A New Hotel Cluster Is Taking Shape Beside Universal Studios Japan

Construction has begun on a major hotel complex near Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, marking the largest new hotel build announced by IHG Hotels and Resorts in the country. The project is located in Konohana ward on a riverside site close to the theme park and is scheduled to open in 2029. It represents the first project in Japan to combine three different international hotel brands within a single development site.

The complex is planned to include InterContinental, Kimpton, and Holiday Inn Resort hotels, together accounting for 817 guest rooms. Once opened, these hotels will become official Universal Studios Japan partner hotels and the only internationally branded options in the immediate area. The site is also positioned within a short boat or road journey of the future integrated resort on Yumeshima, linking leisure travel with broader urban redevelopment plans.

Staying near attractions, not the city centre

The hotels themselves introduce a wider set of on site facilities designed to support different travel needs rather than a single type of stay. A range of shared and brand specific facilities is expected across the site, including places to eat, swim, relax, and spend time with children, keeping many daily activities within the immediate hotel area. As a result, travellers staying for shorter trips, especially those centred on theme park visits, may find fewer reasons to move around the city each day.

Universal Studios Japan remains one of the most visited theme parks in Asia, regularly drawing large crowds during weekends, school holidays, and major seasonal events. For travellers, staying close to the park can significantly change the rhythm of a trip, reducing early morning travel, late evening returns, and reliance on packed public transport. The proximity of new hotels may make shorter stays more manageable and allow visitors to plan park visits with greater flexibility.

The project points to a shift in how visitors organise their stays in Osaka, as more travel activity begins to take place outside the city’s traditional central areas. For visitors, this development suggests greater flexibility when choosing where to stay, with easier access to major attractions and less dependence on heavily used transport routes. Although the hotels are not expected to open for several years, the project suggests a longer term shift toward tourism infrastructure that better aligns with how visitors plan and structure their trips.