Interview with Adriaan Erasmus, General Manager, The Reserve at Chester Zoo
In a recent conversation with Adriaan Erasmus, General Manager of The Reserve at Chester Zoo, we explored the innovative blend of luxury and wildlife experiences that make this destination one of a kind. The Reserve offers families an extraordinary opportunity to connect with nature, supporting Chester Zoo’s mission to protect endangered species worldwide.
From bespoke safari-style lodges with stunning views of giraffes grazing at sunrise to exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences, The Reserve promises a memorable, immersive stay that fuses world-class hospitality with powerful conservation efforts. Adriaan shares insights into the design of The Reserve, its family-friendly packages, and the broader impact on global wildlife protection.
1. Adriaan, The Reserve at Chester Zoo offers a unique blend of luxury and wildlife experiences. Could you share the story behind its creation and what inspired the vision for The Reserve?
Chester Zoo wanted to create a unique luxury experience for families where they can connect with wildlife, all while enjoying quality time together in a unique environment. Each stay gives visitors a chance to be educated on how we are protecting the wider world and funding powerful conservation action.
We also want to ensure each and every experience is a luxury one, from the accommodation right through to the service we provide. We hope it will be a truly unforgettable experience for every visitor that stays with us.
2. As the General Manager, what are your main objectives for The Reserve, and how do you see it transforming the way families engage with wildlife and conservation?
Our goal is to create an ethos which reflects and resonates with strong family values, ensuring both staff and guests feel as though they are part of a family. While guests are staying in a unique and luxurious establishment, we want them to feel at home and experience a sense of belonging, comfort, and warmth.
Beyond the luxury elements, we aim to deliver life-changing moments by blending world-class service with memorable wildlife encounters. Through immersive experiences and a deep-rooted conservation ethos, guests will leave not only with lasting memories but also with a meaningful connection to nature.
3. For guests looking to stay at The Reserve, what can they expect from a luxury stay? How does it combine both high-end accommodation and immersive wildlife experiences?
Everyone visiting The Reserve at Chester Zoo is in for an unforgettable experience. Our team has curated a unique blend of luxurious accommodation and exciting interactive wildlife adventures. The safari-style lodges have been designed and crafted using natural, sustainable materials in keeping with our dedicated commitment to conservation and the environment. Additional touches, such as roll-top baths on private decking, make The Reserve lodge experience truly special. We also have stunning views, from giraffes grazing at sunrise on the private savannah to the lake’s tranquil waters at sunset.
Beyond the lodges, guests can explore the zoo at their leisure with two-day zoo passes, on top of a range of exclusive immersive ‘behind-the-scenes’ experiences. From ranger-led tours of the Hidden Savannah in the Heart of Africa to hot chocolates around the campfire, guests are given rare insights into the habits of the animals they interact with. Guests can finish off their evening enjoying food picked from expertly crafted menus at the Amboseli Restaurant using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients.
4. What are some of the exclusive experiences at The Reserve that go beyond the typical zoo visit? How do you keep these experiences fresh and exciting for visitors of all ages?
The Reserve offers plenty of immersive activities for everyone to enjoy, not only during the zoo’s opening times but before and after.
Inquisitive minds of all ages will love our Giraffe Keeper Kitchen tour, where families help prepare food and enrichment for the giraffes. Then, there’s the Hidden Savannah, where guests will learn about lesser-known African species. Our Giraffe Wake-Up Experience offers a rare opportunity to join the morning routines of these majestic, gentle animals. Our team at The Reserve keep the programming fresh and exciting with different seasonal activities and developing conservation insights to make sure every guest has a truly special experience.
Finally, our ranger-led campfire stories will offer a magical end to the day, bringing guests closer to the conservation stories of species like giraffes and pangolins.
5. Could you tell us more about the design and layout of The Reserve? How do the lodges create a connection to the surrounding wildlife and offer a premium experience?
Located next door to the Heart of Africa at Chester Zoo, our lodges will offer guests an intimate connection with animals and wildlife. Whether it’s spotting the giraffes from their rooms or exploring the zoo with early access passes, guests will be able to connect with wildlife like never before at The Reserve.
Each lodge is thoughtfully designed and inspired by the natural world, blending seamlessly into the environment to create a sense of harmony with nature. Guests will wake up to stunning views overlooking the savannah or serene lake, often greeted by wildlife right outside their windows for a truly magical experience.
Our Giraffe VIP Lodges stand out as the most luxurious and spacious accommodations, featuring exclusive amenities, including a private giraffe feeding station for incredible up-close encounters.
From the moment guests arrive, every detail will be curated to deliver a complete and immersive experience, leaving them with the feeling of a perfect stay, one that is both luxurious and deeply connected to the beauty of the wildlife at The Reserve.
6. How will a stay at The Reserve make a tangible impact on conservation efforts, both at Chester Zoo and in broader wildlife protection? What specific conservation projects will guests be supporting?
Everything we do at Chester Zoo and The Reserve supports conservation. As a not-for-profit organisation, every single guest stay directly funds our groundbreaking work in Africa and around the world, including our giant pangolin project in Uganda, where we’re using AI technology to help combat poaching.
