Bijou Suites Will

Hotel Description

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first saw the address in Nishinari-ku, I wasn’t sure what to expect. This isn’t exactly the Osaka district that shows up in all the Instagram posts, you know? But that’s actually what makes Bijou Suites Will kind of special. It’s tucked away in this residential area where you’ll hear more Japanese than English, which I mean, isn’t that sort of the point of traveling?

The suites themselves are way more spacious than what you’d typically get in Osaka – and trust me, I’ve stayed in some shoebox-sized places here. There’s this clean, minimalist thing going on that feels very Japanese without being all theme-park about it. The kitchenettes are actually functional too, not just for show, which is clutch when you want to grab groceries from the Lawson down the street instead of eating out every meal. What really got me was how quiet it is at night. You’re close enough to the action but far enough from the chaos of Dotonbori – maybe a 15-minute train ride to get into the thick of things. The Shioji area has this lived-in feeling where you’ll see salarymen grabbing ramen at tiny counters and elderly folks tending to their pocket-sized gardens.

Here’s the thing about this place that the star rating doesn’t capture – the staff actually seem to care about what they’re doing. Check-in was smooth, they had decent English, and when I mentioned I was looking for good local spots, they pulled out this hand-drawn map with their personal recommendations. Not tourist traps, mind you, but places where locals actually eat. There’s this little izakaya three blocks away that I never would’ve found otherwise, and honestly, it was one of the best meals I had in Japan. The location puts you near Imamiya-Ebisu Station, which connects you pretty easily to the rest of the city without dealing with the overcrowded stations in the center. Plus, if you’re into that sort of thing, you’re walking distance from Sumiyoshi Taisha – one of the older shrines that doesn’t get completely mobbed with tour groups. The neighborhood gets lively during festival season but stays pretty chill most of the year. Only real downside is that it’s not exactly buzzing with nightlife right outside your door, but depending on what you’re after, that might actually be a plus.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $109. Two-Bedroom House with 1 double bed and 5 futon beds for Max persons: 4

Reviews

• Fernando from Mexico – 29 April 2025 (9/10)

  muy calido y se vive como una casa japonesa
  
  What could be improved: solo hay una cama los demas son futones

• Chia from Taiwan – 27 January 2025 (9/10)

  天下茶屋車站走路5分鐘。附近有玉出超市丶業務超市丶百元商店、seven､Lawson， 非常方便。晚上巷弄內睡覺十分安靜。
  還有供應茶包咖啡包奶精糖包，真是太佛心了。
  
  What could be improved: 但是衞浴比較小一點，洗衣機在室外有一點不方便，其餘都還不錯

• Burak from Germany – 23 November 2024 (8/10)

  Die Größe der Wohnung war sehr schön
  
  What could be improved: Die Toilette war sehr klein und man musste immer runter laufen, um aufs Klo zu gehen.

• Jeremie from France – 11 October 2023 (9/10)

• Hsin-yi from Taiwan – 6 January 2025 (8/10)

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities