Port Lympne Forest Hideaways

Campfires at night, waking to a lion’s roar and spotting giraffe as you venture across open plains…  A stay at Port Lympne’s Forest Hideaways has all the hallmarks of a classic safari. But this experience is just 60 miles south of London in the Kent countryside, close to the coast. You’ll sleep in a proper bed inside a cute timber cabin that’s warmed by a log burner. You’ll explore in your own golf buggy or aboard a safari truck with a ranger guide and you’ll have the chance to see (and hear) the animals long after the visitors have gone home.

The extra time will give you the best chance of seeing more of the 70-plus species which have a home here. And, in turn, your stay here helps fund their upkeep in a place which aims to ensure the survival of endangered animals and, where possible, their return to the wild.

There are 14 different accommodation options ranging from the elegant rooms of the Port Lympne Hotel, family-friendly Bear Lodge, Treehouses and these ground-level Forest Hideaways, which offer the most affordable way to stay while still having a golf buggy to cruise around the reserve’s hilly 600 acres. They are also in one of the park's most secluded spots and yet are incredibly close to big cat enclosures – hence that wake-up call we mentioned. And while that’s not guaranteed, you might need it as a good night’s sleep is pretty easy here thanks to comfy double beds, quality linen and a log burner. These cabins are perfectly-sized boltholes for a couple on a romantic getaway but they also have a small sofa bed that’s big enough for younger children.

Each of the three Forest Hideaways is en-suite with a surprisingly spacious monsoon shower, toiletries and fluffy towels provided. There’s a TV and tea- and coffee-making facilities too. It’s got pretty much everything you’d expect from a hotel room – but with a fire pit just outside. So, you might ask, where’s the bar? And it’s not a silly question. There’s an elegant one in the hotel, which is not too far away from your cabin. For dinner there are also several options: the upscale Garden Room Restaurant, a pizza place and a grill restaurant further afield. All are easily reached on a sunset golf buggy tour.