Treehouses to stay: Best Treehouse Rentals: Our 25 Top Picks Across USA

Best Treehouse Rentals: Our 25 Top Picks Across USA

@kath_englishman

Katherine is a freelance writer and yoga teacher based in the beautiful state of Maine. She likes cabins, beer, and being outside.

https://www.fieldmag.com/articles/best-treehouse-rentals-usa

Uninterrupted forest views, the privacy of being sheltered in a canopy of green, and the sheer joy of calling a beautiful treehouse home for a little while. These days, treehouses come in all shapes and sizes, whether it’s an outrageous floating A-frame or an off-grid dwelling with only the bare necessities, soaring views, and no Wi-Fi. Whatever you choose, there’s no denying that a little bit of magic exists in treehouse living, even if it’s only for a short stay.

Ready to find the coolest treehouse rental of your dreams? We dove deep to find the best tree top dwellings in every corner of the continental U.S. available for rent, from lakeside escapes, renovated fire towers, to elevated A-frames. Here are our top 25 picks for the best treehouse Airbnbs, VRBOs, and more across the country.

[Into more conventional cabin rentals? Check out our top picks for the best design-driven rental cabins across America here (Yes, this includes A-Frame rentals).]

The 25 Best Treehouses for Rent Across the USA

Wanderlust Treehouse — Crane Hill, AL

Vibe: Boho Luxury

Full of boho vibes and layers of cozy textiles and custom architectural details, this unique place is the perfect spot for a solo retreat or escape for two. Highlights include both an indoor and outdoor shower, mini rope bridge, outdoor swinging bed, kitchenette and bbq area, and access to hiking trails and nearby Lewis Smith Lake for kayaking, boat launches, and swimming.

Rate: $350/Night

Peaceful Treehouse w Ocean View – Aptos, CA

Vibe: Coastal Oasis

Mid-century details, three private bedrooms, and unobstructed ocean views are what makes this spacious two-story treehouse a place for sky-high luxury.

Rate: $734/Night

Luxury Treehouse w Sierra Views – Visalia, CA

Vibe: Modern Luxe

A mix of oversized wood paneling and black steel with a slanted roof gives this California treehouse a sleek, modern style. It has a small deck, indoor fireplace, and shared inground pool that you can enjoy after a day spent in nearby Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park.

Rate: $275/Night

Modern Treehouse — Cascade-Chipita, CO

Vibe: Classy in Colorado

About 1.5-hour drive from Denver, CO enjoy a sophisticated getaway in this octagonal cabin featuring midcentury modern decor, lush linens, full kitchen, and a spacious living area. Located in the mountain community of Cascade, Colorado, there’s plenty to do in the surrounding areas, like the bars and restaurants of Colorado Springs or the virtually endless outdoor activities available around the greater Denver area.

Rate: $325/Night

Treehouse Escape — Flintstone, GA

Vibe: Rustic & Minimal

Developed through a fascinating partnership between Dove Men’s Care and legendary treehouse master Pete Nelson, this treehouse lies in the forest of Georgia, just 5 miles outside of Chattanooga. Completely temperature controlled (with heated flooring), the interior features a fully stocked kitchen, living room, spacious downstairs sleeping area, and loft bed for stargazing.

Rate: $375/Night

Charming Treehouse — Flintstone, GA

Vibe: Romantic Respite

Located on rolling farmland outside of Chattanooga, this airy, boho style treehouse features plenty of windows, a full bath and tiny kitchen, and a classic southern porch. Air conditioning provides needed respite from the Georgia heat, making this the perfect getaway for a relaxing, romantic weekend.

Rate: $186/Night

Fishing Treehouse — Jackson, GA

Vibe: Reel Em’ In

Located on the banks of a 20-acre private lake with access to multiple boats, this treehouse is a fisherperson’s paradise. The studio-sized cabin is just big enough for two and features classic fish decor and a rustic vibe. Elsewhere on the property, a shared pavilion hosts a grill, boat launch and dock, outdoor fireplace, and outdoor kitchen, if your cozy cabin wasn’t enough.

Rate: $214/Night

Crystal Peak Lookout — Fernwood, ID

Vibe: Laid-back Lookout

Located in the boonies of Idaho, survey the remote splendor from the 360 degrees worth of windows at the Cyrstal Peak Lookout. Originally built in 1959, the structure still holds its original character but with some minimalist and cozy updates. Below, a wood-fired sauna awaits for some after-adventure relaxation.

Rate: $300/Night

Cliff Dweller — Campton, KY

Vibe: Cliffside Perch

For a more adventurous glamping experience, book a stay at this extraordinary treehouse bolted to a cliff in Red River Gorge, KY. Take a couple friends and climb the several hundred steps to reach your tiny house soaring high above the canopy, where a kitchen, bathroom, living area, and comfortable bed await. Suspended above, another unit holds an additional bedroom for the real daredevils.

