Conrad Osaka

Conrad Osaka occupies the highest floors of the Nakanoshima Festival Tower West, on the river island of Nakanoshima between Umeda and the old business district of Kitahama and Yodoyabashi. The hotel describes itself as floating forty floors above the city, and the height is the defining feature: the restaurants, bars and many rooms look out across the rivers, the Umeda skyline and, on clear days, far beyond the city.

There are 164 rooms and suites, a modest number for a hotel of this kind, which helps keep the atmosphere calm. The spa offers massages, jet baths and a salon, and there is a gym and an indoor pool for guests, so it is easy to unwind after a long day of sightseeing.

The 40th floor is the social heart of the hotel, home to its restaurants and bars. The hotel counts five dining venues there: Kura, C Grill, Atmos Dining, 40 Sky Bar and Lounge, and a Dessert Bar. Check the official website for the style and opening times of each, and reserve ahead if you want a window table at sunset, when the views over the rivers are at their best.

Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out is at 12:00, a little later than many Osaka hotels. The hotel suits couples, business travellers and anyone who wants a quieter, more polished base than the busy shopping districts. Prices are in the luxury bracket, with the best rates usually found by booking early on the official website. Light sleepers will appreciate the height and the relatively small number of rooms, and the location suits travellers who prefer early starts to late nights. The surrounding area is quiet at night, so those who want to stay out late in Minami will need a short subway or taxi ride home.

The tower is directly connected to Higobashi Station on the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line and Watanabebashi Station on the Keihan Nakanoshima Line, so you can reach the rest of the city by rail without going outside. On the doorstep are the riverside promenades of Nakanoshima, the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka, and the cafes and historic buildings of Kitahama, all pleasant on foot.