3 Best Hotels in KwaZulu-Natal and Durban, South Africa

Set in a 5,000-acre natural heritage site, this attractive lodge lies just a couple of miles from the famous battle site of Rorke's Drift and overlooks the drift where survivors of the British defeat at Isandlwana fled across the Buffalo River. Rooms are individual cottages that open onto gardens, with fireplaces and wood furniture. Rent a room in a cottage or the whole cottage, depending on your group size. The focal point of the lodge is the lounge and dining room, evocatively decorated with old rifles, British regimental flags, Zulu spears, and antique military prints. Battlefield tours with experienced guides cost R1,560 per person for two sites, transport, and refreshments.

One of the best-loved and oldest hotels on the Meander, Granny Mouse has cozy thatched rooms, all slightly different, with a bush view, fireplace, and homey, though upmarket, atmosphere. Freestanding rooms offer more privacy and peace than the newer hotel wing, though the latter have more space. All rooms have a his-and-hers bathroom vanity and a separate bathtub. The main hotel building—formerly an unusual farmhouse with doors and windows from an old church—offers conviviality and warmth in its several lounges. The on-site bistro is locally famous for its lavish breakfasts and afternoon teas. Upstairs, the fine-dining restaurant is known for its gorgeous plating in an intimate room. Some of the best places on the Meander are within easy reach.

Four converted Victorian homes comprise the city's most intimate boutique hotel, a contemporary European-style property that's been reinvented and now has a stylish, yet old-fashioned feel. Rooms feature mahogany furniture, crisp white linen, damask-covered beds, and sunken tubs in luxurious bathrooms. Many of the rooms have small verandas facing Florida Road, with its swaying palm trees and sometimes busy traffic, but double-glazed windows help to dull the noise.