Cover by Hilton Osaka Umeda is Hilton’s first way of life model lodge in Japan, opened in September 2024 throughout the new Grand Inexperienced Osaka improvement. Count on 308 visitor rooms, the JaJa! Bar, all-day eating at CC:Carbon Copy restaurant, and metropolis and park-view health centre.
This isn’t conventional luxurious. That is character, playfulness and connection to position. The design idea, ‘Hack Osaka’ sees the town’s vitality and tradition via the inventive lens of artwork installations, daring graphics and intelligent particulars all through. With the brand new Umekita Park on the doorstep and direct connections to JR Osaka Station, it provides a relaxed, worldwide base for exploring Japan’s foodie capital.
Japan can really feel a little bit formal to Western guests, with its strict social etiquette, the precision, the respect for guidelines and ritual. It’s in fact a part of what makes the nation so fascinating to go to, however it might additionally make staying in a luxurious lodge really feel chilly. The Cover by Hilton Osaka Umeda provides one thing completely different, with its relaxed, worldwide vibe. It’s vigorous, pleasant, city and unpretentious.
The lodge occupies the higher flooring of the North Tower in Grand Inexperienced Osaka, a brand new improvement that has remodeled the world round Osaka Station. The design idea is ‘Hack Osaka’, a playful interpretation of the town’s tradition via artwork, graphics and eating. Nikken Sekkei led the design, successful a Silver Prize on the 2024 Worldwide Design Awards.
Arrival
Test-in is on the eleventh flooring, the place the reception flows into the bar space, and onto exterior terraces. Our check-in was relaxed and chatty, the concierge coming over to introduce himself and ensure we felt welcome to ask something in regards to the metropolis.
Reverse the lifts, a neon paintings glows beside a working see-saw, sure, a see-saw within the foyer, and thru the ground to ceiling glass window I catch a glimpse of a playful fluorescent ladder, an set up within the vertical backyard, whereas behind reception the mini library space has a mural painted on the aspect of the bookcase. It’s these playful, up to date works that give Cover by Hilton Osaka Umeda its distinctive character.
The Suite
Our King Cover Nook Suite was on the twenty third flooring, with floor-to-ceiling glass wrapping across the nook providing panoramic views over the brand new Umekita Park and the Osaka skyline. We visited in mid-November, the timber simply starting to show, brilliant sunshine and clear skies filling the area with gentle.
The structure labored properly. The bed room occupied the principle nook, the wall behind the mattress dividing it from the residing space. Sliding doorways on both sides of the mattress meant the area may really feel open and linked to the residing space, or non-public when closed. On one aspect of the wall, the mattress; on the opposite, a big flatscreen TV dealing with the couch and chair. The residing space had its personal floor-to-ceiling glass alongside the aspect.
On the espresso desk waited welcome facilities; contemporary fruit, a bag of savoury snacks, and two NIO ready-to-drink cocktails, a Margarita and a Gimlet, of their good Italian-designed packaging. An authentic contact.
The in-room bar was a separate piece of furnishings set into an alcove, with a stocked fridge and drawers holding cups, wine glasses, and treats. On the counter sat a Nespresso machine, a jug for the filtered water station on every flooring, ice bucket, and a Japanese teapot-shaped kettle.
The toilet had a bathe beside the bathtub in a glass enclosure, with a non-public room for the Japanese WC past. Twin vanities confronted the moist areas. The amenity equipment was wonderful, together with bathtub salts, mouthwash, the whole lot you would possibly want, introduced in a cute little field.
Within the wardrobe have been branded Japanese pyjamas and a present of heat, comfortable Cover socks. A small card learn, ‘A present from our neighbourhood to yours.’
Fukusuke attraction
In the lounge sat a ceramic determine, about 30 centimetres tall: Fukusuke, a conventional Japanese good luck attraction, ‘hacked’ Cover-style. White ceramic with daring watercolour strokes, with striped trousers, polka dot gown, zigzag hair. The identical playful design appeared on the handwritten welcome card beside the facilities.
