With a squeal of delight, my five-year-old son shouted my name: ‘Mom! I can see the zebras.’
He was pressed against the upstairs bathroom window with a pair of binoculars the size of his head, while I was unpacking our travel bag in the beautiful master bedroom of Keeper’s House at Longleat Safari and Adventure Park.
Located on the east side of the estate, the 220-year-old property offers the most incredible view of the park’s East African reserve.
Earlier, as we arrived and rushed out of the car, we were greeted by a herd of ostriches, with a Rothschild’s giraffe just visible in the distance. The reserve is also home to wildebeest and painted dogs, and cheetahs and lions are found elsewhere on the estate.
It’s hard to ‘do’ Longleat in a day, so staying overnight is the perfect way to visit.
Lisa Snell and her family checked into the 220-year-old Keeper’s House (above) at Longleat Safari and Adventure Park in Wiltshire.
Keeper’s House offers guests views of the zebra herd in the East African reserve, which also features a herd of ostriches and Rothschild’s giraffes.
Having left London in the morning, we arrived with time to explore some of the attractions, including Adventure Castle and the Rockin’ Rhino ride.
Then, as quiet descended on the 900-acre Wiltshire estate and the day’s visitors returned home (last entry to the safari is at 4pm), we discovered our digs for the night, located at the start of the game drive.
When we arrived, there was a sense of absolute calm, apart from my overexcited children, desperate to explore.
The house is homey and cozy, and the walls are adorned with photographs that tell the history of the park.
The interior design is inspired by Longleat’s most famous animals – the leopard print cushions on the beds are my favourite.
In the beautifully designed kitchen, complete with oven, hob and Rangemaster coffee machine, guests are greeted with a large basket placed atop the spacious island. It contains everything you need for a tasty breakfast, including a loaf of sourdough bread, eggs, croissants, muffins and strawberry jam, with milk, butter and orange juice waiting for you in the fridge.
Above: The main bedroom at Keeper’s House, with nods to Longleat’s famous animals
The impressive bathroom features luxury products and views of the park.
Lisa’s Kids Warm Up in the Beautiful Freestanding Bathtub After a Holiday Downpour
Driving in and out of Longleat is easy, as we discovered when we went to a local pub for a Sunday roast.
Unfortunately for us, the weather was terrible during our visit, although we insisted on it being a bank holiday weekend, so we have ourselves to blame for the rain.
After dinner all we wanted to do was get dry and warm up which meant a lovely big bubble bath for the kids, pajamas and snuggling on the sofa.
The constant interruption when another ostrich or zebra was seen outside the living room window sparked a heated debate about whether it was dry enough for the whole family to descend outside. Again.
Given that we had made the trip from London to Longleat in a rental car, I didn’t fancy risking the car safari the next morning, so after a relaxing breakfast and then a maddening run to convince my two-and-a-half-year-old five years since They turned away from the windows to get dressed, we left the house and headed to the safari bus.
The kitchen features a Rangemaster oven and guests receive a welcome hamper.
The cozy living room – the perfect place to relax after a day of exploring
The second animal-inspired bedroom can be configured as a double room or with two single beds.
I made some silly decisions regarding this trip, including not bringing raincoats or wellies for the kids, despite checking the forecast before leaving, but taking the safari bus to drive was not one of them.
Those Longleat monkeys were ripping off parking sensors on cars like it was an Olympic sport. And it was great fun to smugly watch this mischievous behavior from a double-decker bus, while the drivers sat behind its wheels, oblivious.
The car with the most damage had a banana strategically placed on the dashboard, so I can’t help but think that particular owner brought it on himself.
Holiday traffic during the safari extended our bus tour by about an hour. There is a place to stop for supplies and to use the bathroom before starting the trip, so it is advisable to stock up on snacks, especially if it is crowded and you are traveling with small children.
Lisa and her family enjoy the Longleat safari aboard a double-decker bus
Anne the elephant has happily enjoyed her retirement from the circus performing in Longleat since 2011.
Our toddler missed the big cats while napping, but this section of the safari did not disappoint our older son.
He hadn’t stopped talking about cheetahs for days, so when one lurked on the bus he was delighted.
But the highlight was a rare sighting of Anne the elephant, only the seventh time our driver Dave had seen her outside her paddock.
This beautiful animal, with such a tragic life story as a circus performer, has been very happily living out his retirement in Longleat since he was rescued in 2011.
He enjoys a state-of-the-art residence in the park and is free to roam as he pleases and as such spends a lot of time inside.
It is not used in any park marketing and is often missed by visitors, making this up close and personal experience very special.
It was a special end to a tremendously memorable stay.
For more information visit www.longleat.co.uk. Longleat is just off the A36 between Bath and Salisbury. Luxury stays at the park cost around £500 per night.