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I had to choose between a hostel dorm or a capsule hotel in Tokyo last spring
I was in Tokyo for 4 nights and it came down to a 12-bed dorm for $28 a night or a capsule pod for $45. I went with the dorm because I figured I'd meet people. Big mistake. The guy in the bunk above me snored like a freight train and someone came in at 3am rustling plastic bags for 20 minutes. The capsule would have been quieter and still cheap. Has anyone else regretted picking the cheaper option just to save a few bucks?
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kai_brown238d ago
The 3am plastic bag rustler is a Tokyo hostel classic lmao. I did a 10-bed dorm in Shinjuku for $30 a night and a guy came in at 2am, unpacked his entire suitcase, crinkling wrappers and zipping bags for a solid 15 minutes. Plus the snorer in my bunk was so loud I could feel the vibrations through the mattress. I should have just paid the extra $15 for a capsule, especially since I ended up buying earplugs and a sleep mask anyway, so the savings were basically gone. Now I always go for the pod if the price difference is under $20. Your sanity is worth skipping one overpriced ramen bowl.
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theabarnes8d ago
I stayed in a 12-bed dorm in Kyoto a few years ago and thought I was being smart saving that extra money. Then a guy came in at 1am, dropped his phone on the floor, and spent ten minutes loudly whispering "sorry" to everyone while he fumbled around in the dark. I was a true believer in cheap dorms until that trip. You make a good point about the math, buying earplugs and a sleep mask does eat up any savings. I still lean toward basic hostels for socializing but for sleep quality, a pod starts looking like a bargain.
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olivia_hernandez5d ago
Honestly, the one thing nobody mentions is how capsule hotels actually force you to be more mindful with your stuff. You can't just come in loud and messy at 3am because everyone's literally three feet away in their own little box. At least with a capsule, you're not gambling on whether your roommate is a silent sleeper or a human foghorn.
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