At turndown, delicate origami paper envelopes with blossom designs have been positioned on both sides of the mattress. Inside, a scented message card, saying ‘Slip the origami into your bag or purse, and let its light perfume accompany you, providing moments of calm and tranquillity wherever you go.’
JaJa! Bar
The bar sits between reception and the restaurant, with an out of doors terrace for hotter months. It’s a cool, city area to start out the night. As we sipped our cocktails, a singer carried out dwell, filling the foyer stage with life.
The bar menu is origina, in an outsized format, at the least twice the dimensions of A4, with daring graphics itemizing signature cocktails in addition to together with a information to Osaka’s museums and cultural points of interest. I requested for one thing off-menu with mezcal, and the bartender obliged.
Eating
‘CC:Carbon Copy’ is the signature restaurant is that runs alongside the nook of the constructing, tables on one aspect and on the opposite nook, barely elevated cubicles with curved 180-degree seating beneath sculptural dome lighting.
We tried the World of Cover tasting menu, a first-anniversary particular that includes recipes from Cover accommodations around the globe. The Kozara programs arrived like tapas: snapper crudo from Reykjavik, Spanish tortilla from Madrid, reef fish curry from Seychelles. The Osaka contribution the pani puri with duck confit, poached pear and mushroom marmalade, was the standout dish. Mains included rooster breast full of truffle from London and pressed brief rib from São Paulo. Paris offered dessert, with Paris-Brest with hazelnut praline.
The meals was pleasant and the expertise is extra in regards to the total environment than gastronomy.
‘Bean there, UMEDA’ is the lodge’s espresso store on the bottom flooring, that additionally sells gentle snacks excellent for a picnic within the neighbouring park.
Breakfast is an intensive buffet that coated Japanese and Western dishes throughout devoted stations: dim sum, noodles, miso, pork dumplings, chilly meats, cheeses, salads, contemporary juices and far more.
The à la carte menu provides kitchen ready dishes. I selected the braised Osaka beef omelette, made with cage-free eggs and wealthy with native flavour. Different choices included French toast with mango and cinnamon, rooster ramen, and a plain or blended omelette. You eat properly for the primary meal of the day.
Wellness
There’s additionally a really spacious, properly geared up gymnasium with very good views.
The Neighbourhood
Umekita Park opened alongside the lodge, providing a inexperienced social gathering area with a cultural centre, amphitheatre seating for live shows, and areas to loosen up. It’s nonetheless nearing completion however already looks like a cool addition to the town.
Past the speedy space, Osaka rewards exploration. The Shitennoji Temple, about quarter-hour by taxi, is one in every of Japan’s oldest. We visited on market day, when native sellers arrange in entrance of the temple grounds with second-hand ceramics, calligraphy brushes, and all method of Japanese treasures. We purchased sake cups. It was a real neighbourhood market, not touristy in any respect, and the temple itself was peaceable, a distinction to the crowded chaos of Dōtonbori.
Common Studios Osaka is about 20 minutes by taxi for households. The cultural island of Nakanoshima, with its museums and galleries, can be simply reached. And Kuromon Market, Osaka’s well-known meals arcade, is definitely worth the journey for anybody severe about consuming.
Arriving in Osaka
I additionally wished to say that Osaka is a superb arrival level for Japan. Kansai Worldwide Airport is much much less crowded than Tokyo’s airports, and the immigration course of in my expertise, was very swift. Register prematurely with Go to Japan Net, scan your passport on the gate, a fast examine with an immigration officer, facial recognition for customs, and you might be via.
The Nankai Rapi:t restricted categorical connects the airport to Namba in simply 34 minutes. The retro-futuristic practice has reserved seating and runs twice hourly.
Last Thought
Life-style accommodations can typically strive too laborious. The Cover by Hilton Osaka Umeda doesn’t. It’s playful with out being gimmicky. The property has real character, and the service is pleasant and approachable. The placement, on this new inexperienced nook of the town, is a good introduction to the longer term course of Osaka.
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