Capsule hotels...but not allowed in USA

David777

David777

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Recently read a news article on pod hotels (aka capsule) that began in Japan. Many in Tokyo. Wondering how that concept has now developed. Now a few in the USA but they all seem to have price jacked up because there are undoubtedly large numbers of frugal people in urban core cities that would use them with so few rooms that even with high costs they are cheaper than alternatives. Makes most sense around airports and transportation hubs just like began in Japan. There are also various tiny room hotels.

This well done 5 year old 6:28 minute video shows what it is about.

$35 weekends $28 Mo-Th (5 years ago and still cheap today)
TOKYO CAPSULE HOTEL TOUR


Really liked how important cleanliness was done. If such hotels were all clean like this, smelled clean, had good ventilation, and reasonable sound isolation, I'd bet they would be very popular with fair numbers of people. I once stayed in a mid priced NYC Manhattan tall building hotel and hated the stuffiness.

What places like downtown NYC, SF, and Ch need are 10,000 room pod hotels haha. But the rest of the USA lodging industry no doubt hates the concept with a vengeance because they realize indeed many people would not care about all the usual amenities that they use as excuses to keep rates in 3 figures. So no doubt US travel corporations have made them illegal by backdoor political influences. Typical is Massachusetts that requires 150 square feet living space. An obvious corporate lawyer legal block.

I wouldn't have any issues. Most Americans from when they rose could not stop talking about claustrophobia, condemning the idea. Any of us that have been in the military, especially those in the Navy or Marines, will have had plenty of experience sleeping in tight quarters and using community restrooms and showers. I spent 3+ USAF years in crowded barracks that always used bunk beds. As an adult have spent decades backpacking in small confined tents and on many roads trips sleep inside my vehicle. My 2007 Forester is comfortably set up in the back bed. So yeah, don't have issues sleeping in confined situations.
 
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Well, cities aren't permitting "Small homes" so not surprising that govt won't allow good business.

Plus showers at a gym also has people wandering naked (ladies, I tend to doubt would do such)

We're 1st world, but stuck in the past with other ideas.
 
I would try it once, especially if it was just overnight & moving on. In some hotels in Europe, you have to go down the hall to the bathroom so that isn't an issue to me. It also looked like the bathroom areas were very clean. Liked the idea of renting PJs so you don't have to haul more stuff around.
 
David777 said:
Recently read a news article on pod hotels (aka capsule) that began in Japan. Many in Tokyo. Wondering how that concept has now developed. Now a few in the USA but they all seem to have price jacked up because there are undoubtedly large numbers of frugal people in urban core cities that would use them with so few rooms that even with high costs they are cheaper than alternatives. Makes most sense around airports and transportation hubs just like began in Japan. There are also various tiny room hotels.

This well done 5 year old 6:28 minute video shows what it is about.

$35 weekends $28 Mo-Th (5 years ago and still cheap today)
TOKYO CAPSULE HOTEL TOUR


Really liked how important cleanliness was done. If such hotels were all clean like this, smelled clean, had good ventilation, and reasonable sound isolation, I'd bet they would be very popular with fair numbers of people. I once stayed in a mid priced NYC Manhattan tall building hotel and hated the stuffiness.

What places like downtown NYC, SF, and Ch need are 10,000 room pod hotels haha. But the rest of the USA lodging industry no doubt hates the concept with a vengeance because they realize indeed many people would not care about all the usual amenities that they use as excuses to keep rates in 3 figures. So no doubt US travel corporations have made them illegal by backdoor political influences. Typical is Massachusetts that requires 150 square feet living space. An obvious corporate lawyer legal block.

I wouldn't have any issues. Most Americans from when they rose could not stop talking about claustrophobia, condemning the idea. Any of us that have been in the military, especially those in the Navy or Marines, will have had plenty of experience sleeping in tight quarters and using community restrooms and showers. I spent 3+ USAF years in crowded barracks that always used bunk beds. As an adult have spent decades backpacking in small confined tents and on many roads trips sleep inside my vehicle. My 2007 Forester is comfortably set up in the back bed. So yeah, don't have issues sleeping in confined situations.
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That was an interesting video! I don't know if I could do it, but it's nice to know they exist.
 
I agree the concept of temporary tiny accommodations satisfies a need. But even in Japan, they are becoming "old age" homes for seniors with small pensions. Some have lived in them for decades. I think they fulfill a niche market. I wouldn't mind staying in one for a short while,
 
With a bit more web searching after posting this thread, am warming up to the idea they could also have use for economically homeless here in the USA. But for that to happen would need to be brought into the the public's awareness lest corporations and homeless advocates of the status quo otherwise use their media power keep such ideas in the dark. Here in the USA, there are some mini housing designs being floated, for example in Los Angeles and Seattle, but all cost way way more than the capsules. A positive facet of pods is no one would want to live in such a confined limited space long term so have reason to work on improving their situations. Those in mini housing are likely to create lazy squatters with little pressure to change.

From 2010, report on how Japan homeless began using them:

Tiny ‘capsule’ hotels house the homeless in Japan

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/tiny-capsule-hotels-house-the-homeless-in-japan/

This 2022 article link is thorough about the current state of these hotels.

https://japanbased.com/capsule-hotels

The first capsule hotel opened in Osaka in 1979, and there are now over 3,000 of them throughout the country. Capsule hotels have recently grown in popularity worldwide, and you can find them in many other countries like Russia, Singapore, New Zealand, and the Philippines. Outside of Japan, they are best known as ¨pod hotels ¨.

Below link is a study of how they could be used to house economically homeless for far less cost than is currently costing. One study showed individual capsules cost about $500 or a hundred times less than mini buildings. In Japan they are not allowed to lock entrance screens while this design has digital card locks. Also an air conditioning system that draws air out thus not into the communal corridor of other capsules, a serious issue in these pandemic times and would eliminate stuffiness. Could work if those using pods were on a public database that would exclude drug users, mentally ill, and any others that disrupted cleanliness and sleeping.

https://chanjoyce.com/capsule-hotels/
 
oldaunt said:
I lived in the back of a 1983 Blazer in the woods for more than a year, so yeah, I could do that.
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I've lived in a tent, and I've slept in my small car. But no one was a foot away from me. Many Asian people are used to being close to other people, and we aren't.

One weekend in Tokyo, I stayed in a former Olympic dorm building. The private room was very small, just big enough for a narrow bed and small dresser. The shared showers and toilets were down the hall. To me, this was fine.

I've also slept in hostels with shared dorms (one time for 3 months). This is also fine, as long as no one steals your stuff. Some hostels have lockers.

I don't think I'd like the confinement of a pod. I might or might not be able to do it.
 
Capsule Hotels have been around for a long time in Japan... since the late 70's in fact. They're called Pod hotels generally in the west ... There's 11 in London

St.-Christophers-Inn-1.jpg
 
I like how clean everything is kept and that the showers are private. If I were on a budget, I might consider trying the pod for a night or two, although it looks a bit claustrophobic. It would be like sleeping in an MRI machine without the annoying hum.
 
David777 said:
Could work if those using pods were on a public database that would exclude drug users, mentally ill, and any others that disrupted cleanliness and sleeping.
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I think it would be a better idea if it could accommodate exactly those people. Anyone clean and quiet could probably just stay in a Hostel. I just googled NYC hostels and I saw one with a bunk in a 6 person room for less than $37 a night. Had decent reviews.
 
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