Summer Trip to Osaka: Visiting the Expo Without the Queues via Direct Boat - A Detailed Stay Report: Dorsett by Agora Osaka Sakai

Areas in the heart of Osaka, such as Namba, Shinsaibashi, and Umeda, have long been known as highly competitive hotel districts, much like the centers of Tokyo and Kyoto. They always seem crowded, and accommodation costs feel a bit high, too...

However, while these areas might not be the first choices that come to mind when planning a first-time trip, there are actually areas just a few stations away where you can enjoy a comfortable stay.

Sakai City, where the hotel I stayed at this time, Dorsett by Agora Osaka Sakai is located, might just be one of those places—a realization I had upon visiting for the first time.

So, for those who want to travel this summer—especially those who want to go to Osaka and are dying to visit the Expo—I’d like to report on my stay at this hotel, which just opened this spring and offers a way to avoid the crowds and spend your time in comfort.

First, how this stay came about

It started when someone from a PR firm I usually work with asked, "Would you like to try staying here?"
That said, I paid for my own round-trip travel expenses from Tokyo, where I live, to Sakai, Osaka, and I am not receiving any writing fees for this article.

Nevertheless, as someone who travels to the Kansai region several times a year for reporting and writes reviews for hotels and restaurants, I will candidly share what it was really like to stay there.

It became a very long, photo-heavy report of over 6,400 characters because I was too detailed, haha. I hope it serves as a reference for someone's Kansai trip.

What is the first Dorsett brand in Japan, "Dorsett by Agora Osaka Sakai"?

This hotel is operated by Agora Hospitality Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Agora), which develops the "Agora Hotel Alliance" in Japan, including in Ginza, Tokyo, and Kyoto.

"Dorsett by Agora Osaka Sakai" was opened at the end of March 2025 as the first Dorsett brand hotel in Japan through a partnership between Agora and Dorsett Hospitality International (hereinafter referred to as Dorsett), a rapidly growing luxury hotel group in Asia.

By the way, Dorsett operates 54 properties in 22 cities under brands such as Dorsett Hotels, Dao by Dorsett, d.Collection, and Silka Hotels, spanning Hong Kong, mainland China, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and Europe, including the UK.

Perhaps some of you have stayed at one before? I’d love to visit one someday too!!!

[Access] Easy access from Kansai International Airport and Itami Airport, right by Sakai Station

Since I don't have a driver's license, my travels are based on using public transportation.

The nearest station to this hotel is Sakai Station on the Nankai Main Line.
This was my first time getting off at Sakai Station and riding the Nankai Main Line.

It takes about 10 minutes by express train from Sakai Station to Namba Station. If you transfer to the JR line at Shin-Imamiya Station just before that, it is also easy to access Shin-Osaka Station, where the Shinkansen stops.

Speaking of the Nankai Main Line, it is the line that connects Kansai International Airport with the bustling Namba district of Osaka (I learned that later, lol).

Since it takes about 25 minutes from Kansai International Airport to Sakai Station on the 'Limited Express Rapi:t β', there were truly many foreign tourists staying at the hotel.

By the way, if you are coming from Itami Airport, you can take a limousine bus (about 25 minutes) to Namba Station, and then take the Nankai Main Line express for about 10 minutes. It is surprisingly close as well.
Sakai might be the perfect area for those arriving by plane to stay, even more so than for those using the Shinkansen.

By the way, if you are coming by private car, it seems you can use the dedicated outdoor parking lot on the first floor of the hotel for free.

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It is about a 5 to 10-minute walk from Sakai Station to the hotel.

Sakai, which I was visiting for the first time. The images I had of it were of ancient burial mounds, a port town that flourished through trade—something that always appears in medieval Japanese history—and, since I love hand towels, a town known for a dyeing technique called chusen.

Also, I had assumed, quite presumptuously, that it would be a very busy downtown area, but perhaps because it is a commuter town for Osaka, both the area in front of the station and the route to the hotel had a very calm atmosphere.

Since I usually go to busy areas like Marunouchi, Ginza, Nihonbashi, Shinjuku, and Shibuya for work, I thought it was nice to be able to stay somewhere away from the crowds and relax. As I was walking slowly and leisurely, I soon reached the sea.

