Hey Bear Capsule Hotel

The capsule is roomy, much better than the bunk beds at other hostels I've tried. There's a good shared area with a microwave and hot water. The MRT is right across the road, with plenty of good restaurants and a nice market nearby.

The bathroom setup has some problems. Although the facilities are large, there are only three standard toilets on the ninth floor and none in the men's bathroom on the eighth. Squat toilets are available throughout. The water-saving flushes seemed poor to me: they take a long time, and many toilets still weren't flushing properly, leaving them unflushed. For a hotel that's only a few years old, I wonder how the bathrooms ended up so poorly designed. Getting in after hours with a key card only gives access to the ninth floor, so you have to walk down the stairs. Hey Bear is otherwise easy to reach, directly across from the MRT exit. Reception and the women's rooms are on the eighth floor, while the mixed bunks are on the ninth. Each capsule has its own air vent with plenty of cool airflow, and the three-inch mattress pad was comfortable enough. The pods look space-age, with metal sliding doors that lock using a key card. That can double as a locker, though I wouldn't lock myself inside. I could hear other guests activating the locks to get out in the morning. Full-size key-card lockers are in the common room and a separate ninth-floor locker room, but there aren't any inside individual rooms. There is also a regular bunk room with curtains and tiny closet-sized sleeping spaces, set up as semi-private rooms for six friends, though I didn't see these listed on the website. Laundry, a vending machine, and a refrigerator are on the eighth floor. There's no kitchen, food, or coffee, so I wouldn't choose Hey Bear for a long stay. A full supermarket on B1 is convenient, and the free lobby video games are a nice way to pass time, though I wouldn't count them as a utility. The stay seemed to have limited services overall.

The capsule itself is decent, though there was an odor I can't really describe. Check-in took so long that the wait could be 30 minutes or more. If you're on a budget, it might be an option, but I wouldn't come back.

I felt safe the whole time, and my capsule was really cool and clean. The shared spaces were great too. The one thing I'd suggest is scrubbing the shower walls more thoroughly to get rid of some mildew, though the humidity in Taiwan is intense. I love this place and will definitely return. I wish there were one in every district and city. If you're considering a stay, go for it!