Hotel the Rock

The hotel is great. You have to take off your shoes when you enter, but the disposable slippers provided were of average quality. The bedding was quite clean, but there were some stains on the sheets, which looked like they hadn't been washed properly after the previous guest. The free drinks and breakfast were a nice touch, and the facilities were comprehensive. The bathroom had lotion, toner, and face wash, and the trash was cleared promptly. The main highlight is that for a hostel, the personal space is quite generous; you can even open a 28-inch suitcase in the aisle.

I've stayed in two hostels in Osaka, the other being Acro Capsule. Both are quite close in location, with Acro right next to Dotonbori. At this hostel, the front desk on the first floor has Japanese and Indian staff. The first floor also features shoe lockers (where you take off your shoes), a dining area (with breakfast), and the front desk provides disposable slippers, bath towels, and hand towels. The female dorms have separate showers, makeup areas, and toilets, and all essential disposable toiletries are provided. Inside the room, the beds are on the left, and on the right is a luggage storage 'area' (not a wardrobe) with a small safe for valuables. Acro has a more convenient location; there's a Don Quijote within a 1-2 minute walk, and it's closer to Dotonbori. The accommodation conditions at both places are comparable. At Acro, luggage storage is outside the room. There are individual lockers, but they are very narrow. Suitcases and backpacks need to be placed on a nearby luggage rack, which doesn't have a lock.

This was my first time staying in a capsule hotel, and overall, this one was great. Even with my mild潔癖 (germaphobia) and light sleep, I found it perfectly acceptable. The hotel hosts guests from all over the world, and during my stay, everyone on my floor was quiet and considerate. The hotel provides a full set of toiletries, including facial cleanser, toner, and lotion, as well as hair dryers and curling irons. The front desk was incredibly accommodating to all requests (if you don't speak Japanese and struggle with English, using AI translation apps like Doubao is super convenient and accurate! 👍). However, they don't provide umbrellas on rainy days, so remember to bring your own. One minor downside: I found a slipper left by a previous guest in the luggage storage area. While it didn't really affect my stay, I hope the hotel pays a bit more attention to cleaning. The area nearby is very quiet, with a Family Mart and a few restaurants. Even coming back at 10 PM, the streets weren't crowded; mostly just commuters, and I didn't encounter any strange people. P.S. If you're arriving via the **red Midosuji Line** and have a lot of luggage, it's really not advisable to use exit 23 due to the stairs! **Honmachi Station** has three lines, and walking through the station is a super long journey with many stairs, which can be a nightmare during rush hour! I recommend taking the elevator from the exit circled in the picture (the map doesn't specify the exact exit number, but essentially, after exiting the elevator, you'll be on the roadside, facing a TASAKI store) and then walking to the hotel. It's a bit of a distance to the hotel but entirely flat, and following navigation makes it easy. The other two lines are relatively better, so you can choose an elevator exit closer to the street level.

Even though the price dropped right after I booked, this hotel still exceeded my expectations. It's quite self-service, but everything is incredibly clean, including the shared showers. The mattress was super comfortable, and the breakfast was delicious. Everyone was quiet, well-mannered, and friendly, creating a really warm atmosphere.