Seal of Approval: Guest Finds Unexpected Roommate in Dutch Hotel
In a bizarre incident that has left hotel staff and guests scratching their heads, a traveler recently discovered a seal sleeping in his hotel room in the Netherlands. The unexpected visitor was found snoozing peacefully on the bed of a guest at the Mercure Hotel in the city of Groningen.
According to eyewitnesses, the guest, a 35-year-old man from Germany, was settling into his room on Friday evening when he noticed something was amiss. As he turned on the light, he was shocked to see a seal lounging on his bed, fast asleep.
"I couldn’t believe my eyes," the guest, who wished to remain anonymous, told local authorities. "At first, I thought it was a prank or a joke, but then I saw the flippers and the fur, and I realized it was a real seal!"
The seal, which was later identified as a grey seal, had apparently wandered into the hotel through an open window on the fifth floor. Staff members were summoned to the room, and after a brief commotion, they managed to carefully coax the seal out of the room and back into the outdoors.
"It was a bit of a challenge to get the seal out of the room, as it was very comfortable on the bed," said hotel manager, Hans van der Meer. "But we worked together with the local animal welfare organization to safely relocate the seal back to the nearby Wadden Sea."
This unusual incident is not the first time a seal has been spotted in the area. The Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located off the coast of the Netherlands, is a popular habitat for grey seals, which are an endangered species. However, it is rare for them to venture inland, especially into urban areas.
The guest, who had been looking forward to a relaxing weekend getaway, was understandably shaken by the surprise encounter. Despite the unexpected twist, he laughed off the experience, saying, "It’s definitely a story I’ll never forget!"
Hotel staff, on the other hand, are still trying to come to terms with the unusual occurrence. "It’s not every day you have a seal in your hotel room," said Van der Meer with a chuckle. "But we’re happy to have helped the seal and our guest alike. Who knows, maybe it’ll become a new hotel attraction?"
In the meantime, the hotel has taken steps to secure its windows and ensure that such an unusual guest does not visit again anytime soon.
