Minn Umeda North

There was plenty of room for suitcases and other belongings, and the washing machine and bathroom that doubles as a drying room were very convenient. We found the place roomy and well located, but the customer service was terrible. We arrived early and couldn't check in yet. A kind visitor from Australia let us wait in the small lobby and shared some useful information; eventually we were allowed to register a little before the official time. On our first night, a projection system suddenly lit up the wall with a huge image at 5 a.m. It may have been set as an alarm by a previous guest. I was tired and had to figure out how to shut it off. In the morning I went to the lobby and used the iPad concierge to report it and ask for instructions. I contacted them twice, but management never got back to me with an apology or instructions. I eventually worked out how to use the machine by trial and error. That was the first of our four nights there.

The apartment was comfortable and spacious for our family of two adults and two children, with a good-sized kitchen and plenty of room. Communication was smooth and efficient throughout, which made the stay easy. The location is excellent, close to Osaka Station and convenient for getting around.

For three people, the room felt cramped. We couldn't open our suitcases at the same time, and two large recycling bins beside the fridge narrowed the path to the kitchen. The bathroom bin was tiny, and nobody emptied the rubbish during our four days. The layout was awkward too: the narrow gap between the bed and dressing area made it easy to stub a foot, and it hurt. The pan and pot smelled bad. What really upset me was the staff response when a glass broke as soon as I poured hot water into it. I only wanted to flag the danger and suggest warning guests not to use those glasses for hot water. Instead, staff said all hotels provide paper cups of the same quality, which had nothing to do with the problem and felt very unprofessional. A terrible stay.

The windows face a highway, and there was construction outside at night. In the lobby, while I waited on the only chair, I saw a cockroach trying to get into the elevator. Check-in was a disaster: you have to enter a code to reach the small area with the tablets, but apparently you only get the code after checking in. The call centre seemed to be somewhere in a third-world country. Avoid the laundry in the unit, it will ruin your clothes, and you're expected to dry them in the bathroom under a fan. Stay away and book a proper hotel.