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

A water park with multiple water slides and a pool area.

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

1. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Johor Bahru by IHG

Johor Bahru Old Town, 0.7 km from Istana Besar

Abdul Ghani

RM201

RM267 total

includes taxes & fees

1 Nov - 2 Nov

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

A modern hotel room with a large sofa, a coffee table, a TV, and a city view through large windows.

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

Alfred

RM286

RM347 total

includes taxes & fees

21 Oct - 22 Oct

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

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

A modern restaurant with a long counter, bar seating, and a patterned floor.

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

3. Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre by IHG

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.1 km from Istana Besar

"Fantastic location and comfortable stay! The location of this hotel is unbeatable—it’s right next to Komtar JBCC and City Square, making shopping and dining incredibly convenient, especially after crossing CIQ. The room was spotless, modern, and quiet with a very comfortable bed. Check-in and check-out were smooth, and the front desk staff were friendly and efficient throughout our stay. The breakfast buffet had a great spread with plenty of variety. Would definitely stay here again on my next...

Albee

RM309

RM377 total

includes taxes & fees

9 Nov - 10 Nov

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

A modern lobby with a reception desk, seating area, and a green wall feature.

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

4. Capri by Fraser Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.6 km from Istana Besar

Nicole Jia Hui

RM425

RM469 total

includes taxes & fees

15 Oct - 16 Oct

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

A swimming pool with lounge chairs and umbrellas, surrounded by high-rise buildings.

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

ShengJia

RM316

RM383 total

includes taxes & fees

10 Nov - 11 Nov

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

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

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

6. Sheraton Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.9 km from Istana Besar

Cristal Su Yin

RM550

RM604 total

includes taxes & fees

25 Oct - 26 Oct

A modern interior with a round table surrounded by green bar stools, a red hanging light fixture, and a seating area with cushioned benches.

A hotel room with a bed, a nightstand, a bedside table, a wall-mounted lamp, and a wardrobe.

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

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.

7. Ibis Styles Johor Bahru City Centre

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.1 km from Istana Besar

Kay Heok

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

A modern living room with a sofa, a coffee table, and a TV on a wall.

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

8. Shama Suasana Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1 km from Istana Besar

Andrew

RM227

RM255 total

includes taxes & fees

15 Oct - 16 Oct

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

A modern dining area with a wooden table, wicker chairs, and a potted plant.

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.

9. Z Hotel Johor

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.1 km from Istana Besar

Mona

RM174

RM216 total

includes taxes & fees

15 Oct - 16 Oct

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

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

A tall hotel building with a modern design, featuring a grid of windows and a prominent sign at the top.

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

10. Citrus Hotel Johor Bahru by Compass Hospitality

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.1 km from Istana Besar

Tan

RM144

RM180 total

includes taxes & fees

15 Oct - 16 Oct

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

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

A hallway with a wooden floor, white walls, and a metal railing. There are potted plants along the railing.

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

11. Belllo Hotel JB Central

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.1 km from Istana Besar

Kyanta

RM167

RM167 total

includes taxes & fees

23 Oct - 24 Oct

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

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

A hallway with wooden sliding doors, a potted plant on a wooden stump, and a patterned carpet.

12. CIQ HOTEL at Jalan Trus

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1 km from Istana Besar

Michael

RM139

RM160 total

includes taxes & fees

5 Nov - 6 Nov

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

A reception area with a wooden reception desk, a black door, and a wall with vertical wooden slats.

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

13. T Hotel Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1 km from Istana Besar

Bryan

RM99

RM127 total

includes taxes & fees

20 Oct - 21 Oct

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

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

14. Suasana JB Central by TPL

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1 km from Istana Besar

Farooq

RM221

RM249 total

includes taxes & fees

15 Oct - 16 Oct

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

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

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 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

RM69

RM75 total

includes taxes & fees

15 Oct - 16 Oct

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

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

A long, well-lit hallway with a reflective floor, large chandeliers, and vertical wooden panels on the walls.

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

16. KSL Hotel & Resort

Taman Century, 3.5 km from Istana Besar

Jasmine

RM197

RM223 total

includes taxes & fees

2 Nov - 3 Nov

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

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

A multi-story hotel with balconies, a red building with a 'Link Postpaid' sign, and a 'Bangunan KAHIM' sign.

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

17. Hotel J.B.

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1 km from Istana Besar

Mohamed

RM102

RM120 total

includes taxes & fees

23 Oct - 24 Oct

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

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

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

A modern hallway with wooden paneling and white walls, leading to a door at the end.

18. Hotel CIQ @ Wong Ah Fook

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.1 km from Istana Besar

Yap

RM83

RM98 total

includes taxes & fees

20 Oct - 21 Oct

A building entrance with glass doors, two potted plants, and a sign.

A reception area with a wooden counter, a seating area with chairs, and a staircase leading to an upper level.

A hotel room with a large bed, a nightstand with a lamp, and a wall-mounted wooden decor piece.

