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

This truly enchanting hideaway tucked away at the foot of the Drakensberg Range near Rosetta overlooks a trout-filled lake encircled by mountains and old trees. Richard and Mouse Poynton, legendary South African chefs and hosts, renovated the 1936 family fishing farm and created a perfect combination of comfort, tranquility, style, and exceptional food. Homemade biscuits, hand-painted and stenciled walls, lovingly embroidered cushions and samplers, fluffy mohair blankets, and heated towel racks are just a few of the details you'll find here. Rich, natural, superb food rules the day with all sauces made from scratch. You'll eat sumptuous meals with ceremony but no pretension in an intimate dining room warmed on cold days by a blazing log fire.

It's said that on January 22, 1879, during the Battle of Isandlwana, which was a major defeat for the British army, the chief of the Zulu army stood on Nyoni Rock where this lodge is now built. With sweeping views of the battlefield, the building, shaped like a Zulu shield, commemorates Isandlwana. The comfortable rooms are named for Zulus significant in the war, and bathrooms contain shield-shape sink pedestals. Plenty of hot water, heaters, and hot water bottles at night ensure you're snug in winter. The lovely balconies offering inspiring views of the area. The interiors are modern yet Afrocentric, with African prints and wooden furniture. Picture windows in public areas make the most of the incredible battlefield views. Trips to the local battlefields are led by knowledgeable local guides.

Perched upon a hillside, the park's only four-star private lodge underwent a complete refurbishment in 2023 and still commands breathtaking views across the park with each airy abode featuring glass sliding doors that enjoy those expansive views; the luxury bush villas offer the best value with private plunge pools, a romantic bath big enough for two, and cozy fireplaces for when that moody Zululand mist rolls in. The safari outfit is a joint venture between the National Empowerment Fund and the local Mphembeni community who own the land on which the lodge is built. People from the community have been trained to work in various departments and now constitute 97% of the lodge staff. The variety of activities available is quite impressive—from traditional Zulu homestays to expert-led wildlife walks and spa treatments overlooking the watering hole. Special kid-focused safari drives are also available for children under 6 years.

This is an exclusive yet unpretentious genuine health hydro, set in one of the province's prettiest locations, only an hour's drive from Durban, and five hours from Johannesburg. A haven of tranquility, you'll stay in one of 17 rooms or 5 suites clustered round tree- and bird-filled courtyards, relax on the wraparound decks that overlook the indigenous forest, pamper your body with all sorts of treatments, float around in two large pools (outdoor and indoor) and eat healthy, delicious food—this is definitely not a one-lettuce-leaf place. Amazingly, however, even with the great food, guests do lose weight as they de-stress. Attend interesting lectures, go for lovely early morning forest walks, or go shopping on the Midlands Meander.

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.

Deliciously luxurious, if rather formal, this 1875 inn, high up on the Meander in the foothills of the Drakensberg, is steeped in history and misty beauty. Some suites are in the original house; others in the gardens look onto an ethereal, lovely lake. The hotel has undergone a trendy revamp and each suite is individually decorated in a gloriously cosmopolitan collision of fabrics and furnishings from Africa, Europe, and the East. The food, which has garnered top honors, is just as rich and eclectically surprising. Dinner (reservations are essential) is an unforgettable event with wine-pairing. Tijnhuis offers a relaxed venue for high teas and lunches Wednesday through Sunday. If you have time, visit Summerhill Stud, the neighboring thoroughbred racehorse stud farm. 

Overlooking False Bay lake and the Hluhluwe River floodplain—follow signs from Hluhluwe village—this fantastic-value, family-owned lodge is the ideal base for visiting the game reserves and the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. After a day spent game-viewing, canoeing, bird-watching, mountain biking, boating, fishing, or walking in the pristine sand forest, relax in your comfortable A-frame chalet or sit on your wooden deck overlooking the bush, the floodplain, and the lake. This lodge is the only one with direct access to the lake, but water activities are dependent on the seasonal rains. The food is excellent—wholesome country cooking. Two family chalets are available, and children three and under stay free.

In a high-rise building right on the beach, this upscale hotel is popular with both vacationers and businesspeople and has a long-standing reputation for gracious hospitality. The service is excellent and facilities, such as The Sugar Club restaurant, are superb. If your plan is to loll around in your bathing suit, get yourself to one of the many loungers around the pool, the focus for this hotel. There are lots of extras thrown in—like free ice pops, sunscreen, and poolside smoothies. The public lounge, festooned with huge floral arrangements and yards of gathered drapes, serves a full silver-service tea in the afternoon, and a pianist plays in the evening. Guest rooms are fairly small, but all have terrific sea views, particularly those on the upper floors. Suites are more spacious and villas have an open beachlike feel and private plunge pool.

The buildings of this 5-star hotel—a disparate but harmonious mix of Tuscan and Balinese architecture—are the centerpiece of an intimate estate ensconced in lush, tropical gardens. Each of the 19 suites, including the sprawling Royal Suite, has a neutral palate that's highlighted by a few tasteful African touches, and steps lead to a large sunken bath and walk-in shower, both of which could easily accommodate two people. Pamper yourself further with a restorative stress-relieving treatment at the in-house Impilo Spa.

The superior, and quieter, of the two Quarters boutique hotels, Quarters on Avondale offers rooms in Edwardian style with a modern twist. Luxurious sunken tubs dominate plush bathrooms with fluffy white towels. Boudoirs are tastefully decorated, with white linen and damask draping generous beds. Each room has a small veranda overlooking Avondale Road. A scented garden is being established.