Instead of an ordinary cabin, your next stay in the Great Smoky Mountains might just be high in a treehouse – a deluxe treehouse.

Sanctuary Treehouse Resort is ready for guests to get adventurous with slides, drawbridges and scavenger hunts, or to enjoy modern amenities and take in the mountain views next to an outdoor fireplace.

The unique vacation getaway in Sevierville – intended to eventually be the largest treehouse resort in the world – has opened, and owners Brian and Amanda Jensen welcomed their first guests.

“We're super pumped,” Amanda Jensen told Knox News. “It's really, really, really cool to see everything kind of pinned up and buttoned up.”

"(Guests are) messaging us and they're just overwhelmed, excited to get here … (which), of course, makes us work harder to get it all just perfect, put all of our Jensen touches on everything, so that they feel special and have a great vacation,” she added.

Aiming for a unique adventure

The first seven Sanctuary treehouses, including a double tree fort, are now open for reservations, but except for a few open spots, they’ve already been booked until around July. More treehouses will be built and available for reservations throughout the year.

Each treehouse has been meticulously designed and decorated by the Jensens and their four children to give a unique vacation experience near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

“We don’t want to do what everybody else is doing,” Amanda said.

“People ask, ‘Do you have a pool?’ and it's like, gosh, well nope, I don't know if we're gonna do pools. But you've got a slide, you've got swings, you've got rope climbs, you've got secret ladders, you've got fireplaces, you've got outdoor tubs, indoor tubs – there's just so much to do on your treehouse,” she noted.

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A family project

The Jensens are especially looking forward to meeting their Sanctuary Treehouse guests. Amanda has been coordinating reservations for several months and was surprised by the connections she’s developed with people even before they arrive.

“We've gotten to know a lot of them on a personal level,” Amanda said. “We're hearing some stories that bring me to tears.”

Groups of families have booked several treehouses, some of the trips being spearheaded by grandmothers wanting to create special memories with the whole family. One of stories that touched Amanda’s heart came from a little boy.

“He has been following our marketing for a better part of a year – and I think he's terminally ill – and he said that it's his wish, it’s what he wants; he just really wants to come and stay in our treehouses,” Amanda shared.

The treehouse resort has been about family from the start. The couple own the Gatlinburg SkyCenter, but they wanted to create a legacy that was special for their family and enjoyable for other families.

Their four children all have contributed to the resort in their own ways. Their oldest daughter created artwork hanging in each treehouse and is sewing special removable sheets to be inserted in sleeping bags; the 10-year-old twins helped design scavenger hunts for other kids to explore; their son has chopped wood and been an all-around helper.

It’s a project from the heart and the family hopes guests will feel the passion they have poured into the resort.

“It's gonna be darn, darn, darn hard for anybody to come here and be unhappy and complain,” Amanda said. “But I also know you can't please everyone. We sure have tried."

Options include double and single treehouses

The seven available units available at Sanctuary Treehouse Resort are aimed at couples and families, and all offer customized amenities and outdoor adventures. Treehouse options can sleep up to four, six or 12 people.

Prices range from $275 to $796 per night for single treehouses and $651-$1,522 per night for the joined tree fort, according to the resort’s reservation pages as of March 29.

• The Honey Hole: The luxe treehouse option caters to couples and groups of up to four people. It has upscale fixtures, decor and amenities including a copper clawfoot tub, suspended outdoor daybeds and outdoor tubs. It is $341-$796 per night.

• Tarzan and Jane: The double treehouse option joins two treehouses through an adjustable drawbridge and sleeps up to 12. Neighbors can race down the dueling slides. It is $651-$1,522 per night.

• Air Fort One: The single bedroom sleeps up to six and has views of the Smokies It features a slide, drink chutes from the kitchen to the lower porch, swings, escape hatch with secret ladders and more. It is $326-$761 per night.

• Chasing Fireflies: Named and decorated for the synchronized fireflies that light up the Smokies every year, the single bedroom sleeps up to six and features treehouse amenities. It is $275-$692 per night.

• Squirrels Gone Wild: The single treehouse is designed to help guests unplug and embrace the surrounding nature, including nearby hiking trails. It also features an outdoor fireplace. It sleeps up to six and is $296-$692 per night.

• Tree-mendous Fun: The single bedroom sleeps up to six and features amenities such as drink chutes from the kitchen to the lower porch, swings and secret ladders. It is $296-$692 per night.

What’s next for Sanctuary Treehouse Resort?

While Sanctuary Treehouse Resort is currently offering seven treehouses, there’s a lot more to come. The goal is to become the largest treehouse resort in the world, with 130 treehouses available when the three-phase project is completed by 2026.

The eventual full resort will be an interactive treehouse community with adventure trails, observation decks, a hot spring, a pizzeria, a butcher shop, a gift shop and even an enchanted forest.

More: Worried about finding parking in the Smokies? Here's a way around the park's new rules

Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com. Twitter @dturner1208. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Sanctuary Treehouse Resort opens in the Smokies with deluxe touches