New Whistler 'pod hotel' to offer cheap beds in pricey town

Canada's first pod hotel set to open this summer Canada's first pod hotel is set to open in Whistler later this summer, offering visitors downsized sleeping quarters that's more affordable.

You might not be able to fit more than two peas in these pods. A new hotel in Whistler, B.C., will offer 88 small bunk rooms -- or “pods” -- for guests as a budget alternative in the pricey resort town.

Space might be cramped, but that’s the point at the Pangea Pod Hotel, which is still under construction and set to open later this summer.

“We’re not a hotel. We’re not a hostel. We’re the best of both worlds,” reads the website, “providing our guests the privacy and comfort of a hotel and the affordability and social vibe of a hostel.”

The Pod Hotel won’t be for everyone, but co-founder Russell Kling says they’re trying to be the universal option. “The segment of the market today that stays at the Four Seasons or the Fairmont — we’re not trying to cater towards them,” Kling told CTV Victoria Monday.

Divided amongst eight different suites, including one area just for women, there will be 88 double-bed sleeping pods. Each is fitted with a privacy curtain at the foot of the bed, or at the side of the bed for those who want to pay a “slight premium” for the extra space. There will be communal washrooms, locker storage, a rooftop patio, a bar-lounge-café common area called “the Living Room,” and a space for active guests to lock their bikes, skis and snowboards called “the Toy Box.”

For a popular and expensive resort town like Whistler, the Pangea Pod Hotel is a different kind of offering. “The hotel rates have been increasing, especially over the course of the last couple of years,” said Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden, noting the new pod hotel will provide more choice for visitors.

But for all the talk of a budget option, how much will it cost? Kling says they are still working on the pricing but they have a general idea. For a slow night in the down season, pod users can expect to pay between $50 and $100 a night, but during high season in the resort town, the budget hotel could still break the bank for some.

“If it’s a peak night, it will definitely be in the three figures,” said Kling.

With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Scott Hurst