The Flag Shinsaibashi Hotel Review

Osaka, Japan

May 25, 2023

mid-scale Hotel

Deluxe Twin | Room 330

The Flag Shinsaibashi is a 3.5-star hotel located in the heart of Osaka, Japan. The hotel is conveniently located near Shinsaibashi Station, making it easy to access all that Osaka has to offer.
The hotel's rooms are spacious and comfortable and are equipped with all the amenities you need for a relaxing stay. The hotel also has a rooftop terrace with stunning views of the city.

3.75

out of 5

Good

Hotel rating breakdown

Room Amenities (TV, Coffee machine etc.)

No on-site Gym availiable

Bed Comfort

Service

Cleanliness

4.5

No on-site Pool availiable

Location

Value

3.5

WiFi

Bottom Line

What we loved

Location (5): Located near Dotonbori, lots of shops & restaurants.
Cleanliness (4.5): There was a rogue zipper in our room along with a little dust on the shelf when we checked in. The room passed the blacklight test.
Service (4): The staff was responsive and the front desk was always staffed. We did not ask for much during our stay. The coffee machine was out of milk one morning, however, we did not notify any staff about it. When we came back later that day the machine was filled. The staff in the restaurant was courteous & cleared dishes quickly while ensuring the buffet was fully stocked.
Bed Comfort (4): Only two pillows were provided and they were smaller and softer than preferred.
Internet (4.5): Internet speed was 38.9. It worked well and did not have any issues with streaming on cell phones.
Onsite coin laundry. Wash (¥300) took 40 minutes and the dryer (¥100) took 30 minutes. The machines did not have weight limits listed, however, we had no issues washing 3 days' worth of clothes.
The breakfast buffet's cold items were very good.
The Deluxe room has 2 Queen sized beds, which was very comfortable.
AC worked well; the room stayed cold.
The hotel had a little library, which was nice.

What we did not like

Room Amenities (3): For a Japanese hotel the amenities were lacking. The bathroom only had toothbrushes & hair brushes. The room did not have a coffee machine (located on the 2nd floor) or a robe. The TV was mounted & we were unable to connect our Chromecast & the hotel did not provide TV casting functionality.
The hotel did not have a gym or a pool.
Windows were not sound-proofed. Our 3rd-floor room was directly over the entrance and we heard people talking throughout the day. I am not sure if a room on a higher floor would be better for noise.
Hot breakfast buffet items were tepid in temperature.
Upon check-in, we were told that the room's fire alarm was sensitive & when we showered we should keep the bathroom doors closed or else the alarm would go off.
Upon check-in, we were also told that to ensure the rooms can be quickly turned for the next guest we should not spray perfume in the room.
The seating near the small library was odd. The chairs felt like they were made for toddlers as they were small & rather close to the ground. There is larger "adult" seating near check-in, however, there is a sign that states books should not be removed from the library.

Verdict

If you are looking for an Osaka hotel catering to tourists from the West, located in the heart of Dotonbori, this is a great place to stay.

Overall I was 'meh' about this hotel. While the room was nice & I appreciated the laundry service, it felt lacking in the Japanese culture. I would be unlikely to stay here again unless I needed to be in the vicinity for a specific reason.