New Japanese hotel to be run by robots

Henn-na Hotel, which translates to Strange Hotel, will feature three ‘actroids’ (robots with strong human-likeness) as receptionists that can have intelligent conversations with guests, four service and porter robots, and a few other robots for cleaning purposes.

The hotel aims to be the most efficient and futuristic yet low-cost hotel in the world, with high-tech features keeping the price low. The hotel will use a smart check-in and check-out system which allows guests to check-in and out themselves, it will use the latest face authentication system instead of key-cards for room access, it will eliminate waste inside rooms by providing any hotel amenity guests desire simply by ordering it on a tablet, and it will have a radiation panel that controls the temperature of the room based on the body temperature of the guest that is inside it.

A single room at the Henn-na Hotel will be priced at ¥7,000 ($60) a night, and a twin room at ¥9,000 ($77). In peak season, potential visitors might have to bid for the price they are willing to pay to get a room. The highest one wins, although there will be a bid cap of ¥14,000 ($119) for a single room.

The Henn-na Hotel is located in Japan’s famous theme park, Huis Ten Bosch in Nagasaki Prefecture. It has 72 rooms which will be ready for guests as phase 1 comes to completion on July 17, and an additional 72 rooms will be introduced as phase 2 comes to an end some time in 2016.

Guests can reserve their rooms now by logging on to the hotel’s official website.