Tiny pod hotel is coming to North America's biggest ski area

Canada is joining the pod hotel craze, with the country’s first pod hotel currently under construction in the pricey ski town of Whistler, British Columbia.

The $10 million new Pangea Pod Hotel will host 88 self-contained sleeping pods that will be available for nightly rentals. The pods are similar to the capsules popularized in Japan or the “sleep boxes” that just debuted in Massachusetts. At Pangea, each pod comes with a memory foam double mattress, LED lighting, charging ports, a mirror, and a fan. While the pods do have a lockable cabinet for valuables, hangers and hooks for clothes, and a storage area for luggage, only a curtain separates you from the outside hallway.

Pods sit stacked on top of each other—a bit like bunkbeds—so travelers in the upper pod have to use steps and a leather strap to swing themselves into the pod. Bathrooms are shared and feature 60 individually accessed components, including separate shower, toilet, and vanity rooms in order to prevent long lines from forming. Ski equipment is stored in a separate lockable space outside the pod.

Pangea hopes to fill a void in Whistler by appealing to travelers who like the feel of a boutique hotel but want an affordable price point. It’s a blend between a hostel and a hotel, and guests will have access to communal spaces like a cafe and rooftop bar, many of them with views of Whistler’s village.

The hotel is slated to open in April 2018 and room rates have yet to be announced.

Courtesy of Pangea Pod Hotel

Courtesy of Pangea Pod Hotel

Courtesy of Pangea Pod Hotel

Courtesy of Pangea Pod Hotel