PORTA INN bentencho

The light breakfast was rarely replenished. Also, this was the first hotel I've encountered that charged guests to leave luggage, even for just a few minutes after checkout. That's separate from the accommodation taxes they charge.

The staff were friendly and professional, but the room was very uncomfortable. It was 26 degrees and humid, despite the listing saying there was air conditioning. When staff came up, they explained the unit only had heat or a fan to circulate air. Even at full power, the fan didn't make the room comfortable.

The best part was the location, right next to Bentencho Station. From there, the Chuo (green) line goes to Yumeshima Station and the Expo venue, and there's also a direct train from Kansai KIX Airport. Several convenience stores are nearby. For a big selection of food, I'd suggest Hankyu Department Store at Osaka Station, especially Basement Floor 1 and 2. I had room 805, on the floor with the washing machines and microwaves, which was handy. The room itself was quite nice, and I could open the window for fresh air. But the smells were a problem. The shower curtain smelled awful, so I called the front desk and someone replaced it. I wondered why housekeeping hadn't noticed, or whether the manager should set a schedule to replace curtains every week or so. Later the toilet smelled of urine. I left a note asking for it to be cleaned the next day. It improved a little, but the smell remained. They probably need to hose down the whole bathroom to get rid of it. The safe also started beeping on its own, even though I hadn't touched it. A woman from the front desk came with a screwdriver and removed the batteries. I didn't need the safe, but if I had, I wouldn't have been able to use it.

The Bentencho area felt safe to us at all hours. My wife and I walked around day and night and didn't see anything unusual or alarming. There are decent restaurants and supermarkets, and a 7/11 downstairs has lots of useful things. The balcony has a smoking area and a great city view. We were happy with the free breakfast, which had pastries, soup, yogurt, coffee, and fruit juice. It was a good way to start the day. Our room was very clean and big enough for both suitcases to stay open with room left to move around. Staff greeted us properly when we arrived and checked us in quickly. Everyone was friendly, courteous, and glad to help. I tried communicating in my broken Japanese, but many staff spoke English, which made things easy. We had a marvelous stay and would consider this hotel again if we need a place in Osaka.