Situated at the northern reaches of the busy Umeda theater district, this hotel is 600 m north of Osaka Station. This place is as refined as The Ritz-Carlton, but in its own distinctive way. Unlike the baroque excess of The Ritz-Carlton, here contemporary Western decor prevails, but with a trim Japanese flip that gives it a cleaner, leaner look.
This top-class hotel perches atop the Applause Center, a modern art-deco-style tower chockablock with designer shops that is home to Osaka's most popular performing-arts center. Inspired by the grand villas of Palladio, interiors are striking indeed: part palace, part boutique-hotel in feel, palatial but personable. The beautiful lobby shows remarkable Italian Renaissance styling made soothing with a pale yellow color scheme, tapestry wall hangings, Venetian chandeliers and faux-marbre columns. Off to one side is a handsome library with bleached-wood paneling, a fireplace and a book nook. The drapes
are layered, the tapestries dampen sound and the art injects a modern note.
The elegant lounge is an oasis of calm with a fountain and waterfall, and the clubby bar serves original cocktails and a wide range of whiskey. In addition to a tearoom, restaurants serve original French cuisine, Chinese fare, and Japanese food ranging from kaiseki and tempura to teppanyaki and sushi. Escalators whisk guests between restaurant floors, and even at peak dining hours, the goings and comings do not compromise the calm. Malmaison, the premier French restaurant, is a marvelous venue on the 25th floor, with fine antiques, custom appointments, puddled drapes and fanciful floral arrangements. The wine list is as extensive as it is expensive. Guests can easily drop $200 on a prix-fixe meal here and spend $12 for a cup of coffee. The atrium entry to the restaurant is a beautiful space evoking an Italian courtyard. It also features a stained-glass ceiling and 
a fountain with a golden globe and four urns spilling forth flowers. Here, guests sip tea and cocktails on comfortable sofas, and the adjoining bar is intimate and romantic. Room service is, of course, around the clock.
The hotel boasts two theaters, a private club with a pool and Japanese baths that welcome guests for a fee. Shopping opportunities abound. The largest of the 13 function rooms accommodates 1,000, and wedding chapels dot the premises. There are no health club facilities, but a fitness center in the same building offers facilities at exorbitant prices.
Single, double and king guest rooms feature a modern art-deco look, cheerful pale yellow walls, crown molding and stylish furnishings instead of the usual catalog pickings. Granite-topped desks equipped with broadband Internet access, purple club chairs with 
a 1930s flavor, and satiny sheets and bed ruffles are standard. The finely crafted entertainment centers boast CD players, TVs with movies on demand and free high-speed Internet connection. The posh marble baths have stall showers, tubs long enough for Westerners to recline, extra-wide vanities and bidet toilets. Even the design of the amenities packages has won awards. There are no rooms for the physically challenged here, but 50 are set aside for nonsmokers.
Visitors wanting The Ritz-Carlton luxury without the old-world decor will appreciate the effort put forth here. The staff is among the best in town, and the service is first-rate. The hotel's well-heeled clientele is predictably dressed to the nines, as high rates keep out the riffraff. Just don't confuse this deluxe house with the shabby New Hankyu nearby.