Best Value Hotels in Osaka

The two-and-a-half pearl Dotonbori Hotel is located in the city's lively Namba District, within a four-minute walk of the Osaka-Namba train station. Its 116 rooms are simply decorated, but come with modern amenities like air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and mini-fridges. Features are few, but include surprising freebies like evening drinks and snacks, five-minute international calls, and bikes. Vending machines and a coin-operated laundry room are available as well. The buffet breakfast has a mix of Western and local fare, but it's not included in nightly rates. Prices are reasonable for the area, but guests looking for a rooftop lounge and traditional Japanese baths might try Mitsui Garden Hotel. Rates there are higher, but shuttle transfers from Osaka Station are free. 

Open since 2014, the mid-range Mitsui Garden Hotel Osaka Premier is within walking distance of the Higobashi subway station and close to the Umeda district. Its 271 guest rooms are spacious by Japanese standards, and are done up in a simple but chic contemporary style. They're equipped with modern amenities, and some offer scenic river vistas, though others have frosted glass that obstructs views. Notable features include an on-site restaurant and traditional Japanese baths, plus there's a rooftop lounge with free drinks and snacks for guests staying on upper floors. As an alternative, the Hotel Granvia Osaka is right by a subway station and offers a myriad of on-site dining and drinking options, but some of the rooms are a bit dated and show wear.

The two-pearl Osaka Guesthouse Nest is a well-maintained modern hostel in the Tennoji ward within a short walk of the Tennoji Zoo, Abenobashi Terminal Building, and several train stations. With only 32 units, the feel is intimate, and the atmosphere is friendly. A communal kitchen is available for guests to cook meals, and a coin-op laundry, public computers, and lounge with a TV round out the property's features. Regular private rooms, Japanese-style rooms with tatami mats, and female-only and mixed-gender dorms are available, and all have AC, free Wi-Fi, and utilize shared bathrooms with showers. The hostel’s sister property, Osaka Guesthouse Hive, is identical in quality, but it’s closer to the Umeda business district and to Osaka Station.

Osaka Guesthouse Hive offers budget-minded travelers comfortable, hostel-style accommodations and a cheery, upbeat vibe. The two-pearl property is located in the Kita ward, a short walk from the Umeda Sky Building and Umeda and Osaka train stations. Facilities are limited, but there's a well-stocked communal kitchen with a full-size fridge, electric cooktop, microwave, and kettle, plus coin-op laundry, public computers, a lounge with a TV and video games, and free Wi-Fi. The hotel has 70 units that are a mix of private rooms, and mixed-gender and female-only dorms, all of which cover the basics and share shower facilities. Several past guests have noted that staff at the Hive is particularly friendly and helpful, but for more colorful guest rooms and a movie screening room, check out the J-Hoppers Osaka Guesthouse, which is also a little closer to Osaka Station.

The 75-room Shin-Osaka Station Hotel is a two-and-a-half-pearl property situated a short walk from the Shin-Osaka JR station. Its rooms are basic and small, but they're clean and equipped with air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and kettles for tea and coffee. Adjoining rooms are available for families and groups, and select rooms are reserved for only women. Breakfast is served daily for a fee, and guests can choose between Western and Japanese options. Other features include coin-operated laundry facilities, a computer desk in the lobby, and on-site parking. Travelers seeking an alternative hotel with easy access to Shin-Osaka station might consider the remm Shin Osaka instead, which has a more modern look and an adjacent Japanese restaurant.

The two-pearl Hotel Toyo is a clean, affordable hostel for those who prefer private rooms to dormitory-style lodging. While its Nishinari location is a bit far from Dotonbori nightlife, Universal Studios and other major attractions, it’s close to public transportation and within a short stroll of shopping, dining, and Tsutenkaku Tower. There’s no on-site food service, but guests are offered a communal kitchen and lounge, plus coin-op laundry and a rooftop deck. The 100 basic guest rooms have beds with regular mattresses or futons and tatami mats, and they come equipped with small TVs (some are old tube-style) and free Wi-Fi, but they show wear and tear, and they'd don't all have AC. All units share bathrooms and shower rooms. Budget travelers who want to stay in a more central location near Dotonbori might consider the Fuku Hostel, but it doesn’t have free access to public baths.

The 179-room Best Western Hotel Fino Osaka Shinsaibashi is a two-and-a-half-pearl chain option in the Shinsaibashi entertainment district. It's surrounded by restaurants, bars, and shops, plus the subway is nearby for getting farther afield. Rooms are compact, but modern, and equipped with flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and kettles for making tea and coffee. An American-style buffet breakfast is served daily for a fee, and limited parking is available on-site. There's not much else in the way of features, but most guests choose to stay here for the location and the reasonable rates. Travelers looking for more style and features at about the same price could check out the Mitsui Garden Hotel Osaka Premier, which has traditional Japanese baths, a restaurant, and a rooftop lounge.