Jeru Caps Hotel

It’s much cheaper than the nearby hotels, and being close to Zion Square made it easy to get around to tourist spots. I stayed in a room with eight cells. The facilities were basic, but the room was clean and perfectly fine. The service was really kind, and it made me like Israel even more.

The location is fantastic, and the capsules are spacious enough for a comfortable stay. The manager was very friendly and kept me updated before and during my visit. I heard a new jacuzzi is coming soon. I’d happily recommend this place.

The place looked promising online, with pictures suggesting it was clean, private, spacious, and nice. In person, it was the complete opposite. I chose a “Capsule” because I wanted more space and privacy than a bunk in a mixed room with strangers. I’d asked for an earlier check-in since my flight got me to Jerusalem around 10-11 a.m., but the owner refused. At 12:30, the owner kindly let me leave my luggage, so I spent four hours wandering around the city in pouring rain. I checked in at 3:10, and the capsules looked nothing like the online photos. I’m a sailor and can manage a small cabin without a window, even in a hot engine room, but this capsule was worse. Behind a small door were six tiny doors in the wall, each with only a mattress inside. There was no window, ventilation, or view, and barely enough room for two people to turn around. The bathroom was cramped too. I went in to pee for three minutes, but the floor was covered in bleach and the fumes were overwhelming. My eyes kept watering, I could hardly breathe, and I was gasping for air. There were no windows or ventilation, and the doors were closed. The air-conditioning connections in the ceiling were also so loud they sounded like a plane engine running nonstop. I told the receptionist about the fumes and the lack of air, and asked to move to an available bunk in a room where I could breathe. She checked another private room and said it would cost more, though she might offer a small discount if the owner approved. She said she’d text me later. I waited from 3 p.m. until 10:30 p.m., but when I came back, she said the owner hadn’t responded and the private room was going to someone else. At 10:30, I asked again to move to any bunk, anything but the capsule, which felt more like a “coffin.” I also asked for the bleach to be cleaned off the bathroom floor. She said she’d check, but by midnight there’d been no answer, no move, and no fix. I asked her to cancel my reservation because they couldn’t accommodate me elsewhere and the fumes and bleach were still there. She said it was too late to cancel and I’d have to speak with the owner in the morning, and that the booking was non-refundable. At 10:30, another guest had also complained that the place and room were misleading compared with the online pictures. He left to stay with a friend and handed his keys to the receptionist. That made two unhappy guests, and nothing was done. She just said she couldn’t do anything because they were fully booked for Christmas. I was shocked by the lack of empathy, care, and customer service.

It’s the cheapest option in the area, which is a plus, but most of the pictures are misleading. If you booked through Airbnb, you may be able to get a refund by sending support photos as proof.