Chester Zoo Avis 

We booked a 'The Secret Life of the Zoo' Tour and it was fantastic. All the staff were very friendly and really accommodated our two children, as well as being very knowledgeable. We had a courtesy call a few days before where they asked if we had any adjustments that needed to be made (eg steps up to the electric bus that drove us round the site). We even had a couple of unscheduled stops as one of our sons mentioned he loved lions! The animals looked so well after- the tour was before the Zoo opened and we got to see the feeding and cleaning that takes place before the public arrive. Later on we enjoyed the lazy river boat ride which was a relaxing addition to our day, there are plenty of toilets around the whole zoo too, all of them clean. Yes the food etc was over priced but if it goes toward the upkeep and wellbeing of the animals and the countless conservation projects the zoo is involved in then I am willing to pay that price. Overall we had a fantastic experience and will be coming again.

Absolutely love going to Chester zoo. Went for the first time recently in my wheelchair, and it was great! We didn't go round all of the zoo, but the bits we did do were brilliant. Great accessibility, majority is on one level. When it's not, there is a lift, or very bumpy wooden bridge. Love that all of the areas we explored were accessible. All of the disabled toilets are great, good size, not cluttered. But there are some with full sized changing facilities, including a hoist system. At one point, near the sloth house, I did have some trouble finding a disabled toilet, to the point where I asked a member of staff, and even they pointed me towards the standard toilets The signs pointed me to the correct area, but I did not realise that the disabled toilet was away from the rest in that area But that was the only issue we had all day. Loved it so much that we signed back up for their membership. For certain disabilities/conditions they do offer the user to have a +1 on their membership to allow a free carer

A zoo with no animals but charge full price!!

Honestly felt sad for the animals, a lot of the enclosures seemed poorly kept and extremely bare. Most of the animals were hiding so we only got to see a handful of them and for the price, it’s just not worth it. Every other person had a pram which meant there was hardly any space for others to get to the viewing windows and made every viewing spot a squeeze, we gave up waiting at a couple. The butterfly enclosure was lovely though, nice gift shop and staff we spoke to were friendly. Wouldn't go back again, honestly would be much more exciting to watch a David Attenborough documentary.

High entrance fee, low budget experience. The zoo looks tired, also the animals, left feeling sad for the animals. I am not particularly an animal lover but left the zoo feeling that they should be a thing of the past. With high quality wildlife TV programmes seeing animals in their natural habitat, zoo's should be a thing of the past. Just felt that the animals we managed to see, just didn't want to be there, very sad.😭

Half the animals are missing while they are working on a new enclosure and the ones that should of been there had disappeared ABIT of a disappointment for the price.

What’s happened to the food?! £7.95 for “Smashed Avacado on toast on whole meal bloomer” I avoided the feta for dietary reasons but still. This was the breakfast menu btw. It was a Avacado paste spread from a jar, one piece of dry toast and 3 halves of cherry tomato. Maybe take your own or wait til lunch. Shame the restaurant at the entrance has gone and it’s just the coffee area.

Really good

I left my walking stick at Chester zoo, after a lot of help from all the staff, a special thanks to Karen who located it for me, after three wks I have now got my stick back, i just want to say thank you for all your help

Visiting the Area from the Netherlands, was shocked by the entry fee for just 2 people, most of the animals were hidden out of sight, found severe lack of seating scattered around the park and was disgusted to be told we couldn’t see part of the park because they had just got Snow leopards and only members could go see them, sorry members can go anytime where as a lot of visitors are there only once, added to this we went to 3 other zoos all had snow leopards that anyone could see proving Chester’s were not special, overall cost too much for what they are offering.

A zoo I really cannot fault, so much to see and do. It's a game of luck when seeing animals. However thier enclosures are well maintained. The zoo was clean, the food and drink prices are on the high side, but that's the same at any zoo. Taking a pack lunch is recommended. It's certainly a full day needed.

