Review: Conrad Osaka

Our time in Japan saw us staying at a variety of Hilton Honors properties, more specifically, the Conrad Tokyo, the Roku Kyoto LXR, and the Conrad Osaka.

While we have only flirted with the Conrad brand in the past, particularly with a memorable stay at the Conrad Koh Samui, we were excited to check out more Conrad properties this trip while burning many of our hard-earned Hilton Honors points and Hilton free night certificates. The Conrad Osaka is often raved about by those who have the chance to visit, so it was an easy choice to include this property in our itinerary.

Let’s take a dive into everything you want to know about the Conrad Osaka, including why I think it’s one of the best redemption options in the Hilton Honors portfolio.

Booking & Check-in

We booked our stay at the Conrad Osaka using three Hilton free night certificates that were earned from American Express Hilton Honors credit cards.

If you are interested in redeeming Hilton Honors points for a stay, this is an excellent property to get the most value from your points. The nightly redemption rate is 95,000 Hilton Honors points, which is near the top end of the Hilton redemption range but this property is worth it. 

While we were able to avoid redeeming points or paying cash at all thanks to the Hilton Honors free night certificates, 3 nights would have cost us 285,000 Hilton Honors points. On the flip side, cash rates hovered around ¥115,000 per night, meaning our three-night stay would have cost us ¥345,000 or almost $3,200 CAD.

If you are interested in earning Hilton Honors free night certificates to save on your next hotel stay, you’ll need to look into how to get US credit cards as a Canadian. The Conrad Osaka is also a property that it could be worth purchasing Hilton points for, as redeeming points can be much cheaper than paying cash rates.

The best choices to earn these free night certificates are either the American Express Hilton Honors Aspire card (US), which offers an annual free night certificate simply for holding the card plus the highest-tier Hilton Honors Diamond status, or the American Express Hilton Honors Surpass card (US) which awards a free night certificate upon spending $15,000 USD in a calendar year.

The Conrad Osaka is easy to locate, with clear signage and a striking outdoor entrance.

Similar to the Conrad Tokyo, the lobby is not located on the main floor and you will need to take the elevator to the top floor of the hotel, the 40th floor. Upon arriving in the elevator lobby, a staff member took our bags for delivery after check-in, and we rode up to the 40th floor.

If you’ve seen any pictures of the Conrad Osaka previously, you know how striking the lobby is. It’s even better in person, as floor-to-ceiling windows are immediately visible as you arrive on the 40th floor.

It’s even prettier at night, and we saw a lot of couples and friends who were presumably not staying at the hotel come up here to take photos. It’s a view definitely worth checking out if you find yourself in Osaka, even if you aren’t staying at the Conrad.

Continuing on past the gorgeous view, a walkway connects the elevators to the lobby and check-in area. To get to the lobby, you’ll walk between two massive pieces of art, titled the “God of Wind and Thunder”.

The lobby area is decently sized and consists of a number of seating options and three check-in desks.

Check-in was quite efficient, even with the smaller number of agents available. Upon arriving in the lobby, a staff member asked for the name on our reservation and directed us to a check-in agent once they were available. The check-in was typical and we were provided with cold towels, which was appreciated after a hot walk to the hotel.

We were also provided with details about the Executive Lounge which we were able to use as Hilton Honors Diamond members. Since we were staying during a Japanese long weekend, we were also asked if we wanted to book a time for the Executive Lounge that evening.

We did attend the cocktail hour at the Executive Lounge twice during our stay, and it was easy enough to book a time slot by messaging the hotel via the Hilton Honors app.

Location

The Conrad Osaka is centrally located and in a much better location than the Conrad Tokyo. Located almost on top of Higobashi Station, the Conrad Osaka makes an excellent jumping-off point for evening excursions to Dotonbori or further away day trips to Nara.

When we arrived after taking the Nozomi Shinkansen Green Car from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka station, it was only one additional train and a few minutes walk to get to the Conrad Osaka.

