Unlimited Melons? That might be a reality over here!
I am finally checking this place out after hearing so much about it. This makes it the second Hilton property that I checked out in Osaka. It has always been on my list to review the flagship property. My friends have been raving to me about this spot and the previous time around I stayed at the Conrad Osaka which is spectacular. The Hilton is better for the wallet and has a central location. You can walk around the area so well and it is just minutes away from Osaka Station. I can’t wait to check out the executive lounge. This is a perfect location and property for both leisure and business travellers. There are a plethora of choices in Osaka now for Hilton members.
Booking Process & Pre Arrival
I will be staying here for 3 nights and got the base level rooms. This is a huge property over here and it was really busy during our stay since it is the peak period. I reached out to the hotel to get some information and to put in some requests. I was upgraded a tier to a deluxe room a couple of days out. All the rooms here come with a tub as usual over here in Japan. The rooms here measure the same in size. Hilton Osaka comes with 562 guest rooms and suites spread across 6 categories. You can check out the breakdown below.
| Rooms | Executive Lounge Access | Bathtub | Room Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guest | No | Yes | 30 Sqm |
| Deluxe | No | Yes | 30 Sqm |
| Executive | Yes | Yes | 30 Sqm |
| Executive Suite | Yes | Yes | 90 Sqm |
| Japanese Suite | Yes | Yes | 60 Sqm |
| Presidential Suite | Yes | Yes | 150 Sqm |
Checking In
I got to the hotel at around 11.30am. We left Kyoto and took the special rapid train which is just a 20-minute or so ride. The hotel is then directly connected to Osaka Station via underground links. It is pretty convenient once you get the hang of it. Follow the sign for Hilton Plaza East, then take the escalators or elevators up.
The hotel also has a main entrance which is more suitable for vehicle arrivals. It was so busy and crowded. The lobby and concierge area are full of bags. Bellboy service isn’t offered but we soon got them to send out bags to the room.
Despite the crowd, I was immediately helped by a very friendly lady at the check-in desk which is located to the right of the lobby area. My reservations were reconfirmed and I was also provided with further information on the property. They also very kindly accorded executive lounge access for both rooms. Late check out is also offered till 3pm. This is a guaranteed perk for Diamond members and executive floor guests. Breakfast is also offered at the restaurant for both rooms. She also confirmed for connecting rooms.
Deluxe Room
I was assigned a room on the 26th floor. We got side-by-side connecting rooms. They are the same. This is one of the higher floors of the hotel over here. The deluxe room is a lead-in room type and a level above the base level. I got room 2626 and 2625 to be exact. They are first up in the corridor. The rooms here measure 30 square metres. Upon entering, you can find the wardrobe area to the left. It is a spacious one and consists of various cabinets and a storage area. This also comes with a built-in luggage rack where you can store a medium-sized check-in luggage.
The cabinets come with all sorts of amenities ranging from hangers to an ironing kit and a safe. It is well equipped for your stay. As per the usual in Japanese hotels, there are also PJs.
On the other side of the entrance is the decidedly spacious bathroom. Everything is in one room. It comes with a Japanese-style bidet toilet with a single sink and plenty of counter space. As per usual, amenities are from Crabtree and Evelyn in large pump size bottles like in Hilton hotels.
The shower room is very spacious and comes with both a handheld shower head and a bathtub inside. I love that the tub is in the same room. The water pressure and temperature control is decent but can be better.
Moving back to the main space of the room which itself is in a regular rectangular orientation. This allows for good use of space. I love the Japanese concept with those sliding windows. The entire room feels very cosy and quiet. Along the wall, you can find the minibar chest which comes with a kettle and an empty mini fridge for your use. Packaged tea and drinking water are also provided. These are replenished during daily housekeeping too.
Next to it is a TV platform that offers some additional storage area if needed. The TV is mounted on the wall. It is of a good size but comes with only a limited number of international channels. Most of them are in Japanese.
In the corner, you can find a circular table and a chair that acts as both a dining or a working desk in the room. The wifi works pretty well. All sorts of plugs and ports are found within reach. There were some fruits and a local snack left on the table accompanied by a personalised note from the management.
