What comes to mind when you think of a treehouse? Woodlice, splinters, cold – yes, probably all those things. But treehouses are also secluded and peaceful, dwellings a few feet up in the air that feel that bit away from the rabble below and closer to nature. And a treehouse, crucially, is all yours.
The treehouses of TreeDwellers in Cornbury, northeast Cotswolds, are treehouses in a spiritual sense. No, they aren’t up trees (nor do they even touch them), but they’re surrounded by them, sitting an impressive height above the forest floor. TreeDwellers takes the idea of a treehouse – as something special, private, embedded in nature – and turns it into a luxurious experience genuinely unlike anything, anywhere else.
Pulling up to a TreeDwellers dwelling (a TreeDwelling?) has a supreme sense of occasion. This is the sort of architectural magnificence you thumb through in glossy mags, lustfully dreaming of one day giving it all up for. Handsomely curved tubes are perched atop stilts; inside is all sleek, clean wood and floor-to-ceiling windows, each and every convenience slotted in with impossible neatness.
It’s all so stunning that you could easily be satisfied with the design and that alone, left gawping at it for days on end. But these treehouses aren’t just flashy façades: they’re comfortable and practical, too. You check-in with slick door-code entry, the heating is underfloor and toasty on your toes, everything you could possibly need is on a tablet (or on hand from delightful staff) and the wi-fi is not just ‘fast for the countryside’ – it’s speedier than at home in the city.
And that’s before the added touches that elevate TreeDwellers to real luxury. The beds and sofas are plush, nifty Sonos speakers play crisp tunes throughout the treehouse, there are two layers of blinds (one for privacy, one for blackout) and the welcome hamper features a range of delightful goods (cheese, wine, a formidable tea collection, Oxford-roasted Missing Bean coffee, a bath bomb for the freestanding bath and more). Sure, there’s no need for a log-burner, but its inclusion adds to the cosiness. One simply cannot imagine anything of this ilk being nicer.
Neighbourhood
TreeDwellers Cornbury is in Wychwood Forest in the northeast Cotswolds. The nearest major towns are Witney and Chipping Norton, though you’re well-located to drive to attractions like Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold.
Nearby
Wychwood Forest itself, with the ‘forest megaphone’ designed to amplify the surrounding sounds.
The Plough Inn, a pub in Finstock within walking distance.
The Rollright Stones, the British Isles’ easternmost stone circle, are a short drive away.
Time Out Tip
Stay up late, turn off the lights and venture onto the treehouse decking – there’s so little light pollution that TreeDwellers makes for an excellent stargazing spot.