Plane lovers will adore this bargain Japanese airport hotel

Getting to OMO Kansai Airport hotel, which opened in 2023, is stress-free, even in my tired and jet-lagged state. The first airport-focused hotel in the OMO collection by Japanese hospitality group Hoshino Resorts, the property is located at Rinku-Town station, one stop from Osaka’s Kansai International Airport. I exit the station, follow signs to the hotel entrance and go to the second floor, where I check in. Automated kiosks display prompts to scan my passport and QR booking code to receive my room key but human attendants are also on hand to offer assistance. I’m excited to have access to communal, hot, carbonated baths and saunas on the third floor (free of charge for in-house guests), and within 15 minutes of arriving at the hotel I’m marinating in 40-degree pools.

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Aviation geeks will find much to love at this hotel. Playful, aviation-inspired design includes an original aeroplane sculpture at the front desk and lighting shaped like jet engine turbines. The dining area on the 21st floor is themed around sky and clouds, with views of Osaka Bay and Kansai Airport’s active runways. In the rooms it’s a modern, clean, no-nonsense aesthetic that blends Japanese and Western style.

There are 700 rooms in multiple configurations including queen, twin and triple. I’ve booked a Queen Room for one person at the Solo Special rate of 9000JPY ($81), such a bargain price I assume at first glance it must be a typo. The room is 18 square metres and includes a queen bed, shower stall and toilet. Room amenities include an air purifier, kettle and tea, slippers and toothbrush. There’s a clean and new feel to everything I touch, which makes for a very comfortable, relaxing stay.

The substantial breakfast buffet is available from 6am until 10am at OMO Dining on the 21st floor. It includes a pancake station and Japanese comfort foods. At dinner time the kitchen switches to an a-la-carte menu that includes steak, noodles, burgers and lighter bites. If it’s late and you’re not too hungry you might prefer the 22nd-floor rooftop bar, where the emphasis is on craft beer and bar snacks.

You’ll likely be staying here for a night before or after a flight, so you might venture only as far as the heated pools on the third floor, or the dining and bar facilities. A Lawson convenience store, located right at the hotel, is open 24 hours. Nearby is Rinku Premium Outlets, a behemoth of a shopping centre with 250 stores and many dining options. Direct trains run from Rinku station to central Osaka, a city often referred to as Japan’s kitchen.

Japan continues to offer bargain surprises for value-minded travellers, even at new hotels with fancy amenities. At OMO Kansai Airport I had a great sleep and a luxurious hot soak, all for under $100. If you find something to complain about with that deal, the problem isn’t the hotel.

Queen Rooms from 7728JPY ($70) a night. A “Twin Room (Universal Design)” is wheelchair-accessible. OMO Kansai Airport by Hoshino Resorts, 1-833 Rinku Oraikita, Izumisano, Osaka, Japan. Phone +81 50 3134 8095.