Bar Century becomes Australia’s first capsule hotel
Bar Century, the Sydney CBD hotel that closed last year citing the city’s lockout laws, has re-opened as Australia’s first Japanese style capsule hotel.
The city building housing Bar Century has been completely done over and the name has been rejigged and reversed. It’s now called Century Bar and has a new cocktail bar.
As for the accommodation, it’s totally comfortable. It’s designed not quite as a hotel nor a hostel. What it’s aimed at is the solo traveller looking for something more private than a typical backpacker.
Ed Kenny from Giant Design, the company responsible for the makeover, says it is now attracting people keen to try it out.
"The hotel is upstairs from Bar Century. They had over 50 people booked on the first night, at $50 a capsule and $65 (for a double capsule); it's like a boutique hotel at a bargain price," Kenny told Good Food.
The hotel offers 72 beds ranging in size from single to deluxe style with the price itself ranging from $40 - $60.
Each capsule is completely self-contained and has a large LED screen and entertainment system with WiFi, mood lighting and a secure enclosure.
The capsule hotel will also offer guests access to communal facilities with a self-catering kitchen, breakfast bar, rooftop terrace and individual bathrooms.
Kenny, who did the interiors of Sydney restaurants such as Eastside Grill and Red Lantern, says the design has pods that are of a standard size but built to accommodate Sydney-siders who tend to be taller than the average Japanese person.
"Outside the capsules is a little Art Deco like. Gatsby-ish if you squint," Kenny said. "I stayed in a couple in Tokyo doing research, it's actually very calming."
As for the cocktail bar, he says it’s still designed to draw people in.
"It's still a cheap venue for a drink,” he says.
by Leon Gettler, May 29th 2017
