SWEETS Hotel transforms former bridge keepers’ houses into independent suites
Via v2com
Updated, September 19, 2026
SWEETS Hotel offers a distinctive way to stay in Amsterdam. Its rooms are not located in a single building, but rather in 28 former bridge keepers’ houses scattered along the city’s canals. Built between 1673 and 2009, each one is unique and reflects its era’s architectural style.
Built between 1673 and 2009, the suites are distinguished by architectural styles specific to the periods in which they were constructed.
For many years, these buildings served as workspaces for the keepers who operated the bridges to accommodate river traffic. They lost their original purpose after Amsterdam centralized bridge control. SWEETS Hotel reclaimed this industrial heritage by converting the bridge houses into self-contained hotel suites, each designed to reflect the site’s history and architectural character.
Amsterdam’s Bridge Keepers’ Houses
For centuries, bridge keepers’ houses accommodated municipal employees responsible for opening bridges to allow boats to pass. Built over more than three centuries, from 1673 to 2009, they reflect Amsterdam’s urban development, its newer districts and the architectural movements that shaped the city. Several bridges and bridge keepers’ houses are associated with prominent Dutch architects, including Hendrik Petrus Berlage and Pieter Lodewijk Kramer. The oldest structure in the network, Amstelschutsluis, dates from 1673, while the most recent, Sluis Haveneiland, was completed in 2009.
The municipality’s centralization of bridge control in 2012 made these buildings largely redundant in their original role. Several are heritage or protected landmark structures, so their adaptive reuse helps preserve an important part of Amsterdam’s urban and industrial landscape.
Some bridge houses measure as little as 10.5 square metres. They were clearly never intended for overnight accommodation, but have now been adapted for stays by one or two people. The suites generally include a shower, toilet and light food-preparation area; two also have a kitchen. Their locations, on or near the water, often provide open views of canals, bridges and surrounding neighbourhoods.
Contemporary Design Rooted in History
The design team treated each bridge house as a separate project. In consultation with relevant partners, it identified which heritage features to retain and which contemporary interventions to introduce.
At the Amstelschutsluis bridge house, historical traces uncovered during renovation were preserved wherever possible. The project also draws on research into 17th-century Dutch traditions, as well as the materials and colour palettes of the period, creating a dialogue between old and contemporary elements.
The Hortusbrug bridge house, associated with the De Stijl aesthetic, takes inspiration from Gerrit Rietveld. Its interior incorporates and reinterprets selected features characteristic of the Dutch designer and architect, while respecting the building’s identity.
Amsterdam as the Lobby
For SWEETS, the entire city serves as the lobby. Each bridge house is located in a different neighbourhood rather than being concentrated in the main tourist centre. The hotel therefore encourages guests to discover Amsterdam through its canals, residential areas and local shops.
The suites are connected not by corridors, but by the city’s network of canals and streets. This decentralized accommodation model turns every stay into a neighbourhood experience, while inviting visitors to explore areas that are often less frequented than the historic centre.
About SWEETS Hotel
SWEETS Hotel opened its first 11 bridge houses on March 15, 2018. The project later expanded to include 28 distinct addresses across Amsterdam. The hotel has received several design and hospitality awards, including the 2019 Dezeen Award in the Hotel and Short-Stay Interior category and the Hotel of the Year 2020 award at the Frame Awards.
Feature image: Mirjam Bleeker – Wiegbrug bridge house on the Kostverlorenvaart canal, courtesy of SWEETS hotel, courtesy of SWEETS hotel
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