“Capsule Hotel” appears in Shanghai, daily rate 88 yuan

A few days ago, a capsule hotel appeared in Shanghai. According to reports, every room’s width and height is approximately 110 centimeters, about 220 centimeters long, and is equipped with LCD televisions, internet connections, etc. According to reports, this hotel charges by the hour, with a base rate of 28 yuan, or 88 yuan per day.

Steel framed “capsules”, 110 centimeters wide and tall, 220 centimeters long, with pillow and blanket, ventilation fan, adjustable lamps, alarm clocks, electrical sockets, LCD televisions, and internet access. 68 stacked rooms split into three areas, separate from the bathroom, toilet, smoking area, shop, and storage areas.

As it is understood, the requirements for the materials used in a capsule hotel are very high. From the frames to the accessories, all of them must be fire-resistant, and even “the mattresses are inspected for fire-resistance”. But on the surface, this specially ordered mattress doesn’t look any different from any ordinary mattress.

The owner of the capsule hotel is a Chinese returnee who had studied abroad in Japan. During his study abroad, he worked “undercover” as an attendant/service personnel at a Japanese capsule hotel before he learned everything required from the hardware to the service. According to him, Japan’s capsule hotels only charge by the day, whereas his hotel in Shanghai, instead charges by the hour.

“Just like how Chinese people eat hot pot, where there needs to be a soup base first before choosing the ingredients, our soup base here is 28 yuan, adding 4 yuan if exceeding one hour, capped at 88 yuan per day.” According to this owner, this method of charging was his own idea, and is also to increase profit through frequent turnover. With regards to the television, the owner explained that at present one can only watch movies. “We have a film library that the remote control can be used to choose from, 1 yuan charge for each film.”

This capsule hotel is located at 中山北路1036号 (1036 Zhongshan North Road) in Shanghai.