Review: Moxy Osaka Honmachi
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An affordable hotel with Marriott Bonvoy points
The Moxy Osaka Honmachi hotel belongs to the Marriott Bonvoy group and is a category 5 hotel (October 2019).
This means that it costs between 30,000 and 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to stay overnight.
Depending on the time period (and public price), this hotel is a “good candidate” to use the Annual Free Night Award (worth up to 35,000 points) offered at renewal of the :
To earn Marriott Bonvoy points in Canada, the easiest way is via one of these 3 credit cards:
- The Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express® Card
- The Marriott BonvoyMD Business American ExpressMD* Card
- The American Express CobaltMD Card
Each one offers a nice welcome bonus and the ability to earn Marriott Bonvoy points on each of your purchases.
You could have both Marriott Bonvoy cards and collect your points in your Marriott Bonvoy account!
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $120 | |||
| $150 | |||
| $191.88 |
The American Express CobaltMD Card transfers Membership Rewards points into Marriott Bonvoy points at a rate of 1:1.2.
With the 5 membership rewards points per dollar you earn on:
- grocery stores
- restaurants and bars
- convenience stores
- food delivery at home
it is like earning 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar!
- Annual fee
- $191.88
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $255
- Welcome offerGet 1,250 points after $750 in purchases per month for 12 months
- Up to 15,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Our review of the Moxy Osaka Honmachi Hotel
During our one week mini-RTW, we had a night planned in Osaka.
Location
We chose to stay at Moxy Osaka Honmachi because:
- Its location is great to explore Osaka, a short walk from the Castle
- It costs only 35,000 points per night, whereas accommodation in Osaka is very expensive.
- We were able to use a free one-night certificate from one of our Marriott Bonvoy cards
- This hotel goes outside the standard of the big chains as you will see
If you’re looking for a young, modern hotel, take a look at our review of the W Osaka.
From the Moxy Osaka Honmachi Hotel, we were able to explore the city on foot, and it is close to public transportation.
Address: 2-2-9 Kawaramachi, Chuo-ku Osaka, Japan 541-0048
Arrival
When we checked in at around 2 pm, we were able to immediately take possession of our room, thanks to our Marriott Bonvoy Elite Titanium status.
The hotel atmosphere is very young: high volume electronic music in the lobby looks like “The Spanish Apartment.” Its change from the hushed atmosphere of our Singapore hotel!
Moreover, the reception mingles at the bar, and a welcome cocktail is offered to us.
We are also informed that we are entitled to 2 breakfasts. A status-based benefits card is available at reception.
At this somewhat atypical reception, we also find a luggage scale, as well as various decorative objects to dust off the concept of “chain hotel.”
At the reception level, a room is available to keep personal belongings safe in case your bedroom is not available immediately, or in case of late departure. It’s very much appreciated!
It’s time for us to head to our room. Note the “jail atmosphere chosen by this hotel. Original!
The room
Our room, 1120, is type 2 single beds.
Note for families: it is not possible to sleep more than two people in the rooms of this hotel. We will not return to this hotel with Audrey and the children on our next visit to Osaka.
It is small in size but functional. Some accessories are cleverly hung on the wall and save space.
As a desk, a small round table with a chair. Note the originality of the phone.
The bathroom
The bathroom is hidden behind a sliding door.
This one is small in size, but particularly functional. There are also toilets, as everywhere in Japan.
Hotel amenities
Gym
The hotel has a gym on the 2nd floor.
Some equipment is located in this room with daylight.
Laundry and ironing room
Also on the 2nd floor is a room with washers and dryers.
And on the floor of our room, we find a place with a professional iron.
Breakfast
At the lobby level are the hotel’s restaurant and bar. Throughout the day, cold and hot dishes are offered.
It’s a buffet.
It is possible to have noodles served the way you want.
There is also Western food.
And of course fruit juices and coffee.
It is possible to have breakfast in the room provided for this purpose:
But be aware that there is also a room reserved for Elite members at the bottom:
A private room where we could have lunch without anyone else with our prison trays! 😀
Bottom Line
The Moxy Osaka Honmachi Hotel is an excellent brand new hotel in Osaka. If you like a rather young atmosphere and get off the beaten track with the big hotel chains, we recommend it!
From this ideally located hotel, we were able to visit Osaka Castle, which is less than a 15-minute walk away. Depending on the seasons and prices, it is a good place to exchange an annual certificate obtained with one of the Marriott Bonvoy cards!
- Annual fee
- $120
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$600Total$600$100 deferred bonus, excluded from the first-year estimate and not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $600
- Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months
- Up to 70,000 points
Apply Now
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
Go further with Marriott Bonvoy
To maximize your stays and points earning, check our complete Marriott Bonvoy program guide and our best Marriott Bonvoy credit cards ranking. For personal use, see the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. For business expenses, the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card earns points on every business purchase. And if a points purchase promotion is running, take advantage via our Marriott Bonvoy points purchase guide.