Renaissance Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru is the fastest growing city in Malaysia, providing a key gateway to Singapore with convenient transport links to the island state. Johor itself offers much for both business and leisure travellers, with excellent golf courses, shopping, restaurants, and spas. Families will love the only Legoland in Southeast Asia. With so much on offer, it’s no surprise that there are excellent hotels to choose from, and Renaissance Johor Bahru is considered by many to be the best in the city. We checked in to this luxury five-star hotel for a staycation, and are happy to report that we received a warm welcome, attentive service, and delicious vegan food during our home away from home for the weekend.
Our room offered everything we expected from a hotel of this class, but it was the views that stood out the most. Being on the 15th floor, we enjoyed far-reaching views over the Permas Jaya Golf Course, the Straits of Johor, and even Singapore in the distance. We could even see our condo from our high-up vantage point, which made us feel very much at home. The bed was comfortable, the AC was cold, and the towels were fluffy in our well-appointed room. These features combined to create the perfect place for a weekend staycation in Johor Bahru.
The Vegan Food at Renaissance Johor Bahru
The all-day dining restaurant at Renaissance Johor Bahru is called Cafe BLD, which stands for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner. Guests can dine from the extensive buffet, select dishes from the à la carte menu, or join the popular Sunday brunch. The breakfast buffet, with multiple live stations, was where we started each day. We were pleased to find plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, including vegan cake and muffins clearly labelled and available on the buffet. Although we were tempted to eat only cake and muffins, we explored the buffet to see what else was vegan-friendly. With a little help from Executive Chef Syafiffi and his friendly team, we enjoyed vegan noodle soup, masala dosa, mushrooms, tomatoes and baked beans on toasted sourdough, and vegan pancakes with mixed berries and maple syrup. These dishes were accompanied by freshly squeezed juices and soy milk lattes, making for a long and leisurely vegan breakfast. And yes, we did eat vegan cake and muffins — it would have been wrong not to.
Our lunch on day one was at Wan Li, the Cantonese restaurant on the ground floor of Renaissance Johor Bahru. This is where they offer a multi-course vegetarian set menu upon request, which we most certainly wanted to experience. We started with a veggie duo of sea kelp and spring rolls, followed by a double-boiled herbal soup with mushrooms. No Cantonese set menu would be complete without a double-boiled soup, as the slow cooking process enhances flavours and provides umami and health benefits. Next was a favourite of ours, mapo tofu, which certainly didn’t disappoint. This was served with other mains including wok-fried Chinese mushrooms with chillies and cashews, stir-fried mock prawn with vegan meat floss, and braised mushrooms with sliced yam and broccoli. The trio of mains complemented each other well, but the protein-packed tofu dish was our favourite for its bold flavours. No Cantonese meal would be complete without rice, which was served with pickled olives and vegetables. Our meal ended with a sweet and refreshing lemongrass jelly with passion fruit. Service was friendly and professional, and the dining room had a lively atmosphere, with groups of families and friends enjoying their meals just as much as we did.
Later that day, we ordered from the Lite Bites menu at R Deli in the lobby, which the team happily delivered to our room. We shared The Green Toast, Vegetarian Tacos and Sweet Potato Fries for an early evening meal. The house-baked sourdough topped with avocado hummus and tomatoes was divine, and the tacos were filled with grilled seasonal vegetables, coriander, mango salsa and avocado. After a Cantonese dining extravaganza earlier in the day, this light and fresh dinner was exactly what we needed.
Our vegan lunch at Cafe BLD was chosen from the à la carte menu, which clearly labels vegetarian and vegan options. We shared two starters and two mains, all of which were excellent, though we had our favourites. Starters included an avocado hummus bowl topped with edamame, tomatoes, seeds, and microgreens, and a salad of hydroponic mixed leaves with beetroot, walnuts, pomegranate, and a ginger lime dressing. For mains, we had a selection of curries served on a banana leaf and a cauliflower steak with peach and shallot salsa, harissa, crispy chickpeas, and a truffle almond gremolata. While everything was good, the plant-based bowl and the cauliflower steak were standout dishes. There was also a vegan Thai green curry on the menu, which we would love to try during our next visit.
The Vegan Essentials
Bathroom amenities were in refillable dispensers, which is always good to see and a brand standard across all Marriott International hotels and resorts. However, we were surprised to find single-use plastic water bottles in our room, which is not typical for Marriott properties. We presume there may be a temporary supply chain issue with their usual glass bottle alternatives. There was also a pillow menu offering a selection of pillows including buckwheat, foam, lavender, and memory foam, allowing for a feather-free sleep. This is perfect for vegans and anyone with allergies.
The Vegan Food Quest Verdict
Check in to Renaissance Johor Bahru Hotel and enjoy an excellent location for golfing, shopping, and spa breaks. It’s also just 20 minutes from the Singapore border. Expect a warm welcome from the staff, who were always happy to assist with our questions and requests. Be sure to sample the delicious vegan food available, whether that’s the vegetarian Cantonese set menu at Wan Li or the vegan options at Cafe BLD, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant.
We were guests of Renaissance Johor Bahru but please rest assured that their generosity in hosting us didn’t influence our views
Renaissance Johor Bahru
No 2, Jalan Permas 11
Johor Bahru 81750
Malaysia.
Telephone: +60 7 3813333
Cost From: £85 / $120 per night (May 2025)