Hotels & Accommodations
First Luxury Capsule Hotel in Hawaii Offers Affordable Luxury in Waikiki, Aiming to Attract Travelers Across the Globe, Here’s The New Updates
Monday, July 7, 2025
Hawaii has luxury resorts and beautiful beaches, but a new form of accommodation is going to shake up the traditional Hawaiian hotel experience. The first luxury capsule hotel in Hawaii, First Cabin International Hawaii, has just opened its doors to its facilities in the 14th floor in the Waikiki Business Plaza. With its unique blend of affordability, privacy, and comfort, the hotel is designed to respond to the increasing demand for budget-conscious travelers, primarily coming from Japan. This newest accommodation concept is a disruptor for travelers looking for a space-saving and budget-conscious means to spend time in one of the globe’s most desirable vacation destinations.
A New Concept: Aspiring to Compete with First-Class Airplane Suites
This concept of a capsule hotel is not a new one in Japan as capsule hotels have already long offered an inexpensive and convenient means by which people may travel. First Cabin International has taken this concept to a higher level by offering a first-class experience in the form of a compact and streamlined space. The hotel takes its cue from first-class airplane cabins with its provision of comfort and privacy in an unusual manifestation that hotel rooms themselves cannot always provide.
At First Cabin International Hawaii, you can stay in three classes: premium economy, business class, and first class. These rooms or “cabins” are space-maximized yet installed with facilities typically found in deluxe hotels, which is perfect for tourists and locals intending to have something unique in Waikiki.
Affordable Luxury in Waikiki
One of First Cabin International Hawaii’s biggest attractions is its affordable price. While hundreds of dollars per night is the nightly price of most Waikiki hotels, First Cabin’s cost is roughly \$120 per night, offering a budget-friendly alternative for individuals wishing to experience the wonders of Hawaii without paying an arm and a leg. This is especially appealing to Japanese travelers, who have experienced escalating travel costs due to the sinking yen. In offering reasonable prices, the hotel aims to attract more individuals to the islands, even individuals formerly priced out by mass-market accommodations.
In addition to enticing Japanese tourists, the hotel has attracted the attention of Japanese residents who want to experience the unique concept. First Cabin International’s price system is designed in a way to appeal to both temporary tourists and those seeking a unique local staycation. The price flexibility allows tourists to have their Hawaiian vacation with absolutely no economic stress related to luxury hotels.
The Capsule Experience: Comfort and Efficiency
First Cabin International Hawaii rooms are private and comfortable in a compact area. The most limited among the cabins are the two-high premium economy pods with 30 square feet of area. Despite their compact area, the cabins are completely equipped with facilities a traveler may require to have a comfortable stay like a flat-screen TV, Wi-Fi connectivity, single-sized bed, compact security lockbox, and an emergency button to feel safe and secure. The stacked-up two-high premium economy pods provide passengers with a cozy area that is perfect for sleeping, relaxing, and unwinding.
And for those guests needing a little more space again, the business class cabins offer 27 square feet of space with a single bed and more space to move about in luxury. But the crowning jewel at this hotel is the first-class cabins. These spacious rooms with 47 square feet provide the most space to move and are the only rooms in the hotel in which you’re able to stand up within them. These cabins prove best for those guests arriving in pairs or parties because these occupy a section with just a few cabins.
A Convenient Location in the Heart of Waikiki
Its strategic location is also a major attraction at First Cabin International Hawaii. In the 14th floor of the Waikiki Business Plaza, the hotel is in close walking proximity to various major attractions in Honolulu, specifically the world-class Waikiki Beach, Diamond Head, and International Market Place. Its guests will have the privilege to easily gain access to various restaurants, shopping centers, and recreational facilities within this populous area.
Travelers looking for activities outdoors will discover the hotel close to walking trails, water activities, and cultural landmarks. The hotel’s ideal location enables travelers to take in all that Honolulu has to offer and still return to a clean and affordable hotel to unwind after a day exploring.
Up-to-date Amenities and Shared Spaces
Even though the private pods provide a safe and comfortable space to sleep, First Cabin International Hawaii also has a few common facilities which make it a good choice among social travelers. The hotel has a common dining space with kitchenette that has microwave, toaster oven, coffee machine, and sink and travelers can have their meals or have a cup of coffee. The hotel has a self-service laundry space and saunas and locker areas to store luggage.
