Authorities should keep an open mind about sleep cabins

A BUSINESS in Zhongguancun, a technology hub for startups in Beijing, which offered capsule-like rooms on a short-term basis, has been ordered to suspend operations, raising questions about the future of such hotels. Beijing News commented on Monday:

Places offering WiFi-enabled sleep cabins that are sanitized by means of ultraviolet light, which users can check in and check out by using a smartphone, have been gaining popularity in many cities. Not least because the charges are reasonable: 10 yuan ($1.5) per half-hour for peak times and 6 yuan for every 30 minutes during off-peak times.

Reminiscent of capsule hotels, the places offering such sleep cabins target urban white collar workers, many of whom work overtime, who want a place to take a nap during the day.