2.2 HISTORY OF POD HOTEL

2.2 HISTORY OF POD HOTEL:

First introduced in Osaka in the late 1970s, pod hotels were conceived as a solution to a growing problem in Japan’s centers of commerce. The “salarymen”—white-collar workers who spent their days toiling in the office and their nights drinking in izakayas—needed a place to pass the hours between and buy a clean shirt before beginning the cycle anew each day. For the same price as a lengthy train ride to their homes in the outskirts, they could instead slide their weary bodies into a personal pod, complete with TV and alarm clock, within minutes of calling it a night. It was hardly glamorous, but it worked.

Decades later, pod hotels (also known as pod hotels) are enjoying a new wave of popularity, thanks to openings in Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and even on the resort island of Bali.

Instead of the bare-bones aesthetic and a sleep-it-off-then-get-out vibe as found in classic pod hotels, new chains are embracing interior design that appeals to digitally connected and stylesavvy travelers from around the world. Take, for example, Kyoto’s Nine Hours, with a sleek, black-and-white interior one would expect to see in an intergalactic spaceship rather than a hotel in the center of a city known for its temples and natural beauty. Kuala Lumpur’s Pod by Container Hotel is just as fresh, seemingly furnished by ideas plucked from an "industrial chic" Pinterest board. Rio de Janeiro’s Capacete, the first pod hotel in South America, is the product of a non-profit art space with a mission to attract "artists and thinkers” to explore accommodation alternative to the traditional hotel room. Even Tokyo isn't immune to the trend: the Nadeshiko, a females-only pod hotel that debuted this spring in Shibuya brings the traditionally male-only accommodation option to women (with the very sweet bonus of complimentary kimono use). All in all, pods are filling a gap in the hospitality industry: with more people traveling more often, these honeycomb hotels tick all the boxes for location, affordability, and style without compromising too much on privacy.

The 3000 square foot Indian pod hotel with a mezzanine level, which debuted in March 2017, is located on the first floor of the Mumbai Central Station building. The 48 pod-like rooms are located on the first floor of the Mumbai Central station building, with a mezzanine floor, and span a total space of around 3000 square feet. Classic pods, private pods, and women's and differently-abled pods are among the options. A handful of small bed-sized pods are available