Sasebo (Nagasaki) theme park Huis Ten Bosch announced it will open a new low-cost, energy-saving “smart hotel” in July. This hotel, however, is a little bit strange. The hotel front desk will be ‘manned’ by humanoid robots, and room prices will be determined by online auction. “We hope to become the most efficient hotel in the world,” said HTB president Hideo Sawada. The 72-room hotel will feature three types of rooms—standard, superior and deluxe. A wide range of price points will be available, but rooms can only be reserved by the highest bidder. For instance, standard single rooms will range from ¥7,000~14,000 per night (¥11,000~31,000 per night during peak season). The first auction will begin on Feb. 1 Source: Nishinippon Shimbun 1/28
