Be it an adult hideout or a children’s play area, luxury hotels are investing into the unique concept of tree rooms, ensuring a once in a lifetime experience!
Treehouses, the magical word for all travel enthusiasts, one of the richest fantasies of a childhood well spent, are a unique experience, ideal for the adventurous who does not think twice before taking a little risk for fun.The concept of treehouses has beautifully blossomed over the years. This new breed is beyond just planks of wood balanced on an old oak. Modern tree houses present a rare opportunity to break free of travel’s predicable stops and well-traveled routes. Up in the leaves, you’ll find something exceptional – a reward of any good journey.
Treehouses are no longer just venues for romantic dining. They welcome you today to four poster beds, personalized yoga sessions for a healthy morning, shared spa services for you and your loved one, hot tub on the balcony sipping champagne while watching the sunset through trees, bath in a steamy sauna with a custom designed relax studio or small group parties, right in the middle of nature with birds whistling by your window. Some are located right above the blue waters of the ocean, with others are constructed deep inside the jungles for a more adventurous experience. Treehouses are quite a golden chance to run away from the boredom of five star luxury hotels, when you no longer want to sit by the pool and read a book.
The trend, in fact, is so popular, that apart from treehouses offering a one off room or suite, there is a complete hotel based on the concept! ‘Treehotel’ has multiple contemporarily designed tree rooms with some exquisite concepts. The warm and sophisticated setting at their guesthouse creates a completely unique dimension for the guests. Not only the architecture, but the furniture, lighting and fabrics are all custom designed for each of the concepts.
Today, treehouses are a sci-fi explosion of technology with finger print access for quiet time in a perfect den. From innovative futuristic domes, to giant spheres and magical mirrored nests, turns out there are flocks of inspiring creations hiding above our heads. The more extravagant ones offer private wine tastings with the hotel’s sommelier, cigar tasting and pre-dinner cocktails.
Treehouses are generally built ecologically, light on the tree, without disturbing the nature, ensuring that not a single tree is felled or its roots disturbed. Constructors try to blend treehouses into the natural habitat and create an absolute minimum carbon footprint in every conceivable way, ensuring an intimate and a tranquil environment alongside.
The architecture, design and layout of treehouses have been much thought over. Ranging from the sleek, minimalist ones to those filled with jungle souvenirs, styles include The Blue cone, a simple and minimalistic one, to The Bird’s nest, based on the concept of providing a camouflage to quickly disappear into the lap of nature, resting inside a room replicating a bird’s nest from outside. The Cabin will enchant the corporate traveler who is fascinated by geometrical structures, rising high up on the hill overlooking the valley for a calming effect. Treehotel partners have also gone ahead to provide an option to stay inside a Mirror Cube, creatively constructed keeping birds’ safety in mind. The Mirror Cube, with mirror walls as the name suggests, reflects the outside surroundings to give it a forest effect, camouflaging the room once again. The UFO is another room dramatically envisioned to have something “out of place” in a forest dwelling.
Most treehouses aim to provide an unforgettable experience filled with rich engagement, and Luxury Frontiers team had the privilege to build quite a few. At La Piantata, in Tuscany, Italy, amid a field of lavender in a century old oak, not far from an olive grove, stands a treetop guest room. Another luxurious treehouse can be found at the Soneva Kiri in Koh Kood, Thailand, perched amid a tropical, leafy canopy, taking fine dining to new heights in an ancient rainforest. Diners in this tree pod are able to gaze out at the ocean while food is being served via zipline acrobatics of a waiter. The third treetop is located at the Gran Hotel Son Net in Mallorca. Built around an ancient tree, this treetop multi purpose room provides guests with stunning views of the mountains and the countryside.
One of Britain’s most luxurious hotels reached new heights by spending 7 million pounds to build treehouses. The Chewton Glen in Hampshire’s New Forest is the only place in Britain where guests can stay in such arboreal splendor. The five-star hotel managed to gain permission to branch out and build 12 huge suites upon stilts in a wooded valley, even though it is next to a National Park. The suites are set in six luxury pods that nestle in trees’ canopy surrounded by wildlife. Breakfast arrives almost magically as the staff quietly delivers a hamper each morning through a secret hatchway. In addition to the regular luxurious options provided by others, this treehouse has a facility of a Jacuzzi bath overlooking the beautiful surroundings.
As exciting and exotic as African bush safaris, the treehouse experience may be a tad bit expensive to buy, but absolutely worth it! Room rates for staying a night in a treehouse varies by resort, but starts at 250 US dollars, to anything under the sun. If you are a fan of the adventurous treehouses or you got carried away looking at those breathtaking pictures and planning one of your own, I would like to tell you what goes into the construction of them. I recommend that you keep aside a minimum of 80,000 US dollars before you begin planning for one of these. Depending upon what type of infrastructure you dream of, including lighting and plumbing of the building, a treetop living structure can be built in the range of somewhere around 80,000 USD to 500,000 USD. It is important to feel properly inspired to help fuel your design ideas. Aside from arranging for funds, scout some awesome treetops for real, for amazing ideas on treehouse engineering out there.
Luca Franco has worked with leaders like Strategic Hotels and Resorts, Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Bulgari Resorts, Park Hyatt, The Stein Hotels, Icehotel, Marriott Vacation Club International and more; managed a diversified real estate portfolios for the Ferragamo Group and Fingen Group; and served with LLPI and contributed significantly to the successes of Exclusive Resorts, Private Escapes, DCP International. He has deep expertise in mixed-use developments and a track record of success in hospitality and residential projects around the globe with brands such as Four Seasons Hotels, Lungarno Hotels by Ferragamo Collection, Rio Quente Resort, Ritz Carlton Herzlija Hotel & Residences, Israel, Lake Como in Italy, Auberge Residences at Element 52, Colorado, US and more. With Luxury Frontiers, the team has developed luxury resorts and tented solutions for leading luxury hospitality brands, such as Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Abercrombie & Kent, Six Senses, Orient Express (now Belmond), Wilderness Safaris, Explora and Amanresorts.