Review: Conrad Osaka [Japan]
| Positives | Negatives |
|---|---|
| Very spacious rooms, even the standard ones | Room lighting's max brightness is too dim |
| Very easy access to Yotsubashi Station | Not the most exciting location in Osaka |
| Amazing Osaka Views | |
| Some of the best shower pressures I've experienced | |
| Gorgeous Lobby | |
| Kura Teppanyaki was great! |
After Hokkaido, I made my way down to Japan’s Kansai region, and made it to the first city in Osaka. I chose the Conrad Osaka as it appears to be the best hotel in the city, and I was very much looking forward to be staying here. This hotel also marks my very first Conrad stay!
Conrad Osaka- Booking
I booked 5 nights at this hotel for 380,000 Hilton Honors points. The constant going rate for Conrad Osaka is 95,000 points per night, and considering that this hotel tend to cost more than $500 per night, this is a great use to burn some Hilton points! Booking with points also negate the 15% service charge this hotel will charge you after the nightly rate, so it will bring more value to your Hilton points redemption.
Remember, you’ll get the 5th night free if you book 4 consecutive nights with Hilton points, and that you’re at least Hilton Silver. Hilton Diamond is already very easy to get thanks to the Hilton Honors Aspire Card!
Conrad Osaka- Location
Conrad Osaka is located in the Kita Ward. While the surroundings are not quite at the center of entertainment districts, access to the metro is very convenient to get around Osaka. The hotel is situated just right above Higobashi Station of the Yotsubashi Line.
Getting to the hotel from the airport (ITM/KIX) can be done with shuttles by stopping at Herbis Osaka, from which then take around 10 minutes of walk to get to the hotel. You’ll arrive faster if you land in ITM compared to KIX, however.
Conrad Osaka- Check-in
My flight from Hakodate, Hokkaido arrived at ITM at around 3 pm. After taking the shuttle and stopping at Herbis Osaka, I arrived at the hotel an hour later.
After passing through the entrance, the “nice hotel smell” seeped into my nose. The crystal chandelier was certainly eye-catching.
I was greeted by the hotel attendants by the elevator, and I informed them that I’m checking in. The first thing you encounter after stepping out of the elevator at the 40th floor is this grand view of Osaka’s skyline behind the curved windows. Truly spectacular!
The pathway to the front desks is met with these enigmatic bubbly figures. They honestly remind me of the Michelin mascot. The black tiles’ reflection helped made them look like they’re floating on top of water. Very cool!
For check-in, I was greeted by the general manager, and he informed that I would be upgraded to the Executive Room. Getting suites at the Conrad Osaka would be quite difficult as there are only 3-4 suites available in the whole property. Nonetheless, the Executive Rooms in Conrad Osaka will surely count as a Junior Suite/Studio in many other hotels.
The hotel manager then escorted me to the elevator and bowed as the elevator closed. A great hospitality gesture!
Conrad Osaka- Executive Room
I was assigned to the 33th floor, which is the lowest room floor. But, this hotel is just so tall that I don’t think higher floors matter much more. Plus, it’s not all bad, since it’s easier to see movements on the ground a bit easier, just like in Izmir Marriott! I also love my Room number, which was 3333.
To the right of the entryway is the luggage storage room. Inside the luggage rack includes pajama sets.
The in-room umbrella was very useful in the scorching hot Osaka summer. Extra bathrobes and ironing tools are provided as well.
All rooms titled Executive are corner rooms that are a bit larger than the standard rooms (60 sqm vs. 50 sqm).
Just behind the entryway is the pantry, seating area, and a vanity desk. Pantry includes a tea set, Nespresso machine, and complimentary water replenished daily. Housekeeping would also add senbei (rice crackers) for snacks after they’ve cleaned up your room.
You can popup the middle section of the vanity desk for the mirror.
Across the seating area is the bed. The king bed was firm, and I had pleasant sleep each night!
Many Conrads will present the guests with their own animal toys that are begging you to take them home with you. For the Conrad Osaka, you’ll get a clear rubber ducky with a plastic key inside and a keychain bear embedded with the hotel’s name. Very cute!
Bedside table included a Bluetooth audio player and power plugs. There’s also a handy tablet where you can control the lights, door signs, AC, and curtains. You can even set up your own alarm clock. Very handy, and I appreciate the modern thinking. All that’s missing are the USB-C outlets.
One main thing I could complain about the room is that the lighting puts more emphasis on mood lighting that it can be hard to do some work should you need more intense lighting.
The view is simply to die for, and the Executive Room provided a panoramic picture of Osaka skyline!
I regret not taking a picture of the desk in the middle of the room (which also has the TV), but I have a video that shows all the main area from the entrance and give you better overall scale of the room.
Conrad Osaka Executive Room Bathroom
The bathroom is fashioned in a straight line and adjacent to where the luggage storage by the entrance and the bed.
The shower pressure was excellent, and it was probably one of the best I’ve experienced. Bath amenities are Byredo’s Mojave Ghost. A standard for Conrad.
The tub pressure was insane as well. It felt like it could drown an elephant.
