hotel W osaka

At the end of the tunnel is the arrival lobby, where lifts whisk visitors up to the 3rd floor for check-in, and to the spa level on the 4th floor. An iconic staircase leads to the 2nd floor and the hotel’s function and meeting rooms. Here, the asanoha pattern was the inspiration behind the ceiling, flooring and staircase. A simple yet bold ceiling uses a blown-up, 3D version of this traditional geometric pattern – which is reflected in the pattern on the granite flooring, in 6 shades of black and dark grey. 

In a standard hotel, the first thing guests see is the check-in counter. Instead, when exiting the lift, W Osaka guests immediate see the bar – the social heart of the hotel. Above the bar glows row upon row of blown-up yet simplified versions of chochin, typical Japanese lanterns. Increasingly larger versions of these lamps hang in rows above the VIP booths, behind the bar. Acrylic was used to recreate the warmth of the traditional rice paper while adding durability. Carrying on the theme of reflecting and mirroring, the final row under the lamps is a pill-shaped shelf styled with chrome sake bottles by Kenya Hara.

Guests are welcome to relax (and people-watch) in the hotel’s Living Room. Sofas, poufs, lounge chairs and tables are positioned to group social life. Curated furniture includes playful lounge chairs by Tacchini as well as Lensvelt AVL Glyder sofas, designed by Atelier van Lieshout. These were customized with powder- coated stainless steel plinths, and upholstered in a wonderfully textured material in bright colors. Everything is arranged from purple to pink to orange to yellow to blue to green – forming an abstraction of Osaka neon.

The color theme of the guest rooms alternates per floor, between sakura pink and blue – allowing guests to choose the color they prefer. 

Entering the standard room through the walnut-clad hallway, the semi-open bathroom is immediate visible – with the line of site passing through the sleeping zone to the living room area. Floor-to-ceiling windows bring in natural light and views of the city. Having a semi-open bathroom offers guests the level of privacy they prefer – with the option of closing off the bathroom from the sleeping area using the translucent glass sliding screens – a deconstructed version of the traditional Japanese shoji screen. The entire bathroom is clad in grey marble. Guests can either enjoy a good hot soak in the white, freestanding tub – or use the separate shower, located behind grey tinted glass doors. 

In the center of the room, walnut flooring demarcates the sleeping zone. A walnut ledge runs across wall, extending into the living room. This holds the king bed, bedside tables and black cone lamps – as well as the living room sofa. Behind the ledge, soft uplighting illuminates a white plaster wall. A round, rice paper lamp, inspired by Japanese fans, softly glows on the wall. At the foot of the bed is a large pouf, made of the same material as tatami mats. The TV is mounted against wall made of grey tinted 2-way mirrors – which conceals a lighting feature. When turned on, it transforms the room with dramatic in pink or blue diagonal stripes, inspired by Osaka’s neon.