FOR TWELVE REMARKABLE YEARS, InterContinental Osaka has carved out a reputation as Japan’s premier urban retreat, securing the coveted number one position in Osaka and a spot among the Top 10 best city hotels nationwide. 

Under the visionary leadership of General Manager Jerome Palacoeur, this 272-room property — comprising 215 luxurious guest rooms and suites plus 57 exclusive residences — has mastered the art of personalised hospitality that transforms everyday stays into extraordinary experiences. 

What sets this property apart isn’t just its accolades, but a deep commitment to crafting guest journeys you simply can’t find elsewhere. A new and exclusive Insider Partnerships programme allows the concierge team to orchestrate moments of pure magic for guests. Its inaugural offering is authentic — and on-trend — a Matcha tea ceremony at Isshin-an, a heritage tea house nestled in the heart of Kyoto, where guests discover firsthand the profound traditions and ceremonial beauty of Japan’s most revered beverage ritual. 

Design That Speaks to the Soul

The hotel’s breathtaking interiors emerge from the collaborative genius of Hong Kong’s Bilkey Llinas Design Ltd and Tokyo’s celebrated Yukio Hashimoto Design Studio. Together, they’ve woven what they call “Contemporary Luxury” into every corner, using locally sourced natural stone, wood and glass to create spaces that breathe modern sophistication through each space while honouring Japan’s timeless aesthetic principles. 

Hashimoto Yukio Design Studios’ award-winning and philosophical approach to the property was to design ambience instead of spaces. This vision manifests spectacularly in the dramatic 20th-floor lobby, where guests are greeted by sweeping views of Osaka’s urban expanse. 

The design narrative continues through generously sized guest rooms, averaging 50 square metres each, featuring floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors that separate the sleeping and bathing areas, flooding the spaces with natural light. 

Local artists’ innovative works grace both the ground-floor entrance and the sky-high lobby, creating a gallery-like experience that celebrates regional creative talent. 

The design journey reaches its crescendo in the wedding chapel, where an awe-inspiring Aji Stone waterfall invites nature’s mystical essence to each ceremony. A gracefully curving seven-metre stairwell was crafted to convey feminine beauty and form across two floors.

Culinary Theatre in the Clouds

In addition to the Hotel lobby, InterContinental Osaka offers most compelling culinary destination, housing fie distinct dining experiences that showcase everything from Michelin-starred French cuisine to sweets and cocktails.

Pierre, the hotel’s signature French eatery and crown jewel, has maintained its Michelin star for an impressive nine consecutive years. It’s a place where master chefs transform seasonal ingredients using classical French techniques while an extraordinary wine collection boasts over 200 labels, including rare vintages and prestigious Champagnes. 

NOKA Roast & Grill brings Osaka’s vibrant energy to life through an open kitchen concept, where culinary theatre meets curated seasonal ingredients in an atmosphere that reflects the city’s dynamic spirit. When evening arrives, adee Lounge & Bar becomes the stage for Osaka’s most sophisticated nightlife, featuring original cocktails, projection mapping that transforms walls into living art and weekend live music performances against the backdrop of the glittering Yodogawa River. 

For quieter moments, Lounge ‘3-60‘ offers floor-to-ceiling windows that gracefully frame the city below, creating an intimate setting for important conversations or romantic evenings. The ground-level Patisserie ‘STRESSED‘ serves as your gateway to indulgence, offering artisanal cakes, chocolates, and baked goods perfect for fueling daytime adventures or business meetings.

Your Urban Escape Awaits

Beyond dining, this vertical sanctuary has comprehensive wellness facilities that include a 24-hour fitness centre, traditional Japanese bathhouse, MEGURI Spa, and an indoor pool, while four versatile event spaces and a complete wedding complex make it Osaka’s most sought-after venue for celebrations. 

Located just five minutes from three major transportation hubs — JR Osaka Station, Umeda Station and Hankyu Umeda Station — InterContinental Osaka positions you at the heart of everything while providing an elevated refuge from the city’s bustle. Discover why discerning travellers have chosen InterContinental Osaka as their Osaka sanctuary for over a decade. Experience the difference that comes from twelve years of refined hospitality, where every detail serves a single purpose: making your stay unforgettable.

InterContinental Osaka
3-60 Ofuka-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Japan
Tel：+81 6 6374 5700
Website: www.icosaka.com

Article Sponsored by InterContinental Osaka.
Images courtesy of InterContinental Osaka.

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It’s one of the most anticipated debuts in the Caribbean this year: the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Cartagena, a residential resort in the culturally dynamic quarter of Gestemani in the city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. 

While it had been set for a mid-2025 debut, the resort is now planning a “late 2025,” debut, according to Four Seasons’ website, positioned as the third Four Seasons in Colombia, joining an existing pair in Bogota. The hotel will be the fourth Four Seasons in the wider Caribbean, joining existing resorts in The Bahamas, Anguilla and Nevis. 

The Details of the Four Seasons Cartagena 

So what’s in store for the newest Four Seasons? For starters, 131 rooms (including a trio of suites), a gym open all day, just under 7,000 square feet of meeting space and a six-treatment-room spa called Umari. 

The coolest touch? Not one, but two pools in a sprawling rooftop terrace and lounge. 

What’s Unique 

Experiential travel is having its moment right now, and that’s essential to the new resort, where you’ll be able to enjoy everything from private walking art tours inside the town’s Walled City to salsa lessons. Want t to go deeper? You can even take a trip to a private reserve filled with with tamarin monkeys. 

The Hotel Landscape in Cartagena 

This is the second true, full-service luxury hotel in Cartagena, joining a hotel our editors absolutely love in Cartagena: the historic Sofitel Legend. Rooms from $429 right now. 

But it’s undoubtedly a huge addition to a place that’s really two destinations: the beach area and the old town. 

Cartagena mostly has a mix of upper-midscale hotels and boutique hotels — although there are some gems in the latter, including the former Tcherassi Hotel that’s now the Nacar Hotel Cartagena, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection. Rooms from $207. 

What Will It Cost at the Four Seasons Cartagena?

So far, we don’t know. You can’t make a booking yet at the hotel; but you can probably bet it will be priced higher than the Sofitel, its nearest direct competition.

So How Do I Get to Cartagena? 

Both American Airlines and Avianca (Colombia’s national carrier) have nonstop flights from Miami, although Avianca is significantly cheaper — $361 nonstop compared to $637 on American, according to Google Flights. 

From NewYork, you can fly both Avianca and JetBlue operating the route nonstop and Avianca once again coming in much cheaper — $432 roundtrip to JetBlue’s $807 in August. 

Why Go to Cartagena? 

Sometimes travelers forget just how vast the Caribbean is — and we cover the entire Caribbean Basin — meaning everywhere the Caribbean Sea, including the vibrant northern Caribbean coast of South America. That includes Cartagena, a centuries-old, charming place that’s been one of the buzziest places to visit in the region for some years now. And it’s about to have a real halo hotel later this year.