Pepper is a robot sold by Tokyo-based company Softbank. (Photo : Reuters)
A planned hotel in Japan's Nagasaki Prefecture will soon be the first in the world almost completely staffed by human-looking robots.
The hotel will be named "Henn-na Hotel", which weirdly enough translates into Strange Hotel, said CNN. It will be located in Huis Ten Bosch, a theme park modeled after The Netherlands in Nagasaki.
The first phase of the two-story hotel will open on July 17 with 72 rooms. The second phrase will open in 2016 and will also have 72 rooms.
What will catch the attention of its customers and guests will be the Strange Hotels robot staff. The first robots visitors will see are three "actroids" or human-looking robots that will act as receptionists.
The actroids will be able to engage in intelligent conversations with human guests. They can speak in Japanese, English, Korean and Chinese. They will have the ability to gesture with their hands and make eye contact.
The hotel will also have four service and porter robots plus other robots that clean and do menial tasks. There will be 10 human employees at the hotel for guests that want a human touch, said Endgadget.
Strange Hotel has built robots instead of hiring people to keep costs down. Its aim is to become the most futuristic low-cost hotel in the industry, said Huis Ten Bosch president Hideo Sawada.
"We'll make the most efficient hotel in the world," Sawada said.
He hopes robots will eventually run 90 percent of the hotel.
"In the future, we're hoping to build 1,000 similar hotels around the world," says Sawada, as quoted by Nikkei News.
Room rates will vary depending on demand and guests will bid for rooms during peak season. The highest bidders will secure rooms.
Room fees at opening will be from $60 for a single room. A triple room will cost $153, which is the highest possible price after bidding. Superior and deluxe rooms are more expensive.
Guests can reserve rooms online through the hotel's website.
