hotel in Osaka close to a JR station

The following hotels that I commented on earlier in this thread have no smoking twin or business twin rooms bookable online:

http://www.toyoko-inn.com/e_hotel/00023/index.html

http://www.toyoko-inn.com/e_hotel/00054/index.html

Sorry, i've checked those hotels already and they are not bookable online for non smoking rooms

How about shinosaka? Is they conveniently located?

shin Osaka is conveniently located for long distance travel (this is where all the shinkansen stops). The Haruka express from Kansai airport to Kyoto stops there. downtown Osaka is not far by JR local trains or the Mido-suji subway. The area isn't the liveliest or prettiest in town but there are amenities and the station has lots of restaurants, snacks places etc. The 2 Toyoko Inn are a good 6-8 minutes from the station

Hotspot: I don't know what you are doing wrong, but I checked both locations before posting, no smoking twin rooms are bookable online for these hotels. Either you are trying to book too far ahead, maximum of two months in advance, or the rooms are already sold out for the dates you want.

RobBeer. Could you please send me the direct link. I'm interested in booking in May and definitely that is open.

Non smoking rooms they tag as "No Smoking heartful twin" and they mark it as reservations by phone.

Is there something i'm missing?

Did you actually see a reserve button against it? Because for me, it appears not available and when i go into the calender section, it says reservations by phone.

As I explained before, the ''Heart full'' rooms are, I believe, for the disabled and have to be booked by phone. I don't know what the company policy is regarding these rooms being booked by able-bodied customers.

Having said that, Osaka Nanba does not offer twin heart full rooms, only singles. If you see ''Not Available'' by no smoking twin rooms it means they have sold out of these rooms, calling the hotel will make no difference. You have to understand that Toyoko Inn are a business hotel chain and their main purpose is to supply single rooms to solo business travellers. The small amount of twin or double rooms they have usually go within a very short time of them being made available. Also, if you are trying to get rooms at the beginning of May you are going to be unlucky, that time is part of Golden Week and rooms are at a premium.

I checkede some other Toyoko Inn hotels, the Osaka Taniyon Kousaten is near Osaka Castle and right next to two subway lines. They have NS twins available on 1, 6-16, 18-23, 25-31 May as I write this:

http://www.toyoko-inn.com/e_hotel/00150/index.html

In the same area but about 7 minutes from two subway stops is the Osaka Tanimachi 4 Chome, they have rooms on 6-31 May:

http://www.toyoko-inn.com/e_hotel/00039/index.html

And they other Umeda area location (Umeda Higashi) has NS twins on 1, 2, 4-24, 26, 27, 31.

If any of these locations match the dates you require, get in fast as some only had one room left on some nights.

RobBeer.

Thanks for your help!!! I must have missed the nanba NS rooms. I've checked the site so many times and for some reason totally overlooked Nanba.

I've made my reservation with them and will be cancelling the shinosaka booking.

Thanks again.

Hotspot: I'm glad you are finally sorted. As I said before, I usually stay at this location and even though it is about 5-7 minutes walk to the subway and not really convenient for JR, I do like the area. It is quiet, but 10 minutes walk from the downtown shopping and nightlife. Go 10 minutes eastward and you are in Den Den Town, electronics, toys and more. On th back streets to the south and west are a couple of Tamade Supermarkets. Even if you don't like supermarket shopping, Tamade is different, they have large yellow signs out front with lots of neon and could easily be mistaken for a pachinko parlour.

Thanks again RobBeer. One more question, are the JR stations or subway stations suitcase friendly (ie do they have elevators/escalators?)

I will be at
1) JR Shinosaka
2) JR Ikebukuro (Tokyo)
3) Toyoko inn Nanba (i think will arrive at JR station as will be coming from Tokyo)

THanks

Shin Osaka is OK, elevators and escalators between JR and subway. Ikebukuro I need to check and let you know. Regarding getting to Toyoko Inn Nanba, as I said before, it is not convienent to use JR, it requires 3 JR trains from Shin Osaka to JR Nanba. You will find it a lot easier to take the subway from Shin Osaka to Nanba (direct service, no changes. The only problem is that I am pretty certain you will have to partly use the stairs at the Nanba subway stop. Again, I can check this out, but that will not be until the end of April.

RobBeer
Is the Nankai Rapit train covered under the JR pass?
Where do I catch it?

I have a questions about coming in from kansai to shin osaka. I'm thinking of taking the HARUKA and was wondering what the difference is between a reserve seat and a non reserve seat. My flight arrives in Kansai around 10:00pm at night

THanks

The Nankai Rapit is not covered by the JR Rail Pass, it is a private rail company. The difference between reserved and unreserved on the Hakura is 510 Yen, but as the last Haruka from Kansai Airport is 10.16 pm, you are unlikely to be catching it after geting thru immigration, collecting your luggage and clearing customs. The last Rapit to Nanba is at 22.35, then you'll have to take the subway. If you miss that, the last possible connection is 23.14. Which will require a mix of Nankai Airport Express and two JR trains. I thought you were staying at the Toyoko Inn Nanba?

I posted a reply earlier on but when i came back its gone.

RobBeer, I will be staying in Nanba. But that will be on the second leg of my trip. I will stay in shin osaka first because I was planning to travel to kyoto on two days so thought best to be close to JR.

Looks like I'm cutting it close for the transport into shin osaka. What happens if i miss the last train.... how much would it cost if i had to call a taxi to shinosaka? Do i have other alternatives.... i really have no control as to when the airplan arrives

----The difference between reserved and unreserved on the Hakura is 510 Yen----

Sorry for the confusion but i was referring more to the material difference (rather than price). What do i get for paying 510 yen more? Are non smoking cars available on non reserve?

Regarding a taxi from the airport to Shin Osaka, it is probably going to cost around US $200+.

With regards reserved vs unreserved; the difference, other than the price, is that you are guaranteed a seat to sit on with a reserved seat. But if you are using a JR Rail Pass, seat reservations are free. And, yes, there are non smoking reserved cars. Many JR companies have now have all non smoking trains. BTW, the JR ticket Office at Kansai Airport closes at 11.00 pm, so you may not be able to redeem your voucher if you arrive late.

There are escalators and elevators from platform level down to concourse level at Ikebukuro, but only stair access from the concourse to street level at the north exit of the station.

Thanks for your help RobBeer. You have been so helpful!