Rate: $539/Night

Observatory Tree House — Stanton, KY

Vibe: Tree Top Adventure

Featuring floating walkways, steep ship ladders, a winding staircase, a screened-in lounge with hammocks, and multiple twists and turns, this unique treehouse getaway is straight out of childhood dreams.

Rate: $273/Night

Earth-Friendly Treehouse – Canton, NC

Vibe: Sustainable Luxury

Just west of Asheville, NC, on 23 private acres, this brand new treehouse is 100% powered by solar and heated by a tiny wood stove. Interior details from the kitchen countertop to the fireplace mantel are made with local wood, or material sourced right from the property too, for a fully earth-friendly escape.

Rate: $194/Night

Seguin Treehouse — Georgetown, ME

Vibe: Private Island Treehouse

On a modest island seven miles out to sea, two separate structures are connected by a rope-plank bridge and south-facing picture windows to bring the outside in. Live out your Lord of the Flies fantasies in this vacation rental while enjoying the whitewashed shiplap walls and fresh seafood.

Rate: $268/night

TreeLoft at BaseCamp — Perryville, MO

Vibe: Treehouse for Two, Please

Escape for a weekend getaway to this romantic treehouse custom-built for two with an accessible ramp entrance. Featuring a contemporary interior with floor-to-ceiling windows, a luxurious full bathroom, full kitchen, a spacious outdoor seating area, and a hot tub out on the deck, you won’t want to leave this serene hideaway.

Rate: $317/Night

The Magical Treehouse — Higley Flow State Park, NY

Vibe: Rustic Escape

This rustic and laid-back cozy treehouse puts you close to miles of hiking and mountain biking trails in the scenic Adirondack region. With minimal amenities (no running water) and no-frills decor, it’s a rugged but cozy getaway.

Rate: $295/Night

Hocking Hills Treehouse Cabins – South Bloomingville, OH

Vibe: Treehouse-land

This impressive treehouse property in the Hocking Hills area of Ohio features not one, but four treehouses, ranging from the family-friendly White Oak Treehouse to the enchanting two-person Hemlock Treehouse. The most secluded of the bunch, the Hemlock is accessed by a network of elevated boardwalk, and while the decor leaves a little be desired, features a wraparound porch, and private wood-fired hot tub.

Rate: $500/Night

Heartland Treehouse – Langlois, OR

Vibe: Remote Retreat

Tucked away in a mossy forest, this beautiful designed treehouse is handbuilt between two large fir trees. The real showstopper is the outdoor patio with two tubs built into the large deck to make the perfect place for an amazing soaking experience.

Rate: $180/Night

Ryder’s Treehouse – Baird, TX

Vibe: Rancho Relaxo

Instead of total seclusion, this Texas treehouse puts you right in the middle of an 800-acre working ranch. The treehouse itself is small and cozy, with a large deck and walkway that hovers above a fully equipped outdoor kitchen. Yeehaw.

Rate: $325/Night

Piney Woods Treehouse — Kirbyville, TX

Vibe: Classic & Cozy

Located on an 80-acre woodland farm, this cozy getaway features a modern interior, kitchenette, lofted bedroom, and access to the property’s pond, kayak, paddleboard, hiking trails, and farm animals.

Rate: $103/Night

Cypress Valley — Spicewood, TX

Vibe: Bougie Treefort

The rough-hewn, wood-clad treehouses of Cypress Valley are built around the area’s old-growth cypress trees for a truly immersive outdoor experience. Each of their five treehouses vary in shape, size, and amenities, but all of them feature a wraparound deck, large soaking tubs, and a birds-eye view of the creek and ravine below.

Rate: $525/Night

The Joshua Tree House — Bridgewater, VA

Vibe: Fairytale Cottage

This riverfront treehouse cabin features a lofted queen-sized bed, walnut spiral staircase, salvaged barn beams, an outdoor soaking tub, riverside fire pit, private deck, and more set amongst homey, fairytale-esque decor. And if you’re looking to explore, downtown Bridgewater is within walking distance for restaurants and shopping.

Rate: $219/Night

Treeframe Cabin — Index, WA

Vibe: Elevated A

Located along the banks of the Skykomish River, this treehouse retreat is just big enough for two for a romantic getaway. A modern A-frame cabin, the interior features soaring ceilings, a loft area for sleeping, heated floors, and generous windows and skylights with views of the surrounding PNW forest.

Rate: $550/Night

Klickitat Treehouse – White Salmon, WA

Vibe: Alpine Start

This 500-square-foot treehouse is the perfect spot to hideout or find adventure in the Columbia River Gorge Valley. With its mountain views and simple Scandinavian architecture, if it weren’t for the adventure just outside, you might be tempted to stay indoors.

Rate: $414/Night

Eagle’s Perch – Port Angeles, WA

Vibe: Bliss on the Bank

Just outside Olympic National Forest and Park on the banks of the Strait, this multi-level treehouse complex accommodates 3 guests. Full of nooks and crannies, the interior provides plenty of interest, but a generous fire pit right along the water is another great place to hang.

