Checking in to Four Seasons Hotel Osaka

Japan has had somewhat of a buzz around it over the last five years, there was certainly plenty of activity leading to the 2020 Olympics, but since then tourism to the Land of the Rising Sun has grown exponentially, resulting in hotel development reaching an all-time high across the country, but particularly in Tokyo and Osaka.

Planning my trip last year, which was actually my first to Japan (I can genuinely recommend making the journey if you’re yet to visit, particularly if you like offbeat quirkiness and efficient public transport), I was delighted to receive an invitation to the shiny, newly opened Four Seasons Hotel Osaka.

Image credit: Four Seasons

The hotel officially opened in August 2024, and when I visited in October, the towering 49-storey building still looked fresh out of its wrapper. The super modern façade is softened by the ground-level water features and fluffy foliage, and as you enter the main lobby there is a continuation of both set against the backdrop of a pale colour palette where pleasing patterns are created by low-level lighting casting shadow in the pits and ridges of the tactile stone surfaces and wooden latticing.

The ground floor also plays host to Jardin, one of the hotel’s five different F&B outlets. Its neutral scheme and connection to natural elements offers a soothing welcome to weary travellers and wouldn’t look out of place at a spa resort, offering quite the juxtaposition to the craziness of the neon-lit streets of Dotonbori, just a mile or so down the road.

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At the front desk we were told we’d be taken to the 28^th floor for a special Gensui check-in experience and traditional tea ceremony. This floor of the building is dedicated to the time-honoured traditions of Japanese culture, which includes 21 tatami rooms and suites designed by local studio, Simplicity.

In the Sabo Lounge, looking out across the rooftops and sky scrapers from a wall of windows whilst enjoying a centuries-old ritual is quite something. The explanation and careful attention to detail during the ceremony made an occasion of the usual check-in process, and supping on my neat little cup of steamy matcha whilst perusing the museum-like displays showing aged tea sets and raw ingredients was a lovely experience.

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Once we felt fully immersed, we were shown to our suite – a short walk along the wide, low-lit corridors. Stepping in through the entryway, your eye is drawn immediately to that wonderful view again before taking a moment to assess your surroundings. This suite felt more grown-up than many I have stayed in previously. The design is streamlined, sophisticated, but not without personality.

This was my first experience of tatami flooring, and I was glad of the definitive line between the tiled floor entrance (suitable for shoe-wearing) before getting to the main living area, which avoided any confusion between when and where to remove footwear. The springiness taking my first steps onto the tatami was slightly unexpected, but I am a huge fan and would love to see it being used more often.

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The king-sized futon bed in our suite was elevated on a separate platform, which gave both the feel of traditional Japanese living but a nod to Western culture of raising the bed from the floor, which I felt was very effective – particularly with its positioning as the perfect place in which to appreciate the view and the theatrics in the morning of simply flicking a switch to raise the blinds across the room to allow the sunshine and sights to flood in.

A generous space, the rooms and suites have all the mod-cons you would come to expect from a luxury hotel, but for me the pièces de résistance was the onsen-style tub in the bathroom. In contrast to the light whites, and blonde wooden tones in the main living area, the bathrooms are dark and moody, atmospheric with heavy slate greys and darker walnut notes. The space is divided into dressing area, separate WC, and an incredibly luxurious bathing area where an open shower leads on to a well-proportioned square bathtub, which takes up the whole corner of the room and is placed directly in front of the window so that guests can survey the land before them whilst soaking away their aches and pains.

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During our stay, we made use of the gym and spa (rude not to), which keep the theme of the view taking centre stage, and whilst the experience of having the 16-metre infinity pool on the 36^th floor to ourselves will be forever etched in my memory, one of the things that struck me most about the spa area was the fantastic dressing rooms! A choice of open or private dressing areas, a relaxation section, and huge shared dressing table broken up into individual stations with all the amenities and hair tech a girl could wish for. It’s worth noting the gym is incredibly well-kitted out and that the spa doesn’t just have the usual sauna and steam rooms, but a large public ofuros (hot tub) as well.

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Anyone that knows me well knows I’m partial to a cocktail when the occasion arises, and the setting at Four Seasons Hotel Osaka’s Bar Bota did not disappoint. On entry to the bar, guests are met by an elaborate sculpture centred around a bonsai tree before being led to the main bar area, which is made up of different lounge areas with a circular bar and celestial lighting installation at the heart of the room. The main lounge area feels like a contemporary library, with pockets of cosy seating and curated displays of curiosities, books, and artwork posed in floor to ceiling shelving.

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Kidney shaped mini sofas and cleverly designed furniture make the most of the space for guests wanting to pull up a seat in front of the main attraction – yes, that view again – which looks very different at night.

The hotel is a symbol of refined sophistication, where the structure reflects the forward-thinking and cutting-edge construction techniques employed in modern urban development, while the interiors emphasize the cultural richness of the region. The overall design concept reflects a sense of calm, mirroring the serenity of Japanese culture, with influences drawn from the principles of minimalism and wabi-sabi, the art of finding beauty in imperfection and transience – though the latter doesn’t actually apply to the hotel itself, quite the opposite in fact.

Image credit: Four Seasons

Main image credit: Four Seasons