Published date: November 6, 2024
New Era Capsule Hotel
Room Type Stayed
Some info has been automatically translated by AI.
Experience of the stay
The location is excellent, just a few minutes' walk from the subway station Nakasu Kawabata, and can be reached from Fukuoka Airport directly without any transfers.
Since it is in the same building as the LIVELY hotel, it should be easy to find by looking for the building with the LIVELY sign.
To enable a smooth check-in, I received an SMS on the morning of my stay, and if I completed the procedure there, I could check in without waiting (of course, if difficult, it was fine to check in at the front desk on the day).
Personally, I felt resistance when the screen to enter credit card information came up, and I couldn't proceed from there, so I had to show my credit card at the front desk to check in that day. This credit card entry is supposedly to facilitate processing as room charges when using services and also serves as a guarantee in case of damage, and the front desk staff assured me that it would be encrypted and they wouldn’t be aware of it, so I felt secure.
They say you can enjoy free beer for about an hour in the evening at this hotel, but I didn’t get to taste it because my check-in time was late.
On the first floor, there is a bar and a restaurant, creating a relaxed atmosphere with stylish seating to hang out in.
On the second floor, various seating arrangements were provided, making it a space where lovers could talk, businessmen worked on their computers, and students prepared their reports. I also felt that there were quite a few innovations such as an area for playing billiards and a place for printing commemorative photos.
The guest rooms have ceilings about 1.5 times higher than those of regular capsule hotels, and since there is no second floor, you can change your clothes while standing. Also, the beds are quite high, so the space underneath them is spacious enough to store suitcases and backpacks there.
Amenities were provided in front of the elevator on the first floor, including toothbrushes, cotton sets, and earplugs. Two types of towels were placed in the guest room, and I needed to bring these for the shower.
Additionally, there are no sleepwear, so you will either need to bring your own or purchase some for 300 yen. The type of sleepwear is as shown in the photo.
At first, it is in the shape of a sofa, but when it’s time to sleep, you can operate it by pressing a button on the iPod provided in the room.
You can also control the lighting and alarm with this iPod, which allows you to adjust the alarm from the bed to the sofa angle and to turn the lighting up, designed not to disturb other guests. I found this to be quite an innovative feature.
There are more than enough power outlets in the room with four sockets, but the USB type is occupied by the iPod, so you need to bring a plug-type one as well.
As for the external light while sleeping, the bed is high, and the gap under the bed makes it almost completely dark. I wanted to take a photo, but nothing came out, so I didn’t upload it. It was that dark. However, sounds such as the opening and closing of doors and the switching sounds from the bed to the sofa can be heard. If you are particularly sensitive, using the provided earplugs is a good idea.
Overall, it’s a facility that surpasses the usual capsule hotels; however, one downside is that, like most capsule hotels, the security is not particularly high for the co-ed rooms.
First of all, the rooms do not lock, so you can enter someone else's room whenever you want. Also, not only the rooms but also the shower rooms and toilets are shared, so although they can be locked, there is a risk that someone might invade before you can lock it or that a small camera for filming might be installed.
There were many foreign women in the wash area, so perhaps international guests are less concerned about this, but if you have even a slight reservation, I think it is worth considering for both men and women.
However, as it is inevitable for co-ed capsules and dormitories, if you can accept it as such, it’s only comfortable. I had the best sleep ever in a capsule hotel, and I would like to use this hotel again when I come to Fukuoka.
Experiences during the trip
I stayed here as a pre-arrangement for the Saga Balloon Festival, but unfortunately could not participate due to the wind and rain until the day before.
However, I was able to enjoy delicious ramen as there was an Ichiran main store just a short walk away.