I'll be honest: the word "tree-house" makes me think of rickety ladders, woodlouse invasions and damp corners thick with cobwebs. But my two-night experience at TreeDwellers, a luxury tree-house retreat in the Cotswolds, couldn't have been further from that.
Why stay here?
Floor-to-ceiling windows: a bedroom in the Liberty tree-house
Set within Cornbury Park, a 1,700 acre expanse of ancient forest (and home of the Wilderness Festival), TreeDwellers offers guests seven sleek lodges crafted from timber, copper and glass. Elevated three metres above the forest floor, each lodge is designed to blend seamlessly with its surroundings. Inside, you'll find fully equipped kitchens, freestanding bathtubs, floor-to-ceiling windows and state-of-the-art Sonos Surround sound systems. Yep, these are basically luxury hotel suites, reimagined among the tree trunks.
I stayed for two nights in the one-bedroom Agar tree-house and spent much of my time enjoying its sleek wooden deck, tucked at the heart of the semi-circular lodge. Although the kitchen was on the cosy side, it had everything I needed for preparing dinner, which I then consumed outside on the decking, directly under the stars. Visiting in mid-July meant I could make the most of the balmy nights, relaxing outdoors with a glass of wine in hand, listening to the gentle rustle of the forest around me.
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Speaking of wine, I have to mention the delightful welcome hamper waiting for me on arrival – a treat enjoyed by all TreeDwellers guests. This was no ordinary "teabags and a pint of milk" affair; instead, it contained locally made cheese, tasty chocolates, freshly ground coffee, crisp crackers and, naturally, a bottle of wine. It was a thoughtful touch that made me feel instantly at home.
Things to do
The outdoor deck at the Kanna tree-house: perfect for balmy evenings under the stars
Just beyond the forest, there are some excellent foodie pubs. Just a seven-minute drive away is The Bull in Charlbury, crowned National Pub of the Year at the National Pub & Bar Awards earlier this year. A little further afield – by which I mean all of 11 minutes – is The Fleece in Witney, another celebrated spot whose owners took home Best Sustainable Pub Company at the Publican Awards in 2022. Both are sublime and well worth visiting.
In terms of activities, there's a lot on TreeDwellers' doorstep, including Blenheim Palace, the grand estate that's now a Unesco World Heritage Site, and was the birthplace of Winston Churchill and a filming location for several Harry Potter films. Chipping Norton, the historic and ever-so-fancy market town that's home to a handful of A-listers, is also worth mooching around on an overcast morning.
If you're visiting with little ones in tow, then I recommend Fairytale Farm, for its cheerful menagerie of farmyard animals – a far cry from the cramped, concrete enclosures of some city farms. Here, goats roam happily, pigs snuffle in spacious pens, and there are plenty of hands-on activities to keep children enchanted for hours.
That being said, TreeDwellers guests need not venture far to stay entertained. A dedicated concierge team is available to arrange yoga sessions and book in-room wellness treatments, and several beautiful walking trails begin just steps from the tree-houses, immersing you in nature from the moment you open the front door.
The verdict
Escape the hustle: the peaceful living-room space in the Kanna tree-house
If I had to find something to criticise, it would be that the lodges are slightly closer together than I'd thought: I wasn't quite brave enough to shower without drawing the bathroom curtain for privacy, wary of being overlooked by my neighbour. But that was a small price to pay for what was a truly tree-mendous (sorry) stay.
I ended the two days feeling so much more relaxed than when I started – and that was definitely down to spending so much time in the great outdoors. I'd highly recommend the TreeDwellers experience to anyone looking to reconnect with nature, switch off from the hustle and bustle of city life, and recharge their body and mind in a peaceful, picturesque setting.
Caroline was a guest of TreeDwellers, where prices start from £230 per night for a one-bedroom treehouse (two night minimum); treedwellers.co.uk
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