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Many of Durban's main hotels lie along the Golden Mile, but there are some wonderful boutique hotels and bed-and-breakfasts (especially in Berea, Morningside, and Umhlanga) that offer a more personalized experience.
In northern Zululand and Maputaland, game reserves and lodges—both publicly and privately owned and managed—are smaller than what you'd find in Mpumalanga, but offer delightful game-viewing experiences. Many are all-inclusive (or nearly so), though some have self-catering options.
Prices, especially along the coast, tend to rise with the summer heat.
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.
Overlooking North Beach along the Golden Mile, this combination of two adjacent high-rise hotels is a two-minute drive from the city center and attracts a mix of business, conference, and leisure travelers. Due to the amalgamation, the hotels collectively offer two business centers, three pools, two gyms, and eight restaurants. The Maharani's rooms are in better condition, with a recent refurb, and the contemporary on-site restaurant, Vigour & Verve, does a commendable breakfast and lunch. Though most rooms have views of the ocean, request a room on an upper floor to take advantage of a full sea view. The Elangeni houses one of the few Japanese restaurants in the city, as well as the Lingela buffet-style restaurant. A minimum three-night stay is required during peak season.
You can't beat the location of this pleasant hotel midway between South and North beaches and only a five-minute drive from the city center. All rooms face the sea, but request an upper-floor room for the best views. Views from the pool deck on the 30th floor are superb.
This hotel mostly attracts businesspeople and gamblers, but it's a stone's throw from the beach and has some great sea views. Like the adjacent casino, it's designed in the art deco style of the 1930s, which is in keeping with some of Durban's architectural heritage. The rooms are rather small but elegantly minimalist with furnishings in pastel shades. The sea views from the higher floors are spectacular (it's worth the slightly higher price for a sea-facing room). Indian cuisine is a speciality at Jeera and will be a highlight of your stay (book ahead for their unique afternoon tea), and cocktails are de rigueur at Lounge Bar. The 36 suites in the towers are more luxurious than those in the hotel.
Built in 1939 in classic colonial style, the Edward is one of Durban's oldest hotels. Although it's been restored almost to its former elegance, it seems to have lost a little of its soul in the process. Nevertheless, service is excellent, and the stylish cut-glass chandeliers, molded ceilings, and subtle art-deco details bring to mind a more refined past. Rooms are tastefully furnished; 10 have balconies overlooking the sea, and the others have bay windows with sea views. The hotel faces beautiful South Beach.
