Garner Hotel Osaka Honmachi Kita Semba by IHG

Hotel Description

You know what? I wasn’t expecting much from the Garner Hotel when I first walked up to it on Awajimachi – honestly, the name made it sound like some generic business chain. But this place actually surprised me in the best way possible. It’s tucked right in the Honmachi area, which I mean, if you know Osaka at all, you’ll appreciate how central that is without being stuck in the tourist chaos of Dotonbori. The lobby hit me right away with this clean, modern vibe that felt distinctly Japanese but not in that over-the-top way some hotels try too hard to achieve.

The rooms are compact (this is Japan, after all), but they’ve really thought through every inch of space. I loved how the bathroom felt bigger than it actually was – something about the mirror placement and lighting, I think. The bed was properly comfortable, and honestly, after walking around Osaka Castle and the surrounding neighborhoods all day, that matters more than fancy amenities. What really won me over was how quiet it stayed at night, even though you’re essentially in the business district. I could hear the occasional train in the distance, but it was more soothing than disruptive. The staff spoke decent English, which – let’s be real – isn’t always a given, and they seemed genuinely helpful rather than just polite.

Here’s the thing that makes this spot work so well: you’re a five-minute walk from Honmachi Station, which connects you to pretty much everywhere you want to go, but you’re also surrounded by these great little local spots that most tourists never find. There’s this tiny ramen place around the corner that doesn’t even have a sign in English, and a convenience store that stays open late when you need those random travel essentials. The area gets pretty quiet after business hours, which I actually preferred – you feel like you’re experiencing a more authentic slice of Osaka life rather than being trapped in a tourist bubble. Sure, it’s not luxury, but for a three-star place, it punches above its weight. The value is solid, especially considering the location, and I’d definitely stay here again. It’s the kind of place that just works without any drama or complications, which is exactly what you want when you’re trying to explore a city like Osaka.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $100. Standard Room for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $100. Standard Double Room with 1 double bed for Max persons: 2
• Estimated price from: $107. Standard Twin Room with 2 single beds for Max persons: 2

Reviews

• Julia from Switzerland – 2 June 2025 (7/10)

  good location, very clean, free coffee/tea/water
  
  What could be improved: small room, the window just looked towards the very close nextdoor building, no daylight

• Gillian from Australia – 25 May 2025 (9/10)

  Friendly staff

• William from United States – 25 April 2025 (9/10)

  Quiet, clean, friendly staff
  I really liked the shower equipment. Best of all the hotels we’ve stayed at
  
  What could be improved: The main sign outside is entirely in English which seemed strange to me.
  No major criticisms.
  Being asked to write a sentence below

• Andrew from United Kingdom – 16 March 2025 (8/10)

  Staff were friendly and helpful. Really good work by them. The facilities were clean and housekeeping were great. Linen was really good and clean and location great.
  
  What could be improved: There needs to be much more USB charging ports. To have one on one side is not good enough in today's modern world. The bed is very small and more needs to be done regarding space as there is no place for clothes.
  
  Really they need to delete all pictures on booking.com and start again. We do not need to see multiple close up pictures of the wallpaper. Not professional. The rooms are small but misleading with multiple pictures of nothing is disappointing.

• Zachary from United States – 1 May 2025 (9/10)

  Quiet, friendly and helpful staff, lounge area with free coffee. Free bag storage and loaner umbrellas. Walkable to the train station and Dotonburi (a long walk). Metro nearby.
  
  What could be improved: Room is on the smaller side/Japanese standard, beds were very firm, laundry machines only on second floor only took coins.

• Diana from United States – 6 April 2025 (7/10)

  Modern, new, decent use of space in the room. nothing exceptional, no amenities.
  
  What could be improved: A bit far from anything you want to do, in a business district area. Around a 10-12 min walk from the subway

• Haley from Australia – 16 March 2025 (9/10)

  Beautiful modern hotel with extra goods for guests.
  Easy check in and check out.
  
  What could be improved: The room was a little smaller than I'd hoped.

• Nora from Mexico – 15 March 2025 (9/10)

  The hotel is very clean, the staff is very friendly, and the bed is very, very comfortable. The pillows are great too—they provide one firm and one soft. You can request room cleaning daily or whenever needed. Similarly, you can indicate if you need fresh towels every day.
  
  The room is small but well-distributed, with enough space to store your belongings. Suitcases fit under the bed. There is a dining area where you have everything you need to eat at the hotel.
  
  The metro station is a 10-minute walk away. If you don’t mind walking, the castle is about 30 minutes away, and so is Dotonbori. The area is very quiet and safe, with plenty of convenience stores and restaurants nearby.
  
  This is my second time staying at this hotel, and I really liked it. They renovated it, and everything is stylishly decorated. If you need anything, just ask the staff. I will definitely stay at this hotel again in the future.

• Nora from Mexico – 15 March 2025 (9/10)

  The hotel is very clean, the staff is very friendly, and the bed is very, very comfortable. The pillows are great too—they provide one firm and one soft. You can request room cleaning daily or whenever needed. Similarly, you can indicate if you need fresh towels every day.
  
  The room is small but well-distributed, with enough space to store your belongings. Suitcases fit under the bed. There is a dining area where you have everything you need to eat at the hotel.
  
  The metro station is a 10-minute walk away. If you don’t mind walking, the castle is about 30 minutes away, and so is Dotonbori. The area is very quiet and safe, with plenty of convenience stores and restaurants nearby.
  
  This is my second time staying at this hotel, and I really liked it. They renovated it, and everything is stylishly decorated. If you need anything, just ask the staff. I will definitely stay at this hotel again in the future. If you bring heavy or big suitcases, take exit 11 yodobashi station (there's a lift). 🙂

• Aliza from Australia – 7 May 2025 (6/10)

  The staff were so helpful and kind, the lobby is well decorated and nice to be in. The location is very quiet and close to the subway station. There’s a 7 eleven around the corner as well.
  
  What could be improved: The rooms are tiny, even by Japanese standards. The bathroom is kind of like a cube added inside the rooms and similar to a caravan bathroom. The window in the room was frosted and couldn’t be opened so it felt a bit prison like.

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities