There is a tree house stay for every budget, from affordable Airbnbs to more expensive hotel and resort getaways. So, if you’re interested in a treehouse vacation that’ll stay in your memory for a lifetime, keep on reading!
History of the Tree House
Before we delve into some of the most amazing tree houses in the world, let’s talk about their history. Tree houses have a long and rich history dating back thousands of years throughout areas all over the world. The tree house, you see, was an excellent form of accommodation. It kept its inhabitants and their food and belongings safe from animals and floods. During the Middle Ages, Hindu and Franciscan monks also enjoyed living in tree houses. They especially favored these nature-surrounded rooms for meditation as they were quiet and completely private. The Renaissance period also saw a rise in the tree house’s popularity. The unique treetop dwellings had made their way to Europe, with Italians taking a keen interest in the idea of homes up in the trees. Nowadays, tree houses are adapted into restaurants, spa areas, and luxurious getaways. Although some of the tree homes we see today are far different from the world’s first treehouses, their original history hasn’t been lost. In some areas of the world, such as Indonesia, tribes are still living their lives up in the trees. We don’t blame them. The high vantage point of living in a tree protects them from wild animals and rival tribes. Some of their treetop structures are so big that they can house a family of 10 up to 40 meters above the ground.
How the Rustic Treehouse Became So Popular
The tree house became popular throughout four eras in history: The Roman era, The Renaissance period, the late eighteenth-century Romantic period, and the 21st century. As we mentioned before, the Renaissance period saw a huge popularity increase for the tree top dwellings. Throughout Europe, tree houses became a fashion statement in Florentine Gardens which then led to the creation of tree top restaurants. Businesses took the simple tree house structure and transformed it into lavish restaurants. Some were even able to seat up to 200 guests.
Benefits of a Tree House Living Space
Although you may be thinking that you could never live full-time in a tree house, these unique abodes come with some incredible benefits.
Connect with Nature – You can’t get much more out in nature than at the top of a tree. Unfortunately, as technology keeps developing, more and more people are losing touch with nature and are spending more time indoors than ever before. Escaping the outdoors is incredibly hard when you live in a tree, especially if you don’t connect electricity, cable, and wifi.Cheap to Build – Unlike a typical house, tree houses are incredibly cheap to build as, more often than not, they’re made of wood.Environmentally Friendly – Tree houses can be made with salvaged and recycled substances, which is great for the planet. Add in the fact that your electricity, if you have it, has probably come from solar panels or other renewable energy, and you’ve got yourself an environmentally friendly home that is limiting its impact on the Earth.Ultimate Privacy – Unless you build an entire community up in the trees, your tree house home will have maximum privacy from neighbors or passersby. You could walk around naked with the windows open 24/7, and no one would ever know.
15 Incredible Tree House Hotels
Now that we’ve covered a brief history of tree houses let’s get into some of the world’s most spectacular tree house hotels, rentals, and getaway destinations that’ll satisfy your childhood dream of living in a tree.
Asia
Aura House
It’s no surprise that Bali, with its rolling rice fields and lush rainforests, is home to some incredible treehouse rentals with breathtaking views. The first on our list is the Aura House Treehouse. This unique bamboo house is truly a work of art and features two en-suite bedrooms, a large living area, and a private swimming pool. Along with that, you have incredible views of the ricefields and forests with all the modern amenities for a short getaway family vacation.
Enchanted Hobbit Treehouse
If you’ve always dreamed of staying in a tree fort, and if you’re a die-hard Hobbit fan, you need to get yourself over to this Indonesian island. The Enchanted Hobbit Treehouse in Tegallalang, Bali, has a signature round Hobbit door that gives you spectacular views of the surrounding rice fields.
The Tree House – Erumadam
In the hills of Munnar, India, is the Erumadam Tree House. Although this house looks like it sits on stilts up in the trees, the owners built it with sustainable materials on top of a living tree. The Erumadam Tree House consists of two stories, with the first featuring the bathroom and balcony and the second the bedroom.
The Tree House
India’s New Delhi is also home to a magical house up in the trees. This one, however, is more on the modern side with large floor-to-ceiling windows that let in an abundance of natural light. The Tree House is beautifully decorated and offers one open living space with the bedroom and living room combined. The balcony, which you can access through the large doors, has an amazing view of the surrounding park area.
Treehouse De Valentine
The Treehouse De Valentine in Balamban, Philippines, has incredible bamboo walls structured off and around a handful of trees. With three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a huge open-aired living space, and a nearby private river, the Treehouse De Valentine is the perfect escape for friends or a large family.
Australia
Treehouse Blue Mountains
The large floor-to-ceiling windows of this treehouse getaway are what make it so magnificent. Uninterrupted views of the Blue Mountains right from the comfort of your bed aren’t something you get to experience every day. The Treehouse Blue Mountains, which comes fully equipped with a kitchen, bathtub, and log burner, makes the perfect romantic getaway in the mountains of New South Wales.
