Best Onsen Hotels and Ryokans in Osaka to Suit Every Type of Traveller & Budget

One of the quintessential things to do when on holiday in Japan is to soak in an onsen. There’s really nothing like immersing your body in steaming mineral-rich water which, to top it all off, has rejuvenating and healing properties. 

In fact, it’s often the best part of our day! Do as the locals do, and end each day on a sweet note when you stay at any of these hotels and ryokans in Osaka that have their own onsens.

With 51 floors, Art Hotel Osaka Bay Tower stands sentinel over the city and Osaka Bay. Gorgeous panoramic views are a given from eight room categories, including fantastic family-friendly rooms. These come with a mini-kitchen, as well as rounded corners for the furniture. 

Work off the calories at the fitness club, which has a gym, fitness studio, swimming pool, and spa. Then, refuel at any of the hotel’s restaurants — our top pick is Sky Buffet 51, where you can dine with a view.

#KlookTip: If you’ve planned a day at Universal Studios Japan, you’re in luck! Art Hotel Osaka Bay Tower is an associate hotel of Universal Studios Japan, and offers a free shuttle bus to the park. 

Inspired by the olden Azuchi-Momoyama period, Solaniwa Onsen is an onsen theme park that’s part of the hotel building. Don a yukata (that you rent for free), and pamper yourself at natural hot springs, bedrock saunas, and more. The ‘Clear Skin Bath’ is one of the highlights, where waters are drawn up from 1000 metres below ground. For more privacy, you can even reserve a private open-air onsen for two to six pax.

#KlookTip: Solaniwa Onsen is also open to the public, but the morning bath (6am to 9.30am) is exclusive to hotel guests.

Osaka Hinode Hotel might look like just an ordinary hotel, but boy does it come with lots of perks. Think: complimentary free-flow beer, highball, and ice cream — topped off with free homemade ramen (with rotating flavours) in the evenings. You can even try on a gorgeous kimono for free every Monday and Thursday, and have your photo taken as a keepsake!

That’s not all: the lobby transforms into a festival ground every Tuesday and Friday, with a line-up of nostalgic games like ring toss. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the breakfast room rolls out local delicacies like takoyaki and Japanese sweets. Looking for a fun activity for the whole family? Keep a lookout for D.I.Y. activities held every Sunday, such as paper fan decorating. 

#KlookTip: Even better, children under the age of 12 can co-sleep for free, and enjoy complimentary breakfast too.

Make yourself at home, and feel free to wear the pyjamas and slippers found in your room down to the large onsen facility. We love how there are private baths available: choose from rooms for one to two pax, or for three to four pax. These are great for guests with tattoos as well, who otherwise won’t be permitted into the public baths.

#KlookTip: The bathhouse doesn’t provide any bath or hand towels, so do remember to bring your own from your room!

Located a ten-minute walk from Osaka station and the Umeda district, Hotel Hanshin Osaka has something utterly unique up its sleeves. Have a private hot spring experience right in your own room, as hot spring water is pumped out of the taps of every ensuite bathroom. Imagine that! 

#KlookTip: Once you arrive, fill your bathtub with the water, and let it cool before enjoying a good long soak. If that doesn’t sound like total bliss, we don’t know what is!

For the complete experience, opt for a Japanese-style room with tatami mats. Otherwise, there are Western-style rooms available too. 

Otherwise, the hotel also has an elegant onsen and sauna that’s open to all guests. Or, how about a relaxing massage too whilst you’re at it?

Just a stone’s throw away from the main Namba district, Dormy Inn Premium Namba Annex is located right in the heart of all the action. The rooms are comfortable with large plush beds, with some even featuring soundproof windows. 

We love all the freebies thrown into the mix — think: free cocktails and ramen every evening, topped off with complimentary ice cream and yakults.

Set aside time for the onsen, which sits in the midst of rock formations. Besides two hot spring onsens, a cold plunge pool, and a sauna, onsen facility also has massage chairs. Go ahead and knock yourselves out!

Whoever said that ryokan stays have to break the bank? Enjoy the full works of a traditional ryokan experience without forking out an exorbitant sum at Kaneyoshi Ryokan! It wins with its location too, being just a four-minute walk to Nippombashi station and a short six-minute walk to the Dotonbori Glico Man sign.

Choose a half-board option with dinner served in your room, or opt out of the meals. Some rooms also come with counter seats on the veranda, allowing you to gaze out over the surrounding area. The windows are double-glazed too, ensuring a restful night’s sleep. P.S. You might even spot a sightseeing river cruise pass by! 

#KlookTip: Do note that the front doors will be locked at 1am, so be sure to be back before then.

Lined with retro Showa-era tiles, the large onsen is perfect for a languid soak at the end of the day. If you’re up for starting the day with a dip, the onsen opens from 6am to 9am. Otherwise, it closes then reopens at 4pm, and stays open all the way until midnight.

There’s something for everyone at Hotel Keihan Universal Tower — families will love the rooms with bunk beds, and there are even underwater-themed rooms for a little extra pizazz. Don’t miss out on the Sky Restaurant on the 32nd floor — besides superb views, the dishes feature locally-sourced seasonal vegetables.

#KlookTip: The hotel is literally on the doorsteps of Universal Studios Japan! Being an official partner hotel, ride wait times can even be checked via a monitor in the hotel lobby. 

