I spent the night in Lithuania’s first capsule hotel – everyone asked me if I didn’t feel buried

Capsule hotels were invented in 1979 in Osaka, Japan. The need for cheap and scarce accommodation arose when the Japanese living in the suburbs could not catch the last train of the day after working in the city center and could not reach their homes in the suburbs. Many of these people did not have the opportunity to rent a normal hotel room because in Japan they are quite expensive, they spent the night only in the stations or on the street. The problem grew until finally an entrepreneur developed a new model of accommodation: capsules. The goal was to fit many beds in a small space. This allowed this type of accommodation to be offered at the lowest price on the market to make it as easy as possible for low-wage workers to spend the night in such a place.

Osaka was the pioneer of capsules, but soon these hotels appeared all over Japan, spreading with particular force in the country’s capital, Tokyo. While visiting this city in 2017, I also got a taste of what it means to stay overnight in a capsule. As I was lucky, you can read HERE.

By the way, as I tell people about the most exciting experiences in the world so far, I still remember that exceptional night. And those who listen to me always have many questions about this experience. This just goes to show that the capsules still haven’t lost their relevance.

By the way, your network is expanding significantly not only in Japan but also around the world. For example, in the United States, the largest cities, where hotel prices are also quite high, there is a great demand for cheaper accommodation.

Although it is possible to find accommodation in Lithuania both in the big cities and in the tourist centers for a sufficiently affordable price, for example, beds with grandmothers in Palanga sometimes cost between 10 and 15 euros, or apartments for rent in Vilnius or Kaunas sometimes they go down to 20-30. Eur per night: still the businessmen of our country follow the rhythm of world fashion and decided to offer capsules to travelers.

“Light House Coliving” is the first and so far the only real Japanese-style capsule hotel in our country, located on the outskirts of Klaipeda, at the end of Liepų Street, in the industrial zone of the city. Inaugurated in 2019, it hit directly on the wave of the coronavirus pandemic and so far the news about it has not spread much, many Lithuanians still do not know that we have had such a unique place in our country for two years.

It is true that you will also find regular economy class rooms in the hotel, but agree: the capsules are much more interesting and exotic. It is the type of accommodation that tourists in Japan often choose these days not to save money, but to have an exceptional experience and then be able to show off and tell everyone what an exceptional night was.

It seems to me that when a wider circle of people get to know this place in Klaipeda, it will be exactly the same: people should flood the first Lithuanian capsules to become self-portraits, film, etc. By the way, in some countries capsule managers, to avoid new experience hunters and social media slaves, do not allow capsules to be reserved for one night only, selling them overnight for at least two or three nights. However, in the hometown of such hotels in Japan, some chains behave in the opposite way, targeting overnight guests and targeting those who need an interesting adventure rather than a bed for the night. After all, the higher the traffic, the more word of mouth advertising.

At least for the moment, there are no restrictions on Klaipeda capsules, you can stay here for a night, a week or a month.

In Japan, capsule hotels usually play a large number of capsules and offer several hundred accommodations. There are long corridors, real mazes and capsules on various floors. There are almost always many vacancies, because that was the first idea to make a reservation at the last minute, when the last train leaves and it stays “on the street”. And it is also helpful for tourists to always know that not finding a cheap room or not getting on a plane is a cheap way to spend the night safely and warmly.

We do not have tourist flows as large as the Japanese, so it goes without saying that no one dared to create a huge hotel. The first capsule hotel in Lithuania can be called poor, because there are only six capsules in it, so often, especially on weekends, no one is left free. You want to enter, think ahead, plan. Hotel managers recommend booking an overnight stay at least a week before arriving in Klaipeda, so you don’t have to nail it afterward.

The first six capsules from our country are placed in a large wooden box, reminiscent of a piece of furniture with separate shelves. Outside, to make the image more pleasing to the eye and have a more festive atmosphere, a composition of rough sea, waves and lighthouse is pasted on. The entrances to the capsules are highlighted in yellow. Three are on the first floor, three are on the second, and you need to climb a ladder to get to them. You can hang outdoor clothing (jackets, coats, furs or whatever you want) next to the capsule wardrobe. There is also space for shoes and large suitcases.

The pods have low, lockable protective shutters on both sides. Like those found on the fronts of cafes and shops, or in warehouses. There is not much space inside, there you will only find a bed, bedding, a towel, as well as a shelf for small items, as well as two sockets and a light switch. It is advisable to walk inside the capsule with clean feet, preferably with outer clothing, as there is no anteroom. As soon as you walk in, you are immediately in bed. So if it’s hygienic, if you don’t want to carry dirt where you sleep, I suggest using one of the two toilets first. The bathrooms are in front of the capsules, where guests will find a shower, toilet, sink and hair dryer. The price includes toilet paper and shower gel, use as much as you can, nothing is standard. The time spent in the shower is also not followed by anyone, but it is desirable that it does not linger, especially if there are guests in other capsules. After all, there are six capsules and only two baths.

Guests of the capsules in Klaipėda can also use the leisure room, which has a kitchen and all the necessary equipment to prepare lunch or dinner, as well as plenty of seating for work or rest. High-speed Wi-Fi is available throughout the Light House Coliving Hotel, so work is available on-site. The day I stayed in the capsules, the hobby room was very quiet and empty, there was only a foreign boy there at night, playing computer games for a few hours. By the way, the owners of this place also manage a cooperation space of the same name in the same building, where they offer to rent a workplace for a day, a week or a month. As Gintarė Selenytė, the head of Light House, explained to me, it is desired that a person who has come to Klaipėda could have a vacation here, but at the same time work. “We focus not only on ordinary tourists, but also those who want to spend their holidays in Klaipeda: combine leisure with work, it is now very fashionable,” Gintarė tells me.

Accommodation in the first Lithuanian capsules will cost between € 20-30 per person per night. Most European, American and Asian capsules are priced very similarly, although more and more luxury-oriented places are driving up prices.
It is true that the Lithuanian version is very different from the Japanese capsule hotel that I tried in Tokyo. In Japan, for example, men and women must stay on separate floors in different capsule blocks. And in Klaipeda, the capsule wardrobe is common for both genders. The manager also provides guests arriving in Tokyo with branded capsule pajamas (which must be returned), a set of hygiene items such as a disposable toothbrush, comb, shampoo, etc., and these items are not available in Klaipeda.

However, the experience is very similar in both Japan and the port city. It is a small space to sleep, quite claustrophobic but comfortable. The same problems here and here, when the pod door is closed, there is enough air inside, it is impossible to cool because there are no personal air conditioners or other means, so if you want more air, you need to open the protective blinds . But then another disadvantage arises: if there are more people living at the time, strange sounds can be heard when they are opened. In Japan, the men who snore around the choir at night are the most annoying, maybe twenty at a time. Well, we didn’t have this problem in Klaipeda just because there are a lot less capsules and people here. Therefore, more peace of mind. But those who can be bothered by any sound, should wear earplugs, they will solve the problem.

Capsule guests are not limited by any period of time. You can arrive at the accommodation at any time, during the day, at midnight or in the morning. Everyone acts according to their wishes, no guard or caretaker will scold them.

When I showed on my social media that I was staying at the first Lithuanian capsule hotel, I received exactly the same comments and questions that I received four years ago in Tokyo. People asked me if I felt buried, like locked in a coffin. There were those who asked if there were no bouts of claustrophobia, and many wondered if a friend or girlfriend could be brought to the capsule. The official answer is not possible, it is for one person. But unofficially, yes, a long time ago. I don’t know if it’s very convenient, probably not.