Space Pods: offering a comfy cheap resting spot for weary travelers
Capsule hotels are more than a bed in a box.
by: Katherine Trim
Imagine sitting in a small enclosed space, but add in adaptable lighting, comforting amenities, television, a mattress, pillows and charging ports. Capsule hotels offer convenience with the benefit of reasonable pricing. In this pod like futuristic space cube, you can sleep and relax. Travelers share the showers, toilets, and other amenities in separate areas of the building. Inside the capsule will vary but typically there are charging ports for your electronics, tiny shelves, small storage, a television, and sometimes air vents, depending on which pod you use. Some capsule hotels will even provide luxuries like pajamas, toothbrush, slippers, and various other toiletries.
Many airports are now offering pods as a quick and easy sleeping station to recharge before moving on to the next flight to reach your travel destination. YotelAir offers sleep stations at many airports ranging from Paris, Singapore and even London. Their capsule hotels are small squares with enough room to get comfortable and rest until the next flight. The convenience of places like this help ease the added financial expenses of finding a hotel outside of the airport and having to pay for amenities that you most likely wouldn’t even use for a brief stay. According to other travelers “This is an excellent way of reducing the hassle for an early morning flight, or having a rest after a long flight before risking driving home.” (Otley) https://www.yotel.com/en/yotelair-hotels
When looking for a quick on comfy spot to kick back, go check out GoSleep pods. This style of pod is typically placed in a central location and it’s just a resting place. Don’t expect any luxury amenities with these pods as they are more comparable to a lounge chair with a cover. To seal yourself in, you just pull down the shade cover. There are vents to keep air flow comfortable and small storage areas. It’s an excellent way to pay for a few hours nap rather than an entire day at a hotel. https://gosleep.fi/
Traveling to a location filled with many things to do, like Tokyo, Japan, the last thing anyone wants to do is spend time in a hotel room. Seeing the sites around Japan and all it offers is usually at the top of every traveler’s list. Capsule hotels in Japan have become a popular option among tourists and business travelers. Prices can range from $35 and up. One luxury capsule hotel called Anshin Oyado Shinbashi Shiodome, it offers pods with a massive addition of extra services. There are nine floors of free goods and services during your stay. https://www.anshin-oyado.jp/shiodome/
Keep in mind that the vast majority of these pod hotels don’t have locking doors to your individual capsule. It’s generally a curtain or this screen. There is the exception where some capsules will be completely encapsulated and include a locking door. Knowing what comfort level with security you are at is something to consider when traveling and trying to decide what your needs are. Also, some locations have male and female floors. Only a few offer to let people double in a pod. Intimacy is out when staying in a capsule, as those around you can hear your movements. Noise level is another consideration because you will share a floor with other capsule hotel travelers. If you’re a light sleeper, it may not be the best option for you. It’s best to figure out your needs and then, while searching, verify the amenities and rules of the capsule hotel.
Another great way to research what to expect at a capsule hotel is to check out YouTube videos. Many Youtubers have documented their own travel experiences with these types of motels. Videos help to visually give a sneak peek of what to expect, how it looks, what can be close by, and what to prepare. A few of the great capsule hotel travel review YouTube channels are LivingBobby, ClickFor Taz, Miss Mina, and Brent Rivera. These Youtubers take the time to show all the ins and outs of capsule hotels. They show you how their body measures up in the pods, where the food is located, and how to use the communal areas of these motels.
Traveling is exciting and there is always a lot to see. The market for capsule hotels is growing and within the next ten years these style of pod hotels will become even more popular. “The global capsule hotel market size was valued at $202.3 million in 2019, and is projected to reach $276.2 million by 2028” (Analytics) When using a hotel room, it’s mostly for sleeping and recharging before heading out on the next adventure. Take a chance on trying something different and outside the normal ideal of hotel options. You may just find that saving money on sleeping space can bring you more availability to explore the world around you.
A Saturday in The Real-Life Stars Hollow: Winter Garden & Its Eateries
by: Rachel Ullman
As another sweet, sunny, Saturday morning rolls around, I eagerly hop out of bed to head to my favorite place I’ve discovered since moving to the State of Florida. I consider this spot to be my own Stars Hollow, but it is better known as the beautiful town of Winter Garden. We all remember the dearly beloved television series from the early 2000’s, “Gilmore Girls”, set in the perfectly walkable and dreamy town of Stars Hollow. Downtown Winter Garden is no different, with the small exception being that the food and coffee options go far beyond that of Al’s Pancake World or Luke’s Diner. If you have been looking for a place to visit with your closest friends that has incredible charm, perfect weather, and restaurants that will make even the pickiest foodies in your life jump for joy, you don’t need to look any further than this small Florida town.