For an additional fee, check out the lovely Skyspa S-Park on the 31st floor. Lounge in the onsen, which boasts panoramic views through large windows. There’s also a sauna and jacuzzi. 

City Plaza Osaka is all about restoring the mind and soul. The rooms are inspired by the forest, using soothing colours like forest green and pale orange. Some rooms even come with a handy massage chair.

If you’re travelling with the elderly, the universal room might be right up your alley. There are handrails in both the room and bathroom; plus, the adjacent single room can be turned into a connecting room. The best part? Hot spring water comes out of the tap in the bathroom, allowing you to enjoy an onsen experience without having to leave the room!

#KlookTip: If your stay falls on a weekend, hit up the reception for free coupons — which you can use to redeem free-flow alcoholic beverages at the dinner buffet.

You’ll find a large natural onsen on the 14th floor, which draws hot spring water from underground. Take your pick from the main onsen, jet bath, cold bath, reclining bath, mist sauna, and dry sauna. There’s also a relaxation lounge with three massage machines! After your session, pop by the Ryugu sake shop for a late-night tipple.

Super Hotel Premier Osaka Honmachi has a wide range of rooms for different travellers: solo travellers will love the space room, where every available space is maximised; there’s a ladies-only room; and a super room with a double bed and a top bunk for small families. 

Enjoy complimentary alcohol and soft drinks at the welcome bar; and after 3pm, ladies can redeem small gifts like face masks and essential oils.

#KlookTip: Prefer a certain type of pillow? Drop by the pillow station, which is stocked with a line-up of different pillows. Hard, soft, or memory foam… whatever you can think of, they’ve probably got it!

Feel your worries melt away at the hotel’s indoor onsen, which is gender segregated. The onsen overlooks a small bamboo garden, creating a relaxing atmosphere.

You won’t get a better location than this! You won’t even have to travel out of the city for a ryokan experience, as Yamatoya Honten Ryokan is nestled along the Dotonbori river. Established in 1868, Yamatoya Honten Ryokan is well-versed in ‘omotenashi’, which is the art of Japanese hospitality. 

Immerse in local culture with a stay in a traditional Japanese-style room, complete with tatami mats, futons, an alcove, and an enclosed veranda.  The rooms are inspired by the Japanese tea ceremony, and the walls are finished with Juraku mud from Kyoto. Each room can fit ten to thirteen people, making it perfect for large groups. There are also Western-style rooms for travellers who prefer sleeping on proper beds.

#KlookTip: We recommend booking an in-room dinner, where you can feast on a traditional kaiseki spread.

Pamper yourself at the onsen, which has both indoor and outdoor baths. In the women’s section, ladies can enjoy a rock-lined bath, an indoor cypress bathtub, as well as a pot bath that was created by hollowing out a single Iyo-Oshima stone. For the men, the indoor bath is distinctly marked by a large Iyo-Oshima stone in the centre. There’s also an open-air cypress bath.

We also adore the two sake and candy festival stalls, which are complimentary for all onsen visitors.

A mere four-minute walk from Shin-Osaka station, APA Hotel Shin-Osaka Ekimae is a superb base for travellers planning on taking the shinkansen out of Osaka for day trips. Marvel at the opulent lobby, which wows with hanging chandeliers. Stay in twin, double, or suite rooms, all of which come with all the creature comforts you need for a comfortable stay. 

Fun fact: The hotel goes all out to be environmentally friendly, with an APA-original bathtub in every room that saves approximately 20% more water as compared to a usual bathtub.

The hotel has a great onsen facility too, complete with two hot spring pools and two private tubs. 

#KlookTip: If you’re after a quieter experience, you can even check how busy the onsen is via the in-room television.

Escape from Osaka’s city chaos at Liber Hotel, which boasts fabulous views of tranquil Osaka Bay. The rooms here are on a whole other level: check out the deluxe rooms that are lined with colourful tatami mats; the spacious rooms, which come with sunken seating areas; the aesthetic MUJI-inspired rooms; or the impossibly luxurious rooms on the luxury floor with lounge access thrown into the mix. 

The star of the show here is the giant outdoor patio, which stuns with a magnificent view of Tempozan Ohashi Bridge and Osaka Bay. The hotel is really near Universal Studios Japan too — take a eight-minute stroll to Sakurajima station, which is just one stop from Universal City (the closest station to USJ).

The riverside onsen is a must-visit, comprising an open-air bath, sauna, and carbonated bath. Inspired by natural attractions like trees and caves, the onsen draws water from 1000 metres underground.

#KlookTip: Young children between the ages of three and six are allowed to bathe in the opposite-sex bathing area.

Fastest fingers first, for there are only 21 rooms at Natural Hot Spring Midosuji Hotel! Located near Namba station, the hotel offers basic yet functional rooms. There aren’t any food options at the hotel, but you’ll literally be surrounded by lots of restaurants, cafés, and convenience stores. 

The hotel’s onsen stays open until midnight, and is split between two floors. You’ll find it on both the 3rd and 10th floors — the onsen is open from 6am to 9am and 6pm to midnight — and switches between genders. We hear that the onsen on the 10th floor has a great view of the city; how’s that for an experience!