Want to be like Tom Hanks' character in The Terminal and spend a few months living in an airport? If the answer is yes, then Yotel is the perfect place for you. Yotel is a one-year-old hotel chain that's inspired by the tiny "capsule hotels" that are popular in Japan. This month, Yotel opened a new outpost in Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. It's their third branch following locations at London's Gatwick and Heathrow airports, but with 57 rooms it's going to be the biggest of the bunch. Yotel's "cabins" range from only 23-33 square feet, but they include all of the comforts of a standard hotel at a far lower price even for the "premium cabin" seen above.
Yotel is designed for travelers in transit who need to get some rest during long layovers. Cabins come with internet, fully-equipped bathrooms, beds, seating, work space and storage areas. They can be rented by the hour (for a minimum of four hours) or nightly. Rates start at £25 or about $44 for four hours at the British Yotels and €35 or about $48 for four hours at the new location in Amsterdam.
There's no limit on the number of people that can occupy one room so, if you don't mind the company, you can get a really great deal by cramming a bunch of your friends into one cabin. Yotel is perfect for travelers looking to grab a nap on something a little more comfortable than an airport bench and people spending a short time in a city who want a cheap room without the dirty sketchiness often associated with hostels.
Yotel uses innovative design techniques like stowaway beds, chairs, and desks to maximize the use of space in their cabins and to give their hotels a trendy modern look. It's one budget hotel option you don't have to feel embarassed about bringing a one night stand back to, which is a good thing since airports are full of hotties like stewardesses, pilots, and uninhibited backpacker types.
