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Capsule hotels in Japan are very similar, but they rent nightly as other hotels do. The capsules typically have a shade that acts as a non-locking door, which m
by sowbug 3y ago
Capsule hotels in Japan are very similar, but they rent nightly as other hotels do. The capsules typically have a shade that acts as a non-locking door, which means there is privacy but not sound isolation. Each floor has keys, so not just anyone can wander in and look at your stuff while you're out. Most offer female-only floors. Some have capsules big enough to store a suitcase under the bed. Others have lockers on a separate floor.
Some places have gym-style showers, or even common bath areas. Some have showers with locking doors, and the facilities can be nicer than many regular hotel bathrooms.
In the places I've stayed, the common areas were universally excellent. Comfy couches and tables for working; cozy nooks for reading; ample kitchens; console video-game libraries. One place had round-the-clock curry and rice in the kitchen, and if you've had Japanese curry you know what a treat that is.
If you're in the right mindset, staying in a capsule hotel in Japan can be a great experience. But bring earplugs; you can be sure that someone on your floor snores.
- hamidr 3y agoHmm, so you can hear noises? Doesn’t seem much of a capsule to me! How is ventilation done? Is that noisy too?
- sowbug 3y agoPeople in Japan reliably observe societal norms. If a capsule hotel floor is for sleeping and getting dressed, then the only noises you'll hear are people sleeping and getting dressed. Think of the door as a "quiet please" sign rather than a physical light/sound suppressor. It's almost the opposite of the US, where people take pride in exercising their right to be assholes. Talking in movie theaters, taking speakerphone calls in public, watching videos on phone speakers in airport lounges, etc. are unimaginable in Japan but sadly commonplace here in the US. In the hotels where I stayed, there were usually little airplane-style vents supplying cool air, so you could reach up to the top of the capsule and dial whatever level of ventilation you wanted. Barely audible.
- joenot443 3y agoThe US is a big place. There are certainly huge areas of the country in which social norms have deteriorated to the point you’re describing, but it’s not the case across the nation. There are still plenty of small towns in rural US (and Canada) where speaking in a movie theatre, playing music on a bus, or littering on the street are generally not tolerated and at worst might even invite a polite confrontation. In the area I grew up and now own a home in, it’s not uncommon to see unoccupied roadside produce stands (with incredibly food) which are entirely cash and self serve. It’s not hard to explain why stands like that don’t exist in urban America. I’ve spent half my time in NYC and Seattle the past couple years. I think it really can’t be understated how different rural and urban America are in their social norms and behaviors.
- sowbug 3y agoIf capsule hotels spring up in rural US, I'll be happy to stay in one!
- idontwantthis 3y agoThe capsule I stayed in had a little tv with 3 porn channels too!
- zolbrek 3y agoWhat luxury.
- bemmu 3y agoIn Kobe can recommend "Kobe sauna & spa". Excellent common bath areas as the name implies, with a variety of bathing options, one even in the open air so you can float while looking at the sky. I think they even had an electric bath.