A hotel in Suqian, Jiangsu Province, has gone viral for offering a "lion wake-up" service, in which lion cubs are brought directly into guests' rooms for close interaction.
Videos shared online show cubs lying on beds, allowing guests to pet or hold them. The service costs 628 yuan (US$86) per night, is limited to 20 bookings a day, and runs from 8am to 10am.
The hotel, part of a rural resort with an animal exhibition area, said the cubs stay in rooms for around 7 minutes under handlers' supervision. Staff claim the resort holds the necessary permits to keep lions.
Cover News reported the service has now been suspended and won't accept bookings after November 15. Hotel staff said any future reopening would be announced on official channels.
Luo Juan, a Beijing lawyer specializing in wildlife law, told Legal Daily that the service "raises several legal risks," including stress and harm to the cubs, misleading promotion, and potential guest injuries.
Even if visitors sign a waiver, hotels can still be held liable under China's Civil Code if an animal causes harm.
Authorities have not clarified which department oversees such wildlife-based hotel services, and the resort has yet to publicly display its permits.