Are you a nature-lover committed to sustainability or just like to go off-the-beaten-path? Then this collection of unique cottages and cabins in nature from Nature House will be a breath of fresh air.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more information. As an affiliate, I earn a small commission every time you make a qualifying purchase through one of my affiliate links (if applicable).
CONTENTS: In this article, you will discover
- What is Nature-House
- Unique Properties for Vacation
- What Makes A Property A Nature House?
- Where To Find Cottages & Cabins in Nature
- The Social Impact of Nature-House
- How to Travel Like a Local in a Faraway Place
- Whatโs included in a Nature House?
- Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Vacation Homes
- How to Book a Vacation in Nature
- The Value of Experiential Travel
- My Conclusion
- Resources
What is Nature-House?
Nature-House helps travelers find unique properties to rent within natural settings. Founders Tim and Luuk van Oerle wanted to provide others with an escape from daily stresses to peaceful experiences in nature.
By partnering with like-minded homeowners around the world, they created Nature-House.
Here, anyone can book dream accommodations close to nature online for just a few nights or up to three weeks at a time.
The concept is like an Airbnb or VRBO for nature-loversโbut better. Not only is each property incredible, but for each night you rent in a Nature House, they plant a tree.
Cottages & Cabins in Nature
As a nature-lover myself, I swoon over many of the properties listed at Nature.House. Some are in the woods, others nestled within the mountains or the valley below, but all are unique.
My favorite properties are on the waterfront.
Besides cottages and cabins in nature, with Nature.House, you’ll also find:
- Holiday homes
- Glamping accommodations
- Agriturismo
- Bungalows
- B&B’s
- Luxury accommodations.
Need space for a multi-generational getaway? You’ll even find group accommodations.
Many are pet-friendly and some offer swimming pools.
Here are some samples in the heart of nature from the Nature-House collection:
- Fully outfitted yurt along the river’s edge
- Chic chalet beneath snowcapped mountains
- Light and breezy apartment just steps from an azure ocean
- An actual treehouse on high
- Rustic hikers cabin in the pines
- House floating on a pristine lake
What Makes A Property A Nature House?
Nature-House properties must meet specific criteria for acceptance in their collection. Each property must be:
- Set in nature or beautiful surroundings
- Not part of a large holiday park
- Away from the masses
Most properties are eco-friendly.
You’ll find the sustainability features highlighted for each listing. They also showcase plenty of photos, a location map, and amenities.
Where Do I Find Cottages & Cabins in Nature?
You can browse over 10,000 Nature-House listings worldwide throughout Europe, covering over fifty (50) countries and twenty-five (25) popular regions.
The online booking site makes it easy to narrow down your choices by location, type of experience, amenities, and other search filters.
The most popular destinations for cottages and cabins include:
- Belgium
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- Spain
- Sweden
The Social Impact of Nature-House
I often think about the negative effects my traveling may have on the world from an ecological standpoint.
So, one thing I especially love about Nature-House is their commitment to the environment.
Here’s what I mean.
For every night you stay, Nature-House plants a tree.
Wait, it gets even better.
In addition, Nature-House plants:
- Ten (10) trees for referrals through your account
- One (1) tree for creating a guest account
- One (1) tree for subscribing to their newsletter.
They plant the trees in Antsanitia, Madagascar to help restore deforestation.
Why Madagascar? That’s where it is possible to make the biggest impact on CO2 reduction and greening of the landscape.
According to Nature-House, each tree planted offsets the C02 emissions of about 55 miles of car travel.
These trees will form new mangrove forests for many threatened animal species, flora, and fauna. Doing so also provides hundreds of residents with work. This also contributes to Madagascar’s economy.
Nature-House’s goal is to plant at least one million trees by 2021. [Check out how many trees planted to date. Wow!]
In 2019, Nature-House added two new partnerships to plant trees in Tanzania (Trees.org) and Burkina Faso (BirdLife International) as well.
So, renting with them makes me feel more socially responsible in a small way.
Travel Like a Local in a Faraway Place
What I also like about these off-the-beaten-path properties is that they give travelers an opportunity to experience life in a destination like a local.
In my experience, the most desirable vacation properties get scooped up by word-of-mouth before they even hit the market. Nature-House gives you online access to them.
Whatโs Included in a Nature House?
Each property is equipped for living comfortably during your vacation.
And the online listings are easy to use. You’ll discover a robust filtering system to find just the right fit for you, your family, or travel partners.
Besides plenty of photos and details like how many it sleeps and the cooking facilities, you can even look on the map to see the exact property location.
Some Nature-House hosts offer:
- Transportation
- Access to a vehicle for off-roading
- Provide personal limousine service
Be sure to check out the property reviews to get a better sense of what to expect.
