BOOK OSAKA MARRIOTT MIYAKO HOTEL (in cooperation with Booking.com)

Commanding city views fit like a glove when describing the five-star Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel, and it is easy to understand why. The luxurious hotel is located between floors 38th and 57th of the Abeno Harukas, Osaka's tallest skyscraper. As such, guests-to-be don't need to give much thought to what room category to book since all accommodations feature striking panoramic vistas as soon as the curtains are opened. Still, some categories deserve to be highlighted: the Upper Floor Superior, the Premium Corner, and the fabulous Executive Suite. The latter is idyllically positioned on the 53rd-floor corner, delivering vistas from the bed and bathtub that would make a grown man cry. If so much visual contemplation makes one hungry, there's no better place to enjoy a fine dining meal than Restaurant ZK, the hotel's top-floor crown jewel. When booking, asking for a table by the window is mandatory. To burn all the extra calories that inevitably come with a visit to this venue, exercising at the hotel's panoramic gym won't even feel too much of an effort. In urban Japan, shopping opportunities are always close. For guests staying at the Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel, it is only a matter of going down to the lowest floors and finding the Kintetsu Department Store, not to mention the endless on-the-go shops at the on-site Osaka Abenobashi Station and the adjacent Tennoji MIO mall. Getting to some of Osaka's top attractions is an absolute breeze, with the nearby Tennoji station offering smooth train connections to Universal Studios Japan and Osaka Castle.

HOTEL VIEW: 360º VIEWS OVER OSAKA SKYLINE, YODO RIVER, UMEDA SKY BUILDING, TENNOJI PARK

BOOK SWISSOTEL NANKAI OSAKA (in cooperation with Booking.com)

Sitting atop Namba Station and just a stone's throw from the lively Dotonbori area and its virtually endless food stalls, the Swissotel Nankai Osaka offers an ideal vantage point to contemplate Osaka's skyline. The hotel's exceptional location also proves convenient for some retail therapy, considering its direct access to the underground Namba City shopping mall and the Takashimaya department store. The building's 39 floors (three of which are underground) ensure sweeping city vistas from multiple points. Such is the case of the high-floor Swiss Executive Rooms and Suites, which combine Switzerland's hospitality standards with Japanese minimalism. Among our favorite accommodations are the Waon Suite King and the Prestige King Suite, but at the end of the day, it is only a matter of preference. Also worth adding is that the north-facing rooms overlook the nearby Dotonbori area, easily identified by the iconic Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel yellow structure. In addition, staying at the hotel's best suites comes with additional perks: guests are invited to unwind with commanding Osaka vistas from the 33rd-floor lounge and enjoy their breakfast buffet at the hotel's top—and appropriately named—Table36 restaurant on the 36th-floor. As a truly luxury hotel, the Swissotel Nankai Osaka also invites its guests to make the most of its world-class facilities: swimming at its heated, 20-meter indoor pool and exercising at its Life Fitness-equipped gym.

HOTEL VIEW: OSAKA SKYLINE

BOOK ST. REGIS OSAKA (in cooperation with Booking.com)

If deciding to stay near Dotonbori or the Umeda area proves too challenging, here's a high-end, within-waling distance hotel halfway between the two: St. Regis Osaka. Despite being located in the office area of Honmachi, around the corner from the lively Midosuji street that connects the south (Minami) to the north (Kita), guests will be surprised by the number of good restaurants that abound in the region, mainly catering to Japanese white-collar workers looking for exceptional meals. What can one expect from one of the finest five-star hotels in Osaka? In a word, luxury. For instance, the 160 rooms and suites are among the most spacious in the city and exude elegance and comfort; when staying here, guests are pampered with 300-thread-count sheets, silk-made headboards, walk-in closets, Japanese-inspired bathrooms, and a variety of artworks. In addition, the feeling of having Osaka at one's feet translates into breathtaking skyline views; suites like the "Yuri" and the "Fuji" or the top-floor "Matsu" and "Royal" are the cherry on top of the cake. Aware that some guests might wish for a break from the Japanese cuisine now and then, the team at the St. Regis Osaka has come up with two excellent European-inspired restaurants: Rue d'Or (French) and La Veduta (Italian), the latter boasting captivating vistas for the 12th floor. While it lacks a pool, the hotel offers a fitness center with sweeping Osaka views.

