Which hotel to stay in Osaka?
Sep 4, 2018, 3:46 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
Sep 5, 2018, 12:45 am
#5
formerly vienna-resident
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Montepulciano, Tuscany
Posts: 1,067
Sep 6, 2018, 10:00 am
#7
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: WAS
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,757
It's a short walk from Dotonbori, where I'm not entirely sure all the restaurants even have names. But as Aventine pointed out, really, everywhere. Matsusakagyu Yakiniku M was great, and the best Takoyaki shop I was able to find was along the river. There's really just a lot to be discovered by just walking around the area, you can grab a bite here and there with wonderful results.
Sep 6, 2018, 11:51 am
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
I refer you to my review from May of our wonderful stay at the StR Osaka. I highly recommend it, especially if you value service.
https://www.flyertalk.com/hotel-revi...ew-issues-2626
We also visited and had lunch and drinks at the Conrad and Ritz-Carlton. The StR is better.
The Conrad hard product was incredible, but the soft product and service were troubling. If you care less about service, though, this hard product truly is incredible. Its lobby view is more impressive to me than the Aman Tokyo--and everyone knows that's high praise! The junior suite we saw was very nice, spacious, and really cool with dark elements that almost reminded us of a W/Edition vibe.
The Ritz-Carlton didn't impress us at all. It felt old and stodgy, with low ceilings and the dated and old-fashioned decor that plagued the RC brand for so many years. It was like walking into a retirement home for Westerners. The rooms and suites were not impressive at all to us, even as we were in a StR Osaka Grand Deluxe room that also needed updating! The RC was even more in need of updating and modernizing than the StR--by a long way.
The StR Osaka will soon undergo room renovations and is current renovating some of its restaurant spaces. Food for thought.
The La Veduta restaurant at the StR truly is sublime. I thought it was worthy of a Michelin star, truth be told. We dined there for a special anniversary dinner and for our lunch before departure. I'm actually still in touch with the Executive Chef. He's incredible--and a lovely man.
https://www.flyertalk.com/hotel-revi...ew-issues-2626
We also visited and had lunch and drinks at the Conrad and Ritz-Carlton. The StR is better.
The Conrad hard product was incredible, but the soft product and service were troubling. If you care less about service, though, this hard product truly is incredible. Its lobby view is more impressive to me than the Aman Tokyo--and everyone knows that's high praise! The junior suite we saw was very nice, spacious, and really cool with dark elements that almost reminded us of a W/Edition vibe.
The Ritz-Carlton didn't impress us at all. It felt old and stodgy, with low ceilings and the dated and old-fashioned decor that plagued the RC brand for so many years. It was like walking into a retirement home for Westerners. The rooms and suites were not impressive at all to us, even as we were in a StR Osaka Grand Deluxe room that also needed updating! The RC was even more in need of updating and modernizing than the StR--by a long way.
The StR Osaka will soon undergo room renovations and is current renovating some of its restaurant spaces. Food for thought.
The La Veduta restaurant at the StR truly is sublime. I thought it was worthy of a Michelin star, truth be told. We dined there for a special anniversary dinner and for our lunch before departure. I'm actually still in touch with the Executive Chef. He's incredible--and a lovely man.
Sep 7, 2018, 3:36 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
I refer you to my review from May of our wonderful stay at the StR Osaka. I highly recommend it, especially if you value service.
https://www.flyertalk.com/hotel-revi...ew-issues-2626
We also visited and had lunch and drinks at the Conrad and Ritz-Carlton. The StR is better.
The Conrad hard product was incredible, but the soft product and service were troubling. If you care less about service, though, this hard product truly is incredible. Its lobby view is more impressive to me than the Aman Tokyo--and everyone knows that's high praise! The junior suite we saw was very nice, spacious, and really cool with dark elements that almost reminded us of a W/Edition vibe.
The Ritz-Carlton didn't impress us at all. It felt old and stodgy, with low ceilings and the dated and old-fashioned decor that plagued the RC brand for so many years. It was like walking into a retirement home for Westerners. The rooms and suites were not impressive at all to us, even as we were in a StR Osaka Grand Deluxe room that also needed updating! The RC was even more in need of updating and modernizing than the StR--by a long way.
