Hyatt Hotels in Japan

the UK Dining and Travel Zine

Clifford Mould spent a memorable last night in Japan

It was the end of our trip to Japan and we were flying out of Kansai-Osaka airport, so we decided to spend our last night in Osaka. We chose the Hyatt Regency because it lies on the airport side of the city and also because we had heard that it is Sir Terence Conran's favourite hotel in Japan and we wanted to see it for ourselves. It's a skyscraper building on an island in the harbour where a great deal of land reclamation is going on to provide the centre for Japan's Olympic bid for 2008. In the meantime, the Japanese World Trade Center is up and running next door to the hotel and work on Universal Studios new entertainment center is gathering pace.

I was bitterly disappointed to discover that Monday, the day we arrived was the one day of the week when the nearby wine museum is shut. It's housed in an interesting looking post-Corbusier style building by a French architect and there are live growing vines representing the world's major varietals. The notice outside informed us that there was a shop where wines could be purchased at below normal retail prices. Imagine how gutted we were to miss out!

The Hyatt Regency is unusual in that it is a resort hotel located in a city. There's an indoor health spa and pool, an outdoor pool and garden pictured above left, numerous restaurants and bars, conference facilities (of course!) and banqueting areas fit for state visits! Apparently it's a very popular destination for weddings, and peeked into the very pretty little wedding chapel. To my surprise, I found a state-of-the-art two manual Allen organ with lots of super squeaky baroque stops. I sneaked up to the organ loft and had a bit of a play - it nearly compensated me for not getting into the wine museum.

Our room pictured right was super, very spacious with amazing views all over the harbour and to the mountains beyond. The decor throughout the hotel is very sharp and clearcut with original prints and artworks, no wonder Sir Terence liked it.

The bathroom had a black marble surround to the basin area in stark contrast to the stylish tiling. You get a shower and a tub and a very grand selection of rather superior soaps, shampoos and other bodily unguents. Our room was one of 500 others - rates start from ¥26000 for single occupancy, ¥31000 for a double. A deluxe room like ours costs ¥35000 a night for two people.

Our selection from a choice of 13 restaurants and bars

All the prestige hotels in Japan offer an amazing choice of different restaurants. There certainly doesn't seem to be the prejudice against hotle restaurants in Japan that there has been until very recently in Britain. The Japanese are fond of Chinese food, and Italian and French food is also very popular particularly for a special night out. We ourselves chose to eat Japanese food in local inns and small neighbourhood eateries rather than in the big international hotels.

Ten Kuh Chinese Restaurant
This is the hotel's most prestigious restaurant, staffed by Hong Kong chefs. Head Chef Li is in great demand for cookery demonstrations. For ¥6000 you can have a morning's classes and lunch. There are great value Dim Sum Lunches from ¥2000, and the dinner menus start at ¥5500 for two or more people. A typical menu consisted of Shaghai appetisers; Seafood and winter melon soup; Deepfried seafood with curry wrapped in Chinese crepe; sauteed chicken and ginger with vinegar; wok-fried vegetables with Chinese tofu; Five treasure fried rice; almond jelly. There is quite an extensive wine list, heavier on the classic French, but with both old and new worlds well represented.

Irodori Japanese Restaurant
Irodori is the hotel's main Japanese restaurant which overlooks a tranquil traditional bamboo garden. There is a separate teppanyaki area and an intimate sushi bar as well as the main a la carte section. Those with supple joints can squat on mats in the two elegant tatami rooms which open out to the bamboo garden. Dinner menus go from ¥3500 to ¥8000 and there is an extensive choice from the alc. For ¥4500 you could start with an appetizer of Kobachi then a duet of Sashimi, followed by simmered sole, grilled Isaki fish with orange, then some assorted tempura, all with the traditional accompaniments of steamed rice, Japanese pickles and red miso soup.

The Bay Lounge
Right up on the 28th floor, this really a glamourous cocktail bar with live international performers (except Mondays, of course!), but this is where Executive head chef Jean-Christophe Fieschi indulges in some creative cookery. I was tempted by such delights as Goose liver terrine with artichokes, or freshly steamed mussels with cream, followed by Provencal roasted rack of lamb or confit duck with mushrooms. Authentic French desserts include creme brulee with berry compote and hot souufle with Cointreau. The silver set menu for ¥7000 allows you to choose an appetizer, soup, fish or meat dish and dessert from the a.l.c. and it includes coffee and chocs.

B-one restaurant Plaza
Here is a food court created by New York designer Toni Chi, with a range of shops and restaurants: Bon Bon - Bansai - Butterscotch - Baguette - Bamboo - Bimi and Basilico, the Italian Trattoria, where we spent a memorable final evening in Japan.

The Hyatt Regency Hotel, 1-13-11 Nanko Kita, Suminoe-ku, Osaka 559-0034, Japan
Tel 06 612 1234

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