Rate: $609/Night

Osprey Treehouse – Stevenson, WA

Vibe: Treetop Escape

A wide douglas fir tree running right through the center blends indoor and outdoor living in the Osprey Treehouse. The octagon dwelling is big enough to sleep up to three people, all tucked away on 30 acres of waterfront property.

Rate: $235/Night

Camp Wandawega – Elkhorn, WI

Vibe: Prohibition Paradise

This historic property has a long heritage that includes everything from a 1920s speakeasy to a Latvian church camp, and today, you can book a few nights for some R+R at the restored lakeside cabins and treehouse. Settle into Camp Wandawega’s retreat in the Wisconsin hillside and gain access to the whole property for a one-of-a-kind stay.

Rate: $650/Night

Published 03-06-2023

treehousesrentalsglampingcabin rentalscabins

23 Magical Tree House Airbnbs and Hotels to Book Now

Live among the trees in this charming Vermont tree house Airbnb.

Courtesy of Airbnb

Lofty, leafy accommodations have been popular for a while, but they’ve generally carried an element of “roughing it.” Now, a new generation of resorts and vacation rentals are taking tree houses to luxurious new heights. From Tanzania to Texas, lavish villas, honeymoon suites, suspended dining pods, and spa treatment pavilions are being built among the branches. Here are 23 tree house Airbnb rentals and hotels to get your greenery fix up close.

1. Tree House at Bliss Ridge Farm

Moretown, Vermont
Book Now

This whimsical tree house Airbnb rental (pictured above) is located on an 88-acre organic farm just a 20-minute drive south of Waterbury, Vermont (aka the home of the Ben & Jerry’s factory). Accessible via a rope bridge, the tree house offers enough room for up to seven guests to sleep between a queen bed and fold-out couch on the main floor, and additional beds in two separate sleeping lofts. The amenities are more rustic than others on this list (compost toilet, outdoor shower, no Wi-Fi), but there’s also a spring-fed pond for swimming on the property so you won’t hear us complaining about anything.

The “7th Room” is only one of Treehotel’s seven tree house lodgings, including a bird’s nest and mirror cube.

Courtesy of Johan Jansson/Treehotel

2. Treehotel

Harads, Sweden
Book Now

The Treehotel’s 7th Room is by far the most lavish aerie at this design-forward Lapland tree house hotel, which opened in 2016. Built around pine trunks some 33 feet above the ground, the suite sleeps five people. The two bedrooms, living area with sofa bed, bathroom, and shower are all adorned with Scandinavian wood, warm textiles, and organic materials. Large windows throughout and skylights in the bedroom are designed for viewing the Northern Lights, as well as the panorama of the surrounding forest and the Lule River. The mesh floor of the patio allows for nighttime stargazing (or sleeping) and daytime admiration of the treetops below.

Rural escapes topped most of this list.

Courtesy of Airbnb

3. Willow Tree House Airbnb

Willow, New York
Book Now

According to Airbnb, this modern tree house in the Hudson River Valley was the most wish-listed rental in New York State in 2020. And it’s not hard to see why this is the perfect secluded escape for New Yorkers. Set on 34 acres only a 15-minute drive from the town of Woodstock, this tree house has giant picture windows for enjoying the views of the surrounding forest and the pond just down the hill. You’ll have to climb a ladder in the sleeping loft, but that adds to the cozy element. Don’t forget to pack your swimsuit. In addition to the pond, there’s a firewood-heated hot tub.

At Secret Bay, you get this gorgeous view and a perfect night’s sleep with its personalized bedding services.

Courtesy of Secret Bay

4. Secret Bay

Portsmouth, Dominica
Book Now

Secret Bay, an intimate Caribbean hideaway, calls its tree house villas “bowers of bliss,” because they have privacy galore. Stretching over nearly 1,600 square feet, each Ylang-Ylang Villa—so-called because their exterior shape is inspired by that flower—encompasses a bedroom (which can be air-conditioned) and bathroom, two decks, an outdoor shower, an open-air kitchen, a barbecue, a dining area, and a private plunge pool. Standing on a single “stem,” each is an architectural feat and a dreamy setting for a romantic retreat.

Not all tree house getaways require a plane ride and a passport.

Courtesy of Airbnb

5. Atlanta Tree House Airbnb

Atlanta, Georgia
Book Now

Even though this three-room tree house Airbnb connected by rope bridges is just minutes from downtown Atlanta, it feels secluded thanks to its location tucked into the trees. According to Airbnb, this vacation rental is its most wish-listed property in the world, and its high ratings from guests prove that it’s worth visiting. While you won’t find air-conditioning or an en suite bathroom here, little luxuries like bedding from upscale linen brand Parachute and a dedicated hammock deck mean you’re not exactly roughing it.

Wake up with the sunrise and have a massage on your own tree house terrace at Acre.