This historic town’s streets are almost always filled with young families, couples out on dates, groups of “Snow Birds”, (A term I’ve learned is given to the retired couples who migrate to this small town during the colder winter months from up North) and endless streams of dogs. This weekend, I am on my way to a Saturday favorite for us locals, the pop-up farmer’s market. People arrive early to purchase their fresh produce, coffee, and baked goods. My first stop of the day is one that Lorelai Gilmore herself would gladly approve of- coffee.
One of the most difficult decisions you will be faced with during your visit to Winter Garden is selecting only one spot to buy your coffee. The best solution I’ve found? Plan to get multiple cups of decaf throughout the day. That said, if you’re less coffee obsessed than I am and decide to only have one cup, I recommend going to Piccolo Coffee. Home to baristas who are far friendlier than Luke, but equally Hipster in appearance, this coffee shop has some of the smoothest espresso and the best flavor selection in town. The café features a new drink lineup for each season, but out of their year-round flavor selection, the blueberry vanilla latte reigns supreme. After acquiring my first drink of the day, I decided to walk down the street in search of my breakfast.
With one stoplight at the end of the main road, I recommend taking your time stopping into the local shops along your coffee/eatery crawl. If you have a heart for reading like Rory, stop by the Writer’s Block Bookstore, or if you’re more interested in checking out an array of knickknacks comparable to those of the Kim’s antique store, visit Adjectives. For clothes shopping, stop into Doxology, and if you’re a plant lover like myself, be sure to stop into Ruby and Rust! There are endless small shops, and none of them will disappoint.
After popping into a few stores, I decided to step into Three Birds Café for my breakfast. Three Birds features a staggering menu of incredibly diverse all-day breakfast, sandwiches, charcuterie boards large enough to feed an army, and an array of coffee, matcha, chai, and other teas that would put Starbucks to shame. They offer several vegan options/alternatives for eggs, sausage, and the works, as well as a dairy free, and gluten free selection. This café is located on the corner of Plant and South Main Street, and is a new(er) addition to the lineup of restaurants in Winter Garden. With a light and airy, boho aesthetic, it creates the perfect environment for a solo brunch, or a brunch date with friends. As I eat my French toast, which is covered in fresh berries with powdered sugar dusted perfectly over the top, I simply sit and enjoy the café playlist.
As much as I love Three Birds Café, I would be remiss if I failed to mention the other contender for the ideal café breakfast stop in Winter Garden. Only a few buildings down the street, you can find authentic French bakery and café, Rosallie. The owners of Rosallie have held tightly to their French roots, and the café plays French music through its speakers all day long. Here you will find perfectly constructed pastries from madeleines to pain au chocolat stacked in the display case as you walk in to order. They have breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with an espresso bar that serves cappuccinos and lattes that never miss the mark.
For lunch and dinner, I decided to meet up with friends. As difficult as it can be finding food that the entire group is content with, options are surprisingly vast in Winter Garden where nearly every style of food is represented on the main street alone! Thai blossom is the top choice for fresh Asian cuisine, Whole Enchilada is popular with young adults for its incredible Tex-Mex menu and rooftop bar, Mangoni is the Italian market pizza place of your dreams, Harrell’s Hot Dogs will satisfy your craving for a good old fashioned American classic, the newest hit restaurant The Hangry Bison provides a unique menu of elevated burgers, and the beloved Plant Street Market food hall is filled with restaurant vendors providing any food imaginable, as well as the Crooked Can, a hometown brewery where locals like to end the night. Most of these restaurants are in buildings that have been around since the town was first built, each filled with exposed brick charm that Chip and Joanna Gaines could only dream of imitating.
There’s clearly no shortage of incredible coffee, food, or shopping in this cozy, walkable, Stars Hollow-like town that I call home. Whether you’re a lover of Gilmore Girl’s, or simply looking for a vacation spot that offers endless options for dining, and beautiful weather year-round, you can’t go wrong with visiting Winter Garden!