The StR Osaka will soon undergo room renovations and is current renovating some of its restaurant spaces. Food for thought.
The La Veduta restaurant at the StR truly is sublime. I thought it was worthy of a Michelin star, truth be told. We dined there for a special anniversary dinner and for our lunch before departure. I'm actually still in touch with the Executive Chef. He's incredible--and a lovely man.
https://www.flyertalk.com/hotel-revi...ew-issues-2626
We also visited and had lunch and drinks at the Conrad and Ritz-Carlton. The StR is better.
The Conrad hard product was incredible, but the soft product and service were troubling. If you care less about service, though, this hard product truly is incredible. Its lobby view is more impressive to me than the Aman Tokyo--and everyone knows that's high praise! The junior suite we saw was very nice, spacious, and really cool with dark elements that almost reminded us of a W/Edition vibe.
The Ritz-Carlton didn't impress us at all. It felt old and stodgy, with low ceilings and the dated and old-fashioned decor that plagued the RC brand for so many years. It was like walking into a retirement home for Westerners. The rooms and suites were not impressive at all to us, even as we were in a StR Osaka Grand Deluxe room that also needed updating! The RC was even more in need of updating and modernizing than the StR--by a long way.
The StR Osaka will soon undergo room renovations and is current renovating some of its restaurant spaces. Food for thought.
The La Veduta restaurant at the StR truly is sublime. I thought it was worthy of a Michelin star, truth be told. We dined there for a special anniversary dinner and for our lunch before departure. I'm actually still in touch with the Executive Chef. He's incredible--and a lovely man.
Sep 26, 2022, 11:09 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,142
I'd appreciate any insights into solving this question:
Which is the best luxury hotel to pick if one wants to be close to the major rail station so as to use Osaka as a base camp for exploring Kyoto, Kobe, Hiroshima and Kameoka?
Many thanks!
Which is the best luxury hotel to pick if one wants to be close to the major rail station so as to use Osaka as a base camp for exploring Kyoto, Kobe, Hiroshima and Kameoka?
Many thanks!
Sep 26, 2022, 3:19 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
I don't believe Shin Osaka station has any sort of luxury hotel near there.
Sep 26, 2022, 5:06 pm
#13
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,856
Everything in Osaka is kind of scattered and no true luxury hotels right on top of the station. Intercontinental Osaka is pretty close to Umeda station. RC is connected through the underground passages. The Conrad is a short subway ride or 15 min walk.
I don't believe Shin Osaka station has any sort of luxury hotel near there.
I don't believe Shin Osaka station has any sort of luxury hotel near there.
It always seemed to me that if anyone wanted to make somewhere their center for exploring the local area, Kyoto made a lot more sense than Osaka.
Just before Covid, I did a fairly thorough map search of the area around shin-Osaka station and was unable to find anything upscale, let alone luxury. So unless something brand now moved in, I concur with your view of that area.
Sep 27, 2022, 1:51 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: NGS
Programs: UA Silver, ANA MC, HH Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist, Bonvoy Plat, IHG Plat, Shangri-La GC, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,233
Although St. Regis is strategically situated directly above Honmachi Station, making it very convenient for getting around town, the Conrad Osaka is also well situated and closer to Umeda Station and offers more creature comforts (pool, bath/sauna, Executive Lounge, larger fitness center, etc.) that make it more comfortable as a base of operation. After a long day of sightseeing, I'd much prefer to return to the comfort of Conrad, but that's just my opinion, others may think differently.
Sep 27, 2022, 2:46 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,053
Although St. Regis is strategically situated directly above Honmachi Station, making it very convenient for getting around town, the Conrad Osaka is also well situated and closer to Umeda Station and offers more creature comforts (pool, bath/sauna, Executive Lounge, larger fitness center, etc.) that make it more comfortable as a base of operation. After a long day of sightseeing, I'd much prefer to return to the comfort of Conrad, but that's just my opinion, others may think differently.