It is somehow delightful to stay at a hotel with the sea spreading out right in front of you.

As an aside, looking at this scenery, I somehow associated it with Atami in my hometown of Shizuoka.
The fact that a fireworks festival is held in late July is another common point with Atami, but Sakai is definitely less crowded, so it is comfortable and nice!

I was able to arrive at the hotel from Sakai Station in less than 10 minutes of leisurely walking.

Although there are a few steps and stairs along the way, it is manageable even with heavy luggage. However, taking a taxi from the East Exit might also be a good option.

Also, this is a very minor detail, but...

I got the impression that if you take the following route, there are plenty of streetlights, you only pass under an elevated road once, and the coastline has good visibility, so even if you are traveling alone as a woman and arriving at night, you shouldn't have to worry too much.

【Inside the Hotel】 Is this... overseas?
A relaxed, luxurious space

Facing the coastal promenade, the hotel restaurant, which serves breakfast and other meals, is open for business. This is on the second floor of the hotel, and the view from the terrace seating is very open and airy.

Entering the hotel from the terrace and taking the elevator to the lobby and entrance floor on the first floor, I found another spacious area.

The interior design for the entire hotel was handled by TORAO+HSIEH ARCHITECTS / T+HA. They are an architect unit consisting of Ryota Torao and Hsin-Yen Hsieh, who are based in Tokyo and Taipei.

It is an original design themed around the "greenery, earth, and sea" of Sakai, and it was a space where every detail was meticulously crafted.

At the free drink bar, which guests can use freely in the lobby, you can enjoy organic tea from the California-based brand "|Mighty Leaf", as well as

flavored teas from the local Osaka tea brand "|TEARTH".

I headed to my room, passing through the eco-friendly amenity bar.

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A guest room where I had a comfortable stay, despite a few minor shortcomings

The room I was shown this time was the Superior Twin Harbour View on the 11th floor. Out of the hotel's more than 300 guest rooms, this is apparently the most common and standard room type. It's impressive—and certainly welcome—that so many of the rooms face the sea.

By the window, there is a bench where you can store your suitcase underneath. Large cushions were also placed there.

This bench felt more like a table than a seat. It was convenient for spreading out and organizing my luggage, but honestly, it wasn't suitable for sitting and relaxing.

During my stay, I used the bed as a sofa for everything: drinking coffee or tea from the cups, watching TV, and getting ready or putting on makeup in the morning.

The piece I used as a table at those times was a cafe table about 30–40 cm in diameter, which was placed between the bench and the bed.

Since the latest smart TV was mounted on the wall opposite the window, I would temporarily move the cafe table between the beds when I wanted to watch TV.


Perhaps this interior design is unique to a hotel where you are meant to relax in the spacious lobby on the first floor, rather than spending all your time in the room.

That said, as someone who likes to spend time relaxing in private, I couldn't help but think I would have been happier if there were a small lounge chair, even a single one, placed alongside a table.

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The "Dorsett Suite," which seems perfect for a relaxing family stay

During my stay, a public relations representative showed me around, and I was able to tour the Dorsett Suite, of which there are only six in the entire hotel of over 300 rooms.

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Universal rooms are, of course, also available.

There are also barrier-free rooms, known as universal rooms, where guests using wheelchairs can stay even more comfortably and relaxingly.

When traveling with elderly family members, it would be wonderful to stay in such a modern and relaxing hotel.

If you would like to stay here, please check directly via the hotel's inquiry form.

Actually, this was the first time in my hotel coverage work that I was shown a universal room where wheelchair users can stay.

I was shown it just by chance during our conversation.

The room I stayed in had no steps at all, and the opening from the entrance door was wide, so I made small talk saying, 'This is very comfortable and safe for families with strollers or small children,' and that led to it.

According to the public relations representative, hotels with a certain number of rooms always have universal rooms. But, embarrassingly, this was news to me.

When covering museums and design-related topics, I have been researching and paying attention to initiatives for inclusive design and universal design... but I had overlooked this!

It was an experience that made me think I would definitely like to check for this if I have the opportunity to cover newly opened or renovated hotels in the future.

