Cool Micro Hotels That Prove Less Is Actually More

Like everything else, large hotel buildings are linked to both a series of advantages and disadvantages. For example, you might find more amenities in a large hotel compared to a small one or to a private villa but you’d have less privacy and the whole experience would be less personal and less…friendly. Some hotels offer an alternative. They’re micro hotels which place their guests into individual suits, cabins or pods, offering them a greater sense of intimacy and a unique experience. Let’s check out some of these micro hotels.

TuboHotel

Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc

TuboHotel is located in Tepoztlán, Mexico and was designed by T3arc. The inspiration came from another hotel which was designed by architect Andreas Strauss in 2006 and which features rooms made out of concrete pipes. This project is based on the same principle. It takes advantage of how fast and easy it is to repurpose the giant concrete pipes and also of the low cost of doing it. The hotel offers 20 rooms organized into sets of three. 

Rolling Huts

Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc

The Rolling Huts represent a set of simple, low-tech structures situated in Mazama, US. They were designed by the architects from Olson Kundig for a client who wished to accommodate visiting friends and family and to offer them a comfortable and pleasant experience. Special consideration was given to the landscape, the client expressing a desire to allow the site to return to its natural beauty, hence the unusual design of the huts which have wheels. Each hut is oriented toward a different view and this also helps to ensure a high level of privacy. This project could inspire some wonderful micro hotel designs in the future.

Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc

When visiting you should expect the unexpected so don’t be surprised to find out that you can stay in a micro hotel called It’s actually a combination between a sauna and a capsule hotel. As a guest, you check-in, you leave your stuff in a locker and then you go to the sauna where you can throw mint-scented water on the hot rocks and enjoy a controlled room temperature of 90℃. After that you retreat into your sleeping pod or you continue your journey. This unusual micro hotel was designed by Schemata.

inBox Capsule

Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc

Capsule hotels have made their way into Europe as well, after first being introduced in Japan. One example is the inBox Capsule Hotel located in St. Petersburg, Russia. Visitors can choose from three types of capsules. One type comes with a private toilet, another with a private bathroom (with a shower) and there’s also a simple option with a shared bathroom. All types have privacy curtains, reading lights, ventilation and lockers.

The Skylodge Adventure Suites

Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc

If you’re an experience hiker you’ve probably seen some amazing sceneries in your lifetime and you may have imagined how cool it would be to just spend the night in that particular spot, at the top of the mountain, enjoying the view but also feeling save and comfortable at the same time. This is now actually possible thanks to project like the Skylodge Adventure Suites in Cusco, Peru. This unconventional hotel features a series of transparent pods which hang on the edge of the mountain and which can only be reached by climbing, hiking or zip-lining. They offer 300 degree views of the Sacred Valley and the experience is unique and memorable to say the least.

Drop Box

Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc

Speaking of amazing views and great locations for a hotel, there’s also another great project which we’d like to present to you. It’s the Drop Box Portable Hotel Suite designed by studio In-Tenta. Each of these suites is a modular wooden shelter which can be transported to pretty much any location, even remote sites. This allows visitors to explore unique settings and to admire wonderful views all within the comfort of a hotel suite. There are two types of shelters to choose from, a two-bedroom one with a bathroom and an outdoor terrace and one with a single bedroom.

Arlo Hotels

Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc

The Arlo Hotels in New York introduces an interesting concept. All the suites of this hotel measure less than 200 square feet and there’s more than 300 of them in total. Given how small they are, there’s not a lot that guests can do in them except relax and maybe get some work done. That’s actually what the hotel is counting on, encouraging its guests to enjoy the common spaces which are spacious, well-designed and very stylish.

Guest House

Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc

As  you can see, there are many different ways to look at a micro hotel and a lot of interesting interpretations of the concept. A particularly interesting one comes from Koyasan, in Japan. Here, Alphaville Architects designed a Guest House on a UNESCO world heritage site. It’s a combination between a capsule-style hotel and a dormitory. The rooms are small and each one faces a hall which connects it to other guests. It’s an interesting way of bringing people together while also protecting their privacy. 

Yotel Schiphol Airport

Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc

The concept of a micro hotel is well-suited for structures such as airports or train stations where travelers often need a place to sleep or stay at while they’re waiting around. Examples such as Yotel Schiphol Airport from Amsterdam will hopefully inspire the world to adopt similar solutions. This micro hotel offers 57 rooms where guests can enjoy complimentary wi-fi, climate control, showers and which include a safe, a dressing room and a writing table. They’re small but they’re packed with functionality.

Snoozebox

Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc
Mexico TuboHotel by T3arc

Another really cool micro hotel concept is Snoozebox. This hotel is not linked to any particular location since it can be easily relocated to any destination by road, rail, air or sea. It’s a collection of portable shipping container modules, each similar to a cabin. The modules can be organized in groups, they can be stacked and they can be up and running within 48 hours or arriving at their new destination. The groups can range between 40 and 400 modules and each individual module features climate control and includes a double bed, a flat screen TV, power sockets, wi-fi, a safe and a wet room. Various different configurations can be created, based on the topography of the site or other specificities.