Montana Treehouse Retreat featured by Lonely Planet

Escape into nature in this authentic Montana rustic tree house

Who says tree houses are for kids? A stunning tree house retreat in Montana is getting a lot of love from adults looking to explore the nearby pursuits of Flathead Valley, Whitefish Mountain Resort and Glacier National Park.

Built by Kati and Darin Robison, both 4th generation Montanans, who admit they had dreamt about building a tree house for quite some time. Built with the help of buddies and their respective dads, the completed retreat perches among the treetops but is easily accessible by a series of staircases leading up from the forest floor. The grand entrance is a spiral staircase custom crafted around a giant Douglas fir tree. “The tree house can sleep five comfortably but is also wonderful for couples and romantic getaways,” says Kati. “The setting is perfect for a writer’s retreat or romantic getaway with your own private wooded acreage.”

The first floor has a full bathroom with a full-sized shower and sink. Two living trees grow through the actual interior and two living trees are through the tree house decks. The two-storey wooden tree house has a silver spiral staircase that connects two floors while tree trunks run through the middle of the property.

“The master suite loft leads out to the 2nd story tree house deck through a sliding glass door, for the most relaxing space to enjoy a morning coffee overlooking your private wooded setting. The master suite loft also has a private half bathroom.

We used a combination of locally sourced materials and reclaimed materials to give it an authentic Montana rustic feel,” adds Kati. With a not insubstantial  500 square-feet of living space along with two outside deck areas, full kitchen, dishwasher, stove and three lush padded benches to entertain which also double as sleeping quarters.

A stay at the Montana Treehouse Retreat costs $399 per night with a three-night minimum stay required.

Words: Mark McConville/Mediadrumworld

Apartment Therapy Features Montana Treehouse Retreat Airbnb

This Montana Cabin is Built Around Four Trees

by NORA TAYLOR

Original Post on Apartment Therapy.

There’s something eternally appealing about a treehouse, isn’t there? As we get older, actual houses amongst the trees edge out the old school climb a ladder in your backyard version. This gorgeous house in Montana puts a new twist on treehouse living, with four trees growing through it, two on the deck and two in the living area. 

The two story cabin is tucked away in the woods near Glacier National Park. Somewhat reminiscent of The Burrow, folks enter the welcoming cabin via a spiral staircase wrapped around a large Douglas Fir. The two story, 500 square foot home is perfect for a romantic weekend for two (but can technically sleep five).

The first floor has a kitchen, full bathroom, two decks and padded benches that can double as sleeping areas but also look perfect for curling up and reading a book on a snowy day. The second floor consists of the master suite and yet another deck. 

The home is located on seven private acres and is close to numerous outdoor sites and activities including Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort and Flathead Lake. If you’re ready to run away to Montana, at least for the weekend, the home is available on Airbnb. 

h/t inhabitat

Montana Treehouse Retreat Featured in Flathead Beacon

Castle in the Sky

Whitefish couple's new luxury treehouse retreat featured on DIY Network's television show

BY TRISTAN SCOTT // FLATHEAD BEACON//MAY 18, 2017 // PHOTOS: GREG LINDSTROM

Kati O’Toole and her husband, Darin Robison, have transformed their lofty dream into a reality with their new business venture at Montana Treehouse Retreat, a unique backyard escape that spirits guests into the treetops.

Literally.

Campers looking for an outdoor experience that transcends pitching a tent or renting a cabin in the wilderness will get a thrill out of the latest trend of lodging — a vacation rental in the sky.

Located on the couple’s wooded 7-acre property off Dillon Road near Whitefish, the retreat incorporates the growing popularity of custom luxury treehouse dwellings with the mountain allure of Montana.

Professional treehouse designers have capitalized on the trend by building everything from breweries to recording studios, but a rising number of backyard escapes are cropping up across the nation, advertised as guest rentals on the online hospitality service Airbnb.

The couple’s treehouse made its television debut on May 15 on the DIY Network’s show “The Treehouse Guys,” whose crew visited the Flathead Valley to help frame the structure, which spans four trees — three larches and a ponderosa.

In addition to showing the early construction of the treehouse, the segment also features local activities and amenities of the Flathead Valley, and will re-air next month.

From the moment that O’Toole and Robison purchased their property five years ago, they’ve entertained visions of building a treehouse in their expansively forested lot, but with a growing family, full-time jobs and a basket of home projects, they were short on time.

“We’ve always wanted to build a treehouse,” O’Toole said. “It’s been a dream for a long time. But never in our wildest dreams did we think it would look like this.”

Both fourth-generation Montanans with a passion for the outdoors, their passion project was sidelined as they worked to keep up with their 3-year-old son, Rowan, and newborn baby, Ry.

When a friend pointed them to a casting call for the television show, they navigated a series of lengthy interviews and were selected for an episode.

O’Toole and Robison applied for and received a conditional use permit for their property, with the county Board of Adjustment granting approval for up to three high-end treehouses available for nightly rental.

The build crew with the Treehouse Guys — B’fer Roth and his team of “tree muskateers” — completed the frame of the treehouse in about six weeks and provided their expertise, while Darin and a crew of friends and family helped build a giant log spiral staircase, milled the siding and interior paneling, and anchored the structure to the trees.

Because it’s not connected to the earth, the house moves with the trees during high winds and as the trees grow.

The 18-foot wooden spiral staircase leading up to the entrance of the treehouse wraps around an old Douglas fir that had been struck by lighting on Robison’s grandparents’ property. The top blew off in the wind, leaving a 60-foot stub that Robison thought was perfect for his treehouse.

“It was definitely the right one for the job,” he said.

The maximum size of a treehouse is determined by the number of trees available to serve as its foundation. A single large, healthy tree can support a 350- to 400-square-foot treehouse, according to the builders, while two or more trees can hold a 700- to 800-square-foot structure.

O’Toole and Robison plan to begin renting their treehouse in November once they’ve completed the finishing touches, and construct two additional custom treehouses on their property in the coming years.

The two-story treehouse features all of the amenities including septic and sewer, a small kitchen on the lower level, as well as a living area and full bath. It rents for $500 a night, with a minimum of three nights and discounts available for weekly rentals.

O’Toole said she has already begun receiving inquiries, and predicts an uptick in interest following the airing of the show.

“It is a luxury experience. There’s nothing primitive about it,” O’Toole said. “It’s nicer than the home we live in and I think people are really going to enjoy staying here.”

For more information and to book a getaway, visit http://www.montanatreehouseretreat.com/ and to learn more about The Treehouse Guys check out http://www.diynetwork.com/shows/the-treehouse-guys.

LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE IN FLATHEAD BEACON: http://flatheadbeacon.com/2017/05/18/castle-in-the-sky/