I wanted to stay at a hotel with a view of Osaka Castle! Out of a few options, I decided to go with this one.
This time it was a group of 4: me and my sons (4 and 2 years old), traveling with a friend.
Along with our family-travel notes, I’ve put together everything worth knowing before you book.
- Basic info and access for Hotel New Otani Osaka
- The room and the Osaka Castle view
- A list of the hotel’s restaurants (with kid-friendly options marked)
- Hotel facilities, breakfast, and just how quiet the rooms really are
- Who this hotel is best for
Access
By Train
We went by train this time. There are two nearest stations, each about a 3-minute walk away.
JR Osaka Loop Line ⇨ Osakajokoen Station
Osaka Metro ⇨ Osaka Business Park Station
Kyobashi Station is also about an 8-minute walk away, served by the JR Osaka Loop Line, JR Tozai Line, JR Katamachi Line (Gakkentoshi Line), the Keihan Electric Railway’s Keihan Main Line, and Osaka Metro’s Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line.
It’s within walking distance, but if it’s raining or hot out, if walking along the road with kids feels risky, or if you’re worried about getting lost, we’d recommend coming via Osakajokoen Station or Osaka Business Park Station instead!
We used Osaka Business Park Station. If you take the exit closest to the hotel, note that it only has an up escalator.
If you’re using a stroller or wheelchair, this map should help you find your way!
By Car
The hotel has a parking lot.
It’s 2,000 yen (approx. $13.33) per car, per night.
The Lobby
The lobby is open and airy, with a soaring atrium ceiling.
A lot of the walls use mirrors too, which makes it feel even more spacious.
There were plenty of staff at check-in, and they guided us through everything politely.
Right in the middle, there’s a cafe called “SATSUKI LOUNGE.”
The Room
We were shown to our room by staff.
This time we booked a twin room with an Osaka Castle view.
Even outside of the bed area, there was plenty of room for suitcases and a stroller.
In the Superior Twin room, each bed is a “semi-double” — 120cm (about 47 inches) wide.
There was still plenty of room to share a bed with a child!
The room we stayed in had the bath and toilet together in one space, with a shower curtain around the tub.
This is called a “unit bath” — a molded, all-in-one bathroom module.
The sink is in the same space too.
Our room, for 2 adults and 2 toddlers, came to about 30,000 yen (approx. $200) a night.
Japanese-style rooms (with tatami mats and shoji sliding doors) are also available, and those have a separate bath and toilet.
The View from Our Room
So, we opened the curtains, and there was Osaka Castle, right in front of us!
From our room, you could see the whole of Osaka Castle Park across the moat.
Since our room faced north, the castle appeared behind Osaka Castle Hall (a large concert and event arena right next to the hotel).
There happened to be a concert the night we stayed, and a lot of people were moving around Osaka Castle Hall.
Here’s what it looks like zoomed in.
Osaka Castle itself is quite a large castle, so it looks even bigger and clearer in person than in photos.
At night, the castle is lit up.
We got to see it beautifully from our room!
Check availability for a room with an Osaka Castle view!
Dinner
This time we wanted to decide what time we’d get back based on the weather, so we got dinner as takeout.
The hotel has a lot of restaurants.
| Restaurant | Cuisine | Private Room Only | Kid-Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAKURA | French | ○ | ★ |
| Keyaki | Teppanyaki | ○ | |
| SATSUKI | All-Day Dining | ★ | |
| Kidokoro Isshin | Kappo (Traditional Japanese) | ★ | |
| Mendokoro NAKAJIMA | Japanese | ||
| Taikan-en | Chinese | ★ | |
| Kenzan | Edo-Style Sushi | ★ | |
| Jojoen Yugentei | Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) | ||
| Kagairo | Japanese | ★ | |
| Fujio | Sukiyaki & Shabu-Shabu |
Kids’ chairs and dishware are available, and the restaurants marked with a ★ appear to offer kids’ menus or dishes that are easier for kids to eat.
