Patina Osaka’s castle-view pool
Give Us the Skinny
Can a single hotel boost an entire city’s appeal? In the case of Patina Osaka, I’d say absolutely. The second Patina property worldwide and the first in an urban setting (the brand launched in the Maldives), it represents the best of a lot of worlds. It’s an artistic retreat, a modernized Japanese sanctuary amid city sprawl with all the luscious amenities of a resort, down to the pool with a privileged view—of fanciful Osaka Castle, that is. The instant sense of place provided by the landmark makes it feel like not merely a city hotel but a window to history, culture and vibrant creativity.
Art at the hotel
Spiral staircase
The Vibe
As much as Patina Osaka takes aesthetic cues from a piece of ancient architecture, there is nothing old fashioned about this property. It is somehow elegant and refined yet effortlessly cool, from the team’s uniforms—front-desk staff, for example, wear voluminous pants cinched with obi belts, while some chefs are in indigo shirts with raw-denim aprons—to the ceramic art and installations by the likes of Wataru Hatano and Toru Hatta, both of whom incorporate upcycled elements into their alluring work. (This upcycling is one face of sustainability, while a sincere commitment to honoring the Earth is also evident in the hotel’s produce sourcing, cooking and hands-on guest engagements.)
Sonata bar lounge area
I can imagine easily making new friends (since I myself did) during a stay in one of the 20-story hotel’s 221 rooms or suites, especially while perusing the vinyl selection at Sonata Bar with a Japanese martini in hand or soaking in the jetted hot pool that faces Osaka Castle and shares space with one of my personal favorite design moments: voluminous wood-slat coffers whose glowy backlighting danced in copper ripples on the 20-meter pool as I swam.
The spa’s comprehensive health-tech options and divine treatments are solo (or couple’s) trips, but the twice-daily Perpetual Journeys activities include plenty of opportunities to connect, whether on a guided morning castle jog or evening Patina Selectors listening sesh.
The Location
The hotel boasts a vantage point Osakans haven’t seen before—eye level with the city’s famously beautiful castle, making it feel as if the heritage monument was built precisely in service of Patina’s view. Sitting beside this green lung, it’s on the fringes of the city proper, but still just about 10 minutes by taxi or Uber—a bit longer on an e-bike, which the hotel provides gratis—to reach Osaka’s funky 3D billboard– and restaurant-thronged streets, markets, shopping avenues and more. Osaka’s World Expo is happening through October 13, 2025, and is accessible by train, to which guests could walk or take the hotel’s thrice-daily shuttle.
The Crowd
Antony Scholtmeyer, culinary director. Photo courtesy of Kathryn Romeyn
On opening day, plenty of locals and Japanese residents checked in, including one guest who lives just 10 blocks away. Culinary director Antony Scholtmeyer (formerly of Capella Bangkok) told me they especially considered locals when conceptualizing the restaurants, wanting to attract them as much as international travelers.
Both kid- and pet-friendly, the hotel opened with plenty of the former, along with groups of friends, couples and a K-pop girl group. Folks wore hip handmade Japanese eyewear, Versace and Miu Miu, Chanel and Hermes, plaid sports coats and silk blouses. Connecting people is the M.O. at Patina (whereas Capella is all about culture), and with weekly vinyl-collector gatherings and a seasonally dictated, botanically celebratory afternoon tea by the edible garden at P72, the hotel is poised to be a place for precisely that.
The Rooms
Junior Suite balcony
Deluxe Room views of Osaka Castle
The Deluxe Suite
Heavenly is not an exaggeration when it comes to the feeling of living, even temporarily, in Patina Osaka’s spacious guest rooms and suites (which start at 50 square meters), especially when all wrapped up in a cloud-like bathrobe or feeling super comfy in the pajamas that match the castle’s patina’ed copper roof.
The headboards are one of the most striking and original elements in the rooms, made of white washi paper molded in a 3D pattern taken from the centuries-old granite walls, and the plush beds incorporate dreamy leather and wood plus well-labeled lighting and curtain switches and built-in USB and USB-C outlets (hallelujah!).
I stayed in a Junior Suite on the 14th floor and had a lovely view of the castle from my bed and large balcony, while some of the standard Deluxe Rooms face it straight-on so it’s the first thing you might see when waking up, cozying up on the tatami mat daybed with a cup of tea, or stretching out on the provided yoga mat.
The bathrooms have an onsen vibe, with large soaking tubs, fragrant bath salts, a traditional wooden bath stool, and powerful rain showers, plus double vanities, Dyson hair dryers, and hangers made from recycled materials on the closet’s hanging bar. The minibar provides complimentary non-alcoholic beverages (think bottled Japanese juices, energy drinks and sparkling water plus tea and coffee, of course), and there are chargeable wines and spirits, with mixology books and all the necessary tools—plus ice delivered upon turndown—to stir up something delicious, too.
