Red panda cottages open to the public at West Midland Safari Park

Located in the park's walk through discovery trail, two luxury cottages look out into the new red panda enclosure.

Named 'Red Panda Retreat' the exhibit is home to a one year old red panda called Mei Lin.

She has come from The Welsh Mountain Zoo located in Colwyn Bay, North and the safari park say she has been settling in well the past week prior to moving into her new home.

Born in 2020, Mei Lin has come from The Welsh Mountain Zoo located in Colwyn Bay, North Wales. Pic: Matthew Lissimore

Chris Kelly, Managing Director for the Park said, “We’re thrilled to be welcoming red panda to our wildlife collection here at the Park, and to be able to offer the UK’s only overnight experience of its kind with this wonderful species!

“Our Red Panda Cottages mark the next step in expanding our accommodation offering here at West Midland Safari Park.

"We’re committed to upgrading our animal facilities here at the Park, and this accommodation will allow us to continue to do this, as well as providing our guests with an incredibly unique experience.”

Each two-storey cottage has an open plan living area downstairs, with lounge and dining spaces.

A spiral staircase leads to two bedrooms, one with a super king bed and another with three singles.

Window seats are featured in every bedroom, from which guests can have a view of a red panda right outside their window. Pic: Matthew Lissimore

The open-air enclosure will give Mei Lin 24-hour access to both her indoor and outdoor spaces.

This also provides guests staying at the cottages 24-hour access from their accommodation windows to see Mei Lin in her new habitat.

In addition to the exhibit and cottages, the Park has also invested in a brand-new retail store where guests can purchase various red panda related gifts and souvenirs during their visit.

The new shop is located next to Red Panda Retreat, within the Discovery Trail area of the Park

Mei Lin’s new home has been designed to showcase her species’ natural behaviours, with stimulating environments. Pic: Matthew Lissimore

Mei Lin will eventually be joined by a male red panda in the future, and it is the hope that the pair will go on to breed.

Guests can now book their red panda cottage stays via the Park’s website, with selected dates still available for the remainder of 2021.

Prices are £850 per cottage, per night; and dates for 2022 stays will be released in Autumn 2021.