TRAVEL
W
hen I was younger, I loved
climbing the trees in grand-
pa’s garden, but having a
much desired treehouse al-
ways eluded me. So when I
heard about the Baumhaus Lodge (Treehouse Lodge),
a unique hotel with state-of-the-art cabins among the
canopies in Lower Austria’s Waldviertel (Forest Dis-
trict), a long-forgotten dream stirred once again. And
indeed, once my companion and I arrived, we felt like
we had entered a movie set: hypermodern dwellings
were hidden away in the forest like a sci-fi settlement
in some strange environment, metallic surfaces
shining among the foliage. We looked forward to feed-
ing our inner child, while still indulging in the adult-
hood luxuries of modern day tourism.Two hours from Vienna near the small city of
Schrems, the treehouses, two of which opened just
this year, are spread over 20,000 square meters in a
former quarry. Elements such as a pond and granite
walls are hidden by oaks and pines, creating a charm-
ing setting for five cabins that can accommodate no
more than 12people at once. With the tallest standing
at 18 m and others seemingly floating a just above the
ground, it feels more like an open-air art installation
than a hotel.
Owner Franz Steiner got the idea for Baumhaus
Lodge after a trip to New Zealand, where he first expe-
rienced this type of treehouse tourism. It took him
four years to create his paradise; he plans to build one
or two more cabins at the most, as he doesn’t want to
risk losing the rejuvenating sense of solitude. PHOTOS (PAGES 76-79): BAUMHAUS LODGE SCHREMSThe interiors of the
state-of-the-art cabins
offer comfort paired with
contemporary design.The Five
Tree Houses
The Tower House
... is 18 m above ground,
with two merged cabins
accommodating up to four
people. The roof terrace
gives a stunning
360-degree view
of the woods.The Cliff House
... is perched just above the
small pond – and partially
over it. It looks like a cubist
space shuttle built for two.
The House at the Pond
... is owner Franz Steiner’s
favorite; just a few meters
away from the similar Cliff
House, it’s spacious
and secluded, with a
retrofuturistic interior that
sets it apart.The House at the Wall
... sits atop an old wall, with
a commanding view from
its large terrace.
The House at
the Foundation
... balances precariously
atop a massive block of
granite, defying gravity.The brushed metal
facades change color
according to the an-
gle you view them,
giving them an other-
worldly feel.