Surprising Things About a Tiny Home Hotel in Germany

I’d never stayed in a tiny home remotely resembling this tubular shape before. Even a livable barrel I booked in Switzerland wasn’t quite as unique, given its one-story layout inside.

I was surprised by the home’s shape and excited by the prospect of sleeping in a tiny space fashioned like a standing cylinder.

When I arrived at the tiny home by train from the airport in Berlin, there didn’t seem to be any employees on the property.

An email from Slube informed me I’d be staying in room five and could check in by myself. This immediately surprised me because, in the past, a host has always either met me or provided directions on where to access a key on the property.

Instead, I checked into my Slube with a code sent to my phone. It was a pleasant surprise that I didn’t have to keep track of a key during my stay for the first time.

Once inside, I found that the Slube had additional smart features I hadn’t seen before. I controlled the lights and temperature of each story of the home from my phone, which I accessed from my web browser. This made my stay feel a little more luxurious than expected since I didn’t ever have to get out of bed to adjust either control.

Each story was 53 square feet. The first level included the bathroom, a sitting area with a fold-out table and coffee nook, and a ladder to the second lofted floor, where I’d be sleeping.

This was my first time climbing a ladder in a tiny home to reach my bed (save for upper train bunks). I thought climbing was easy, but it could be challenging for some.

There was a latched gate at the top of the ladder, which I imagine was built to keep people safe from falling. This made me feel like a kid in a playhouse, which was fun.

After staying in tiny spaces so often, I no longer expect to have a nightstand to store my electronics and water bottle. And this bedroom was smaller than most I’ve slept in.

So I was surprised when I spotted a lower platform surrounding the bed that doubled as a nightstand. It had easily accessible outlets, a pocket for the TV remote, and more space for my belongings, including my water bottle.

This saved me from having to go down the ladder every time I was thirsty, which I appreciated.

Since the home was tinier than others I’ve stayed in, I knew the bathroom would likely be smaller than most.

I was initially concerned that I might feel as cramped as I did in Amtrak’s sleeper train bedroom, where the shower head was above the same space as the toilet.

To my surprise, the bathroom felt spacious. It was designed unlike any I’d seen, with a shower curtain separating the shower head and sink from the toilet and storage space. I thought the shower was positioned far enough away from the toilet to make them feel like two separate rooms.

When I stay in tiny homes, I always appreciate letting in as much natural light as possible because it makes the space feel bigger.

But I often stay close to busy streets or other homes and prefer to shut the window curtains for privacy, leaving me in a tight, dark space.

Since this was a hotel with other tiny homes close to mine, I expected a similar scenario. That’s why I was surprised when all the windows on the first floor had a film covering most of the glass, allowing me to let light in without worrying that other guests could see inside.

I had never seen this in a tiny home before, and I loved not having to sacrifice natural light for privacy. I thought it was a great tool that could be applied to any home in proximity to other people.

I thought these surprising attributes made this tiny home feel more comfortable than most while leaving no space unused. I fully recommend it to tiny space enthusiasts like me around the world.