Japan Undiscovered

The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka: European Grandeur High Above the City

Marble bathrooms, polished silver and a cigar-lounge bar give The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka the air of an old European house, though a dry breakfast omelet proved a stubborn exception.

Japan Undiscovered
Published · Visited January 2023

The main entrance under a dark canopy bearing the hotel's name.
The main entrance under a dark canopy bearing the hotel's name.

Our verdict

The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka leans fully into European grandeur: embossed headboards, Italian marble bathrooms, thick monogrammed towels, polished silver and a top-floor lounge bar with live piano where conversation flows. The views over Osaka, from rain-blurred towers to the city at night, are a highlight, and the bedside chocolates are a gracious touch. The minibar and bar are priced accordingly, and the breakfast buffet was solid rather than special, its made-to-order omelet arriving overcooked and dry twice.

Recommended for

Travelers who enjoy classic, European-style luxury and a refined bar with live music, and who want a quiet, high-floor retreat in central Osaka. Check minibar and bar prices in advance; breakfast alone is not a reason to book.

Area
Osaka, Japan
Type
Hotel
Visited
January 2023
Published
January 2023

Highlights

  • Italian marble bathrooms and thick monogrammed towels
  • Top-floor lounge bar with live piano
  • High-floor views across Osaka
  • House chocolates left at the bedside

Watch out for

  • Minibar and bar priced high; check first
  • Made-to-order omelet overcooked and dry, twice

Features

  • Classic European-style decor
  • Top-floor lounge bar with original cocktails
  • Breakfast buffet
  • Complimentary coffee and mineral water in rooms
  • Valet parking
Official website
On this page
  1. A room in the European manner
  2. A desk with a view
  3. Marble and monograms
  4. Minibar and silver
  5. Osaka by night
  6. The lounge bar
  7. Chocolates and breakfast
The second entrance: arched wooden doors flanked by a pair of reclining stone lions.
The second entrance: arched wooden doors flanked by a pair of reclining stone lions.

At first glance there is little to choose between the main entrance and the side entrance of this distinguished hotel, yet we still felt the urge to photograph the traditional lion statues and the valet parking desk.

A room in the European manner

Twin beds with tufted headboards and crisp white linen.
Twin beds with tufted headboards and crisp white linen.
The room from the entrance: a corner window with heavy drapes, a desk and an armchair.
The room from the entrance: a corner window with heavy drapes, a desk and an armchair.

The room had a real sense of formality. The beds, with their deeply embossed headboards and pure white sheets, looked beautiful. The fabric of the curtains, the carpet and the photographs on the walls all carried a European air. The brand’s European origins show in a world drawn straight from a film about the European aristocracy. Today The Ritz-Carlton is part of the American group Marriott International and operates around the world.

A desk with a view

The writing desk in the corner window, with a brass lamp.
The writing desk in the corner window, with a brass lamp.
Rain over Osaka's towers from the corner window.
Rain over Osaka’s towers from the corner window.

Unfortunately it was raining, but from the modern desk we could see right across Osaka. Sitting at a desk without a speck of dust, in a well-cushioned chair, we felt the urge to pick up a pen. The view from this height overwhelmed us and reminded us that Osaka is a great city, every bit a match for Tokyo.

Marble and monograms

The bathroom: a long marble vanity under crystal lights.
The bathroom: a long marble vanity under crystal lights.
The marble-lined bathtub with a hand shower.
The marble-lined bathtub with a hand shower.
Stacks of white towels beside the glass-walled shower.
Stacks of white towels beside the glass-walled shower.
Amenities neatly arranged in a drawer.
Amenities neatly arranged in a drawer.
Colored bath salts in cut-glass bowls.
Colored bath salts in cut-glass bowls.

The bathroom, in Italian marble, is designed to take anyone’s breath away. A generous choice of bath salts and the hotel’s own amenities were neatly laid out. There was a great quantity of towels, reflecting a policy of giving guests a clean and comfortable stay; embossed with the hotel’s name, they felt luxurious in both thickness and touch. Everything bore the hotel’s crest or label, so you might well take some home to start a collection.

Minibar and silver

The toilet, set in its own marble room.
The toilet, set in its own marble room.
Glass shelves of cups, glasses and an ice bucket, with a coffee machine below.
Glass shelves of cups, glasses and an ice bucket, with a coffee machine below.
A minibar drawer of wine, spirits and snacks.
A minibar drawer of wine, spirits and snacks.
The desk by the window as the sky clears over the city.
The desk by the window as the sky clears over the city.

The minibar and drawers held a wide selection, at first-class prices. Coffee and mineral water are complimentary, but for anything else it is wise to check the price list first. The cups and the ice bucket had been polished until the silver gleamed.

While we were looking around the room the sky had begun to clear. Osaka spread out below, building after building, with Abeno Harukas rising among them.

Osaka by night

Osaka at dusk from the room, the city lights coming on below.
Osaka at dusk from the room, the city lights coming on below.

At night the view took on a seductive beauty, with a stillness hard to believe in energetic Osaka.

The lounge bar

Olives, nuts and crisps on the bar table, photographed at a tilt.
Olives, nuts and crisps on the bar table, photographed at a tilt.
The wood-paneled lounge bar in low lamplight.
The wood-paneled lounge bar in low lamplight.

The lounge bar on the top floor was busy with grown-ups enjoying live piano music and original cocktails. Unlike the latest edgy designs of city hotels, it had an atmosphere that would suit a smoky cigar. It is quiet without being too quiet, a place where lively conversation is possible, and that sets it apart from bars with an unspoken rule that you must not raise your voice. Do check the price of the snack set and the table charge in advance.

Chocolates and breakfast

Bottles of sparkling wine and glasses set out on a wooden shelf at breakfast.
Bottles of sparkling wine and glasses set out on a wooden shelf at breakfast.
Bedside: the hotel's own chocolates, a notepad and a bottle of water.
Bedside: the hotel’s own chocolates, a notepad and a bottle of water.

The hotel’s own chocolates were placed at the bedside, a touch of style that made us feel a quality of service different from what we know in Japan.

This time the only meal we had was the breakfast buffet, which was of the standard you would expect from a luxury hotel overall. The one disappointment was the classic hotel omelet, made to order on the spot: ours came overcooked, full of air pockets and dry. We had it twice, and on neither occasion did we get an omelet we were happy with. Guests can enjoy Champagne from first thing in the morning, and the cheerful, smiling atmosphere in the breakfast room is said to be very popular.

This review reflects a stay in January 2023. Please confirm current details directly with The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka before visiting.

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