Tuck me in, Scotty, it’s nigh-nighs time

The boutique accommodation definitely has a space-age feel about it, thanks to the futuristic capsules guests sleep in.

Capsule accommodation is popular in Japan, where guests can find capsule hotels offering everything from a basic pod to a “mini-suite” with windows.

Sydney’s version is at the more basic end of the scale, with rooms fitted with a small mattress inside a small plastic pod frame.

I checked into the standard, single bed– front entrance pod. It measures 100cm wide and 200cm long – just enough to lay down and roll over!

My capsule is in a room with 16 others, with two storeys of pods on top of each other and a row of lockers for bags. Both the lockers and the capsules are opened with a smart key. Thankfully, my capsule is at ground level – I’ve never been good with bunks!

The doors fold in like something from a sci-fi film. Inside, there is a control centre built into the wall, where you can turn on your lights, adjust the air conditioning, plug in your phone and other electronics and store your small valuables in a safe. You’ll also find a duress button, just in case. On the roof there’s a fold-down TV.

Guests aren’t just limited to their capsules and are welcome to sit in common areas like the dining room, kitchen and rooftop garden. There are also shared bathrooms on each floor.

The hotel is very centrally located on the corner of George and Liverpool streets in Sydney’s CBD. The Century Bar occupies the first two floors, while pods take up floors three to five. There is a lift to take you up, or you can take the grand, spiral staircase.

Won’t you get claustrophobic?

No, but I don’t normally get uncomfortable in small places. The Capsule Hotel team has put a great deal of effort to make the pods feel modern. If anything, you feel like you’re going to walk out on to the deck of the USS Enterprise and bump into Mr Spock. You can also adjust the temperature through the air conditioning.

Why would you stay in a hotel like this?

For the novelty of sleeping in a capsule! It’s also safer and offers more privacy than staying in traditional dorms and hostels.

Is it comfortable?

Surprisingly so. Granted, the mattress is only about 7cm thick so you can feel the hard plastic underneath you, but it’s very similar to sleeping on a camp mattress.

How did you sleep?

All right. I woke up several times from being too hot and when the person in the capsule above me had to get up. There was a little blue light I couldn’t turn off that interfered most with my sleep, but an eye mask could solve that.

Was it expensive?

Prices start at $57 a night for the standard capsule.

Will you go back?

Yes! It’s a perfect option for when you just want a safe place to sleep for the night in the city without breaking the bank. That being said, I wouldn’t recommend

it to anyone who isn’t comfortable in small spaces, likes their creature comforts or has mobility issues.