Why you won't catch me sleeping in Sydney's new 'capsule' hotel

The Capsule Hotel on Sydney CBD’s George Street has 70 self-contained pods that look like something out of a sci-fi series.

It’s part of the $5 million revamp of Bar Century, previously a sticky haunt for uni students which saw patronage decline after lockout laws were introduced.

The concept of budget, pod-like hotel rooms emerged in Japan in the 1970s for a clientele of mostly businessmen, and the idea has since spread to America and London.

At the Capsule Hotel one night’s stay costs between $50 for a single pod and $70 for a queen-sized one, which is a more affordable price point than a suite or even a room on Airbnb.

They come well equipped with a safety deposit box, a large locker, LCD TV, USB plugs, headphone jack, a mirror, adjustable lights, clocks, alarm clock and full climate control.

Photo: The Capsule Hotel

Each pod also has a smoke detector, fire alarm and a fire extinguisher installed in every capsule and, reassuringly, an SOS button.

It could be an attractive option for frequent business travellers and there’s much more privacy and fewer shared goon bags than a hostel.

Another potential customer base are people who live away from the CBD and would rather crash there at night than spend the money on a cab back home.

But you won’t catch me sleeping in one.

The thought of so little standing room and people on either side in their own box makes my palms instantly sweat.

I’ve never been able to fall asleep on planes or trains or anywhere that wasn’t completely dark and spacious and had abundant leg room.

It gives me flashback to boarding school dormitories where everyone was packed in like sardines and a proper REM sleep cycle was all too infrequent.

But Carol Giuseppi, chief executive of Tourism Accommodation Australia told the Sydney Morning Herald: “I think it will succeed. It’s a niche product and there’s room for more options in that two and three-star market, however, the cost of land has often precluded that.”

The hotel’s communal kitchenette. Photo: The Capsule Hotel

It’s one of a number of niche hotels that have opened in Sydney, such as the art-deco Old Clare Hotel in Chippendale, where each suite has unique vintage furniture and ’open-plan bathrooms’.