Popularized as an alternative to Japan’s expensive hotels and short-term accommodations, Capsule Hotels is an inexpensive Japanese novelty that is set to take over another tourist destination tight for space and cash – Hong Kong.

At just under twice the size of Nairobi, Hong Kong is a city-state where almost eight million people call home and per capita, has one of the World’s top GDPs at USD $45,736. Hong Kong is a playground for the rich and famous with the highest-density of millionaires in the World.

As a tourist in Hong Kong, finding comfortable low-budget accommodation is hard to come by with most of these places located in very old, small and rat-infested buildings. Even then, you’ll be lucky to find a room for less than USD $50 a night.

When you think about it, there’s really no point in spending too much of your vacation budget on accommodation unless you’re going to stay indoors to enjoy it. In a bustling city that never sleeps like Hong Kong, as long as you have a basic, clean and comfortable place to stay overnight, I’d suggest saving your cash for shopping or a night out in the Lan Kwai Fong (bar and club district) strip!

Enter Capsule Hotels

Capsule Hotels are literally just that – a hotel with capsules. At approximately 2 m by 1 m by 1.25 m, these futuristic coffins fitted with a television and wireless internet connection, are great cheap and clean options to expensive Hong Kong hotels.

Like it’s popular Japanese versions, the new capsule hotels in Hong Kong will be situated in the most popular tourist destinations of the city, and will offer communal washroom and shower facilities.
A great space saver, the fibreglass capsules are stacked on top of each other like refrigerators of a city morgue.

If you can get over the coffin-like feeling and lack of space for somersaulting in your sleep, Capsule Hotels are a great remedy to tight spaces and low budgets.

Perhaps, Capsule Hotels may even may their debut in Kenya soon!