Nippon or Nihon: Conrad Osaka Executive Corner Room Review

After an amazing 3 nights at Conrad Tokyo, I am off to explore and stay at another aspiring property in Japan, the Conrad Osaka. This is the other property that I would really love to try at least once in my life in Japan. I have always wanted to try both Conrad Tokyo and Conrad Osaka. This two are frequently said to be the best Hilton hotels in Japan and APAC. Sadly, my trip keeps getting pushed back due to the pandemic. Conrad Osaka takes up the upper floors of the Nakanoshima Festival West Tower. It is connected directly to Festival Hall, Higobashi and Watanabebashi rail stations via underground links. Umeda is within walking distance, and you are just minutes away from Dotonbori via the Metro. This is one of the most gorgeous hotels that I have ever been to. The hotel boasts an amazing view of Osaka. 

Booking Process & Pre Arrival 

I book a Hilton Impresario rate for this stay. I got an extremely spectacular rate for Conrad Osaka! I locked in the rates way before Japan reopened. The rates were at an all-time low. Furthermore, they were running a 3rd-night free promotion. I will recommend that you either do a 1-night stay or a 3-night stay to get the best deal when staying on an Impresario rate. For my 3-night stay, I paid around 380 SGD nett per night for the base-level Deluxe Room. I will be earning 40X Hilton points for this booking. The rooms usually go for around 1000 SGD a night or 95,000 in points. Points will be the better idea these days. The Impresario rate is pegged to the flexible rate and I will enjoy extra benefits on top of my Diamond status. You get a 100 USD credit, an upgrade, breakfast, double Hilton points, early check-in and late checkout. I got upgraded to a Premium View Room a day before my stay. The chances of getting a suite upgrade are very low here given how they only have a total of 8 suites! I ended up with an Executive Corner Room after some pressing at check-in. This is a room that goes for around 1300 SGD a night. Conrad Osaka comes with 164 luxuriously appointed guest rooms and suites spread across 7 categories. 

Rooms	Executive Lounge Access	Bathtub	Room Size	No.of Rooms
Deluxe	No	Yes	50 Sqm	48
Premium View	No	Yes	50 Sqm	72
Executive	Yes	Yes	66 Sqm	16
Executive Corner	Yes	Yes	66 Sqm	20
Executive Suite	Yes	Yes	100 Sqm	3
Executive Corner Suite	Yes	Yes	100 Sqm	4
Conrad Penthouse	Yes	Yes	220 Sqm	1

Checking In

I arrive at the hotel at around 1pm in the afternoon. I came from Tokyo via the Shinkansen which took around 3 hours and then transferred from Shin-Osaka station to Osaka Station. From there it is about a 15 mins walk to the hotel. You can also take one stop on the metro to Higobashi station which is nearest to Conrad and directly linked underground. The Conrad has its entrances. One for pedestrian entrance and a driveway for guests arriving via car. Upon arrival, the staff came over to help me with my bags and informed me that the lobby is on the 40th floor. Conrad Osaka takes up the upper levels of the Nakanoshima Festival West Tower. It has a rather modest reception area on the ground floor as with most mixed-use buildings. The lobby on the 40th floor speaks a different story! Just wow! There are spectacular ones and then you have Conrad Osaka which is on a totally different level. This is god mode amazing! The lobby is located on the highest floor of the hotel and boasts an amazing jaw-dropping view of the entire city! I do not have the right adjectives for this at all! The pictures will do the rest of the speaking! 

Do remember to come here during sunsets! The view is captivating! 

Linking the 39th and 40th floors is the iconic spiral staircase that will surely make you snap plenty of pictures. Just how gorgeous is this!  

The reception area is located in the middle and I was warmly welcomed by the staff. There were not many people when I arrived and I was immediately helped too. My room is already ready and dining reservations were also reconfirmed. The associate then went thru the hotel information as well as the inclusion for Impresario Rates and Diamond benefits. The 100 USD was converted to 14,700 Yen based on the exchange rate of the day. They insisted on a one-tier upgrade to the premium view room which is honestly very weak. Considering that most higher room categories are available. The duty manager came over to defend and explain himself before offering an Executive Corner room for the stay. That seems much better for a Diamond member staying on an Impresario rate. They needed some time to get the room ready and offered me the Premium View Room originally to rest in the meantime. That’s a nice touch.

