Inside Sweden's Treehotel: design, nature and childhood dreams

In northern Sweden, among the tall pines of the village of Harads, stands an unusual hotel — Treehotel. Its rooms perch right in the trees, like something out of a childhood daydream. Some look like mirror-polished cubes, others resemble bird nests, and there’s even a room shaped like a flying saucer. But this project isn’t just about striking design; it’s a story of how one bold idea turned into a singular hotel recognized around the world.

Treehotel was dreamed up by spouses Kent and Britta Lindvall, inspired by the Swedish film Tree Lovers. In it, people long to live among the treetops, away from noise and rush. That set the couple thinking: what if there were a hotel where anyone could try that kind of unusual escape?

To make something genuinely one of a kind, the Lindvalls invited renowned Swedish architects. Each room they created functions like a piece of art — and a conversation with the surrounding forest.

• “Mirrorcube” — its reflective walls mirror the woods so completely that from a distance the room seems to disappear.
• “Bird’s Nest” — tucked among the branches, it looks like an oversized nest.
• “UFO” — a classic flying saucer, paused between trunks as if mid-landing.
• “Biosphere” — its surface is covered with hundreds of birdhouses to attract birds.

Every room is more than a place to sleep; it’s a story threaded into nature. That’s where the hotel feels most convincing — when architecture and landscape meet without competing.

A core idea behind Treehotel is to avoid harming the forest. No trees were felled: builders used special fittings that don’t hinder growth. Interiors rely on natural materials, and lighting and heating are designed to keep energy use to a minimum.

Since opening, Treehotel has become not just a popular getaway but a destination in its own right. Newspapers cover it, guests arrive from across the globe, and architects take cues from the project when imagining new hotels.

A hotel among the trees isn’t fantasy — it’s real. Treehotel is a place to feel closer to nature, to see the forest from above, and perhaps to recall those childhood dreams of a treehouse. Maybe that’s why it stays with you long after you leave.