They Built Castles in the Sand… That You Can Actually Live In!

Some people build sandcastles on the beach, others build five-star sand hotels…

There is something quite so fascinating about sand on a beach. All those tiny grains damp from the surf just begging to be gathered together and piled into a structure of some sort.

In fact, you probably remember giving in to that urge as a child, and building a number of sand hills and sand towers, going so far as to pile buckets of the grainy stuff one upon the other to build the biggest sandcastle you can.

All that tempting sand on hand…

Some people, however, have taken their preoccupation with sand to the next level. They decided to build life-sized sandcastle hotels you can actually go inside of, stay in, have your meals in, shower in, and even sleep in. These people built high-end hotels made of sand!

Ever wanted to stay in one of these?

A European hotel chain called Zand Hotels (yes, really) in the Netherlands have taken the art even further and partnered up with a company called the Global Powwow, an event organizer that specializes in ice and sand sculptures. Together they built two specialized Zand hotels (pun intended) so stylized they make guests do double, triple, even quadruple takes.

One of their hotels, located in the city of Oss, in the Netherlands’ North Brabant province, has been built with an ancient Chinese theme in mind.

Dotted with sand sculpture figures of gigantic Chinese dragons and the famed Terracota Army replicas, they take guests back to when China was a feudal landscape of warring clans.

This is uh…the head concierge…who also doubles as hotel security.

The other hotel, located in Friesland, one of the Netherlands’ northern provinces, takes its inspiration from Flinstones cartoon town of Bedrock.

And while both the hotels’ facades look insanely amazing, its interiors amaze guests, not only because they are actually live-able, but offer an incredible amount of luxury one can only expect at five star establishments.

…and you don't have to worry about sand between the sheets, either.

Your very own sitting room of sand.

We guarantee the whole bathroom isn't going to erode away as you shower.

The only caveat is, these one-of-a-kind hotels are temporary, and have been built for several sand sculpture festivals in the Netherlands. Sadly, they are due to be taken down next month.

But Zand Hotels and Global Powwow are planning to do more sandcastle hotels in Germany and the UK next year, so you can start planning your trip…and don’t forget to make reservations as there is bound to be a long waiting list for an overnight stay inside a real sandcastle!

H/T: Buzzfeed, ZandHotel, and Global Powwow