From Superdome to Superduper

Make way, make way! New beds for old!!! 4 of the domes around the border of the Dome Garden are gradually being replaced by a series of amazing, super-contemporary, net-zero treehouses – all designed by a multi award wining architect and all with intoxicating views into the heart of the forest.

The Treehouses are part of our Zero Energy Project and are high performance, carbon-neutral buildings. Each one is based around one of our four passions – Well-being, The Environment, Fine Food & Wine and Art & Culture

The first one, ‘Treehouse Zero Zero’ has appeared where the old Superdome was and is now finished. It’s designed with Wellness in mind, and has its own private spa.

This is our interpretation of the ‘vertical forest’ with timber cluster columns, and Corten cladding interspaced with strips of Shou Sugi Ban or Yakisugi – an ancient Japanese technique for protecting and fireproofing timbers.

The ‘Zero Zero Treehouse’ is reached by its own 20ft rope bridge, 15ft above an infinity pond which now fills the space of the once famous Superdome – a spooky echo of the dome that was!

This is not just a building but an entire experience and is the ultimate romantic getaway for two. Although it also has three secret cabin bunks for ‘smalls’ (or your mates!!) if they won’t let you go without them! The main bedroom looks straight out into the trees, across an open air shower on a tree-level private deck. The cabin beds are behind a secret door and are big enough for two normal sized people as well as one shorter one! (under 5ft).

There are more decks at different levels, a glorious, sun-filled kitchen and, right up the top, in the branches between a black walnut and a row of ancient beech trees, our coup de grace – the ‘Skygardens’. Surrounded by an aerial pond and, by next year a glorious sun deck with a little bar, The Skygardens centre around a little glass gem of a room, perching unnervingly over the edge of the building, it has an automatic louvred roof that opens and closes with the elements. There is no better place to hang out, amongst the branches, and doze under the hot sun or the twinkling stars.

There’s more below decks, down the 39 steps of the solid-timber spiral staircase to a watery world of rest and relaxation!

Here you’ll find a small gym and yoga studio with sauna, steam-room, and a luxurious wooden bath for two. Step outside and a timber walkway leads you to the centre of the circular infinity pond and a rubber-lined cold water plunge pool – nicknamed the Rubberdubtub!. Jump straight from the sauna into the freezing water for an invigorating hit. Or heat it up with the wood burning stove and sit back, wallowing the evening away with birdsong and a glass of wine.

Prices !!
There’s no escaping the fact, the Zero Zero Treehouse does come with a higher price tag than the other accommodations here.

It starts at £450 per night for 2 people (and a bit more if you add extra guests – at £25 per head) That rises a little bit to £550 in the absolute peak periods. You can book it in blocks of 2 nights from Mondays or Wednesdays and 3 nights from Fridays.

On the plus side, it is honestly a stunning buuilding. Everyone who has come to look around, as we have been completing the work, has been dumbstruck so, hopefully, it will be more than worth the extra outlay.

Oh… and it does come with (some) free bottles of wine for the adults! So, not all bad!