A Guide to the Futuristic Capsule Hotel, The Millennials Kyoto

Whether you’re looking for something traditional or modern, Kyoto has offerings for you, and this extends to the wide variety of accommodations placed throughout the city. This article features one particular capsule hotel that has been the talk of the town: The Millennials Kyoto. Through the eyes of local college students, it will walk you through some its fascinating features, such as its unique Smart Pods and fully equipped common facilities.

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About The Millennials Kyoto

Located in Kawaramachi Sanjo, a busy commercial district in Kyoto, The Millennials Kyoto is a lodging facility that opened in July 2017. It has gained a lot of attention for specializing in catering to millennials.
 

Guest rooms are situated on the 4th through 7th floors, with a total of 152 rooms (5th and 6th floors are exclusively for female guests). All of the rooms are Smart Pods, which are almost futuristic sleeping units equipped with various functions to ensure a comfortable stay.
 

They strive to make every guest feel like they can spend the whole day in their common facilities, hence why their common facilities make up around 20% of the entire hotel. Fully equipped with a kitchen, dining space, and work desks, the common facilities are bustling with guests all day long.
 

The majority of the guests are foreign visitors, so you can expect to find pictograms and English signage throughout the facility.

Official Reservation Site:

The Millennials Kyoto (English)

The Millennials Kyoto (Japanese)

 

The Future of Capsule Hotels - All About the Smart Pods

The hotel's Smart Pods have a height of 2.3m and come with 25cm thick pocket coil mattresses from the USA's top-selling bedding brand, Serta. Though the pods are compact, they are equipped with many friendly features to ensure a comfortable stay!
 

The bed features a reclining function that converts into a sofa! The mattress is designed to slide, allowing some room at the foot of the sofa when fully converted. Guests can utilize this floor space to change while standing.
 

Under the bed is a sliding cabinet. It is more than spacious enough for carry-on bags, with enough space to store oversized (LL) suitcases.
 

Power outlets are conveniently located on the wall, allowing guests to use their phones and other devices while they’re being charged. This is a great opportunity to make full use of the hotel's free Wi-Fi, which is also available everywhere in the hotel.
 

The sleeping pods and the hallway are separated by a screen that comes with a lock. This is a safety measure to protect personal belongings and secure extra privacy.
 

Some of the units are furnished with a screen, which allows guests to project images from their laptops or smartphones. This makes the room a personal theater with an 80-inch screen!
 

In-room features, such as the theater function or the reclining function of the bed, are controlled with the iPod touch provided at check-in. This device also acts as a key card to grant access to the sleeping quarters of each floor.
 

What's more, the Smart Pod comes with a soundless alarm system. When set, the alarm will trigger the room's lighting and reclining functions to wake guests up without being a disturbance to others.
 

Well-maintained, shared shower rooms and bathtubs are located on each floor. Guests are provided with a full range of amenities, such as sleepwear, towels, and ear plugs to make their stay a pleasant one.

Well-Equipped Common Facilities

Located on the 8th floor, the hotel's lobby comes with a lounge, allowing guests to socialize with one another. Power outlets are available in many locations throughout the hotel.
 

The dining space is located by the windows, and the hotel's large kitchen is fully equipped with cooking pans and pots, along with a refrigerator.

Free beer is served during happy hour, which is from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Around this time, guests will come back from their outings and gather at the lounge to relax and for leisure.

Guests can also help themselves to bread in the morning from 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM. Unlimited hot chocolate and coffee are also available around the clock!

Another special feature of this hotel is that it combines lodging with workspaces. The hotel operates a co-working facility called "andwork", in which the hotel's lobby and lounge act as working spaces. This hotel is highly recommended not only for tourists, but also for travelers staying for extended periods on business.

 

Since this hotel is located in the tourist area of Kawara-machi Sanjo, you can easily access famous sightseeing spots, such as Heian Shrine (Heian Jingu) and Yasaka Shrine (Yasaka Jinja). It also rents out bicycles to guests (200 yen per hour or 1,200 yen per day) to help them explore more of Kyoto. Guests staying at this futuristic and unique hotel will be more than pleased with their visit to Kyoto!

Kansai Feature

The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.

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About the author

K.G.G.project
K.G.G.project
We're a group of local college students in Kyoto that produce information about Kyoto's charms to release to the world. We write articles about Kyoto using information that only locals could know. We hope you enjoy our work!
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