Where to stay in Osaka
last update: August 12, 2022
Osaka is full of hotels and hostels of all types and for all budgets. Prices are lower than in Tokyo. It is advisable to sleep in Osaka at least a couple of days to be able to visit the city calmly. If you have more time available, you can stay in Osaka for several nights, using the city as a starting point to visit the many places of interest in the surrounding area. If you wish, you can also stay in Osaka, in the Umeda area, to visit the nearby city of Kyoto.
The best area to stay in Osaka
Osaka is a very large city, but unlike Tokyo, the main tourist districts are relatively close to each other, in a central area that stretches for about six kilometers, from Umeda (Kita) to the north up to Tennoji in the south, with Namba (Minami) in the middle. These three districts are undoubtedly the best areas to stay in Osaka to comfortably visit both the city and its surroundings. In our opinion, each of these neighborhoods can become the best choice according to your personal needs:
- Namba is the number one choice if your stay in Osaka is mainly dedicated to discovering this city. The area is located in a central position with respect to other areas of interest, is better connected to the Kansai International Airport, and has an unparalleled offer of restaurants and a busy nightlife (Dotonbori).
- Umeda is the number one choice if you are planning to stay in Osaka for several days both to visit this city and to take numerous day trips. The area is the most important transportation hub in Osaka where numerous JR lines and private companies converge. Umeda is particularly strategic if you are planning to make excursions to Kobe, Himeji, and especially Kyoto, which can be reached in just 30 minutes. If you want to save money or just don't want to change hotels, you can base yourself in Umeda and visit both Osaka and Kyoto while staying in the same hotel. The area, although smaller than Namba, also offers a wide choice of places for shopping, dining and entertainment.
- Tennoji and nearby Shinsekai are instead the best choice for those who want to save as much as possible . In these areas you will find the lowest prices in the city despite a very central location and well served by public transport.
Recommended hotels
One of the cheapest business hotels located in the heart of Dotonbori in Namba. No frills hotel, with small but clean rooms and all with bathtubs, recommended for those looking for low-cost accommodation but without giving up a very central location and the comforts of a business hotel.
Price range: single rooms 4,000-5,000¥, double rooms 4,500-6,000¥.
A business hotel in the heart of Amerikamura, Osaka's most extravagant district in Namba. Simple and comfortable rooms. Strengths of the structure are in our opinion the check-out until noon (not very common in Japanese business hotels) and the amazing buffet breakfast for only 1000¥ per person.
Price range: single rooms 6,000-7,000¥, double rooms 6,500-7,500¥.
Highly recommended hotel for those willing to spend a little more for super services. In particular, you can enjoy the public baths with thermal water, including an outdoor bath and a sauna. You can also get a plate of house noodles (yonaki soba) for free every evening between 9.30pm and 11pm. Breakfast is paid (around 2000¥) but the buffet is truly superb. Beautiful and elegant rooms, with a style that combines Japanese tradition and modernity. Finally, the location is also perfect, in the heart of Dotonbori and five minutes from the nearest metro station.
Price range: single rooms 9,000-11,000¥, double rooms 11,000-14,000¥.
This is our favorite hotel in the Umeda area for those looking for something very comfortable without spending as much as a luxury hotel. Among its strengths is the location first of all, just a 5-minute walk from JR Osaka and Umeda stations along a large shopping street. The hotel is also directly connected to an underground shopping center which allows you to reach the various stations without getting wet in case of rain. In addition, the lobby, corridors and even some rooms are decorated with works of art, giving the hotel an elegant and refined atmosphere, like being in an art gallery. Finally, all rooms use Slumberland beds, one of the best hotel bed brands in the world (these are the same beds used by the British royal family).
Price range: single rooms 6,000-7,000¥, double rooms 7,000-9,000¥.
A huge hotel located inside the skyscraper directly above the JR Osaka Railway Station. The property features an impressive and elegant lobby, numerous restaurants, and many rooms, generously sized by Japanese hotel standards, enjoy panoramic city views. Recommended for those looking for a comfortable and modern hotel.
Price range: single rooms 9,000-11,000¥, double rooms 12,000-14,000¥.
