The Reserve at Chester Zoo opened in August 2025, inviting guests to enjoy an extraordinary African-inspired break without the need to leave the UK. A hotel like no other, The Reserve sits beside the zoo’s Heart of Africa zone and boasts 51 luxury lodges set against a private savannah-inspired landscape.
Awake with giraffe, zebra and blesbok grazing just a few feet away; sip morning coffee whilst relaxing beside the private lake; and fall asleep to the sounds of nature. What’s more, each stay at Chester Zoo helps to fund real wildlife regeneration projects both onsite at the zoo and further afield, providing the perfect ethical staycation.
THE EXPERIENCES
Offering an immersive short break, The Reserve guests can choose from a selection of unforgettable experiences that bring them closer to the resident wildlife and offer insight into the vital conservation work taking place at the zoo. Among them are:
- Campfire Stories: each evening, Chester Zoo’s expert Rangers invite guests to get cosy under a blanket by the firepit and perhaps enjoy a sundowner or warming hot chocolate as they share stories from the field. Available to all guests.
- Heart of Africa Safari: enjoy the magic of Chester Zoo’s Heart of Africa zone on an exclusive after-hours tour. Led by a guiding Ranger, get a secret peek into the evening activities of the resident animals. On darker nights, night vision goggles and infra-red torches are on hand. Available on the Savannah Adventurer and Giraffe VIP packages.
- Giraffe Keeper Kitchen: enter the Giraffe House to learn all about giraffe care, including their feeding habits. Get hands on, creating an enrichment activity and get up close with the giraffe as the keepers feed them. Available on the Savannah Adventurer and Giraffe VIP packages.
- Giraffe Wake-Up: guests staying on the Giraffe VIP package get to experience all the above plus will work with Chester Zoo keepers to wake up the giraffes, prep them and their habitats for the day, and release them into the morning air. Suitable for those aged 12+.
All stays include a two-day zoo pass and breakfast in the chic Amboseli Restaurant in The Reserve’s welcome building – also home to a large bar area serving African-inspired cocktails, and the Tsavo Lounge for relaxing. A further included highlight is exclusive early access to the Heart of Africa from 9am via the private entrance (the zoo opens to the public from 10am). Additionally, guests at The Reserve will be entertained with impromptu surprises and supplementary activities such as scavenger hunts, arts and crafts, and Ranger chats. With activities dependent on animal routines and seasonality, no two stays at The Reserve will be the same.
THE LODGES
The luxury lodges have been designed to blend comfort with the colours, textures and natural beauty of the African savannah. There’s something to suit all guests, from adventure-seeking families to couples looking for romance, and a selection of accessible lodges too. A super-king Hypnos bed, double sofa-bed, large bathroom with rainfall shower, smart TV, furnished balcony and coffee machine come as standard. The Lakeside Lodges and Family Lodges (sleeping up to 6) overlook the private lake and offer flexible accommodation with the option of interconnecting Lakeside lodges sleeping up to nine guests.
Look-Out Lodges offer views of the paddock: perfect for giraffe watching. Romantics might like to opt for the Giraffe Lodge, also paddock side but with the bonus of an exterior roll-top bath. Or for a truly magical stay, opt for the Giraffe VIP Lodge, the most spacious of all the lodges with a second bedroom (sleeping up to four adults and two children), large balcony and bath overlooking the giraffe paddock, with a private garden and giraffe viewing platform.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
As a charity, The Reserve’s offering aligns with Chester Zoo’s mission to prevent extinction and create a future where nature can survive and thrive. Each and every stay booked at The Reserve helps to fund groundbreaking conservation work both in Africa and in key regions around the world – from scientific breakthroughs which helped save the black rhino, to the innovative use of AI to protect giraffes and pangolins in Uganda.
PACKAGES & PRICES
Combine the lodge accommodation with an exclusive wildlife experience with various packages to choose from:
- The Savannah Explorer includes the exclusive out-of-hours morning Heart of Africa access, a two-day zoo pass to Chester Zoo, campfire stories, £25 per person towards dinner, arrival drink, and parking. Price: from £534 per night based on a family of 4 staying in a Lakeside Lodge. Upgrade to a Look-Out Lodge with prices from £632 per night.
- The Savannah Adventurer includes all the benefits of the Savannah Explorer but with an upgraded three-course dinner in the Amboseli Restaurant, plus the ranger-guided out-of-hours Heart of Africa safari and the Giraffe Keeper Kitchen tour Price: £665 per night based on a family of 4 staying in a Lakeside Lodge. Upgrade to a Look-Out Lodge with prices from £752 per night.
- The Savannah VIP package includes all the benefits of the Savannah Adventurer plus an additional behind-the-scenes experience: the Giraffe Wake-Up Experience. Minimum stay 2 nights. Price: £1,918 for two nights based on a family of 4 staying in a Giraffe VIP Lodge.
For more information visit www.chesterzoo.org/accommodation
Images supplied
