Photo/Illutration The check-in counter at Hotel B4T Iwaki in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, on Jan. 12 (Takemichi Nishibori)

IWAKI, Fukushima Prefecture--Guests checking into a new hotel run by East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) that opened near Iwaki Station here on Jan. 15 may find there is no soul in sight. 

They will find nothing at the check-in counter at the self-service, remotely operated hotel beyond machines that resemble an ATM.

Guests can check in by scanning either their pre-registered Suica--a JR East prepaid e-money card--or their smartphone with a Suica function.

The same goes for checking out. It is the first hotel where guests can check in and out using Suica, which also works as a room key.

The hotel is part of a commercial complex connected to the station building.

S-PAL Iwaki, which comprises 12 souvenir shops and eateries, occupies the first to the third floors.

Hotel B4T Iwaki is located from the fourth to the 10th floors. Guests can also pay their bill by cash or credit card.

Other similar mobile transportation cards such as Pasmo cannot be used as a room key.

The hotel only accepts reservations through the internet, such as its website and websites of some tour agencies.

The cheapest rooms are the 96 accommodations on the fourth floor, which start from 3,800 yen ($29).

The rooms are a cabin type, resembling a sleeper train, and guests sleep on a loft bed.

There is a separate area for female guests.

Other rooms offer single beds that start from 6,000 yen. Twin beds start from 14,000 yen.

The hotel has 227 rooms. Guests are expected to eat at S-PAL.

They can choose either a Japanese or Western-style breakfast at a restaurant operated by Spa Resort Hawaiians, a hot spring leisure facility in Iwaki. There is also a seafood restaurant.

There are some staff on duty, though they do not show themselves to the guests.

However, if there is a problem or question, a guest can talk with the staff by scanning a QR code in their room with their smartphone.

JR East has treated Iwaki as an important gateway to Tohoku region’s coastal areas since 2020, when its Joban Line resumed its full operations.

The line was damaged by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.

JR East expects the hotel to receive many guests, including people who are connected to the reconstruction business and reactor-decommissioning work.

By remotely operating the reservation system and managing the facility, the hotel can cut payroll costs and keep prices low while still offering necessary room amenities, JR East said.

The company said it plans to operate similar hotels in Tokyo.

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