A tree house, an old lime tree and...an idea

I think we all wished as a child that we had a tree house or at least a friend with a tree house so that we could play in it. The treehouse seems to embody the universal childhood dream, because it is at the top of children's wish lists all over the world. For many of us, this dream carries us into adulthood, so we find hotels, resorts and campuses all over the world offering accommodation in the houses built in trees. About such tree houses I've told you on other occasions. But today's has a little story that I really liked.

In Austria, a 30-minute drive from Klagenfurt, is the Hotel Prechtlof, a popular local accommodation with a spa and wellness center with fresh water and a very wide range of wines selected by a certified sommelier. But they're not the hotel's only attractions. The surprise is the possibility to stay in a cottage in the top of a lime tree on the property.

A few years ago the owner decided to repair the roof of the hotel. During the repairs, and with the help of a crane, he was curious to see the surroundings and the Karawanken mountain peaks from the height of the old lime tree in the hotel's courtyard.

The view turned out to be breathtaking. While admiring the rooftops of the nearby old town, the mountains and the plains of Althofen, he had the idea of doing something to share this incredible view with his guests. And so, 2 years later, after many approvals and procedures, a beautiful two-storey cottage was built on top of the almost 300 year old lime tree.

A wooden staircase allows guests to reach the first level of the cottage, where an apartment has been built with a small bathroom including a shower. Yet this is not where guests will get the biggest surprise.

Climbing further up, they will reach the second level, where there is a terrace with sun loungers and a wooden bathtub from where they can admire the town of Altenbach at their leisure. The sensation when they reach the terrace is so strong that guests are left speechless.

The construction was made of larchby a local firm, because it's not very heavy, but strong. The project was done so that the tree would suffer as little as possible. The wood was protected with special UV-resistant oil.

The cottage in the old lime tree is considered by the hotel owner to be the jewel in the crown. Couples come here to celebrate various events, but especially newlyweds for their honeymoon. And the wine or food can be sent upstairs in a basket with a pulley. Doesn't it all seem like a fairytale?

(source: treehousemap.com)