Kepler Club at the Airport in Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, and Riga

I first encountered the Kepler Club on my return flight from the Baltics at Riga Airport. And ever since I stayed in this amazing airport capsule hotel, I’ve wanted nothing more than for every airport worldwide to be legally required to have a Kepler Hotel!

Girl at the airport — So, what time is your flight leaving?
(Image by Jan Vašek from Pixabay)

Sleeping at the RIX Airport in Riga

AirBaltic often flies at truly inhumane hours. Either you land so late that all you find is the cleaning crew. Or you have to queue at check-in before the first crow of the rooster. A while ago, when I was in Riga for the first time, I almost missed my flight because the lines were already endless at 6 a.m. It pretty much takes away any desire to travel.

So this time, when I came across Kepler while looking for accommodation near the airport, I pricked up my ears. This hotel seemed to be directly connected to the airport building. And there seemed to be one before and one behind the check-in area. What was that all about?

Kepler

Well, it turns out that the Kepler Club at Riga Airport* actually offers two comfortable facilities. One is located landside before the security checkpoint. The airside version is already in the transit area, hence, behind the security checkpoint.

Both Kepler Clubs are hybrids of capsule hotels, lounges, and business zones. Travellers seeking comfort, relaxation, or space for focused work directly within the airport will love Kepler!

Kepler Club Capsule Hotel in Riga — Even though you sleep next to each other, you don’t hear a thing from your neighbors.

Regardless of location, both Kepler Clubs offer a range of identical services. The vital component is soundproofed sleeping cabins. Those contain ergonomic beds and all sorts of extras such as smart TVs with Netflix, integrated tablets for room control, Wi-Fi, and a ventilation system. Spacious shower rooms provide towels and toiletries, as well as changing areas.

Booking and use are fully automated. You check in and out yourself via touchscreen, without having to rely on staff. Of course, the friendly staff are happy to help if less tech-savvy passengers mess up.

You can help yourself to complimentary coffee, tea, and water stations throughout the day, and snacks and a continental breakfast are also available.

There is a robot delivery service and a wide range of entertainment options in the common area. This makes the lounge a multifunctional retreat with space for entertainment, work, and relaxation. To ensure you can still catch your flight amidst all the relaxation or entertainment, there are prominent boards with real-time flight information.

Landside

Located in the landside area, before the security check, the Kepler Club* is open to the public. This even applies to people without a plane ticket. This is ideal if you’re arriving at the airport early or have a meeting scheduled before departure.

The Kepler Club* also offers conference and meeting rooms of various sizes. A convenient 24-hour baggage drop-off is also available. Those traveling with airBaltic can drop off their baggage the day before. Otherwise, you’ll find all the services described above, including soundproof sleeping capsules.

Airside

The Kepler Airside*, located in the airport’s security zone, is exclusively for passengers who are already in transit or about to depart. Access is therefore only possible with a boarding pass. Furthermore, you can only stay overnight at the Kepler Airside* before early flights if you are traveling with hand luggage only.

Otherwise, the facilities are similar to those in the Landside zone, but specifically complement the needs of transit passengers. The focus here is on entertainment, with a PS5 gaming station and arcade machines. But don’t worry, there will be no noise disturbance for guests who would rather rest or work.

Kepler Club

But where does the ingenious Kepler Club come from? Well, the Kepler Club was founded by the Turkish entrepreneur Ömer Alaettinoğlu.

So, logically, the Kepler Club opened its first location in Istanbul at Sabiha Gökçen Airport in 2020.

The name Kepler is a tribute to the German astronomer Johannes Kepler. According to Alaettinoğlu, this refers to the Kepler Club relying on an innovative and scientifically sound approach to its business.

But there’s also a clever play on words: In Turkish, a sleeping cabin is called a kep. With the plural suffix -ler, this becomes Kepler, obviously.

Today, Kepler Club capsule hotels offer a highly sophisticated service concept that beats traditional airport lounges by miles! The combination of sleeping, working, and relaxing options makes Kepler the perfect option for travelers with a layover or early departure.

There Are Others

As mentioned, the very first Kepler opened at the Sabiha Gökçen Airport in Istanbul. Since 2020, there has been an airside capsule hotel, which is ideal for transit travelers or passengers with very early departures and only carrying hand luggage. Keep in mind that you will have to go through security before checking into the Kepler capsule hotel*!
There are no landside facilities at the Sabiha Gökçen Airport.

Yet, just like Riga, Kuala Lumpur’s KLIA Airport has both a Kepler landside* and a Kepler airside* capsule hotel. Due to the excellent facilities and the direct location within the terminal itself, this is ideal for long layovers, very late arrivals, or extremely early departures.
The facilities are as described above.

Book A Kepler

Are you fortunate enough to be traveling to or via Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, or Riga soon? Then you can book a Kepler capsule hotel that suits your needs here*:

Keep in mind that the stay will be significantly more expensive if you book it at short notice!

Although I have only had the pleasure of staying at the Kepler in Riga*, I have already visited all three cities where the capsule hotels are located and have also featured them on the blog: