Amsterdam Noord enjoys a special place in the city's long history. For decades this was the domain of hardworking labourers, but Van der Pek is no longer the low cost residential housing estate it once was. Today it's a tribute to the houses of the past, but with a modern twist. Four houses have been renovated and converted into accommodation with a unique theme. The concept is to make you feel like a proper north Amsterdammer when you spend the night in either the Nature House, the House of Culture, the Looking-for-the-Northern-Feeling House and the Stars House. Each house is a cultural highlight in its own right. Artists, writers and musicians have been allowed to release their creativity in these places, leading to more than a few surprises for its guests like the shape of stacked coffee tables, musical rooms and even some bizarre looking insects.