Cheetah Lodge Review: My Honest Stay at Safari Lodges, West Midlands Safari Park
If you've ever wanted to fall asleep to the sight of big cats pacing just metres from your bed, you've probably already stumbled across Safari Lodges at West Midlands Safari Park. I'd seen the photos online for ages — those huge glass windows, the cheetahs lounging right outside — and I finally booked a night in the Cheetah Lodge to see if it lived up to the hype.
Spoiler: it mostly did. But there are a few things I wish I'd known before handing over my card details, especially around pricing, food, and what "luxury" actually means in this context. 🐾
This is my full, honest Cheetah Lodge review — covering everything from booking and arrival, to the room itself, the food, the cheetahs, and whether I think it's genuinely worth the money. If you're trying to decide whether to book a stay at the West Midlands Safari Park lodges, I hope this gives you a realistic picture before you commit.
What are Safari Lodges at West Midlands Safari Park?
For anyone who hasn't come across it yet, Safari Lodges is an overnight accommodation experience built directly into West Midlands Safari Park in Bewdley, Worcestershire. Instead of a standard hotel room, you stay in one of several themed lodges positioned right alongside an animal habitat — think floor-to-ceiling windows looking straight into a big cat enclosure, rather than a car park view.
There are several lodges to choose from, each themed around a different animal, including:
🐆 Cheetah Lodge
🐘 Elephant Lodge
🦁 Lion Lodge and White Lion Lodge
🐯 Tiger Lodge
🦏 Rhino Lodge
🦒 Giraffe Lodge
🦛 Hippo Lodge
🐼 Red Panda Cottage
Each lodge sleeps up to six guests and includes park admission, so it works equally well as a couple's treat, a family trip, or a slightly different kind of birthday weekend.
I went for the Cheetah Lodge, mainly because I'm a lifelong animal lover (the kind of person who still gets excited about a trip to the zoo as an adult), and cheetahs felt like a good middle ground between "impressive" and "not quite as intense as sleeping next to a tiger."
How Much Does the Cheetah Lodge Cost?
Let's get the big question out of the way first, because this is what most people searching for a Safari Lodges review actually want to know: is it expensive, and is it worth it?
Yes — it's expensive. There's no getting around that.
Prices at Safari Lodges vary by season, day of the week, and demand, which is fairly standard for this type of accommodation. On top of that, the lodges built around more "in-demand" animals — Lion, Tiger, and Cheetah — tend to cost noticeably more than some of the others
Even on what I'd consider an off-peak date, the Cheetah Lodge costs £489 per night for two guests. Additional guests are charged on top of that, so a full house of six adults would push the price up considerably more.
Whether that represents good value really comes down to what you're comparing it to. It's not "a hotel room" money — it's "a genuinely unique experience" money. If you go in expecting a five-star hotel with five-star room service, you'll be disappointed. If you go in expecting an unusual wildlife experience with comfortable (but simple) accommodation thrown in, it makes a lot more sense.
One thing worth noting: lodges at West Midlands Safari Park get booked up months in advance, particularly for weekends and school holidays. That tells you the price isn't putting people off — demand for this kind of experience is clearly high, so if a date is calling your name, it's worth booking sooner rather than later.
Arrival and Check-In: What Actually Happens
Arrival day is a little different from a normal hotel stay, so here's what to expect.
Parking and Registration
When you arrive in the morning, there's a dedicated lodge car park, separate from the main Safari Park car park. It's worth knowing upfront that this car park isn't next to your actual lodge — it's simply a reserved area for overnight guests, located close to the main car park.
From there, you head to the Lodge’s Reception to register. This is where you:
Hand in your luggage (it gets transported to your lodge for you)
Collect your room key
Pick up your wristbands for the Safari Park and Adventure Theme Park
It's a smooth process and genuinely nice not to have to lug suitcases around the park yourself.
You Can't Check In Straight Away
This is probably the detail most people overlook: you don't get access to your lodge until the afternoon. So your morning and early afternoon are spent exploring the park itself — either on the Safari Drive in your own car, or around the walk-through areas — before heading to your lodge later in the day.
It's a sensible system once you understand it, but if you're imagining dropping your bags and relaxing in your lodge from 10 am, that's not how it works. Build it into your plans, and you won't feel caught off guard.
Getting to the Cheetah Lodge
Once you are allowed to check in, getting to the lodge itself involves a walk through part of the safari park and up a short slope. Nothing dramatic, but worth knowing if you've got heavy bags, young kids, or limited mobility — you'll want comfortable shoes for this bit.
Inside the Cheetah Lodge: Room-by-Room
This is the part most people are really here for, so let's get into the details.
The Outdoor Decking Area
As you approach the lodge, there's a covered outdoor decking area with some seating, plus windows that already give you a view of the cheetahs before you've even gone inside. It's a lovely spot for a quiet coffee, and a good first impression of what you're paying for.
The Cheetahs Themselves
The Cheetah Lodge houses two male cheetahs — brothers named Asrael and Bappe. For most of the day, they spend their time pacing or resting right at the front of the lodge, which means you genuinely do get an up-close, unobstructed view of them from inside your room. At feeding times, they tend to move to an enclosed area at the far end of their habitat, so don't be surprised if they disappear for a while around mealtimes — they're being fed, not avoiding you.
Watching two cheetahs lounging metres from your sofa, completely unfazed by your presence, is honestly one of those moments that makes the cost feel a little more justified.
🦓 If you're an animal lover like me, this alone makes the stay memorable — but it's worth remembering this is still a working animal habitat, not a performance, so their behaviour is naturally a bit unpredictable.
