Ever since I saw the launch of this relatively new hotel on Accor, I had my eye on trying it out at some point! A collaboration between Accor’s midscale Mercure brand and Japanese long-stay brand Tokyu Stay, this pioneering dual-branded hotel opened for business in December 2022. It is situated in a really convenient spot, just a stone’s throw away from Namba train station (which has a direct train line to Kansai International Airport), as well as popular districts like Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi.
The room prices were rather steep for a 4-star hotel so I was thankful to have scored a $100 promo code on Trip.com and stacked it with Trip coins for a further discount (: I actually made a reservation for my brother here a few months earlier and he said it was a nice experience, so I couldn’t wait to give it a go!
- Inclusions:
- 1-night stay in Premium Twin Room (upgraded from Deluxe Corner Twin Room)
- Breakfast
- Spent: SGD$191.55 + $21.25 in Trip coins
Check-in
Inside the lobby, I was immediately wowed by the massive green wall behind the reception counter. It was a clever way to soften up the otherwise largely steel-dominated interior. This space also boasted floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing loads of natural light to stream in.
At the time that my husband and I arrived, there was no queue so the reception staff attended to us immediately. Our check-in was a quick and fuss-free process.
Room
In contrast to the reception area, the rest of the hotel is a lot darker with very minimal lighting (not something I prefer). Aside from that, I quite appreciated the overall aesthetic – a chic, artsy vibe with groovy artefacts and furnishing.
The initial room we were assigned to was on level 10 (out of 18 levels). This Deluxe Corner Twin Room has some odd angles but it generally felt open and spacious. It might’ve been a little dusty in some areas (I doubt any cleaning had been done between the couch crevices) but nothing to really set off my OCD alarm bells. Anyway, if you require regular housekeeping services, you’ll need to put the magnet with your desired instructions outside the door before 11am.
I tried requesting for a firm pillow but the staff said there weren’t any of those available, only what was already provided in the room. The bed was very firm though, loved it (:
In the bathroom, there is a separate shower, tub and water closet. Alas, as I was preparing to take a bath later in the evening, I found a number of hair strands lurking in the tub. After sharing this feedback with the duty manager, he very kindly and unexpectedly offered to upgrade us to the Premium Twin Room!
This upgrade brought us to level 18, the top floor of the property, and by the time we made the move, it was dark outside so we got to admire the night lights of the city from the balcony. Strangely, this room actually felt smaller than our initial one despite the absolute size being bigger (I guess the extra square metres went to the bathroom and balcony).
There were some small pots, cooking utensils, a microwave, a freezer and a washing machine, which would be useful for longer stays.
In the morning, we soaked in the city views and even caught a glimpse of the majestic mountains in the distance after the skies cleared up. It was simply breathtaking!
Facilities
There is no swimming pool on the property but there is a gym on level 2. I thought it was rather minimally equipped, with a couple of treadmills and gym balls but no weights.
You can also find little nooks to chill out at, such as the lounge on level 2 with a pool table and the mezzanine with plush seating in between levels 1 and 2.
Dining options within the hotel are fairly limited, with only CENTRE M on level 2 as the all-day dining restaurant. Shop M cafe on level 1 serves lighter bites like pastries and cookies, as well as craft beer and cider.
Breakfast is served at CENTRE M restaurant between 6.30am to 10am, with the last order at 9.30am. Although it wasn’t a particularly wide buffet spread, there were some unique offerings that piqued my interest, such as the colourful selection of bread in flavours of tomato, sesame, tea and basil! I also really liked their salads, which were seasoned very nicely.
Unfortunately, everything else was just average. In fact, most of the fried items (except the fried chicken) were hard and bland. There wasn’t a live eggs station either but it was possible to request for sunny side-up eggs (no other egg options available).
My overall rating of the experience: 4 out of 5 stars. The rooms and common spaces here sport a sleek contemporary style, one that I most certainly vibed with. The hotel’s location is also super accessible and convenient, literally a couple of minutes’ walk from Namba train station, as well as major shopping and food streets. As for the staff, everyone we interacted with was amiable and polite, plus I was really impressed by their generous service recovery. Both the rooms we stayed in were undeniably comfortable but if I were to nit-pick based on Japanese standards, the level of cleanliness as a whole was a tad lacking (some mildly dusty crevices and random strands of hair). In addition, I personally prefer more brightly and naturally lit spaces so most areas in the hotel, even the rooms, were much too dim for my liking. If these drawbacks aren’t deal-breakers for you, this would definitely be an accommodation option worth considering!
If this post helped you in some way and you’d like to buy me a coffee, I’d be incredibly grateful (:
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