I spent a night in a capsule hotel in Japan. It was cheap, but it was also some of the worst sleep I had on my 14-day trip.

• Capsule hotels originated in Japan, so I insisted on staying in one on my first trip to the country. 
• The capsule I slept in was small but also affordable.
• I’d likely pay a bit more for a hotel next time, but I don’t regret trying out the unusual experience.

Capsule hotels fascinate me. As a traveler, they combine both my biggest desires and largest fears.

First, they’re cheap. They typically cost the same as a hostel, but they offer the privacy most hostels lack.

However, I also think capsule hotels have an eerie resemblance to coffins. The idea of being claustrophobic in a tiny rectangular box is something from my nightmares.

Unfortunately, my budget (or lack of one) wins, and if I were ever going to sleep in a capsule hotel, Japan would be the place.