Picture living in a laundromat.
Capsule hotels are a type of hotel where instead of getting a room, guests stay in small, “capsules.” They cater primarily to Japanese businessmen who toil long hours at their desks then suddenly realize the last train home has left the building.
Small is the operative word here. The capsules measure roughly 2 meters in length, and 1 meter in both width and height. Moreover, these metallic capsules are stacked on top of each other, akin to filing cabinets. These days the hotels are making efforts to attract foreigners. On the English language version of the website, for instance, I noticed much emphasis on a special fabric spray which supposedly nullified such odours.
Dismayingly, the showers are two shower heads at about knee height with tiny child-sized plastic seats next to them. So would I recommend a capsule to a budget traveller heading for Tokyo? I think I’d suggest first scouring websites for deals on single hotel rooms, which while more expensive and not much bigger, offer much more convenience and comfort for a multiple-night stay.
Where’s the mini bar ?
To me this is very efficient… if you want to save space and make more money. If comfort is your priority I don’t think this would be second to a youth hostel with a reputation for being haunted by unborn children. I would certainly feel uncomfortable knowing I am so close to other people and that with the draw of one curtain you lose all privacy immediately. Where I see this prospering is on a train. Especially future models for trains as they progress in speed and efficiency. BUT this is only applicable if there is a need for a passenger to ride the train enough hours to require a bed to sleep. It does seem like a great idea to cut back on using too much space for a one-night’s sleep, but I certainly would be uncomfortable in what resembles Ripley’s cryogenic chamber.