Japanese hotel staffed by human-like robots leaves influencer terrified

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While on holiday in Japan, a social media personality from Argentina encountered a hotel entirely operated by human-like robots. This reminded her of a scene straight out of the TV series “Black Mirror.

Experiencing the advent of generative AI and autonomous vehicles such as WAYMO truly makes it seem as though we’ve stepped into the future… however, instead of being thrilled, a traveler was left feeling uneasy at a futuristic hotel in Japan.

‘Manuenalemania’ is an Argentinian social media personality with a significant following of around 27,000 individuals on Instagram and approximately 46,000 on TikTok. She frequently posts about her journeys outside Argentina on these platforms.

In June 2025, Manu shared a video from her stay at the “Henn na” hotel in Tokyo, Japan, which can be translated as “strange” or “weird” in English. After a glance at the staff, it’s easy to understand why this description fits perfectly.

Hotel staffed by robots creeps out social media

The entire establishment is fully staffed by robots that closely resemble humans, but have an unsettling quality rather than being awe-inspiring. Manu posted a video of herself checking into the hotel where two such robots were standing behind the counter, their eyes appearing lifeless and vacant.

Upon our arrival, it turned out the receptionists were robots, she exclaimed in astonishment in the video,” she said, shaking her head and looking away, clearly unnerved by the sight of them. “Don’t look at me! Don’t give me that stare… Oh, you really startle me!

After one of the mechanical receptionists greeted her in English at the hotel, saying “Enjoy your stay here, I hope it’s pleasant,” and then bowed, the atmosphere grew even stranger.

Audience members swiftly shared similar feelings through their comments, and one person likened the video to a Black Mirror episode by saying, “Black Mirror is starting to feel like reality.

“This is how horror movies begin,” said another.

“It gave me vibes from the House of Wax!” yet another said.

Henn na Hotels, a chain that employs robots for staffing, can be found not only throughout Japan but also in Seoul, South Korea, and New York, USA. Some of these hotels have specific themes; for instance, one located at Maihama Tokyo Bay boasts mechanical dinosaurs as part of its decor.

According to their official site, Henn na hotels understand the importance of staying adaptable, taking into account regional differences and the shifting tendencies of different eras. This is done to cater effectively to the needs of their guests.

In this case, the most recent innovation has gained widespread popularity following an incident where a couple unknowingly fell for a fake advertisement, created by artificial intelligence, promoting a non-existent tourist destination.

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2025-07-14 20:18