Other projects include our Black Rhino conservation programmes in Rwanda and Kenya, which focus on species reintroduction and population growth, and our efforts in Madagascar, where we work with local communities to protect delicate ecosystems and safeguard species like the golden mantella frog. We’re proud to be a part of so many incredible projects dedicated to helping some of the world’s most endangered species flourish.
7. You have extensive experience in managing safari lodges and boutique hotels in remote locations. What aspects of your previous roles have shaped your approach to The Reserve?
Since my early career days working as a safari guide to now having 30 years of high-end luxury experience, alongside conservation experience, I’m always eager to look for ways to connect wildlife with luxury accommodation. Throughout my career, I have developed an extensive understanding of conservation and animal behaviour, which has played a role in delivering unique experiences to guests.
Using my wealth of experience, I want to offer high service levels and amenities to guests from engaging with wildlife right through to the food that we offer. By bringing it all together, we hope to ensure that we deliver a high level of guest satisfaction to all visitors.
Throughout my career, I have worked on over half a dozen openings of new safari hotels in game reserves in which all stays had a clear balance between conservation, sustainability and luxury.
Ultimately, my goal is to make a lasting impact in terms of sustainability while being able to create memories that stay with guests way beyond their visit to us.
8. What role do expert animal keepers and conservationists play in the guest experience at The Reserve, and how do they enhance the overall journey for families?
A key part of our mission is to ensure that every guest leaves not only with a memorable experience but also with a deeper understanding of the vital challenges faced in wildlife conservation, community development, and the protection of wild spaces.
Through immersive storytelling and educational experiences led by our expert animal keepers, we aim to shed light on the real dangers threatening wildlife and the fragile ecosystems they depend on. Our team plays a crucial role in inspiring each and every guest by sharing powerful stories created to spark awareness and action.
Essentially, our goal is to help secure a future where the next generations can continue to enjoy the privilege of experiencing wildlife in its natural habitat, just as we all are fortunate enough to do today.
9. Could you describe the different packages on offer for families and how each one creates a truly unforgettable experience for guests? Which activities are especially popular among families?
The Reserve offers three different family-friendly packages, each designed to create magical memories that will last a lifetime. Our Savannah Explorer Package is perfect for families looking for an action-packed adventure break. Guests stay in one of our luxury lodges for one night and have an exclusive two-day, early-access zoo pass, valet parking, welcome drinks, and an exclusive discount to use in the Amboseli Restaurant. The evening ends with a family bonding experience over a hot chocolate with our ranger-led campfire stories.
Families with a deeper interest in wildlife can opt for the Savannah Adventurer Package, which adds in an exclusive, behind-the-scenes evening tour of the Hidden Savannah and a Giraffe Keeper Kitchen Experience.
For the ultimate immersive family adventure, we have the Savannah VIP package. This two-night stay features all the magic of the first two packages but offers rare insights into wildlife habits with the Giraffe Wake-Up Experience and the latest access to all our conservation science projects.
For all guests, we have the children’s scavenger hunt, cosy campfire storytelling, and up-close interaction with the animals, which are all sure to be popular family favourites.
10. How does The Reserve cater to families of all sizes and ages? How do you ensure that everyone from toddlers to grandparents can have a memorable and personalised experience?
No two families are the same, we take pride in personalising guest stays and our wide choice of activities means that everyone in the family has a memorable stay. We have a range of luxury accommodation options, from intimate Lakeside Lodges to larger Giraffe Lodges, perfect for extended families. There are interconnecting lodges and family-specific layouts to ensure that groups of all sizes are comfortable during their stays with us. We also have four fully accessible lodges and the majority have flat access, just like our accessible public spaces.
No two families are the same, and we take pride in personalising guest stays. Each of our 51 lodges includes a welcome pack tailored to the guests’ favourite animals, and our choice of activities means that everyone in the family has a memorable stay. Younger children will love taking part in engaging scavenger hunts, while older guests can dive into our conservation research and education. The whole family can come together and bond during our popular ranger-led campfire story time session.
11. What are some of the most exciting behind-the-scenes experiences that guests can look forward to, especially those that go beyond a standard zoo visit?
Our immersive behind-the-scenes experiences for guests at The Reserve are beyond what you might expect from a typical visit to the zoo. Our visitors can lift the curtain on the animal world, seeing rare and endangered wildlife up close. All of our behind-the-scenes experiences have been created to give unique insights into the life and habits of animals from the African savannah, from evening ranger tours for nocturnal habits to our Conservation Science Experiences, which provides access to our cutting-edge conservation research, exclusively accessible by guests of The Reserve.
12. Looking to the future, what further developments do you have planned for The Reserve? How do you see it evolving over the next few years to continue its mission of wildlife conservation and luxury hospitality?
Currently, we are focusing on the opening and welcoming our guests to The Reserve in August, ensuring everyone who stays has an incredible experience worth coming back to. We value customer feedback and will encourage guests to share their thoughts so we can enhance their next stay.
Overall, our goal at The Reserve is to assist the zoo in its conservation efforts while bringing an amazing experience to our guests. Any new developments will keep this ethos at its heart.
For reservations please contact: reservations@thereservechesterzoo.com
For more information, please visit: https://www.chesterzoo.org/accommodation