Recommended luxury hotels
This hotel is housed in a modern skyscraper next to Umeda station, in a very lively shopping area and well connected to the rest of the city. All rooms have a magnificent panoramic view over the city. As this is not a luxury hotel in the strict sense, anyone can afford at least a couple of nights at this property. Recommended for those who want an elegant hotel with a panoramic view, but without spending too much.
Price range: single rooms 9,000-12,000¥, double rooms 12,000-25,000¥.
If you are looking for a very high-standard hotel, this five star hotel in the heart of Namba is the best. It is located inside a skyscraper next to Nankai Namba station, and the mega-shopping complexes Namba City and Namba Parks. Dotonbori's famous Glico Man is 500 meters away. Inside there is a wellness center with gym and indoor swimming pool, as well as six high-level restaurants, one of which is panoramic on the 36th floor. Many rooms on the higher floors of the building also enjoy spectacular city views. The prices are not incredibly high as in other places in Japan or the world for a hotel of this standard. Check it for yourself!
Price range: double rooms 17,000-25,000¥.
Alternatively, we recommend the Marriott Miyako hotel, located between the 38th and 57th floors of the tallest skyscraper in Japan. The hotel is right next to Tennoji station, served by various lines, including the Midosuji Line of the metro which guarantees a quick and easy connection to Namba and Umeda. The hotel is also located next to a huge shopping complex, Abeno Harukas. All the luxurious and spacious rooms (from 40 square meters upwards) enjoy an excellent panoramic view of the city, and some rooms even have a wonderful panoramic bathtub (if you are interested, book a deluxe room or a corner room). Inside you will find various bars and restaurants and a gym (also with a panoramic view !!) which can be used 24 hours a day by all guests. A dream hotel, unfortunately a dream not for everyone but if you have the money it is really worth it.
Price range: double rooms 35,000-50,000¥.
Very cheap accommodations
Cabin hotels
If capsule hotels scare you for their small size, but you want to try a typical Japanese experience, you can go step by step and start at this cabin hotel in the center of Namba. In a cabin hotel, in addition to the bed, you will have a small corridor with a small table, higher ceilings and a less claustrophobic environment. To better understand what it is, check their website. The property also has large public baths.
Price range: 4,000-5,000¥.
Another cabin hotel of the same group, same concept and very similar services offered, but in the Umeda area. Slightly lower prices than the Namba cabin hotel.
Price range: 3,000-4,000¥.
Recommended hostels
A large and modern hostel in the center of Namba and 700 meters from Dotonbori. The beds in shared dormitories are arranged in such a way as to still guarantee some privacy, thanks to curtains and other dividers. Guests have access to a kitchen with free water and coffee dispenser and a common room. The property is very popular with young people. In addition to dorm beds, it is possible to book large rooms with up to six beds, perfect for groups of friends.
Price range: bunk beds 2,000-3,000¥.
Recommended capsule hotels
This capsule hotel is just perfect. There are only positives. It is in a phenomenal location in the heart of Shinsaibashi, just a few minutes' walk from Dotonbori and Amerikamura. Furthermore, it is a capsule hotel frequented by many foreign tourists and you will not have any communication problems. The structure itself offers many services to its guests, including large public baths, a sauna, a reading room with lots of manga, an internal restaurant. You can choose between the classic capsules (for both men and women) and the deluxe capsules (for men only), which also feature a small corridor with a side table.
Price range: standard capsule 3,000¥, deluxe capsule 4,000¥.
Super cheap private rooms
In the area around the stations of
Shin Imamiya and
Dobutsuenmae there is one of the poorest areas of the city of Osaka. Over the years, numerous very low cost hotels have begun to open here, where you can sleep in single rooms (generally with shared bathroom) at very low prices and impossible to find in the rest of the city. The area is also relatively central, very close to
Shinsekai and
Tennoji, and also very close to more central areas such as Namba and Umeda. These can be reached by metro in a few minutes thanks to the Midosuji Line. The only problem, the streets of this area are often frequented by homeless people and other strange characters, especially in the evening, but apart from that nothing generally dangerous ever happens. In the area there are many hotels of this type, below we recommend a few.
