It has been said that life
is just one long journey back to the treehouse. That the
treehouse is a return to childhood, a connection to our primal beginnings. With
more and more resorts offering treetop accommodation, we’ve gathered
together the 20 coolest treehouse hotels we could find. They’ll remind you of
the treehouse your dad built. Though to be honest, they’re probably a bit nicer
than the woodpile he bashed into a tree. These are more what you’d
get if Martha Stewart and Tarzan spent the night in your toolshed. They’re
the ultimate in tree-dwelling hedonism. Lavish, exotic, and styled with
the arboreal Haute Couture of a French orangutan.
Bird’s Nest, Sweden
The Bird’s Nest at Sweden’s Tree Hotel is one of ten
treehouses at the resort. It’s like sleeping in the Cretaceous period. You
wake thinking that you’ve been picked up and brought home by a pteranodon.
Facilities here include a sauna, restaurant, bar and relaxation area.
Tsala Treetop Lodge, South Africa
That you can expect to be blown away during your stay at
Tsala is not the most encouraging review for a hotel in a tree. Located along
South Africa’s Garden Route, the accommodations here are lavishly decorated and
feature private decks, a fireplace, and a swimming pool. So far as we know,
it’s the only place where you can dive out of a tree into a pool, and still be
in the tree.
Ariau Amazon Towers, Brazil
Said to be the only resort built entirely among the
treetops, some of Ariau Towers’ more notable visitors include Bill Gates,
Prince Charles, and the great great grandson of Charles Darwin. Located above
the Amazon river on the banks of the Rio Negro, Ariau Towers features rustic
treetop accommodations connected by more than five miles of wooden walkways.
Tranquil Resort, India
Tranquilresort is treetop accommodation on a private coffee
and spice plantation, and is pure treehouse fantasy. It’s like Robinson Crusoe
won the lottery. Half an hour away is the Muthanga Game Sanctuary, where if
you’re lucky, you might spot the venerable tiger.
Four Seasons, Costa Rica
The treehouse at Four Seasons Costa Rica is an unsettling
experience. You’re in a tree, yet you’re spending $1825 a night. And that’s
only because you didn’t choose the 3 bedroom suite at $2575 a night. For a
paltry $625, you can get a massage and sea salt foot soak at the spa and sauna.
Sanya Nanshan Treehouse Resort, China
On the island of Hainan in the South China Sea, there are
four treehouses available to rent. The Big Beach in The Sky Treehouse is built
in a Tamarind tree and is accessible only by a rope and plank suspension
bridge. For an all-out guy weekend, The Hawaiian Hale Hotel Treehouse
accommodates up to twenty people in seven separate spaces over three levels
Hautefort Treehouse, France
Hautefort is modeled after a traditional French Chateau,
and is one of three treehouse accommodations to choose from at Chateaux Des
Arbres. Aptly enough, it looks like a castle in the trees. Located in the
Dordogne region of France, there's a chef on hand if you want, as well as a hot
tub and swimming pool, neither of which, we're disappointed to report, are in
the tree.
Winvian Treehouse, Connecticut
Aside from the full bar and jacuzzi, the Treehouse at
Winvian looks to have been built from childhood fantasies. Couples can
enjoy the Sweetheart Escape, a two-night package that includes champagne,
massage, and a romantic dinner. For those consumed less with each other and
more by the whereabouts of their next meal, there’s the Ultimate Gourmet
Experience, a food-themed package.
Tongabezi, Zambia
If you already live in paradise, welcome home. Deep in
Zambia lies Tongabezi, situated among the branches of an ebony tree on the
banks of the Zambezi river. Listen closely and you’ll hear the thunder of
Victoria Falls. Up around the next bend is Livingston Island, from where
Livingston is said to have first seen the Falls.
Chewton Glen, England
To say Chewton Glen is a treehouse is like calling the space
shuttle a bike. It’s got connecting suites for Pete’s sake. Your dad’s
treehouse barely had a connecting floor. More luxurious than Nicole Kidman’s
hair, Chewton is Swiss Family Robinson after an Oprah makeover. You
can detox in the trees at Chewton, though it’s not called a detox. It’s a
tretox. You don’t even go up a gang plank here, you experience the
sensation of leaving land. Well of course you do.
Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa, Australia
Did your dad’s treehouse have a door? How about a jacuzzi?
The rainforest bayan at Daintree Lodge has both. Daintree brims with
superlatives. At 135 million years old, it’s the world’s oldest living
rainforest. Outside your bedroom window are the Aborigine natives, the oldest
living race on earth. 35 minutes away is Port Douglas, doorway to the Great
Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef, and the only living thing visible
from space. Welcome to Australia, biggest island on earth, before it became a
continent.
Free Spirit Spheres, Canada
Located among the trees of Vancouver Island’s rainforest,
each of the three circular treehouses are suspended by ropes, and designed to
sway with the movement of the trees. It’s Hobbiton on helium. All the spheres
have girls’ names, so whether you brought a date or not, you’ll still spend the
night inside a woman.
Parrot Nest Lodge, Belize
Parrot Nest Lodge is a dip into the tropics. A thatched
roof treehouse, the giant Guanacaste or Elephant Ear Tree, and the crystal
waters of the Mopan river. You’ll be among a riot of wildlife including the
giant iguana, who also sleeps in trees and has a fondness for paisley bed
covers. You’ll enjoy medicine trails and jungle walks, and a lot of parrots.
Bagthorpe Treehouse, England
It’s like Bagthorpe Hall’s half-brother. Younger, a bit
rough around the edges, but a lot more fun to hang out with. You’ll
find him beneath the Holm oak, nicely insulated for year-round stays, and with
a copper bathtub big enough for two. You can be Robin Hood, she can be your
Maid Marion.
Finca Bellavista, Costa Rica
A residential treehouse community in a relatively untouched
part of the Costa Rican rainforest, with some of the treehouses available for
rent. For those who really want to get away from urban living, this is the
place. You’ll be among indigenous people in a rainforest ecosystem helping to
promote the preservation of environment and species. Parks, beaches, and
mountains are all close by.
Chole Mjini, Tanzania
Chole is a tropical island south of Zanzibar, just off the
Tanzanian coast. If you’ve ever dreamed of sleeping in a baobab tree, this is
your moment. If we could pick just one of the treehouse resorts shown here,
this would be the one. Chole Mjini has seven treehouses to choose from, and
each one has been built, quite literally, by hand. No power tools. It is a
testament to vision and belief, the purpose of a dream.
Bangkok Treehouse, Thailand
The Bangkok Treehouse is minimalist living among the
treetops. Said to have been inspired by Walden, it’s like someone shimmied
up a tree and threw some beds down. We’re all for the simple life, but walls
and a ceiling might be a nice touch. It gets so basic that at some point
there’s just two beds on a river. No, we’re not even kidding. It’s like the
aftermath of a tornado. Not recommended for someone who gets up in the night to
use the bathroom.
Aqua Wellness Resort, Nicaragua
Tell someone you’re living in a tree in Nicaragua and they
might start to feel sorry for you. Just don’t mention the Pacific views or the
plunge pool. You might also want to forget about the lava stone pathways that
wander easily among the ginger plants and banana groves. And while you’re at
it, better not say anything about the slate shower or the white sand beach. Or
the Serta perfect sleeper that lulls you to sleep.
Costa Rica Treehouse, Costa Rica
This ten-acre Pacific Ocean property in Punta Uva Beach
offers a six-night Adventure Package that includes a jaguar rescue. For the
more apathetic there’s the Relaxing Package. Both include an iguana
conservation tour with optional massage, though it’s not clear if it’s you or
the iguana who gets the massage.
Cedar Creek, Washington State
A bed and breakfast cottage just outside Rainer National
Park. Nothing too unusual, except you’re fifty feet up in a giant cedar, one
whose trunk pushes up through the floor and disappears out the ceiling. Access
to the lodge is by the five-storey stairway. Fantastic rope bridges high
in the trees take you to the observatory and the Floating Treehouse.
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