10__ The Book Hotel
Accommodation with a bedtime book
What gives more pleasure than reading a good book? What could be better than immersing yourself in a story and not putting the book down until you have read the very last page? And where, except within your own four walls, do you have the opportunity today to leaf through a book without any inhibitions? Such a place, where lovers of reading can devote themselves undisturbed to their pastime, was created in 2015, when the Book and Bed Hotel opened in Ikebukuro. The idea behind this guesthouse is described as ‘an overnight stay in a bookshop’. However, you can’t buy the books. The phrase was coined simply to describe the atmosphere. On the long wall of shelves that rise from the floor to the ceiling there is space for up to 3,000 books and mangas. This assortment of literature includes reading matter in various languages, and the collection is growing constantly. Guests can settle down comfortably with their book on a broad settee, or talk with their friends there, or strike up a conversation with other guests. There is no official bedtime at the Book and Bed. When your eyelids start to droop, you simply withdraw into your sleeping capsule, which is behind the wall of books, or to the dormitory. A 24-hour supermarket in the same building and a neighbourhood bakery, which sells fresh rolls until two o’clock in the morning, ensure that you don’t go hungry late at night. But don’t expect to be spoiled at the Book and Bed. You will find neither single rooms with their own bathroom nor luxurious beds. To compensate, guests enjoy the ultimate reading experience. The price of an overnight stay is no higher than in a youth hostel, and free WiFi is part of the service. Guests who don’t want a bed for the night but would like to stay in the reading room for a while or rest in the dormitory are also welcome to do this for a modest charge. 28
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