Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani
63 Snell Parade, Durban 4001 South Africa
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About
#32 of 366 hotels in Durban
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Value
Radiating energy and elegance across the Golden Mile, Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani invites you to take your place in the sun. From the stylish bedrooms with breath-taking sea-views to the variety of restaurants and recreation facilities, visitors can look forward to the vibrancy, colour and culture of Durban's premier hotel destination offering more choice than ever before, from service and hospitality through to accommodation and dining. Absolutely everything under one sun!
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Property amenities
Paid private parking on-site
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Fitness Centre with Gym / Workout Room
Bar / lounge
Beach
Babysitting
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Parking
Wifi
Paid internet
Rooftop pool
Outdoor pool
Restaurant
Breakfast buffet
Poolside bar
Airport transportation
Car hire
Business Centre with Internet Access
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
Spa
24-hour security
Baggage storage
Concierge
Non-smoking hotel
24-hour front desk
Dry cleaning
Laundry service
Ironing service
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Room features
Air conditioning
Room service
Safe
Flatscreen TV
Room types
Ocean view
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Smoking rooms available
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Great View
Family
Languages Spoken
English
Location
72Somewhat walkable
Grade: 72 out of 100
17Restaurantswithin 0.5 km
7Attractionswithin 0.5 km
63 Snell Parade, Durban 4001 South Africa
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3356Reviews32Q+A100Room tips
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We booked the hotel for 2 nights and was a terrible experience, firstly when we got to the hotel, the porter just watched us carry our suitcases, when we got to the reception, the guy was busy on the phone and the lady sitted there just looked at us, til we told her that we are guests who came to check in! The room really needs some upgrading, the shower didnt work properly, the window lock was broken, all in all, the location is excellent but the hotel needs to improve on their service.
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
This is a luxurious hotel just by the North coast beaches of Durban. I was told its a 4 star hotel but the one next to it called Elangeni was 5 stars. Having passed through Emlangeni on my first day by mistake, I dont see why that is. I think Maharani is a more polished hotel than the former though they are both run by the same company. My check-in process was smooth enough but I missed 2 days from the 7 day booking due to airline delays. Its unfortunate the hotel did not offer me any assistance in this regard as they basically had 2 days paid for free. I also asked for a late check out which was granted but for some reason the staff were not aware of this on my last day. Besides these minor setbacks I will still rate the hotel highly for cleanliness, good food and good decor. Its proximity to the beach and promenade are also hard to beat. …
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: Check weather carefully before travelling. Durban weather is temperamental.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
During my recent visit to Durban, I had the opportunity to explore the Elangeni and the Maharani hotels. While the memorable beauty of the marble stairs at the entrance of years gone by has been replaced, both establishments had their own unique charm that left a positive impression on me. Although I had initially booked a room at the Elangeni, I was pleasantly surprised to be given a room on the 21st floor of the Maharani instead. The view of the sea from this vantage point was truly breath taking, blurring the lines between the ocean and the sky. It was a sight to behold. The room itself was more than satisfactory, especially for someone like me who has extensively travelled across the Middle East and Africa for the past decade. While it may not have been the epitome of luxury, it surpassed the realm of mediocrity and provided a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. My stay was only for a single night, but I made sure to indulge in the buffet offered by the hotel. The variety of dishes was remarkable, ranging from delicious BBQ to delectable seafood and everything in between. The boerewors and lamb chops were particularly outstanding, and the array of seafood options kept me craving for more. I was reluctant to give the mouth-watering salads a miss, but they stood no chance against all the other tempting options. Sad to say, the irresistible spread of desserts presented a guilt-inducing temptation that I couldn't resist. Should have gone for the salads instead. Regrettably, the one major drawback of an otherwise excellent culinary experience was the sight of hotel guests coming down to dine wearing the hotel robes, which I found quite displeasing. It would be greatly appreciated if the hotel management could enforce a dress code in common areas, ensuring that all guests are appropriately attired during meal times. This would contribute to a more enjoyable dining experience for all paying guests. Despite this setback, I had an overall pleasant stay at the Maharani. The breath taking view, comfortable room, and diverse buffet made my brief visit a memorable one. I would certainly consider returning in the future, hoping that the hotel takes into account the concerns of their guests regarding the dress code issue…
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled on business
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Watch out for inappropriately dressed diners.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Despite being one the older hotels, it is still a gem. The room size and quality were exceptional. We stayed in two recently renovated rooms which added to the comfort. The bathroom was spotless from floors to the loo to the sink area. The bedding was clean and comfortable. The tables and side stations were clean and even the windows and curtains looked newly cleaned. Breakfast was exceptional. Returning to this hotel after years was well worth it and definitely rivals the quality of its nearby sister hotels.
