The craziest hotel in Amsterdam

The blogger Artem Achkasov writes:

The capital of Holland is a notorious place. Thrill-seekers from all over the world flock here to give free rein to all their passions at once in an atmosphere filled with smoke and complete freedom. Perhaps this unusual hotel was created specifically for such people.

Once, at the Amsterdam shipyard, loaders hummed, cranes grumbled, and cables creaked under the load. Huge ships were built here. Then the shipyard became unnecessary (it closed in 1979), and soon artists and other hippies settled on its territory, while all the cranes were dismantled. That is, almost all.

Today, the former shipyard has become an official and popular hangout for party-goers — hipsters, as well as ordinary tourists, inhabit the art-house atmosphere of the former warehouses and piles of containers.

This place is one of the most popular party venues in Europe. And it is also a true paradise for various photo shoots.

The dominant feature of the area, in the literal sense of the word, is the last surviving giant port crane, built by Hensen in 1951. When it was simply crane No. 13, which remained abandoned for many years.

The history does not reveal what exactly inspired Edwin Kornman Rudi to buy the crane and turn it into a hotel, but it was done, and quite remarkably!

The crane was completely dismantled and restored. After a three and a half year reconstruction (from 2011 to 2015), its total weight increased from 198 tons to 295 tons — almost by 100 tons! The structure was reinforced, elevators and new rooms were added. Specifically, there are only three rooms, situated at heights of 35 to 50 meters above ground level.

You can reach the central platform either by elevator or by a spiral staircase.

The staircases offer excellent views of the former shipyard and the city.

The platform is equipped with a multifunctional room that has a triple purpose: it hosts an office, can accommodate parties for 70 people, and also houses a professional television studio with an internet channel of up to 1 Gbit.

You can only reach the rooms by elevator.

The finishing of each room cost over a million euros. And this is despite the fact that most of the equipment and materials were provided through barter, in exchange for advertising. In any case, the total sum of just over three million euros for three rooms is shocking and awe-inspiring. But the shock is much greater when you see the rooms themselves, which were crafted by the best designers in Holland.

The lower room Free Spirit, measuring 36 square meters, is designed in an industrial style with subtle hints of total madness.

On the second floor of the room, there is a bathroom with a view.

The middle room Secret has the same area but is decorated even more hallucinogenically.

The "top" room Mystic is a combination of design and luxury, and the room offers the craziest view of the city from a height of almost 50 meters.

Wait, the coolest view opens not from this room, but from the giant open jacuzzi, located at the very top of the crane!

It should be added that the crane slightly rotates under the influence of the wind, so the view from the window changes constantly.

The hotel offers a transfer to Amsterdam on a private jet, followed by a limousine ride to the hotel. If desired, a personal bodyguard can be ordered.

The pleasure of staying in such a hotel comes at a high price — from 450 to 1600 euros per night. But it must be said that there are almost no available rooms. No wonder, as in this hotel the concept of "get high" is understood not only in a figurative sense but also in a literal one.

And for those who find that not enough, the hotel owners offer a chance to jump from a crane on a rope for just 85 euros — with a 90-meter drop!

Truly a crazy place!

Photos and text — Source