Hot water?

One of the questions that is asked most often by folks--when they check in, not before--is if there are showers and toilets in the tree houses.

Depending on my mood (and the disposition of the guests) I tell them that it's a 1.5-mile walk to the outhouse and the rain-catch.

In reality, there is a shower, sink and toilet in all of the tree houses.

However, the showers are warm-water showers. There are no hot-water tanks. The water is heated as it goes through the shower head by electricity (some wags call them suicide showers). Basically, the more water pressure, the cooler the shower; the less pressure the warmer the shower. However, the water can't be a trickle or else the heating element won't kick on.

We try to remind folks of this when they check in, but a lot of times they're so eager to get to the tree house, they don't want a long, drawn-out check in. So, we tell them to read the binder in the room for information on the hotel, facilities, restaurants, excursions, etc.

Inevitably, a day or so later, they show up for breakfast and say they don't have any hot water in their tree house.

Luckily, we have learned not to roll our eyes now, and we patiently explain the system to them again.