Lights off and stretched out in front was an amazing view of the glittering neon Osaka skyline in all its glory.
And boy what a fabulous welcome to Japan’s third city, with Tsutenkaku Tower the historic and nostalgic symbol of the Shinsekai district and the country’s tallest skyscraper, the Abeno Harukas, which anchors the skyline, creating a stunning visual backdrop, especially at night.
The ultra-modern OMO7 Osaka has large picture windows in its rooms to afford this magnificent view and its one of the highlights of staying in this lovely hotel.
For people not lucky enough to stay in one of the top floor rooms, the hotel has a massive green park area outside, where the illuminated city can be spotted too.
The lawns are also where the hotel holds its signature Pikapika Night Festival, lit up with lanterns and a chance for guests to watch a high energy interactive Bon Odori Dance around a 3.6 metre giant Billiken (luck statue), led by comedy entertainers, Japanese bingo and popular games, including a shooting gallery and pin ball machine.
Tokens are used to enjoy some of Osaka’s famous street food including okonomiyaki style hot dogs, octopus cracker pastries and Billiken soft ice cream.
It’s a great way to have fun at the family-friendly hotel, which also runs tours by its OMO7 rangers, taking in the local area’s best places to eat street food and to show off the nicest and most interesting parts of the neighbourhood.
Easy on the eye, the hotel has bright images screened on front of the hotel at night and inside, it’s a clean and slick environment with very friendly and helpful staff.
On check in, guests are invited to choose trendy pyjamas and a yukata (a casual and unlined summer kimono) to wear during the stay, from a lobby wardrobe and pick up any necessary toiletries.
Then it’s up to see the impressive rooms via the open plan reception area, with a giant map of the neighbourhood on the wall and a colourful cat mural.
There are eight distinctive room types, ranging from twin to the OMO House, which also has a washing machine and kitchen area.
All the accommodation is bright and airy, with a separate bathroom and toilet, large open space bed areas and plenty of room to relax.
Water stations and laundry areas are provided on each floor, and there’s a separate building for a public bath. Downstairs there are two restaurants, including the OMO Dining where scrumptious buffets of Japanese and Western food are served, along with lunch and dinner starring dishes such as beef short rib bowl and OMO curry.
The OMO café and bar serves up lighter bites such as the croque okan, a croque monsieur topped with a Japanese omelette or delicious ice cream.
OMO7 Osaka is just a short walk from the main JR Shinimamiya Station and near to the electric railway and local metro, meaning it’s easy to access the fabulously lively city.
The hotel also runs a free shuttle bus to Universal Studios Japan, where it’s fun all the way from the Minion Park full of rides in tribute to the wee characters, to Harry Potter themed attractions and Mario World.
Osaka is known for being a relaxed city where locals love their food and entertainment and the Dotonbori entertainment district is where the famous Glico running man billboard sits high on the wall. First put up in 1035, it is now onto its sixth version and lit by LEDs.
As in all of Japan, history is important and Osaka as a food city is known for its traditional mochi pounding experience. Also in Dotonbori, Oh Mochi is the place to go to learn the history behind the sweet and to have the chance to swing a traditional wooden mallet to pound steamed sticky rice into the round rice cake shapes and then taste them with a variety of sweet and savoury toppings, such as kinako soybean flour, red bean paste and sweet soy sauce.
One of the most iconic landmarks in Japan is the simply stunning Osaka Castle, best seen at night, when the crowds disappear and the beautiful white building is lit up.
Dating back to 1583, it has been destroyed many times, with the current building, reinforced with concrete and a faithful reproduction of the original.
The castle played a very important role in the unification of the country in the 16th century and is surrounded by the Nishinomaru Garden, with hundreds of trees, which in cherry blossom season are a sight to be seen, summing up the city as one of historic meets modern with a nice, relaxed vibe.
The Details
OMO7 Osaka by Hoshino Resorts, 3Chrome-16-30 Ebisunishi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0003, Japan.
Tel: +81-50-3134-8096
Website: www.hoshinoresorts.com
Email: hoshinoresorts.com/contact
The hotel is easy to reach from by Shinkansen (bullet train). Transport can be booked before arriving in Japan and an excellent planner app is www.omio.co.uk, which helps organise multi-modal trips.
Flights to Japan are available from all over the UK and I travelled via Frankfurt from Edinburgh Airport where Airport Parking and Hotels (APH.com) offers a wide range of parking and overnight hotel stays at all major UK airports. For more information visit: www.aph.com/edinburgh-airport. Comfort before the flight is available at the Turkish Airlines Lounge operated by Plaza Premium Group Edinburgh.
Lonely Planet has brought out new guides including the 15th version of the Tokyo book, third edition of Experience Japan, 19th version of the Japan guide, 11th edition of Pocket Tokyo and a fabulous Love Japan coffee table book. For more details, check out: www.shop.lonelyplanet.com.
Type of Hotel: 5-Star hotel
Number of Rooms: 436 rooms of 8 different types.
Price Band: Rates at OMO7 Osaka start from 60,000 JPY (£276) per room per night for two sharing, including breakfast and dinner.
Insider Tip: Make sure you ask for a room with the unmissable view of the city.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9/10
Author Bio:
Rebecca Hay is an experienced travel writer and member of The British Guild of Travel Writers. Follow her adventures with her family on Twitter and Instagram @emojiadventurer and on Facebook via EmojiAdventurers2.
Photographs courtesy of OMO7 Osaka by Hoshino Resorts
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