Inside the Japanese hotel where the front desk is staffed by ROBOTS and guests scan their faces to enter rooms

  • A menacing-looking dinosaur, a female humanoid with blinking lashes, and a small android greet guests 
  • Beyond the front desk (inset), a gigantic robotic arm can store guests' items in a locker
  • The hotel is among the first to use facial recognition technology instead of swipe cards as room keys

By Chris Kitching for MailOnline and Associated Press

Published: 06:39 EST, 16 July 2015 | Updated: 07:36 EST, 16 July 2015

A menacing-looking dinosaur, a lifelike female humanoid with blinking lashes, and a small android greet guests at this Japanese hotel where almost all employees are robots.

The Weird Hotel, as it is aptly called in English, is set to open to the public tomorrow, becoming the latest oddity in a country known for its quirky guest accommodation.

But the £45-a-night ($80) hotel goes beyond using robots as a gimmick, as it is among the first to use facial recognition technology instead of swipe cards as room keys.

The Weird Hotel, as it is aptly called in English, is the latest oddity in a country known for its quirky guest accommodation

The Weird Hotel, as it is aptly called in English, is the latest oddity in a country known for its quirky guest accommodation

A menacing-looking dinosaur, a female humanoid with blinking lashes, and a small android greet guests at this Japanese hotel

A menacing-looking dinosaur, a female humanoid with blinking lashes, and a small android greet guests at this Japanese hotel

Each guest room has a small robot with a Siri-like ability to answer questions about the current time or weather, and turn lights on and off

Each guest room has a small robot with a Siri-like ability to answer questions about the current time or weather, and turn lights on and off

Hideo Sawada, who runs the hotel as part of the Huis Ten Bosch amusement park in Sasebo, Nagasaki, told the Associated Press the use of robots is not a gimmick, but a serious effort to utilise technology and improve efficiency while saving on labour costs.

He hopes the robots will carry out 90 per cent of tasks normally completed by humans.

At the Henn na Hotel, as it is called in Japanese, the dinosaur wears a hat and bowtie, telling visitors: ‘If you want to check in, push one.’

The guest then punches a button and enters his or her personal information on a touch panel screen.

Before heading up to their room guests can store items in a ‘robot cloak room’.

At the front desk, robots ask guests to punch a button to check in and then enter their personal information on a touchscreen

At the front desk, robots ask guests to punch a button to check in and then enter their personal information on a touchscreen

At the Henn na Hotel, as it is called in Japanese, the dinosaur wears a hat and bowtie, telling visitors: ‘If you want to check in, push one’

At the Henn na Hotel, as it is called in Japanese, the dinosaur wears a hat and bowtie, telling visitors: ‘If you want to check in, push one’

There is no need for guests to haul heavy bags to their rooms, as an automated trolley takes care of the luggage 

There is no need for guests to haul heavy bags to their rooms, as an automated trolley takes care of the luggage 

After guests drop items into a box, a giant robotic arm snatches it and then puts it into an open space in a wall where the boxes are stacked.

A guest can do this while an automated trolley delivers luggage to their room, which has a small robot with a Siri-like ability to answer questions about the current time or weather.

While the concierge – a doll-like hairless robot with voice recognition – can provide details on breakfast, it cannot call a cab or match the capabilities of its human counterparts.

The temperature of the rooms is monitored with technology that detects body heat and guests can call for robotic room service using a tablet instead of a phone.

Those who want secure storage for some of their items can have them placed into a locker by a gigantic robotic arm

Those who want secure storage for some of their items can have them placed into a locker by a gigantic robotic arm

Hideo Sawada, who runs the hotel as part of an amusement park, told reporters the use of robots is not a gimmick

Hideo Sawada, who runs the hotel as part of an amusement park, told reporters the use of robots is not a gimmick

The hotel said the use of robotics is a serious effort to utilise technology and improve efficiency while saving on labour costs

The hotel said the use of robotics is a serious effort to utilise technology and improve efficiency while saving on labour costs

Two things the robots cannot do is take care of security or make the beds.

But there are plans to use a robot to deliver room service.

Mr Sawada is eager to open another robot-staffed hotel in Japan, and is keen on taking the concept abroad.

After guests drop items into a box, a giant robotic arm snatches it and puts it into an open space in a wall where the boxes are stacked

After guests drop items into a box, a giant robotic arm snatches it and puts it into an open space in a wall where the boxes are stacked

Hideo Sawada told reporters he is eager to open another robot-staffed hotel in Japan, and is keen on taking the concept abroad

Hideo Sawada told reporters he is eager to open another robot-staffed hotel in Japan, and is keen on taking the concept abroad

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