Best Staycations
20 February 2026
The question comes up more than any other in our inbox: should we book a treehouse or go glamping? It is a reasonable question, because the two categories overlap in ways that can be confusing. Both offer an escape from conventional accommodation. Both promise a closer connection to nature. Both range from basic to extraordinarily luxurious. And both have their devoted advocates who will tell you, with considerable passion, that their preference is the only sensible choice.
The truth, as with most things, is more nuanced. Treehouses and glamping are different experiences that suit different people, different occasions, and different budgets. This guide draws on our extensive experience of both to help you decide which is right for your next break.
Defining the Terms
A treehouse, for our purposes, is a structure that is elevated above the ground and built in or among trees. The best treehouses are architecturally ambitious: they are designed buildings that happen to be in the canopy rather than on the ground. They typically have solid walls, proper insulation, electricity, plumbing, and heating. The experience of staying in a treehouse is close to staying in a boutique hotel room, but with the extraordinary addition of being surrounded by treetops.
Glamping encompasses a much wider range of structures: bell tents, yurts, shepherd's huts, pods, cabins, safari tents, and converted vehicles. What unites them is the intention to provide a comfortable experience in an outdoor setting, without requiring guests to bring their own equipment. The range of comfort levels is vast, from basic canvas shelters to fully plumbed luxury pods.
The Case for Treehouses
The View
The single greatest advantage of a treehouse is the perspective it offers. Being elevated among the canopy changes your relationship with the landscape fundamentally. You are not looking at the trees; you are in them. The play of light through the leaves, the movement of branches in the wind, the wildlife that passes at eye level rather than at your feet: all of these create an experience that is genuinely unique.
At Nymetwood Treehouses in Devon, the floor-to-ceiling glass panels bring the woodland inside in a way that is almost vertiginous. At Chewton Glen Treehouses in the New Forest, the suspended walkway that connects you to the forest floor adds to the sense of being in a world apart. Lanrick Treehouses in the Trossachs use their elevation to frame views across the Scottish woodland that are different with every change of light.
The Architecture
The best treehouses are serious pieces of design. They solve the engineering challenge of building among living trees in ways that are often beautiful. Treeopia in the Midlands takes a contemporary approach, with bold geometric forms that contrast with the organic shapes of the surrounding woodland. The effect is striking and photogenic, creating a tension between the natural and the designed that is part of the appeal.
The Privacy
Treehouses tend to be well-spaced and self-contained, which means that privacy is excellent. Most treehouse properties have no more than a handful of units, and the combination of elevation and woodland provides natural screening that ensures you feel genuinely alone. This makes them particularly well-suited to couples seeking a romantic retreat.
The Cost
This is where treehouses lose ground. Luxury treehouses are expensive, typically ranging from £250 to £500 per night, with the most sought-after properties commanding prices that rival five-star hotels. The construction costs are high, the capacity is low, and the demand is strong, which keeps prices elevated.
The Case for Glamping
The Variety
Glamping offers a diversity of experience that treehouses simply cannot match. Within the glamping category, you can stay in a nineteenth-century shepherd's hut, a Mongolian yurt, a safari tent on a working farm, a converted railway carriage, or a geodesic dome. Each type of structure has its own character and atmosphere, and the range means that you can find something to suit virtually any taste and budget.
The Atmosphere
The best glamping sites create a communal atmosphere that is difficult to replicate in a treehouse setting. Campfire circles, shared kitchens, and social spaces bring guests together in a way that can be genuinely convivial. If you are the kind of person who enjoys meeting fellow travellers and sharing stories over a fire, glamping offers something that a private treehouse does not.
The Affordability
Glamping is, on the whole, significantly more affordable than treehouse stays. A well-appointed shepherd's hut can be had for £120-180 per night, a bell tent for £80-150, and even luxury yurts rarely exceed £250. This lower price point makes glamping accessible for more frequent breaks and longer stays.
The Authenticity
There is an argument that glamping offers a more authentic connection to the outdoors than a treehouse. In a yurt or a bell tent, the canvas walls are all that separates you from the elements. You hear the rain. You feel the temperature change. You are aware of the world outside in a way that a well-insulated treehouse, however beautiful, does not quite replicate.
Louma Country Hotel in Dorset offers shepherd's huts on a working farm where you can watch the daily rhythm of agricultural life. Winston at Unplugged in Somerset adds a digital detox element that deepens the sense of disconnection from modern life. Little Pembroke Newlyn in Cornwall provides a cabin with coastal character that feels rooted in its landscape. A Place In The Pennines offers luxury lodges in a moorland setting that is wild and exposed in the best possible way.
The Verdict
Choose a treehouse if you want a romantic escape with luxury comforts, architectural beauty, and the extraordinary sensation of living among the trees. Treehouses are best for couples, special occasions, and those who prioritise privacy and design.
Choose glamping if you want a more grounded outdoor experience with greater variety, a potential social dimension, and better value. Glamping is excellent for families, groups, first-time outdoor sleepers, and those who want to experiment with different types of accommodation.
Or do both. One of the joys of British travel is the sheer variety of accommodation available. A treehouse break in Devon one month and a shepherd's hut weekend in Dorset the next. Each offers something different, and both, at their best, offer something truly memorable.
Our Top Picks at a Glance
For the ultimate treehouse experience: Nymetwood Treehouses, Devon. The Scandinavian design, the hot tub, the woodland setting: everything is exactly right.
For contemporary treehouse design: Treeopia, Midlands. Bold, architectural, and genuinely different.
For treehouse luxury at scale: Chewton Glen Treehouses, New Forest. The backing of a legendary country house hotel means impeccable service and facilities.
For Scottish treehouse atmosphere: Lanrick Treehouses, Trossachs. Eco-conscious design in ancient woodland, with views that change by the hour.
For glamping with character: Louma Country Hotel, Dorset. Shepherd's huts on a working farm with vineyard connections and Jurassic Coast views.
For glamping with purpose: Winston at Unplugged, Somerset. The digital detox adds a dimension that transforms the experience.
For glamping in wild landscape: A Place In The Pennines. Luxury lodges in a moorland setting of genuine grandeur.
