China hotel uses red panda for morning calls, triggers safety concerns, service suspension
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The establishment, Lehe Ledu Liangjiang Hotel, located in southwestern China's Chongqing municipality, raised public concerns after several guests shared videos of their morning calls delivered by an adorable red panda.
In the footage, the animal climbs onto beds and desks in hotel rooms, where guests are invited to pet and feed it.
In the footage, the animal playfully climbs onto beds and desks in hotel rooms, where guests are encouraged to pet and feed it. Photo: Douyin
Opened in 2010, the hotel is part of a tourist resort that includes a wildlife park and features over 100 rooms. Its service offerings include 'getting close to animals'.
The rooms that feature the red panda morning calls are priced between 2,000 and 3,000 yuan (US$280 to US$420) per night, and they remain especially popular among families with children.
The hotel employs four red panda 'staff members', including an adult red panda, about two years old, that provides the morning call service.
The hotel has four red panda 'staff members', including an adult red panda, around two years old, that provided the morning call service. Photo: Douyin
Guests typically have a few minutes to interact with the red panda, depending on its mood, with a caretaker present for safety reasons.
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