JR West Hotels have opened a new luxury hotel in the Umeda district of Osaka that can be accessed directly from the West Gate of JR Osaka Station. The hotel, which opened on July 31st, is called The Osaka Station Hotel and is part of Marriott International’s “Autograph Collection” of independent, upscale hotels.
The Osaka Station Hotel is located inside JP Tower Osaka
The Osaka Station Hotel is actually located on the site of the original Osaka Station building, which opened here in Umeda in 1874. At that time, the station’s red brick Western-style building was a symbol of a new, modern age — and it became the center of urban development in what had been a rural backwater. Later Osaka Station would be relocated and then rebuilt several times, with the current station being its fifth incarnation.
The original Osaka Station building
The new hotel is on the upper floors of the JP Tower Osaka building, which is located on the southwest side of Osaka Station. The hotel can be accessed from the 1st floor and has its lobby, two restaurants and a bar on the 29th floor. There are a total of 418 guest rooms, including eight luxury suites, which are located between the 30th and 38th floors.
The Osaka Station Hotel’s reception desk
Because of the new hotel’s historic location, its interior is decorated throughout with a playful, railway-inspired theme. The island-style reception desk, for example, is modelled after the old-style, manned ticket gates of railway stations in the past. In addition, the guest rooms are decorated with number plates with a lantern motif, doorknobs with a train brake motif, and lamps that are shaped like the bells that once rang out the time at Osaka Station.
The gachapon machines
Another unusual feature is the “gachapon” vending machines in the lobby, from which you can buy pin badges shaped like the head marks of classic JR trains such as the Twilight Express or the Super Raicho.
A Twin Bed Room at The Osaka Station Hotel
Guest rooms at The Osaka Station Hotel come in different styles with “Signature” rooms located on the 30th to 33rd floors, “Scenic” rooms located on the 34th to 37th floors, and “Specialty” rooms located on the 38th floor. In addition, there are eight luxury suites located on the 31st to 38th floors.
The hotel gym
The hotel’s facilities include a fully equipped gym on the 30th floor which is open 24 hours.
The Specialty Salon
Guests staying in the hotel’s suites and on the 38th Specialty floor also have access to extra facilities such as a communal bathhouse and sauna on the 30th floor, as well as to a Specialty Salon on the top floor where they can enjoy breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails.
The Moment-Grill and Dining at The Osaka Station Hotel
Dining facilities at The Osaka Station Hotel include The Moment-Grill and Dining — an all-day-dining restaurant modeled after the dining car of a luxury train, which serves a fusion of French and Japanese cuisine.
Teppanyaki Mizuki
At Teppanyaki Mizuki you can watch the chef as he grills your meal on a hot plate right in front you!
The Lobby Lounge
The lobby lounge on the 29th floor is shaped like the atrium of a railway station. In this nostalgic space you can enjoy a selection of fine teas and drip coffee. The hotel also has a secret bar located behind a door labeled “Stationmaster’s Office” where you can enjoy a variety of alcoholic beverages and soft drinks.
Kitte Osaka at JP Tower Osaka
The Osaka Station Hotel: Autograph Collection is located in JP Tower Osaka — a new commercial center that also includes the Kitte Osaka shopping center between the basement and the 6th floor, offices from floors 11 to 27, and a multi-purpose theater on the 6th floor. In Kitte Osaka, visitors can find a wide range of shops, services, cafes and restaurants.
Here is a map showing the hotel’s location.
Article by Michael Lambe. Photos courtesy of The Osaka Station Hotel: Autograph Collection. All rights reserved.
