Unstaffed Hotel Opens Near Yokohama Chinatown
Grand Cave Yokohama, a new boutique hotel, opened on the 15th of this month in Yokohama’s Naka Ward. The hotel is making headlines because it is completely unstaffed, with all check-in and check-out procedures done electronically.
The entrance has check-in tablets installed, so when guests arrive they simply verify their reservation and identity through the tablet. Smart-key locks are standard in rooms, so guests can enter and exit by entering a code. If problems arise, the hotel has partnered with a local company that can be dispatched to the property in an emergency.
The average room size is 17 square meters, with bunk bed style layouts meant to accommodate up to 4 people. The property was previously an apartment building before being redeveloped. The new hotel rooms come standard with appliances such as washing machines and air conditioners as well as a kitchen with utensils provided. Stays range between 10,000 to 20,000 yen per night. Grand Cave Yokohama is a 3-minute walk from Ishikawacho Station on the JR Negishi Line and a 5-minute walk from Yokohama Chinatown.
Mr. Yasuto Right, operator of Grand Cave Yokohama, inherited the 50-year-old apartment building and initially considered renovating it to continue operating as residential housing, but instead decided to transform it into a hotel to increase profitability. Mr. Right stated, "We predict the hotel will generate about four times the revenue of residential housing. To ensure profitability, we decided on a small number of rooms and a completely automated system without the need for any staff. If the market changes and the demand for short-term stay decreases, we can always revert it to residential use."
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