I had been to Japan for just 3 times, but I had learnt that space was a valuable commodity the hard way. Just throwback to my hotel at Asahikawa, Hokkaido, where a double bed was just a super single…
Therefore, I went to Osaka with an open mind and prepared for some major squeeze in between my food hunts.
There were 2 Holiday Inn hotels in and around Namba, where we decided to base ourselves at. However, we decided on the one that was on the fringe of Dotonburi. Even though it was further from Namba train station, we felt we might be able to exchange that convenience for some space.
This was a gamble that turned out right 🙂
Sufficient Room for Flatlay
Our room in Holiday Inn Osaka Namba was so spacious, I think it ranked as the top few spacious rooms I’ve ever stayed in Japan.
Admittedly, the space was unlike those we can find in Bangkok, but there was actually more space to move around without having to tango around each other nonetheless. It was also possible for both of us to open our luggage at the same time (though it would mean tiptoeing around corners).
The amazing thing (for Japanese standard) was that that was after fitting in a decent sized TV-console-study-desk, a coffee table and a couch!
Unlike the Holiday Inn Express we stayed in Munich City West, the room in Osaka adopted an understated tone of colours that were reminiscent of Japanese culture.
The super single beds were also comfortable enough for us to recharge fully for another day of food hunting. However, soundproofing proofed to be a challenge especially at night when we could hear shuffling along corridors and when our neighbours slammed their doors closed.
Amenities wise, there was a portable luggage rack, slippers, yukata-style bathrobes and in-room safe (good enough for my 14” laptop). My only gripe was that there was no by-the-bed power sockets for charging handphones…
Bathroom of Holiday Inn Osaka Namba
The bathroom was also larger than expectations. I didn’t elbow into walls as I moved about and my head wasn’t touching the ceiling when I was taking a shower in the bathtub. There was also ample space by the sink for all the toiletries that we brought.
Speaking of toiletries, each room was equipped with bath towels, hand towels, dental kits, shaving kits, shower gel, body lotion and hair dryer. Quite extensive, I suppose. The only thing one needs to bring would be facial cleanser, and shampoo and shower foam for the more discerning.
(p/s: Unlike the rooms we stayed in Tokyo and Hokkaido, the room in Hotel Inn Osaka Namba did not have Shiseido shower foam/shampoo/conditioner dispensed from family-sized bottles attached to the wall. Instead, they provided small tubes of toiletries instead, which might not be sufficient for 2 persons even for a day.)
In and Around Holiday Inn Osaka Namba
There was card control in the lift to access the rooms, which was redundant considering the superb safety record in Japan. That being said, the hotel was in a quiet part of the Namba neighbourhood and near the pubs (those with posters of sexy girls at the shop front), and the streets were dead in the morning. Interestingly, just a few minutes’ walk and a bridge away, there wa Dotonburi and its ever-lively atmosphere.
Other than being near the shopping streets, there was also a 7-11 just beside the hotel lobby in the same building, which made it very convenient to buy supper or morning coffee. This was all the more made good considering that there was no breakfasts included.
Another plus point of our hotel was that it was the only high rise around – our room looked far and out across the top of Dotonburi’s low rise shops, giving us ample sunlight and of course, avoiding the weird look-into-other-people’s-windows situation.
All in all, Holiday Inn Osaka Namba was a great surprise and a good value to be had! I mean, the room in Holiday Inn Osaka Namba was spacious! Really glad to have made the choice to stay there!
I had previously blogged about our day trip to Kyoto and our hunt for pancakes around Osaka, Takoyaki and Taiyaki, Okonomiyaki / Yakisoba / Tsukemen and of course, my Business Class experience on Cathay Pacific from Singapore to Osaka via Hong Kong. Follow Live.Life.Love to get updates on my travelogue to Osaka, Japan and get inspired for your summer vacation!
Till then, stay wanderlust!
All photos and videos in this blog post were taken with Google Pixel XL and edited (where necessary) with Google Snapseed app.