Hotel Intergate Osaka Umeda

The evening happy hour was a lovely bonus, with drinks, snacks, and a portion of flavourful ochazuke. Food allergens were clearly labelled, which made picking vegetarian items easy. There were plenty of those options, though they were bland. As in many places in Japan, the vegetarian meals lacked protein and variety, so the hotel supplemented them with eggs and chickpea salad. We're glad the staff quickly fixed the issue with our first room, whose window faced a wall. The replacement had a beautiful corner view that made the room feel much larger. Check-in and checkout were smooth, and the hotel is close to major stations, with lots of shops and restaurants in the underground area.

It's close to a train station, and they can forward luggage to other hotels or the airport. The rooms are nice. Free amenities are set out in the lobby in the evening. Housekeeping refreshed the room and brought clean towels every day even though we hadn't put out a sign, which I appreciated, though some people might prefer not to have staff come in. There is a do not disturb sign if you need it, and coin laundry too.

We stayed 10 nights and took day trips to Kobe and Himeji Castle. Some people said 10 nights in Osaka was too long, but it worked for us since we didn't have to keep packing and unpacking. Our room was on the 17th floor, and we also took pictures at Happy Hour. There was a lot to appreciate at the hotel: fast, reliable guest wifi, umbrellas to borrow on rainy days, plenty of seating to unwind after walking, and daily complimentary drinks and food. You could get coffee and smoothies before breakfast, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and snacks from 5pm to 7pm, and traditional 'supper' from 8pm to 10pm. The front desk and restaurant staff were helpful and accommodating, and housekeeping was up to standard. The location was handy without being too busy or noisy. Bus stops and train stations were walkable, with Lawson and Family Mart 300 mtrs across the road, Hanshin six floors of clothes, homewares, food, and electronics, and local restaurants within 500 mtrs. The post office 300 mtres behind the hotel offered top notch service for sending overseas packages. The ladies bathhouse was kept to a high standard, while the men's sauna had a steamroom. They're separate, and the ladies bathhouse could get busy after 8pm, so read the signs and respect the etiquette. The gym was the main limitation if you want cardio and weights: it only had four cardio machines and a few mats, with no weights. The room could also feel crowded at certain times in the morning and at night. There's little to fault here. I'd happily recommend it to anyone looking to stay away from the hussle and bustle, and I'd definitely return.

There are plenty of convenience stores nearby, and this efficient business hotel is good value for the price. The room was surprisingly spacious, with a practical layout, a comfortable mattress, and I slept well. At reception there was an amenity buffet with good single-serve coffee dripper packets, while the room had a kettle and fridge. It wasn't much more expensive than the compact hotel brands, and I was very happy with what I paid. I had a good stay.