Courtesy of Acre

6. Acre Treehouse Hotel

San Jose del Cabo, Mexico
Book Now

Acre, the 25-acre spot that began as a restaurant highlighting Baja’s bounty and a bar with killer craft cocktails has evolved into a hotel with the addition of 12 tree houses. Stays at the adults-only property include a breakfast, morning yoga, and access to the pool and surrounding grounds (where there are bocce and badminton courts, too).

The Meadowlark Tree House has 500 square feet of space to spread out in.

Courtesy of Airbnb

7. Meadowlark Tree House at Montana Treehouse Retreat

Columbia Falls, Montana
Book Now

Planning a winter retreat? The Montana Treehouse Retreat is mere minutes from Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort, a 30-minute drive to Glacier National Park, and open year-round. There are two tree houses—including a lofted A-frame cabin called the Raven’s Nest Tree House—at this five-acre property, but we’re partial to the fairy-tale-like Meadowlark Tree House. To access this two-story tree house, you’ll need to climb a spiral staircase built around the trunk of a giant Douglas fir tree. Once inside, you’ll find a full kitchen and bathroom on the main level, as well as an additional deck and half bathroom upstairs in the main bedroom loft.

The view of the surrounding winter wonderland from an Arctic TreeHouse Suite

Courtesy of Arctic TreeHouse Hotel

8. Arctic TreeHouse Hotel

Rovaniemi, Finland
Book Now

Located in Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland and the gateway to the Arctic Circle, the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel has three different styles of suites that all have panoramic windows from which to enjoy the surrounding scenery. We’re fans of the cozy Arctic TreeHouse Suites with an additional “nest bed” tucked away up a small ladder that is ideal for families traveling with kids.

This tree house Airbnb is not for those scared of heights.

Courtesy of Airbnb/ @toddalanbreland

9. Raven Rock Tree House Airbnb

Fletcher, North Carolina
Book Now

“This is 50 feet up (and 65 steps) to pure canopy living,” Airbnb guest Todd Alan Breland wrote in his Instagram post about his stay. (His image above was one of the most-liked photos on Airbnb’s Instagram account in 2021. )

Accessible via a dirt and gravel road—four-wheel drive is a must—this property is located on a 40-acre wildlife preserve in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It may sound remote, but it’s only a 10-mile drive from the Asheville airport. That said, you are off grid. That means no electricity and the toilet is a Porta Potty located on the ground. What this tree house Airbnb lacks in luxurious amenities, it makes up for in mountain views for miles. If you wake up early enough, you might spot owls, bobcats, falcons, and more.

Treehouse Utopia is about a 90-minute drive west of San Antonio, Texas.

Courtesy of Treehouse Utopia

10. Treehouse Utopia

Utopia, Texas
Book Now

A must-stay on any Texas Hill Country road trip, Treehouse Utopia consists of four luxury tree houses built in ancient bald cypress trees overlooking the Sabinal River. Each tree house can accommodate up to two guests and includes an en suite bathroom and air-conditioning. We’re partial to Chapelle, which is decorated with French antiques and stained glass and features a 25-foot steeple.

This Charlotte, North Carolina, tree house Airbnb is located on a private pond.

Photo by Amanda Bittner

11. The Carolina Tree House Airbnb

Charlotte, North Carolina
Book Now

This charming one-bedroom tree house rental is an ideal getaway for two that feels more remote than its location—five miles northeast of downtown Charlotte—really is. In the morning, take your cup of coffee down to the private pond the property is situated on, or curl up with a book on the swing bed located underneath the tree house. As the sun goes down, fire up the grill on the upstairs deck and enjoy the views among the trees.

This Airbnb Plus is a 90-minute drive south of San Francisco.

Courtesy of Airbnb

12. Coastal California Tree House Airbnb

Aptos, California
Book Now

This three-bedroom tree house with room for six guests is located in the hills above Santa Cruz near Nicene Marks Redwood Forest State Park. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in plenty of sunlight and views of the surrounding forest and nearby ocean, while sliding doors inspired by Japanese screens and natural wooden details add to the serene vibe. Feel the need to relax even more? There’s a hammock on the patio perfect for midafternoon naps.

Find five-star luxury deep in the forest at Post Ranch Inn.

Photo by Kodiak Greenwood

13. Post Ranch Inn

Big Sur, California
Book Now

This luxurious hotel high on the cliffs of Big Sur might be most famous for its Pacific Ocean views, but Post Ranch Inn also has a collection of tree house suites that shouldn’t be overlooked. Perched on stilts nine feet off the ground, each of these rooms features a wood-burning fireplace and a large skylight positioned above the king-sized bed angled perfectly for stargazing.

Enjoy views of Washington’s Mount Adams from the deck of this tree house in the Columbia River Gorge.

Courtesy of Airbnb

14.

