Historic castles and temples stand alongside gleaming skyscrapers in bustling Osaka, where past meets present in kaleidoscopic ways. Here's our pick of the best hotels for business travellers.

W Osaka, Shinsaibashi

1/5

With its Tadao Ando-designed façade, it’s no surprise that W Osaka attracts a hip crowd to its 337 rooms. While the neon-lit indoor pool and proliferation of DJ decks suggest more pleasure than business, it’s all on your terms. Quieter spaces include 10-seater Sushi UKIYO – perfect for client meetings – and in-room mini-kitchens with bar stool seating for quick konbini lunches.

Image credit: Adam Bruzzone

Conrad Osaka, Nakanoshima

2/5

You could stack your schedule with meetings and never have to leave the 40th floor at Conrad Osaka, a three-minute walk from Watanabebashi train station. Up here, above the 164 rooms and suites, there are excellent places to dine: begin with coffee and a video call at Atmos Dining; roll into lunch with colleagues at steakhouse C Grill; then entertain clients over dinner at one of the three eight-seater teppanyaki bars at Kura. Later, retire to the onsite spa for a massage – it’s open until 10pm.

Four Seasons Hotel Osaka, Dojima

3/5

Book a bolthole on the 28th floor of this newly opened, 175-room hotel in downtown Osaka. The level is dedicated to Gensui guestrooms: 21 ryokan-style suites featuring traditional Japanese design with tatami mat flooring, washi paper walls and sliding doors. The property also has a 16-metre pool, a spa anchored by circular, wooden bathtubs and a meeting room with skyline views that rival most observation decks.

Zentis Osaka, Kitashinchi

4/5

This new stay, a few blocks south of the commercial district, offers more than the average high-rise hotel. In addition to 212 light-filled rooms, there’s a gym and a guest lounge with a refreshments corner, fireplace and garden terrace. The real gem is multipurpose space Room 001, with self-service washing machines, a high-pressure steam iron, fragrance bar and shoe shine service (fees apply to the latter).