These Tiny Bridge Houses Are the Best Way to Enjoy the Amsterdam Canals

Amsterdam’s canals are an iconic draw for travelers. Now, there’s an even better way to get the best view, even after you turn in for the night.

The SWEETs Hotel, a collaboration between architects Space and Matter and the team behind Lloyd Hotel Amsterdam, has transformed small buildings, known as bridge houses, into tiny hotel rooms, each with its own distinct character, directly along the canal.

A total of 28 bridge houses are being renovated into luxurious, two-person suites while keeping the historical exteriors of the buildings preserved. So, a guest can book a suite that is totally equipped with modern, but small, comforts but housed within a building constructed in the 17th century.

“They all have a totally different character, both outside and now also inside. Not one is the same at all,” Space and Matter co-founder Suzanne Oxenaar told CNN Travel.

Of course, since these buildings are quite small and unique to each other, fitting in some amenities like bathrooms was a design challenge. There is typically no kitchen, but there is a mini fridge and coffee and tea makers.

The bridge houses themselves, which are all over the city, were built in different time periods, so staying in one offers a unique, architectural view of Amsterdam.

She added that many people choose their room based on the neighborhood the room is in, historical time period the building was built or just the view.

“Where can you experience something better than in a place that has a kind of history?” Oxenaar told CNN Travel.

Nightly rates begin at €160 (about $188 USD). About 11 suites are available to book now, and more suites will become available starting in fall of this year.