Executive Corner Room

These are as good as junior suites and they measure a spacious 66 Sqm. The upgraded room was ready around 5.30 and I was assigned a room on the 35th floor, room 3513 to be exact. The Executive Corner room is so much better than the Premium View room. This is the highest non-suite room category. They are located at the corner of the buildings which makes it extra spacious with a lovely view. I was in awe of the room when I first entered. 

Upon entering, you have a walk-in wardrobe on the right which also connects to the bathroom. I love the space. It is spacious and lavishly decorated. The place might be a little dark given the theme of the room. It comes with all sorts of amenities that you might require for the stay from an ironing kit to plenty of hangers and a luggage rack. The space could fit my baggage nicely. 

The floor to ceilings windows gives you a view of Osaka city and the river as you enter the main space of the room. You have more than a 100° span of view. This has to be one of the most pretty rooms that I have stayed in. Rest assured that I am going to sleep with the curtains open. It is extra seductive given how high up we are. 

As you entered the room, to the left, you can find the minibar chest. The fully stocked minibar comes with a kettle, a proper coffee machine and plenty of capsules. There is also packaged tea provided by TWG. Plenty of bottled water is provided too. These are replenished during daily turndown service and housekeeping. The fridge is found below. To cap things off, you can find a gorgeous tea set as well. A hot tea service will be set up during the turndown service. 

Next to the minibar is a little table that runs along the wall. This also acts as a stand for the high-quality Smart TV which comes with several cable TV channels. Both international and Japanese channels are available. I do feel that the TV is a little small for a room of this size especially when you are viewing it from the bed. You have a little vanity area along the wall. I am sure the ladies will appreciate this spot. At the far end, near the window, you can find a circular working table. The huge table works as both the working and dining desk. This is paired with an office chair that is pretty nice to work from. It offers decent back support. Outlets are readily available but wifi can get spotty at times. I am also surprised by the lack of international adapters provided. 

Left on the table was a welcome amenity consisting of a bottle of Sake. 

I opted for a room with twin beds and it came equipped with two queen beds. They are very spacious. On both sides of the bed, you have nightstands. Everything is electronically controlled in the room via a tablet that you can use to adjust the lighting, temperature and curtains. The mattress is top-notch and super comfortable. I got some of the contour pillows which were so great to sleep on. I had a comfortable rest. The beddings were excellent. Left on the bed is a typical Conrad soft toy. 

Let me come to the view. I have already mentioned this so many times but you just can’t stop admiring this view. How picture-perfect is this? The lazing daybed makes it a perfect spot for reading a book or enjoying some coffee with this view. If you were looking to stay in, getting some room service will be amazing with this setting. 

The bathroom can be accessed from both the room and the walk-in wardrobe area. The bathroom is my second favourite part of the room. Check out how gorgeous this is. I love the vibes and even the bathrooms come with a nice view of the city. You have his and her sinks. Toiletries are from Byredo, as per the usual in Conrad hotels. You can also find a dental kit and mouthwash provided. A Dyson hairdryer wraps things up and this is why the Conrad Osaka can be considered as one of the best hotels in the city. 

The bathroom comes with a tub and a standing shower. Look at this circular tub! How perfect this is! The tub and the standing shower are found in the same room. I love the concept as this prevents water from getting all over the place. The tub is amazing to soak in. All I need would be a bath pillow and a bath bomb. Water pressure and temperature are excellent. 

Turn-down services are available. It is always nice to come back to a room nicely prepped for the night. The staff will also arrange for some camomile tea and lay down the pyjamas on the bed. Classy! 

Concierge Service

Concierge Service is an important aspect of Japanese hotels. It set the difference between a good hotel and a true luxury hotel. They affect your dining experience directly when in the country. Some people choose a hotel or stay loyal to one simply because of their relationship with the concierge or how “powerful” the hotel concierge is. Japan is hands down the most stressful country for dining in the world. Unless you are looking to dine in chains or fast food, you are looking at queues or reservations in Japan. Anything that seems delicious, famous or with a Michelin Star, 90% of the time you need to a reservation. It is so crazy that some of the high-end places, don’t even accept reservations from new guests! To complicate things, restaurants only want reservations via your hotel for foreigners. This is to prevent no-shows and remove the communication barrier. This makes hotel concierge service integral for Japan. In fact, after travelling to more than 132 cities in the world, Japan is the only place where I require a hotel concierge for booking restaurants.