It’s a hotel with a calm, refined atmosphere, but it was still very welcoming to families with kids, which was reassuring.
Hotel Facilities
Here’s a quick rundown of the hotel facilities!
| Laundry | No coin laundry Laundry service available |
| Pool & Gym | Members-only fitness club |
| Convenience Store | None inside the hotel ・A 7-Eleven on the 1st floor of the neighboring Yomiuri TV headquarters building ・A Lawson near Osaka Castle Hall, the event arena right across from the hotel |
There’s also a bathing area (with a sauna and jacuzzi) inside the members-only fitness club. Hotel guests can use it for an extra fee, but it’s for ages 18 and up.
Bedtime
As night fell, we soaked in the view of the lit-up castle before settling in for bed.
There was a concert going on at Osaka Castle Hall, the event arena right next door, and a lot of people were moving around outside, but we couldn’t hear a thing inside our room.
We asked for a bed guard at the last minute, but
two staff members came and set it up carefully for us.
Some bed guards leave a gap a child can get stuck in, but this one had a strap that runs underneath the mattress to hold it firmly in place, so I felt very at ease.
I think they’ll set it up ahead of time if you let them know in advance.
Breakfast
We had breakfast at the all-day dining restaurant “SATSUKI” on the 1st floor.
Staff seat you wherever’s open.
It’s a Japanese/Western buffet, so
of course there’s bread and sausage and the like,
and true to Kansai style, you can top your omelet okonomiyaki-style too.
It’s a Western-style omelet as the base, with fillings like cheese, mushroom, and onion to choose from, then topped with the classic okonomiyaki toppings: okonomiyaki sauce (a sweet-savory Worcestershire-style sauce), mayonnaise, bonito flakes, and dried green seaweed.
*You can also just have it plain!
They even had eel!!
If you ask, staff will plate it for you right there.
Eel is a premium ingredient in Japan, so it felt like a special touch.
Alongside the usual Western dishes, there was an impressive Japanese spread, plus the Kansai specialty akashiyaki (fluffy egg-based dumplings dipped in dashi broth — often described as the precursor to takoyaki) and some well-known pickles.
Kids are charged starting at age 4. Breakfast runs about 3,000 yen (approx. $20), and you can pay after the meal or have it charged to your room.
The Staff
Most of the staff are Japanese, but there were multinational staff members working there too.
Whenever Japanese-speaking staff alone weren’t quite enough to communicate, a staff member fluent in another language would step in to interpret — the whole team was flexible about it.
What stood out to me was just how wide a range of ages and nationalities the guests were.
I felt like this is a hotel where anyone can relax and feel at ease.
Who Is This Hotel Best For?
- Anyone who wants to stay close to Osaka Castle
- Anyone staying before or after an event at Osaka Castle Hall
- Anyone who wants a quiet stay without noise from outside
- Families who want to enjoy proper sit-down restaurants even with kids along
- Anyone looking for a hotel where guests of any age or nationality feel comfortable
One thing that stands out about this hotel is the range of rooms available — from reasonably priced rooms, to luxurious executive floors (with access to the executive lounge), all the way up to suites, so there’s something to fit a lot of different needs.
There also appear to be discounts for multi-night stays!
Check room availability at Hotel New Otani Osaka!
Depending on the season, prices range widely — from around 10,000 yen (approx. $67), up to around 100,000 yen (approx. $667) or more for the high-end rooms and suites.
With such a wide range of room types and services, I think you’ll be able to find something that fits what you’re looking for!
In Summary
This time, we went looking for a hotel near Osaka Castle simply because we wanted to visit it.
I’ve noticed that hotels often have a distinct “type” of guest — mostly Japanese guests, mostly overseas visitors, or mostly families with kids. What stood out to me here was just how many different kinds of guests were staying, across every age and nationality.
It made me realize just how wide a range of needs this hotel’s rooms and services are built to cover.
I hope this helps with planning your trip!
Thanks so much for reading to the end!
Check room availability at Hotel New Otani Osaka!