Among the very low cost hotels in Shin Imamiya, this is the one with the best value for money. All the rooms here are in fact equipped with TV, air conditioning and refrigerator and you can choose between rooms with a Japanese-style bed on the floor (futon) and rooms with a western bed. The hotel is located a few meters from Dobutsuenmae, a stop on the Midosuji Line of the metro with which you can easily reach the most central areas of the city, while the picturesque district of Shinsekai is a 5-minute walk away.
Price range: single rooms 1,500-1,800¥.
Among the ultra-low cost hotels in Shin Imamiya, the Toyo is the most popular among backpackers and more generally among international travelers. The colorful and patterned decor makes the atmosphere very warm. Guests also have access to a shared kitchen, ping pong tables and video games, and it is possible to rent a bike for 500¥ per day.
Tiny rooms with shared bathrooms like all low-cost hotels in the area. This is also just a few meters from Dobutsuenmae, a stop on the Midosuji Line of the metro with which you can reach the most central areas of the city in a few minutes.
Price range: single rooms 1,600-2,000¥.
This hotel is old, not spotless, and the rooms are tiny, but the price really can't be beat. You will have a small private room (with shared bathroom) for only 1100 yen per night. With this price you usually only pay for the breakfast of a normal hotel. If you read the reviews you may be a little scared, but if you are a true adventurer, who want to save as much as possible and already know that you will be out from morning to night and you only need a roof to sleep, this place may be for you. The location is excellent, right in front of the Dobutsuenmae station of the Midosuji Line of the metro with which you can reach the most central areas of the city in a few minutes.
Price range: single rooms 1,100-1,400¥, double rooms 2,500-3,000¥.
Original ideas for a night out of the ordinary
Bali An Resort is a chain of very special themed hotels, inspired by Indonesian resorts, and in particular the island of Bali. The rooms are super spacious, many with whirlpool tubs and TVs in the tub, sofa and massage chair. Free for all guests a selection of dozens of beauty products and bath salts to choose from, including 14 types of shower gel and shampoo, Indonesian snacks and treats, and unlimited alcoholic beverages, one hour in a karaoke room, darts. A truly heavenly resort. Booking.com classifies it as a love hotel, but it's not a classic love hotel, it's a category of its own. Highly recommended for a relaxing night with your partner. There are two hotels of the same chain in Namba: one in Dotonbori and another one in Shinsaibashi.
Price range: double rooms 15,000-18,000¥.
A fairly inexpensive capsule hotel, in an ultramodern building located along the main street of Nipponbashi, dedicated to video game lovers. The first three floors of the building are filled to the brim with powerful gamer PCs for guests to use, while the rest of the building houses capsule hotel-style rooms, with a female-only floor as well as some premium capsules. The hotel is also sometimes used as a venue for eSports tournaments. Any gamer will love the atmosphere in this place.
Price range: capsule 2,000-2,500¥.
Map of Osaka
Guided tours, activities and other things to do
If you are planning a trip to Japan and you want to do something more than just visiting famous places and monuments, we suggest you to use
Rakuten Travel Experiences.
How to use Rakuten Travel Experiences
Rakuten Travel is a very useful website to
enrich your travel experience, especially if you are going solo or it's your first time in Japan.
Because of the language barrier (and more), in Japan it is very difficult to interact with the locals and to get off the tourist track.
Thanks to Rakuten Travel you can find a lot of interesting and sometimes unique
guided tours and activities all over Japan (and not only in Japan), that you would otherwise never be able to enjoy.
But there's more: on Rakuten Travel you can also
buy tickets for several famous attractions, events, transportation and other useful services for tourists. Last but not least, you can
reserve a table in hundreds of restaurants.
Some examples
Take a look at Rakuten Travel Experiences
You may also be interested in
One of the cheapest business hotels located in the heart of Dotonbori in Namba. No frills hotel, with small but clean rooms and all with bathtubs, recommended for those looking for low-cost accommodation but without giving up a very central location and the comforts of a business hotel.
