Whistler Village will welcome the country’s first pod-concept hotel in April 2018.
The Pangea Pod Hotel will feature 88 private pods spread out across eight suites, each with multiple, ensuite, four-piece bathrooms units. The hotel is described as an affordable alternative to traditional boutique Whistler hotels, but with more privacy than typical shared accommodations.
The hotel is the brainchild of spouses Jelena and Russell Kling, who became aware of capsule hotels while travelling through Asian cities like Tokyo.
“Pangea will reinvent accommodation in Whistler for a generation of travelers who expect more for less and want to spend their money on experiences, not on several hundred feet of hotel room space in which they simply sleep,” says Russell.
Russell says Whistler’s pod hotel will be more upscale than its international counterparts, with luxury touches like natural wood finishes, memory foam double mattresses in each pod, and walls adorned with artwork. Pods will be stacked two-high, accessible via built-in steps.
An electronic wristband system will limit pod access to other suitemates. There will also be the option to request pods within a female-only suite when making reservations. The reservations portal has yet to launch and pricing has not been realized, however, the founders say the pods will be “significantly less expensive than the cost of a comparably-located hotel room in Whistler.”
The hotel will still incorporate communal spaces present in hostel-type accommodations, such as a living room – complete with a café and bar with family-style tables and TV area – and a third-floor, rooftop patio overlooking the Village.
Pangea Pod Hotel will be located at 4333 Sunrise Alley, in the centre of Whistler Village.
