Kobe Portopia Hotel: A Scenic Hotel Near Kobe Airport

The Kobe Portopia Hotel, also known as Portopia, is a massive hotel located on Kobe's Port Island. Kobe is home to three artificial islands: Port Island, Rokko Island, and a smaller island below Rokko Island called Gomi Island. While Port Island and Rokko Island are residential artificial cities connected by unmanned monorails (Port Liner and Rokko Liner), the third island, often referred to as the "trash island," is actually Osaka's waste disposal facility, which can be visited through guided tour programs. The hotel offers a free shuttle bus service from Sannomiya Station every 20 minutes, running from around 8 AM to before 10 PM. During my stay, I used the shuttle bus five times, and the ride to the hotel took approximately 10–20 minutes. When I arrived at the shuttle bus stop around 6 PM to check in, I noticed a long line of Kobe's beautiful ladies waiting. Fortunately, the bus was large enough to accommodate everyone, and I managed to board near the end of the line. Interestingly, I was the only one who checked in a suitcase. 🤣 These ladies were heading to the hotel's outdoor pool for the Summer Night Pool Party. The hotel is divided into two buildings: the Main Building and the South Resort Building. The Main Building is a standalone structure with 30 floors, while the South Resort Building is a separate 15-floor structure connected to the Main Building. Together, the two buildings house approximately 750 rooms, making it a mammoth-sized hotel. For comparison, Korea's Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong has 1,015 rooms, and Tokyo's Shinagawa Prince Hotel boasts around 2,400 rooms, which often results in long breakfast queues. I was assigned a room on the 12th floor of the South Resort Building, facing Osaka. Since I checked in at night, I was given a room with a sunrise view. The room offered a stunning view of the Port Liner, IKEA, and UCC, and featured a spacious resort-style twin room with a balcony. The bathroom was large and separated from the toilet, and the room included a sofa bed. The hotel rooftop features a small outdoor terrace bar alongside a helipad. Admission fees are 1,500 yen at night and 1,000 yen for hotel guests with a room key. During the day, the fees are 1,000 yen and 800 yen, respectively. At night, guests receive a drink coupon for one alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage, including canned or bottled drinks. While the price may seem steep, the exclusive 360-degree view makes it worthwhile. I woke up at 5 AM to catch the sunrise, and despite some clouds partially covering the sun, I succeeded. The breathtaking view included Osaka's skyscrapers in the distance, along with city, ocean, and mountain views all in one. The next morning, I enjoyed breakfast at the hotel. Guests can choose between restaurants on the 2nd or 30th floor of the Main Building. I opted for the 30th floor, which offered a spacious dining area with stations for dishes like steak rice bowls and omelets. The bakery selection was diverse, and the fruit spread was abundant. True to its origins during Japan's bubble era, the hotel lobby features an impressive ceiling decoration and a massive indoor fountain. Unusually for Japan, the standard checkout time is 12 PM, allowing me to complete my morning activities and take a refreshing shower before checking out. Thank you for the wonderful stay!