I love soaking in hot springs but Singapore only has Sembawang Hot Spring Park. When I read that there is a KSL Hot Spring Resort in Johor Bahru, I was really excited to check it out.
Location
If not for the hot spring, I won’t bother staying in KSL Hot Spring Resort.
It is located in the Taman Daya district which is not near to anywhere. The nearest bus stop is a good 10-minute walk away so the only viable form of transportation to and fro from the hotel is Grab. It takes 30 minutes by Grab to reach KSL City Mall and 45 minutes to reach JB Sentral.
This is a pretty new hotel which only started operations in July 2018. This might explain the lack of amenities in the area.
My Room
I booked a Superior King room with city view. It’s mostly single-storey houses around the area, I can see a small pond across the road from my room.
The King-size bed is soft and comfortable, the bedsheets and quilt look clean.
There is a large television on the wall in front of the bed, but most of the channels are showing Malay programs which I can’t understand.
Toilet is clean with the usual toiletries and towels. There is no bathtub to soak in, I am waiting to check out the hot spring.
The amenities and size of this room is reasonable for the S$62 I paid for this room.
The Wi-Fi in this hotel is simply terrible. I have to use my own mobile data half the time in the hotel room. It’s slightly better in the hotel lobby.
Facilities
All the hotel facilities are all located on level 5.
Hot Spring Spa
You can take a (or as many as you need) blue-and-white bath towel from the counter. There are separate pools for males and female with separate changing rooms.
There are changing rooms and toilets as well as lockers to store your valuables. The place is clean, but judging from the thin layer of dust around the edges of the pools, this place is probably not very frequented.
There is a big pool and two smaller pools with natural light streaming in. Unfortunately, there are potted plants blocking the view, probably to maintain privacy. Only the smaller nearest to the entrance is lukewarm, the big pool and other smaller pool have cold water.
Even though their website shows how the hot spring water is sourced and transported, I can’t detect a trace of hot spring elements in the water. It’s more like jacuzzi with normal water.
I am sorely disappointed. I came all the way and endured all the inconveniences to stay at this hotel for its hot spring but it turned out to be a fake.
Swimming Pool / Playground
Pushing open the glass doors on level 5 of KSL Hot Spring Resort will bring you to the terrace garden. Follow the path to the right and you will see a swimming pool and playground.
The swimming pool is clean with deck chairs around the pool. It is a nice place to relax or get some suntan.
Cafe
The cafe is located next to the pool, this is where you will have your breakfast buffet.
It’s the standard international breakfast buffet where you can find cooked dishes, cereal, porridge and juices.
The cafe and swimming pool area is shared between KSL Hot Spring Resort and Daya View Apartment.
Gym / Function Room
Walk up the steps next to the cafe counter and you will find a small gym and function room. The function room is good for hosting parties or events.
Conclusion
The only reason I can think of staying at KSL Hot Spring Resort is for the peace and quiet. There is not much happening around the area so it’s peaceful here.
The room I stayed in was clean with some city view but there’s nothing to shout about. There is nothing much to watch on television for someone who doesn’t understand Malay.
It’s not hot spring, it’s more like jacuzzi. The breakfast buffet is pretty standard, nothing special.
KSL Hot Spring Resort
Address: 31 Jalan Kangkar Tebrau, Taman Daya, Johor Bahru 81100, Johor, Malaysia
