toilet, bidet, and sink. There is a glass shower enclosure and a mirror with a wooden frame.

8. Ibis Styles Johor Bahru City Centre

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.1 km from Istana Besar

Kay Heok

A hotel lobby with a check-in counter, seating area, and a 'WELCOME' mat.

A hotel room with a bed, a bedside table with a phone, a TV mounted on the wall, and a window with curtains.

A reception area with a green sofa, a red chair, a patterned floor, a ceiling fan, and a view of the outside through large windows.

A modern cafe with a central counter, multiple seating areas, and a checkered floor pattern.

9. Citrus Hotel Johor Bahru by Compass Hospitality

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.1 km from Istana Besar

Tan

RM143

RM179 total

includes taxes & fees

23 Sept - 24 Sept

A modern hotel room with a curved window, a sofa, a small table, and a kitchenette.

A gym with various exercise equipment, large windows, and a wooden floor.

A hotel room with two beds, a desk with a chair, a mirror, and a view of tall buildings through large windows.

A modern indoor lounge area with wicker furniture, a wall-mounted plant shelf, and a large potted tree.

10. Z Hotel Johor

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.1 km from Istana Besar

Mona

RM174

RM216 total

includes taxes & fees

24 Sept - 25 Sept

A multi-story hotel with a prominent sign reading "Bella Hotel".

A hotel room with a large bed, a desk, and a television.

A multi-level interior with a wooden staircase, white walls, and a tiled floor.

A reception area with a marble floor, a reception desk, framed portraits on the wall, and a potted plant.

11. Belllo Hotel JB Central

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.1 km from Istana Besar

Norridzuan

RM167

RM167 total

includes taxes & fees

23 Sept - 24 Sept

A modern living room with a sofa, a TV, and a pool view.

A buffet setup with various food items and a counter with stacked plates.

A modern hotel lobby with a reception desk, two lion statues, and a large screen displaying an indoor golf simulator advertisement.

A modern living room with a large TV, a glass coffee table, a leather sofa, and a view of a cityscape through large windows.

12. KSL Hotel & Resort

Taman Century, 3.5 km from Istana Besar

Tang Mui Rachel

RM186

RM211 total

includes taxes & fees

29 Sept - 30 Sept

A hotel room with a large bed, a wooden headboard, a window with curtains, and a wooden table.

A hotel reception area with a check-in counter, a wooden chair, a suitcase, and a motorcycle.

A staircase with red railings and shutters, leading to an interior space.

13. CIQ HOTEL at Jalan Trus

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1 km from Istana Besar

Michael

RM126

RM146 total

includes taxes & fees

23 Sept - 24 Sept

A hotel with a prominent neon sign, large windows, and a red and white facade.

A reception area with a glass partition, a reception desk, and a door.

A hotel room with a bed, a laptop, and a magazine on the bed. There is a window with curtains, a television on the wall, and a door.

A buffet with various dishes and a person serving food.

14. T Hotel Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1 km from Istana Besar

Bryan

RM69

RM92 total

includes taxes & fees

2 Oct - 3 Oct

A hotel lobby with a reception desk, seating area, and large windows.

A multi-story building with a colorful facade featuring diagonal stripes in red, blue, yellow, and white. The ground floor has a sign for "HOTEL SHOBI" and another sign indicating "NOW OPEN."

A hallway with a wooden door, a potted plant, an elevator, and a sign indicating the direction to the kitchen.

A clean, well-lit lobby with a sofa set, a small table, a potted plant, a fire hose reel, and a refrigerator.

15. Shobi Hotel Johor Bahru Near CIQ JB

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.6 km from Istana Besar

Daryl

RM69

RM74 total

includes taxes & fees

28 Sept - 29 Sept

A rooftop pool with lounge chairs, potted plants, and a view of the cityscape.

A modern hotel room with a large bed, a desk, a chair, and a view of a cityscape through large windows.

A restaurant with tables set for dining, a view of a river and buildings, and blue walls.

A modern bar area with a large window, a plant, and a counter with glasses.

16. Suasana JB Central by TPL

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1 km from Istana Besar

Farooq

RM222

RM250 total

includes taxes & fees

23 Sept - 24 Sept

A hotel entrance with a glass door, a welcome mat, and potted plants.

A hallway with a tiled floor, a fire alarm, a number 6 sign, and a 'KELUAR' exit sign.

