Marketing to the millennial generation, Pod Hotels have made their way to America. In New York City, Brooklyn and Washington D.C., The Pod Hotel has locations where visitors can stay and experience the high life for a low cost.
Monuments, museums and business are all just a short walk away.
Equipped with a private bathroom, including a luxury shower, The Pod Hotel in Washington D.C. is located right in Chinatown. Look closely for the sign, otherwise you might miss the entrance on H Street.
The first floor is split between a bar and the check in desk. The doors lock after eleven p.m., unlocked by your key card for entrance after hours.
Reservations are done online, at which point you can approach the desk and check in. Booking off their direct site will take about twenty minutes to process to their main system.
With a deposit for damages, The Pod Hotel can accommodate parties up to two. Before occupancy taxes, room rates are as low as the $80 range.
The Pod Hotel offers three types of pods, the full pod, the queen pod and bunk pod. The full pod room had a queen mattress, a small desk and a television.
Storage for luggage was located below the bed. Traveling with the largest sized suitcase dimensions for most airlines, the bag will still fit.
The pods do not come with much other than that, however. You won’t find a cot or rollaway bed, a refrigerator, microwave, coffee machine, dresser, ironing board or a newspaper in your pod.
Equipped with plenty of charging ports, media hubs, free wifi and a fitness center, The Pod Hotel does give you the electronic essentials for the outgoing minimalist.
While not ideal for business travel, the pods offer essentials and an experience that is right in the location of your area. Union Square is a mile from The Pod Hotel.
Just a few blocks from the Washington D.C. convention center, The Pod Hotel offers affordable opportunities to attend events, see the sights and to save on your trip.
The metro is just down the street, next to Walgreens and several places to eat. There’s even a vegan place.
Many dining areas line the streets in Chinatown and great shops are in no short supply.
From Ronald Reagan International Airport, the shared uber is around 9 dollars and takes up to over thirty minutes if there’s traffic.
Rooms are equipped with private safes, as well. An even better point to staying at The Pod Hotel? Checkout is at noon.
That extra hour after a long week feels like an eon before you’re back to your usual hustle. Great local places like Farmers and Distillers are only a small walk away.
Right in Chinatown, you have an endless supply of great asian restaurants to choose from. Daikaya has great spicy miso for those that like their ramen more on the mild side.
The endless dessert options and local bars offer a great selection for get togethers.
Fig and Olive’s specials and the Birthday Cake Martini from the Washington Hotel’s lobby bar are great, as is the chocolate donut sundae at Farmers and Distillers.
The tiramisu and blueberry lavender gelato at Dolcezza, down F street and over to City Center, can’t be missed.
Night life is in no short supply in the capital, either.
Pod hotels are popular for travelers looking for a hostel-like price, but with more privacy and security. Popular in Japan and Europe, backpackers everywhere with a little more change in their pockets are lining up for a Pod experience.
Unique locations, designs and emphasis cater to a crowd that doesn’t need a full hotel room or plan to stay there all day while still giving a space to come safely back to.
Would you be willing to stay in a Pod hotel?
Barton Kleen
Contributing Writer