Port Lympne Mansion Hotel

Just back from a weekend break for a special Birthday from start to finish the staff were simply lovely,welcoming, friendly ,knowledgeable and nothing was too much trouble,the room was beautiful, the mansion is stunning. Safari was included, the animals in big enclosures and looked well cared for and the guide really interesting and again knowledgeable. Golf buggy included lots of fun and got us round the big site easily ,booked a lovely meal In Babydolls ,lovely fresh pasta and they knew it was my birthday and popped a candle in my desert nice touch.Great breakfast included top ingredients in a gorgeous setting The Garden Room the next day a day in there sister site Howletts the elephants amazing 👏 Absolutely recommend so much included such a good price .

Just returned from a one night short stay in the hotel. From beginning to end the staff could not have been more helpful or friendly. We arrived early so had a good walk around before checking in and collecting our buggy. It is very hilly and the buggy does come in handy however you can’t take it everywhere. The concierge told is there is a van that can collect anyone that gets stuck and can’t manage an uphill walk. Dinner was included for us and tasty. The choice wasn’t too much and it would be nice to have an option to pay a bit extra for the normal menu maybe. We did the safari which was good and informative. The baboon scatter feed was excellent. We would definitely return in the future.

What an amazing weekend. Stayed in 8 berth bear tents and was amazing (take your toaster as there's just a kettle, but large cups and plates, knives forks etc) thank you so much Helen for going above and beyond with our early arrival - you and the staff were so welcoming! Very long walks and tiring but amazing and even our 4 and 6 Yr old just about managed. Safari with Mark was brilliant (1hr) £7 for 2 dairy milk lollies was a bit steep but we all thoroughly enjoyed our weekend. Thank you so much

We had a really special 1 night stay at Port Lympne. It started off a bit rough for us as our flight majorly delayed our arrival by 4 hours. This meant unfortunately we missed the two experienced I had booked and paid for. When we arrived in the airport, I called ahead and explained the situation. I was originally told a refund wouldn’t be possible, however the staff then did everything they could to help and were able to re-jig our timetable for the following day so that we could still maximise our time on the reserve. I was really grateful for this! We were showed to our accommodation by a very friendly team member who drove us down to the lookout Bubble and chatted to us about the reserve and the accommodation. She showed us our buggy and the accommodation. The bubble is such a unique venue to stay in - it felt like sleeping in a planetarium. Very special even though the weather was wild! We went for dinner at Babydolls and breakfast in the Garden Room which we both really enjoyed. We did the red panda experience and the small carnivores - both keepers were so knowledgeable and full of passion for the animals they look after (Georgie & Nathan - thank you!). We’d thoroughly recommend a stay here for a special occasion. It was my partners 30th and we travelled down from Glasgow - it was such a worthwhile and fun 24hrs or so spent here. (A small note on the accommodation is - if you are a light sleeper the bubble may not suit you. The bubble is made from an inflatable material which was very loud in the wind and rain. We didn’t mind so much but it might not be for everyone when the weather is a bit wild!)

Absolutely gorgeous stay and experience. Loved seeing the animals and learning about the work aspinal do. Ant on the safari was amazing and gave such interesting perspectives of the reserve. The big cat talk was amazing also, able to ask lots of questions. I do feel though, the restaurants are letting down the experience. Having ate in baby dolls and the garden room. The garden room was exceptionally bad, with poor service and average food. Having to continually ask for service was really frustrating. I had to find out a lot of information myself from various staff members also. Reception didn’t offer to book the safari or tell us how to get the buggy. Spent a good 30 minutes trying to figure out how to book everything. I had booked a dinner reservation months before but the staff member had accidentally booked the wrong day. Was told there was nothing they could do. Overall, the keepers and tour guides are superb. The hotel and restaurant staff need major training to make this a 5 star experience. You do pay above average for this experience and it’s not reflective of that.

Wonderful safari in Kent! Loved staying in the Pinewood shepherds hut. Food options look lovely but food ingredients could be better. All the rangers very knowledgeable and friendly. Great range of animals. Second visit.. will return again!

