A prototype of Yotel!, the capsule hotel being developed by Yo! Sushi founder Simon Woodroffe, will be launched this summer.
Woodroffe said that the building of a life-sized prototype of the hotel's rooms was nearing completion, and that he was currently looking for sites for the first Yotel! in central London.
Yotel! has been under development for about three years, which Woodroffe admitted was probably the longest time it had taken to open a hotel, but added that Yotel! was "very different" and that he was "doing something new", which would inevitably take time.
When completed, Yotel! is intended to give the impression of a cross between a Japanese capsule hotel and an aeroplane of the future. Guests will be able to book rooms by the hour.
No confirmed date has yet been decided for the opening of the inaugural Yotel! property.
Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 24 June 2004