W Osaka is making its debut along vibrant Midosuji Boulevard, the first Japan’s W hotel. W Osaka features a black monolith façade, designed by Osaka-born, world-renowned architect Tadao Ando.
The hotel’s design concept is expressed as a minimalist exterior concealing colorful interiors, a nod to the Edo period when excessive displays of wealth were prohibited, and merchants were said to have dressed modestly in public. The interior design was conceptualized by concrete, the Amsterdam-based design studio behind the extraordinarily chic W London and W Verbier. The design narrative shines a spotlight on the contrast between Japanese minimalism and the limitless excesses of urban life, illuminated by Osaka’s bright neon lights at night.
Upon arrival at W Osaka, guests enter an illuminated tunnel inspired by the Japanese art forms of cutting and folding paper, origami and kirigami, with images of nature and seasons reflected on its walls.
On the third floor, the hotel’s social hub LIVING ROOM (W’s signature take on the lobby) greets guests with vivid colors and a show-stopping design featuring an original interpretation of whimsical Kawaii Kokeshi wooden dolls which celebrate the diversity of W Osaka’s international guests.
Bright spaces, clean lines and bold color schemes are inspired by Osaka’s blazing streetscapes and reflected in the hotel’s 337 guestrooms and suites. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of the skyline, while bathrooms with rain showers and luxe amenities for relaxation and recharge. For an unexpected touch, a surprise is locked away behind the closets: a unique “pixorama” of Osaka, a graphic filled with the city’s famous landmarks, designed by pixel art group eBoy. To represent Japan’s famous pink cherry blossoms and Osaka’s azure oceanside, color themes and neon light accents shine either pink or blue on each alternate floor.
Situated atop the hotel’s 27th floor, the Extreme WOW Penthouse Suite (the brand’s take on the traditional Presidential Suite) is 200 square meters with a 5.4-meter-high ceiling and five sequenced rooms divided by oak portals that merge traditional Japanese home design with the W spirit.
The “Garden Room” marks the entrance to the suite, with its Zen-inspired garden providing a refuge from the bustling city life below. The bedroom features dreamy artwork by Sigrid Calon, a Dutch textile artist whose works have been exhibited around the world, including at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) in New York. In the bathroom, the large, 1.9-meter-diameter chrome tub is a reimagined champagne bucket. The suite features an open kitchen and a built-in DJ booth for entertaining.
W Osaka’s two bars and four restaurants tempt guests with unique, unexpected offerings and an unforgettably gourmet experience. Bistro-diner OH.LALA… brings to life a partnership with Chef Yusuke Takada, one of the chefs recognized in “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants” rankings, delivering high expectations to reinvent gastronomy with W Osaka’s creative culinary team. At the heart of W Osaka is the LIVING ROOM, a standup comedian performance to a DJ set by W Osaka music curator (and collaborator of Tiësto and Armin van Buuren), Yuuki Yoshiyama. The Living Room serves a lineup of colorful cocktails as well as W Osaka’s own private-label champagne.
TEPPANYAKI MYDO offers its spin on local soul food in addition to exquisite Japanese Kuroge and Akaushi Wagyu beef. Designed by celebrity Japanese interior designer Yasumichi Morita and Osaka-born artist Seitaro Kuroda, the restaurant integrates Osaka’s eccentricities in culture, history and customs, and combines it with the boldness, brilliance and playfulness of the W brand. MIXUP combines art, natural lighting and a chic color palette while serving pastries, coffee, tea and cocktails for an amplified urban experience right on the main street.
At the end of a zigzag, curtain-lined corridor is omakase-style restaurant SUSHI UKIYO with its interiors reflecting the concept of “ukiyoe”, or a floating world, as a metaphor for Osaka, a city of waterways. Next to the hotel’s WET swimming pool is the WET BAR, featuring an eclectic list of creative cocktails.
On the fourth floor of W Osaka, FIT offers the latest in fitness equipment, as well as a yoga room with a view. WET is the hotel’s indoor pool space with an LED ceiling to illuminate and amplify the fun. For guests who live by the brand’s ‘Detox.Retox.Repeat’ philosophy, AWAY SPA awaits to restore and revive, with five private treatment rooms.
The new hotel has a total of four event and meeting spaces, including the GREAT ROOM, a 390-square-meter ballroom, with high ceilings, deep oak pillars, and champagne-gold metallic details. With WED YOUR WAY, guests can customize the wedding of their dreams on an entire private floor at W Osaka.
