Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve
Hythe, Kent
Waking up to giraffes outside your treehouse is about as magical as a UK weekend gets. Stays include the safari truck and the dinosaur trail, so the whole reserve is your adventure playground, and it all supports conservation work. Pricey, but this is the break the kids will talk about for years.
For the children
- Kids' activities
- Outdoor play
- Nature activities
- Family dining
- Family rooms
- Best for
- Animal-mad children aged 4+
- Ages
- 4–7, 8–12, Teen
- Family rooms
- Treehouses, glamping lodges, themed safari lodges and a mansion hotel
- Outdoors
- Truck safari, Dinosaur Valley, animal encounters, golf-buggy exploring
We only list facilities we could confirm on their website — something not listed may still be there.
Days out nearby
~0 miles · ~15 mins
Safari park · same resort / on site
A truck safari across a huge Kent estate gets children surprisingly close to rhinos, giraffes and big cats, with views to the Romney Marsh coast. Older children especially love it, and the reserve suits a weekend on the Kent coast.
~18 miles · ~30 mins
Steam railway · nearby attraction
Steam trains chug through the Rother Valley to Bodiam Castle, so children get a train ride and a moated castle in one trip. Lovely for a Kent weekend.
~19 miles · ~30 mins
Castle / historic · nearby attraction
The secret wartime tunnels beneath the cliffs are the standout, alongside the great keep dressed as Henry II's court. Older children especially love the history; easy to combine with a Kent coast stay.
~24 miles · ~30 mins
Wildlife park · ideal day trip
A woodland park full of British animals past and present, from wolves and bears to beavers and wild boar. The boardwalk trails feel like a forest adventure and it pairs well with a Canterbury or Whitstable weekend.
~26 miles · ~45 mins
Castle / historic · ideal day trip
A fairytale castle on a lake, with a maze that leads to an underground grotto, a playground themed around knights and a birds-of-prey show. Children see the castle at its most magical, and it is a classic Kent weekend outing.
~48 miles · ~1 hr
Castle / historic · ideal day trip
Anne Boleyn's childhood home has a water maze that soaks the unwary, a yew maze, adventure playground and boating on the lake. History comes alive through jousting and family events across the year.
~49 miles · ~1 hr
Zoo · ideal day trip
A compact zoo built around the height and attention span of small children, with meerkats, penguins and lemurs close up, plus play areas and small rides between the enclosures. Manageable in a day and near the South Downs and the Sussex coast.
~54 miles · ~1 hr
Steam railway · ideal day trip
A heritage steam line through the Sussex Weald, with sheds of locomotives to explore and special family trains through the year. A gentle, nostalgic outing near Sheffield Park.
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Family facilities
Chain policy, may vary by branch · from the operator's website, checked October 2026
- Play area
- ParkingCar park
A guide, not a guarantee. Shown only where the venue or a trusted source has told us. Not listed doesn't mean not available — check with the venue if it matters for your visit.
Researched by Tumble in October 2026 from each place's own website. Tumble doesn't take these bookings — prices, availability and children's club details change, so check with them before you book. Distances and travel times are approximate.