Hostel BASE POINT Osaka

It’s near Namba, though we had trouble finding the hostel on arrival because the signs in Japan weren’t in English. The female dorm and its facilities were clean. The bunk beds may feel short for taller women. I’m 165 cm and still couldn’t stretch my legs straight while sleeping. One of the staff, a woman, spoke good English and was helpful.

Finding it can be awkward: the sign is light brown and easy to miss at night, though Google Maps gets you there. It’s tucked down a little alley. There are two ways in. The easier but dirtier route has a long yellow wall on the right and some yellow bikes, beside Hotel Hyper, whose name is in katakana. For ¥1600 through Agoda, the price was fair, and the location is great. It was clean enough, with a bed over 175 cm long, a small kitchen and a PC you can use for free. Sleeping was the problem. Metal doors kept clanging as they were locked and unlocked all night, past midnight and into the morning.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and Namba station is right nearby, so the location is pretty good. But finding the entrance is tricky. You have to go through a dark alley with bicycles and trash bins. There were cockroaches even on the third floor, and for the price, it wasn’t worth it.

A no-frills place to get a usable bed for the night while you’re in Osaka. It’s right in the middle of Namba, with Dotonbori and Nihonbashi easy to reach.