Rock and tree anchored
Comfy inside
Two-story picture windows
Dusk approaching
Enoch Elwell and Andrew Alms
People are lining up to pay up to $350 to spend a night in a treehouse in Chattanooga Valley just below St. Elmo.
Andrew Alms, who founded Treetop Hideaways along with fellow Covenant College graduate Enoch Elwell, said the single unit has an occupancy rate above 90 percent.
Built along a slope of Lookout Mountain high enough for a pastoral view, this is not just any treehouse.
The treehouse that is tied in with a tall tree and a nearby boulder is built of reclaimed wood and has the treehouse look, but it is comfy on the inside. It features a memory foam, pillow top queen bed, sofa sleeper, hot shower, sink and toilet.There is also heat and air.
Add in a refrigerator stocked with complimentary specialty drinks, a microwave oven and "the fastest Internet in the Western Hemisphere."
The treehouse proprietors say, "Our goal at Treetop Hideaways is to create comfortable spaces that encourage rest while highlighting the surrounding forest to our visitors. We have been inspired by everything from the classic treehouses we built as kids, to modern architectural designs and tiny house trends, and are using both the latest green technology and some fun crazy inventions as well. We hope to weave all these concepts together into an engaging and cohesive space that provides rest, relaxation, and inspiration.
"As much as possible, we have tried to use reclaimed material. We’ve sourced beams and massive windows from local industrial sites, and beautifully aged wood from an 1860’s barn. While we love the old materials, we also want to provide a comfortable year-round experience, so we’ve selectively integrated some of the latest technology to help build a well-insulated shell that keeps the wind out and the heat in.
"To develop the most efficient and sustainable systems, we’ve worked with some of the best partners in the industry, including Greenspaces, EPB, Greenwood Engineering, Cogent Architecture, Timberline Tree Care, W.M. Whitaker & Associates, LLC, and others. Thanks to this team of experts, we’ve been able to confidently select the strongest trees, build dynamic systems that work with the natural tree growth and sway, and integrate water and energy systems that provide full amenities without negatively affecting the environment."
They are working towards making the treehouse the world’s first Living Building Challenge eco-certified treehouse. It contains no environmentally harmful materials and is being designed to be net-positive in energy production. The water use is zero-impact and the materials are sustainably sourced and toxin free.
The two partners used a Kickstarter campaign to raise over $30,000 to build the initial treehouse. They already are making plans for a second unit on the two woodland acres they own. They also lease an acre from Rock City.
The treehouse is on the right side of Chattanooga Valley Road going south just past the Blowing Spring Kennel.
The $320 is for weekends and includes a $30 cleaning fee. The weekday rate is $275 (including the cleaning fee).
Reservations may be made at sleepinatree.co