Osaka Yodogawa Ward Hotels

Having frequently stayed here for business, I booked this hotel again for my trip with my child this time. The hotel is very close to Shin-Osaka subway station, though the JR station is a bit further. We were quite pressed for time during our stay. Location: Situated in Shin-Osaka, an area primarily composed of office buildings, the hotel offers a much quieter environment compared to the bustling districts of Osaka or Shinsaibashi. Ideal for those who prefer a more tranquil stay. Dining: Plenty of restaurants can be found both within Shin-Osaka Station and in the immediate vicinity. Shopping: A large sports store and a supermarket are conveniently located nearby. Hotel Facilities: As is typical for Japanese hotels, rooms aren't very spacious. The self-service laundry (featuring Sharp machines) is a great amenity, and the price includes detergent. However, it does get quite busy, so be prepared for a wait.

Very convenient location near the Shin Osaka station, subway and airport bus. Rooms are small but fine. Due to location, train noise can be heard all day. Restaurant downstairs is great, convenient.

This was my second time staying at this hotel. The hotel is just 5-6 mins from Shin Osaka station, so convenient to travel. There is a limousine bus service going to the Itami airport. It's an old hotel, but they have updated to make available modern amenities. The staff is courteous. The room was clean with a good view from the 22nd floor. Due to the odd layout of the room the entry passage and closet was very narrow. So there was very little space to store the luggage and to even open it. The hotel provided only one luggage stand. They couldn't provide a second one when asked. If the room is booked for two people and considering the narrow layout, the hotel must provide two luggage stands. Also there should be more charging points or an extension board should be made available. The breakfast is japanese and there is a decent variety of items.

This is arguably the furthest hotel from Shin-Osaka Station among all those in the area. * **Facilities:** Pretty standard, nothing out of the ordinary, just like other Smile Hotel properties. * **Cleanliness:** There was a small, persistent stain on the bed linen that looked like it wouldn't wash out. I was too exhausted after a long day to bother asking for a change, so I just put up with it. * **Environment:** The general cleanliness of the lobby, public areas, and rooms was acceptable. * **Service:** The staff were helpful and patient. It was a useful perk that the front desk had international power adapters available to borrow. I originally booked this Shin-Osaka branch specifically because I needed to catch a train. However, it's quite difficult to find and not particularly close to the station – it's a genuinely long walk. That said, once you get familiar with the route, it's about a 15-minute walk to the train station.

The staff were all very friendly and helpful. The room was spotlessly clean. It is quite compact, so it can be difficult to keep a clear path if you open a large suitcase. While it's a bit of a walk from the station, the route is straightforward, and there's a convenience store on the way, so it wasn't overly inconvenient. The washing and vanity areas in the public bath are limited, so you might need to wait if it gets crowded. The complimentary soba served in the evening was delicious, with the broth flavor changing daily.

The access from the station and the services were all good. It is convenient because there are restaurants and convenience stores nearby.

The Good: Excellent location - very close to the Shin-Osaka metro (about 5 min). A 10 min walk to the JR Shin-Osaka station where there is also a shopping area. A lot of nice food and combinis nearby. Two of the front desk staff were really service-oriented, one Chinese staffer allowing for luggage to be kept earlier than my stay (thank you!) and also a young Japanese staffer who was thoughtful and kind, attentive to the guests at the elevator.  The OK: The laundry team is doing its job well - the sheets, pajamas and towels were clean (which is why the cleanliness score is a 2 rather than a 1 - see The Bad below). The other front desk staff did respond to queries with appropriate responses. There is a laundry room with two machines for the entire hotel, on the ground floor; similarly there is one microwave for the entire hotel, on the ground floor. I suppose they are functional enough, but I wish there were more facilities and not in such a public area.  The Bad: The hygiene and cleanliness were terrible for a Japanese hotel standard. Gross stains on the room floor and room walls, some gross sticky substance (looked like snot) and someone's leftover hair on the bathroom wall. The trashcan also had a sticky substance still on it. How is this acceptable?? The room slippers were unlikely to have been sanitised - one of them still had a really long hair stuck to it. Their way of ”changing” room slippers is to put an ill-fitting thin pad on top of these unsanitised slippers. Really mind-boggling. The TV remote had so much dust on it, and the phone had gross stains on it - neither looked sanitised at all either. I had to clean up my own room to make it liveable for my time staying there. I'm sharing a few photos here, but these are only a percentage of what was really unsanitary about the room. Also, feedback about the poor cleanliness was given to the front desk and written on Google, but neither the front desk nor anyone on Google (say their PR or management team) offered to do any form of service recovery. The other front desk staff often engaged in their own chitchat even while guests approached. 

I stayed here on a solo trip. Even though it was the morning before check-in, they kindly accepted my luggage and I was able to sightsee lightly! As it happened to coincide with the opening anniversary, I was very happy to receive a face pack as an amenity. The breakfast also had a menu unique to Osaka, and the staff were very polite and I was very satisfied! As it was surrounded by hotels, it was a little scary to be alone late at night, but it was not too far from the station and the room was clean, so I was very satisfied!

The room is nice. Japan's service industry has always been the ceiling of the industry. There are many places to eat downstairs, but you have to be careful of the people soliciting customers downstairs.

You can walk along the way from Shin-osaka station about only few minutes. Super convenience either you travel by JR or metro. However, The room is too small for bringing many large luggages. Anyway I really enjoy staying here. I will come again definitely.