Mumbai gets India's first pod hotel, best for solo travelers
Necessity is the mother of invention and in a crammed city like Mumbai, the biggest necessity is a space to live. Mumbai sees thousands of tourists flocking in every year and it's hard to find a cheap but decent hotel to stay. Thus, India's first pod hotel, Urbanpod, is a blessing for tourists in Mumbai, especially solo travelers. Here's more on this.
Urbanpod-like concept started first in Japan
A pod hotel or a capsule hotel is a kind of accommodation that provides extremely small rooms (capsules) equipped with basic necessities. It was first developed in Japan and since then the concept has been followed in other expensive countries like China, Hong Kong, Singapore, etc. Closer home, started by Shalabh Mittal and Hiren Gandhi, Urbanpod replicates their pod-hotel experience in Singapore.
There are exclusive pods for women, couples
Urbanpod opened India's first pod hotel in Andheri, Mumbai last year, and it's pretty perfect with its sci-fi look and other features. It comes in various categories: Suite-Pod category is suitable for couples; the Private Pods have more room and the exclusive Ladies-only Pod gives women added safety & privacy. The capsule hotel has a total of 140 pods with various upgrades.
Pods contain a bed, AC, free Wi-Fi, locker, dresser
These pods contain a bed, air-conditioning, personal locker with secure keycard access, television, mood lighting, and a power socket with 2 USB ports. It also has a dresser with wall mirror, hangers, air purifier, sliding door with locking facility, and complimentary Wi-Fi. Also for safety, it has a smoke detector and a fire extinguisher. And the design will remind you of Christopher Nolan's Interstellar.
It also has laundry service, cafe for meals, common bathrooms
Guests cannot take the luggage inside the pod, given its size. They have to keep it in the locker, which can only be opened with an electronic key. There are common bathrooms for people to use and also a cafe that serves meals. And just like other hotels, it has a pod service, laundry, and other such services.
Urbanpod has a 4.4 rating in Google
As for charges, they range between Rs. 1,800-Rs. 3,200 per night. Reasonable enough! The hotel already has more than 650 reviews on Google with a 4.4 rating. Most people have called it their go-to place. The only loophole one could find is that Urbanpod might not be suitable for family trips. However, if you're a solo traveler, you'll certainly fall in love with it.