A city street with tall buildings, a blue star decoration, and a road with a green bus.

A hotel room with two beds, a desk with a TV, a ceiling fan, and a window with curtains.

17. Hotel J.B.

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1 km from Istana Besar

Mohamed

RM102

RM120 total

includes taxes & fees

25 Sept - 26 Sept

A hotel room with two beds, a desk with a kettle and water bottles, and a large mirror above the beds.

A reception desk with a sign indicating "RECEPTION," a glass partition, and a small table with a chair to the right.

A room with two chairs, a small table with a vase of flowers, a shelf with jars and containers, and a wall-mounted air conditioner.

A multi-story hotel with a colorful facade and a sign reading "HOTEL CIQ".

18. Hotel CIQ @ Wong Ah Fook

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.1 km from Istana Besar

Yap

RM83

RM98 total

includes taxes & fees

28 Sept - 29 Sept

A modern pool area with lounge chairs and planters, surrounded by glass buildings.

A modern dining area with a large table set for four, a sofa, and a city view through large windows.

A modern living room with a sofa, coffee table, and a dining area with chairs and a table.

A modern dining area with a wooden table set for four, a TV mounted on the wall, and a large window with curtains.

19. Suasana Suites by Subhome

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1 km from Istana Besar

"The 3-bedroom property was not sufficiently clean - there were trails of ants crawling all over the place. Ants would crawl up on us when we were on the bed and sofa. The common shower had no hot water despite us switching on the water heater. Our repeated messages to Subhome regarding the water heater issue were ignored and the issue was not resolved during our 2-days stay (6 of us ended up sharing one bathroom). There were also no toiletries except two bottles of cheaply-scented body shower...

Anonymous traveller

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Compare popular hotels close to Istana Besar

Property	Property class	Guest rating
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Johor Bahru	9.0 Wonderful 1,001 reviews	View
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Johor Bahru by IHG	8.6 Excellent 335 reviews	View
Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre by IHG	8.8 Excellent 774 reviews	View
Amari Johor Bahru	8.8 Excellent 1,001 reviews	View
Z Hotel Johor	8.8 Excellent 151 reviews	View

Top Istana Besar Hotel Reviews

Amari Johor Bahru

10/10 Excellent

"Really like the clean bedsheets and pillows, clean room and amenities. Fast check in and check out, friendly staffs. Things to improve, reading lights near the bed, and vanity mirror in the toilet. Please make a retractable mirror, personally find it hard to use. For a very short person I can’t even see my face clearly without wearing my specs and how to make up? no point gluing it at the wall. Just my point of view, overall it’s a great stay."

Sheraton Johor Bahru

10/10 Excellent

"Room clean, service excellent, breakfast is good and food are delicious."

Capri by Fraser Johor Bahru

10/10 Excellent

"Was surprised to find the kitchen was well equipped. Great!"

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Johor Bahru

10/10 Excellent

"Great buffet breakfast with a huge variety. Comfortable beds"

Grand Paragon Hotel Johor Bahru

8/10 Good

"NA"

Citrus Hotel Johor Bahru by Compass Hospitality

10/10 Excellent

"Great location , staff there friendly and very good aircon ."

Suasana JB Central by TPL

10/10 Excellent

"Breakfast at level 34 was nice. highest cafe in all of JB"

Atelier Hotel Johor Bahru

8/10 Good

"Location is quite convenient. Near to eateries and massage places. Cleanliness of the property could have been better. There is a morning market on Mondays. The property is along a busy street. Can be noisy in the mornings."

CIQ HOTEL at Jalan Trus

8/10 Good

"Night can get quite noisy"

Other attractions near Istana Besar

A pelican standing on a railing by a green body of water with trees and buildings in the background.

Johor Zoo

7.0/10 (15 reviews)

Hang out with the animal kingdom to encounter a rich variety of wildlife at one of the oldest zoos in Malaysia.

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A long corridor with a blue floor, white walls, and yellow doors.

Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque

6.4/10 (8 reviews)

Visit the state mosque of Johor, a beautiful old building that was commissioned by a sultan and boasts a mix of architectural styles.

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A red colonial-style building with white trim, ornate balconies, and traditional lanterns.

Tan Hiok Nee

Find out about the history of Bandar Johor Bahru when you spend time at Tan Hiok Nee. While in this family-friendly area, find time to visit its shops.

