Accommodation types: Bus   Capsule   Moving
Rotel - The German Bus HotelRotel  

Capsule hotels are in vogue right now. The German tour company Rotel was always ahead of the game by providing capsule hotels on wheels since 1945.

No matter how much you enjoy staying in a five-star hotel, you will always be stationary, trapped in one district. So, to feed your sense of novelty and adventure, you decide to book yourself on a Rotel bus.

What next? Well, first, you choose your tour from hundreds of options all around the world. If the wilds of Africa are not your thing, perhaps the vast planes of central Russia are. Or maybe the frozen wilderness of the Arctic will appeal, or what about exotic Ecuador?

On the bus, you ride in passenger seats during the day and sleep in 6x6x3ft capsules at night. There is a large kitchen on board for food, but you may have to go a few days until you reach a shower as there is no one on the bus.

But who could complain about the smell of unwashed passengers when you wake up in a new and exciting location every day?

PRICE FROM $730

The idea is fifty years old but just as brilliant today. The long time since it started indicates that the concept is a commercial success.

Rotel in desert

Today, Rotel Tours offers as many as 3,400 beds on wheels and annually logs around 600,000 overnight stays.

Rotel bus in the desert

Rotel is a combination of a tourist bus and a hotel. Even while you are "sitting in your room," you discover parts of the world you have never seen before.

Rotel crossing the river
3 storey bus

The journey will take you through winding roads, some of them so dangerous that without a professional driver, it would be too risky to take.

Rotel on dangerous roads

But every once in a while, the people onboard the bus can ask the driver to take a well-deserved stop to enjoy the cliffside panorama and relax.

Dangerous road

Another advantage of taking a sleeper bus all over the world is it can stop at some of the most famous sights, and you can enjoy the view from the window without needing to mingle with the average tourist.

Rotel in India

The offroad setup of the bus allows for taking routes that are not feasible for regular vehicles.

In the desert

The Rotel tour will take you through rugged terrain off the beaten path.

Rotel between rocky mountains
Time for a stop to enjoy the view
Rotel in Namibia

The destinations are often far off the beaten track and wide tourist paths. You are offered considerably more comfort and safety than if you were to wander around with a tent on your back.

Rotel Tours - Das Rollende Hotel - glance at the locals and their camels

Guests should not expect five-star luxury at the Rotel. There is no shower, but there is a toilet on the bus. A camping kitchen can also be used while it's stationary.

Stop at a camp

The organization uses existing campsites as much as possible, but this is not always possible in remote areas. The travel organization is active in Africa, Europe, and Asia, and the destinations are often exotic and rural.

Road to the high mountains

If more than 24 passengers come along, a trailer can be attached to the bus where you can stay overnight.

Rotel in the nature
Stop to meet the locals
African tribe

The typical Rotel bus travels with between 20 and 40 tourists. It usually has 22 passenger seats and 24 rooms, including one for the driver and one for the tour guide.

African tribe and Rotel
Rotel and the mountains in the background
Mount Everest

The bus stops as often as possible at places where you can have a shower. On certain nights, you will also have the opportunity to spend the night in a normal hotel room.

A quick stop in Fatehpur Sikri, India
Crossing on a boat

And if the bus gets in trouble, you and your fellow travelers will work as a team to get through challenging adventures.

People help Rotel to move after it got stuck
Relaxing in the shade of rotel
Camping

You get your own little crawl space - about 3.3 feet (1 meter) high but with ample width - where you can spend the nights in a little more comfort than in a tent.

Rotel room
Camping with Rotel
Preparing the food
video
PRICE FROM $730
Herrenstraße 11, 94104 Tittling, Germany
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