The Klickitat Tree House Airbnb

White Salmon, Washington
Book Now

Located in the Columbia River Gorge about an hour’s drive east of Portland, Oregon, this midcentury modern–inspired Airbnb is lofted 20 feet above the ground in a canopy of Douglas firs. With room for up to six to sleep, you’ll also find a full kitchen and bathroom indoors as well as an outdoor shower on the deck.

Let the outdoors in at Canyon Ranch Woodside.

Courtesy of Canyon Ranch

15. Canyon Ranch Woodside

Woodside, California
Book Now

Less than an hour’s drive south of San Francisco but a world away from the hustle and bustle of city life, this wellness retreat has 24 tree houses lofted 35 to 50 feet above the ground. In addition to private decks, floor-to-ceiling windows allow guests to immerse themselves in nature when they’re not hiking the 16 acres of redwood forest surrounding the property.

This tree house is just 100 yards from the North River in Bridgewater, Virginia.

Photo by Airbnb

16. The Joshua Tree House Airbnb

Bridgewater, Virginia
Book Now

The name of this Airbnb is slightly deceptive. Instead of the California desert, this 400-square-foot tree house is located in Virginia, roughly 16 feet off the ground and 30 miles west of the Swift Run Gap entrance to Shenandoah National Park. The interior design is anything but rustic, with beautiful details like a walnut spiral staircase to the queen-size loft bedroom, a marble tile shower, and hammered copper sinks. There’s a hot tub on the deck, but for a more refreshing dip, you can walk 100 yards down to the North River to swim. (And there are two kayaks and a canoe you can borrow from the hosts.)

At andBeyond, settings are natural but the experience is high-tech: You’ll even have an interactive kitchen.

Courtesy of andBeyond

17. andBeyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge

Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania
Book Now

This andBeyond tree house hotel emphasizes the mahogany forest where it is located in Lake Manyara National Park. The original nine suites of the Lake Manyara Tree Lodge are all built on stilts with large decks suspended above the forest floor crafted from local timber and makuti palm fronds. A family suite takes that model and supersizes it, creating a second bedroom for the kids.

Tree House Hut in Braintree, Vermont

Courtesy of Airbnb

18. Vermont Tree House Hut Airbnb

Braintree, Vermont
Book Now

Located on a 13-acre property in central Vermont—just two miles from Bent Hill Brewery—this tree house has proper windows and full insulation, making it a year-round option. To up the coziness factor indoors, the owners also added a tiny wooden stove. While the toilet is indoors, the shower area is located on an outdoor platform a few steps away, so winter trips will most likely be shorter if you’re looking to bathe in comfort. To take the glamping vibes even further, there is no cell service or Wi-Fi here so be prepared to disconnect. Thankfully, there are several miles of trails you can explore in the woods right on the property.

This Idaho Airbnb is ideal for those looking to get away from it all.

Courtesy of Airbnb

19. Crystal Peak Lookout Tree House Airbnb

Fernwood, Idaho
Book Now

If you’re a fan of Wes Anderson’s 2012 Boy Scout adventure movie Moonrise Kingdom, you’ll love the vibe of this vintage fire lookout that dates back to 1959. Relocated to northern Idaho from Washington State in 1983, it was renovated in 2018 and includes a woodfire stove, a queen-size bed, and a small kitchen. This tree house rental definitely has more of a rustic glamping vibe, with a log cabin outhouse (yes, that kind of outhouse) and a cozy sauna located down below. The lookout’s remote location on 13 wooded acres also means you’ll need a car with 4WD to access it. In the winter, for a $100 fee, you can arrange for the property’s caretaker to bring you to the property via snowcat.

The Spa Botanico at Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Puerto Rico

Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton

20. Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Dorado, Puerto Rico
Book Now

Built on five acres of pineapple gardens and verdant natural landscaping, the spa at Dorado Beach features two tree house pavilions that let guests hear the rustling leaves and enjoy the scent of bay rum leaves and lemongrass. Those who want to sway along with the island breezes can book a hammock massage, in which spagoers are suspended in a cloth hammock while a therapist works on their pressure points from beneath.

Overlook the Pakerisan River from a teahouse tree house at Hoshinoya Bali.

Courtesy of Hoshino Resorts

21. Hoshinoya Bali

Bali, Indonesia
Book Now

The all-villa Hoshinoya Bali was the company’s first resort outside Japan. (In addition to six Hoshinoya properties throughout Japan, you’ll find the Hoshinoya Guguan in Taiwan now, too. ) The property’s Cafe Gazebo includes three teahouses made for quiet afternooons sipping green tea and contemplating the landscape. The structures, which are made largely of metal and cantilevered out over the jungle, are situated along a river gorge near Ubud, meaning there’s green forest extending as far as the eye can see.

Enjoy elevated dining at Soneva Kiri.