A conference room with a long table, chairs, a potted plant, and a fire extinguisher on the wall.

19. Kingston Hotel 7 @ Johor Bharu

Johor Bahru Old Town, 1.2 km from Istana Besar

"The hotel lobby, lift and bathroom had a humid, sewage smell. The moment we entered the room, we were hit with an overpowering air freshener smell that gave us a headache. Hotel room flooring was sticky and we resorted to wearing the paper thin slippers (there would be dust/hair stuck on your feet if you didn’t). Soundproofing is very bad - you can hear the people from other rooms, in the hallway and the parking lot behind the hotel. Bathroom water was not warm at all - it was cold. Towels had a...

Liping

RM105

RM114 total

includes taxes & fees

22 Oct - 23 Oct

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

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

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

A modern hotel room with a large bed, a view of the city, and a large abstract painting on the wall.

20. 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

RM351

RM380 total

includes taxes & fees

20 Oct - 21 Oct

View all properties

Compare popular hotels close to Istana Besar

Property	Property class	Guest rating
R&F Princess Cove by FUJU & 5mins to ClQ	9.4 Exceptional 188 reviews	View
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Johor Bahru by IHG	8.6 Excellent 338 reviews	View
Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre by IHG	8.8 Excellent 778 reviews	View
Amari Johor Bahru	8.8 Excellent 1,006 reviews	View
Havona Hotel @ CIQ Johor Bahru - Self Check-In	8.8 Excellent 19 reviews	View

Top Istana Besar Hotel Reviews

R&F Princess Cove by FUJU & 5mins to ClQ

10/10 Excellent

"Had a pleasant 2-night stay in the studio unit. The unit was comfortable and the overall experience was good. One suggestion would be to provide two pairs of pillows instead of just one for added comfort. Overall, an enjoyable stay!"

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Johor Bahru

8/10 Good

"Staff helpful and friendly. 29th floor lounge evening tea session will be nice if can make available fried rice/noddle and choice of hot soup."

Belllo Hotel JB Central

10/10 Excellent

"Very spacious suite room, clean toilet and ammenities, even the kettle have been thoroughly washed without stains, and the bathroom walls too. The location is convenient to CIQ as well as cafe hopping at Jalan Wong Ah Fook or a visit to the Chinese Museum."

Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre by IHG

10/10 Excellent

"Very helpful staff! Makes my stay enjoyable"

Sheraton Johor Bahru

10/10 Excellent

"The gym was extraordinary"

Shama Suasana Johor Bahru

10/10 Excellent

"NA"

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Johor Bahru by IHG

10/10 Excellent

"The 2-room suite (for 4 of us) was smaller than I expected but is comfortable and clean. The staff at the counter were most supportive, helping us with Touch n go related requests, among others. Location was easy to find, and is accessible without being in a crowded area. Breakfast is moderately good, there were better options on the 2nd day for vegetarians."

Grand Paragon Hotel Johor Bahru

10/10 Excellent

"We love staying at Grand Paragon Hotel and visit almost every month. It is a very child-friendly hotel, which makes it perfect for our family. The rooms are clean and comfortable, the staff are warm and welcoming, and the breakfast has a good variety. The air conditioning is great, and our children always enjoy their stay. It feels like a home away from home for us, and we always look forward to coming back. Highly recommended for families with children! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"

Suasana JB Central by TPL

10/10 Excellent

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

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 white building with a blue roof and a tower.

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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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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Bazaar Karat

You can enjoy retail therapy at Bazaar Karat (Rusty Market) during your trip to Bandar Johor Bahru. While in this family-friendly area, find time to visit its shops.

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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 Marsiling 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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Flights to Johor Bahru

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. Ibis Styles Johor Bahru City Centre

8. Shama Suasana Johor Bahru

9. Z Hotel Johor

10. Citrus Hotel Johor Bahru by Compass Hospitality

11. Belllo Hotel JB Central

12. CIQ HOTEL at Jalan Trus

13. T Hotel Johor Bahru

14. Suasana JB Central by TPL

15. Shobi Hotel Johor Bahru Near CIQ JB

16. KSL Hotel & Resort

17. Hotel J.B.

18. Hotel CIQ @ Wong Ah Fook

19. Kingston Hotel 7 @ Johor Bharu

20. Suasana Suites by Subhome

Compare popular hotels close to Istana Besar

Top Istana Besar Hotel Reviews

R&F Princess Cove by FUJU & 5mins to ClQ

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Johor Bahru

Belllo Hotel JB Central

Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre by IHG

Sheraton Johor Bahru

Shama Suasana Johor Bahru

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Johor Bahru by IHG

Grand Paragon Hotel Johor Bahru

Suasana JB Central by TPL

Other attractions near Istana Besar

Johor Zoo

Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque

Tan Hiok Nee

Royal Abu Bakar Museum

Sultan Ibrahim Building

Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum

Sri Raja Mariamman Temple

Bazaar Karat

Frequently asked questions

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