Life as a SEN mum

For Christmas we were extremely lucky to be gifted a stay at Chessington. And it has to be one of the most amazing hotels I’ve ever stayed in.

If you choose to stay at Chessington there are two hotels to pick from, the Azteca Hotel and Safari Hotel. Both Hotels are actually situated in the next to each other using the main reception in the Safari Hotel. The facilities are also available for use by guests in both hotels.

Rooms

There are several different rooms to suit everyone’s needs and budget, including themed rooms. We were in a standard family room which sleeps 2 adults and up to 3 kids (bunk bed with a trundle bed), but not just any standard room, we were lucky enough to be in one of the rooms which have a stunning view of the Wanyama Reserve.

Rooms have all the usual facilities; TV, tea/coffee (and hot chocolate), towels and toiletries. As well as a safe and fridge.

Hotel amenities

Your hotel stay includes an all you can eat breakfast, which for a buffet breakfast was actually really nice, and had a really good choice.

There’s a variety of entertainment on offer, when we stayed there was character meet and greets in the lobby, a candy floss and hot chocolate stand as well as evening entertainment. We didn’t watch the evening entertainment as we were exhausted and knew we had a long day ahead the following day.

There are two restaurants the Zafari Bar and Grill located in the Safari Hotel, we ate here in the evening, it was about as expected from a hotel restaurant in all honesty, can’t complain about the quality of the food, and as for the price, we did look online for local pubs/restaurants and the prices were very similar, the main thing being that drinks were on the more pricey side an the menu was quite limited, but still a decent selection. Then there is the Temple Restaurant in the Azteca Hotel. Guests have access to both and from what I can gather from reviews this is a buffet style restaurant.

There is also a pool shared by both hotels. I messed up massively and left our swim stuff at home, so had two very disappointed kids. The pool needs to be booked in advance, we asked on arrival and were informed that you can book at the pool reception on your arrival, however, I’d maybe suggest booking well in advance if you are staying during peak months as slots are not guaranteed.

Accessibility

The hotels offer the usual accommodations for those with accessibility requirements. Lifts to all floors, wheelchair access and accessible entry from the hotel direct to the park (this is the entrance used if you’re entering the park early and will be closed later in the day). There are also accessible rooms in both of the hotels.

Would I recommend?

I absolutely would! In fact we said we would rebook for later this year we loved it so much, that being said, there are a lot of changed coming to the park itself for 2026, meaning that there are areas closed for the 2025 summer season; so we’ve decided to hold off for this season. We may still visit the park during another trip we have planned, but won’t be staying on site.

If you want a budget friendly trip, I’d also definitely check out wowcher, you can get a stay like the one we recently had where the theme park itself is closed but the zoo remains open. It’s a perfect way to enjoy a stay in an amazing hotel and you can always do as we did and combine it with a trip into London, as there is a direct train to Waterloo Station a 10 minute walk from the hotel.

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