AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND—Jucy, based here, has opened the first in a multimillion-dollar chain of pod hotels in Christchurch.

The 271-bed micro-accommodation concept was launched to help relieve the chronic room shortage in Christchurch, according to the company. The self-contained accommodation capsules or pods feature beds, storage lockers a power supply and WiFi connectivity. The new short-stay pods offer low-cost accommodations close to the airport.

Jucy CEO Tim Alpe said there has already been strong interest in the hotel with 600 international bookings secured a month before its launch. “We set about challenging the traditional service model of hotels, completely redesigning it to remove the barriers guests commonly encounter. In one example, our research found that hotels were inadvertently causing bottlenecks for their reception staff by forcing guests to leave at the same time,” Alpe said. “Any time when customers need to queue to pay their bill creates the potential for customer satisfaction to be diminished. We wanted the first and last impression our guests have to be one of efficiency and convenience.”

While the Jucy Snooze target market is primarily backpackers, room layouts have also been designed to cater to budget travelers, families and baby boomers.

The Jucy Snooze pod prices start at $39. According to the company, the pricing model is designed to offer flexibility to accommodate tourists wanting to stay overnight, or a reduced rate for those who just want a few hours sleep between connecting flights.

Alpe said construction will begin shortly on a five-story Jucy Snooze in Queenstown with plans underway to roll the concept out in other locations across New Zealand and Australia, as well as other global markets—including the U.S.—in the future.