Eit goes high, to eight, ten, even twelve meters. On footbridges, stairs, ladders, until you have reached the wooden dwelling at treetop height. Climb up to come down, in the middle of the forest.
Since the opening of the first German tree hotel 17 years ago, these quarters have been in great demand thanks to the growing longing for peace and nature. There are now around 50 such treetop districts nationwide and dozens in Austria. As the pandemic and distance rules continue to put a strain on everyday life, tree house hotels are more in demand than ever.
You can also rent them in winter and make yourself comfortable in the well-heated refuges between the branches. We present five such time-out options – from Hesse to Upper Austria.
For families: “Turisede” in Saxony
It is a mixture of adventure park and fantasy, ideal for children. “The Secret World of Turisede” is located in the middle of a ten-hectare “enchanted forest” on the banks of the Neisse, over which various tree houses, climbing towers, tunnels, an animal enclosure, a museum and a labyrinth are spread.
The first rentable tree houses in Germany were built in 2005 in the mystical family leisure park near Görlitz on the German-Polish border, eight to ten meters high. And they are anything but ordinary: playful wooden constructions that twine crookedly and crookedly around the tree trunks and are decorated with imaginative magic figures.
Crooked and crooked: The tree houses in the amusement park are unusually constructed
Those: turisede.de
In winter, the four accommodations “Bergamos Gästestübchen”, “Gundioks Schäferstübchen”, “Thor Alfsons Astpalast” and “Olves Baumburg” can be booked, all equipped with seating areas, beds, mini toilets and electric heating. They offer space for four to six people, only the larger ones have a bath and shower. The treetop houses are also often booked by grandparents with their grandchildren. In winter there is a special play area with indoor activities such as a marble mill and a grain bath.
From 230 euros per tree house and night plus breakfast, turisede.de
For adults: “Seemühle” in the Spessart
This is how an airy holiday in nature is combined with a lot of comfort: ten tree houses that are spectacularly built on mighty oaks and beeches, some on stilts, others are actually supported by the branches at a height of twelve meters. The “Baumhaushotel Seemühle” with organic garden is located in the Waizenbach valley between the Spessart nature park and the Rhön biosphere reserve.
The “Baumhaushotel Seemühle” in the Waizenbachtal offers ten accommodations at dizzy heights
Source: Baumhaushotel Seemühle
The Waizenbach waterfall feeds the large mill wheel of the 400-year-old Seemühle and supplies the hotel complex with hydroelectric power. The heated tree houses with a veranda have a shower and toilet, TV and fast WiFi. That is why the hotel is also ideal for guests who want to move their home office to a treetop house for a few days.
The tree houses have fast WiFi, so they are also suitable for working
Source: Baumhaushotel Seemühle
The interior is classic – the “Chalet” has a French ambience with cream-colored period furniture, while the “Lodge” is Scandinavian-inspired with a Nordic living style. From this year things are even quieter here than before: the facility has recently been operating as an “adult-only hotel”, guests must be at least 16 years old. Winter sports are also possible, there are several cross-country ski trails nearby.
From 250 euros per tree house per night for two people including breakfast and sauna, das-baumhaushotel.de
Digital break: “Baumhotel Kopfing” in Austria
The “Baumhotel Kopfing” is hidden along a treetop circular path: The twelve individually designed treetop nests offer space for every occasion without sacrificing comfort. But consciously on the Internet.
The digital break begins with a walk high above the Innviertel treetops, one of the longest treetop walks in the world. The impressive wooden construction extends over a kilometer long and up to 15 meters high above the forest floor through the treetops of the Sauwald. The highlight is the 40 meter high lookout tower with a wonderful view over the border triangle of Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic, and even as far as the Alps on a clear day.
The “Baumhotel Kopfing” in Upper Austria is located on a treetop circular path in the Sauwald
Source: Manfred Rauscher
Then it’s off to the sauna in your own tree house or into the free-standing wooden bathtub with a view. Nobody has to freeze: the huts are comfortably warm thanks to the in-house organic wood chip heating system. You can stop off at the rustic “Oachkatzl” inn. Snowshoes are available for winter excursions in the area, and it is not far to the cross-country ski runs and slopes in the Bohemian Forest. Affordable and family-friendly, currently only bookable from mid-March due to Corona.
From 144 euros per person with half board per night, www.baumkronenweg.at
Wellness in the luxury hotel: “Das Kranzbach” in Bavaria
In the snow-covered Sacktal in the Wetterstein Mountains near Mittenwald is the four-star superior wellness hotel “Das Kranzbach”, famous for peace and meditation. His luxurious tree house, which is hidden in the forest a good 200 meters from the central building, offers even more distance and discretion.
The four-star superior wellness hotel “Das Kranzbach” includes a luxurious tree house hidden in the forest
Source: Kranzbach
On 50 square meters there is a double box spring bed, a cozy sofa, plus a terrace that is almost as big as the living room. An eye-catcher in the middle of the room: the bathtub with a view of the treetops. It is only a few minutes’ walk to the restaurant.
The hotel with a large park also offers a meditation house, an outdoor pool and a spa. Back on the tree house, you can enjoy the silence and seclusion in the winter forest. Cross-country ski runs are nearby and several ski areas are a few kilometers away.
From 325 euros per person with half board, minimum two days, daskranzbach.de
Tree house for purists: “Robin’s Nest” in Hesse
Germany’s first tree house sphere hangs in the treetops of a beech forest near Gertenbach in Hesse. The entrance can be reached via a suspension bridge. The wooden interior is comfortable, but don’t expect luxury. You can see the treetops from the double bed through the panoramic window in the ceiling.
An electric heater provides warmth for the winter nights. The tree house sphere hangs on ropes between the trees and swings slightly in the wind. Downstairs there is a breakfast bar, toilet and sauna trolley. Robin’s Nest also has large tree houses for up to four people, built seven meters high into the trees.
From 330 euros for two nights with breakfast, robins-nest.de
Germany’s first tree house sphere swings slightly in the wind
What: Lars Berg/laif