Reconnect with mother nature at Airbnb’s most popular treehouse

When you think of treehouses, you probably don’t imagine people paying hundreds of dollars or booking years in advance to stay in one. But, that’s exactly the case for this unique treehouse nestled away in the forests of Atlanta, Georgia. 

Available to rent through Airbnb, its listing — which gets 300,00 hits a month — is innocuously called “Secluded Intown Treehouse.” Doesn’t sound like anything too spectacular, right? Well, the 23-year-old structure has been featured in over 300 articles and TV shows. Spending a night at the home comes with a hefty price tag of $375, and you have to wait at least a year to secure a spot. In fact, it’s on over 150,000 people’s Airbnb wishlist!

In true treehouse fashion, it consists of three rooms all connected by ropes, and its small size means it can welcome only two occupants at any given time. There’s no bathroom (except at the owner’s home) and it doesn’t have a heating or cooling system. All that said, it scores nearly five stars (out of five) across the board for all Airbnb rating categories!

So, what makes this treehouse so special? Is it worth the small size, cost, and waiting time? We sat down with the owner, Peter Bahouth, to find out more about why this little, inconspicuous home radiates magic.

What inspired the 3D capture of this space? 

Because of the high visibility and interest in the treehouse, many people would like to explore the space in greater detail than they get from simple photographs.

What are the “must-sees” you want visitors to explore and why? 

• The treehouse’s Southern atmosphere — gracious, welcoming, and comfortable.

• The setting. At night, it feels like you could be anywhere in the world. 

• The bed that rolls onto an outdoor platform, so that you can sleep under the stars with the sound of flowing water from the stream below you.

• The recycled windows, doors, and other building materials that make the treehouse environmentally friendly.

• The 80 year old windows my mother recovered from a torn-down building. They have butterfly wings pressed between two layers of glass, so they’re really quite unique.

• The decor that consists of a wide range of stunning antiques.

• The “Old Man,” which is 200 year old Southern short-leaf pine. It’s the oldest of the seven trees that cradle the treehouse.

What’s the one thing you want visitors to take away after exploring your 3D tour?

I’d like tour guests to understand that nature is all around us, even in the city. We can reconnect with it to better understand ourselves and other living things by spending more time right outside our front door.

What are the benefits of Matterport digital twins?

Because the treehouse has different spaces connected by bridges, it's hard to capture using conventional 2D still photography, as a photo will only show a small portion of the space. The 3D capture allows for virtual visitors to get a sense of the decor’s variety and how the entire space functions.

Anything else you would like to add?

The treehouses have hosted hundreds of guests, many events, music videos, numerous magazine articles, and a joint wrap party for the cast and crew of “The Hunger Games” and “Dumb and Dumber II.” Jane Fonda brought the first gift — a three foot tall carved bird from Indonesia — to the treehouses when they were first built.