I am very sorry to say this, but the most troublesome and disappointing thing about my stay this time was...

there might not be any restaurants within walking distance of the hotel that a woman could easily enter alone at night.

Of course, I think everything would have been solved if I had gone out to the area around Sakai Station, so if I had to point one out, that might be a weak point.

However, on this day, I was completely exhausted from long-distance travel since early morning, hopping between museums and galleries for coverage, and carrying heavy luggage.
In the city of Sakai, which I was visiting for the first time, I had almost no energy left to look for a restaurant I could enter alone.

I didn't want to move even one more millimeter... that was my level of physical strength, but at the time I stayed, the restaurant on the second floor of the hotel had not yet opened.

I am very grateful that for breakfast, I was able to use the restaurant at the 'Hotel Agora Regency Osaka Sakai,' a sister hotel of the Agora brand, but

What I found difficult was dinner on the day I checked in.

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Although there was a lovely Italian restaurant called 'Aoi Napoli Umisoba' just a few minutes' walk from the hotel, I felt it might not be the right place for a solo dinner when I was completely exhausted.

The only convenience store I could find when looking for something to eat was a small Lawson located a 5-minute walk from the hotel. (Depending on the time of day you visit, there might be no food left at all...)

Furthermore, the hotel's restaurant is now open, and I hear it is a truly wonderful space. I am sure many guests are using it and it is quite lively.

In addition, on the first floor of the hotel, there is a coin laundry and a 24-hour fitness room located behind a door that can be opened and closed with a room key, which is secure and reassuring. Vending machines, ice machines, and microwaves are also available for use.

So, it is safe to say that the overall comfort and convenience of staying at this hotel have improved significantly since the time I visited! Rest assured!!!

[Comfortable travel to the Expo venue] Cruise Osaka Bay from the pier right in front of you! Shuttle buses from Sakai Station are also available.

Now, from the large window of the room I stayed in, I had a panoramic view of the historic Sakai Old Port.

The night view looks like this!!!
It was sparkling and beautiful, and since the surrounding area is very quiet, I was able to sleep soundly, but...

You must be curious about this boat that has been appearing here and there since the beginning of the article.

This is a direct boat that operates daily round trips to Yumeshima, the venue for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan!!!!

Its name is 'Expo Shuttle Myakumyaku-go'

A round-trip ticket costs ¥4,200 for adults and ¥1,500 for children, which is a decent fare, but...

Avoiding the heat and crowds, staying until the very last minute, enjoying an Osaka Bay cruise, and traveling between the hotel and the Expo venue with a direct, relaxed, and stress-free commute—this sounds incredibly comfortable and delightful, doesn't it?

What's more, during the Expo period, the hotel offers a luggage storage service at the front desk. This is a subtly wonderful service.

For example, you could stay at the hotel the night before visiting the Expo, leave your luggage after checking out the next morning, and enjoy the Expo from morning until night via the direct boat.
Then, when you return to the hotel, you can pick up your suitcase and head straight to Kansai Airport for your journey home. Such a comfortable way to travel and stay is definitely possible.

Please note that the direct boat is operated by a different company than the hotel, but information is available on the 'Access' page of the hotel's official website.

If you're interested in using this service, I highly recommend booking in advance through the official website. I'm sure it will get crowded during the upcoming summer holidays, right?

★Updated August 6th★
A note from someone who actually used this Myaku-Myaku boat to visit the Expo with a stroller.

Also, there is a shuttle bus that runs directly from Nankai Main Line Sakai Station. Please note that you need to book this through a dedicated app, so be sure to check in advance!

Summary

The area around the Sakai Old Port that I visited is slated for development by Sakai City over the next few years to become a bustling hub. Leading the way, the first hotel to open in this area is this 'Agora Dorsett Osaka Sakai'.

The current calm and relaxing atmosphere was lovely, but it might soon become an even more stylish and bustling bay area.

I personally hope to stay here again when I visit Sakai next time!

❖I am very sorry, but this is a promotion.
I am currently accepting requests for hotel stay report assignments.

(If possible, I would be very grateful if we could discuss this including actual travel expenses. I am happy to coordinate with visits to museums or art festivals, and I can travel anywhere in the country. Please contact mehere.)