Our Mutiara weekend in Johor Bahru (June 2013)

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Saturday, 15th June 2013

Staying over the weekend in the neighbouring city of Johor Bahru had become a sort of a ritual for us over the past year after being put off by the high prices we had to pay back home.

We decided again on the Mutiara Hotel given its proximity to our amenities in Holiday Plaza. While the property had aged over the years, it was still an attractive staycation option within the city. The bedrooms were really spacious and had enough breathing room even for three adults.

On our way to the hotel, our chatty Indian taxi driver was quick to point out some of the interesting facts of this place.

"31 years already. The hotel started business as Holiday Inn in 1982 before rebranding itself as the Crowne Plaza and subsequently, The Mutiara. You must try those delicious pizzas from the Capri Restaurant. We used to order them during festive occasions."

Our third stay with Mutiara proved to be a rewarding experience given that our room at the newer Pelangi Wing was ready even before 2pm. The hotel was fully booked with visitors given the school holidays but I was glad that the swimming pool itself wasn't crowded during the two occasions I was using the facility.

After our regular discounts from Agoda, the SGD 36 bill per person with a nice buffet breakfast thrown in proved to be an attractive bargain.

On our way home on Sunday afternoon, we decided to try the walking route from the Woodlands Customs. This would lead us through the Woodlands Waterfront before reaching our destination at Causeway Point. The long walk proved to be a great excuse for us to burn off that extra calories we consumed over the weekend.

Until the next time...

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