We stayed at The Singulari Hotel & Skyspa at Universal Studios Japan during our 4th trip to Japan and our first traveling with our auADHD toddler. This was our second hotel in Osaka, and we arrived by taxi directly from our previous hotel. Taxi tip: make sure you show the taxi driver the hotel name and address in Japanese. Our driver initially dropped us at Universal Studios Japan instead of the hotel entrance and that cost us when it showed him the Google maps address.
The hotel staff themselves were excellent. They deal with international guest on the daily and some speak English. Our forwarded luggage was received without issue and delivered directly to our room, which made arrival seamless. They have forms for luggage transport themselves that I used for our KIX airport hotel. Service throughout our stay was efficient and professional, and the staff clearly explained all hotel procedures.
The biggest advantage of this property is its location. It is about a 10-minute walk to the entrance of Universal Studios Japan, which gives you a real edge if you plan to rope drop. The subway station is directly outside the hotel entrance, making transportation extremely convenient. Universal Citywalk is steps away, with Starbucks, Lawson, Bikkuri Donki (Great for familes by the way), shopping, and countless restaurants all within immediate reach.
If you’re visiting USJ, I strongly recommend arriving at the park entrance by 7:30 a.m. We arrived around 8:30 a.m., and it made the first ride strategy noticeably more challenging. Luckily disability service helped a little as it was similar to Disney when you have to go to the Fast Pass staff to get a return time but USJ uses pen and paper. The earlier you position yourself for rope drop, the smoother your morning will be. Lines were extremely long and we were only able to see half the park. Unless you have 2 days at USJ, I recommend buying the Express pass packages as early as possible as they were all sold out the day of. Definitely a big regret as we only had 1 day there.
The onsen sauna was of an average size. After long park days, it was incredibly relaxing. The baths are separated by gender, and there are no private rentable family spaces, so that’s something to keep in mind if traveling to onsen if you are not comfortable going commando with others.
Our room was spacious and comfortable. The bathroom felt slightly dated but it was clean and fully functional. One thing I missed was having a small kitchenette and in-room washer/dryer. Laundry is available on the spa floor via coin machines, but in-room units would have been more better.
On our second day, we made a day trip to Ghibli Park in Aichi, which took about 2.5 hours each way via Shinkansen and local transit. It’s doable but long. If your primary focus is Universal Studios Japan, this hotel is an excellent strategic base. If you plan multiple long day trips outside Osaka, you may want something more centrally located. I should have planned a day to stay at Nagoya for my Ghibli Park day.
Overall, The Singulari is ideal for travelers prioritizing proximity to Universal Studios Japan, easy transit access (but not centrally located), and post-park relaxation in a quality onsen setting.