The concierge here is decent. Their response rate is slower than Conrad Tokyo but they still, get the job done. I managed to get some of the places that I wanted to dine in. They were also good with recommendations. Similarly, you need to provide a Credit Card Authorization form before they can do any work. You can find the form here. 

Fitness Centre 

The gym is available 24 hours for in-house guests. It is located on the 17th floor and you can easily access it via your key cards. I had a look at the gym. It is a very welcoming space and well-equipped. You can find bottles of water and fruit provided. All sorts of equipment can be found here and they are well maintained. The gym comes with a good view over the city. It is as if you are exercising among the clouds given how high up you are.

Pool & Spa

The spa and pool facilities are open daily from 6am to 10pm. It is located on the 30th floor. It is such a gorgeous facility and I love the soothing warm vibes. It comes with an indoor heated pool that has a view of the surrounding area. You can access the pool via the changing room. 

Inside the changing room, you can also find other facilities such as a sauna and steam bath. The changing room is well-equipped with all sorts of amenities and toiletries. Great space! 

For guests who are keen, you can also get a treatment at the Spa. Prices are very high as expected at a property of this calibre.  

Executive Lounge 

The Executive Lounge is one that I was most looking forward to after hearing so much about it. They currently offer afternoon tea and evening cocktails service as well as all-day drinks throughout the day. Breakfast will be provided at Atmos Dining. This will be nice if you are an executive-level guest. The Executive Lounge is located on the 39th floor and is open daily from 11am to 9pm. I love their concept “Your Address in the Sky – Breaking through Clouds”

The lounge is super pretty and such a great spot for both relaxing and winding down in the evening. The view is spectacular from here. Here are some pictures of the place. Come here during sunsets and get a good view of the entire Osaka. Windows tablets are especially popular during evening cocktails so do come early if you want one of them. The lounge can get crowded at times and during one of the evenings we had to wait for quite some time before getting a seat. It is not an overly huge facility. 

All-day drinks consist of some snacks, coffee, tea and soft drinks. They do a pretty good cup of iced mocha. I love the canned green tea and oolong tea that they have in the lounge. 

Afternoon Tea is served from 3pm to 5pm daily. I only managed to check it out once during my stay since I was out most of the time. While this is usually one of the weakest offerings of a hotel lounge, the selection is very good here at Conrad Osaka. It is quite a spread. I love the rice salad and the sandwiches. The sweets selection is also excellent. The cakes and pastries were very high quality and delicious. I would also like to point out that the coffee drinks here are made by an actual barrister. The espresso-made drinks are excellent. You should stop by if you are near the hotel. Having afternoon tea with this view is perfect! 

Evening cocktails start from 6pm to 8pm. Evening cocktails were a treat and a spread. I am very impressed by the offerings. It is so much better than Conrad Tokyo. I have heard many good things about the lounge here and am so glad to see that they have not devalued the service. Drinks-wise, you have a huge selection of options from sparking wines, red wines and white wines to various spirits and beers. The only criticism I had was the lack of Japanese alcohol besides the beers. It would have been nice to see some Japanese Whisky, Gin or Sake. Here are some pictures of the evening cocktails. Don’t miss out on this!

There is a huge selection of food and I am also glad to see that the items change daily. I appreciate it as you get to try new stuff. I love the seafood stew and pizza. They even had some grilled fish and the salads were really good. Everything is high quality and delicious. As mentioned earlier, don’t miss out on the pastries and cakes. I had nothing but good things to say about the lounge.  

C:Grill 

I had dinner at the hotel western restaurant, C:Grill since I had some credits to clear. I made a reservation for the Lobster Bar. From time to time they have some special theme offerings. During my stay, they had a Lobster Bat set up while at the moment they a running an Oyster Bar. This depends on the season. Do note that with the current promotion, Gold and Diamond members get to enjoy a 25% discount when they dine. The C:Grill is located on the 40th floor, just next to the elevators. 