Courtesy of Soneva Kiri

22. Soneva Kiri

Ko Kut, Thailand
Book Now

Soneva Kiri Resort’s Treepod Dining experience elevates fine dining in more ways than one. Four diners share a bamboo pod that is gently hoisted high into the branches of a century-old massang tree in Koh Kood’s ancient rain forest, giving them views of the sea. Once aloft, they dine on the resort’s signature gourmet fare (watermelon salad and galangal-baked fish in banana leaves), all delivered by a waiter who flies in on a zip line.

One&Only Reethi Rah brings private dining to new heights.

Courtesy of One&Only

23. One&Only Reethi Rah

Reethi Rah, Maldives
Book Now

Like most luxury resorts in the Maldives, One&Only Reethi Rah has overwater villas where guests can spend the night. But it has also built a private dining room in a timber tree house where patrons can enjoy a romantic dinner with a seven-course menu designed specifically for their tastes.

This article originally appeared online in 2017; it was updated on March 16, 2022, to include current information.

15 Cool Treehouses – INMYROOM

Guide

Cozy Costa Rica home and Hawaiian jungle hotel, backyard playground and forest spa – all treehouses. We have collected for you the most original of them

Someone is building a house on
tree to get away from the bustle of the city for a while, someone – to become
a full-fledged downshifter who turned his life upside down, and some
the lucky ones even get it as a gift. Get inspired by our selection
and, perhaps, you will be able to decide on the implementation of an old dream!

1. Tropical retreat

A young married couple ran away
from the bustling American metropolis to Costa Rica to build this
multi-level dream tree house. Now their neighbors are exotic birds and
monkey.

2. Medieval charm

This is not just a tree house, but
a real little castle hidden in the trees. To get to
him, you will need to cross the moat! This miracle is located in France and is for rent
for rent to lovers of unusual and secluded recreation.

3. Agrotourism facility

Another offer for original tourists
– a wooden house in the Italian province with a chic curving staircase,
located at a height of eight meters above the ground. The view from here is
bewitching: endless olive fields go all the way to the horizon.

4. Island paradise

The lucky ones who decide to spend
your holiday in Indonesia and stay in this house, you don’t have to worry about
their livelihood: a luxurious garden is attached to the dwelling, where coconuts, papayas grow
and other juicy exotic fruits.

5. Water recreation

Wandawega Lake – popular
among Americans a resort in Wisconsin. In addition to other buildings, you can rent there
three-story tree house, which, despite its small size, hides in
yourself a lot of surprises: for example, a swing, a hammock and a library.

6. Tree spa

This little house,
located in the woods in Vermont, boasts many modern
amenities – for example, a cedar jacuzzi. Its owners are big fans
dwellings of this kind, which own several more tree houses.

7. Childhood holiday

These children seem to have the most
the best grandparents in the world: they built a playhouse for their grandchildren on
tree right in the backyard. This is a bizarre-shaped room with a pointed
roof and lots of entertainment: slide, swings, rope ladders.

8. Bird life

This Swedish hotel
specializes specifically in houses suspended above the ground. One of the most
attractive options in their catalog – a house-nest: it accommodates
four guests who can fully experience the unity with nature.

9. Royal gift

Highgrove Botanical Garden in
in the English county of Gloucester, in addition to rare plants and flowers, there is another
curiosity: the tree house that Prince Charles built for his grandchildren in
1998.

10. Metropolitan exotic

In London, on the south bank of the river
Thames, you can see an unusual mini-hotel: at a height of more than ten meters
there is a house built in African style. You can also get there on
excursion.

11. Bright spot

Not all tree houses
built specifically to blend in with nature. It’s bright red
elevated dwelling – part of the complex for tourists in Sweden – as if on purpose
designed to be on your Instagram.

12. Nature in the city

Authorities of the Italian city of Turin
decided to dilute the harsh urban landscape and take care of the environment
environment by building a five-story residential tree house. One hundred and fifty trees fit organically
into the architecture of the building.

13. Hawaiian retreat

In the wilds of the Hawaiian jungle, you can
rent an aboriginal tree house to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern
civilization. The main charm lies in the bed: it is located
on the lower tier is a swivel canopy bed.

14. Romance by the lake

From this house on the lake in
Scotland offers a superb view. Perhaps that is why many couples
prefer to hold wedding ceremonies here.

15. Italian holidays

Small tree house in
the Italian commune of San Salvatore Monferrato, perhaps, would not have attracted
our attention, if it were not for the pool and wine cellar attached to it. IN
In general, vacationers will have something to entertain themselves.

how a child’s dream became an adult business

Summer is coming – the time of school holidays and children’s expanse in summer cottages. For many families, the Soviet “six acres” are a thing of the past – people are trying to buy a large plot of land with a forest, in such a territory there is a place for a spacious house, and for landscape design, and for barbecues, and for playgrounds. In recent years, tree houses have been gaining popularity in Russia – a story that came from America and won the love of not only children, but also adults. The treehouse is associated with a childhood dream of adventure, a private nook where you can secretly with friends or read a book, but the industry has long stepped over this framework – treehouses have turned into quite adult entertainment.