Parking

While you most likely won’t need parking during your stay at Conrad Osaka, it is available at a rate of ¥3,700 per day for self-parking, and ¥6,000 per day for valet parking.

Room – King Premium View Room

The King Premium View Room at the Conrad Osaka had one of the more interesting layouts I’ve come across, but it was quite modern and the space was well utilized.

Directly as you enter the room is the water closet, which includes the toilet and a small sink.

A brief walk down the hallway is where the bedroom is located. The king-sized bed was very comfortable as Conrad beds tend to be.

Upon arrival, the signature Conrad duck and bear were waiting for us on the bed.

Each nightstand had a ring light and on the left nightstand was a tablet that controlled various room settings including the lighting and the do not disturb sign.

To the left of the bed was a sectional with a small table, great for looking out towards central Osaka.

The view was excellent, overlooking the Dojima River and many of the buildings in Central Osaka. The recently opened Four Seasons Hotel Osaka was also in our view, and the exterior is very eye-catching.

Beside the sectional was a small circular desk with an office chair. This was one of the better desk chairs I’ve used at a hotel as it was surprisingly comfortable.

There was a small welcome amenity of a bottle of Sake left for us which was a nice treat.

Beside the desk was a flip-up vanity with lighting and a small stool.

The television was directly in front of the bed and had smart capabilities, including streaming from a variety of platforms such as Netflix and YouTube.

To the left of the television was the coffee machine, glassware, and complimentary bottles of water.

Below was a drawer that included additional glassware plus small bottles of liquor for purchase.

Further below was the mini fridge and a separate compartment containing a kettle and an ice bucket.

Beside the coffee area was a luggage storage bench.

Across from the bathroom was the closet, which included robes, ironing equipment, and a mobile storage luggage rack.

Next to the the bed was the bathroom which had an interesting design, with two sliding doors that connected to close the bathroom off from the rest of the room.

The bathroom features a double vanity with just enough counter space. Plus the Conrad Osaka has a Dyson hairdryer in every room which was a treat.

Similar to the Conrad Tokyo, soaps and lotions are supplied by Byredo.

Additional amenities such as dental kits, floss, and other miscellaneous items were also available in the bathroom drawer.

The bathtub was massive, rivaling the one at the Conrad Koh Samui.

Finally, the walk-in shower was directly beside the bathtub and had both a normal and rainfall showerhead.

Turndown service was offered and included a note about tomorrow’s weather, tea, a snack, and the ice bucket was filled.

Pajamas were also left on the bed, similar to the Conrad Tokyo.

Overall, we loved the room. The design was useful and it felt like everything had a purpose. It also helps that the hotel opened in 2017, as it still feels quite modern and doesn’t seem to be showing any significant wear yet.

Restaurants & Bars

All restaurants at the Conrad Osaka are located on the 40th floor. During our stay, we did enjoy breakfast at Atmos Dining and drinks at 40 Sky Bar & Lounge, but we didn’t dine at C Grill or KURA as Osaka has far too many other restaurants to try.

Atmos Dining – Hilton Honors Gold Complimentary Breakfast

If you are a Hilton Honors Gold member or above, Atmos Dining is where you will enjoy your complimentary daily breakfast for two as part of the Hilton Honors breakfast benefit.

Atmos Dining is located on the 40th floor, just past the lobby and near the elevator banks. While there was often a queue later in the morning, it only ever took a few minutes for us to be seated.

Upon being seated, we were provided with a menu for a la carte items and beverages. Hilton Honors Gold members can choose one a la carte item and supplement their choice with the massive buffet available.

The buffet was slightly different every day but offered a significant amount of choice including Japanese, Western, and other international options. Whether you prefer sweet or savory, or something more adventurous than traditional, there were more than enough choices to make everyone happy.

A variety of fresh fruit juices and chilled water were also available to complement your meal or morning coffee.

On the weekend we visited, there was also a breakfast station for children available which was a neat concept.

