In a bustling Hong Kong commercial district, some internet cafes are shifting beyond serving as gaming hubs for young people looking to spend a few hours hunched over a computer playing video games.
Inside one such venue in Mong Kok, gamers can rent one of two private booths for about HK$200 (US$25.50) a night. With a look that can only be described as “emergency bunker”, the metal-walled rooms come equipped with a high-end gaming desktop, a sofa bed, budget-friendly food, and self-service laundry facilities.
Customers can even enjoy a hot shower for just HK$9 extra, while a set of disposable hygiene products – including a toothbrush, toothpaste and slippers – costs about HK$28.80.
Players can register for access with their Hong Kong identity card, an Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macau or a passport.
Besides the private booths, players can also choose other areas in the playing hall, which cost from HK$25.80 to HK$35.80 per hour.
But such venues risk falling foul of the law, as internet cafe operators need a hotel or guest house licence to let customers stay overnight.
