Capsule hotels come to China

Following in the footsteps of Japan, China has introduced “capsule hotels” – a cheap, convenient and possibly claustrophobic option for travelers on a budget.

If your travel plans take you to Shanghai, you could enjoy a night at a capsule hotel for as little as $10 (68 Yuan). The 68 “room” hotel opened next to the Shanghai Railway Station, making it easy accessible for travelers on-the-go. The concept of capsule hotels — small pod-like spaces complete with a narrow bed, tiny TV, reading light and “shade” that you pull down for privacy — originated in Japan and book up with business and budget travelers needing a quick nap and cheap hotel option before their next stop.

The Shanghai capsule hotel imported the miniature hotel rooms from Japan, and each room is complete with a power point, clock, light, television and wireless internet. Each of the capsules is 1.1-meters (3 feet) high, 1.1-meters (3 feet) wide and 2.2-meters (7 feet) long. The hotel also has a public lavatory, shower room, smoking room and shared guest room.

As of right now, the hotel is for men only. Prices start at 68 yuan ($10) for 10 hours or 88 yuan ($14) for 24 hours.

Our friends at AOL Travel have more information.

Japan’s Capsule Hotels

Japan is filled with busy businessmen who may not have time to return home after a long day. Japan is also filled with precious little space (well…you know what I mean), so many hotels do not have large footprints. Enter Japan’s capsule hotels. Each “room” in the hotel is filled with several sleeping compartments, which are, frankly, just large enough for a person to slide into.

Sort of like a morgue with a fresh coat of paint, capsule hotels are a great way to offer ample accommodation in tight spaces. Purchase your room through a vending machine, hand your bag to the attendant, and head up to the capsule. Obviously, this isn’t the hotel to hit if you have (a) a large family; (b) a pet; or (c) claustrophobia.

Want to learn more? Here are some other bite-sized resources about Japan’s tiny capsule hotels:

I’d like to visit a capsule hotel, just for the experience. Then again, I’d like to visit Japan, just for the experience.