You’ll have to wait until 2016, but Jucy is offering its solution to those visiting Christchurch Airport, with the announcement of a short stay accommodation venture headed by the Kiwi vehicle rental company.

Just walking distance from the airport, Jucy Snooze will offer low cost accomodation for travellers, allowing them to ‘self check in’ and pay only for the time they stay.

That means tourists who just want a few hours sleep between connecting flights will not have to pay for a full day, says Tim Alpe, CEO of Jucy.

“This type of accommodation is available overseas but there is nothing similar in New Zealand,” he says. 

“Globally pod hotels have become increasingly popular and we wanted to bring the concept to this market.”

There will be three types of rooms available: the signature room, an enclosed single bed in an individual space equipped with a fold-down laptop table, USB/power charging unit, individual reading light and a personal, lockable storage locker; double en-suite rooms with double bed, toilet and shower and desk; and the family room with a double bed, toilet and shower and two single pods, created for families travelling together.

The snooze pods will be located in 18 rooms surrounding the accommodation’s communal area, which itself will give customers a place to hangout, meet people, surf the internet, watch movies, cook food and be social. 

Architecture firm Jasmax is heading the design, and was faced with the challenge of operating an airport-based facility where guests are moving at all hours.

Jasmax architect Daniel McNelis says LCDs will provide lighting, similar to the airplanes flying overhead, to enable customers arriving or departing in the middle of the night to get in and out of the pods and pod rooms without disturbing others. Strip lighting will enable customers to locate their individual pod without the need for overhead lighting. 

“We didn’t just look to the accommodation arena for our Jucy Snooze concept, we researched alternate industries, including airlines, to see who they created compact units in small areas,” says McNelis. 

“Jucy Snooze customers will be able to watch movies, read or surf the net without impacting anyone else who is in the same room.”

The Jucy Snooze pods, beds and en-suite bathroom units will all be prefabricated offsite, with the company expected to utilise its campervan manufacturing business, Jucy By Design, to complete some of the build.

Alpe says Jucy Snooze is expected to open in early 2016.?