The 13 Best Luxury Hotels in Osaka

In Osaka you swim under a roof: the pools at the luxury hotels in Osaka we recommend are all indoors, so they are open all year. If you choose your 5-star hotel in Osaka by its pool, the real decision is about the view.Conrad Osaka · NakanoshimaWith a view over the city: At the Patina Osaka you swim in a heated 20-meter pool on the wellness floor, looking out at the castle; children up to 12 are welcome until 6 p.m. The Conrad Osaka has its 20-meter pool on the 38th floor, free for hotel guests from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a sauna and jet bath next to it. At the Waldorf Astoria Osaka, the indoor pool is part of the spa and overlooks the greenery of Umekita Park.

With a sense of show: The WET pool at the W Osaka is 20 meters long, set beneath an LED-lit ceiling, and opens onto an open-air terrace; the WET BAR serves drinks right by the water. At the InterContinental Osaka you swim laps on the 4th-floor wellness level, next to a Japanese-style bathhouse and the sauna.

For a full spa day, we recommend the Patina Osaka: its wellness floor of 1,400 m² on the fourth floor holds six treatment suites, a hydrotherapy suite and a yoga studio, plus cryotherapy, oxygen and infrared therapies. At the Conrad Osaka, the Conrad Spa is on the 38th floor; alongside treatments by Sisley and ISUN, you can choose baths with sake, yuzu or green tea.InterContinental Osaka · Kita WardJapanese rituals: The MEGURI SPA at the InterContinental Osaka draws on Osaka’s history and the philosophy of the five elements, and its signature treatment is called the OMOTENASHI Journey; the wellness level also has a Japanese-style bathhouse. At the Waldorf Astoria Osaka, the spa on the 30th floor is inspired by Japanese healing traditions, with four treatment rooms, a whirlpool and thermal experiences.

Small and special: The AWAY Spa at the W Osaka has five treatment rooms, a jacuzzi, a sauna and a steam room. At The St. Regis Osaka, the Iridium Spa works with products by Sothys. If you would rather soak than be massaged at your 5-star hotel in Osaka, The Osaka Station Hotel has OFURO on the 30th floor, a bathing area with a mineral bath, sauna, cold bath and meditation room, open to SPECIALTY and suite guests.

With suitespot, a night in Osaka starts at 99 € at the RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka on Nakanoshima; at the top end is the Waldorf Astoria Osaka at 705 €. Eight of the 13 hotels start below 270 €, and location says little about price: in Umeda, where the Waldorf stands too, the InterContinental Osaka starts at 267 € and The Osaka Station Hotel at 260 €. You will also find all luxury hotels in Osaka with their current price for your dates in the hotel list below.

What every booking includes: At all 13 hotels, breakfast for two is included daily, plus an upgrade on arrival and early check-in or late check-out, each subject to availability. At the Cuvée J2 Hotel Osaka the benefits apply from two nights, everywhere else from the first.

Hotel credit: eleven hotels add 100 US dollars. At The Osaka Station Hotel it applies in the dinner area, at the InterContinental Osaka to food and beverages excluding the minibar, and at the Imperial Hotel Osaka you can take a comparable benefit instead.The St. Regis Osaka · HonmachiDoing things their own way are two smaller hotels: the Cuvée J2 Hotel Osaka gives 50 US dollars, and the Zentis Osaka treats you to a local beer, with a 10,000 yen credit for the bar or restaurant in its suites. A welcome gift awaits at five hotels, for example at The Ritz-Carlton Osaka and at The St. Regis Osaka.

Points and status: Nine of the 13 luxury hotels in Osaka belong to a loyalty program. Marriott Bonvoy applies at five hotels, such as The Ritz-Carlton Osaka; you even earn double Hilton Honors points at the Conrad Osaka and the Waldorf Astoria Osaka, and IHG One Rewards applies at two hotels, including the InterContinental Osaka. Since suitespot books directly with the hotel, points and status nights are credited and your status benefits apply.

When Osaka is at its best: Every season has its own appeal. In spring the cherry trees bloom in the castle park and along the Okawa, in July the city celebrates the Tenjin Matsuri with a boat procession on the river, and in fall the leaves turn. Because the hotel pools here are all indoors, you can swim in winter, too.

How many nights: Three to four nights are enough for the castle, the markets and Dotonbori, plus a day trip by train to Kyoto or Nara. To combine both, pick a 5-star hotel in Osaka close to a major station, in Umeda or in Tennoji.