Europe
Chewton Glen Treehouses
The Chewton Glen in New Milton, England, has a selection of treehouse rentals that are suspended 35 feet above the ground. From the inside of these tree houses, you may even forget that you are suspended in a tree in the first place. These treehouses, much like the rest of The Chewton Glen, are categorized as 5-star accommodation and come fully decked out with lavish furniture, linens, and decorations. Hot tubs, bathtubs, and underground heating are just some of the included features of these marvelous tree houses.
Treehotel
Unique, weird, and wacky are all words to describe the seven tree houses at the Treehotel. Some of Scandinavia’s leading architect’s designed these seven rooms to be a one-of-a-kind accommodation for those visiting Harad, Sweden. The seven rooms consist of:
The 7th Room – The 7th Room is the Treehotels largest treehouse. This log cabin sits 10 meters up in the trees and is one of the more basic houses on the list.The Birds Nest – Ever wanted to feel like a bird? Well, in The Bird’s Nest, that is possible. This treehouse is the spitting image of an oversized bird’s nest. And to get into the property, you have to climb a retractable rope ladder.The Cabin is fairly basic but features spacious windows that give you impeccable views of the treehouses surrounding the valley.The Mirror Cube – If you’ve always wished for invisibility superpowers, then The Mirror Cube will be right up your street. Architect’s designed this structure out of reflective glass that reflects the trees around it. This camouflage design makes it near invisible in the forest.The UFO – The UFO treehouse is quite literally an alien spaceship strung up into the trees. Kids especially will love this one as it’s not every day you get to fall asleep in a spaceship.The Blue Cone – The Treehotel set The Blue Cone, which is bright red, lower in the trees to make it more accessible than the other treehouses on their property.The DragonFly – The final installation to the Treehotel treehouse group is The Dragon Fly. The DragonFly is a series of interconnecting rooms. These rooms have large windows that offer wonderful panoramic views of the outside scenery.
The United States
Canopy Tree House
The beautifully designed Canopy Tree House in Sanford, Maine, is a stilt-built tree house with a feature tree running through its balcony. Its owner designed the rustic treehouse with a wooden interior to capture the outside nature in a modern and elegant way. Inside the Canopy Tree House are two bedrooms. One on the ground floor and the second tucked away in a loft-style roof. There is also a full kitchen, big open windows, and a small but roomy living space. Something we particularly love is the retreat that houses the Canopy Tree House. The retreat is entirely carbon neutral, with 150 solar panels powering its properties.
Extraordinary Tree House
The Extraordinary Tree House in Dallas, Texas, is quite literally a tree house on steroids. The multi-story vacation rental has two baths and two beds, and although it isn’t way up in the canopy like a traditional tree house, numerous trees still raise it off the ground, with some of them even popping up throughout its balcony area. The features of this home don’t stop there, however. This luxury treehouse can sleep up to four people, but it also has a full working kitchen, a spacious lounge area, and a jacuzzi bathtub big enough for all four of the house’s guests.
Klickitat Treehouse
The Klickitat Treehouse in White Salmon, Washington, is a breathtaking modern home that three Douglas Fir trees support. With its twenty-foot vantage point, you can see amazing views of Mount Adams and the Columbia River Gorge. Inside the house is a master bedroom, a loft-style bedroom with twin beds, a full bathroom, living area, and kitchen. All rooms are beautifully decorated, tying in with the outdoor colors.
Meadowlark Treehouse
This elegant two-story treehouse in Columbia Falls, Montana, looks incredible in all seasons. And it has all the amenities you’d need for a weekend or even a lifetime in the trees. The first story of Meadowlark features a kitchen, a living area, and a bathroom, with the second story housing the master bedroom and en-suite toilet.
Tropical Treehouse
Fern Forest, Hawaii, is home to the beautiful Tropical Treehouse whose upper story contains a queen-sized bed, adequate wardrobe space, and a bathroom that gets its water from rainfall. Along with the Tropical Treehouse’s water supply, its electricity source is also environmentally friendly. Sunlight and solar panels generate electricity for the house, which the panels then store in a battery.
Whidbey Island Treehouse
The Whidbey Island Treehouse in Freeland, Washington, is one of the simpler tree houses on our list, but sometimes, simple is all you need. With two beds in a large open living area, this tree house is the perfect destination for small families wanting a break out in nature. There is a huge tree running through its center, so you can’t get much more out in nature than that.
Willow Treehouse
In Willow, New York, simplistic modern meets treehouse to create a naturally lit living space secluded amongst the trees. Entire walls made from windows put you at one with nature. And they also give you amazing views of the swimmable pond directly in front of the property. The Willow Treehouse has an open living and kitchen area, a full bathroom, a loft-style bedroom, and a separate hot tub a few meters from the house.
Final Thoughts on The Best Tree Houses
We can safely say that around the world, architect’s have taken the simple tree house and adapted it into breathtaking vacation rentals and homes that put its inhabitants in the middle of nature while also accompanying them with all the modern amenities that one could need. As we wrap up on this article, we’d love to know have you ever stayed in a tree house? If so, where was it, and what was your favorite feature? Let us know in the comment section down below!
