The Singulari Hotel & Sky Spa at Universal Studios Japan

Rooms and decor

The Premium Twin runs about 24 sqm at roughly $166 a night, with walls in pale cypress (Hinoki) wood and a shoji sliding screen that splits the bedroom from the vanity. The twin beds measure 110×195 cm and come with buckwheat (soba-gara) pillows in the Japanese style and cream sheets. The bathroom has a Hinoki bathtub, a Toto Washlet and Shiseido Future Solution amenities, and a door opens onto a small balcony with a distant view of USJ, the Tempozan Ferris Wheel and Osaka Bay. Standard rooms are smaller at 22 sqm.

Food and amenities

The draw here is the Sky Spa on the 14th floor — free for guests, where the general public pays about $20. After a full day at the park you wash up first, then move between indoor and outdoor onsen baths, a stone sauna, a jacuzzi and a city-view lounge. The outdoor bath uses real hot-spring water at 41°C, and 15 minutes in it does a lot for tired legs. The amenities are Aesop and Shiseido, with free Singulari-print towels. Down in the lobby there is a free tea ceremony daily at 16:00; the host wears a kimono and walks you through sipping Matcha over about 20 minutes, with one Wagashi sweet. The concierge sells USJ tickets, an Express Pass with a $3.40 discount and the Universal Beyond Pass, and stroller rental and a baby crib are free. The front desk is open 24 hours.

Location and getting there

The hotel sits about a 2-minute walk from JR Universal City Station, along Universal City Walk, and roughly 4 minutes from the USJ Main Gate. The building stands out with a wood and clear-glass façade patterned after old shoji screens. The lobby carries the scent of fresh Hinoki cypress and soft green Matcha, and staff in modern kimono handle English, Chinese and Korean.

Things to know before booking

Rates start around $149, about 15% more than Park Front and Keihan. Standard rooms are the smallest in the group at 22 sqm. The Sky Spa only opens 15:00-24:00 and 06:00-10:00, so plan your soak around those windows, and note that no tattoos are allowed — even a small one has to be covered with a large sticker sold in the lobby.

Our take

This is the best pick for couples who love Japanese culture and want to soak in an onsen after the park. The free Sky Spa, the Hinoki theme, the daily tea ceremony and the fact that it is the newest Official Hotel, opened in 2022, back up the 9.3/10 score from 1,200 reviews. At about $149 a night the free Sky Spa makes it good value — an Official Hotel that splits the difference between feeling Japanese and sitting right next to USJ.