First Cabin International Hawaii hotel review

There’s a unique new hotel option among the many accommodations in Honolulu — and it’s creating quite a stir in Waikiki: a Japanese, airline-inspired pod hotel with “first class,” “business class” and “premium economy” spaces available for rent by the night.

Known as First Cabin International, the new location in the heart of Honolulu’s resort district is the Japanese brand’s first outlet in the United States. Capsule hotels are a popular option in Japan and have spread to other cities, especially in Asia. There are a few in Europe and the U.S., too, though they are more likely to be called micro-hotels or boutique hostels.

Let me say, my stay was an experience I won’t soon forget. One night was one of the best sleeps of my trip; the other ended with me leaving the hotel at midnight.

Here’s what it was like.

A stay at First Cabin International

The concept of the hotel was an interesting idea for sure, even if I was only expecting a glorified hostel. But that, too, may have been too optimistic

First Cabin International is in a nondescript high-rise in downtown Waikiki, right on the main drag of Kalakaua Avenue and running parallel to Waikiki Beach.

To get to the hotel, you take an elevator to the 14th floor and register via a touchpad computer. Fortunately, there was a front desk agent who helped me check-in, as I struggled a bit with the technology.

Bathrooms are shared (with separate facilities for men and women), and everything is done via numeric codes.

The space also offers a shared living space and kitchen with coffee and tea, and a refrigerator where you can label your own food. It was a little well-used, but serviceable otherwise.

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CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

I did appreciate being able to store some leftovers in the fridge and having access to a microwave and free coffee.

My ‘first-class’ pod

On night one, I booked a first-class pod. It came with a double bed separated from four other first-class pods in a separate area from the rest of the residents. You enter the separate room via a numeric code.

The first-class pods have a small table, a lockable drawer and a wall rack with hangers for storage. Slippers and towels were also placed on the bed.

First-class pods have a television with streaming content, though it’s best to use headphones since you can hear your neighbors very well.

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CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

There’s also a separate seating area reserved for first-class guests offering spectacular views of Waikiki and airport lounge-like chairs.

Despite a hard mattress and only a thin screen wall at the front of the pod, I had a great first night’s sleep. Best of all? The total cost for one night was just $130.

I booked both nights through Expedia, and it’s One Key loyalty program, since First Cabin International doesn’t participate in any of the major loyalty programs. I earned $3.27 in One Key cash. I’ve enjoyed using Expedia for more bookings lately, when there’s no major other loyalty tie-in.

Related: How to unlock One Key loyalty program benefits through Expedia

I slept incredibly well despite having very close-by neighbors. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend booking a first-class pod.

And as a bonus, the hotel even offers one-person sauna pods available for $5. I got to enjoy a 20-minute session in the tiny room hidden behind a curtain. That was a nice little perk.

Checking out ‘business class’

I also got a look at the business-class pods, which start around $119 a night. Though much more compact, they looked reasonable, especially since they, too, are separated from the rest of the floor by a locked door.

But here’s where the story takes a turn.

Downgrading to ‘premium economy’ pods

For my second night, I “downgraded” to the dorm-like, bunk-bed premium economy pods arranged in rows of two. In this “class,” I opted for a top bunk and only paid about $65.

Unfortunately, the premium economy experience was a bit of a disaster.

As I settled into my top bunk for the evening, I noticed how incredibly noisy it was; I could hear many of my neighbors in nearby pods.

The pod itself was cozy, offering a small TV, a towel and even slippers. Like my night in first class, the mattress was hard, but I figured I could probably sleep easily enough. I was wrong.

The small screen separating me from the rest of the room was ineffective at blocking the noise, and I didn’t appreciate having to listen to a man’s conversation coming from a neighboring pod.

Outside my private pod, there were shoes and pieces of luggage and clothing strewn everywhere, and unfortunately, there were also a lot of unpleasant smells.

Throughout the night, the noise of people coming and going, as well as some guests treating the shared spaces like their own home, was very off-putting. A nearby door opened and shut multiple times, and I saw one neighbor strip down to his underwear before climbing into his pod.

I was worried enough about the scene to warn my mom, who was staying across the street at the fabulous Sheraton Waikiki, that I might have to join her.

As I was trying to settle enough to sleep, the man who’d been loud while on the phone during my afternoon rest returned. He was loudly talking to himself before finally falling out of his pod.

That was the last straw for me.

I ended up leaving the pod at midnight, knowing my fight-or-flight mode was too engaged to sleep. I let the security guard know about the neighbor and hightailed it over to the safety of my mom’s hotel.

Bottom line

So what’s my takeaway? I feel like the cheaper, bunk-style pods probably work better in Japan, where they first gained popularity. It’s something the Japanese have really innovated on, but there’s room for improvement in the U.S. iteration.

I can wholeheartedly recommend the first-class pods for their space and privacy. I’d skip the economy bunks, no matter how attractive the price might be.

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