InterContinental Osaka: A Pool for the Child, a Gym for the Husband
We picked InterContinental Osaka for the pool. My husband, it turned out, picked it for the gym. A Dyson that would not run on a travel adapter and a vintage car outside Hankyu followed.
Why We Chose This Hotel
We stayed here in late October 2022, on the same Osaka trip as Universal Studios Japan. I assumed we had chosen the hotel for the pool, because my child loves swimming. What I did not realize was that my husband had chosen InterContinental Osaka for a different reason entirely. He goes a little stir crazy without a gym, and the fitness floor was non negotiable for him.
Visit Information
| Location | Grand Front Osaka North Building, Tower C, directly connected to JR Osaka Station (5-minute walk) |
| Address | 3-60 Ofukacho, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-0011 |
| Pool Hours | 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (last entry 9:30 p.m.) |
| Fitness Hours | 24 hours, unstaffed from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. |
| Pool Rules | Guests under 16 must be supervised by a parent at all times |
| Swim Rentals | Caps and goggles free, swimwear for adults only in limited quantities |
| Power | Japan uses 100V, so single voltage 220V devices need a transformer |
| Rate We Paid | Around 600,000 KRW per night in October 2022, from memory |
| Current Rates | As of October 2026, from about 610,000 KRW on the cheapest weekdays, 900,000 to 1,000,000 KRW or more on weekends |
First Impression
In the lobby, a wood toned wall held a set of striped, figure shaped sculptures on plinths. My child stood in front of one of them.
The directory listed guestrooms from the 21st to the 27th floor, with Club InterContinental on the 28th.
The Pool Floor
This is a lap pool, and it feels like one. The lanes are there for exercise, the room is quiet, and it is not a place for splashing games. We happened to have it to ourselves, so my child, who was still small, could have a gentle play in the water.
Families expecting a playful hotel pool should know the tone before they go.
The gym looks straight onto the pool. My husband went there first, and when he finished his workout he came straight over to play with our child.
A 24 Hour Fitness Floor
The treadmills were Life Fitness machines, and the room is open around the clock.
A Voltage Problem With the Dyson
I had assumed a travel multi socket would be enough for my Dyson. It was not, and the device would not turn on. When we asked the hotel for a transformer, the staff brought one to the room promptly and kindly.
Inside the Room
I do not remember the exact floor, but the room was in very good condition. Yukata were provided for adults. There was no child size, but my child and I wore them together anyway.
A Snack, and Then Drawing
My child has liked drawing since very young, and spent part of the evening at the room’s table with POSCA markers.
A Vintage Car Near Hankyu
One evening we set out for a takoyaki shop near the hotel that we had heard was good. On the way, we passed a vintage car parked on the street, with the Hankyu building lit up behind it.
What the Price Bought
Spending around 600,000 KRW a night on a hotel in Japan did feel like a lot. Checking again for October 2026, weekend nights run 900,000 to 1,000,000 KRW or more, and the cheapest weekdays are about 610,000 KRW. When I travel in Japan I usually spend very little time in the hotel and keep moving around the city. Travelling with my husband, we wander far less, and that was the part I missed.
Still, the hotel did what each of us needed. My child had the pool, and my husband had his gym.
