The Terschelling signal box as seen from the Groene Strand by Nathalie Scholtens - den Besten

The house was built on top of a bunker dating from the Second World War. The bunker was part of the Atlantic Wall, which was used to monitor the North Sea.

In the post-war period, the house was built on top of the bunker, originally to monitor submarines during the Cold War. It was subsequently used for a time by amateur radio operators. It has stood empty since the late 1990s and now accommodates hotel guests.
Action against neglect
The accommodation is owned by Staatsbosbeheer. Whilst it stood empty, it fell into an ever-worsening state of disrepair, explains forester Remi Hougee.
At a certain point, it became clear that something had to be done. The organisation was willing to invest money in it, but there had to be something in it for them in return.

An information point was one idea, but the local residents weren’t keen on that, as it would have made the area even busier. The suggestion to turn it into a hotel room came from various quarters. Hotel guests have a fantastic view from the signal box, says the forester. "Dit uitzichtpunt is uniek. Daar het dorp en de haven. Daar zie je Vlieland en de Waddenzee. Daar de stuivende duinen aan de noordkant. En als het helder is, zie je de Noordzee prima."