Spa World is an unusual hotel. Its focus is all about the spa facilities rather than the usual customer service you would expect from a hotel. Spa facilties, buffet breakfast, rooms, location, value for money, and one particularly kind and helpful doorman were excellent.

There are lots of rules and unusual procedures at Spa World. They're not all bad but it can be tricky to understand the system - and the staff were not as helpful as you would expect at a large hotel. I asked them to call me a taxi and they just gave me the phone number to call myself. I asked if I could organise to have my luggage picked up from the hotel to be sent to the airport (which is very common at most hotels in Japan) and they refused. The nearby convenience store was happy to arrange this for me instead. Avoid asking for help so you are not disappointed.

The location is handy for a couple of train/underground stations and very near Tsutenkaku Tower, which is surrounded by places to eat and amusement shops, so it's a good place to look around. The spa is immense, with salt sauna, various pools, massage (extra charge) - this is segregated male/female, but there is also a pool area accessible from the spa by lift where you can go as a couple/family (has a lazy river, pools, kids area, slides). Neither the pool nor the spa were busy when we were there and the water in the pool complex is nice and warm. Great view of the tower all lit up from the outdoor infinity pool. Breakfast is very good, especially Japanese options, but there were also pastries and you could make waffles. Our room was nice and spacious with an en-suite shower room that was the biggest we'd had in Japan (no bath, but you don't really need one with the spa facilities). There was a whole floor of eating places, and a shop on reception level as well as a bar/restaurant, so great facilities. Everything was very clean. We thought it was great value for money, particularly considering the spa/pool facilities were included.

Nothing really - we enjoyed our stay. The left luggage didn't seem terribly secure compared to other places, but we didn't have any problems using it. Wrist bands with the QR code on had to be worn throughout our stay but this does help with security.

Great spot for a stay. Thankfully we read a lot of the reviews before we booked to stay here. Lots of rules but once you know them you can work in with them. Pools were great. Breakie was great. New rooms. Onsens were good. No shoes or slippers are allowed anywhere inside hotel which was OK. Once you check out of your room you can stay onsite and use the facilities like the pools and the onsens for free along with keeping your luggage in the storage area. We checked out of our room at 10AM but stayed onsite till about 4PM - due to an evening flight back home. 8th floor pools and water park were sensational

The only disadvantage with staying and using the facilities after checking out of the room is that you are not allowed to leave the hotel - as once you leave the hotel you cannot re-enter. The wrist bands are used for everything whilst you are staying there - so you just need to get use to this. You need a 100 Yen coin for your shoe locker and 100 Yen coin for the Onsen lockers - which you get back once you have finished with them. The pools on the 8th floor can be used by everyone but they close at 7PM and don't open till 10AM so no late night or early morning dips. There are also pool signs which prohibit "swimming" (I presume "over-arm" or any stroke is forbidden).

The hotel seems quite new and all the facilities were very clean and spacious. The onsen baths were really great to relax in each day, and all part of the total cost. Breakfast was amazing with an excellent selection of Japanese and Western dishes. My teens loved the table tennis, and I made use of the well-appointed gym. Location is great; our room was right above one of the main streets of Shinsekai looking towards Tsutentaku tower where there are lots of options for food and fun, but we couldn't hear any noise from the street. It is also only 5mins walk to JR and subway lines.

It is a weird hotel in that everything is digital and quite impersonal, including checking in at a machine and having to wear a QR-coded wristband to enter and leave the hotel each time, although I suppose this makes for good security. The wristband acts like cash, so while it makes it easy to pay for extras such as the use of the table tennis, or purchasing food onsite, it was also annoying in that it does seem like a bit of a money-spinner, and it was inconvenient that the teens could not use theirs to pay for things like water slides at the pool (additional cost) because they were not adults.

Easy access from KIX and other spots. Probably best for tourists who have been to Osaka before as it is a subway/train away from hotspots. Personally, I prefer being a bit out of the Namba/Shinsaibashisuji area because sometimes you just need an away from the hectic/shopping/crowds. Spa World is a great choice as it is easily connected to KIX, Nara, Kyoto by one train. The main draw of course is the free access to the super sento (I don't believe the water is spring water (or I would have called it a super onsen), it is open all day and night round. Best for helping with jetlag or if you need to just relax after a day of playing tourist. Word to the first timers, please please make sure you do a thorough washing of your body with soap at the sit down showers before hoping into any of the pools; the water is kept clean because we are clean going in. You will also be naked, so not for the shy! Buffet is great, but same options everyday, but can't knock it... because it is free and plentiful.

Be warned you are most likely going to be walking up lots of steps entering this hotel either from the front or the back (actually, I don't know which is side is front or back)... but one side the stairs leads to the road with the FamilyMart, Donki, and trains, the other side leads to the Shinsekai where all the amusement games/restaurants are. BOTH are stairs.. like a good... 30 plus steps. So if you have luggage and can't lug it up, please do yourself a favor and use ta-q-bin it.

I appreciated that the hotel offered room options for every budget and requirement that a solo-traveler or family might have. I stayed in the "new" side, and the breakfast was really great. I also enjoyed the SpaWorld Onsen area, and it helped a lot that you could make use of it before check-in, and after check-out, at no extra cost. All the signage in the hotel is very good, and it's easy to get around and know how everything works.

One of my go-to hotel when I am in Osaka! 2 minute walk from the station and right beside a mega Don Quixote for late night shopping. Large room, breakfast included, and free entry to the HUGE hot spring and the many facilities in the hotel/spa. The hot spring is the real deal, so many bath options and saunas. The Singapore area is definitely my favorite as the milk bath is the most relaxing one - akin to enjoying a massage. The salt sauna is quite good as well. I got it at a good price this time so definitely will stay here again. Having wet/dry separated toilets is fantastic for a hotel of this price.

Breakfast spread is decent but repetitive. If you are staying multiple days, you will probably get bored by day 3. The shoe locker system can be confusing for new comers, but you will get used to it. The lockers at the hot spring require 100 yen coin (refunded) so always keep it mind to bring coins with you when going there. Don't really like the wristband system but I learnt that most people don't wear them anyway. Just keep in mind not to loose it. There is no late night food option within the hotel but there is 24H izakaya 2 minutes walk away from in Shin-sekai.

We had such an amazing time here! We only spent one night here but I wish we had like 3-4 nights because it's such a great hotel. The room was very spacious compared to the other Japanese hotel rooms, entrance to their onsen is included in the hotel booking and we loved the onsen to much, it's got an incredible interior design and it was such a cool thing to experience. Breakfast was also very yum. 10000/10

Staff didn't speak much English and could've been a bit more friendly but it really wasn't an issue

Great breakfast, great location in Shin-Sakai, the new building rooms are spacious and have great views. 24 hour in/out access to the facility makes this a great deal. I would recommend booking the new building.

Leaving your shoes in a locker downstairs at the front took a bit getting used (I kept looking for my shoes when I left my room), but this is just a getting used to thing and not a knock on the hotel.

The hotel lets you use the facility (pool and onsens) for free if you get there before the check-in time of 3 pm. The breakfast has great selections and tasty. The room was cleaned and quiet. We got a room with 3 single beds, which was perfect for our family.

The stairs to the entrance of the hotel main door could be challenging for some, but we found out later that there is an escalator underneath the building in the parking lot.