Inspiration Alejandro González Luna
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Five treehouse hotels to visit in Latin America

Costa Rica, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Peru and Chile can all fulfil the fairy-tale dream of sleeping in a treehouse. All have hotels located in lush settings, such as the Samaná Peninsula, the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, the Amazon jungle and Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve in the Araucaria-covered Andes, which allow travellers to enjoy a birds’-eye view of nature.

  1. 1 Tree House Lodge, Costa Rica

    Located in the Costa Rican jungle just metres from the famous Punta Uva Beach in Limón province, this treehouse hotel offers travellers the chance to spend days in the midst of nature, far from the hustle and bustle of cities. It’s perfect for a romantic getaway, although it also has enough space for a family trip. Built on high stilts, it’s divided into two levels: the upper floor has a double bed and a private toilet, while there are a double bed, a single bed and a kitchen on the ground floor. Accessed by a hanging bridge, the house is surrounded by flowers and ancient trees, some of whose branches and trunks are incorporated into rooms. It has a terrace and a whirlpool bath, and all its furniture is carved from wood. It is located about 150km east of San José on the Caribbean coast inside the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. Sporty activities such as cycling and kayaking are available nearby.

    Tree House Lodge in Costa Rica is one of the finest treetop hotels in Latin America.

  2. 2 Dominican Tree House Village, Dominican Republic

    You’ll find 22 cabins hidden among the trees on the Samaná Peninsula in the country’s northeast. Choose your accommodation from among Coffee Tree Houses, Tree Top View, Family Tree Houses, VIP Suites and Classic Tree Houses, all of which have spectacular views of the area’s lush natural setting. About two and a half hours by road from the capital, Santo Domingo, this eco-lodge has free private parking, a bar, large gardens and an outdoor pool. It’s located next to a zipline that flies over the green roof of the jungle. You can go hiking, bike to one of the nearby villages for a taste of the local cuisine or enjoy a dip at the pristine El Valle beach. It also organises horse rides to Salto el Limón (a 50m-high waterfall), boat trips to remote beaches that can only be reached by sea to do some snorkelling and whale-spotting excursions.

    The Dominican Tree House Village in the Dominican Republic is a charming way to fulfil the dream of sleeping in a tree house.

  3. 3 Casa del Árbol, El Salvador

    Overlooking El Pilón hill, Casa del Árbol is located in the heart of Los Naranjos, one of the largest natural sites in El Salvador. About two hours by road from San Salvador, the country’s capital, the structure is built from trunks that are more than 100 years old and its rustic design means it blends in with the landscape. It offers a double bed, private bathroom, sofa, kitchen and dining room for two – it’s designed for couples –and a cute terrace from which you can enjoy nature. There is a large garden and a barbecue area around it. Just minutes away, you’ll find several restaurants where you can enjoy the local food. The house is part of the Los Naranjos Town Houses complex, which offers visitors horse riding, ATV excursions and zipline sessions. You can also visit the Mayan ruins of San Andrés and Tazumal, 45 minutes away by car, or the volcanic crater lake of Coatepeque – one hour away.

    El Salvador’s Casa del Árbol is located in the heart of Los Naranjos and is a great opportunity to sleep in a colourful tree house.

  4. 4 Treehouse Lodge, Peru

    Located in Iquitos, where the Yarapa and Cumceba rivers meet, and close to the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, this eco-lodge has 12 treehouses ranging from 10m to 23m above the ground. Each cabin has unique features and its own name: Casa Grande, Casa de Bambú, Casa Alta... It was chosen as one of the nine best treehouse hotels in 2021 by the TripSavvy travel portal. You’ll be able to watch squirrel monkeys jumping from one branch to another from your window and enjoy some of the greatest biodiversity on the planet. You can also visit nearby villages or sign up for some of the excursions on offer, including a trip down the Yarapa and Ucayali rivers to the Amazon to observe pink dolphins, fish for piranhas or walk in the jungle in search of medicinal plants. The Treehouse Lodge is all-inclusive, and offers its guests three meals a day of delicious Peruvian food.

    The Treehouse Lodge in Peru is on TripSavvy’s 2021 list of the nine best treehouse hotels.

  5. 5 Canopy Village, Chile

    You can sleep among the trees of the Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve in the middle of the Patagonian jungle. The Canopy Village is 860km south of Santiago in the commune of Panguipulli in the Los Ríos Region, at the feet of the Araucaria-covered Andes. The accommodation offers two types of treehouses –standard or superior huts – with capacity for up to eight people. The houses are raised 5m above the ground and are accessed via a wooden walkway. The area boasts great biodiversity, including tree and animal species that you won’t see anywhere else on the planet. From here, you can take a lot of unforgettable excursions, such as climbing to the summit of the Mocho-Choshuenco volcano, flying on a zipline over the surrounding forests, swimming in hot springs or visiting a glacier-carved lake. You can also enjoy hiking and horse riding.

    At Canopy Village you can sleep among the trees of the Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve, in the heart of Chile’s Patagonian jungle.
    The Huilo-Huilo Biological Reserve is 860km south of Santiago de Chile, in the Panguipulli commune, in the Los Ríos Region, at the foot of the Araucaria forested Andes / Image by Toniflap: Adobe Stock

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