Nova Highlands Resort and Residence
by the TopOfHotel team
Nova Highlands is the suite above the mall — step off the lift and dinner is right there, which is the whole point if you arrive without a car.
Nova Highlands is the suite above the mall — step off the lift and dinner is right there, which is the whole point if you arrive without a car.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
The rooms at Nova Highlands are suites, roughly 48 sqm, split into a living area, a pantry corner and a separate bedroom. That layout is the draw for families who want to watch TV together after a day out instead of piling onto one bed. The detail reviews mention again and again is the blackout curtains — on a misty highland morning you can sleep in with no light leaking through.
What you have to make peace with is the age. The building and some units look worn and dated, and a fair number of reviews report dust and a musty smell in the room they were assigned. Because each apartment has a different owner and cleaner, the standard is not consistent — so reading the latest reviews for the exact unit you are booking matters about as much as hitting the pay button.
Food and amenities
The best thing here honestly is not in the room — it is the building. On the ground floor you get Old Town White Coffee, a steamboat restaurant and a convenience store, so you can eat a full meal without stepping outside. On a rainy or foggy night, that is exactly when you end up grateful for this place. There is parking for guests who drive, plus Wi-Fi in the units.
The catch worth knowing before you arrive: reception is in a separate building from the apartments, and check-in plus the parking card are handled there. Plenty of guests are briefly lost on arrival, so asking for clear directions in advance saves real time at the end of a tiring drive.
Location and getting there
Nova Highlands sits in the middle of Brinchang, close to the Kea Farm butterfly park, the tea plantations and the area's most popular stops. Having restaurants inside the building makes it a strong pick for anyone without a car — dinner does not require a walk across town, and the bigger highland sights are easy to arrange as tours from the neighbourhood.
If you do drive in, there is parking, but you still go through the separate reception block to collect the parking card, as noted above. Tanah Rata bus station, where coaches from Kuala Lumpur and Penang arrive, is roughly a 10-minute drive away.
Things to know before booking
Three things to weigh. First, the building and some rooms are dated, with dust and musty smells flagged in some units. Second, cleanliness is inconsistent because units are individually owned and serviced, so quality swings between bookings. Third, reception is in a different building — check-in and the parking card are not where you sleep, which catches first-timers off guard.
None of these are deal-breakers if your priority is location and value, but they are real, so pick your unit deliberately and read recent reviews for it.
Our take
Nova Highlands is best for couples and families without a car who want a roomy suite and the convenience of having food, snacks and a living room all in one building. At rates from around $46 a night, the value is there.
If you are serious about a brand-new room and consistent housekeeping, you will need to choose your unit carefully — or look elsewhere. But if you weight location and ease over polish, Nova Highlands does the job at a friendly price.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Built above Cameron Square mall, so the lift drops you straight into restaurants and a convenience store in the same building — no umbrella or jacket needed for dinner.
- Suites run about 48 sqm with a separate living area and a pantry corner, which gives a family room to spread out instead of crowding one bed.
- Blackout curtains get specific praise in reviews — handy on a foggy Cameron morning when you want to sleep past sunrise.
- About as convenient as it gets if you are travelling without a car, since food and snacks are one lift ride away rather than a wet walk across town.
- Central Brinchang base for day trips to the Kea Farm butterfly park, the BOH tea plantations and the rest of the highland sights, most of which you can book as tours from the area.
- The building and some units look old and run-down — several reviewers mention dust and a musty smell in the rooms they were given.
- Reception sits in a separate building from the apartments, so check-in and the parking card are picked up at a different spot, which trips up first-time guests.
- Housekeeping is uneven because each unit has a different owner and cleaner, so the standard of your room can swing from one booking to the next.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Insider Tips
- Reception is in a separate block from the apartments — ask for exact directions before you arrive so you are not circling the car park after a long drive.
- Head one floor down for Old Town White Coffee and a steamboat restaurant; you can eat a full dinner without leaving the building on a rainy or foggy night.
- Read the most recent reviews for the specific unit you are booking, since room quality varies a lot between owners.