There are glut of accommodation to choose from when visiting Japan. Lodge, Budget Inns, Fancy Hotels or experience the Japanese way of a Capsule Hotel. On our visit to Kansai region, we stayed in Capsulized style accommodation for the first time. So you know, it is a pod hotel, with extremely small room intended to provide cheap overnight accommodation.
Location
Shell Nell Namba
542-0073 Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Chuo-ku Nipponbashi 2-9-16, Japan
We’d been drawn to Shell Nell Namba due to its stylish, amenities and good location. Its close to Namba and Nippombashi Station. A short walk to Dotombori the famous street in Osaka, Kuromon Ichiba Market, Hosen-ji Temple and farther walk will leads you to Glico Man sign. There are adjacent conbini (Lawson Convenience stores), yes because its two in this capsule hotel.
Check In
We arrived in Osaka past 2PM in the afternoon via Shinkansen from Tokyo. We are still early for our 5PM Check in time so we leave our backpacks at the reception and pleased to store our stuff in their luggage room. So we hunt for food while killing the time for check in.
Check In Time: 5:00 PM (Japan Time, GMT +9)
Check Out Time : 10:00 AM (Japan Time, GMT +9)
Capsule Room
We stayed in their standard Capsule Room. It is 2 square meter room, equip with dim light, pillow and lines, alarm clock and Free WIFI. The room for men and women are separated.
We never had uninterrupted sleep during our 3 night stay in this capsule hotel. As you may know shared rooms could be noisy at night. But none is this case. The comfort of soft pillow and well ventilated capsule was enough to brought us to dreamland.
Room Amenities
They had separate shower rooms for guys and ladies. It has rain shower and high pressure hand shower with warm and cold water. Each shower room comes with complimentary dispensers for body shower gel, shampoo and conditioner.
Shared Bathroom
Don’t be deceive by the typical looking toilet, it is a washlet. It has a function for bidet washing, seat warming, deodorization. The controls comes with English translation for foreign guest convenience.
Shared Washroom
I think Shell Nell Namba has the best washroom we ever had stayed. Even beating some 3 star hotels we stayed in Southeast Asia. They had huge vanity mirrors for those who want to do facial shave. With good amount of supplies for shave lotion, after shave, complimentary shaving razors, earbuds, hair dryers.
Personal Lockers ( Provided with Hangers, Sleeping Dress, Slippers and Clean Towels). They provide these on daily basis.
Hotel Amenities
Buffet Area
If opted to stay with breakfast. They had a decent selection for early risers.
Work Station and Lounge Area
The arch wooden wall with cartographic sketches is an eye catcher at their lounge area. A good space for digital nomads and to those who keep connected to cyber world.
Two Thumbs up for Shell Nell Namba! They had the most welcoming English speaking staff, Cleanest shower and toilet rooms 24/7 and well maintained capsule rooms.
If you want to experience Capsule hotel for the first time. We highly recommended Shell Nell Namba.