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Five incredible tree houses for grown ups

Combine childhood memories of climbing trees with grown-up creature comforts and impeccable style with these ultimate tree house stays.

 

With a new breed of sky-high rooms (well, canopy-high at least) you can combine the halcyon days of your childhood climbing trees in the great outdoors with the grown-up desire for creature comforts and impeccable style. Ladies and gentlemen, we present the new treehouse.

 

1. Hapuku Lodge & Tree Houses

Kaikoura, New Zealand

Sitting pretty 10 metres above the ground in the canopy of a native Manuka grove, these one- and two-bedroom, two-storey treehouses make the most of the South Island scenery of jutting mountains and Pacific coast.
The furniture is courtesy of local woodworkers, there are big windows to make the most of the elevation, and the exterior look is earthy and welcoming with native wood and copper shingles.
hapukulodge.com

 

2. TreeHouse Point

Falls City, Washington, USA

These picture-postcard treehouses are nestled in a verdant forest just 30 minutes from Seattle.
There are a number of ‘room’ options, all with a suitably rustic low-tech appeal and anchored by a main lodge.
And if you love sleeping in the branches so much that you can’t imagine leaving it all behind, there’s also a treehouse building and design team on site ready and willing to help you take the thrill of it all home with you.
treehousepoint.com

 

3. Pedras Salgadas Spa & Nature Park

Bornes de Aguiar, Portugal

The concept here moves away from the preconceived notions of how a treehouse should be made.
The design is integrated into the landscape with the use of slate, wood and indigenous raw materials.
Each room has all the simple luxuries you need: a bathroom, kitchenette, double bed, sofa and two windows – one with views of the surrounding nature park and one through which to gaze at the stars.
designhotels.com

 

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4. Treehotel

Harads, Sweden

Designed by some of Scandinavia’s leading architects, these tree rooms are perched up to six metres above the ground in the pine forests of Harads, and can be reached by rope, bridge and electric stairs.
The rooms, from The Bird’s Nest which is clad completely in twigs and sticks, to Mirrorcube with its reflective mirrored cladding, and the otherworldly metal encased UFO pod, are filled with custom-designed furniture and tick all the enviro boxes.
treehotel.se

 

5. Cabins In The Air

France

With nearly 200 treehouses and cabins dotted across the idyllic French countryside, the choices are staggering while the vistas are breathtaking.
The roster includes some of the highest treehouses in Europe at 22 metres above the ground. The design and décor is best described as rustic chic.
There is a naïve quality about many of these treehouses, which truly will indulge childhood memories of climbing trees and backyard camping.
www.lacabaneenlair.com

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5 things every hotel needs for a more restorative stay

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
    Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

    The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

    1. Easy access to good food

    meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20
    Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

    One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

    In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

    In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

    Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

    At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

    While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

    It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

    2. Better sleep options

    Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room
    Sleep deeply with Novotel.

    There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

    For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

    The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

    3. More ways to move

    woman hiking around queenstown new zealand
    Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

    Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

    At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

    Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

    4. Better connections

    Novotel Sharm El Sheikh
    Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

    One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

    Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

    A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

    5. Location is everything

    Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld
    Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

    Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

    All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

    Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

    Five of the best tree houses for grown ups - International Traveller Magazine