Nagasaki Joe

The Wet Bar, Living Room, and Pool renderings are all so flashy, like something out of Las Vegas. I really wonder how that's going to go over in Japan. Of course, artist renderings and reality are not the same things, so let's hope it all works out, but given what I see, I think I'd really need to see it in person before making a reservation, or simply use an FNA for one night to check it out.

nexusCFX

Looks like this property has the same 21k JPY corp rate for me as the St. Regis. Will probably give it a try next time I'm in Osaka, although based on my personal preferences I don't see myself switching from the St. Regis long-term, but it's always fun to try a new property.

osmantrex

Used a fresh 50k certificate to book a night here next October. Cash rate is 55k JPY a night, which seems pretty steep. Was planning on booking the Marriott Miyako with the certificate, but it's 60k for the night I need.

JapanFlyerT

Nice you have a 50,000 cert. My Chase card limits me to 35,000 points, and the W is showing a 40,000 requirement.

They talked about the opening on the Japanese news last night. Looks pretty posh.

Lowest rates for two adults are ¥44,100 (¥56,387 w/tax&service). I usually set a limit of half that, but if/when GO TO returns, I may have to give the W a go. As a newly minted Titanium perhaps I can get one of those ¥800,000 "WOW larger suites!"

khabah

The hotel opened yesterday, and I was scrolling through Instagram to see live photos of the hotel which I'm attaching below for visual reference. The public spaces are very colorful and dramatic, an energetic contrast to the stark black monolith that is the exterior.

As for the rooms: like the renderings, they look exceptionally dull in my opinion - very beige and anonymous, and the neon stripes across the TV wall designed to evoke Osaka's neon signs look distracting and loud. The only Japanese/fun element I see and like is the pixel art in the closet... but even then, the artists are based in San Francisco. I'm still blown away by how the owners went with concrete [Dutch designers] for the rooms and other non-Japanese creators for the launch of the first Japanese W, when there is SO MUCH talent in Japan that could have crafted something much more fun and local.

khabah

Nagasaki Joe

Thanks for the photos. The hotel and room interiors are not as glitzy and loud as they appeared in the renderings. I kind of agree with you that they went a little dull with the room colors aside from the closet. I'm not sure where you see the concrete in the rooms, I would have guessed the walls are made of plasterboard. Btw, concrete is often used in modern urban home design in Japan, but I haven't seen it in any hotel that I've stayed at. I really like the minibar with the window view, I wonder if that's standard in every room. The pool area also looks nice. Such an odd juxtaposition of black monolithic exterior and glitzy interior. I'll have to give it a try someday.

khabah

Nagasaki Joe The concrete [yes, lowercase] I’m referring to is the name of the Dutch interior design firm that worked on the interiors of this hotel! They also did the interiors of W London and W Amsterdam - the rooms of both of which are much livelier than Osaka, in my opinion.

khabah

3rdworldresident

i wish they did something more on headboard.

anyway, definitely stay there once intenationla travel has resumed normal.

Japanese hospitality is the best.

JapanFlyerT

Funny the confusion over 'concrete.' Your comment rings true about Japanese homes, and also public buildings. Architect Tadao Ando certainly loves it.

Lkaroo

At the W Osaka now. Last minute trip, booked with Titanium 40k free night and used SNA to upgrade to Marvellous Suite. Cash rate for the room would have been JPY93k including all taxes.

A few thoughts:

- If you cross a love hotel and 1OAK...
- Service has been very friendly.
- The sheer number of seating options in the suite would certainly be attractive to those who enjoy being sat down.
- There is a Harry Winston collaboration afternoon tea in the lobby which seems to have attracted a number of Instagram models.

Happy to answer any questions. Will try and use the gym, pool and make it to breakfast tomorrow morning.

CPH-Flyer

Had a stay in early November. Was upgraded to a Marvelous suite on the 27th floor. Very similar pictures to the ones in the post above, so I'll skip room pictures.

The lobby was heaving in the afternoon, but not much life in the evenings. Which is a bit different from what you'd might expect from a W lobby. Check in was quick and efficient, since breakfast was included in the rate (Marriott Luminous) I out of curiousity picked the local amenity instead if points. Which was a kind of 100 yen store card holder with a W logo. Kindly enough, they had also granted me the welcome points I realised when the stay posted.

The suite was great, with great views of the lights on Shinsaibashi and Midosuji towards Namba. A pet peeve of so many new hotels in Japan, why only Japan type outlets, why not just do international multi ones by the bed and a few other places?

We had a booking at the referral only sushi restaurant, quite well hidden, with only very limited hints at its location. A really cool setting, which was really tradition sushi place meets W. Worth putting in a bit of effort to get a spot here. The W house sake can be recommended for the sushi. After dinner the F&B manager gave us a tour of the teppanyaki restaurant at street level, with the side entrances and private dining options.

The signature cocktails at the lobby bar are pretty good, but interestingly we only tried the bar as a very quiet retreat, almost no one else there for after dinner drinks.

I only looked quickly at the spa and pool area, no time to test for real. But it did look nice.

Breakfast was good, the pastries from the MIXup café quite interesting.

demue

Tadao Ando designed the building, seeing the room (interior) design I wish they had him do the interior as well, but then it wouldn't be a W I guess . Even if not Ando doing it, there are so many great Japanese Interior design firms that could have "whipped up" something much more pleasing / exciting in my book. YMMV.

Well, anyways, no negotiated corporate rate for our firm here unlike St. Regis, so I'll just stick to the St. Regis then and save a nice chunk of $, no brainer.

joakgarp

Can the pandemic please go away so that I can try W Osaka. And now Japan is closed.
I think W Osaka looks great! Can't wait to do the next Osaka trip even though I'm very fond of Marriott Osaka.
​​​
Checked random rates for February and rates are on about as Prince gallery Tokyo's 350€/night for regular non peak dates. A bit steep for Osaka imo but guess things will settle down when we're back to normal.. Whenever that happens.

CPH-Flyer

Both the St Regis and the W are operated by Sekisui House, so you'd think it shoulf be possible to get an agreement covering both.

Nagasaki Joe

Based on the bar photo a couple of reviews up, it appears that hotel clientele is predominantly comprised of Millenials and the hotel interior seems to target that young demographic. Can anyone who has stayed there confirm that?