Bear Lodge — Hotel in Folkestone and Hythe District

We arrived at Bear Lodge just before our check-in time of 3 pm. The staff member who checked us in was lovely as was the young fella who came out to my car to let me know where to park.||Bear Lodge has its own entrance separate from the rest of the place. The parking was plenty and spacious too.||||Bear Lodge consists of several glamping tents that overlook the Safari reserve. The view is spectacular and you can see the bears right below!||The tents are made from heavy-duty canvas and inside there is wood structurally improving the tents. Sitting inside you could forget you're in a tent!||The accommodation was spotlessly clean and well-equipped for what we needed.||There is a fridge, tea, and coffee with a kettle. Drying up cloth, J cloth, and washing up liquid. Glasses, cutlery, plates, etc. Towels shower gel and shampoo are all provided.||There was a card handwritten address to my wife who made the booking and a wallet containing all the information you could wish about PL. On top of that was a packet of giant marshmallows that you can go and toast on the fire which our daughters did go and do after dinner.||||||While getting ready for dinner I had an unfortunate accident and dropped something on the large glass floor protector underneath the log burner. Which shattered it into hundreds of pieces and they went everywhere. (I have had multiple serious surgical procedures on my left wrist and sometimes it just doesn't work)||I called guest services and I cannot praise them enough. The lady's exact words were "It's OK please don't panic". She told me not to worry and that she would send over staff ASAP.||I put on a fire glove and began to pick up some of the glass and within minutes a maintenance guy arrived and then 3 members of staff. They cleaned it all up without fuss and were very kind and understanding. They then brought us all slippers to wear in the tent in case they missed any glass. The service was first class and the staff couldn't have done any more. I was embarrassed but they were so kind.||||Dinner at Bear Lodge restaurant was great too. Staff were friendly attentive and professional. The food is quite expensive for what it is but it was all piping hot and pretty tasty. You have to expect some higher costs when considering the upkeep of the place.||||We then went back and chilled in the tent. We had no 16 which is back row but the view was still stunning. It was quite noisy with adults and children making a racket until around midnight when it died down.||Just a word of warning... If you feel the cold then make sure you have warm bed wear and use the log burner and Oil filled radiators they provide. Even when the weather is nice due to its location it can be quite cold.||The shower room and separate toilet were very clean and perfectly decent.||We all had a good night's sleep and I was up in the morning ready for my Cumberland sausage and streaky bacon in a brioche roll with a latte for breakfast (delivered from the restaurant).||||We all got ready for checkout (by 10 am) and packed the car up. ||||I don't have anything negative to say about this stay. Bear Lodge at Port Lympne is a wonderful escape from the norm so if you're considering it then don't hesitate. They have packages from reasonable to a touch of luxury. You won't regret it!||||PS. OK, the only negative was that I didn't get to meet Mr Aspinal's daughter Freya who has made quite a name for herself on social media. She has followed her dad's adventurous footsteps and has grown up around the animals. She can be seen feeding and cuddling up to Silverback Gorillas on Social Media... Something not many people would ever get the chance to do let alone be able. So...

We’ve just returned from a stay at Bear Lodge in Port Lympne, and I was genuinely impressed — especially after reading some mixed reviews beforehand.||We stayed in one of the front row refurbished tents, and it exceeded expectations. The tent was spotless, in great condition, and equipped with comfortable bedding (duvets and throws) and clean, good-sized towels. They had tower fans in the bedrooms which helped. They had plenty of plug ports inside the tent which is useful. Just to be mindful it doesn’t have a tv. Would be handy if they had treasure hunts or some activities or an activity pack for children at the bear lodge. ||The views from Bear Lodge are stunning — perched high above the park, you get an incredible panoramic view of the reserve and even out to the coast. While we didn’t spot the bears directly from the lodge (their enclosure is quite large), the setting was still magical.||There were thoughtful touches, like a welcome pack of marshmallows and roasting sticks on the dining table.. It would be great if they added a microwave or even a toaster to the tents for added convenience, but otherwise, the setup worked well.||The Bear Lodge Restaurant is close to the tents — literally a 30-second walk — which was convenient . We also booked dinner at Babydoll’s Wood-Fired Pizza Restaurant, and the food was absolutely spot-on. Since it’s a bit further away, we pre-booked a minibus transfer (free of charge), which was ideal for my mum, who has some mobility issues.||A special mention must go to Phil, our minibus driver on the first day. He was incredibly warm, gave us time, and shared lots of information about the animals, which really added to our experience. We also met Alex, one of the hosts, who ensured we were looked after and made sure we got to where we needed — both were fantastic and truly enhanced our stay.||The minibus service is excellent if you book it through concierge. However, I’d recommend anyone with walking difficulties keep the concierge phone number handy — some outlets weren’t able to radio for a pickup, and the regular shuttle involves walking to specific points, often uphill or downhill, which isn’t always easy for those with limited mobility.||One of the best parts? You can explore parts of the park after hours via a private gate that connects Bear Lodge directly to the reserve. That’s a truly special experience — peaceful, close-up views of the animals without the daytime crowds.||Overall, I can’t recommend Bear Lodge and Port Lympne enough. It’s a truly unique escape for families, especially those wanting a more immersive animal experience in nature. We made some lovely memories and can’t...

Have just returned from an overnight stay in a Bear Lodge cabin/tent - positive |The taxi service down to the restaurant & the pick up after last night was very welcome (which I will get to)|The food at Babydoll’s pizza was delicious & I didn’t think that unreasonably priced, we had a fussy, small person with us & they were so helpful. Breakfast at the Bear Lodge this morning was also sublime, I opted for the pancakes with bacon & I couldn’t have received a nicer birthday breakfast. The main park was easily accessible via a gate off to the side & being able to wander around at leisure was an amazing perk.|The lodge itself was clean & well presented, with ample towels, good quality blankets & bed linen & we enjoyed toasting the complimentary marshmallows on the wood burner. However, with a yellow weather warning for over 60mph wind, I do question whether the tents should have been in use at all. I have lived in some rustic accommodation & am no stranger to a bit of discomfort, but the high winds on arrival made these dwellings feel unsafe. The flapping was annoying, but the buffeting I think was risking damage, some of the other tents did, with panels having blown off.|My Sister brought her three year old & I don’t think she slept much at all as it was so concerning. I don’t know if moving people to more secure places was possible, but I definitely think it should have been considered.|Not exactly restful, the shower in the bathroom was perfectly fine, the kettle & fridge too. The truck safari was brilliant! exceeded my expectations actually, given the park is so vast, it’s great to get to sit back & just enjoy being driven around given tons of information.|Any time we encountered personnel, whether for Bear Lodge or in the park they could not have been more polite & helpful. Our waitress in Babydoll’s was telling my niece all about her cats, the taxi driver was incredibly knowledgeable & clearly has a real love for the reserve, the gentleman on the desk at Port Lympne really helped me out of a jam & was extremely kind. Howletts too, from the rangers to the keepers were so happy to spend time with you answering questions.|I booked myself a rhino experience which was led by Berry & what a nice lady she is, really oozed enthusiasm for her charges & gave me such incredible memories with them.|We will definitely be back, we’re already planning it, but I don’t think we’d stay up the hill like that again, it’s very exposed in poor weather & those tents are cold when the wind is...