Price range: single rooms 4,000-5,000¥, double rooms 4,500-6,000¥.
A business hotel in the heart of Amerikamura, Osaka's most extravagant district in Namba. Simple and comfortable rooms. Strengths of the structure are in our opinion the check-out until noon (not very common in Japanese business hotels) and the amazing buffet breakfast for only 1000¥ per person.
Price range: single rooms 6,000-7,000¥, double rooms 6,500-7,500¥.
Highly recommended hotel for those willing to spend a little more for super services. In particular, you can enjoy the public baths with thermal water, including an outdoor bath and a sauna. You can also get a plate of house noodles (yonaki soba) for free every evening between 9.30pm and 11pm. Breakfast is paid (around 2000¥) but the buffet is truly superb. Beautiful and elegant rooms, with a style that combines Japanese tradition and modernity. Finally, the location is also perfect, in the heart of Dotonbori and five minutes from the nearest metro station.
Price range: single rooms 9,000-11,000¥, double rooms 11,000-14,000¥.
This is our favorite hotel in the Umeda area for those looking for something very comfortable without spending as much as a luxury hotel. Among its strengths is the location first of all, just a 5-minute walk from JR Osaka and Umeda stations along a large shopping street. The hotel is also directly connected to an underground shopping center which allows you to reach the various stations without getting wet in case of rain. In addition, the lobby, corridors and even some rooms are decorated with works of art, giving the hotel an elegant and refined atmosphere, like being in an art gallery. Finally, all rooms use Slumberland beds, one of the best hotel bed brands in the world (these are the same beds used by the British royal family).
Price range: single rooms 6,000-7,000¥, double rooms 7,000-9,000¥.
A huge hotel located inside the skyscraper directly above the JR Osaka Railway Station. The property features an impressive and elegant lobby, numerous restaurants, and many rooms, generously sized by Japanese hotel standards, enjoy panoramic city views. Recommended for those looking for a comfortable and modern hotel.
Price range: single rooms 9,000-11,000¥, double rooms 12,000-14,000¥.
This hotel is housed in a modern skyscraper next to Umeda station, in a very lively shopping area and well connected to the rest of the city. All rooms have a magnificent panoramic view over the city. As this is not a luxury hotel in the strict sense, anyone can afford at least a couple of nights at this property. Recommended for those who want an elegant hotel with a panoramic view, but without spending too much.
Price range: single rooms 9,000-12,000¥, double rooms 12,000-25,000¥.
If you are looking for a very high-standard hotel, this five star hotel in the heart of Namba is the best. It is located inside a skyscraper next to Nankai Namba station, and the mega-shopping complexes Namba City and Namba Parks. Dotonbori's famous Glico Man is 500 meters away. Inside there is a wellness center with gym and indoor swimming pool, as well as six high-level restaurants, one of which is panoramic on the 36th floor. Many rooms on the higher floors of the building also enjoy spectacular city views. The prices are not incredibly high as in other places in Japan or the world for a hotel of this standard. Check it for yourself!
Price range: double rooms 17,000-25,000¥.
Alternatively, we recommend the Marriott Miyako hotel, located between the 38th and 57th floors of the tallest skyscraper in Japan. The hotel is right next to Tennoji station, served by various lines, including the Midosuji Line of the metro which guarantees a quick and easy connection to Namba and Umeda. The hotel is also located next to a huge shopping complex, Abeno Harukas. All the luxurious and spacious rooms (from 40 square meters upwards) enjoy an excellent panoramic view of the city, and some rooms even have a wonderful panoramic bathtub (if you are interested, book a deluxe room or a corner room). Inside you will find various bars and restaurants and a gym (also with a panoramic view !!) which can be used 24 hours a day by all guests. A dream hotel, unfortunately a dream not for everyone but if you have the money it is really worth it.
Price range: double rooms 35,000-50,000¥.
If capsule hotels scare you for their small size, but you want to try a typical Japanese experience, you can go step by step and start at this cabin hotel in the center of Namba. In a cabin hotel, in addition to the bed, you will have a small corridor with a small table, higher ceilings and a less claustrophobic environment. To better understand what it is, check their website. The property also has large public baths.