Absolutely ridiculous prices, £35 for an adult and £27 for a child. That is scandalous. I actually can't believe the price to go see some animals and half of them are not even out.

Didn't see any animals at all just seagulls and the food was a lot of money and the elephants were fighting

Great day out lots of animals, very well put together exhibits clearly putting the animals needs first lots of information about their conservation stuff around, bit of advice for people thinking of going ignore the other reviews that slate the place for being ‘overgrown’ anyone who knows anything about enclosure design know it’s deliberately blocking your view to give the animals more privacy, god forbid.

Rubbish for disabled people
We booked online and was told that mobility scooters were available so I try to book one on line and was told they were all booked out witch meant I couldn’t go my family went with out means told me that there was several scooters for hire this is not very good Chester zoo giving the disabled customers a good impression

Total let down. Paid a ridiculous amount of money to visit what seemed like an almost empty zoo. The grounds were scruffy and staff didn’t seem to care less. Only place to eat our own food (as not paying ridiculously inflated onsite prices) was on old picnic tables on the very busy area near the entrance! Grandkids were bored after an hour. Visited Chester zoo years ago and it was so much better. Lastly, visited the gift shop to treat the grandkids (4 of them) I almost passed out when one of them picked up a small, cuddly seal priced at £48!!! Unbelievable and quite honestly, disgusting. If you want visitors to carry on coming, I suggest a huge overhaul before it’s too late. There’s so many bad reviews on here, people will stop coming.

After Glow Experience.
Big let down. Not as amazing as advertised. Basically the same as going in daytime. Entertainment was rubbish. Acrobats huge let down.
A lot of the animals could not be seen.
They really need to advertise correctly and not hype it up to be this amazing experience because it wasn’t.

Hardly saw any animals at all. So many enclosures were completely empty. Not worth the price at all! Just seems I paid for looking at trees and overgrown bushes. Where are the animals?! Hardly any animals to be seen. HUGE let down. If I never visit Chester zoo again it'll be too soon. Was absolutely bored stiff walking around to see yet again "nothing".

Our 1st time for me and my daughter we had traveled over 2 1/2 hours to get to the zoo. We arrived not long after it had opened we used the toilets they were disgusting very dirty never been cleaned by looks of it months and they smelt of wee, I have used public toilets cleaner. We had been to 5 different areas before we saw any animals which I found poor after spending that kind of money to get in. Rest of the zoo was clean plenty of staff about just not to clean toilets. Would we go again no.

We are members of Chester Zoo and are seriously considering whether to continue with our membership. We have been visiting Chester Zoo from our very young days in the 1960's.With our own children in the 1980's and now present days with our grandchildren.
Back in the day the gardens were a delight abundant with flowers and shrubs and immaculately kept. You could picnic on lush lawns take a boat trip on the waterway ( not the mechanical rubbish that now passes for a boat trip in the so called islands).
There was a huge variety of animals all very visible and you could stay in until dusk which of course is quite late in the summer. The big cats would come to life then and their roaring was something to hear. You let yourself out by a turnstile and left feeling you had experienced a great full day out
These days you are fortunate to glimpse an animal. The once pristine gardens are left to go wild and if you want to picnic you struggle to find a table which are set on busy pathways. The monorail which was a favourite for years has been scrapped.
Perhaps worst of all at around 4.30 you are hounded with tannoy messages telling you to make your way to the exit as the zoo is closing. As you do so you notice that the elephants have all been put to bed.
So now you leave feeling slightly ripped off. Bad enough for us members but I have many times overheard bitter complaints from families who have parted with well over a hundred pounds .
I think the present day management of Chester Zoo have lost their way. They will argue that their prime concern is animal welfare and conservation.
Very noble but don't lose sight of who pays for all of this. The main concern of the people who are asked to pay very high entrance fees, is to give their families a nice day out.
I wonder what George and June and all the rest of the founding family would think of their legacy.