Up on the 17th floor is the peak room type, one made for audiophiles. The Patina Suite is one of a kind, at 233 square meters and with its own traditional Japanese–style meditation space, a living room with fireplace, and an exquisitely crafted sound system and turntable.
The Food and Drink
Sonata bar
P72 serves micro-seasonal cuisine
Barin teppanyaki restaurant
Five distinctive culinary concepts mean a guest could go days without leaving the hotel, and even in a foodie mecca like Osaka that’s not a bad plan. “Conscious dining, mindful drinking,” is what GM Ellen Franke described to me as the ethos behind P72, which is Scholtmeyer’s “baby,” he said. At the micro season–inspired restaurant, the prix fixe lunch is like eating the garden.
The restaurant includes a sunny garden and terrace with vibrant flowers, trees and a water feature for a bucolic vibe in the midst of Osaka, plus a 52-meter sculptural installation made of wood factory scraps, a link to Patina Maldives’ Roots restaurant.
Before I ate my first flavorful veggie-honoring lunch there, with a sparkle in his eye, Scholtmeyer picked me celery leaf, nasturtium and rosemary to taste in all their bold glory as he explained all the ways they use each and every bit of what is grown onsite and delivered by their scrupulously selected organic farm partners from the Kansai area.
Courtesy of Kathryn Romeyn
Courtesy of Kathryn Romeyn
Courtesy of Kathryn Romeyn
Upstairs, Iñaki’s warm red-brown stone tiles evoke the Basque region of Spain alongside amber-leaning lighting, warm terracotta-upholstered booths and installations of preserved flowers hanging from the wood ceiling. It’s like being hugged by a longtime friend while enjoying the deep, layered flavors produced by cooking over open fire. It’s where breakfast is served, too, featuring made-to-order dishes and a bountifully fresh buffet spread.
There’s intimate, high-end teppanyaki restaurant Barin, which features ceramics by Osaka-based Hatta (whose gorgeous smaller pieces I happily picked up in the well-curated shop adjacent to P72) and a four-booths-long gold-leaf mural depicting the city’s rich history. The food is as divine as the setting thanks to products and chefs having illustrious provenance.
Nijiri tea room
Next door, on the other side of an eye-catching spiral stair wrapped in dip-dyed aiozome indigo washi paper, is Nijiri, a tea lounge with three seatings, where I experienced a honey-themed affair of savory and delightfully sweet-yet-light bites served in and on covetable cups, teapots, dishes and stands.
On the top floor, visible in the night as a golden glow, is Sonata Bar & Lounge, which drew me like a moth to a flame, for craft cocktails featuring Japanese liquor and the intrigue of what a fellow guest might put on the record player, since anyone is free to select and play a vinyl from the collection of 6,000 curated by Osaka’s own Isandla, unless it’s a Friday night when there’s a local DJ spinning.
Bar bites are available to order, too, under the slanted copper ceiling, out on the city-view balcony or in the private room featuring a wall of upcycled vintage speakers and prolific comfy seating. There are sonic experiences to be had, too, at The Listening Room by OJAS, where morning soundscapes start guests’ days off on the right foot.
The Service
Yoga studio
Low bows as elevator doors close, thoughtful and personalized touches in the rooms, timely housekeeping service and sweet messages. The service was warm and perhaps especially attentive since I was traveling with my 15-month-old daughter who everyone deemed kawaii. Some servers seemed a bit nervous on opening day, but who could blame them? The team seems close-knit, eager to please and, true to Patina’s mission, connect on a personal level with the guests they’re meeting.
Would We Visit Again?
Courtesy of Kathryn Romeyn
Over and over. With a strong emphasis on wellbeing and offering ever-changing experiences, Osaka Patina has a lot I’d like to revisit. Plus, I found one of my happy places in the super peaceful pool, where I’d love to try a floating SUP yoga class and, naturally, follow it up with an LED light–bed session, 90-minute cryo-sculpting facial and perhaps even a Circadian Syncing Deep Sleep Treatment after that for good measure, ensuring even more restorative nights of dream-filled beauty sleep tucked beneath custom granite-hued Frette bedding.
BOOK YOUR STAY AT PATINA OSAKA VIA BOOKING.COM
patinahotels.com; doubles from JPY 126,000
Images courtesy of The Patina Osaka.
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Written By
Kathryn Romeyn
Kathryn Romeyn is an American writer, editor and podcast host based in Bali, Indonesia. A travel journalist ..Read Moresince 2006, much of her work is devoted to exploring culture, design and nature, typically with her two young daughters and architect husband in tow. Kathryn has traveled on six continents and through more than 60 countries, writing more than 1,000 articles for such publications as Travel + Leisure, Architectural Digest, AFAR, The Hollywood Reporter, and Conde Nast Traveler. Whether it’s trekking through Rwanda in search of mountain gorillas, immersing in the unique cultures of Indonesia or reporting on the latest biophilic resort, Kathryn delights in telling stories that marry beautiful places and aesthetics with singular experiences. Read Less
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