A BUDGET hotel with mini rooms costing around 100 yuan (US$14.7) a night will open in downtown Shanghai later this month.

Once a normal hotel on Yan'an Road in Huangpu, this has now been redesigned for backpackers during the Expo 2010 and young white collar workers, according to the Shanghai Morning Post.

Instead of a standard bed, couch and chair, the 7-square-meter mini rooms offer a bunk bed with wall-mounted airconditioning and television. Free internet access is available.

Up to 60,000 backpackers are expected to visit Shanghai daily during the Expo.