Hotels
Treehouse hotels in Europe: four places to sleep among the trees
From the Treehotel in Lapland to the treehouses of the New Forest. These are the treehouse hotels in Europe we would book, with proper beds, hot water and the forest right outside the window.
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There is something childlike and lovely about climbing up to your room. You wake with the treetops level with the bed, hear the wind in the branches and see the forest from an angle you never normally get. A good treehouse hotel gives you that feeling without giving up a proper bed and a hot shower.
We have picked four treehouse hotels in Europe that are worth the journey, from the northern lights in Lapland to an old spa park and mineral water in northern Portugal. All can be booked in the usual way, and all offer more than the treehouse itself.
Short answer: which treehouse hotel should you choose?
The Treehotel in Harads is the best known, with eight rooms that look nothing alike. Arctic TreeHouse in Rovaniemi is best for the northern lights with a short trip from the airport. Pedras Salgadas in northern Portugal suits families and nature lovers, and Chewton Glen in England is the most luxurious, with a spa and a hot tub on the deck.
Best known: Treehotel, Harads in Sweden
Best for the northern lights: Arctic TreeHouse Hotel, Rovaniemi
Best for families: Pedras Salgadas, northern Portugal
Most luxurious: Chewton Glen, New Forest in England
How to choose the right treehouse hotel
If you want architecture: choose the Treehotel, where every room is a design project and a reason to travel in itself.
If you want the northern lights without a long journey: choose Rovaniemi, where the airport is close to town and the hotel a short drive away, even in winter.
If you are travelling with children: choose Pedras Salgadas, with space to run, forest paths and a milder climate.
If you want luxury and a spa: choose Chewton Glen, where the treehouse is part of a full hotel with restaurants and a spa.
Treehotel
One of the rooms at the Treehotel in the forest at Harads.
Sweden: the Treehotel in Harads
The Treehotel stands in the forest at Harads in Swedish Lapland, by the Lule river. The rooms look nothing alike, and they have become famous far beyond Sweden.
Treehotel: architecture in the treetops
The rooms hang in the pine trees and look nothing alike. The Mirrorcube is clad in mirrors that reflect the forest, the UFO looks like a spaceship, and the Bird's Nest is wrapped in branches. Reception and the restaurant are in Britta's Pensionat in the village. Winter brings snow and the northern lights, summer the midnight sun, and it is a long way to travel but worth it.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Treehotel
Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
The northern lights over one of the suites at Arctic TreeHouse Hotel near Rovaniemi.
Finland: Arctic TreeHouse Hotel in Rovaniemi
Rovaniemi sits on the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, with an airport just outside town. That makes the northern lights easy to reach, even on a long weekend.
Arctic TreeHouse: big windows facing the forest
Arctic TreeHouse is made up of small suites spread across a pine-covered slope, not far from Santa Claus Village outside Rovaniemi. Big windows face the forest, so you can watch for the northern lights from your room. The Rakas restaurant serves food from Lapland. It is popular during the Christmas and northern lights season, so book early.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
Pedras Salgadas Spa & Nature Park
One of the houses in the woods at Pedras Salgadas in northern Portugal.
Portugal: Pedras Salgadas in Trás-os-Montes
Pedras Salgadas is an old spa park with mineral springs in the hills of northern Portugal. The park is full of big trees, paths and old spa buildings.
Pedras Salgadas: tree houses and mineral water
You stay in small eco houses spread around the park, and two of them are tree houses raised high among the trees with a walkway up. The old 19th-century bath house has been restored as a spa by the architect Álvaro Siza. It is a quiet place that suits families who want to walk, cycle and swim, but you will need a car to get here.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Pedras Salgadas
Chewton Glen
One of the treehouses at Chewton Glen in the New Forest.
England: the treehouses at Chewton Glen
Chewton Glen is a country house hotel on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire, not far from the coast. The treehouses sit in the woods a few hundred metres from the main house.
Chewton Glen: a hot tub in the treetops
The treehouses at Chewton Glen sit high among the trees, with large windows and a private hot tub on the deck. Breakfast arrives at the door in a hamper, and the rest of the hotel, with its spa and restaurants, is a short walk away. It is expensive, but the most comfortable treehouse hotel on this list.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Chewton Glen
What to know before you book
Book early: treehouse hotels have few rooms, and the best dates go quickly, especially in the northern lights season and the summer holidays.
Check the stairs: many treehouses have steps or walkways, so ask about access if you are travelling with small children or have trouble walking.
Lapland in winter: the northern lights season runs from late autumn to early spring. Bring warm clothes, as it is often far below freezing.
Car or not: Rovaniemi and Harads have airports within reasonable distance, while Pedras Salgadas and Chewton Glen are easiest with a hire car.
Frequently asked questions about treehouse hotels
What is the best known treehouse hotel in Europe?
The Treehotel in Harads in Swedish Lapland, with rooms such as the Mirrorcube, the UFO and the Bird's Nest.
Where can you see the northern lights from a treehouse hotel?
Both the Treehotel in Harads and Arctic TreeHouse Hotel in Rovaniemi are in Lapland, where the northern lights are visible in winter.
Are treehouse hotels suitable for children?
Some are. Pedras Salgadas in Portugal is a good choice for families, but always check stairs and railings before you book.
Do the treehouses have their own bathroom?
At the hotels in this guide the treehouses have their own bathroom and proper beds, not an outdoor toilet and a sleeping bag.
When is the best time to stay in a treehouse?
In summer for long, light evenings, and in winter in Lapland for snow and the northern lights.