There are communal areas to allow the feeling of community where people can mix and share their holiday experiences with each other. The hotel also has state-of-the-art security with 24-hour cameras and an in-house emergency call button in every room to ensure people feel safe and secure at all times while in residence.
Concerns: Parking and Accessibility
One possible deterrent when staying at First Cabin International Hawaii is the parking cost. While the hotel does have parking at the Waikiki Business Plaza, parking is \$3 every 30 minutes or \$75 a day and adds up quickly. This may cause tourists to utilize public transportation or even ride-hail and consider nearby parking locations in their choices.
But due to its location in the center of Waikiki, several guests can choose to skip renting a car and explore the area either while walking or through the easily available means of public transportation. Its proximity to beaches and major attractions makes the hotel a good choice for pedestrians and public transportation commuters.
A New Era in Hawaii’s Hospitality Industry
First Cabin International Hawaii is a disruptive force in the hotel industry in Hawaii. Its low cost and unique capsule hotel concept are compelling to travelers across a wide budget and interest spectrum, both price-conscious tourists and long-time residents eager to experience something different. Proving that this hotel is able to offer an indigenous and modern Hawaiian experience makes it a standout in a crowded market.
As Hawaii’s economy expands further, First Cabin International is well positioned to attract international visitors, in particular budget-minded travelers looking for luxury accommodation within one of America’s most popular tourist centers. For weekend getaway or longer vacation, the hotel offers a unique solution that balances luxury, discretion, and value in the midst of Waikiki.
Conclusion
First Cabin International Hawaii introduces a new generation of lodgings in Hawaii and offers travelers a compact yet sophisticated experience. Cheap prices, modern facilities, and a prime location right in the midst ofWaikiki make the hotel poised to attract a diverse group of individuals ranging from international travelers to local residents in need of a unique vacation respite. As more individuals travel to Hawaii in the forthcoming decades, the capsule hotel concept can gain traction with individuals looking to experience the islands at a cost far less than mainstream hotels demand.
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New Delhi, 18th July 2025: The Oberoi Group is proud to announce that Oberoi Hotels & Resorts has been voted the ‘Best Hotel Group in the World’ at the prestigious Telegraph Travel Awards 2025, UK. In addition, The Oberoi Luxury Nile Cruisers have been awarded the title of ‘Best River Cruise Line’, marking a significant dual achievement for the Group on the international stage.
Organised by The Telegraph, one of the UK’s most respected publications, the Telegraph Travel Awards are among the industry’s most trusted accolades, recognising excellence in global travel and tourism. This year’s awards were based on the votes of over 20,000 readers from across the world, making them a powerful testament to guest loyalty and satisfaction.
These honours are a testament to Oberoi Hotels & Resorts’ enduring commitment to excellence, sincere hospitality, and the art of creating personalised experiences in some of the world’s most iconic destinations. The recognition of The Oberoi Luxury Nile Cruisers further underscores the Group’s expertise in crafting timeless journeys along the storied waters of the Nile.”
Mr. Arjun Oberoi, Executive Chairman, The Oberoi Group, said, “It is a tremendous honour to be recognised by the readers of The Telegraph, UK. These awards are a testament to the passion and commitment of our teams who consistently deliver exceptional guest experiences with sincerity and grace. We remain deeply grateful to our guests for their trust and continued patronage.”
Mr. Vikram Oberoi, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, The Oberoi Group, further added: “We are proud to represent India on the global stage and remain committed to showcasing the timeless charm of Indian hospitality. Whether it is our iconic hotels or our Luxury Nile cruisers in Egypt, every Oberoi experience is guided by a philosophy of personalised service, attention to detail, and a deep sense of care.”
As The Oberoi Group celebrates 90 years of excellence, it continues to expand its presence with a series of landmark developments. This milestone year marks the much-anticipated opening of The Oberoi Rajgarh Palace, Khajuraho and the introduction of two Oberoi Nile Dahabeyas—bringing a new chapter of luxury and elegance to river cruising in Egypt. Earlier this year, the debut of The Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort added a new dimension to India’s luxury landscape. Complementing these developments is the recent announcement of Elements by Oberoi—a Group-wide initiative that deepens its commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, setting new benchmarks for thoughtful luxury.
