Hotel with high-tech pods instead of rooms kicks off in Kyiv. Rooms at $40/day: story in pictures

In September, the first location of the Monotel chain was opened on the Shevchenko Boulevard, Kyiv. This is a hotel where instead of rooms guests spend the night in technological capsules equipped with internet, chargers, TV, and noise reduction. AIN.UA correspondent visited the hotel and learned the details about how it works.

What kind of project is it?

Anna Osipenko, the founder of the project, traveled around Asia and from there she brought the idea of a capsule hotel, where instead of rooms, guests are offered pods. Similar hotels began to appear in Tokyo back in the 70s of the last century: there it is the cheapest way to spend the night.

Here and after photos by Olha Zakrevska.

In Kyiv, the first Monotel location was launched on 9/28 Shevchenko Boulevard. It is a small room of 150 square meters, where there are 12 capsules for men, 10 for women, and 4 capsules for couples. In total, the hotel can accommodate up to 30 people. Check-in – every day at 3:00 p.m., check-out – at 12:00 a.m.

• 

• 

• 

The hotel is decorated in a futuristic style: white walls, minimal decoration, colored neon lights. So far, there is not much embellishment to make it easier for visitors to navigate in the building, the company explains. Later, the team is going to redesign the hotel in space style.

According to COO Lilia Zayats, the hotel is already working and receiving its first visitors, and the official launch and opening party are scheduled for October 4.

“We wanted to check how this format would work in our country. It seemed to us right away that basically we would be staying for a night or two, but we already have the first order from the client for a month,” she says.

How do the capsules look like?

These are white capsules made of refractory ABS plastic, made in China, 220 cm long and 150 cm wide, designed to withstand 150-200 kg of weight. Rooms with capsules are separate for men and women, but there are also capsules for couples. They can be opened with a plastic key card and the lock from the inside.

Monotel’s “trick” is silent service: you cannot make noise here, come with children or pets, guests are asked to switch their smartphones to silent mode, and are given headphones, towels, slippers, and pajamas.

Inside the capsule, there is a mirror with color illumination, a TV, an air supply system, a bed that occupies the entire width of the capsule, a charger, a power outlet, USB ports, Wi-Fi, a fire detector, and adjustable lighting.

How much does it cost to spend a night at Monotel

A single capsule costs $40 per night ($46 with breakfast), couple capsule – $60 (or $72 with breakfast). Breakfast is provided by a chain of restaurants by Dmytro Borisov (Chiken Kiev, Lyubchik and others). You can pay for hotel services in cash, card, or cryptocurrency.

What else is there besides the capsules?

Right at the entrance, visitors are asked to wear shoe covers, and inside the guests are walking in slippers which they receive in guest bags. Besides capsules for sleeping, there is a mini-shop with essentials: travel packs, exercises, selfie sticks, lamps, cups. Guests can leave their belongings in lockers that are locked and opened by fingerprint, or a digital code.

There is also a kitchen with a coffee machine, vending machine, tea, and desks for working with laptops for guests. There is a lounge area, toilets, showers and a room where you can iron your clothes. But there is no parking, so you will need to look for a parking place yourself.

It is forbidden to bring children, pets, smoke, or drink alcohol on site. You can’t eat in capsules. There are signs everywhere asking guests to put their smartphones in silent mode: according to Lydia Zayats, the hotel’s idea is to let the guests to “recharge.”

Where will the next Monotel’s project be opened?

The next location is planned on Bohdan Khmelnytsky street. It will be a Monohub coworking + coliving on an area of ​​500 sq. m. (it will be possible to pay for working hours and overnight). They also plan to open a hotel in the building of the Golden Gate metro station.

Project investments, which the company disclosed earlier, are estimated at an average of $1,200 per sq. m. The company also wants to expand through franchising: they offer monocapsules $4,000 apiece for franchisees, with an estimated payback period of 2-3 years.

The following capsule hotels are planned to be launched in Odesa and Lviv. The company also intends to sell colored monocapsules for children.