By the window, you have a window bay sofa where you can have more seating area. I used it as a luggage spot. This can also be a bed for the smaller one. While we are pretty high up the view is nothing memorable as it is more or less blocked by surrounding skyscrapers. I just left it closed most of the time.
The centrepiece of the room is the plush king-size bed which comes with good-quality sheets and beddings. I love that the mattress is on the harder side and offers amazing back support. I can’t say the same about the pretty mushy pillows. Kudos for having convenient controls and an international adapter socket too.
Executive Lounge
The executive lounge is open from 6.45am to 9pm daily. It is located on the 3rd floor. The lounge offers 3 services a day. Breakfast from 6.45am to 10.30am, afternoon tea from 3pm to 4.30pm and then evening cocktails from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. The lounge is a very nice space and has recently been renovated. It is much more modern than the rest of the property. Here are some pictures of the place. It is not too huge and probably has seating for around 50 people or so. I love how bright the place is with the striking yellow furniture. It comes with a good view of the shopping district.
During the day you can find some coffee, tea, soft drinks, juices accompanied by some snacks and crackers, et cetera. This can be handy given the central location.
I also managed to check out evening cocktails on the first evening. This is quite an affair and often the most crowded period of the lounge itself during the day. It can get really busy and at times access might be limited to 1 hr. There are plenty of drinks available from beers to wines, sakes, and sparkling wines. They also offer a great selection of spirits. I love the Gin.
The refreshments can also be a little dinner replacement with some hot dishes, cheese, salads, cold cuts, and desserts. I love that they are offering items from their F&B outlets which gives us a glimpse into their standards. The items also change from day to day.
I only made it to afternoon tea once during my stay since I am mostly out of the city. It can be pretty handy given how central the location is. You can pop back for a rest and grab some drinks. The department stores are literally across the street. This is why having access can be useful here. Besides the all-day drinks, there are some sandwiches, cakes and fruits. It is quite simple.
Breakfast at the Executive Lounge
Breakfast at the executive lounge is also offered and it is an exclusive space for executive floor guests. The service is much more polished over here with a higher quality of items. The quantity is smaller than the restaurant’s. Breakfast is also offered from 6.45am to 10.30am daily. I will just let the picture show the rest of the speaking.
The highlight of having breakfast in the executive lounge is the fruits. They offer Japanese melons over here! Yes, unlimited all-you-can-eat melons! I certainly had my fair share over here. It is one of my favourite fruits ever. So delicious and amazing. This and Conrad Tokyo are the only two properties that I know that offer unlimited melons. I look forward to having them with some espresso coffee every morning.
My standard SOP over here is to have a light breakfast in the main restaurant before retreating to the lounge for fruits and coffee. This is an outstanding quality from the executive lounge and in my opinion even better than the Conrad. The breakfast selections stay the same from day to day.
Breakfast at Folk Kitchen
Breakfast is offered from 6.30am to 10am on weekdays and till 10.30am on weekends and holidays. Breakfast is included if you are a Gold member and above or have it included in your rate. I was down at around 8.30am and it was pretty crowded. They do have a special seating area for Diamond members and also some special drinks that are included for Diamond members. This is common in Japanese properties. They have some special mixed juices and smoothies.
Here are some pictures of the breakfast spread. It is pretty huge with lots of options. You can find a salad station, cold cuts, fruits, continental options, pastries, stir-frys, western items and an egg station. I also love the local items such as udon and grilled fish. They even had an ice cream machine serving up soft serve for breakfast. Any breakfast with ice cream takes the mark.
Conclusion
This is a very nice hotel with a great location and an outstanding executive lounge. I highly recommend it. The service is also excellent. While the hotel is a little dated it makes up for it with the location and executive lounge. The property is perfect for all tourists and especially Hilton members. I might even enjoy this property more than the Conrad. The rooms are a little dated. I love the lounge a lot. It comes with solid drinks and food options. Even breakfast is my favourite with those unlimited melons. The restaurant breakfast does have room for improvement. I am not a fan of the options there. They also had strict rules around the facilities and I did not get a chance to check them out. There are a plethora of choices in Osaka now, the value is unbeatable here but I would love to see if I have the chance to try out some others too. There is also a sparkling new Waldorf Astoria in town. I will have no qualms coming here for another stay. The melons alone are reasons enough!
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