Capsule hotels a growing trend in Singapore

Capsule hotels, which typically feature single beds housed in tiny pods stacked on top of one another, are growing more popular around the world.

In Singapore, new capsule hotels are set to open in Orchard Road and at the airport.

First started in Japan in the 1970s to offer basic accommodation to tired businessmen, the idea has been adopted and adapted elsewhere.

The Pod, a boutique capsule hotel in Arab Street, is just one example. Hotel guests would have to stow away their bags in a locker, then crawl right into bed. There is also a foldable side table. If privacy is an issue, there are also blinds.

In the shared bathrooms, self-contained cubicles provide privacy when washing up. Complimentary amenities, such as towels and Wi-Fi, are also included to bring the experience closer to a conventional hotel stay, at a lower price.

“Singapore has one of the highest, in fact it has the highest, hotel rates per night in the Asia-Pacific,” said The Pod’s Managing Director Michelle Lim. “I wanted to come up with a product that is cost-effective for travellers, especially those coming from Asia to Singapore, as well as one where it would not feel like they were downgrading to a hostel. So I came up with this product that would be right smack in between the hostel and hotel market.”

Besides the more affordable rates, guests of capsule hotels are also drawn to their novelty and camaraderie.

“The first thing that actually attracted me to be in a hotel like this was the idea of staying in a capsule,” said Ms Daphnee Iglesias, a tourist from Brazil. “Everyone keeps telling me it’s too narrow and too claustrophobic, but actually it’s not. I’m really enjoying it, my personal and private space, in a big room with other people.”

Zoey Yang, a tourist from China, said: “It’s very comfortable, it’s not about the size, it’s about the people. The room makes people feel comfortable.”

To cater to them, more players are hoping to tap the market in Singapore. International chain Yotel will launch its first capsule hotel in Asia at Orchard Road in 2017. Another will open at Jewel Changi Airport in 2018.

Source : Channel NewsAsia – 22 Nov 2015

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