On my first trip to Tokyo I decided to experiment with a capsule hotel– one because it seemed interesting and two– because I don’t like to spend hundreds of dollars on a place that’s only for sleeping. I stayed at the C + Sauna (or “do-c Ebisu” as it’s listed on Booking.com), a capsule hotel located a hop, skip and a jump away from Ebisu station near Shibuy

This is definitely one of the most unique overnight options I’ve tried. One of the major perks was the spacious sauna (which had a refreshing mint scent) and a line of showers with various temperatures specifically for cooling down in between sweats. When you check in the attendants give you a mesh bag with two towels, clothing to sleep in, house slippers, plus a tooth brush, toothpaste and a razor and soap. The male and female pods, saunas and lockers are on separate floors and there’s a common area on the base level. The showers and restrooms are clean and comfortable and the wifi connection is strong, a major upgrade from Goa, India where finding wifi was like searching for a needle in a haystack, and even then it was shaky at best.

The ‘pods’ are compact but I found them to be incredibly comfortable. I felt like a futuristic alien crawling up the little steps into pod 804, which was equipped with a USB port, electrical outlet, fan, an adjustable light and the best part— a cozy down comforter. I’m nearly 6 ft tall but there was plenty of room to stretch my legs— though someone a few inches taller may have issues. The second I pulled the little shade down over my pod I drifted peacefully to sleep.

The only “challenge” I encountered was trying to repack my luggage in the locker room, which had a narrow hallway that left no room for others to pass by once my suitcase was fully open, but it was easily manageable with a little bit of planning.

At $35 USD per night, the C + Sauna capsule hotel is a great choice for budget conscious travelers like myself. **Side note: I had two friends who booked a hotel a 5 minute walk away, and though their’s was priced around $120 per night, it was smaller than a college dorm room.