Give us the Skinny
The iconic Waldorf Astoria brand marks its first foray in Japan with a gleaming Osaka residence in the sky that blends Art Deco grandeur with Japanese artistry and serenity. The design—by architect/interiors superstar André Fu—pays striking homage both to the brand’s old-school New York heritage and to the minimalist aesthetics of its host country. Its lofty position atop the new Grand Green Osaka South building affords city-wide views.
The new Grand Green Osaka South building. Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria
The Vibe
Check in for grand celebrations and urban retreats where ‘me moments’ at the spa and pool are just as engaging as Great Gatsby-style parties amid glittering city views all day. Design is used as a feast and salve for the soul: Waldorf Astoria’s peacock motif flutters subtly from the elegant toiletries box to the gorgeous silk taffeta skirts of the women’s uniforms, while winter gardens bring the beauty of changing seasons indoors.
The Location
Besides the ground floor art-adorned lobby with soaring ceilings, the hotel occupies the 28th to 38th stories of the Grand Green Osaka South Building, one of several mixed-use developments in the new Grand Green Osaka lifestyle district in Umekita. All around are shops and eateries, with JR Osaka station also nearby, which allows you to reach Kyoto and Kobe in under half an hour. The beautiful adjacent Umekita Park bustles with picnicking families, lunch-hour workers and weekend stalls, with a basement food court showcasing the Kansai region’s culinary offerings from street food to craft coffee to ramen.
The Crowd
Waltz with the well-heeled jetsetters, almost always perfectly accoutered even for breakfast (heck, even the tots are fashionably dressed). We were told that bookings during the opening weekend were a 60-40 mix of local and overseas guests. From the packed lobby lounge and speakeasy, we noted that they sure love afternoon tea with bubbles and cocktails with a view.
Waldorf Astoria ground floor entrance. Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria
Canes & Tales bar. Courtesy Waldorf Astoria
Waldorf Astoria Osaka Swimming Pool. Courtesy Grace Ma
The Rooms
There are few places that make you want to slink into a bouclé sofa or a plush bed more than an André Fu-designed suite. In my 93-square-meter King Corner Suite, tranquility whispers in the sunrise and romantic night views through floor-to-ceiling windows while intricate kumiko woodwork on the headboard and food trays bearing turndown snacks and tea make it feel like home.
Green and blue hues play off light wood, a theme that is echoed in all 252 rooms located on floors 31 to 38, from the entry-level 46-square-meter King Deluxe Room to the largest 193-square-meter Presidential Suite. Painted washi panels, shoji lampshades and bathroom lights reminiscent of kusari-doi rain chains are all part of the local story. It’s a thread woven neatly throughout the property, from moment you emerge from the elevators on the 29th floor and all the way through its 20-meter-long bronze-framed passageway to the seven-meter-high rotunda lobby, complete with a rock-and-water feature trickling in its center.
King Deluxe Room. Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria
Guest Bathroom. Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria
The author’s Corner King Suite. Courtesy of Grace Ma
The Food and Drink
For me, the dining was Waldorf Astoria Osaka’s most impressive department. From luscious eggs Benedict alongside a breakfast buffet of pastries, breads and salads to a Kobe wagyu from cattle bred specially for the hotel, the hotel’s four dining concepts each bring a different shine to revelry.
Jolie Brasserie applies playful French flair to Japanese ingredients whose freshness shines through dishes like bouillabaisse, a Kyoto Nantani duck confit and plain, steamed vegetables brimming with sweetness and crunch. At teppanyaki and sushi restaurant Tsukimi, watching the unflappable team carefully cooking seafood and rare wagyu on the iron griddle and deftly pressing sushi is as much a treat as savoring them with award-winning sakes.
Jolie Brasserie. Courtesy Waldorf Astoria
Tsukimi. Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria
Premium Kobe Wagyu bred exclusively for Tsukimi restaurant. Courtesy of Grace Ma
Sakura Seabream Herb Fish Broth at Tsukimi. Courtesy of Grace Ma
The signature lobby lounge Peacock Alley, named for socialite- and celebrity-spotting, is the place for chi-chi afternoon teas, glorious views and expensive bubbles (this month’s special is the newly released Veuve Cliquot La Grande Dame 2018, which is currently not sold outside of France). The Waldorf Astoria New York splendor is less ostentatious here: grand chandeliers resembling wind chimes hang overhead, while the distinctive bronze clock—made with 144-year-old Japanese timepiece manufacturer Seiko—carries an understated elegance. The gentlemen’s bar–inspired speakeasy Canes & Tales is more “cheeky whimsy,” with drinks spun from F. Scott Fitzgerald stories, such as the Mr Icky, which uses claypot-aged Manchino.
The Service
You hardly need to lift a finger here: there is even staff stationed by the elevator doors to press the buttons and bow until the doors close. They run a tight ship in the restaurants, too, though housekeeping had to be reminded to remove the turndown service snacks and tea that have been left out for two days. Nothing is too difficult for the amazing concierge, from arranging private sakura-viewing boat tours and visits to Katsuo-ji temple—known for its beautiful scenery and auspicious daruma dolls—to booking your helicopter transfers to Haneda airport.
Japanese breakfast bento at Jolie Brasserie. Courtesy of Grace Ma
Would We Visit Again?
Absolutely, and we would drag the whole tribe along too. Relaxing massages, exclusive champagnes and rare wagyu are not for solo indulgence.
hilton.com; doubles from ¥113,259
Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
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