Photo: Katrina Valcourt

At 71 inches, I’m the tallest person on staff at HONOLULU Magazine. So when we received a voucher to try a free stay at Hawai‘i’s first capsule hotel, all heads turned toward me. I’m not a picky traveler, preferring to crash on a too-small couch or share a bed just to have somewhere to sleep long enough to recharge for the next day’s adventures. So, intrigued by the novelty of it all, I booked a Friday and Saturday night.

Capsule hotels are popular in Japan for travelers needing low-cost places to sleep at night, no frills. And they’re not for the claustrophobic: Each room is pretty much just a bed. First Cabin International, modeled after first-class cabins on airplanes, is Hawai‘i’s first foray into the market.

Here’s what it was like for me, at 5-foot-11, to stay in a room that from front to back measures just 6 feet, 10.7 inches.

Photo: Katrina Valcourt

The Hotel

Upon exiting the elevators onto the 14th floor of the Waikīkī Business Plaza—the same building that houses H&M and Sky Waikīkī—I use a code to enter the First Cabin International area and check in at the front desk. Helpful staffers (many of whom, I notice, are quite tall) give me a new code to get in the front door, the women’s sleeping area, the locker room and the women’s bathroom. Toilets and showers are in two different rooms once you enter the bathroom, making the roomy stalls feel extra private. There’s also a communal lounge, individual saunas, a vending machine and one free laundry machine, plus free Wi-Fi.

Guests can choose from among three options for rooms. All of them come with a TV and locking cabinet. First Class cabins are 6 feet, 10.7 inches wide, tall and deep (from front to back) and include double beds, sofas and side tables. Each Business Class room is just as tall and deep but only 3 feet, 11.2 inches wide and with a twin bed. The smallest rooms, Premium Economy+, are the same width and depth as Business Class rooms but stacked one on top of the other; if you have an upper bunk in one of these rooms, you’ll have to climb a few steps and crawl in. Check-in is at 3 p.m. and checkout at 10 a.m.

Photo: Katrina Valcourt

The Experience

I check in to my Premium Economy+ cabin on a Friday afternoon. Climbing into and out of the cabin isn’t easy—not for me, at least—and I wonder if I made the right decision picking a top bunk. I had the bottom one as a kid and figured it’d be better than being level with people’s feet. So far, I’ve only seen one other woman in this particular area, which has room for 40, but there’s evidence of a few other guests.

Photo: Katrina Valcourt

The first thing I do is stash my overnight bag in a locker down the hall, lock my purse in the cabinet in the room and break out the tape measure.

While sitting as tall as I can, I’m 34 inches from butt to crown, and there’s still about 3 inches of headspace above me. I’m a side sleeper most of the time, but the mattress pad is only 3 inches thick and doesn’t support my hips well. Lying on my stomach, my toes hang off the end.

SEE ALSO: Afterthoughts: Tall People Problems

A 24-inch TV is anchored to one wall, but even with my back against the opposite wall, my eyes are 41 inches from the screen. I navigate to Netflix, but volume controls are disabled so I switch it off.

There’s an accordion-style partition at the foot of the bed that lets in air above and below so the space doesn’t feel like a coffin. It closes magnetically and locks from the inside but doesn’t keep noise or light out.

I still have some work to do, so I head to the lounge, snagging a seat next to a large window overlooking The Royal Hawaiian. There’s plenty of space and outlets—plus tea, coffee, water and a microwave—so I hang out there and chat with a man from New Zealand until dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Photo: Katrina Valcourt

After dinner, I head back to the hotel and let the folks who work there know I want to try the private infrared sauna booth, which takes about 20 minutes to heat up. They give me a hooded towel to wear and show me how I can even play music inside.

I spend about 30 minutes in there before taking a shower. I use the hotel’s shampoo, conditioner, body wash and hair dryer before climbing then crawling into bed at 11 p.m. It hurts my shin to rest on the little unpadded step outside the door. I try to be super quiet since I notice someone in the bunk across from me, but then she starts blow-drying her hair, so I pop in some earplugs, turn off the lights and go to sleep.

SEE ALSO: Chinatown’s Popular Lei Stand Bar Reopens in Waikīkī

While I like the coziness of the pod, I don’t sleep that well (my average sleep score is in the mid-80s, according to my Fitbit; I get a 76 the first night and 78 the second, my lowest scores in months). But it’s nothing a lavender latte can’t fix as I head out for the next few hours.

When I return that afternoon, after noting the new towels on my bed, I head to the lounge for more work; there, I chat with another guest who praises the hotel for its cleanliness. This gentleman from Florida, older and larger and taller than me, says he’s extended his stay multiple times and has barely left the hotel, he likes it so much. I head out again, loving how I’m no more than an 8-minute walk from my next dinner reservation rather than a half-hour drive.

When it’s time for bed, I decide to skip the earplugs, which aren’t comfortable for me, and take in the sounds of the papery sheets every time I turn over, my own borborygmus, the occasional “cheehoo” and the faint chorus of “Pink Pony Club” drifting up from the street below.

Photo: Katrina Valcourt

The Verdict

First Cabin International is geared toward travelers—it’s not really a staycation kind of place if you’re someone who expects to order room service, relax on a plush mattress, or take advantage of an onsite gym or pool. And it’s more expensive than hostels and even some hotels.

However, it can be a good option for those from other parts of the island who want to spend time in Waikīkī. There are so many things to do, from shopping and dining to just chilling on the beach. It’s also central if you want to holo around to Ala Moana Center or other town hot spots without having to sit in traffic for an hour each way.

I think First Cabin International is an especially good option if you plan to drink and need somewhere to crash. Yes, it costs more than a Lyft ride, but it’s immediate and safe. However, keeping track of your room number, locker number and code to get into each area of the place might be too much for the inebriated. And don’t even think about trying to get into a top bunk drunk. Also, unless you want to chance finding a parking spot along the Ala Wai or a side street, it’s best to catch a ride into Waikīkī or take the bus—First Cabin doesn’t have overnight parking.

The 43 hours I spent in Waikīkī weren’t enough. I’d consider staying again for a change of scenery, a chance to try more restaurants and to hang out without worrying about parking. I could use another sauna sesh, for sure.

SEE ALSO: 10 Staycation Deals on O‘ahu for Kama‘āina

The Info

For now, First Cabin International rates start at $117 per night, a grand opening deal that’s good through May. After that, Premium Economy+ cabins start at $143 per night for kama‘āina.

2270 Kalākaua Ave., 14th floor, Waikīkī, first-cabin.us, @firstcabinhawaiiofficial

Katrina Valcourt is the executive editor of HONOLULU Magazine.