Experiencing a Capsule Hotel

On the beachfront of Gwangalli beach is Hotel1. Inside you’ll find its hallways lined with bunks stacked on top of each other in a scene that feels like you’d find in a boat.

You may be familiar with capsule hotels, but all I really knew is that they were little rooms in a hotel that afforded cheaper lodging for travelers on a budget. Capsule, or pod hotels, originated in Japan with the first one opening in 1979. They are organized in tight quarters usually the size of just a bed and closed with a curtain or door depending on the facilities. The hotel will have a shared bathroom and usually offer general seating areas to lounge or meet other people. There can be many different kinds of capsule hotels, some more like hostels with their vibe and easy going atmosphere, and others more separated and simply for sleeping—perfect for introverted travelers who tend to stick to themselves.

capsule hotel locker room for bags and belongings

bunk room in capsule hotel with curtain doors

I was super excited to visit Busan, and wanted an ocean view so a capsule hotel was the perfect option for me with my budget. I ended up going with Hotel1 since I’d seen pictures and liked the view, so I booked on their site…..which was only possible in Korean. Contacting them via email in English was thankfully an option, but the booking link on the website really only worked if you did it in Korean for Korean cards. After a little bit of finagling to figure that out, I made my booking for a single capsule.

The bunk bed style capsules closed with a curtain, and even though there were quite a few people on the floor it was always quiet because everyone was conscious of others–even in the afternoon the hotel had a calm atmosphere. Each capsule had lights to change the mood of the “room” and overlooked Gwangalli Beach–giving the perfect view for night time fireworks or morning sunrises over the water.

The breathtaking views made it pleasurable to wake up early in the morning, the golden glow of the sunlight warming up the capsule and a slow start to the day. The hotel was located right on the beach and was relatively central to a lot of other destinations like Gamcheon Village and Haeundae, so it was easy to take public transportation around and come back at the end of the day.

At the time I went, their rooftop hot tubs were off, sadly, but the rooftop view and little treehouse and photo spots were perfect for day or night time. When I went to explore the top it offered a great nighttime cityscape with the lights reflecting off the water.