I spent 2 nights in a tiny home hotel in Germany. 7 things surprised me about the 2-story, 100-square-foot house.

The author enjoys her stay in the European tiny home.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderI've stayed in small spaces around the world, from tiny homes to trailers and train sleeper cabins.With a surprising design and clever storage hacks, a tiny home in Germany impressed me most of all.The 100-square-foot space was a two-story, tube-shaped home that felt unexpectedly spacious.There's something extra satisfying about occupying a space that is so efficiently used. Seeing clever storage hacks and multipurpose furniture that make a tiny home feel larger is like visual ASMR to me.That's why I stay in little accommodations around the world — from a lifeguard tower in Miami, to sleeper train cabins in the US and Europe, to an Airstream trailer in Austria.But I don't think any of those past stays were as impressive as a tiny home hotel in Germany that I booked for two nights in 2022. The $70-a-night accommodation surprised me with its design, technology, and space-saving solutions.When searching for a place to stay outside Berlin, I was intrigued by a 100-square-foot home I found on Airbnb in Neustrelitz.Slube, a tiny home hotel in Neustrelitz, Germany.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderThe accommodation was part of a tiny home hotel called Slube, which designs minimal, concrete "Slubes" for up to two people, according to the company's website.Slube has three locations around Germany. The location in Neustrelitz has 10 accommodations.There are three types of Slubes: Basic, which is one story; Home, which is two stories; and Tower, which adds a rooftop terrace.I booked a Slube Home for two nights for $140. It was 16 feet tall with two floors totaling 106 square feet. It had a lounging area, a bathroom, and a loft bedroom. It was smaller than any tiny home I'd booked in the US.The concept of a tiny cylindrical home was completely new to me.The interior and exterior of the author's accommodation.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderI'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. Upon arrival, I was surprised that the home had high-tech features I'd never seen before, from checking in with my phone to controlling the room temperature from bed.Smart controls on the author's phone.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderWhen 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.It was my first time staying in a tiny home with a ladder.A view from the top of the ladder.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderEach 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.Upstairs, I wasn't expecting to have a nightstand in a 53-square-foot bedroom.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderAfter 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.Back downstairs, the bathroom didn't feel as cramped as I thought it would.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderSince 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.On the first floor, I was surprised I didn't have to sacrifice privacy to let natural light in through the windows.Windows in the tiny home.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderWhen 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.As I checked out, I thought that somehow, the tiniest home I'd ever experienced was also among the most comfortable, and that was the most surprising part.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderI 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. Read the original article on Business Insider

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I lived 2,000 miles away from my dying mother. I traveled to her as often as I could, but caregiving took its toll on my family.

I spent 2 nights in a tiny home hotel in Germany. 7 things surprised me about the 2-story, 100-square-foot house.

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