Hotels & Accommodations
ITC Hotels shares rise for third day; Elara Securities reaffirms ‘Accumulate’ rating
The company posted a strong 54% year-on-year (YoY) growth in net profit for Q1FY26, with profit attributable to shareholders rising to Rs 133 crore from Rs 87 crore a year earlier. Revenue from operations also increased 15.5% to Rs 816 crore, compared to Rs 706 crore in Q1FY25.
In its research note, Elara Securities said, “ITC Hotels reported a better-than-expected Q1, driven by a 300bps increase in occupancy. The ramp-up in occupancy at ITC Ratnadipa led to stronger operating leverage. Higher other income—42% above expectations—contributed to the PAT beat. ARR grew 8% YoY to Rs 10,822, resulting in a 13% rise in RevPAR.”
Elara added, “ITCHOTEL enjoys a 34% RevPAR premium over the industry. At ITC Ratnadipa, occupancy is ramping up well, delivering an 80% RevPAR growth in Sri Lankan Rupee terms. With a continued scale-up at Ratnadipa (operations commenced in April 2024) and other recently launched hotels—25% of inventory still operating below 75% occupancy—along with rising ARR, we expect double-digit RevPAR growth to continue. We raise our SoTP-based target price to Rs 256 from Rs 225, valuing the hotel business at 28x Q1FY28E EV/EBITDA and Sapphire Residences at 1x NAV. Maintain Accumulate.”
On the technical front, the daily Relative Strength Index (RSI-14) for the stock stands at 73.5. An RSI above 70 typically indicates overbought conditions, suggesting the stock has witnessed a strong rally and may be due for near-term consolidation or profit booking.
(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)
Hotels & Accommodations
Know How DirectBooker Challenges Booking.com and Expedia: AI-Powered Hotel Booking Startup Takes on OTAs, Here’s More Only For You
Friday, July 18, 2025
Now, in a courageous initiative set to shake up the tourism market, industry heavyweights with a background in tech are backing a bold new startup, DirectBooker. Former Tripadvisor CEO Steve Kaufer and former Google Travel chief Richard Holden have come together to create a company that aims to take on traditional online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Booking. com and Expedia, by plugging hotel listings directly into artificial intelligence (AI) models like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Their goal is to change the way travelers search and book for lodgings, and even remove the middlemen — OTAs, which have been dominating the market for so many years.
A new trend among the destinations where technology and innovation are changing how the customer experiences come to town. In particular, the ability to use AI and large language models (LLMs) to improve the hotel booking process could have a significant impact on the way that consumers interact with travel services, potentially making hotel booking quicker, more personalized and even cheaper.
Inspiration for DirectBooker can be found at a time when travelers increasingly demand more direct, easier, and more personalized booking choices. In eliminating the OTAs, which have long charged hotels a hefty commission, the startup hopes to offer both customers and hoteliers a cheaper and more direct way to book and list stays.
DirectBooker Steps to the Plate: the ambitious plan to cover the hotel market
The premise behind DirectBooker is pretty simple if equal part audacious. It is aimed at making the ecosystem more efficient, by cutting out the middle man, working directly with hotels and using AI tools to distribute hotel listings. For now, most travelers book through OTAs like Booking. com and hotels.com as well as Expedia and Airbnb to secure a place to stay. These are some of the most popular platforms in the industry, but they all have major downsides, such as large commissions, opaque pricing and limited control over the customer experience for hotels.
With DirectBooker, hotels could potentially avoid intermediaries and directly list their rooms with AI like ChatGPT. This would allowing travelers to query AI-enabled platforms for its best suggestions, according to their needs (i.e. location, price range, amenities), but then book directly with the hotel. The founders think this will result in more price transparency, better service to the customer and less dependence on those OTAs.
Linking hotel inventory directly to AI platforms, DirectBooker could also enable more personalised recommendations on the basis of, for example, a traveller’s bespoke requirements, something mobile OTAs with their broad search algorithms can often fail to deliver.
How AI is Influencing the Future of Hotel Bookings
Using A.I. to help people book hotels isn’t necessarily a new concept. But the fact that DirectBooker wants to plug directly into AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini, says that a new phase in the rise of the personalized travel experience is on the rise. Artificial Intelligence has potential to transform the way we look for travel experiences with customized suggestions using a traveler’s history, preferences, even mood all given in the moment.
