The 10 best treehouse hotels to add to your travel wish list

Get yourself an authentic Viking experience in Denmark, venturing into the North Jutland woods to stay at a small cabin settlement raised 20 feet above the forest floor. There are just three treetop cabins to choose from at Løvtag but if you’d like to meet more people you can travel the short distance to Als Odde seaside village and the popular Mariager Fjord. Activities in the area lean towards the calm and sporty, with biking, hiking and fishing all on the menu before returning to the minimal yet stylish treehouse cabins to sleep peacefully in the trees.

Lions Sands Game Reserve is good enough reason alone to book a safari in Kruger, South Africa. Forget the magnificent wildlife and the unique views of the African plains, because Lions Sands makes it all about the lodging. A series of luxury treehouses right in the bush, these suites are authentic yet comfortable, accessible via raised walkways in the canopy. You’ll have to forego electricity if you stay in a treehouse but luckily you won’t have to compromise on anything else, as the grounds offer private bathrooms, a swimming pool, gym and spa.

An extra special choice lies on New Zealand’s South Island, on the site of a deer-breeding farm between both mountains and sea (near eco-marine town Kaikoura). The Hapuku Lodge + Tree Houses host a range of rooms, some lodge style and some treehouses built above a Kanuka grove. The huge balcony windows of each suite offer pinnacle views over the Pacific, while the fireplace and wooden décor ensure you stay cosy after sundown. On site you’ll find an outdoor pool, restaurant and 2-person spa baths, while, in the vicinity, hiking, biking swimming and surfing are all easy options.

At home on one of Thailand’s lesser-known tropical islands lies Soneva Kiri, one of the best treehouse hotels in Koh Kood. On arrival, you’ll be hoisted into the treetops to enjoy bamboo pod dining amidst ocean and forest panoramas, at either breakfast, lunch or dinner. Though the treetop lodge is a bestseller, Soneva Kiri also provides luxury villas by the beachfront, complete with private pool and terrace. The fitness centre and open-air cinema are charming additions for when the unlimited water sports and volleyball facilities seem too much like hard work.

Another of Northern Europe’s finest treetop dwellings lies this time in Rovaniemi, Finland. Known as Arctic TreeHouse Hotel, this hotel is where you can stay and enjoy 360° views of the Northern Lights, vivid thanks to the area’s proximity to the Arctic Circle. The floor-to-ceiling windows and heated rooms make Finland’s frosty temperatures much more appealing, while the Arctic Forest Spa can steam away the cold after a full day of exploring the reindeer farm and SantaPark nearby. Other activities include skiing, cycling and hiking, all in easy reach of the hotel.

Get the best of both worlds at Playa Viva, a luxury treehouse based on the coast that benefits from both forest and sea adventures. Just six feet above the ground, your treetop suite features a king-size bed, lounge hammock and private bathroom, with complimentary transfers if staying more than three nights. As well as utopian views, Playa Viva also sells itself as an eco yoga retreat that organises daily yoga classes in nature and offers locally sourced meals for all guests. The sea turtle sanctuary and Aztec archaeological site are two top attractions in the area, all comprised within the private 200-acre grounds.

Our next treehouse stay lies in Itacaré, Brazil, at the edge of the Atlantic Rainforest around 200 kilometres from Salvador. KA BRU Forest comes made from demolition woods as a sustainably-minded paradise with full luxury amenities. Modish in its design across the treehouse loft and villa, KA BRY Forest is the perfect place to retreat into nature, allowing for garden views while stretching on the yoga deck or swimming laps in the private pool. Less than three kilometres from Concha Beach, KA BRU can keep guests busy throughout their stay with kayaking, surfing and hiking opportunities.

Based within the ancient Daintree Rainforest (dated to be around 180 million years old!) Daintree Ecolodge is just one more reason to visit the UNESCO listed area. Besides the novelty of staying within the oldest living rainforest, guests at Daintree Ecolodge can enjoy the privacy of their own private banyan nest, each of which comes with a screened-in balcony and panoramic windows. The lack of WiFi is likely to be a non-issue thanks to the lodge’s proximity to white sand beaches and rainforest waterfall trails, as well as Queensland’s trump card; the Great Barrier Reef. Go diving one day and bathing in the natural lagoon the next, returning to camp for pampering at the Daintree Wellness Spa.

South Africa’s second most memorable treehouse offering also lies in Kruger National Park, across four levels in the bush near to Ngala Safari Lodge. andBeyond Ngala Treehouse is the latest project by andBeyond and features solar-powering across its timber construction as a way to merge ethically with its wilderness surroundings. The treehouse has its own rooftop deck with outdoor lounge area for late-night stargazing, while down below on the forest floor, you’ll have access to 36,000 acres of private reserve. Sign up to exclusive bush walks and game drives by day, listening in on local wildlife from the safety of your tree by night.