Photo by Markus Gjengaar
It all started with a bucket list.
One of the first times we met (Kjartan and Sally) was when we were in Australia, at a friends’ wedding, surrounded by laughter and a group of people sharing dreams. Someone suggested we all write down bucket lists in secret. When we finally shared them, we couldn’t believe it …
Sally had written, “Stay in a treehouse.”Kjartan had written, “Build a treehouse.”
Since then, treehouses have been a special dream that we have both shared.
Fast forward a few years, Sally had traded the warm beaches of Australia to the raw nature of Norway where Kjartan was working long hours as an electrician. Or at least, that’s what he told Sally. In reality, he was spending those late hours in the forest, building something in secret.
One day, he finally brought her there—ten meters above the ground, standing on a single tree, was a treehouse built just for her. No stairs, just branches to climb.
Photo by Kjartan Aano
Inside, a tiny stovetop for coffee, small wooden shelves, and windows with a view of the forest. A quiet place, just for the two of us.
And then, he proposed.
That moment, high above the ground, made us realize something. A treehouse wasn’t just a fun idea—it was a way to create a special place, away from the world. We wanted to share that feeling. So we asked ourselves: What if we didn’t just build one? What if we built more?
Woodnest was born.
Photo by Kjartan Aano
By then, we had lived in Odda, Norway for a few years ad saw so much potential in this small but beautiful town. The view over the fjord was amazing, but no one was doing anything with it. We kept thinking, this place is special—people just don’t see it yet.
The answer was right outside our front door. The first treehouse stands on a mountainside, just above where we live. The hiking path starts at our doorstep and leads straight to the forest, where the treehouses now stand.
Photo by Alex Pérez
Oh, absolutely.
It was a massive investment for us, and we decided not to have investors but instead to keep it a small, family-run business where we are the sole owners. There were many points where we wanted to give up, and so many struggles along the way.
At times, it felt impossible. We weren’t just building treehouses—we were building luxury hotel rooms held up by a single tree. On a steep mountain. With plumbing, electricity, and sewage somehow making their way up.
While costs were rising during the build, we couldn’t see how we’d secure enough loans to get by. But as soon as they were finalized, bookings started coming in—and they never stopped.
For funding, we took out every bank loan we could find, as well as generous loans from friends and family that kept us going. We truly believe the whole thing has been a miracle. When we doubted, what kept us going was our faith—knowing that this project had become a calling for us, and we needed to give it a go no matter what.
Photo by Markus Gjengaar
Everything.
The treehouses are more than a business—they’re part of us. On the rare nights we get to stay there ourselves, we still feel the magic. Even if it’s just a moment during cleaning hours, sitting with a cup of coffee, looking at the fjord—it never gets old.
Woodnest gave us something we never expected: freedom. It allowed us to leave our old jobs and do something that feels meaningful. It has brought people from all over the world, all looking for the same thing—a place to slow down and reconnect.
And maybe most importantly, it proved something to us: If we want to, we can do almost anything.
Photo by Ole Sebastian Ribe
First—know that the line between work and life will blur. Completely.
Running a hospitality business means you never truly “clock out.” Something will always need your attention—an unexpected problem, a guest struggling to find their way up, a last-minute fix. But hospitality has always been something we carry deeply, so being able to host feels natural to us—not just like “work.”
Being a husband-and-wife team has also been our greatest strength. When one of us lost hope, the other kept going. When one of us couldn’t see the end, the other held the vision.
At the end of the day, the best advice we can give is simple: If it feels right, go for it.
You never know—it might just change your life.
