Hotel Monterey Le Frere Osaka

We had two double beds and could still leave two extra-large suitcases open, and there were two pillows per bed, one firm and one soft. The bed itself was medium-firm. The hotel is new as of 2026, so everything felt very clean, with fresh carpet and no bathroom mold. It’s a bit of a walk from the train station, but worth it. There’s a shower over the bath, which may not suit older guests. They also have an onsen and sauna.

The staff were lovely and considerate, and after I checked out they even offered me a place to pray before my train to Kyoto. The room was spacious compared with other hotels in Japan, and it was quiet despite being in a busy area. Service felt top tier for a three-star hotel, better than the four-star place I stayed at in Kyoto. Highly recommended.

After full days visiting tourist spots, it was great to come back and unwind, especially with the spa available. We spent four nights here on holiday, three of us in a triple room. It was clean, comfortable, and felt quite new. The location also made it easy to get around. A very pleasant stay with good facilities.

The Trinite spa and sauna were a highlight for me. The room bath is small, so I’d recommend heading to the spa on the third floor instead. Wear the provided pajamas and slippers down, use a locker in the men’s or ladies’ changing room, then bathe without clothes. There’s a hot pool, steam room, shower stalls, and a long vanity with basic beauty products. I went almost every night to soak after sightseeing. The spa has a place to rinse the sauna mats, but those water faucets were out of order, so I rinsed from the shower area. The sauna is only for men, and some screws stuck out of the wood and could burn you. We chose Le Frere over an apartment hotel in Nipponbashi, and I’m glad we did. The location was pretty decent, with several subway lines a short walk away. We took a day trip to Kyoto, since a rapid service train from Umeda goes straight there and back. The B-1 and B-2 levels of Ekimae 3 across the street have a huge range of food stalls and restaurants, including a Michelin-noted udon place and lots of bars with cheap beer. There are also many inexpensive massage places. I paid 3,200-3,500 yen for 60 minutes at a no-frills place with tables separated by curtains, serving men and women. The workers there were from China, so I could speak a little Mandarin with them. Our three-bed room gave our family enough room to move around, even with a desk and wardrobe. The washroom was tight, though, and the tub was only a little bigger than a shower. Beds are firm, with regular and buckwheat pillow options. Full cleaning happens every other day, while towels and water are refreshed and garbage is taken out daily. The essentials, like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, razor, toothbrush and paste, cottons, and hairband, are in the room. Compared with other Japanese hotels, the amenities are limited because you have to ask the front desk for a face skin care set or bath salts. There’s a kettle, instant coffee, and green tea bags, but no coffee maker. You can get coffee on the second floor, by the restaurant entrance in the morning and near the seating area in the afternoon. There’s a mini fridge in the room. I didn’t try the full breakfast, but there’s a Lawson downstairs, and a 7-11 across the street on B-1 in the Ekimae 3 building for smoothies.