Finding a comfortable place to stay can make a big difference when travelling with the family, especially when you're travelling with children and looking for a hotel that offers more than just a place to sleep.

Situated about 25 minutes' drive from Johor Bahru city centre, this apartment-style hotel offers a spacious setup together with facilities that make it suitable for families looking for a relaxing staycation in Johor.

Upon arriving at Dao by Dorsett Puteri Cove, we went straight to the reception area to process our check-in. The process was quite smooth. We simply provided our details and completed the necessary procedures before heading up to our room.

One of the nice surprises was the welcome drink provided by the reception team. After spending quite some time on the road, especially after a long drive, having a refreshing drink while completing our arrival was a welcome touch.

For a family like ours, this is something we really appreciate. When travelling with children, there are usually plenty of bags and personal belongings to carry, so having assistance with the luggage makes the arrival experience much easier.

Once we entered the room, the kids were immediately excited to explore. One of the first things we noticed was the kitchen area, which comes with basic facilities that can be useful for families.

There is a master bedroom for the adults and another bedroom designed for the kids, complete with two single beds. For families travelling with children, having a separate bedroom can be particularly convenient. The kids have their own space while parents can still enjoy some privacy in the master bedroom.

The accommodation also comes with two bathrooms, making it more convenient when the whole family needs to get ready at the same time.

Another area we enjoyed was the balcony. From here, we could enjoy the sea view while also looking down towards the hotel's swimming pool area.

After settling into our room, we went back down to explore more of the hotel. The lobby area is spacious and includes a waiting area where guests can sit and relax.

We also checked out the hotel's gymnasium. The gym is equipped with various exercise equipment and facilities for guests who want to maintain their workout routine while travelling.

Of course, when you're travelling with kids, one of the biggest attractions is often the swimming pool! Our kids were already excited to swim, so we prepared ourselves before heading down.

The swimming pool is located on Level 4, and this quickly became one of the highlights of our stay. The kids were excited to finally explore the pool that they had already seen from our balcony.

The kids also had a great time and honestly mentioned that they really liked the pool.

Besides the swimming pool, another section we explored was the steam room. It was quite a cool experience, and I personally enjoyed it. Even the kids were curious about trying it!

As nighttime arrived, the atmosphere around Dao by Dorsett Puteri Cove became even more relaxing. We enjoyed spending some time at the balcony and taking in the evening view.

The following morning, the kids were already excited to get up and continue exploring. We got everyone ready and headed down for breakfast at the hotel's ground-floor dining area.

The breakfast selection was not a full-fledged buffet spread, but there was still a decent variety available.

After spending the night here, our overall experience at Dao by Dorsett Puteri Cove was a pleasant one.

The swimming pool was also a highlight for our kids, while the gymnasium, steam room and indoor jacuzzi provided additional facilities for guests to explore.

For families planning a staycation or looking for accommodation in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, Dao by Dorsett Puteri Cove is a place worth considering, particularly if you prefer a more spacious apartment-style accommodation.

Seafood lovers looking for a weekend dining experience in Johor Bahru have plenty to explore at Food Exchange, Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre, where the Seafood Extravaganza brings together an extensive selection of seafood, live cooking experiences and international favourites.

Located on Level 11 of Novotel Johor Bahru City Centre, Food Exchange provides a modern and comfortable setting for families, friends and food lovers to enjoy a relaxed buffet dinner.

The buffet offers plenty of opportunities for seafood lovers to enjoy their favourites, with various seafood selections prepared in different ways.

The dish brings together clams, prawns, mussels and squid with okra, corn, onions and long beans, all cooked in Food Exchange's signature shell-out sauce.

For us, this was one of the more memorable parts of the evening because it combines freshly cooked seafood with a more interactive dining experience.

Beyond the shell-out experience, the buffet also features a Japanese section that attracted plenty of attention throughout the evening.

It was interesting to see how popular this section was during our visit, with the team keeping busy preparing and topping up the selection throughout dinner.

Although seafood takes centre stage, there is more to explore around the buffet. At the dedicated alfresco area, guests can find grilled favourites including chicken and beef satay, accompanied by local-style peanut sauce and condiments.

This gives diners the opportunity to enjoy a combination of seafood, grilled meats and international flavours in one dinner.

One thing we noticed during our visit was the amount of work happening behind the scenes. The F&B team was constantly moving between the different stations, preparing dishes, replenishing the buffet and assisting diners.

For buffet dining, having the food regularly replenished is an important part of the overall experience, and it was good to see the team actively keeping up with the demand.

And, of course, a buffet dinner isn't complete without something sweet to finish the evening. After exploring the seafood, Japanese selections and grilled dishes, guests can also choose from a variety of desserts to end the meal on a sweeter note.

For families and groups with different tastes, having a selection of savoury dishes followed by desserts gives everyone something to explore.

Our Seafood Extravaganza experience at Food Exchange was all about having plenty of choices to explore.

For us, the most enjoyable part is always discovering something new and the live seafood preparation certainly gave us something different to talk about and enjoy.

The baked mooncake selection features six flavours:

The experience began even before tasting the mooncakes. The hotel's Luna Prestige offers an elegant presentation, making the unboxing itself part of the festive experience.

The collection also provides an opportunity to enjoy Mid-Autumn moments with family and friends whether sharing traditional favourites or discovering newer flavour combinations.

The mooncakes are available from 1 August to 28 September 2026 at Sheraton Johor Bahru.

We would like to sincerely thank Sheraton Johor Bahru for the thoughtful appreciation and for giving us the opportunity to experience this year's mooncake collection. We truly appreciate the gesture and look forward to sharing this Mid-Autumn discovery with everyone.

As families and friends prepare to gather for this Mooncake Festival, Sheraton Johor Bahru’s Golden Symphony of Seasons offers a selection of baked mooncakes designed to bring together tradition, creativity, and the joy of sharing.

After a long day of driving, finally arriving at BRIX KLIA by Pinetree felt like a moment to slow down and relax. With our check-in completed and our personal belongings settled, we were ready to take a much-needed break.

Eats Café offers a selection of dishes ranging from local favourites to Western-inspired meals. With the kids joining us for dinner, we decided to order several different dishes so everyone could have something to enjoy.

With several dishes arriving at the table, we were already excited to start trying them one by one. The presentation was appetising, and after a long day of travelling, there was something particularly satisfying about finally sitting down to enjoy a proper meal.

Before getting into the food, we also tried some of the café's fruity drinks. We started with their orange drink, followed by the cranberry drink. The kids were especially excited to have their own drinks while we settled into our dinner.

For me, the drinks were a nice complement to the meal, particularly after spending so many hours on the road.

I started with the Cheesy Chicken Chop. Since my little one is a fan of French fries, they were quick to request a piece from my plate as well.

Next, we tried the Grilled Lamb with Fried Rice. What caught my attention was the mushroom sauce served with the grilled lamb. I really enjoyed the combination, and it was nice to try something a little different from the usual chicken or pasta dishes.

And of course, since my kids love pasta, we had to have pasta on the table. The Pasta Carbonara Chicken & Mushroom came with a creamy sauce that the kids enjoyed.

Overall, our dining experience at Eats Café inside BRIX KLIA by PineTree was quite pleasant.

But once the food started arriving, we were happy to sit back, enjoy the meal and spend some family time together.

Sometimes, after a tiring journey, you don't need anything complicated. A comfortable place to sit, a selection of food, refreshing drinks and some quality family time can be more than enough.

With its selection of local and Western dishes, convenient location inside BRIX KLIA by PineTree, and a menu that offers something for both adults and kids, it gave us a comfortable place to enjoy dinner without needing to leave the hotel.