The Open-Plan Living Area
Inside, the lodge has an open-plan living space combining a sitting area, a dining area, and a king-sized bed, all arranged to face the large viewing window. It's a clever layout — wherever you're sitting, the view of the cheetahs is the focal point of the room, rather than something you have to crane your neck to see.
There's a TV in this area, but it's worth setting expectations correctly here: it isn't a smart TV. You get a handful of standard channels and some preloaded information about the safari park, but there's no YouTube, no streaming apps, and no casting from your phone. If you were planning a cosy Netflix night in, you'll need to rely on your own device and data instead.
WiFi is provided in the lodge. I'm on EE and had a good mobile signal throughout my stay, so I didn't end up using it — but it's a handy backup if your network coverage is patchy.
The Bedroom
The separate bedroom contains a double bed at ground level, with two single bunk beds above it — ideal for families or a group of friends sharing. A word of caution if you've got little ones (or restless sleepers) on the top bunks: there's a genuine drop, so do keep an eye on anyone using the upper beds.
Like the living area, this room also benefits from a large viewing window, so even from bed, you can watch the cheetahs settle in for the night (or pace about, depending on their mood).
The Kitchen and Bathroom
The kitchen is intentionally basic — there's no cooker, because you're not expected to cook your own meals here. That said, nothing stops you from bringing your own snacks or drinks if you want extra supplies beyond what's provided. A microwave is included for heating your provided meals, along with a kettle and hot-drink facilities, and a nice touch: a Bluetooth speaker in the kitchen, handy for background music while you settle in.
The attached family bathroom features a walk-in shower, and towels and robes are provided during the stay.
Food at the Cheetah Lodge: What to Expect
This is probably the section I'd most want to read before booking, so let me be candid.
Breakfast and dinner are included in the price, and there are halal options available, which is a thoughtful inclusion. However, the food itself is fairly simple:
Dinner arrives refrigerated in jars, which you reheat yourself in the lodge microwave.
Breakfast is a selection of cereals with a carton of milk.
The microwave provided is fairly basic, and it took a noticeable amount of time to properly heat each meal through — so don't expect a quick five-minute turnaround.
Personally, I'd have been just as happy walking to a central restaurant or café within the park for a freshly prepared meal, rather than reheating jarred food in the lodge. It's clear the experience is built around the lodge and the wildlife views, not the dining, and once you accept that, it stops feeling like a letdown and just becomes a known trade-off.
If food quality is a priority for you, it's worth mentally separating "the cheetah experience" from "the meal experience" before you arrive, so you're not expecting hotel-restaurant standards.
Check-Out and Making the Most of Your Wristbands
Check-out is at 11 am the following morning, and helpfully, you can leave your luggage in the lodge — it gets transported back to reception for you, so there's no need to carry bags back down the slope yourself.
Here's a detail that's easy to miss when booking: your wristbands are valid for two days, not just your overnight stay. That means you can explore the Safari Park on both your arrival and departure days, which genuinely helps stretch the value of your visit. I'd recommend arriving reasonably early and staying until the park closes on your departure day to get the most out of this.
Is the Cheetah Lodge Worth It? My Honest Verdict
So, after all that, would I recommend it?
If you love animals, and especially if you've always enjoyed zoo visits the way I have, then yes, this is a genuinely memorable experience. Watching cheetahs at close range, completely undisturbed by your presence, isn't something you can easily replicate elsewhere in the UK. That alone makes it stand out from a normal hotel stay.
That said, I'd go in with realistic expectations on a few fronts:
✅ What's great:
Unbeatable, up-close wildlife views
A genuinely unique overnight experience
Two-day park access included
Smooth luggage handling and check-in process
Comfortable, well-designed lodge layout
⚠️ What to know in advance:
It's expensive, and prices increase further for high-demand animals like cheetahs, lions, and tigers
You can't access your lodge until the afternoon
The TV isn't smart, so don't rely on it for entertainment
The food is functional rather than a highlight — simple, jarred, reheated meals
A short uphill walk is required to reach the lodge
In terms of multi-night stays, while you could technically move between different lodges and see a different animal each night, the cost of doing this back-to-back is likely to be prohibitive for most people. Realistically, I think the majority of guests — myself included — will treat this as a one-night, special-occasion experience rather than a regular getaway.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cheetah Lodge at Safari Lodges
How much does the Cheetah Lodge cost per night?
Prices start at £489 per night for two guests, though this varies by season and demand. Additional guests are charged separately, and cheetah, lion, and tiger lodges tend to cost more than other themed lodges.
What time can you check into the Cheetah Lodge?
You won't have access to your lodge until the afternoon, so plan to spend your morning and early afternoon exploring the Safari Park before heading to your room.
Is food included in the price?
Yes, breakfast and dinner are included, with halal options available. Dinner is provided refrigerated in jars for you to reheat in the lodge's microwave, and breakfast consists of cereal and milk.
How many people does the Cheetah Lodge sleep?
The Cheetah Lodge is marketed as sleeping up to six people, with a king-sized bed in the open-plan living area and a double bed with bunk beds in the separate bedroom.
What are the cheetahs at the lodge called?
The two resident cheetahs are brothers named Asrael and Bappe.
Do you get more than one day of park access
Yes — your wristbands are valid for two days, allowing you to enjoy the Safari Park on both your arrival and departure days.
If you're considering booking, I'd genuinely encourage it — just go in with clear expectations on the food and the check-in timing, and you'll likely enjoy it as much as I did. For current availability and pricing, it's worth checking the Safari Lodges website directly or viewing the Cheetah Lodge page for the latest photos and booking options. 🐆✨