(TAN): W Hotels Worldwide, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of brands, has opened Japan’s first-ever W hotel. Making its debut along vibrant Midosuji Boulevard, W Osaka will redefine the local hotel scene with the brand’s spirited spin on luxury as the perfect addition to this electric city, the hotel group said.
“Osaka’s mix of culture and bold, high-energy lifestyle makes it the ideal setting for the debut of W Hotels in Japan,” said Rajeev Menon, president, Asia Pacific (excluding China), Marriott International. “We are excited to once again be partnering with Sekisui House to welcome W Osaka to the luxury hospitality landscape here, and know international travellers and locals alike will be drawn to the hotel and its playground of possibilities.”
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W Osaka asserts its presence in the city’s busy urban streetscape with a black monolith façade designed by Osaka-born, world-renowned architect Tadao Ando. The hotel’s intriguing design concept is expressed as a minimalist exterior concealing colorfully exuberant interiors, a nod to the Edo period when excessive displays of wealth were prohibited, and merchants were said to have dressed modestly in public.
However, in private, flamboyance and opulence were free to be expressed, and W Osaka typifies this transformation. The interior design was conceptualized by concrete, the Amsterdam-based design studio behind the extraordinarily chic W London and W Verbier. The design narrative shines a spotlight on the contrast between Japanese minimalism and the limitless excesses of urban life, illuminated by Osaka’s bright neon lights at night.
Upon arrival at W Osaka, guests enter an illuminated tunnel inspired by the Japanese art forms of cutting and folding paper, origami and kirigami, with images of nature and seasons reflected on its walls. On the third floor, the hotel’s social hub LIVING ROOM (W’s signature take on the lobby) greets guests with vivid colors and a show-stopping design featuring an original interpretation of whimsical Kawaii Kokeshi wooden dolls which celebrate the diversity of W Osaka’s international guests.
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Bright spaces, clean lines and bold color schemes are inspired by Osaka’s blazing streetscapes and reflected in the hotel’s 337 guestrooms and suites. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame stunning views of the skyline, while spacious bathrooms with rain showers and luxe amenities invite guests to retreat and recharge. For an unexpected touch, a surprise is locked away behind the closets: a unique “pixorama” of Osaka, a graphic filled with the city’s famous landmarks, designed by pixel art group eBoy. To represent Japan’s famous pink cherry blossoms and Osaka’s azure oceanside, color themes and neon light accents shine either pink or blue on each alternate floor.
Situated atop the hotel’s 27th floor, the Extreme WOW Penthouse Suite (the brand’s take on the traditional Presidential Suite) is 200 square meters with a 5.4-meter-high ceiling and five sequenced rooms divided by oak portals that merge traditional Japanese home design with the W spirit. The “Garden Room” marks the entrance to the suite, with its Zen-inspired garden providing a refuge from the bustling city life below. The bedroom features artwork by Sigrid Calon, a Dutch textile artist whose works have been exhibited around the world, including at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) in New York.
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In the bathroom, the large, 1.9-meter-diameter chrome tub is a reimagined champagne bucket, and invites guests for a surreal soak. The suite features an open kitchen and a built-in DJ booth – the first of its kind in a hotel room in Japan – that’s perfect for entertaining and soundtracking any stay.
