In the centre of Japan’s second city is an oasis of calm (Picture: Four Seasons)
The first thing you notice on arrival at the grand entrance of the Four Seasons in Osaka is silence.
It may be located in the heart of one of Japan’s busiest cities, but this newly opened skyscraper hotel is an oasis of calm in magnificent chaos, with no sense of the overtourism the country is currently facing.
Metro’s Alice Murphy checked in right before Japan’s cherry blossom season, and the experience was a world away from what she’s used to.
With a cavernous spa and wellness floor, two fine dining restaurants, a 37th-floor cocktail bar with sweeping views and lavish suites offering Osaka’s first modern Japanese ryokan inn experience, the hotel nails modern luxury — the perfect stay for couples looking to treat themselves to something truly special.
Honeymoon, anyone?
Right, what’s the vibe? Paint us a picture
With contemporary interiors mixed with touches of traditional Japanese homes, this is a luxury hotel that stands out from the crowd.
The lobby features quirky sculptures like this giant floating pebble (Picture: Four Seasons)
Sprawled across 12 floors of a 49-storey skyscraper, everywhere you look the quality is impeccable. Every detail has been carefully considered; encasing the lift area is an enormous orange box in jewel-toned lacquer, where stylish guests snap photos.
In the foyer is a sweeping brutalist staircase and quirky sculptures like a giant black pebble floating over a pool of water.
Unlike typical upscale hotels that can feel stuffy and ostentatious, Four Seasons Osaka is warm and welcoming. The city’s residents are famously friendly, and staff here more than live up to that reputation.
What about the facilities?
A highlight is the spa and wellness centre that takes up an entire floor. Sleek and serene, it boasts traditional ofuro baths (segregated between men and women), a 52-foot swimming pool with spectacular city views and five treatment rooms where you can indulge in facials and massage, rooted in Japanese medicine.
The Four Seasons Osaka also has one of the better gyms I’ve seen in hotels, with every piece of equipment you could reasonably expect.
Getting to Osaka
Airlines such as Japan Airlines and China Eastern fly from London Heathrow to Osaka, with connections in Shanghai and Doha.
However, it’s easiest to fly direct from London to Tokyo Haneda, then travel to Osaka by Shinkansen (the bullet train which takes just over two hours). Non-stop return airfares with British Airways start from £918, and with All Nippon Airways (ANA) from about £895.
Ok, so what are the rooms like?
Most guest rooms span the 29th to 35th floors. They are elegantly decorated, with timber furniture, beds that feel like marshmallow, and marble bathrooms with deep tubs.
The real magic happens on the 28th floor, which has been transformed into Gensui, a contemporary take on the traditional Japanese ryokan.
These intimate, family-run inns typically feature tatami floors and communal bathing areas, a concept that has been beautifully reimagined here to suit modern tastes.
Views from the rooms are some of the best in Osaka (Picture: Four Seasons)
Tatami suites are a level up (Picture: Four Seasons)
The corridors are dimly lit, with floors made from black tiles. But behind the doors are 21 suites flooded with natural light.
Inside, the floors of the living space are woven and delicate, so it’s ‘shoes off’ as soon as you enter. Black stone bathrooms come complete with waterfall showers and enormous Japanese tubs, while sleeping spaces are centred around beds on low-level platforms — not the most comfortable night of your life, but one you’ll never forget.
Can you eat and drink at the hotel?
This place serves serious food. Head to the 37th floor for authentic Cantonese cuisine at Jiang Nan Chu, or a brilliant fusion of French and Japanese tastes at Sushi L’Abysse Osaka Yannick Alléno. French-born Alléno currently holds a staggering 16 Michelin stars.
If nibbles and cocktails are more your thing, try glamorous Bar Bota and drink in what might be the best view in central Osaka (along with a signature Dotonburi sling or three).
For something more relaxed there’s Farine, an elegant French bakery, or Jardin, a ground-floor French bistro with an open kitchen.
Already popular with locals, the restaurant serves French dishes made with local ingredients: think Kyoto duck leg and a Japanese twist on eggs benedict.
What about the location?
Compared to Osaka’s many eclectic neighbourhoods, the surrounding business district is a little soulless.
But as long as you’re up for a short stroll and an even shorter train ride, it’s an excellent base for exploring the city.
Centrally located about a 10-minute walk from JR Osaka Station, one of the city’s major rail hubs, the hotel is about the same distance to Umeda, a popular shopping area with bars and restaurants aplenty.
Arriving by Shinkansen, Japan’s iconic bullet train, you’ll arrive at Shin-Osaka station, which is around 15 minutes by taxi.
The hotel is definitely off the main tourist track, but trendy spots such as Dotonburi and Namba – home to Osaka’s famous lion head shrine – are only two to four stops by train.
Alright, it sounds fabulous. How much does it cost?
As you’ve probably imagined, this kind of hotel doesn’t come cheap.
Standard rooms at the Four Seasons Osaka start from £607 in April. Suites on the exclusive Gensui floor go from £1,213.
Everything you need to know: at a glance
Time: Japan is BST +8 hours.
Weather: The average daily maximum temperature in April is around 20°C , rising to 25° in May and 28° in June.
Adaptors: UK to Japan travel adapter.
Currency: The local currency is the Japanese Yen. Major chains accept credit and debit card, but many independent shops and bars are cash-only.
Visas: You do not need a visa to visit Japan with a UK passport. British citizens can stay visa-free for up to 90 days.
Check in/check out: 3pm and 12 midday.
Disability access? Yes. The Four Seasons Osaka has ramps, slopes, and accessible showers.
Standout feature: Gensui, the modern ryokan floor, and Bar Bota with sweeping city views.
Perfect for: Couples and honeymooners.
Not right for: Travellers on a budget.
Arrow
MORE: Japanese Grand Prix practice stopped after two grass fires at Suzuka circuit
Arrow
MORE: In-flight skincare gave me the ick — then I tried a viral face mask
Arrow
MORE: Plane turns back several hours into 14-hour flight instead of completing journey
The Getaway
Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration.
AloJapan.com