Go Niche

MAYBE IT’S the week I’ve had but the idea of hiding out in a treehouse in northern Sweden has never seemed so appealing.

Treehotel in Harads, a remote village in the northwest of the country, has a wonderful array of accommodation on offer where the only thing rooms have in common is that they are located four to six metres up a tree.

Accessed by a variety of ramps, rope bridges and, in one case, an electric stairs, they are an eclectic mix including a mirror cube, a UFO and a traditional red cabin, all perched on high.

They might look daft from the outside but the interiors are beautifully crafted to create in each the perfect hideaway.

Best of all is The Nest, which looks from the outside like a giant crow’s nest – a tightly woven bundle of sticks in the treetops – inside of which you find a perfectly cool contemporary bedroom, with retractable ladder for total seclusion.

Guests book in at a traditional- looking B&B, Britta’s Pensionat, in the tiny village (pop. 600) and are then guided through the countryside to their room. All units sit in splendid isolation looking out over the Lule River and the empty vastness beyond.

Unsurprisingly, the initiative’s green credentials are strong.

All rooms were built in living trees, none of which were damaged or altered to accommodate them. Waste water is collected and recycled and energy is generated from a local hydroelectric source.

Meals are taken in the guest house but can be delivered to your room, while days are spent hiking in the woods or simply sitting in your eyrie and reading a book. Prices from €342 a night. See treehotel.se