From an African safari in Kent to an English vineyard- a staycation makes the perfect present
FORGET panic-buying socks – give memories with an unforgettable staycay instead…
Port Lympne Animal Reserve
Deputy Fashion Editor Abby McHale checked in for an African safari experience in Kent.
THE PAD: From glamping pods to luxurious lodges right on the doorstep of your favourite animals (yes, we’re talking waking up with lions, spectacled bears and wolves potentially peering at your bed hair), there’s an experience to suit everyone.
We stayed in a treehouse for four with panoramic views down to the pretty Kent coast, complete with a smart TV, soundbar and Bamford toiletries.
Plus there’s a fully equipped kitchen if you fancy cooking all your feasts.
Ditching the kids? Check out the new Lookout Bubble, perfect for star-gazing from the king-size bed, before a soak in the freestanding bathtub.
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EXPLORE: Set over 600 acres, there are more than 900 animals that call Port Lympne home.
And by staying the night, you get to meet them after hours and first thing, too.
Jump in a truck and join a safari drive to spy giraffes, zebras and painted dogs up close, then hit the ground on foot to check out the red pandas and clouded leopards.
You can even get up close and personal with the resident tigers to feed them their lunch.
Animal experiences start from £15 per person.
REFUEL: Jump in a golf buggy and hit the reserve’s historic Mansion Hotel, which has hosted the likes of Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin.
It offers a fab afternoon tea with treats like egg and paprika mayo sandwiches and white chocolate, strawberry and elderflower mousse, from £29 per person, all served up in a decadent room.
Three Choirs Vineyards
Assistant Editor Claire Frost vined and dined in picturesque Gloucestershire.
THE PAD: In gorgeous English countryside, right where the Cotswolds meet the Malvern Hills, you’ll find Three Choirs Vineyards, which boasts eight rooms looking out over the vines.
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Compiled by: Catherine Bennion-Pedley Photography: Alamy, Thomas Alexander, Jason Ingram