Sleeping in a tree house at Buytenplaets Suydersee
Have you, like Jazzie and I, spent your whole life wishing to spend the night in a tree house? For us, it finally happened last month, when Buytenplaets Suydersee invited us for a night in one of their special tree suites.
The water and waves of “Suydersee” made way for this quiet and stunningly green campsite in the youngest province of the Netherlands. For all our non-Dutch readers, I know you are there, the province of Flevoland has only existed since 1986 (!) It was created by the reclamation of the Zuiderzee (hence the name, Suydersee).
A green world on the outskirts of Lelystad
From the station in Lelystad, we were at the campsite in no time. Although it is technically located on the outskirts of the city, it feels like a completely different world. Immediately upon arrival, we noticed how green it is, the terrain filled with beautiful – tall! – trees. We thought that, in itself, was special. Especially for such a young province! You won’t notice the hustle and bustle of the city thanks to the birdsong. You really imagine as if you’re in the middle of nature. Between the oldest oaks in Flevoland, you’ll find wood chip paths through the forest past the various accommodations on these “buytenplaets.” Fun fact: they also have sheep, alpacas, and rabbits to cuddle with!
Small-scale campsite with special accommodations
It is a small-scale campsite, but they offer various – great – overnight options! And that’s what makes this place absolutely unique. We opted, obviously, for a treehouse, but of course we also “just” discovered the rest. Our visit took place just after Easter weekend, so it was nice and quiet (the weather may have been a factor too, I believe we experienced all four seasons within two days).
Okay, back to the accommodations. You can bring your own camping equipment, but why would you when there are so many nice options? How about sleeping in a Lada with a roof tent? Or a sewer pipe!? A teepee and a sea container are also on the list of possibilities here. It remains camping, so it is not necessarily luxurious, but it is certainly cozy. For those who prefer glamping, they do have a few luxurious options – hikers’ cabins and gypsy wagons! How nice is that?
The tree house
The choice was not easy with so many options, but we JUST HAD to make our childhood dream come true and go for the tree house. Around the same field are three tree houses at a height of four meters (two suites for two people, and a family suite). They are all furnished like small hotel rooms, with a spacious terrace! Neatly made beds, bathrobes, towels, a coffee maker and luxurious tea maker, books, and tableware are available! The small room is equipped with the most important conveniences.
As I said before, we’ve experienced every season during our visit, and the stormy weather made sleeping in the tree house somewhat … exciting. Fortunately, Flevoland has very fertile clay soil, and the oaks looked as if they could easily handle this storm! If you aren’t a fan of the cold: an electric heater heats up the cabin in no time. It is wonderful to open the curtains and enjoy the wooded surroundings from your bed – comfortably sheltered.
Services
In the tree house itself, you obviously have no sanitary and cooking facilities (that would be tight on 8m²). So, for a visit to the toilet or a shower, you have to cross the field towards the common areas. Although we had to go through snow, hail, and rain showers for this, we were happy to conclude that the facilities were spotlessly clean! There is also a covered dining area with cooking utilities and a refrigerator, but if you want to cook, they recommend you bring your own cooking equipment. 🙂
In the area
If you visit the Buytenplaets, and the weather is good, we recommend you take a walk through the Stiltebos. This small forest is located less than a five-minutes by foot from the campsite. Prefer mountain biking? You’re in luck! Also, thanks to the location on the outskirts of the city, you can find an indoor play paradise (including laser game hall), a bowling and billiards center, restaurants, a supermarket and the icing on the cake, there is also a swimming paradise next door, completely free.
Breakfast
For the next morning, we ordered a delicious breakfast. We paired it with a cup of coffee which is very important to us, addicts. We ate everything from bed – because, as you now know, it was very cold. When the weather is better, we imagine breakfast on the terrace in the sun, between the trees, would be pretty ideal.
Luxury camping
Would you like to camp, but are you looking for that little bit of extra luxury? Then the treehouse suites are an absolute must. Enjoy nature in this surprisingly wooded part of Flevoland during an unforgettable overnight stay!
→ This article was written in collaboration with Buytenplaets Suydersee. We were allowed to stay here for free, in exchange for content. Of course you are reading our own opinion here!
