'I stayed overnight at London Zoo - this is what happens when everyone has gone home...'
Picture the scene. It’s a balmy summer’s evening, and you’ve just unpacked your bags in the cosy, charming lodge you’re calling home for the night. Twilight is settling in, and with a cold drink in hand you wander outside where the sound of roaring lions fill the air. This is your background music for the night. You’re getting ready for a guided tour to learn more about some of the most fascinating animals nature has to offer. It’s a slice of paradise, and it’s the heart of London.
Yes, you read that right. We’re not talking about an overnight stay in the Savannah, but instead, a trip to experience a behind-the-scenes look at ZSL’s London Zoo.
You can check out our TikTok below, and come along with us, or continue reading for our full review!
What happens during your stay?
Set in the heart of London Zoo and the greenery of surrounding Regent's Park, this experience lets guests enjoy a night's escape from the bustle of London without even leaving the city, making the wild accessible to everyone. A stay at the Lodges includes three exclusive tours, which all take place when the Zoo is closed to the public, so you really do get to experience a side like never before. The tours include an after dark tour, which allows guests help prep for the morning ahead and see the nocturnal animals (who knew porcupines could be so cute), as well as a morning tour to wake up the zoo before it opens to the public. Drinks, dinner and breakfast are all included, as well as a stay in the private lodges situated just beside the Lion Enclosure, but more on that later.
Returning for 2022 is the zoo’s popular Twilight tickets, exclusively for adults only. Starting on the 30th June, every Thursday and Friday through to 22nd July 2022, guests can join a free art workshop, and take tours to places where visitors never usually tread, exploring how zookeepers and vets look after every kind of creature from Critically Endangered Chinese giant salamanders to Endangered Asiatic lions. There will also be live music at the penguin pool - where Harry Styles recently filmed his latest music video, As it Was - and guests can enjoy food from the World Food Market. Sounds like the perfect summer evening to us!
What’s included:
Complimentary drink upon arrival
Two exclusive after-hours tours of the Zoo at sunset and after-dark
One exclusive tour in the morning after breakfast, including a meet and greet with a keeper
Overnight stay in a private lodge - double or twin bed, en-suite, complimentary toiletries, tea and coffee making facilities
A delicious two course dinner and buffet breakfast
Free entry into ZSL London Zoo for two days either side of your night's stay. You are also welcome to visit ZSL Whipsnade Zoo on your second day
Free car parking (This is valid upon showing ticket confirmation at car park entrance)
Exclusive 15% discount on any Meet the Animals experiences
10% discount in the gift shop and restaurant
The accommodation
The lodges themselves are surprisingly roomy. We had a double room, and it was a comfortable size for two people for a single night. The bed was comfortable and the rooms were clean, with amenities for tea and coffee, British essentials. The lodges are in a small gated area right next to the lions, so when they say you’ll hear them roaring - their most active time is during the night FYI - they really aren’t lying!
The food
There’s something special about eating food at typical family day out locations. Theme parks, zoos, if fun can be had there, you just know it’s going to make the food taste better. And what better place to enjoy a two-course meal than in a private, romantically-lit room at London Zoo? The options were pre-selected before arrival, and while there was only one veggie option available for our stay, the food was delicious. Breakfast was the star of the show, with hot and cold options, as well as a selection of teas, coffees and cold drinks.
Experiences
The main event was of course, the guided tours. Having after hours, all-access to the keepers with all their knowledge, as well as the animals you don’t often get to see awake during park hours, was something any nature lover would enjoy. The group was small, less than 15 of us, so it felt as if you could have lengthy interactions with the keepers, and nothing felt rushed.
During our stay, we went on three exclusive tours. The first was a lesson on the lions they have at London Zoo, their backstory and the story of their conservation.
ZSL London Zoo is an international conservation charity working to create a world where wildlife thrives. From investigating the health threats facing animals to helping people and wildlife live alongside each other, ZSL is committed to bringing wildlife back from the brink of extinction. Their work is realised through ground-breaking science, field conservation around the world and engaging millions of people through their two zoos, ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo.
One thing I'm always sceptical about at zoos is animal welfare. But after spending time with the keepers, seeing how much they love the animals and how they’re all working and learning as part of an organisation that genuinely has the animal’s welfare at heart, my concerns were lessened.
After dinner, we got to have a twilight tour, and meet some of the nocturnal animals, as well as learn more about what goes on behind-the-scenes to prep the park for the morning. We had a tour around one of the animal food kitchens, saw the sheer amount of fresh fruit and veg, sourced from a London-based produce supplier that also supplies the top hotels in the city, and prepared some enrichment activities for the animals to enjoy.
One thing that was clear throughout the tours, was how the zoo was continually developing, and all the small things that indicated this in the park which I hadn’t noticed during previous visits. For example, the penguin pool at London Zoo has been there since the zoo opened to the public, and is a Grade 1 listed building. It’s iconic, and served as the inspiration for the Penguin Books logo, as well as inspired Walt Disney himself, after a visit led to sketches of the penguins from Mary Poppins. The building is a piece of the zoo’s history, but is also not the best place to house penguins anymore. So a new pool was created years ago that provided the environment that was best for the penguins on site. The same goes for why the elephants were moved to ZSL’s sister zoo, as there wasn’t the space to give them the quality of life they needed.
They’re small details that were interesting to hear first hand from the keepers themselves, and again drove home the level of care these animals receive at London Zoo.
Any other info?
An overnight stay at London Zoo is truly an experience like no other. There’s something so exciting about getting to experience nature in the heart of London, and it’s an opportunity that any animal lover wouldn’t want to miss. They also host family nights, with children-friendly activities, so it’s the perfect summer holiday escape. And once you’ve finished in the zoo, just walk outside the gates and you’re slap bang in regent’s park. Truly the best of both worlds.
Interested in booking? You can do so here!
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