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A magnificent Kent house once owned by a Tory MP who numbered Lawrence of Arabia and Sir Winston Churchill among his friends has been reopened as a hotel by a conservation charity.

Port Lympne was the home of bachelor MP Sir Philip Sassoon, an Old Etonian and member of the Bullingdon Club, who represented Hythe from 1912 until his death in 1939.

He began to build Port Lympne near Hythe in Kent before the First World War and completed it after being demobbed, spending much of his vast fortune on its decoration and upkeep.

Port Lympne Mansion - construction began before the First World War by Sir Philip Sassoon and was completed in the Roaring Twenties

The rear of the Mansion Hotel, a Grade 2*-listed building has six en suite bedrooms and suites, each decorated in the style of the period

HRH the Duke of Windsor and the Duchess of Windsor (left) were regular guests of Sir Philip Sassoon when the duchess was still Mrs Ernest Simpson before her second divorce and marriage to the duke in June 1937; Sir Winston Churchill (right) was also part of the social circle at Port Lympne

Sir Philip, a member of the Rothschild family, was a great host and regular visitors to the house and its stunning grounds included as well as Churchill and TE Lawrence, Edward and Mrs Simpson (the future Duke and Duchess of Windsor) and Charlie Chaplin.

The house is now the boutique Mansion Hotel, part of the newly renamed Port Lympne Reserve run by the Aspinall Foundation where animals roam free and visitors receive a safari-like experience.

The Mansion, where rooms cost from £172 per night, caters for private parties, weddings and corporate hospitality events as well as being suitable for a getaway break.

The Martin Jordan Room at the Mansion Hotel, a Grade 2*-listed building

The view from the rear of Port Lympne, now the Mansion Hotel, looking out to see on the horizon

Famous invitees: Sir Charlie Chaplin (left) and war hero Lawrence of Arabia (right) were both regular guests of Sir Philip Sassoon at his magnificent home Port Lympne

The Grade 2*-listed building has six en suite bedrooms and suites, each decorated in the style of the period.

The addition of the Mansion now enables Port Lympne Reserve to offer high-end accommodation alongside the nearby four-bedroom Livingstone Cottage, which was renovated in 2012.

Visitors looking for a luxury glamping experience can book into Elephant Lodge, which provides tented accommodation for up to eight guests, and views of the elephant paddocks at Port Lympne.

To meet the growing demand six new tents and a restaurant have been added for the 2014 season.

The Rex Whistler Room at the Mansion Hotel, formerly owned by Tory MP Sir Philip Sassoon

Iceberg Terrance, part of the Port Lympne estate

Sir Philip Sassoon (1888-1939) was a member of the Rothschild family and served as Sassoon served as private secretary to Field Marshal Haig during the First World War from 1915 until 1918

Bob O'Connor, the managing director of Port Lympne Reserve, said: 'This investment and renaming as a Reserve is a major step forward in the future of our work here at Port Lympne, and underpins our efforts abroad.

'It is also a significant investment and vote of confidence in the future of the tourism industry here in Kent. 

'For us to continue to fund our international conservation work we have to make sure we are delivering what our customers want and make the most of what we have here at Port Lympne, and sister wildlife park Howletts.

'We are very optimistic for the future and have exciting plans to create a new Tree House Hotel, a luxurious treetop retreat offering breathtaking views across the park.

'Our plans for Pinewood would create an overnight education experience for school children in close proximity to the animal enclosures, giving our guests the real feeling of camping in the wild.'

'We are now able to offer an unrivalled range of accommodation against the backdrop of this spectacular wildlife park and the English Channel.

'The Mansion is stunning and guests will be able to wake up and walk in the footsteps of some of the most influential people and celebrities of the 20th century.'

The Bathing Pool with the fountain at Sir Philip Sassoon's house near Hythe, Kent

The same Bathing Pool but as it looks today

The West Garden at Port Lympne, designed by architect Sir Herbert Baker for Tory MP Sir Philip Sassoon

Each bedroom at the Mansion Hotel has theme linked to a famous guest from the past or in this room, the former owner Sir Philip Sassoon

The Sir Philip Sasson dressing room at the Mansion Hotel

The TE Lawrence bedroom, named for the legendary war hero Lawrence of Arabia (1888-1935) who was a friend of Sir Philip Sassoon, who commissioned Port Lympne