The Asahi Ryokan hotel in Fukuoka, Japan rents two of its rooms for just $1 each per night. The catch is that cameras live stream the rooms to YouTube. The hotel plans to make its money monetizing the video feed called “One Dollar Hotel.”

The owner explains, “This is a very old ryokan and I was looking into a new business model. Our hotel is on the cheaper side, so we need some added value, something special that everyone will talk about.”

• There’s no audio, video only
  
• And “cameras are pointed away from the bathroom area to give guests some privacy.”

Their bet is that younger travelers, who may be more likely to be seeking a bargain, are willing to trade their labor as actors give up their privacy for savings. Most of us give up our privacy for far less every day and if you live in a major U.S. city – or for goodness sakes, London – you’re already on candid camera. Do you have Global Entry, PreCheck or CLEAR? Have you gone through a biometric boarding gate at an airport? Let the American Airlines Admirals Club associate your photo with your membership?

The hotel loses money on the $1 stay but hopes to make it up through online advertising. Other rooms in the hotel cost $27.

The property is about a 15-minute walk to Tenjin, the main entertainment and shopping area in the neighborhood, and the $1 price is extended every night of the week.

(HT: Marginal Revolution)