SODA packs 566 sleeping pods into Soho hostel conversion

London studio SODA has converted a backpacker hostel into Otherwander Soho, a 566-pod capsule hotel spread across two early 20th-century buildings near Oxford Street.

The project combines the sleeping pods, which the hotel calls "nests", with vibrantly coloured social spaces aimed at young travellers and anyone seeking budget-friendly accommodation in central London. SODA oversaw both architecture and interiors.

"The aim was to provide affordable, high-density accommodation without compromising the guest experience," SODA director Ryan Holland told Dezeen.

"The original target demographic was primarily Gen Z and younger independent travellers who are design-conscious and prioritise location and experience," Holland continued. "However, our intention was always to create a design which felt inclusive to all demographics, and we're now finding that the hotel has a much broader appeal to all sorts of age groups who equally want well-designed, affordable accommodation in central London."

Pod hotels — compact rows of stacked sleeping spaces with shared bathrooms and social areas instead of ensuite rooms — first appeared in Osaka in 1979 and are now spreading through cities worldwide. Holland argues the model fits London's economics.

"Pods make central city locations more affordable in a city where space and hotel costs are exceptionally high," he said. "The model particularly suits short stays and travellers who intend to experience the city rather than spend significant time in their room."

Heritage buildings, contemporary rear extension

SODA focused on preserving, retaining and connecting the pair of heritage buildings on Dean Street while adding a rear extension. The extension replaces what the studio called a "low-quality post-war addition" to the site and houses the hotel's fully accessible accommodation and facilities, since complex stepped connections were unavoidable in the existing buildings.

The new block takes visual cues from Soho's brick buildings, with hand-laid arched details and corbelled window reveals.

Inside, guests enter through the Gallery: a glossy, white-walled lobby with a giant digital screen, automated QR-code check-in and e-gates. The QR codes form part of a wider tech-first strategy that keeps staffing to a minimum. SODA developed this approach through workshops with young people, who gave feedback on how they like to travel and helped the studio "fine-tune the balance between privacy, sociability and automation".

Beyond the Gallery lie the ground-floor social spaces, named the Huddle. Pink and green banquette seating and a horseshoe-shaped neon bar give the space what the studio describes as a cocooning feel. From there, guests reach the pods by lift or via a five-storey staircase that changes colour as it ascends.

"This layout developed from the challenge of connecting existing buildings with differing floor levels, while creating clear circulation and keeping guest, public and servicing routes separate," said Holland.

The pods occupy the four upper floors and the basement, with bathrooms and supporting facilities distributed across each level. Each nest matches the width of its single or double bed and sits in double-stacked bays of four with integrated stairs. Accessed by QR code, every pod is acoustically isolated, individually ventilated, illuminated, serviced and controlled.

Male, female and unisex bathrooms come fitted with multiple rain showers and vanity areas. Terrazzo finishes add what SODA said is a contemporary feel that "exceeds typical traveller expectations".

Colour as wayfinding

A bold use of colour throughout runs through both the interior design and the wayfinding strategy, giving the hotel a youthful character while helping guests orient themselves.

"Colour lighting effects also create a futuristic atmosphere that shifts in response to the time and mood of the space, from a quiet Tuesday morning to a dynamic Soho Friday night," said Holland.

Otherwander Soho joins a growing crop of capsule hotels worldwide, from Schemata Architects' overhauled Nine Hours in Shibuya to SODA's own recent conversion of a London Art Deco landmark into a workspace punctuated by a raspberry-red spiral staircase. The project signals how London's heritage stock and premium rents are pushing high-density, tech-driven hospitality formats into the city centre.