The hotel and park offers fun for all the familyThe hotel and park offers fun for all the family
The hotel and park offers fun for all the family

Hotel opens as part of £50m investment at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

The new Hex Hotel has opened and is set to transform the award-winning Yorkshire Wildlife Park into a major UK destination tourist attraction.

Visitors will be able to visit the park and spend the night just metres from the entrance into the animal reserves, where the will be able to hear the lions roar and the hyena calling out at dusk.

Bookings opened yesterday, Monday, March 21, for the first phase of the Hex Hotel, during English Tourism Week, which runs from March 18-27.

Visitors have been flocking to the park to show their support now that Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted and now guests will be able to combine a visit with a relaxing, luxury hotel break in the heart of Yorkshire.

The Hex, which is is less than a mile from Doncaster Sheffield Airport and six miles from Doncaster train station, offers a full range of rooms including suites and family rooms which include complimentary WIFI. Breakfast can be eaten in the newly opened Wild Cafe Bistro.

It is the final piece in a trilogy of accommodation options at the park, which also offers glamping and camping for those who want the full wildlife park experience.

“It will be great for a getaway or short break for anyone who wants to enjoy the unique experience of seeing beautiful and endangered animals such as rhinos, giraffes and polar bears up close,” said John Minion, CEO of Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

“We have always been grateful for the level of support locally and regionally but the hotel is a game changer for us, opening up opportunities for visitors to come from right across the UK."

The park, celebrated as a central hub for employment in Yorkshire, continued to grow with a £50 million investment in 2021 opening a new entrance and reserves with sea lions. Meanwhile their workforce now has a total of 650 staff members. Further investment is planned in the next two or three years.

The hotel will establish YWP up as a one stop nation-wide destination attraction with the park, The Hive shopping hub, Wilds Café-Bistro, the Uproar! Play Barn, Wilds Café-Bistro and one of the UK’s only immersive themed restaurants, Evolution, on offer for visitors.

It also opens up wider audiences for the events held at the park such as the Peter Pan event (April 9-11) and the renowned Safari Night Concerts during August.

It will also transform already popular wedding experiences at the park with bridal parties able to stay on site before and after their ceremony.

It offers another dimension for corporate guests as well coming for conferences and business events.

The hotel has been designed especially for and is managed by the park, so it has a uniquely different feel.

Visitors enjoy a unique walk-through experience coming almost face to face with some of the world’s most beautiful and rare species at YWP, which puts conservation at the heart of all its activities.

The park is a haven for many animals such as tigers, lions, giraffes and is home to England’s only Polar Bears, with eight individuals housed in the largest polar bear conservation centre outside Canada.

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