Conrad Osaka has 164 rooms starting at a very generous 50 sqm all featuring floor-to-ceiling windows with exquisite city or river views, fusing traditional Japanese aesthetics with a contemporary urban edge – from the sleek leather headboards to splashes of cherry red in the form of laquer wall artworks, white circular lights and minimal metal frame stands with traditional matcha tea sets. The polished rooms feature a decadently large and comfortable bed and guests can enjoy state-of-the-art amenities such as 49-inch flat screen TV’s, wired and wireless high-speed internet access, Bluetooth speakers, espresso machines, double vanities, rain showers, separate Japanese toilets and free-standing bathtubs. Digital control panels are also conveniently located in each room, allowing guests to control lighting, blackout curtains and room temperature. The rooms’ standout spa-like bathrooms feature roomy, white, circular soaking tubs and smoky slate walls.

Club rooms, and chic suites with separate living areas, offer access to the Executive lounge with private check in and check out, complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea and evening refreshments and cocktails. For guests looking for something above and beyond, Conrad Osaka’s suites start from 66 sqm, with the King Executive Suite offering a magnificent panoramic view of the Osaka cityscape from both its living room and private bedroom. For the ultimate experience, check into the ultra-spacious signature 220 sqm Conrad Suite, which boasts an array of luxurious spaces including a lounge, dining area, bar, pantry and walk-in closet.

Facilities: Tranquility awaits at the Conrad Osaka’s serene Spa, with a minimal white pebble-inspired interior, where guests can rejuvenate their body and spirit in four private treatment rooms with spectacular views overlooking the city. There, guests can partake in an array of Japanese-inspired treatments: relax in yuzu-or sake-infused baths, indulge in an OKO healing head massage or acupressure oil massage. Other facilities include a contemporary 20-metre heated indoor pool, sauna, jet bath and 24-hour fitness center that offers the latest cardiovascular machines and strength training and Techno-Gym equipment. Those who prefer the outdoors will enjoy the various jogging paths located by the nearby river. For couples about to tie the knot, there is also a constellation-inspired wedding chapel.

Activities: Osaka, the 2^nd largest city in Japan, mixes the ultramodern and the traditional, from neon-lit skyscrapers in Dotonburi to the famed 16^th-century Osaka Castle. Must see attractions include the Osaka Castle with its moats and huge public gardens, river cruises around Osaka Castle and the shopping mecca of Dotonburi and a visit to the famous Kuromon Market, Osaka’s answer to Tokyo’s legendary Tsukiji seafood Market. For families another perennial favourite is Universal Studios Japan, which is 30 minutes by train or shuttle bus from Osaka Station. The hotel’s ace concierge team will help you plan your itinerary and transportation to see the city’s many cultural attractions, as well as organize food tours, cooking classes, Japanese tea experience, whisky distillery tours, bookings for sumo wrestling, fine dining restaurants and nightclubs. The concierge desk will also help you organize day trips to the historic cities of Kyoto, Nara and Kobe, as well as to the picture postcard sites of Mount Yoshino and Himeji Castle, and to spiritual sites such as Mount Koya in Wakayama prefecture. The concierge staff are friendly and helpful and have many preset sightseeing options to choose from as well, handily arranged by your interests and how much time you have available.