Spanish police bust underground hotel that rented chairs

Spanish police have closed an underground hotel in Madrid that rented out beds as well as chairs and sofas for Chinese immigrants to sleep on, Madrid city hall said Wednesday.

Three Chinese nationals who were in Spain illegally were detained during operation, a statement said.

The hotel charged its clients 10-35 euros ($13-46) per day depending on the type of of room or chair used by the customer.

The establishment, located in a working class neighbourhood, had six numbered rooms with locks, a kitchen and one bathroom.

The rooms were divided by partitions. The largest had no beds but chairs, armchairs, footrests, and blankets, “so people who cannot pay big bucks can sleep on them”, one of the managers of the hotel told police, according to the city hall statement.

Signs written in Chinese were posted on the front of the building, giving the price and a phone number to contact the hotel.