Hotell Hackspett (Woodpecker Hotel)

One of the main attractions in the Swedish city of Västerås is the city’s central park, called Vasaparken after the famous Swedish king. This beautiful green heart is a popular place for locals and visitors alike. And it offers something not found in many other city’s green spaces: a tiny hotel located at the top of a tree. 

Hotell Hackspett, or the Woodpecker Hotel, was the brainchild of Mikael Genberg, who also created the Utter Inn, a floating hotel with an underwater bedroom. Hotel Hackspett is similar to its water-based counterpart, as it consists out of a small Swedish-red cabin with a small platform around it. The big difference with this hotel is that it is located 13 meters (about 43 ft) above the ground, in the branches of a large oak tree. 

The hotel was built in 1998 and could be rented out through the artist. Guests would visit by using a rope ladder to climb up and could spend the night in the tiny cabin or sit on a chair right outside of it. The hotel has just enough space for one person.  The hotel closed in 2005, because the floor was starting to rot. But it was repaired by Genberg and the city and reopened again later. In 2017 it was closed again, because the house was taking a toll on the health of the tree. However, due to locals protesting it was not removed. 

Today the hotel remains in its original location, and though it is not currently possible to book, it is still a curious sight in the park.