Marriott International’s vibrant W Hotels brand has made its debut in Japan with a sleek Tadao Ando-designed building in the heart of the dynamic city of Osaka.

With typical fanfare, the fun-loving W Hotels brand has entered the Land of the Rising Sun by launching a spectacular property in one of the country’s largest cities.

“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.”

Minimalist architecture and flamboyant interiors

More precisely located along the lively Midosuji Boulevard, the hotel’s striking black exterior is the work of much-celebrated Osaka-born architect Tadao Ando. Taking its cues from the Edo period, when excessive displays of wealth were prohibited in public but freely expressed in private, the hotel’s minimalist façade leads to a flamboyant and opulent interior that stays true to the brand’s dynamic and colourful spirit.

As such, Amsterdam-based outfit Concrete has created the perfect balance between Japanese minimalism and the limitless excesses of urban life. At the entrance is an illuminated origami-inspired tunnel layered with images of nature and the seasons on its walls, while on the third floor, the lobby – better known in ‘W-speak’ as the Living Room – is a kaleidoscope of vivid colours that serves as the base for an original interpretation of whimsical Kawaii Kokeshi wooden dolls, which celebrate the diversity of W Osaka’s international guests.

These clean lines and bold colour schemes – inspired by Osaka’s blazing streetscapes – continue to the 337 guestrooms and suites, where floor-to-ceiling windows look out onto city views. Moreover, a ‘pixorama’, a graphic designed by pixel art group eBoy and featuring Osaka’s famous landmarks, can be found unexpectedly behind the closets.

Up on the hotel’s 27th floor, the 200 sq m presidential suite – otherwise known as the Extreme Wow Penthouse Suite – is a five-room haven, blending traditional Japanese home design with bold W attitude: there’s a Zen-inspired Garden Room at the entrance, artwork by Sigrid Calon, a Dutch textile artist in the bedroom and a 1.9-meter-diameter chrome tub – a reimagined champagne bucket – in the bathroom. An open kitchen and a built-in DJ booth should also prove perfect for entertaining.

A culinary hub

Downstairs, there are four event and meeting spaces, including the sparkly 390 sq m Great Room, while the hotel adds to the city’s thriving culinary scene with two bars and four restaurants. Standouts include Oh.lala, a bistro-diner in partnership with Chef Yusuke Takada, and Teppanyaki Mydo, which serves local soul food and exquisite Japanese Kuroge and Akaushi Wagyu beef against a background by Japanese interior designer Yasumichi Morita and Osaka-born artist Seitaro Kuroda.

Guests can work off any indulgences at Fit, which has a yoga room with a view, or Wet, the indoor pool space. For the less active, Away Spa has five treatment rooms from which to live by the brand’s ‘Detox.Retox.Repeat’ philosophy.

“The energy and eclecticism of Japan, particularly Osaka, make it the perfect backdrop for a W hotel,” said Jennie Toh, vice president of brand marketing and brand management, Asia Pacific, Marriott International. “From unforgettable dining experiences and live music sets to the thoughtful design rooted in the history and culture of the city, W Osaka is a destination within a destination where international jetsetters and local tastemakers meet and make magic.”

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