If you'd just gotten used to reading about new hotels where robots handle the front desk chores, you may be a little surprised to read about one where even the robots have been laid off. That would be the B4T Iwaki Hotel in Fukushima, Japan, which opened January 15.
The hotel sits atop the local Japan Railways station, and features self-check-in and checkout—but only if you have a Suica card, a payment card that's widely used for rail fares in Japan. Reservations are made on a mobile app. Once the card is tapped at the check-in desk, it becomes your hotel key.
Rooms range from cubicles without toilet that start as low as about $27 a night up to more standard hotel rooms that top out around $105 a night. Breakfast is available at $9 for a Japanese or Western-style plate, and vending machines are available along with some lounge space and lockers.
Of course, the hotel is not completely without staff: In addition to cleaning crews and breakfast service, there are off-site humans available via text or video chat to solve any problems that come up.
B4T is planning to expand the operation to other locations, with two more hotels, both in the Tokyo area, set to open this year.
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