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Royal Abu Bakar Museum

You can spend an afternoon exploring the galleries in Royal Abu Bakar Museum in Johor Bahru. Wander the area's picturesque gardens or simply enjoy one of its top-notch restaurants.

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Masjid Negeri Sultan Abu Bakar

Learn about the local history of Johor Bahru when you spend time at Masjid Negeri Sultan Abu Bakar. Visit the shops and top-notch restaurants in this family-friendly area.

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Sultan Ibrahim Building

7.4/10 (3 reviews)

After visiting Sultan Ibrahim Building, make a plan to see the other sights and activities in Bandar Johor Bahru. Wander the area's picturesque gardens or simply enjoy one of its top-notch restaurants.

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Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum

You can spend an afternoon browsing the exhibits at Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum during your trip to Bandar Johor Bahru. Make time to visit the area's shops or simply enjoy its top-notch restaurants.

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Sri Raja Mariamman Temple

After visiting Sri Raja Mariamman Temple, make a plan to see the other sights and activities in Bandar Johor Bahru. Visit the area's shops or amble around its picturesque gardens.

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Frequently asked questions

What's the area like around Istana Besar?

Istana Besar is located in a welcoming area of Johor Bahru known for its array of dining options and bird watching. If you're looking for a convenient place to stay, take a look at the 128 hotels and other accommodation options you'll find within a mile.

What's the best hotel to stay close to Istana Besar?

Amari Johor Bahru is one of the top choices for your stay based on our traveller data, and this hotel offers a full-service spa and a restaurant. It's located just a short 0.7 mi (1.1 km) from Istana Besar. Other good options close by include Capri by Fraser Johor Bahru and DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Johor Bahru.

How many hotels are there close to Istana Besar?

Expedia has 128 hotels and other accommodation options within a mile from Istana Besar.

If I need to cancel the hotel reservation for my stay near Istana Besar, will I receive a refund?

Yes! You'll find that most room reservations are fully refundable as long as you cancel prior to the accommodation's cancellation deadline, which in most cases is within 24 or 48 hours of your check-in date. If you have a non-refundable reservation, you might be able to still cancel and get a refund within a 24-hour period of booking. Enter your dates, click on "Search", then use the "fully refundable" filter to review the best deals available near Istana Besar.

What can I see and do near Istana Besar?

You'll want to browse the exhibits at Sultan Abu Bakar Royal Palace Museum and Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum. Sights like Tan Hiok Nee and Sri Raja Mariamman Temple highlight some of the local culture. Spend some time wandering around Danga Bay Park, Woodlands Waterfront Park and Choa Chu Kang Park.

How can I get to Istana Besar?

To see more of the larger area, hop aboard a train at JB Sentral. There might not be many public transport options to choose from near to Istana Besar so consider renting a car to see more of the area.

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Hotels near Istana Besar

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Treat yourself

Be picky

Check prices for these dates

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Our top choices for Istana Besar hotels

1. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Johor Bahru by IHG

2. DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Johor Bahru

3. Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre by IHG

4. Capri by Fraser Johor Bahru

5. Amari Johor Bahru

6. Sheraton Johor Bahru

7. Shama Suasana Johor Bahru

8. Ibis Styles Johor Bahru City Centre

9. Citrus Hotel Johor Bahru by Compass Hospitality

10. Z Hotel Johor

11. Belllo Hotel JB Central

12. KSL Hotel & Resort

13. CIQ HOTEL at Jalan Trus

14. T Hotel Johor Bahru

15. Shobi Hotel Johor Bahru Near CIQ JB

16. Suasana JB Central by TPL

17. Hotel J.B.

18. Hotel CIQ @ Wong Ah Fook

19. Suasana Suites by Subhome

Compare popular hotels close to Istana Besar

Top Istana Besar Hotel Reviews

Amari Johor Bahru

Sheraton Johor Bahru

Capri by Fraser Johor Bahru

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Johor Bahru

Grand Paragon Hotel Johor Bahru

Citrus Hotel Johor Bahru by Compass Hospitality

Suasana JB Central by TPL

Atelier Hotel Johor Bahru

CIQ HOTEL at Jalan Trus

Other attractions near Istana Besar

Johor Zoo

Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque

Tan Hiok Nee

Royal Abu Bakar Museum

Masjid Negeri Sultan Abu Bakar

Sultan Ibrahim Building

Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum

Sri Raja Mariamman Temple

Frequently asked questions

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