Grand Prince Hotel Osaka Bay

We had high expectations for the Grand Prince Hotel Osaka Bay, but unfortunately, we were disappointed in many aspects. On the positive side, the breakfast was excellent – great variety and quality. The room we eventually received, after some initial problems, was very nice with a beautiful sea view. However, our stay started off on the wrong foot: the hotel was overbooked, and they initially tried to put all five of us in a single room. Only after a long wait were we offered upgraded rooms with better views. Dinner at the hotel restaurant was extremely expensive, and using the pool required paying an additional 3,000 yen per person per day. On top of that, advance reservations are required for the pool, and swim caps are mandatory in the indoor pool – none of this was clearly communicated beforehand. Another major drawback is the location: the hotel is about 45 minutes from central Osaka, which makes it inconvenient for city sightseeing. Finally, on the day of departure, we were charged 1,000 yen per item of luggage, including not only suitcases but also backpacks. For a 5-star hotel with already high room rates, this is completely unacceptable. Overall, the service and value for money were far below what one would expect from a hotel of this category. I am very disappointed and would not return.

Exceeded My Expectations! 🌟The hotel was wonderful! The room was clean, spacious, and cozy, with a beautiful view on Bridge and river from the window. The staff was friendly and always ready to help. I especially enjoyed the breakfast – a wide variety of fresh and delicious options. The amenities were excellent: fastest Wi-Fi, good soundproofing, and a very comfortable bed with clean sheets. The location is perfect, just a short walk to local attractions and public transportation. I’m very happy with my stay and would definitely come back!

I eco some of the review sentiments on here. Overall the rooms and general service was good - but wouldn’t recommend staying here based on previous experiences staying in other places in Osaka. The rooftop pool was the most disappointing. And needs review. In the height of summer it’s minimum 30deg and guests have to pay an exorbitant amount to use it - for very poor service and limited language skills for international customers. The allocated session I booked to use the pool, there were other guests at the same time that were told that the “entry fee” was inclusive of food and drinks only to find you get a bill at the end because the staff didn’t understand how to communicate with non-Japanese speaking guests. It felt like the most junior staff were based at the pool. They were lovely and tried hard to accommodate but the manager was terrible. We all left disappointed with the lack of accountability by hotel for the communication error. Based on what you can get cost wise and closer to the attractions in Osaka (and given guests have to pay to use the hotel pool) I wouldn’t recommend staying here. My recommendation to the hotel is either continue to charge the same amount for the pool but make it all inclusive for hotel guests, or make entry free (maybe reduce free entry to guests staying over 3days?) - but encourage bookings to secure a spot?

I chose this hotel because of it proximity to Expo 2025. It is the closest hotel to Expo 2025, which is one subway stop away. The hotel has a free shuttle bus to that subway station or you can take the nearby new tram when the shuttle is not running. They also have a shuttle bus to Osaka station.||My room was on the 22nd floor and had a "sunset view". On the table in my room was a pair of binoculars so I can admire the sights. My room was spacious and comfortable. The bathroom had a separate shower and bathtub and, of course, a heated toilet seat. ||Breakfast in the World Cafe had a nice variety of items. This restaurant has a different international buffet each month for Expo 2025. I enjoyed the Vietnam buffet on my arrival day and the Korean buffet on my final night at the hotel two weeks later.||The view from my room was outstanding. One night, I was able to watch the fireworks at Expo 2025 from my window. ||Service at the hotel is top notch. I enjoyed my stay very much.

Disappointing Experience – Wouldn’t Recommend for Tourists Our stay at this hotel didn’t meet expectations. While the room itself was spacious and the Club Lounge offered a pleasant experience, several aspects left us genuinely disappointed: • Service felt very average overall. • Unexpected charges: Guests are required to pay to access the swimming pool and even for drinking water — a first in our travel experience. • In-room dining service was frustrating, with staff struggling to understand basic English, which made placing orders difficult. • Location is far from the city center, making it inconvenient for tourists wanting to explore the sights. This hotel may suit certain travelers, but we’d rate it a solid 3 stars. If you’re visiting as a tourist, we strongly recommend choosing accommodation closer to downtown.

Staff are friendly and accommodating. 20 min taxi drive to Dotonbori, Osaka Castle, and more tourist attractions. Free shuttle bus to train station is provided. No tattoos are allowed inside their Sauna as per customs. Indoor pool is great (take a swimming cap with you). The gym is spacious and has a lot of equipment as well as a separate stretching room. Walking distance to a 7 eleven. They take credit cards and Ali Pay, but no online mobile payments (Apple Pay). There is a money exchange machine in reception if you need a bit of cash for markets.

Convenient location for those who are visiting USJ or Expo. Fairly close by public transportation. Train stations are close to the hotel. Shuttle bus is free to go between Osaka station/USJ. Breakfast buffet is ok. Fairly good variety of food. They only had one coffee expresso machine though, and it was very very slow. So long wait for coffee. 😓

A nice luxury hotel with large sized rooms. Bathroom are nice with automated toilets which is a standard in Japan. The WiFi is fast. The location is a 30 minutes ride to the centre of Osaka. There are two shuttles available which is very convenient.