One of the world leaders in this field is the American Pete Nelson and his company Treehouse Masters. To get an idea of how amazing tree houses can be, just take a look at their Instagram. In the meantime, MIR 24 spoke with representatives of three Russian companies about children’s houses not a tree – whether all breeds are suitable for construction, is it safe for the trees themselves and how long such a house can serve.

Ivan Chernov, GnezDom, Zelenograd:

“Our business started in 2012, and in 2016 my partner, Alexander Bolnykh, and I left our jobs and organized a company. Then our workshop was placed in a car, now we are professionally engaged in the construction of tree houses in an equipped spacious workshop. Why houses? This whole story is connected with the psychological needs of a person. When we are children, we begin to feel the limits of our boundaries, when we are comfortable or uncomfortable, to seek security. Someone builds a fortress from blankets and pillows, someone builds huts from sticks, someone dugouts, someone builds tree houses. This is all a realization of the need for security. Then we grow up, and this need is already realized in an apartment, a private house, and our office. But we always subconsciously dream of returning to childhood, remembering how carefree we were – when the trees were taller and the ice cream tasted better.

The construction of houses in Russia is not regulated by law, they are not capital buildings. There are norms for playgrounds, we work with these GOSTs and, accordingly, fulfill all these requirements: calculation of fences for different heights, entrances and exits of children’s slides, distances between game elements so that children do not intersect. There are standards for timber-frame housing construction, we also use these standards, because, in fact, we build American-style frame houses. When we attach directly to trees, we use the American Treehouse attachment bolt (TAB) system. It was invented by American Michael Garnier. This technology has been tested and used for more than 30 years in the global tree house construction market. The pioneers in this industry are the Americans, now the Europeans are actively building, there are teams in South America, Russia, Ukraine. This is a large and friendly community.

Trees with a well-developed root system and sufficiently dense wood are suitable for building houses. Pine and spruce have a normal density, but not the strongest root system. Oak, maple, ash are good… Trees with soft wood should either be avoided or other methods of securing the house should be used. In American culture, for example, a treehouse is anything that is above ground and has a platform with trees running through it.

We often hear the position of clients that they would not want to cause even minimal damage to trees, then we put the house on support pillars at a height of two meters, pass the trees through the platform and thus achieve the desired effect. Often there is a question: what to do if there are no trees at all? In this case, the house is placed on supports, then with the help of a landscape designer, landings are made around it, or a large-sized tree is planted (if the customer’s resources allow), or a small tree is planted that will grow with the child.

TAB is safe for both the tree and the structure it supports. Much more dangerous is the system of so-called wells, when a tree is surrounded by vertical or horizontal pieces of wood and then squeezed with a cable, studs or chain. The problem is that in this case almost the entire field of its supply is clamped. Using TAB, we drill a small hole with a diameter of 64 mm without interrupting the flow of juice. Over time, the tree grows and “eats” this glass. In the case of a well, if it is not stretched (and often clients do not), the tree simply goes around this choke and dies.

A parent’s task is to bring up a child harmoniously, and a tree house is a great tool. This is a space where you can create, play, at the same time, this is a secluded place that can be equipped with various game elements so that the child develops physically: slides, a climbing wall, a rope, a fire pole, a net. The bungee is a must have on every site. We even had a tree house project with insulation, heating, Wi-Fi, a triple bed and a personal panda park. The clients signed a property transfer agreement with the children, that is, the children decide whether to invite their parents to visit or not. Of course, they invite them, and their parents spend the night there with them. Now there are more and more requests for full-fledged tree houses, this culture is actively developing in Russia.”

Anton Sinkevich, Tree House Company, St. Petersburg:

your space. So I built the first tree house, it still hangs on a birch. I liked this job and it seemed promising. My wife and I looked at what is offered on the market, and found almost nothing. Then I advertised on Avito, where the first orders began to come from, and then I organized my own website.

By profession, I was originally a joiner and carpenter. Then he entered the institute and took up the installation of metal structures. Then it was the Forest Engineering Academy, now it is the St. Petersburg Forest Engineering University. I graduated with honors, entered graduate school, then received a Ph.D. – all this in various forest areas. In parallel, while I was studying, I worked in forest management for 10 years. As a result, I have accumulated a vast knowledge base about wood science, materials science, forest plants, forest diseases. That is, I know trees, ranging from anatomy-physiology, ending with forestry on a national scale; processes occurring with a single tree, with a group of trees, with forest stands, and so on. Not every tree, not every breed, can be fixed with a house. The weight should depend on the configuration of the tree species. The trees themselves, which I inspect before starting construction and design, I always evaluate according to silvicultural criteria: how healthy, viable it is, what load-bearing load it has. In cases where there is doubt, a special tool is drilled and a core is pulled out – a column of wood that determines the age of the tree and the presence of rot or disease inside.

There are a lot of requests now, as the idea is starting to gain popularity. In 90% of cases, my houses are fixed only on trees and are not connected to the ground in any way.

