Spend your summer on treetops!

We've all hankered after a den in the treetops. It’s time to go out on a limb and embrace a lofty new concept. Forget about room service, though

Aden in the treetops used to be a rickety DIY thing thrown together in the summer with a few spare planks. Every kid who didn't have a big garden (and an industrious parent) dreamed of one. Enid Blyton understood the significance of the treehouse, even the fictional variety, in the lives of children. In Well Done, Secret Seven, Peter, Janet, Jack, Barbara, Pam, Colin and George had a super den in the Windy Woods where they downed orangeade and biscuits. With treehouse hotels tapping into a lucrative branch of hospitality, these arboreal hideouts are no longer just for kids.

After all, who can resist the chirping of birds, the creaking of branches and the sound of the wind whistling through the leaves? Especially when there's the option of retreating to an airconditioned space when you've had enough of fresh, clean air.

While most Indian treehouse hotels are not super-luxurious, they have all the mod cons. And they definitely don't look as if a team of elves (or the Swiss Family Robinson) had hammered them together. Most of them could sit as comfortably on the ground as they do nestled among branches. TOI-Crest looks skyward. . .

Tranquil resort-plantation hideaway, Wayanad, Kerala
There's no way a guest here won't sleep like a log. After all, there's a gulmohar trunk growing through the bedroom and the delicious smell of vanilla wafting through the air. Located on a private coffee and vanilla plantation in the picturesque Wayanad district of northern Kerala, Tranquil Resort's main attraction is a 500-sq-ft Tree House perched 35 feet high. There's also the bigger Tree Villa which can house a family of four. It's insect-proof, says Ajay Mathulla, who looks after both the plantations and the resort. "While everyone loves the elements, no one really wants to share their room with leeches and creepy crawlies from the rainforest." Tranquil also tries to achieve the intimacy of a home-stay with the owners, Victor and Ranjini Dey, welcoming guests personally. Home-cooked meals are taken around a big communal table in a beautifully restored bungalow. The food and desserts have been rated quite highly by everyone who's been there. Those who don't just want to relax by the pool or enjoy a massage have the option of lovely treks (try the Braveheart Trail) around the 400-acre estate. Or, ask for a plantation visit to learn how coffee is picked. An hour's drive away is the Pookote lake where boating facilities are available and closer still is the Muthanga wildlife sanctuary.

Doubles in the Treehouse:
Rs 12,450 (meals included)

The Machan, Lonavala
The Machan started as a weekend home for the Hooja family. It's now transformed into a popular getaway for Mumbaikars and Puneiites who're looking for peace and quiet. "It's only for those who truly love nature," warns Varun Hooja, who quit his consulting job at Accenture to look after the property. The treehouse, a cleverly designed structure that has only two supports and is held up suspension bridgestyle, was built by his father. "Friends kept borrowing it. Even my father couldn't get it free sometimes, so we decided to turn it into a hotel some 11 months ago," he says.

This vertiginous accommodation is 45 feet above the ground and is built along a wild fig tree. The views from both the Machan and the smaller Camp Canopy are spectacular, with the valley falling away dramatically below. The forest in Jambulne is evergreen and Machan has a naturalist who takes guests on guided treks. So be prepared to look down that rabbit hole and spot the barking deer who have made the 25-acre property their home. With only 12 to 14 guests staying there at any time, there are almost two acres of green space for every guest. Green is also a philosophy at Machan, which relies solely on renewable energy and contributes part of the tariff to conservation.

This treehouse hotel definitely isn't for those who are looking to party. The rooms don't even have a TV, just a music system and an iPod dock. Food is home-style Indian cuisine, but, as Hooja points out, "even dal-chaawal tastes great in the jungle".

Machan (up to six adults): Rs 20,000 for weekdays and Rs 25,000 for weekends. Breakfast and dinner included Camp Canopy (two adults): Rs 10,000 for weekdays and Rs 12,000 for weekends

Treehouse hideaway, Bandhavgarh
Nestled among mahua and banyan trees in the Bandhavgarh National Park are five treehouses that bring the jungle right till your room. The arboreal abodes have big balconies which are a great place to welcome the morning with the forest waking up before you. Even the reception is up in a treehouse, with an open-air dining area that is wrapped around a mahua tree. The bar is well-equipped though there is the option of sampling the local tipple - mahua wine. There are bonfires every night. And if you're feeling adventurous in the morning, safaris are arranged with experienced guides. The resident naturalist will help you spot a tiger.

If luck isn't on your side, there are sloth bears, mongooses, antelopes and many species of birds. The national park opens on October 15

Rainforest Boutique Hotel, Athirapally, Kerala
Located at the foot of the Athirapally Falls, this treehouse will make you feel as if you never want to come down to earth. The lush green of the rainforest and the exhilarating sight of the 80-foot-high waterfall is quite an experience. Imagine going to sleep listening to water gushing over rocks and waking up to the chatter of exotic birds. This boutique hotel is one of Mani Rathnam's favourite places to shoot with scenes in both Guru and Raavan shot here. The treehouse itself (there's only one) is a fusion of nature with modern architecture. Designed by a Swiss architect, it has been engineered such that it allows the tree to grow.

Getting there:
Closest airport is Kochi
Doubles:
Rs 9,500 (including breakfast)

Sunset Bay, Srirangapatnam
Convinced that treehouse tariffs are as high as the abode? Here's a budget option just half an hour's drive from the busy Bangalore-Mysore highway. Located 140 km from Bangalore, this small retreat is aptly named as it has a nice view of the sunset from across the K R Sagar Dam reservoir. There are three treehouses at Sunset Bay, each with its own sit-out facing the water. You can enjoy the water better by kayaking or just lazing by the banks in a bid to catch a fish or two.

As dusk falls, guests can snuggle by the bonfire and then retire to minimally yet tastefully decorated rooms. There is an attached bathroom but no airconditioning. Meals are simple affairs. The renowned Brindavan Gardens are a few minutes walk from Sunset Bay, while Mysore city itself is not too much farther. That makes Sunset Bay ideal as a base to explore Mysore.

Tree house inland:
Rs 3,500 (including breakfast).
Tree house by the water:
Rs 4,000 (including breakfast). Meals: Rs 200 for non veg, Rs 150 for veg

Up, up and away!
Treehotel, Sweden
Sweden has just given the treehouse a futuristic take. The new Treehotel that opened on July 17 has six themed rooms. One of these is called the Mirrorcube because it has mirrored walls that reflect the trees and sky while the other is UFO as it resembles a flying saucer. The rooms can be accessed by rope ladders and rope bridges. Located just 32 miles south of the Arctic Circle, guests can expect views of the Northern Lights along with plenty of natural forest.

Chole Mjini Lodge, Tanzania
On a stunningly beautiful island within Tanzania's Mafia archipelago are six treehouses that have spectacular views of the ocean. The place has a rustic charm, but guests have to do without some modern conveniences such as electricity

Perche Dan Le Perche, France
It is wrapped around a vast chestnut tree on a Monetesque meadow in southern Normandy. Perfect for a romantic getaway, this hotel in the boughs is definitely worth raising a glass of bordeaux to.

Habuku Lodge, New Zealand
Thirty feet above the ground in the canopy of a native Manuka grove, each treehouse has spectacular views of the mountain and the surf-washed Pacific coast. If you get tired of the view, the lodge arranges winery tours, kayaking, whalewatching and mountain-biking as well as visits to the nearby town of Kaikoura.