For example: someone could ask their AI assistant, “Show me a beachfront hotel in Goa for under ₹10,000 a night”, and the system would respond with personalized results across availability, cost, and user reviews. It wouldn’t just make booking easier, it would give travelers the chance to see more and make a decision, rather than being bound by what are essentially the limited options traditional OTAs provide.
Moreover, AI can greatly improve the traveler’s experience by offering them the latest information on hotel availability, promotions, and even live customer support. It might even provide more travel-specific recommendations: say, a good local restaurant and a nearby attraction or two, cementing a more complete travel itinerary. With the development of AI coming along at an unprecedented place, platforms like DirectBooker are going to become even more fantastic and integrated solutions.
The Battle Against OTAs
The main problem for DirectBooker?…legacy OTAs like Booking. com, which have spent years fostering relations with both hotels and travelers. OTAs enjoy brand awareness, user confidence, and global reach as huge edge. For DirectBooker to work, it will need hotels to believe it’s better to skip OTAs. This entails removing potential fear of loss of exposure, as so many lodging companies are dependent on the wide advertising reach OTAs provide across international markets.
“It will not be easy,” admits Sanjay Vakil, co-founder and CEO of DirectBooker. “The default is going to be for the OTAs to win again,” he said. “And I’d like to pre-empt that result. “But it’s going to be more than three people to do that, so we’re looking to grow a little bit.”
Vakil, who has a history of working in product management after time at Google Travel and Tripadvisor, is running off the bat to make DirectBooker a big contender. The dream of the team is to ensure it is a win-win situation for the hoteliers and the traveler – it is a more transparent and affordable option compared to OTAs and also a better option as far as the experience of the traveler is concerned.
Effects on the Tourism Sector
For tourism and hospitality industry the appearance of DirectBooker may have huge consequences! In the short term, you might see another example of the ways hotels are being forced to change as they start to circumvent OTAs for bookings, choosing to deal with customers directly, rather than using the OTAs to make hotel reservations. That would mean reduced costs for hotels, and possibly cheaper stays for travelers, as the middleman is cut out.
Additionally, booking systems underpinned by AI are set to make the market even more competitive, making it simpler for consumers to find the exact type of accommodation to suit their individual requirements. That in turn could force traditional OTAs to up their game, enhance their own offerings and remain competitive. With advances in AI in the future, we can only imagine more innovation in the form of how users are introduced to and paying for their trips with more integrated experiences across AI platforms, mobile apps and website interfaces.
It is also a great solution from tourism’s point of view – more individual offers, (hopefully) lower prices and custom made travel. It could also serve to further guide hotels to better serve the increasing demand for sustainable and responsible travel through eco-friendly lodging, local sustainability initiatives, and the like.
Potential Risks and Concerns
But as promising as it is, there are several downsides to the way DirectBooker is doing things. And privacy could become an issue if AI systems get too embroiled in the personal lives of travelers, slurping up information about preferences, habits, and even behavioral tics. Only if hotels and guests can be reassured that their data is in good hands will all this computational power be harnessed for good. There’s also the concern that AI booking might further reinforce algorithmic decision-making about travel, shutting out a broad variety of options and experiences for how and where to travel.
And hotel chains and other industry giants may be unwilling to adopt such a drastic shift, especially if they perceive that the move frays relationships with OTAs that they already have or upsets their conventional methods of doing business.
Conclusion: A New Chapter in the Hotel and Travel Industry
As DirectBooker gears up to shake things up, the future of hotel booking seems set for a shake up. By using AI and partnering directly with hotels, the startup hopes to create a faster, more transparent and more personalized travel experience for customers. The challenges are a lot, but the team behind DirectBooker has the experience and vision to turnaround the tourism industry.
With the travel industry landscape in constant flux, services such as DirectBooker could be opening the door for a new generation of travellers that have come to expect convenience, customisation and value for money from their travel providers. It may be the start of a long-needed move away from old, commission-bloated booking systems toward a future where travelers have more control over, and flexibility in, selecting the ideal accommodations.
References:
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (UK) Tourism Reports, Indian Ministry of Tourism, European Commission on Digital Innovation in Tourism, US Department of Commerce, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
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