The First Sand Hotel; Realization of a Childhood Fantasy

Dutch artists who create sand sculptures and buildings have taken this childhood fantasy very seriously and have built the first hotel shaped like sand castles with a moving bridge, moat, and shelter. This summer, curious tourists and those interested in these activities flocked to the small town of Oos in the Netherlands to spend a night in the rooms of this hotel, which is constructed from a massive sand structure. Hundreds of tons of sand were transported to this site by truck, and the structure was reinforced with wooden sheets and beams. Those who spend a night in the rooms of this hotel take away a unique memory. One of the guests, named Erwin, says: 'It was an extraordinary experience, and we went to this hotel to celebrate our twelfth year of living together. I wanted to do something special for this occasion, and sleeping in a sand hotel fulfilled a childhood dream.' The hotel manager says they got the idea from ice hotels in Sweden and Finland, referring to recreational buildings constructed during the winter season in Scandinavian countries, where all furniture and interior space are made of compressed ice and snow. The temperature in these ice hotels is usually eight degrees below zero. Ms. Van Liemon, the manager of the sand hotel, says: 'There are many artists who have worked with both ice and sand. And this idea came to our minds that such hotels could also be built using sand.' According to the French news agency, the conditions for staying in the sand hotel are not as difficult as those of ice hotels. Guests can use folding beds and a complete bathroom. The cost of one night’s stay in this hotel is 150 euros. However, like the ice hotels in Scandinavian countries, the sand hotel is built as a temporary art installation and will be demolished at the end of the summer season. This summer, in the same locations where the annual sand sculpture festival in the Netherlands is usually held, namely in the cities of Oos and Sneek, two hotels shaped like sand castles were built. The interior of the hotel in Oos is decorated with large dinosaur sculptures, characters from medieval stories, and robots. In the city of Sneek, the theme of the sand sculptures inside the hotel is 'A Tour of Asia.' Guests do not need to worry about sand in their beds because in both hotels, guests can sleep on regular folding beds, and carpets are spread on the floors of the rooms. Ms. Van Liemon, the manager of the sand hotel in Oos, says: 'Some may think that they have to spend the night in a muddy and wet space. But in reality, the environment and facilities of the hotel rooms are very comfortable and luxurious.' However, the entire skeleton and interior decoration of this hotel are made of sand, which has been reinforced with a special material to increase its adhesion and resistance. For this reason, the rooms will not collapse on the guests. The hotel manager adds: 'For safety considerations, the rooms are built with wooden sheets and then covered with a layer of sand.' Unfortunately, the use of this sand hotel will come to an end with the conclusion of the summer season. Ms. Van Liemon, the hotel manager, says: 'This sand hotel received a lot of attention upon opening. I think for many, sleeping in the rooms of a hotel built like sand castles is a childhood dream, and for another group, it is like an adventurous trip or a special occasion.' It is planned that next year, sand hotels will also be established in these two locations, and perhaps similar examples will be built in Britain and Germany.