There
is very little comedy found in airports, but when I see businessmen who are decked out in expensive suits and curled up
at the terminal snoring away, it always make me chuckle a bit; they can fly business class, but when it comes time to
sleeping in the airport, they are one of us.
This will not be the case for long, however.
Entrepreneur Simon Woodroffe is targeting the sleeping-businessman demographic with the launch of a new hotel chain that will be located solely in airports. Based upon a
hybrid between Japanese capsule hotels and British Air’s first-class, the 10.5m² rooms will be tiny, but
functional—perfect for someone who wants a few hours of sleep between flights (or just a place to watch movies,
shower and relax—all the amenities of a normal hotel room are packed in these small capsules). And,
it’s not too expensive either. You can rent one for the night for £40 to £70. Four-hour
blocks are also available for £25.
The first two YOTELs will open late 2006 in London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports.