Strategic location should be one of the main selling points for an accommodation that doesn’t offer luxury facilities. Easy access to public transport, near some good foods, and inside a tourism area are some criteria that should be interesting for adventurers looking for a place to stay. In Indonesia, Bobopod is one of them. Although it doesn’t offer a spacious room or complete facility, this capsule hotel chain offers a lot more, which differs from usual capsule hotels. Here’s our Bobopod review.
About Bobopod
Before I discuss Bobopod further, I want to introduce you to it. Bobopod was formerly known as Bobobox, a capsule hotel chain offering more facilities than ordinary capsule hotels. The name “Bobobox” came from a reason. Instead of an ordinary tiny room that only consists of a bed and you can’t stand inside it, Bobobox is like a “box” with many more facilities besides the bed.
Bobobox is designed like a box, and each box contains two stacked rooms. The upper room is called the Sky Room, and the lower one is called the Earth Room. Each room has a bed and a cozy little space for adults to stand comfortably. You can do many things in your room, like getting ready, organizing your suitcase, or changing clothes. It’s a refreshing change from most capsule hotels, which don’t offer standing space or room for your belongings.
As time goes by, Bobobox expands its product line. It’s not only a “stay in a box” experience anymore, but it also provides more experiences, such as a nice house inside a nature park called Bobocabin and feels-like-home accommodation called Boboliving. Of course, Bobobox still offers the stay-in-a-box experience as usual, but they changed the name to Bobopod.
Spacious Room
The first point for this Bobopod review is the room, or as we call it, the “Pod.” Like I said before, our pod consists of one bed, which can be a single bed for one person or a double bed for two persons. Besides that, we have a unique table with a double function, such as a ladder to climb to your bed if you stay in the Sky room. We also get a trash bin, a mirror, and an adjustable air conditioner.
The room is spacious, and we can store our belongings inside it. That makes Bobopod different from the usual capsule hotels, where the others usually have a locker to store our belongings. It’s spacious enough to do activities, from arranging your suitcase to getting ready before exploring the city. The room is also quite soundproof, effectively minimizing outside noise, ensuring a restful and high-quality sleep experience
Hi-tech Facilities to Enrich your Stay
The second point for this Bobopod review is the hi-tech facilities. Targeting young and active people, Bobopod has some hi-tech facilities, ranging from the official application to integrated room control via tablet. We start talking about the application (for Android and iOS), which can do more than booking a room. You can enter your pod by scanning the QR code you will receive after successfully checking in. Not only that, but you can also lock your door and chat with the staff.
Using the tablet (called B-Pad), you can do more such as set the ambient light, open or lock the door, connect with your phone through Bluetooth connection to play your music, or play the pre-installed meditation music, which is the perfect way to help you enjoy your sleep.
Strategic Location
As I mentioned in the beginning of this Bobopod review article, one of Bobopod’s key selling points is its strategic location. Bobopod is already established in some big cities in Indonesia, such as Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Yogyakarta, and Malang. So, if you visit those cities, you will find that Bobopods are located near public spaces, transportation, or tourism destinations.
For example, in Jakarta, you will find a Bobopod inside the Old Town, so you can enjoy the Old Town without spending too much time battling Jakarta’s heavy traffic. Also, in Semarang, you will find a Bobopod inside the Old Town, within walking distance of the city railway station.
Some Bobopod locations, such as Malang and Bandung, are near the city square. In Yogyakarta, you will find Bobopod on Malioboro’s busy street, the leading tourism destination. But sadly, there is no Bobopod in Surabaya, although Surabaya is the second biggest city in Indonesia.
Bobopod Review: Final Verdict
With its very affordable price (on average, Bobopod only costs around US$10 to US$15 per night), Bobopod is the perfect accommodation for those who don’t mind the hotel facilities and just want a good sleep after bustling around the city. Its capability to host two people in one box also makes it a great choice for a couple or if you travel to Indonesia with a friend.
The Good
- Strategic location, near the tourism destination or the public transport
- Very affordable!
- Spacious room, more prominent than usual capsule hotel
- Easy check-in and check-out procedure
- Complete facilities outside the room (co-working space, pantry, prayer room, food and beverages vending machine)
The Bad
- Sharing bathroom (but the bathroom is clean enough!)
- The bed should be more comfortable
- Inconsistent air conditioner temperature
Image source: Bobopod official site
