2012-09-06 — /travelprnews.com/ — Stringent standards have been met, an agreement has been signed and Durrell Wildlife Park in Trinity is now home to Jersey’s only Youth Hostels Association (YHA)-accredited accommodation.
The wildlife park’s hostel, Durrell Wildlife Hostel, has been awarded the accreditation, which promises guests a “home from home” experience and quality accommodation at affordable prices.
YHA is a network of privately owned and YHA-owned hostels with a mission to inspire all, especially young people, to broaden their horizons gaining knowledge and independence through new experiences of adventure and discovery. YHA started in 1930 and has grown to be one of the top 50 charities with a diverse network of hostels, often in exceptional places, open to everyone and especially young people.
Paul Masterton CEO of Durrell, explained that YHA awarded and encouraged young people to discover, explore and conserve wild places and strived to create a safe, comfortable and reliable environment in all its establishments. Its objective was to help all, especially the young, to greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside and nature and this tied in perfectly with the philosophy behind Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
He said: “Our hostel is within a wildlife park and situated in the beautiful Jersey countryside and YHA therefore perfectly complements our location and conservation ethos. We hope that the two charities can work together to encourage our guests to appreciate the natural world.”
Durrell Wildlife Hostel is housed in a traditional Jersey farmhouse in the north-western corner of the Durrell site. It has the capacity for 24 adults or up to 30 under 16-year-olds. There is also camping space on the lawn for bigger groups. It is ideal for hosting family reunions, wedding guests, sports teams, entertainers, school trips and company retreats due to the cheaper booking rates. There are conference and training facilities adjacent to the hostel.
As well as enjoying the exotic sounds coming from the animals within the wildlife park, anyone staying at Les Noyers will be sharing it with conservation experts and students from all over the world, who come to train at Durrell’s International Training Centre next to the wildlife park.
With a YHA-accredited hostel and the newly opened Durrell Wildlife Camp, where guests can stay in luxury camping pods, Durrell now offers both budget and high-end accommodation.
Joshua Kogi, Housekeeper of Durrell Wildlife Hostel said: “We hope the YHA accreditation will open up Durrell to a new audience and whether guests are staying in the camping pods or our newly-accredited hostel, they do so in the knowledge that they can expect a high standard of accommodation. In return, they are making a contribution that enables us to continue with our vital work helping to save species from extinction.”
###