Zentis Osaka, the city’s only Design Hotels member property, recently launched a new ‘Stay & Savor’ package that combines afternoon tea with a two-night stay and daily breakfast. Since opening in 2020, the hotel has been lauded for its sophisticated style and stellar dining at UPSTAIRZ Lounge, Bar & Restaurant. 

Making Michelin Guide’s inaugural list of ‘Selected Restaurants’, UPSTAIRZ’s most novel offerings is its ever-changing afternoon tea service. The set’s tiered presentation is a homage to the hotel’s central staircase, which leads guests from the lobby to UPSTAIRZ. Carved out of blue limestone, the asymmetric staircase is one of the design elements dreamed up by Tara Bernerd & Partners, the firm behind the hotel’s interior.

Designed to showcase the best of each season, the latest afternoon tea presentation (available through 30 November) is all about premium grapes – weaving in the rich, refreshing tastes of the Shine Muscat, Nagano Purple and Queen Rouge varietals that are coveted each year as summer transitions to autumn and Japan’s grapes reach their peak ripeness.

In addition to serving up three varietals, sweets presentations include a grape & perilla verrine, a Shine Muscat tart and macaron, a fragrant olive & vanilla mousse, and a mont blanc with a hint of cassis liqueur. To balance and complement, savory selections include a fig caprese salad with prosciutto, braised Flemish pork & chestnut crêpe, and a beef bresaola & beetroot tart.

To pair, guests can opt for free-flow tea – with selections such as pink rose, bergamot peach or UPSTAIRZ’s special blend – or a glass of champagne (at additional charge). 

Though the menu changes with each season, the setting in which the artful afternoon tea is served remains unchanged – airy UPSTAIRZ Lounge, with its lofty ceiling, abundance of natural light and a shaded outdoor terrace framed by greenery. 

Also included in the stay package is breakfast at UPSTAIRZ Restaurant, the hotel’s main dining area. Featuring an open kitchen, the cozy dining room serves up three styles of breakfast for guests to choose from, including American and vegan. The signature offering is the chef’s original presentation of a daily assortment of seven, tasting-size Japanese dishes (in addition to soup and Japanese omelet).

Accommodations range from Studios – popular with solo travelers – to more spacious Corner Studios with deep-soaking tubs, a favorite of couples, and suites with separate living areas. The minimalist Japanese aesthetic of each guestroom extends to functionality, with the overall design taking inspiration from the modularity of bento boxes. 

Designed to foster work and play, the hotel’s Guest Lounge invites conversation and productivity. A communal table, cut from a cypress tree, holds pride of place for those intent on getting down to business while recessed banquettes present cozy spaces in which to unwind. Just beyond is the hotel’s garden area with terrace seating – with floor-to-ceiling windows and a see-through fireplace seamlessly connecting the two spaces.