Tourism company Jucy Group is eyeing Queenstown for its second "pod'' hotel.
It has begun building a 282-bed "Jucy Snooze'' hotel next to Christchurch Airport that will feature fibreglass and steel capsules for budget travellers.
Chief executive Tim Alpe told the Otago Daily Times Queenstown was "definitely next cab on the rank'' and Jucy had been looking for a suitable site near the CBD for a while.
If the right location was found, a pod hotel of a similar scale to that in Christchurch could be operating as soon as next year.
"We've got a couple of options we're looking at.
"If one of those comes to fruition, we'll be moving very quickly on securing that and rolling this concept out.''
The pod concept, which the company believed was a first for New Zealand, was a response to feedback from customers, Mr Alpe said.
"Queenstown is a hugely popular destination with the budget traveller sector, and we know accommodation is very tight and capacity is an issue, especially over the summer period.''
The resort was already a major hub for the company, with the head office for its Milford Sound boat cruise business located there, along with its vehicle rental operation near Queenstown Airport.
The company says the Christchurch hotel will be the most technologically advanced in the country when it opens late this year.
The side-entry pods will be two metres long, 950mm high, and 1050mm wide, and cost $30 for an overnight stay or $20 for a two-hour stay.
Guests will be able to use a smartphone app to check in and open and secure their rooms, while each pod will have a tablet PC.