I booked 1 night Tiger Lodge and 2 nights Lion Lodge in June 2023 for February 2024. Paid £5050 in full in June. In December 2023, I was offered 15% discount. When I accepted I was refused the discount as I’d booked in advance. When I enquired about cancelling, Port Lymph refused to refund the 50% of the £5050 I was due per the terms they had sent me, for cancelling between 6 - 10 weeks prior deadline. They only offered 50% refund of a £750 ceiling. I kept the accommodation booking but cancelled all meals and tours that I’d previously booked. In February, when I checked-in, the paperwork made it appear that dinner was included in the booking. In June, I had been told dinner was not included. So be very careful when dealing with Port Lymph. One person tells you one thing and later another person tells you different. Accommodation was comfortable but bathrooms need cleaning. I was surprised to see animals in (my opinion) too small, poorly maintained enclosures doing repetitive behaviour.

We went in February half term and stayed for two nights in a Treehouse lodge. Safari & Reserve - The safari experience was excellent and Penny was a brilliant tour guide - really informative on the local history and the animals we saw. Great day out and plenty to see. Check in- Chaos - and this wasn't peak season! You go to the mansion to sign paperwork and then back to concierge to get your key and buggy. Despite the buggies being sat there charged and ready to go they won't release them before 3pm so it is very busy then. Accomodation - Treehouses are a little tired for the price that is charged - thinning towels, fraying dressing gowns, black mould on the tiles and carpet that didn't reach all the walls oddly. The steps are very steep and, as it was raining, slippery. The tread they had previously nailed on to stop them being slippery had come away on all steps and not been replaced or repaired. We hauled our suitcases up but when leaving realised you can access the back with the buggy and avoid the steps. We arrived at the clubhouse and had our free welcome drink - watch out though as it seems only certain drinks are "welcome drinks" but they didn't explain that. We found out the beer and two hot chocolates had been added to our bill when we checked out without our knowledge. Dining - Babydoll restaurant was great - fantastic food and quite a fun buggy ride to get there. The Garden Restaurant did a lovely breakfast but it is definitely pricey for what you get. Howletts - We expected to be able to go to Howletts as it was included (and promoted as being included) in our booking. We realised the day before we arrived it was closed because when they say "open during school holidays" on their website only applies to Kent school terms dates so worth checking (though they were going to add dates going forward). Rather than rescue this situation brilliantly Port Lympne chose an awkward haggle suggesting Howletts wasn't part of the experience we had paid for before, after discussion, finally offering a reasonable discount on an animal encounter as compensation.

We have had a great day! We used a Virgin Experiences voucher which allowed us access into the aniaml reserve, a safari trip AND a delicious 2 course Sunday roast in the Garden Restaurant. I would definitely recommend using this voucher. Park: The park was clean, organised and a fun day out! We went in Feb 2024, it was raining and muddy so pack a big umbrella and dress appropriately. I’d say some animals looked sad (the wolves were beautiful but I personally feel their enclosure was far too small but then again I am not an expert) but it was pouring with rain and very very muddy in some of the enclosures so may have caught them on a bad day. Staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. The basecamp cafe was very very expensive (£2.30 for a bottle of water, £4.75 for a hot chocolate, £10 for a jacket potato with beans) and very very slow at making hot drinks. Orders were getting made wrong and if you are waiting in the queue for the safari ride (which you cannot take hot drinks on) it feels quite painful watching your coffee being made. Luckily you are allowed to bring your own food and drinks in so I’d recommend a flask of tea and a picnic. Lots of places for a picnic. Safari: Incredible! The staff were extremely knowledgable and interesting to talk to. They were real experts in their field. The ride is VERY bumpy and I was thrown from my seat a couple of times (fun for some!) I’d be weary with babies/toddlers. I’d go as far to say if you wouldn’t be able to go on a small rollercoaster due to age or health I wouldn’t risk the safari ride. It was amazing to see such an array of animals which you would never see on foot with the huge distance we covered driving. Restaurant: One of the best roasts I’ve ever had! And I LOVE a roast. Perfectly cooked roast beef. Potatoes were as crispy as home cooked ones and unlimited gravy when you ask. Chocolate brownie for pudding with ice cream which was to die for! The restaurant is beautifully decorated and staff were on hand at all times. A lovely end to a great day. We finished by walking around the gardens in front of the mansion. Beautiful views and manicured gardens.