APA Hotel Midosuji Honmachi Ekihigashi

Hotel Description

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first walked up to the APA Hotel Midosuji Honmachi Ekihigashi, I wasn’t expecting much. The name alone is a mouthful, and it’s tucked away on Kawaramachi street in a way that feels almost secretive. But you know what? Sometimes the best finds are the ones hiding in plain sight, and this little three-star gem actually surprised me.

The location is what really sells it, though they don’t make a big deal about it. You’re basically a two-minute walk from Honmachi Station – I mean, literally, you can see the station entrance from the hotel’s front door. That might not sound like much until you’re dragging luggage through Osaka’s summer humidity or trying to catch the first train to Kyoto. The Midosuji line runs right there, which honestly makes getting anywhere in the city stupidly easy. I loved being able to duck back to the hotel between exploring Dotonbori and hitting up the shopping districts without it being this whole production.

The rooms are classic APA style – compact but cleverly designed, with that slightly firm bedding that somehow works better than you’d expect. The walls are thin enough that you’ll hear your neighbors if they’re having a loud phone call, but it’s not the kind of place that attracts party crowds anyway. What I really appreciated were the little details: the lobby actually smells clean (not like that artificial floral stuff some hotels pump in), and the front desk staff speak enough English to handle the basics without making you feel like you’re playing charades. The breakfast situation is pretty standard Japanese hotel fare – nothing Instagram-worthy, but solid rice, miso soup, and pickles to start your day right.

Here’s the thing about this part of Chuo-ku that most tourists miss – you’re surrounded by actual Osaka life. There’s a Family Mart literally next door for late-night snacks, and if you walk about five minutes toward Sakaisuji, you’ll find these incredible little izakayas that don’t see many foreign faces. The neighborhood gets quiet after business hours since it’s more of a commercial area, which means you can actually sleep without earplugs. I stayed here during cherry blossom season and while everyone else was fighting crowds in the obvious spots, I could walk to Osaka Castle in about fifteen minutes through streets that felt authentically local.

The 7.8 rating makes sense to me – it’s not trying to be fancy, and the price reflects that. But for what you’re paying, especially considering you’re staying in central Osaka with subway access that connects you to everywhere, it’s actually pretty solid value. I mean, you’re not getting a concierge or room service, but you are getting a clean bed, decent WiFi, and a front desk that can help you figure out train routes. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need, especially if you’re planning to spend most of your time exploring the city anyway.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $85. Double Room – Non-Smoking with 1 double bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $112. Double Room – Non-Smoking – Breakfast Included with 1 double bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $66. Single Room – Non-Smoking with 1 single bed for Max persons: 1
• Estimated price from: $80. Single Room – Non-Smoking – Breakfast Included with 1 single bed for Max persons: 1

Reviews

• Oetji from Indonesia – 31 December 2024 (9/10)

  Very good
  
  What could be improved: Location

• Andrew from United Kingdom – 24 December 2024 (8/10)

  Location. Clean. Price
  
  What could be improved: V small rooms

• Danica from New Zealand – 8 December 2024 (9/10)

  Really nice staff and clean facilities
  
  What could be improved: Nothing

• Lavanya from India – 13 November 2024 (7/10)

  I would say good one.
  
  What could be improved: Very compact room size.. perfect for single person and narrow for two persons. Not worth the prize.

• Simon from United Kingdom – 2 November 2024 (9/10)

  Very clean
  Good room facilities
  Staff helpful
  
  What could be improved: All good

• Henrik from Germany – 20 October 2024 (9/10)

  All the amenities I could think of were provided. Even a comb and toothbrush were in the complementary package. The room was small, but had everything I needed and even a little fridge and desk.

• Ai from United Arab Emirates – 17 October 2024 (7/10)

  It was good but a bit farther to the metro stations, like 10-15 mins walk.
  
  What could be improved: It was good but a bit farther to the metro stations, like 10-15 mins walk.

• Viktor from Slovakia – 9 October 2024 (9/10)

  Location is really good

• Oleg from Russia – 16 September 2024 (7/10)

  Location, room price
  
  What could be improved: Breakfast, elevator

• Lukáš from Slovakia – 1 September 2024 (9/10)

  Everything was nice and well coordinated. Always clean and comfortable place to go back. The staff at reception could understand me and speak with me in English!
  
  What could be improved: After cleaning, the cleaning staff often didn't take out the used towel bags and just brought more every day, so the small room became stuffed with bags full of towels very soon. This probably happened because they didn't know that i was alone because I had a lot of stuff, but it made me a bit uncomfortable. Other than this, I had no problems, and I truly recommend staying here!

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities