Capsule Hotel, Japan

Japan offers several accommodations in the form of capsule hotels of which most can be found in and around Tokyo. Each capsule is about 6.6 feet long and wide enough to provide you with a regular, single bed. Privacy is ensured by a curtain or a fibreglass door at the opening of the capsule.

Hotels like this are born out of efficiency; use as much space with as little as you can while still providing functionality and comfort. They often consist of two large sections: one private section where the capsules are and another section with a public lounge and a public bath for each gender. Restaurants, or vending machines, are available as well as pools and other forms of entertainment.

Most of the times the hotels also provide you with the following attributes: dressing gown, slippers, a towel, soap, shampoo, a tooth brush and a razor for the male visitors.

Even though it is a tight space, made out of reinforced plastic, it does offer lots of comfort like an alarm clock, a decent size TV, a radio speaker, light and TV on/off switch, volume knob, wireless Internet connection, and from what I understood some kind of a panic button, all within easy reach.

The costs for a capsule are around $30-40 per night in most hotels. Checking in can be done around noon and checking out has to be done by 10am. There are no reservations needed, because they are seldom full, but it is advised to inquire whether they allow women; some of them don't. The ones that do have a separate section solely for women.

It is an ideal solution for those who work late and miss the last train, but it is also a great option for a short business trip and/or holiday. One thing you have to ask yourself though, before staying in one of these capsule hotels: "Am I claustrophobic?"