The Rise Osaka Kitashinchi

The room was okay for a few nights, though it was small and the bathroom felt especially cramped, with tight corners. It also needed a better clean: I noticed dust on top of the lights and frames, as other guests had mentioned. My main problem was the heat. In late January my room was freezing, while the hallway felt like a sauna. Staff were kind when I asked them to reset the heating, and it worked briefly, then shut off again. I went down a second time, but the reset didn't help, so I gave up. At best, the hotel was decent.

We left early and moved to another place. The room was small but fairly quiet, though the bathtub and toilet gave off a strong smell all night. Other reviews had mentioned it, but I hadn't expected it to be so bad. The bathroom was tiny, even for someone fairly slim like me, and visibly dirty, with stains and grime in spots that clearly hadn't been cleaned properly. I wouldn't stay here again.

I cancelled my final night and went elsewhere because I couldn't bear to stay longer. The bed at Hotel Rise had a big lump in the middle, obvious as soon as I lay down. I barely slept and woke with back pain, and there was a strange smell in the room too. When I requested a room change, staff spoke very little English and wanted to try fixing the bed in that same room instead. For what they charge, that comfort and service aren't acceptable. The rooms are tiny even by Japanese standards, and they charge to hold luggage after checkout, which is at 10:00 AM. Breakfast was disappointing too: you only get a choice of “Japanese” or “Western,” the portions are tiny, and the food was poor quality and unsatisfying. It felt like bad fine dining. Between the poor sleep, painful back, small room, extra fees, bad food, and service, this was one of my worst hotel stays and a complete waste of money. Save your money and stay somewhere else.

The location is really handy for getting around, and the staff were very friendly. I stayed two nights. The room was so small there wasn't space to open a suitcase on the floor. The bathroom was okay, but very dated and almost felt like camping. I used the laundry service: a wash costs 500 yen, and the dryer is 100 yen per 30 minutes. It's cash only, and the dryer takes 100 yen coins. It gets VERY busy in the evening, so I'd use it earlier in the day.