Crane Hotel – Harlingen, Netherlands - Atlas Obscura

Crane Hotel

Harlingen, Netherlands

Live out your childhood construction fantasies in this one-of-a-kind gyrating hotel. 

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If operating heavy machinery in your pajamas piques your interest, please direct your attention to the Netherlands. 

Sporting an industrial appearance on the outside, the dockside crane is actually a luxurious, one bedroom hotel in the Dutch fishing town of Harlingen. The crane’s original vocation before housing tourists was moving massive containers on a North Sea port. Reincarnated, it was converted into an elegant guest house in 2003. The seaside hotel accommodates two people and features an entertainment system, an observation deck, and even a shower. These highlights pale when juxtaposed with the hotel’s most exhilarating attraction:

 You get to operate the crane.

 Yes, the crane still runs, and while sadly you can’t use it to snatch up unsuspecting bystanders, you can enjoy a pretty exceptional panorama without bothering moving your head. Queasy stomachs beware–the crane has been reported to wobble just a bit in high winds. 

 

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