Hotel check: Sheraton Miyako Osaka

WHAT’S IT LIKE? Business travellers will be familiar with Starwood’s Sheraton brand, but probably less so with the Miyako moniker. Miyako Hotels and Resorts is owned by the Kinki Nippon Railway Company and comprises 16 properties across Japan, two of which are Starwood franchises – the Sheraton Miyako Hotel Tokyo and the Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka. A third, the Westin Miyako Kyoto, is run on a management contract. The Osaka property was rebranded as a Sheraton in April 2007 (it originally opened in 1985). With 580 rooms, it is one of the biggest hotels in Osaka – other options in Japan’s third largest city include Westin, Swissotel, Ritz-Carlton and Hilton.

WHERE IS IT? To the south-east of Osaka’s downtown, around 20 minutes from the city’s Itami airport (the Airport Limousine Bus company runs regular services between the airport and the hotel). Uehonmachi subway station on the Kintetsu line is adjacent to the hotel, and the tourist attractions of Namba and Osaka Castle (see Four Hours in Osaka, businesstraveller.com/osaka) are both within walking distance of the hotel.

HOW MANY ROOMS? 580, of which 200 are Standard rooms, 100 are Superior and 280 are Premium. Standard singles start from 18 sqm, with Standard twins from 25 sqm, and Superior and Premium twins from 31 sqm.

ROOM FACILITIES The hotel has undergone a light refurbishment of rooms since opening as a Sheraton, including the introduction of the brand’s Sweet Sleeper bed in all Premium rooms. Half the rooms now have flatscreen TVs, and all have free internet access, workdesk, safe, minibar, and tea and coffee facilities. My premium room was light green and white in décor, and included a coffee table and chair, as well as a DVD player and clock-alarm radio. Pay TV channels are available through a card system, bought at vending machines in the hallways. Bathrooms have combined bath/shower and Japanese-style toilet/bidet, and amenities including toothbrush, shaving products and bath salts.

RESTAURANTS AND BARS There are no less than 10 options for eating and drinking at the hotel. Most of the establishments are loacted between the basement and the third floor, with the exception of Top of Miyako, a 150-seat buffet-style restaurant and cocktail lounge on the 21st floor with great views of Osaka. In no particular order the other options are: Uemachi, a Japanese restaurant refurbished in 2005 with five private dining rooms; Shisen, a 144-seat eatery serving Szechuan cuisine; Eu, a French restaurant which is also open for afternoon tea and cocktails; Matsusaka, a cosy 22-seat teppanyaki restaurant; Pomodoro, serving pizza and pasta; Café Belle, open 8am-8pm for pastries and coffee; Noritake, serving tofu and local Osaka cuisine; Tsuruki Soba, a Japanese noodle restaurant; and President Chibo, for teppanyaki and okonomiyaki (a local pancake delicacy).

BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES Most of the meeting facilities are located on the third to fifth floors. The largest room, Naniwa, can hold up to 2,500 people (720 for dinner). It can also be divided in two, and leads out on to Icho, a reception hall with a roof-top garden. There are a total of 26 variations of rooms available, including a 177 sqm banqueting facility on the 20th floor, as well as two chapels and a ceremony hall. The business centre on the second floor is open 24 hours, and has internet connections and photocopying services.

LEISURE FACILITIES The Miyako Health Club includes a 25-metre swimming pool, as well as a gym, squash courts, sauna and spa bath. The facilities are available to non-guests on a membership basis, or to guests at a daily charge of JPY1,050 (£5.25) for swimming pool access, JPY3,150 (£15.75) for swimming pool and gym, and JPY4,200 (£21) for pool, gym and sauna use. There is also a beauty salon, barbers and photo studio.

VERDICT The downtown location, huge array of eating options and comprehensive meeting facilities make this a good choice for the corporate market.

PRICE Fully flexible internet rates for a midweek stay in early May started from JPY15,500 (£78) for a double room.

CONTACT Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka, 6-1-55 Uehonmachi, Tennoji-ku, Osaka; +81 6 6773 1111; sheraton.com.

Mark Caswell