Treehouse Hotel LONDON The debut hotel from Barry Sternlicht’s new Treehouse brand swings through the treetops with playful, nostalgic glee. Words: Kristofer Thomas • Photography: © Simon Brown
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hen we think of treehouses, there’s a tendency to lean towards childhood adventure and summer holidays, but the history of treetop accommodation
goes back much further. There is evidence to suggest that we inherited the idea from prehistoric ancestors who sought shelter in the canopy by instinct, safe up high from the predators and harsh conditions below. Even today, tribes like the Korowai of West Papua raise structures in treetops to protect supplies from scavenging animals, as do many indigenous riverside communities at risk from flooding. But whilst most 21st century treehouses
may have lost their important role in the survival of the species, they haven’t lost their charm. Thanks to a mix of nostalgia and novelty, recent years have seen their resurgence in the hotel market. Elaborate structures have sprung up from Mexico to Thailand, welcoming those who enjoy the idea of spending a night in their childhood treehouse but not so much the cold reality, whilst projects like Treehotel in Swedish Lapland – a series of high-design takes on the concept by architects including Sandell Sandberg and Tham & Vidgård – have raised their profile and marked the branches as prime real estate.
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