The restaurant is very gorgeous and comes with a nice view of the surrounding area. Being so high up, the view is spectacular. Service was very good and upon entering we were immediately shown to our table. The restaurant manager and the chef both came over to welcome us and introduce themselves. We had a nice chat with the French restaurant manager about travel and food. The Lobster Bar served up a variety of lobster dishes. We order multiple dishes to share among ourselves. 

First up was amuse bouche that the chef brought over. It consists of a soybean skin ball that is fried before being loaded up with lobster foam in the middle. I love it and it sorts of gives us an introduction to what to expect. This ended up being my favourite dish of the evening. 

We then got the Lobster Bisque which was nicely presented. I love the saffron foam that elevates the taste.

Risotto with Grilled Lobster Tail! It is packed full of lobster flavours. I love the accompanying mushroom. They use local produce from Kobe and there is a nice char on the lobster tail.

We then got the Lobster Catalina as recommended by the manager. It is almost salad-like, very light and refreshing with all the dressing. This will go very well with a dry white wine. 

Finally, we ordered the Whole Lobster with Chimichurri. I love how the lobster was perfectly cooked and the flesh just detaches so easily from the shell. It came with plenty of rockets which cuts the heaviness of the dish. 

Portions here are on the smaller side. It is sort of in the middle of a tapas and a main course. I love the concept as it allows you to try various dishes here and share. I enjoyed my dinner and had a great time. Service was excellent! The whole meal was nicely covered by my 100 USD credit. 

Breakfast at Atmos Dining 

Breakfast is served at the hotel’s main restaurant, Atmos Dining which is located on the 40th floor. Breakfast service is from 6.30am to 10.30am. As the name goes, the restaurant offers stunning unblocked views of the city and the river. It is a spectacular restaurant. I went down to the restaurant to have breakfast at around 8am in the morning. There is constantly a queue here at the restaurant. It just gets worse later in the evening. I do hope that they have priority queues and tables reserved for elite members. It isn’t exactly luxurious if you have your guests waiting for a table first thing in the morning! That isn’t a great start to the day. The staff here had a poor command of English and it was difficult to communicate. I would have also expected everyone that works at an international chain hotel especially an American chain to have a basic command of English. 

Breakfast would cost 5000 Yen if not included in your rate. This includes access to the buffet and a couple of a la carte orders. It is nice seeing how much value you are getting for holding elite status here.

You can find the menu for the breakfast here. I love that they had a matcha latte included. 

I was warmly welcomed in and shown to a table. Drink orders were promptly taken. They have a huge high-quality buffet line with a huge spread. Everything is high quality and delicious. This is also complemented by the à la carte menu where you can order their daily speciality, eggs and morning noodle. Everything looks so delicious. You can find some fresh bake, a rice bowl station, Chinese dishes, western dishes, roasted beef, fruits and juices. Here are some pictures of the buffet line. 

Morning Noodle

Okonomiyaki Benedict

Salmon Kedgeree

Special mention to the fruits on offer. While they don’t boast the pedigree of having Kyoho Grapes and Muskmelons. You do have whole and cut fruits. I love that they offer whole fruits cutting service. I was in awe when they serve the fruits nicely cut and plated with gold flakes. Yea, you heard that right! 

The morning noodle is my favourite out of everything. Having a piping bowl of noodles in the cold morning is such a great way to start your day. I love fresh juices. The pastries were flaky and super delicious. The roast beef is memorable too. Do come early to get a seat with a view. In the evening, you can head to Atmos for some drinks too. The vibes are really good and they have live music. 

Conclusion

I might just prefer this over Conrad Tokyo, it is a much more modern property. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay here. This is one hotel that I will never have to leave. If you could swing it, you will have a lovely time here. The view is top-notch over here. They have a solid hard product! I appreciate their rooms, executive lounge and facilities. I have nothing but good things to say about this place. To nitpick, the breakfast is a little lacking and they are rather stingy on upgrades. Both Conrad Osaka and Conrad Tokyo are priced around the same in terms of cash rate and points. The footprint here is smaller and as such you get far more personalised and attentive service when compared to Conrad Osaka. The only aspect that I will say Conrad Tokyo has an edge would be breakfast. Everything else, Conrad Osaka is superior! If you can only splurge for one, do it at Conrad Osaka! I can’t wait to be back and am already planning to do so! Next up, I will be sharing the Premium View Room that I got to have a look at during my check-in day!