As someone who loves nature and often looks for off-beat places, these unique experiences in nature are a perfect fit.
Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Vacation Cottages & Cabins
What is most impressive to me is the listing information about the property’s sustainability.
Here is an example of the measures one home takes to be environmentally conscious.
Some properties make small eco-conscious contributions, such as using environmentally friendly cleaning agents.
Others have fully committed to the value of sustainability. They might have solar panels, reclaimed water, and environmentally safe building materials.
The Nature-House app makes it easy to filter by these criteria. That way, you control your impact while traveling.
Plus, renting through Nature-House balances the reassurance of dealing with a bigger company with the personalization of a private rental.
How to Book a Vacation in Nature
Once you find your perfect nature getaway, simply use the online system to book your stay.
The payment terms differ per private landlord, but you can arrange payment directly or through Nature-House. (They typically require a 30% deposit with the balance paid six-weeks before travel.)
Cancellations are pro-rated and 100% within 24 hours of booking.
Optional cancellation insurance is available.
Check out their website for full details.
The Experiential Travel Value
How do you put a price on the experiential value of these unique properties?
Wildlife encounters.
Communing with nature.
Disconnecting from the hustle-and-bustle of busy cities and communal living.
The unadulterated beauty of the natural world around us.
The experience of being set within the wilderness and living more closely with the earth.
Introspection and reconnecting with loved ones.
Priceless.
Final Thoughts on Nature House
With all the urban apartments, mega-hotels, and cluster housing in the world, seek experiences closer to nature. In the words of the famous nature-lover and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau, “let us not destroy the earth, rather live in harmony with it.”
I couldn’t agree more.
How about you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Resources
Nature House
Browse Properties: Nature.House
Instagram: @nature.house
Tel: +31 85 888 3337
Takkebijsters 15
4817 BL Breda
The Netherlands
BirdLife International
Website: BirdLife International
Tel: +44 (0)1223 277 318
Email: birdlife@birdlife.org
Global Office:
The David Attenborough Building, 1st Floor
Pembroke Street
Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UNITED KINGDOM
Eden Project
Website: Eden Project
Tel: +1 (626) 872-3770
Email: INFO@EDENPROJECTS.ORG
303 W Foothill Blvd, Unit 13
Glendora, CA 91741
Twitter: @EDEN_REFOREST
Facebook: FACEBOOK.COM/EDENREFORESTATIONPROJECTS
Trees.org
Website: Trees.org
Tel: +1 301 565-0630
Email: info@trees.org
1400 Spring St. Suite 150
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Don’t forget to Pin this article for later!
This article is part of a sponsored collaboration with Nature-House. As always, all opinions expressed are my own. For more information, please see the following Disclosure.
Hi Jackie
Thanks sooo much for sharing this cool find. Nature house is exactly my favorite accommodation style. Iโve tried to find them in Airbnb but itโs really hard to sift through. Iโm absolutely rushing nature houses next time!
Iโm heading to tree houses in Oregon with my girlfriends soon. Iโm so excited.
That’s great! Happy to share an easier way to find them! Have fun in Oregon!
First time I heard of a nature house. What a fabulous concept. And they plant a tree for each night booked. I would love to try one in France or Italy, a houseboat on a pristine lake.
Oh yes, a houseboat would be such fun!
Love the fact that so many of these properties are eco-friendly and champion sustainability! I’m definitely going to consider them for a future travel adventure.
That is one of the things I love about Nature-House, too!
What a fabulous concept! Will check out for my next trip.
Cool!
These are sooooo cool! And I can totally imagine them built into the areas near where I used to live in the Netherlands or the places I’ve visited in Sweden. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! There are some really unusual and interesting options!
I love this idea to help promote sustainable travel! I think it will do all of us a lot of good to get out into nature as well! Especially in spots like these! (:
Me too! And I really believe nature has such restorative power.
I absolutely LOVE this! We are huge being in nature fans and I really appreciate that they plant a tree for every night you stay. It’s things like this that really make a difference in our world.
I had no idea about Nature House and I will most definitely be looking into staying in one on our next trip!!
I’m glad you will be looking to Nature House and helping to make a difference–plus, they really have some great properties!
My husband would love this kind of holiday! He is not a fan of crowds or cities, so when we’re deciding on places to go, it’s always a compromise. I think we’d both enjoy staying in a little cottage or cabin away from it all.
I’m glad this presents an option you will both enjoy!
I’m in the middle of a real log cabin, forests and mountains addiction at the moment and I think Nature House will be just the thing to help with that addiction ha!
Perfect! That’s not a bad addiction to have! LOL
What a fantastic idea! We too are very conscious of travelling responsibly and we love being amongst nature. Iโm definitely going to check this out. Thanks for the recommendation.
Great to hear! My pleasure to share this resource.