HOTEL VIEW: OSAKA SKYLINE

BOOK INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL OSAKA (in cooperation with Booking.com)

Anyone wishing to stay in Osaka's most sophisticated area, Umeda, should consider the hyper-luxurious InterContinental Hotel Osaka. The hotel's location couldn't be more convenient: it is only moments away from JR Osaka Station and a short stroll from retail giants such as Yodobashi Camera, Hankyu, Hansin, and Don Quijote, not to mention the impressive Grand Front Osaka shopping complex. Starting with what is dearest to us, and as expected from a 33-floor hotel, the views are fabulous, perhaps only rivaled by the nearby Umeda Sky Building observatory, among the city's most visited attractions. The elegant accommodations, decorated with wood panels, hardwood flooring, and soothing tones, pay homage to Japanese culture and ensure a relaxing stay. All rooms and suites offer glorious Osaka views, which are particularly beautiful when the city lights up at night (from some rooms, the Hep Five Ferris wheel can also be spotted). Two of the on-site dining options deserve to be highlighted: the award-winning Pierre fine dining restaurant and NOKA Roast & Grill, which serves a rich breakfast buffet. In both cases, guests enjoy these delicacies while admiring inspiring city vistas. Among the most appreciated facilities of the hotel is its 20-meter long, 10-meter wide swimming pool, a rarity among Osaka hotels; even if guests need to remember to pack accordingly, the hotel provides complimentary swimwear, goggles included. After a good swim, we suggest visiting the 4th-floor Japanese bathhouse, a deserved prize for the calories burnt.

HOTEL VIEW: OSAKA SKYLINE, YODO RIVER

BOOK HOTEL HANKYU INTERNATIONAL (in cooperation with Booking.com)

One could imagine to be able to touch a rare concentration of amazingly high rooftops with his own bare hands. And if the right weather pays a visit, the city will easily flow into the room or sit comfortably on the table for breakfast. This is the feeling when you stay at Hotel Hankyu International. Placed at Umeda, Osaka’s major commercial and business area, the hotel neighbors well known shopping and tourist spots such as HEP Five or Osaka Grand Front.  Next door, within walking distance, is the ‘New Umeda City’ where the amazing Umeda Sky Building is placed. But there is more: if you walk for 3 minutes, the gate to Kyoto will be at your feet since you’ll be right at Umeda Station.

HOTEL VIEW: OSAKA SKYLINE, YODO RIVER

BOOK HILTON OSAKA HOTEL (in cooperation with Booking.com)

Some people like to travel but enjoy feeling like a native even if it comes from the little details. For those the Hilton Osaka Hotel is probably the right place to choose. Hilton Osaka Hotel extensive renovation added elegant details of Japanese design in all rooms; good examples of these are the Fusuma panel and the Japonese Yukata robe, a courtesy for all guests. And the windows offer some of Osaka’s best sights, day or night, more so from March to October when the weather is milder. Hilton Osaka Hotel's restaurant Windows on the World, on the 35th floor, might just well be our favorite viewing point (one of Osaka's most distinctive landmarks, Umeda Sky Building, can be admired from here). Contemporary design is also next door. The Hilton Osaka Hotel lies at Umeda, the newest area in town. Grand Front Umeda is around the corner and the Umeda Sky Building is so close you will not spend more than 2 minutes to get there (and we mean walking distance). But if you wish to go a little further and discover the tallest building in Japan (Abeno Harukas) it is extremely easy: Osaka Station is at your feet.

HOTEL VIEW: OSAKA SKYLINE, YODO RIVER, UMEDA SKY BUILDING

BOOK HOTEL NEW OTANI OSAKA (in cooperation with Booking.com)

Imagine you could have the privilege to wake up and see a Japanese sixteenth century castle at dawn. Suppose you were able to see it again under the moonlight. Now fantasize a little more and surround the castle with 4.000 cherry trees. This is what you can get if you stay at Hotel New Otani Osaka. Located right in front of the Castle, it offers spectacular views of the monument. Our favorite sights are from Keyaki restaurant and the top floor rooms, where Osaka Castle looks stunning against the city backdrop at night, bright and clear in the morning. You couldn’t think of anything more romantic, could you? Believe it or not, there is more: Osaka is one of the best cities in Japan for cherry blossom viewing; the Nishinomaru Garden listed as a major spot. If it’s possible, plan your stay on early April: all trees will be in bloom, filling the air with a lovely perfume, tiny light-pink petals allover the place. Absolutely perfect.

HOTEL VIEW: OSAKA SKYLINE, OSAKA CASTLE, NISHINOMARU GARDEN

BOOK THE WESTIN OSAKA (in cooperation with Booking.com)

You have made your travel list and by this time you know exactly what monuments and places in Osaka are unmissable. Amid those the Umeda Sky Building happens to be one of your favorites because of the futuristic ambiance that apparently contrasts with a Floating Garden Observatory. You would never miss that. Is this you? Then the right place to stay at is The Westin Osaka. Panoramic windows will indulge you with your favored piece of architecture together with the city’s skyline. Truth is Umeda Sky Building is literally next door. Try not to miss the urban gardens at the tower’s base, as well as the underground market that attempts to recreate Osaka in the early 20th Century. 

HOTEL VIEW: OSAKA SKYLINE, YODO RIVER, UMEDA SKY BUILDING