Price range: 4,000-5,000¥.
Another cabin hotel of the same group, same concept and very similar services offered, but in the Umeda area. Slightly lower prices than the Namba cabin hotel.
Price range: 3,000-4,000¥.
A large and modern hostel in the center of Namba and 700 meters from Dotonbori. The beds in shared dormitories are arranged in such a way as to still guarantee some privacy, thanks to curtains and other dividers. Guests have access to a kitchen with free water and coffee dispenser and a common room. The property is very popular with young people. In addition to dorm beds, it is possible to book large rooms with up to six beds, perfect for groups of friends.
Price range: bunk beds 2,000-3,000¥.
This capsule hotel is just perfect. There are only positives. It is in a phenomenal location in the heart of Shinsaibashi, just a few minutes' walk from Dotonbori and Amerikamura. Furthermore, it is a capsule hotel frequented by many foreign tourists and you will not have any communication problems. The structure itself offers many services to its guests, including large public baths, a sauna, a reading room with lots of manga, an internal restaurant. You can choose between the classic capsules (for both men and women) and the deluxe capsules (for men only), which also feature a small corridor with a side table.
Price range: standard capsule 3,000¥, deluxe capsule 4,000¥.
Among the very low cost hotels in Shin Imamiya, this is the one with the best value for money. All the rooms here are in fact equipped with TV, air conditioning and refrigerator and you can choose between rooms with a Japanese-style bed on the floor (futon) and rooms with a western bed. The hotel is located a few meters from Dobutsuenmae, a stop on the Midosuji Line of the metro with which you can easily reach the most central areas of the city, while the picturesque district of Shinsekai is a 5-minute walk away.
Price range: single rooms 1,500-1,800¥.
Among the ultra-low cost hotels in Shin Imamiya, the Toyo is the most popular among backpackers and more generally among international travelers. The colorful and patterned decor makes the atmosphere very warm. Guests also have access to a shared kitchen, ping pong tables and video games, and it is possible to rent a bike for 500¥ per day.
Tiny rooms with shared bathrooms like all low-cost hotels in the area. This is also just a few meters from Dobutsuenmae, a stop on the Midosuji Line of the metro with which you can reach the most central areas of the city in a few minutes.
Price range: single rooms 1,600-2,000¥.
This hotel is old, not spotless, and the rooms are tiny, but the price really can't be beat. You will have a small private room (with shared bathroom) for only 1100 yen per night. With this price you usually only pay for the breakfast of a normal hotel. If you read the reviews you may be a little scared, but if you are a true adventurer, who want to save as much as possible and already know that you will be out from morning to night and you only need a roof to sleep, this place may be for you. The location is excellent, right in front of the Dobutsuenmae station of the Midosuji Line of the metro with which you can reach the most central areas of the city in a few minutes.
Price range: single rooms 1,100-1,400¥, double rooms 2,500-3,000¥.
Bali An Resort is a chain of very special themed hotels, inspired by Indonesian resorts, and in particular the island of Bali. The rooms are super spacious, many with whirlpool tubs and TVs in the tub, sofa and massage chair. Free for all guests a selection of dozens of beauty products and bath salts to choose from, including 14 types of shower gel and shampoo, Indonesian snacks and treats, and unlimited alcoholic beverages, one hour in a karaoke room, darts. A truly heavenly resort. Booking.com classifies it as a love hotel, but it's not a classic love hotel, it's a category of its own. Highly recommended for a relaxing night with your partner. There are two hotels of the same chain in Namba: one in Dotonbori and another one in Shinsaibashi.
Price range: double rooms 15,000-18,000¥.
A fairly inexpensive capsule hotel, in an ultramodern building located along the main street of Nipponbashi, dedicated to video game lovers. The first three floors of the building are filled to the brim with powerful gamer PCs for guests to use, while the rest of the building houses capsule hotel-style rooms, with a female-only floor as well as some premium capsules. The hotel is also sometimes used as a venue for eSports tournaments. Any gamer will love the atmosphere in this place.
Price range: capsule 2,000-2,500¥.