Breakfast at Atmos Dining was nothing short of impressive every day and something that we looked forward to every morning. While I gravitated towards the buffet for every meal, my significant other did enjoy a few items from the menu which she quite enjoyed.

40 Sky Bar & Lounge

40 Sky Bar & Lounge is located directly beside the lobby and is the place to be if you are interested in expertly crafted cocktails and don’t mind paying an elevated price for what I would consider an elevated experience.

The bar does have a cover charge of ¥1,650 per person in the evening and on Saturday, Sunday, and any holidays. However, staff will proactively ask you if you are staying at the Conrad Osaka and if so, for your room number before they seat you. As a guest, you will not be charged the cover charge.

The cocktail menu is vast and ranges in price from ¥2,800 to ¥4,000. This is expensive compared to what you can spend elsewhere in Osaka, but the drinks and good, and the view cannot be beat. We enjoyed a couple of late-night visits to the bar as a way to end our evening.

While we didn’t need reservations for the bar during our stay, you can make reservations and view the menu for 40 Sky Bar & Lounge here.

C Grill

G Grill focuses on seafood and serves lunch from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm and dinner from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

You can make reservations and view the menu for C Grill here.

KURA

KURA is a Japanese restaurant that focuses on teppanyaki and sushi. KURA is open for lunch from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm and dinner from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

You can make reservations and view the menu for KURA here.

Facilities

Executive Lounge

Hilton Honors Diamond members will receive access to the Executive Lounge on the 39th floor as part of their benefits.

Unlike the Conrad Tokyo, breakfast is not available in the Executive Lounge and the only formal services offered are afternoon tea from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm and evening cocktails from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Children 12 and under are welcome in the lounge before 7:00 pm.

During busier periods, guests will need to make an hour-long reservation in advance. Since we were visiting on a long weekend, we did need to make reservations for both visits and were able to do so easily via the Hilton Honors mobile app.

We visited two nights at 6:00 pm as a way to kick off our evening, and it was just fine. So many people attend, even when reservations are required, and it was always very busy, at least on the weekend we were there.

It was nice to get a snack and a couple of free alcoholic beverages, but other than that, it definitely isn’t a “must-do” if you have access. That being said, it is a very nicely decorated space with views of Osaka, making it a great place to watch the sunset.

There were a few small bites available every night, and nothing really stood out as excellent. It was just ok, and an appetizer at best for the evening ahead.

Arguably, the complimentary alcohol is the bigger selling point as there was a variety of self-serve spirits, wines, and beer available. For those looking for something non-alcoholic, there was a selection of soda and juices.

It was easy enough to throw together a quick Whiskey Highball and retreat from the madness that was the food and beverage stations. While we did enjoy coming to the lounge to have a few drinks and watch the sunset, we would probably visit at 7:00 pm or later next time to have a quieter and perhaps less busy experience.

Fitness Center

The fitness center, pool, and spa are all located on the 38th floor.

Since the fitness center is available 24 hours a day, guests will need to scan their room key card to enter.

The gym was pretty well equipped for a hotel of this size and offered gorgeous city views. A variety of cardio equipment was available, plus weight machines and free weights with benches.

Additional amenities such as fruit, bottled water, and chilled towels were available.

Pool

The pool is open from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm daily and was consistently busy throughout our stay, making it difficult to get a decent photo outside of after-hours once the pool area was closed.

Similar to the Conrad Tokyo, the pool has stunning views of the city which are even better at night.

Each change room also offers a heated whirlpool, showers, and dressing area with a number of amenities.

Spa

While we didn’t utilize the spa during our stay, it is easy to find as the main desk is immediately presented once you exit the elevator.

You can view the spa services and pricing here.

Conclusion

The Conrad Osaka was an excellent stay, potentially even more so than the Conrad Tokyo. The property is quite modern, the amenities are excellent, and the service is high-quality and high-touch if desired. The location is really good, and super convenient for any day trips or journeying around Osaka.

We would definitely return if we found ourselves in Osaka again and had Hilton Honors free night certificates or points to burn!