Holiday Destinations

Converted bridge control stations take tiny living to Amsterdam's canals

Converted bridge control stations take tiny living to Amsterdam's canals
Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal
Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal
View 35 Images
The canals of Amsterdam are an iconic part of the city’s landscape, and the defunct stations once used to control their traffic are now serving as an intimate way to experience them
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The canals of Amsterdam are an iconic part of the city’s landscape, and the defunct stations once used to control their traffic are now serving as an intimate way to experience them
Sweets Hotel offers stays in cabins perched atop a bridges right across Amsterdam, all with fine views of the city's canals from the double beds inside
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Sweets Hotel offers stays in cabins perched atop a bridges right across Amsterdam, all with fine views of the city's canals from the double beds inside
Visitors to Amsterdam can now book a stay in a former bridge keeper’s cabin, offering unique waterfront accommodation with a historical flavor
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Visitors to Amsterdam can now book a stay in a former bridge keeper’s cabin, offering unique waterfront accommodation with a historical flavor
Visitors to Amsterdam can now book a stay in a former bridge keeper’s cabin, offering unique waterfront accommodation with a historical flavor
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Visitors to Amsterdam can now book a stay in a former bridge keeper’s cabin, offering unique waterfront accommodation with a historical flavor
Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal
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Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal
A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
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A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
The canals of Amsterdam are an iconic part of the city’s landscape, and the defunct stations once used to control their traffic are now serving as an intimate way to experience them
7/35
The canals of Amsterdam are an iconic part of the city’s landscape, and the defunct stations once used to control their traffic are now serving as an intimate way to experience them
Sweets Hotel offers stays in cabins perched atop a bridges right across Amsterdam, all with fine views of the city's canals from the double beds inside
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Sweets Hotel offers stays in cabins perched atop a bridges right across Amsterdam, all with fine views of the city's canals from the double beds inside
A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
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A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal
10/35
Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal
A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
11/35
A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal
12/35
Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal
The canals of Amsterdam are an iconic part of the city’s landscape, and the defunct stations once used to control their traffic are now serving as an intimate way to experience them
13/35
The canals of Amsterdam are an iconic part of the city’s landscape, and the defunct stations once used to control their traffic are now serving as an intimate way to experience them
For more than 100 years, cabins built onto bridges across Amsterdam served as control stations for the water traffic passing through
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For more than 100 years, cabins built onto bridges across Amsterdam served as control stations for the water traffic passing through
Sweets Hotel offers stays in cabins perched atop a bridges right across Amsterdam, all with fine views of the city's canals from the double beds inside
15/35
Sweets Hotel offers stays in cabins perched atop a bridges right across Amsterdam, all with fine views of the city's canals from the double beds inside
A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
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A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
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A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
Visitors to Amsterdam can now book a stay in a former bridge keeper’s cabin, offering unique waterfront accommodation with a historical flavor
18/35
Visitors to Amsterdam can now book a stay in a former bridge keeper’s cabin, offering unique waterfront accommodation with a historical flavor
The canals of Amsterdam are an iconic part of the city’s landscape, and the defunct stations once used to control their traffic are now serving as an intimate way to experience them
19/35
The canals of Amsterdam are an iconic part of the city’s landscape, and the defunct stations once used to control their traffic are now serving as an intimate way to experience them
Sweets Hotel offers stays in cabins perched atop a bridges right across Amsterdam, all with fine views of the city's canals from the double beds inside
20/35
Sweets Hotel offers stays in cabins perched atop a bridges right across Amsterdam, all with fine views of the city's canals from the double beds inside
For more than 100 years, cabins built onto bridges across Amsterdam served as control stations for the water traffic passing through
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For more than 100 years, cabins built onto bridges across Amsterdam served as control stations for the water traffic passing through
For more than 100 years, cabins built onto bridges across Amsterdam served as control stations for the water traffic passing through
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For more than 100 years, cabins built onto bridges across Amsterdam served as control stations for the water traffic passing through
For more than 100 years, cabins built onto bridges across Amsterdam served as control stations for the water traffic passing through
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For more than 100 years, cabins built onto bridges across Amsterdam served as control stations for the water traffic passing through
For more than 100 years, cabins built onto bridges across Amsterdam served as control stations for the water traffic passing through
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For more than 100 years, cabins built onto bridges across Amsterdam served as control stations for the water traffic passing through
The canals of Amsterdam are an iconic part of the city’s landscape, and the defunct stations once used to control their traffic are now serving as an intimate way to experience them
25/35
The canals of Amsterdam are an iconic part of the city’s landscape, and the defunct stations once used to control their traffic are now serving as an intimate way to experience them
Sweets Hotel offers stays in cabins perched atop a bridges right across Amsterdam, all with fine views of the city's canals from the double beds inside
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Sweets Hotel offers stays in cabins perched atop a bridges right across Amsterdam, all with fine views of the city's canals from the double beds inside
Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal
27/35
Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal
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A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
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A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
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A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
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A stay in one of Amsterdam's Sweet Hotels starts at €160 (US$186) a night
The canals of Amsterdam are an iconic part of the city’s landscape, and the defunct stations once used to control their traffic are now serving as an intimate way to experience them
32/35
The canals of Amsterdam are an iconic part of the city’s landscape, and the defunct stations once used to control their traffic are now serving as an intimate way to experience them
Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal
33/35
Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal
For more than 100 years, cabins built onto bridges across Amsterdam served as control stations for the water traffic passing through
34/35
For more than 100 years, cabins built onto bridges across Amsterdam served as control stations for the water traffic passing through
Sweets Hotel offers stays in cabins perched atop a bridges right across Amsterdam, all with fine views of the city's canals from the double beds inside
35/35
Sweets Hotel offers stays in cabins perched atop a bridges right across Amsterdam, all with fine views of the city's canals from the double beds inside
View gallery - 35 images

The canals of Amsterdam are an iconic part of the city's landscape, and the defunct stations once used to control their traffic are now serving as an intimate way to experience them. Visitors to the Dutch capital can now book a stay in a former bridge keeper's cabin, offering unique waterfront accommodation with a historical flavor.

For more than 100 years, cabins built onto bridges across Amsterdam served as control stations for the water traffic passing through. But the city has now introduced advanced systems that control things from a central hub, rendering these buildings obsolete.

Visitors to Amsterdam can now book a stay in a former bridge keeper’s cabin, offering unique waterfront accommodation with a historical flavor
Visitors to Amsterdam can now book a stay in a former bridge keeper’s cabin, offering unique waterfront accommodation with a historical flavor

Rather than letting the defunct buildings gather dust and cobwebs, local architecture firm Space & Matter is filling them with tourists instead. It has teamed up with the Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy and fellow firm Grayfield to transform all 28 of Amsterdam's bridge control buildings into quaint hotel suites.

Dubbed Sweets Hotel, the accommodation offers stays in cabins perched atop a bridges right across the city, all with fine views of the waterways from the double beds inside. Giving the tight confines of the space, there's not much in the way of living and kitchen areas, although they do contain a mini-fridge and tea and coffee facilities.

The historic buildings each have a unique story, with the oldest bridge house constructed in 1673 and the most modern built in 2009. In giving them a makeover, there are touches of the tiny house movement in the way the architects have made clever use of the tight spaces.

Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal
Inside the Sweets Hotel, a guesthouse perched atop a bridge over an Amsterdam canal

Eleven of the stations are available to book now, with work continuing on the rest of the conversions. Guests must be 21 or older, with prices starting at €160 (US$186) a night.

You can have a poke around some of the guesthouses in the gallery.

Source: Sweets Hotel

View gallery - 35 images
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