Conrad Osaka- Breakfast
As a Hilton Diamond member, I’d get free breakfast daily at the Atmos Dining restaurant on the lobby floor.
The atmosphere is welcoming, especially with the accompanying view of the Osaka skyline.
Breakfast offering have lots of variety. Meat dishes, rice, fruits, salads, pastries, you name it.
Main courses typically have mix of Western (they have roast beef), Chinese, and Japanese (with Osaka specialties) offerings.
On top of the buffet, you can order some daily special a la carte menu and a drink of your choice. Some of them are interesting like the okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancake) benedict.
I enjoyed the breakfast overall. Some days definitely felt heavy compared to others because of the massive amounts of food available, but it was all about self control at that point.
Conrad Osaka- Kura Teppanyaki
I wanted to try out what a nice teppanyaki would be like in Japan, so I booked a reservation in one of the hotel’s restaurants, Kura. Kura serves both sushi and teppenyaki for lunch and dinner time.It’s located just next to the elevators leading to the hotel’s exit.
I recommend booking lunch instead of dinner as they’re cheaper, and the menu appear to be the same at both serving times.
Making a reservation can be done at TableCheck. TableCheck is a useful site to use if you’re interested in higher-end dining in Japan, and many restaurants attached to a known hotel brand will most likely use TableCheck for online reservations as well.
One great thing about restaurants attached to Hilton hotels in Japan is that all Hilton members will get up to 25% off the total bill! Elite status only influence the amount of extra Hilton points earned from dining.
I ordered the Unsyo course (18,000 yen before Hilton discount), which was the most expensive lunch option at Kura Teppanyaki. Drinks will be charged separately, so be prepared for that. I wished I didn’t have to buy premium water just for water, though. It may have been me, or the staff didn’t present the free drinks options clearly.
First, I was presented a fresh tiger shrimp and a wagyu steak by the chef. These will be the main courses for Unsyo. As a warning, the shrimp was still alive when it was being prepared, so if you’re uncomfortable with that, then you’d want to choose other courses that exclude the shrimp, which is anything other than the Unsyo for lunch time.
The chef also presented uncooked rice inside a bronze pot that I didn’t take a picture of. The rice dish will come after the main entrees are done.
The wagyu beef course is in my opinion, the most exciting part. You can choose to “upgrade” your beef from a regular wagyu to the Matsusaka beef, one of the Big Three wagyu, for an extra 4800 yen. Matsusaka beef contains more fat than a typical wagyu, so it may not be the preferred option for some.
To start off, I was given a sashimi platter and abalone with colorful ikura as appetizers.
I was also given an onion salad. It was less exciting, but edible nonetheless.
The shrimp head was flattened and presented between the grilled bodies. A bit of an eerie presentation, but the shrimp tasted great!
Then comes the wagyu along with assorted grilled vegetables. I asked for the beef to be cooked at medium-rare temperature. Oh man, it was the juiciest beef I’ve ever tasted! My only regret was that it was so little!
The chef recommended the steak to be eaten with salt. Three types of salt were presented: charcoal, seaweed, and Okinawan sea salt. To be honest, I don’t think my palate is trained to be able to tell the difference, but I thoroughly enjoyed them anyway with a huge smile on my face.
After that, the rice finally came. I opted for garlic rice, which comes with another upcharge. This time was an extra 1300 yen compared to normal rice. It was definitely worth the price! The nutty texture of the soy sauce coated rice just hit right!
Then finally comes the dessert. I admit, compared to the rest of the dishes, felt the most uninspired. A sorbet with two pineapple slices.
You can enjoy a nice view while eating as well.
Overall, I paid around 19,000 yen at the end after the 25% off and the extra costs associated with the beef upgrade, garlic rice, and a few bottles of Acqua Panna. It was worth trying, especially if you love meat!
Conrad Osaka- Executive Lounge
The Executive Lounge is located at the 39th floor. Lounge is open between 9am to 8pm, with different offerings in certain hours like breakfast, aternoon tea, and evening hors d’oeuvres.
Admittedly, I only visited the lounge to check what it looks like. Eating lounge food while I’m in Japan was one of the things that didn’t appeal to me.
But, it was still nice to just get a drink and enjoy the view.
Conrad Osaka- Pool & Spa
The hotel has a large indoor pool. Like many pools in Japanese hotels, wearing a swim cap is mandatory. If you don’t have your own, then you can rent one for free. Lockers are available for free as well, and there’s a swimsuit drying machine inside the locker room.
There are hot and cold bath pools by the locker. But, you’ll need to be fully nude to use it, just like what to expect from a traditional onsen. Showers are recommended before use, and there are few stalls readily available inside the pools room.
Conrad Osaka- Fitness Center
The hotel gym was adequate and filled with weight and cardio machines, along with refreshment options.
Conclusion
Conrad Osaka is a fantastic hotel that possibly provide the most impressive views of Osaka from the lobby to the rooms themselves. The rooms are modern, and the showers and the tub provide some of the best water pressures I’ve experienced in a hotel. This is one of the best hotels that you can redeem your Hilton Honors points on for a non-resort property, and is undoubtedly the better Conrad than the one in Tokyo.