'Nano Hotel' with 400 tiny rooms proposed for downtown Vancouver

The hotel, proposed for 948 Howe St., a narrow lot across from the provincial courthouse, would be 22 stories, with more than 400 sleeping units. Instead of the more traditional hotel room, the Nano Hotel would have two options: mini-rooms and pods.

The pod rooms would be about the size of a single bed, roughly 3 square meters, with a full-sized door and ceiling at the same height (as opposed to some pods, which are smaller spaces).

"The bed in the Nano Pod is reclinable and can slide to allow for more room at the entrance and store luggage under the bed," reads the proposal. "Pod guests share elegantly designed washrooms and showers on each floor."

The rooms would be a "fully enclosed micro hotel room" with a larger bed and a washroom with a shower.

"These two products allow the project to offer 408 guest spaces with a compact footprint while still providing high-quality rest spaces and social amenities such as a guest-only amenity level, a sky lobby with a bar, and a rooftop terrace," reads the proposal.

The proposal notes it'd be targeting urban travellers between 18 and 34 years old. The proposal also has letters from the BC Hotel Association, Destination BC, and Destination Vancouver endorsing the idea.

Currently, 948 Howe St. is occupied by a two-storey building.

Brendan Kergin