Tokyo’s Nine Hours capsule hotel – a nap in a box

There is nothing like stretching your legs and having a short, refreshing power nap between flights. The new capsule hotel Nine Hours on Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, located next to the terminal, charges € 11 for a one hour stay.

You can sleep in one of the container-like pod rooms. There is not much space – a pod is a metre wide, a metre high and two metres long, but it will do for a few hours of rest.

The new capsule hotel caters for all travellers, and is popular among passengers on early morning. Some domestic flights at Narita leave as early as 6AM, while train and bus access is limited from late at night until early in the morning, when the airport is closed to air traffic. For these passengers, capsule hotel offers sheer luxury compared to the alternative: sleeping on benches in the airline terminal. Be aware that there are separate areas for men and women: the hotel offers 71 units for men and 58 for women.

The procedure is simple. Upon payment you will receive a locker key and your capsule unit number. After storing your belongings in the locker, change into the hotel’s exclusive clothing. To eat, drink or to use computers, you can use the lounge area. Bath towels, shampoo, conditioner and toothbrushes are provided.