Henn na Resort & Spa Kansai Airport

The room was a decent size, though it felt a bit dated and the toilet seat wasn’t heated. The onsen was lovely, with both indoor and outdoor baths, but getting in took several steps: scan your room card, collect a paper slip, scan that for the next entrance, then take off your shoes. Bring 100 yen for the locker. The hotel is near the sea and the airport, but Google Maps made it hard to find. The road there winds quite a bit, so we went through the parking lot instead. It was extremely windy during our visit, around 35 mph. Reception has a dinosaur that speaks different languages, which is odd but probably fun for kids, and there’s a wall phone to talk to someone. Nothing is very close, so there’s still some walking to do, which is a pain with lots of luggage.

The room at Henn Na was clean, fairly new, and bright, with lamps on both sides of the bed and a dimmer in the middle of the headboard. I stayed two nights in Rinku Town, first at the Washington Hotel and then here. Henn Na is farther from the station, about a 12-minute walk compared with three minutes for Washington, though the walk is manageable. What it offers instead is a seaside onsen that Washington doesn’t have. The Trial supermarket is close by and open all day. Purchases over 55,501 yen qualify for an on-site tax refund of 8%-10%; medicine is only available before 11 PM. There’s also a family-friendly Joyful Cafe nearby, plus a roast beef restaurant with an all-you-can-eat menu. Both serve food until 11 p.m.

We loved the Japanese restaurant Aoan in the hotel, the food was tasty and affordable. The natural hot spring, “Senshu no Yu”, was another highlight, with indoor and outdoor baths looking out over Osaka Bay and planes taking off. It was a relaxing stop before flying. Henn na Resort & Spa Kansai Airport is in Izumisano, Osaka, one train stop from Kansai International Airport. From Rinku Town Station Exit 1, it’s a 10-15 minute walk, and I shared nine photos showing the route. The hotel is right by the sea, so the air and views are peaceful. Check-in is automated and robot-assisted, with dinosaur robots at reception. The one downside for us was the very hard, uncomfortable bed.

The two rooms we had were clean, had good air conditioning, and looked out to a fantastic sea view. We slept well, and the firm beds suited us. After travelling with our two teenagers, this was a very relaxing final stop. The traditional Japanese onsen has lovely sea views and is included for hotel guests. Get the access ticket in the corridor between the hotel and spa, bring a small and large towel from your room, and have 100 yen for the locker. No swimsuits or tattoos are allowed. There’s also a small gym for hotel guests, for 300 yen. Our room rate included a meal, which was a lovely surprise: delicious Japanese food in the restaurant overlooking the sea. Breakfast was okay too. Filling in the check-in details online beforehand gets you a QR code to speed up the desk process.