Henn na Hotel Express Osaka Namba Nipponbashi

This feels like a self-service place with little human interaction. Luggage can be stored in locked spaces at the unmanned reception, and check-in and checkout both happen at the kiosk. It was all quick, which is handy if you prefer less contact. The bed was quite firm, and although it was large, there were only two pillows for two people. I liked the separate, spacious WC and shower, and the provided Anker USB-C charger was a smart touch if you don’t have a travel adapter. I didn’t try breakfast, but there’s a laundry shop about a five-minute walk away. Rates and location are pretty good, and the rooms are a good size for Osaka. My rating is based on similar three-star hotels, which is what Henn na Hotel is, so don’t expect too much.

The free lockers were the best part for me. We had a late flight, so after checkout we left our luggage and carry-on bags there and could roam around. The dining room also works as a waiting area if you arrive early or have a later flight. Rooms are cleaned daily, and the bathroom is spacious compared with a typical Japanese hotel, with the toilet separate. The hotel is close to Nippombashi Station. Breakfast is decent, better than some people say, though not as good as convenience store food. I usually added things I’d bought at a konbini. WiFi was poor, so I used my eSIM.

The room WiFi was a little weak, though it worked very well in the lobby and dining area. Otherwise, the hotel and rooms were new and very clean, and the room seemed larger than most Japanese hotels at the same price. The bathroom was spacious, with the toilet separate from the bath area, so two people could use them at once. Lockers made luggage storage easy, and check-in and checkout were smooth. Kintetsu train station Exit 2 is very close, and Dotonbori is a short walk away. I had a great stay and would consider coming back.

The shower and bathroom were very good, but the room was dark. Its only window looked onto an enclosed inner space, with just a faint bit of light, even in the middle of the day. It always felt like nighttime. I’d stayed in hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Hakone and Kamakora, and they all had free tea and morning coffee in the rooms. Here there was nothing to drink in the morning. The breakfast was the worst I’ve had in all of Japan. I wouldn’t recommend it even if it were free. It was cheap frozen food heated in a microwave, and there are much better, cheaper breakfasts nearby.