7 Heavenly Tree-House Hotels For The Most Elevated Of Vacations
A getaway up in the trees makes for an enchantingly secluded experience. From rustic country retreats to tranquil coastal cocoons and stilted safari lodges, KATIE BERRINGTON discovers seven awe-inspiring tree-house hotels around the world
Post Ranch Inn, California, USA
This romantic Big Sur retreat is adults-only, its contemporary cliffside suites and houses serving beguiling vistas from the scenic meeting point of mountain and sea, 1,200 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Post Ranch Inn features free-standing, triangular-shaped, wood-beamed tree houses boasting the most verdant positioning, with window seats, balconies and skylights to soak it all in from – you can even stargaze from your bed.
Keemala, Thailand
A striking sight amid the forested hillside overlooking the village of Kamala and the Andaman Sea, Keemala is a tropical sanctuary of a retreat with unique villas dotted between the lush foliage. With various accommodation options, the Tree Pool Houses are spread over two floors, with a living and dining space on the lower level, a vast master suite upstairs, and an outdoor private pool on the terrace. Influenced by the idea of elevation, the designers have even suspended some furnishings from the ceilings.
Xigera Safari Lodge, Botswana
Residing in Moremi Game Reserve, Xigera Safari Lodge overlooks the Okavango Delta, in the heart of a Unesco World Heritage Site. In addition to 12 immaculately designed suites filled with locally sourced, handcrafted art, guests can choose to stay in the impressively isolated Baobob Treehouse. Located just a short distance from the lodge (with a guide stationed nearby), the structure’s striking sculptural design – inspired by a painting by South African master landscape artist Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef – stands almost 30 feet above the floodplain. The three storeys comprise a capacious bedroom and bathroom, which both have canvas walls that can open entirely to the great outdoors, and a top deck for unrivaled views of the wildlife and wonder that surrounds it.
Hapuku Lodge + Tree Houses, New Zealand
Amid a cinematic, sprawling landscape on a South Island deer-breeding farm, sitting between the foot of Kaikoura Seaward Mountain Range, the Kaikoura coast and Mangamaunu Bay, Hapuku Lodge + Tree Houses blends harmoniously into its magnificent surroundings. The five tree houses are cradled in the canopy of a native kanuka grove and designed to be “a bedroom in the sky” with serene open-plan living quarters. Each tree house comes complete with a soaking tub, fireplace and shower – and far-reaching views – while the two family houses have a main suite upstairs and a children’s twin room in the lower branches.
Treehouse London, UK
Living up to its name, Treehouse London enjoys a soaring position above a legendary London location (just round the corner from the BBC’s London headquarters, and walking distance from Regent Street and Bond Street). The view from the rooftop looks out over the city skyline, taking in landmarks such as the London Eye, The Shard, Canary Wharf and Regent’s Park. The rooms also enjoy iconic vistas from huge bay windows, while warm interiors with playful pops of color have been designed to evoke a childhood clubhouse.
&Beyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge, Tanzania
Perched in an ancient mahogany forest, the glorious &Beyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge invites guests into the stunning wilderness of the Lake Manyara National Park, where the landscape spans the Rift Valley soda lake, thick woodland canopy and sheer mountains. The 10 tree houses stand on stilts up in the branches and are inviting cocoons crafted from local timber and makuti palm fronds. They’re atmospheric bases from which to revel in the region’s safari opportunities – look out for passing elephants!
Chewton Glen, UK
A charming, bucolic spa hotel in the heart of southern England’s New Forest National Park, Chewton Glen is renowned for its elegant accommodation – the most impressive being its state-of-the-art tree houses that stand among the wooded valley. These spacious and ultra-luxe suites have wood-burning stoves, marble bathrooms with a view of the forest, and terrace hot tubs – while a discreet hatch allows for the delivery of delectable hampers, should guests wish to have a fully secluded stay.