The Best Spa Hotels to Book in Osaka, Japan

From its luxury dining to the spacious rooms with unmatched city views, InterContinental Osaka is the height of splendour. What elevates this hotel even further is its outstanding Meguri Spa, which focuses on the Chinese philosophy of the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) to provide guests with a rounded wellness experience, spanning from body scrubs to facials, steam baths and saunas.

As a member of the Hilton Group, Conrad Osaka already has a name that practically guarantees luxury – proven by the spa treatments at this Osaka hotel. The signature tension-relief massage promises to leave you feeling rejuvenated and the authentic in-spa Japanese hot-stone therapy raises things to the next level. There are onsen-style hot baths, too, which sit poised above the view, as do the taupe-toned treatments, so you can relax beside the glow of the urban firmament below.

Stressed-out parents visiting Japan’s outpost of Universal Studios should steal away an hour or two at the Liber. Sure, it may be poised to take in Osaka’s edition of the theme park, but the hotel rests peacefully on the banks of the bay, and clean lines and serene modernism pervade throughout. Transformative spa and wellness experiences are on the menu, too, at the riverside spa with an open-air bath that looks on to the Anji, blending the waterway’s natural breezes with the warming properties of the hotel’s onsen. Wet and dry saunas, a beauty salon and a relaxation room are just what the doctor ordered after all those rides and rollercoasters.

Perfectly situated a short walk from Osaka’s central Namba Station, surrounded by ancient shrines and shopping streets, Hotel J-Ship has capsule-style cabins to bed down in at night, as well as a wealth of experiences during the day. A zen rock garden decorates the hall on the way to the spa’s lounge and the various baths combine traditional onsen waters with charcoal shampoos for a rejuvenating experience.

The Ritz-Carlton Osaka welcomes guests into a world of luxury and relaxation. City views from spacious rooms and French cuisine served in a lavishly decorated dining hall make this an unforgettable stay. The spa and wellness offering here is broad: from a ki purifier to a shisui detox facial, treatments strive to breathe new life into body and soul.

The Imperial Hotel has a resort-like fitness centre that takes in tennis courts, a large private pool and even an indoor golf range. Saunas and baths can also be imbibed by members and a panoply of flavours, from French to Chinese and traditional Japanese food at the dedicated sushi restaurant, wait to sate hungry sybarites afterwards.

This 51-storey hotel is one of Osaka’s most defining landmarks, standing proud on the city’s neon-lit skyline. Staying as a guest is as impressive as the building’s stature – felt most clearly at the hotel’s open-air Solaniwa Onsen, where spring waters from hundreds of metres below rise to the surface. The space, decorated with plants, rocks and a traditional Japanese garden, is as healing as the waters.

Dormy Inn provides an authentic Kansai-region experience. This extends from the local cuisine offered at the inn’s restaurant to the male and female hot baths, found on the guesthouse’s top floor (with a handy free drink service, too, so you can bask without bothering about keeping hydrated). After a day of sightseeing, a visit to these baths and adjoining saunas works wonders – it’s a spa Japanese people would recommend.