Tree house hotels used to mean a rope ladder and a thermos of coffee. Now, per Afar's roundup of 17 tree house hotels around the world, the category has grown into high-design destinations with spas, restaurants, and panoramic suites. For a food-minded traveler, that raises a practical question: how do you choose a treetop stay and plan the eating around it? This guide gives you a way to decide, using the properties the Afar list names.
One caution first. The details available here cover only five of the 17 properties, and only by name and location. I won't describe their menus or chefs, because that would be guessing. What follows is a framework for researching dining before you book, anchored to the places we can confirm.
The Five Properties We Can Name
Afar's list spans very different landscapes, from Costa Rican rainforests to Swedish Lapland to African savannas. Five entries are named in the material available:
- Acre in San José del Cabo, Mexico
- andBeyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge in Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania
- Arctic TreeHouse Hotel in Rovaniemi, Finland
- The Green O in Greenough, Montana
- Hårtwood in Minden, Ontario, Canada
That is five countries' worth of regional cooking within a handful of entries. Each location suggests a different kind of food trip, and the rest of the list reportedly goes further.
Pick the Region, Then the Trip
The most useful way to use a list like this is to choose a place first and the tree house second. Each destination comes with its own food culture to explore beyond the hotel gate.
Baja, Mexico
San José del Cabo is a town you can walk and eat in. If you stay at Acre, plan some meals in town rather than staying on property the whole time. Check the hotel's own site for how its on-site dining is set up, since the Afar summary doesn't say.
Northern Tanzania
Lake Manyara National Park is a safari setting, and safari lodges commonly build meals into the stay. Whether that applies to andBeyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge is something to confirm with the lodge directly. Ask what meals, drinks, and activities the rate covers before comparing prices.
Finnish Lapland
Rovaniemi is a place to think about cold-weather eating. Ask the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel whether it has a restaurant or whether you'll eat out in town, and book dinners ahead if you're traveling in a busy season.
Montana and Ontario
The Green O in Greenough and Hårtwood in Minden suit drive-in trips. That gives you an advantage: you can bring groceries, a cooler, or ingredients from a local farm stand. Check each property's kitchen or cooking setup first.
Questions to Ask Before You Book
A tree house stay is often remote, and remote means your food options are limited by distance. Before you pay a deposit, get answers to these:
- Is there an on-site restaurant? Afar notes that restaurants are now part of the category, but it varies by property.
- Is breakfast included? If not, find the nearest option and how far it is.
- Can the suite hold food? Ask about a fridge, kettle, or kitchenette.
- How do meals reach you? In a treetop suite, room service may be a basket, a walkway, or not offered at all.
- Can they handle dietary needs? Ask in writing, well ahead of arrival.
- What's the nearest grocery or market? Knowing this lets you stock up on the way in.
Budget Reality
Afar's list reportedly runs from about $255 to $2,100 or more per night. That is a wide spread, and the food arrangement can narrow or widen it. A cheaper room with no meals plus restaurant dinners can cost more than a pricier stay that includes them. Compare total trip cost, not just the nightly rate.
A Simple Treetop Picnic Board
If your property allows food in the room, you don't need a kitchen to eat well. This works anywhere on the list.
Buy at a local market on the way in:
- One regional cheese or cured meat
- Fresh bread or crackers
- Two seasonal fruits
- Something pickled or briny
- A local sweet, such as a jam or baked good
Assemble: Slice the cheese and meat, cut the fruit, and arrange everything on one board or a clean towel. Lay out the pickled item in a small cup so it doesn't leak.
Why it works: The board is built from whatever the surrounding region makes, so it doubles as a tasting of the place. In Montana, that might be a local cheese. In Ontario, it might be something from a nearby farm stand. Check what's sold locally rather than assuming.
Use the List as a Starting Point
The full Afar roundup covers 17 properties, and the other 12 could fit your food interests better than the five named here. Read it, shortlist two or three, and email each property the six questions above. Pick the one whose answers make your meals easy, then book.