This is a space that lives with the tree, sways along with it, creaks. The child in it holds on to the trunk, listens to how the tree breathes – everything is for this. This is a children’s story – not a heavy structure without insulation, plumbing and the like. Play equipment does not really fit into my concept either. A house is your own space where you can hide, sit, raise a ladder so that no one touches or sees you. And if you hang all sorts of bungee ropes, climbing frames on the house – this is another thing. The finished playground can be placed at the other end of the site and play there.

The height depends on the courage of the child, the maximum I did was about 4.2 meters from the ground. Parents are fully responsible for safety. The most popular requests are for railings and stairs: for some reason, most parents believe that the child will fall at the moment when he goes up or down from the house. Everything else depends on the trees: no two houses are the same, because no two trees are the same. On one large tree with a diameter of 26 centimeters or more at the height of the lower trim, you can make a house measuring 2.5 by 2.5 meters. Such a house weighs approximately 500-600 kg. A house four by five meters will already weigh about three tons. There must be many trees to support such a load.

The technology I use does not harm the tree. In a special way I press the beam to the tree, drill it through with a drill, put a hairpin, tighten the nuts – something like this. Which beam is attached to which tree is an individual component of each project. The ascending flow of fluid in a tree occurs in the trunk, the descending one – along the bast or along the bark, that is, between the bark and the wood. When drilling through a tree, I make the contact spot with the beam smaller than if I wrapped around the trunk with some kind of large collar and squeezed it from both sides. If you have seen trees that are strongly compressed by some kind of cable, they usually dry out because the downward current is being clamped. It harms the tree much more than a piece of metal of small diameter, drilled through.

What percentage of the circumference of the trunk can be compressed and subjected to injury varies depending on the species, age of the tree, weight of the house, condition of the tree. Pine has a crust, not so it is damaged. You can’t work with a Christmas tree like that, because it has a thin bark, the deformation will be larger and deeper. It is better not to work with aspen at all – it starts to rot early, by the age of 40, then it is attacked by tinder fungi, etc. A thin aspen will be healthy, and an aspen with a diameter of more than 24 cm will, as a rule, be already affected, that is, its bearing capacity will be much lower. You can build on birches, oaks, beeches, ash trees, bird cherry. Once I built a house on a gray alder. This is a tree of the second magnitude, but it is short-lived, I dissuaded people. They still wanted it – they said that in two years, if the tree dries out, they will dismantle it.

I estimate the life of the house – five to seven years, but in general it will sag more. Last summer, I took apart a house that had been hanging for 18 years. It was made by a person who simply nailed the boards to a tree with nails – no struts, complex weighting elements, nothing was attracted by the studs . .. The reason for such durability is good ventilation. Less fluctuation in temperature than at the surface of the earth, that is, the house is well ventilated, moisture evaporates faster, the boards rot less. This is where operational aspects come into play. If the house is actively used, the wood will wear off. If these places are tinted every year, then 10 years will stand 100%. And then the need passes, because the children grow up.

Nikolai Lutov, MneDomik, Moscow:

“The story of my building treehouses began about five or six years ago. At first, I built a small house on the ground for my daughter, I saw the reaction of the children and realized that it was really very necessary. I began to look at what we have on the market in terms of the construction of children’s facilities – at that time the situation was not very good. And I decided to do it. Later he took on more serious buildings: large playgrounds, tree houses and others.

An ideal house should definitely be at least three meters high and no less than six to eight meters in area. If a house is considered for living, then it is already from 20 meters or more. The law does not regulate the construction of houses. The question of whether this structure is capital or not capital is regulated. There are no signs that this building is capital (foundation, availability of communications, etc.). If the house is made with communications for commercial use, then here you can “pull” signs of capitalization onto the object itself. But none of my clients have experienced this.

There are two technologies: we often use German, this is a crimp fastener, which is made directly based on the dimensions of the tree. It consists of several segments that are bolted together. The tree grows, so you need to loosen these bolts about once every five years, this is done quite easily. The second technology is when a garnier bolt is screwed into a tree. All stem flows successfully bypass it, the tree is easily restored. One big bolt is better than 10 small ones. And if the customer has a desire to dismantle this house, we recommend that in no case unscrew the bolt, but simply cut it off. An important nuance is if the house is attached to several trees at once. Since they tend to sway in the wind, in order for the house not to be torn apart, certain sliding fasteners must be installed.

Houses with additional supports are popular with us, and trees often play a decorative role. With the help of supports, you can fix additional elements in the form of nets, climbing walls. Trees pass through the house, through the platform on which the house stands, and all the load is concentrated on the posts. On Christmas trees, we generally do not recommend doing load-bearing things, since the Christmas tree has a superficial root system. Spruce often brings down during hurricanes. Birch in the Leningrad, Moscow regions often has a rotten core. The core will show what is happening with the birch at the moment, but you will not do it every month.