Looking out over the savannah from your private sauna, but that doesn't come cheap

You have been able to spend the night at the safari park for some time, in a caravan or in a cottage. But the real luxury cats are now also getting their money’s worth. The cottages are inspired by the Dogon tribe. “A people from Mali”, explains supervisor Stephanie Struis. “One tribe lives in the rough interior, on barren savannas with lots of sand. And another on a cliff with lots of rocks. And you can see both here.” From the roof terrace of the central building, the ‘Hogon House’, Struis looks out over the savannah with surrounding the fifteen buildings with hotel rooms. Yellow buildings with lots of woodwork and thatched roofs. Broad-lipped rhinoceros

The animals have been populating the savannah since last Saturday and that often took some getting used to, says Struis: ” One broad-lipped rhino comes from the safari park and the other from the resort, they have not seen each other before. The giraffes also had to get used to each other, but that is going well now.” The black horse antelopes are not there yet: pass away come from other European animal parks. Other eye-catchers are the ostriches and the watusi cattle with impressive horns. In the central Hogon House are two large restaurant rooms with large windows that also overlook the savannah. Everything is new, you can smell that when you enter a hotel room. Standard terrace with a view of the savannah and wildlife. Struis points to a cupboard with all icons on it: “These hieroglyphs are from the Dogon tribe, this is their language.” ‘Best exclusive’

All luxury has its price: 430 euros per night. “That sounds finest exclusive,” admits Struis, “but we are a unique item.” The price is for a room for three people, including breakfast and access to all theme parks of Libéma, which includes Beekse Bergen. Those who want to book the suite pay 500 and 600 euros, but then you have a private sauna with a view of the savannah. The official opening of the new safari hotel is on Friday 24 March. A week later it opens to visitors.