Must see hotels in Kansai

Along the tree-lined main street Midō-suji, this luxe choice has genteel service, spacious rooms with a contemporary look, and great views of mountains on…

Centrally located steps from restaurants and nightlife and downhill from Kitano-chō, the B Kōbe is a good, modern, utilitarian choice. Staff speak some…

The name screams 'standard-issue business hotel', but this is actually a boutique property with contemporary style in Kyū-Kyoryuchi‎ (the former…

This large business hotel doesn't set any style standards, but it has clean, comfy rooms, a Japanese-Western breakfast buffet (¥1200 extra) and laundry…

Above JR Osaka Station, this hotel's 700-plus rooms (on floors 21 to 27) run the gamut from could-use-an-update to futuristic luxe (on the top-level …

Rengejō-in offers several grades of room from simple to grand. English is spoken and sometimes an explanation of Buddhist practices and meditation is…

Perfect for those looking for a budget stay in the heart of Shinsaibashi. Rooms are cramped and some are a little scuffed up, but who cares when you're…

Close enough to JR Osaka and Hankyū Umeda Stations to be convenient (about a 15-minute walk) but far enough away to be reasonably priced, Sunroute is a…

Right across from Osaka airport and within walking distance if needed (though the hotel can arrange a shuttle bus) this friendly little hotel is the best…

This standard business hotel is a good choice for budget digs if you're looking to roll out of bed and be in the heart of Dōtombori. Rooms are small but…

A short walk from JR Osaka and Hankyū Umeda Stations in Kita, the Ritz-Carlton has palatial, classically decorated rooms. Amenities include a pool, a…

Himeji's top hotel has a dated kind of elegance but spacious rooms and reliably good service. There's a fitness centre with pool, well-equipped gym and…

Cheap and reliable, a couple of minutes' walk from the south side of JR Himeji Station. Included in the room rate is a simple Japanese-style breakfast.

Honshū's southernmost inn has large, Japanese-style ocean-view rooms, some with private toilet (extra cost; all rooms have shared bath) and a roof deck…

The utilitarian but impeccably clean and well-managed Osaka Municipal Nagai Youth Hostel is rather far from the city centre and primarily used by school…

Inside the landmark Misono Building – a self-styled entertainment wonderland (c 1956) that once housed a famous cabaret – this 29-room hotel is somewhat…