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Booked a night for my family from JHB at Maharani. Extremely flabbergasted. A huge cockroach was under the covers. My daughter has a phobia. You can only imagine how distraught and traumatised she and her young children were. Despite being moved to another room, it did not take away this experience. No amount of apologies from management will make up for this horrific incident. What are the chances that any one of us will return to this establishment in the future.
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Date of stay: June 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
The view from each room is great. I attended a conference and the hotel is equipped to take care of more than 300 guests at one time. Reception, room service and logistics staff are well behaved. I enjoyed staying in the hotel for a week.
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Travelled on business
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
There are two hotels under one roof - Southern Sun Elangeni and Maharani directly across the road from a lovely beach. I stayed in Elangeni. Good inhouse steak house wednesdays to sundays. Function space for medium sized events. Swimming pool, gymnasium.
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip: High floor. Sea facing.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Checked in to Elangeni after many years. This is no longer a hotel with attention to detail. If you are looking for that go elsewhere. The front desk is extremely short staffed for the number of regularly block booked guests. To top it all the common courtesy of treating your paying visitors with respect and a smile is gone out of the window. Maybe this is the culture of the staff you hire. The room is a 4 star at best and service is non existent. I asked several times for toletetries and an iron and eventually gave up. Getting through to the front desk is akin to waiting to getting your ID in SA. Take a number and pray u get called. I went in for a slightly early breakfast only to be told by a rude staff member Pumi she could flat out not help. Most hotels would offer a take away breakfast if it is early. Oh not here. U are at the mercy of the reservation gods. Rude, lackluster and downright no customer service sums up this experience. Next time I have no lights at home , I'd rather sweat through a summer night than endure this pathetic excuse of a hotel.…
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Date of stay: March 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: Avoid Elangeni hotel
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
3 Helpful votes
Helpful
+1
magine a city with a sub-tropical climate right on the beach. Where palm trees offer all year-round shade along a golden mile promenade. A golden mile which is now just under four miles in length. A place to stroll, hire a bike, trike, go cart, or segway. Take a Zulu rickshaw or ride a half pipe at the skate park. Take a cable car or a swim in a public pool. Sunbath on the beach, swim in the warm Indian Ocean or catch a wave, avoid a wipeout and cruise a crest back to the beach. This is no imaginary city, this is Durban, the warmest place to be. I have spent some time over the years in Durban. It is where I met my wife twenty-nine years ago. It is a city I still love to visit, and we have just spent a few days there. This time there were specific reasons for visiting. We based ourselves again at the Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani perfectly situated on the beachfront and overlooking the ocean. The rooms are spacious and comfortable with en-suit bathroom. The hotel offers a spa & wellness centre. There is a choice of restaurants with cocktail bars. Everything you need and expect from a modern hotel is here including two swimming pools, one located on the hotel roof. My first trip to Durban back in 1994 was based around cricket and this was one of the reasons for this visit. The SA20 had been launched and here in town were based The Durban Super Giants. Admittedly I am not a huge fan of franchise or twenty-twenty cricket. But never say never and you cannot judge without being there. Here in England, in my opinion, we do not have the climate for floodlit cricket. Cool and even cold nights are not suited to watching cricket, a summer sport. Durban is the other end of the scale. Steamy, warm, humid and even hot long after sunset. Perfect for spectators. But how many spectators would turn up? To my amazement, where cricket is not a top sport, the crowds came flooding in. Hats off, bucket hats, to the organisers as the ground was close to capacity for both games I attended. Nearly twenty five thousand fans including many families with children. They were greeted by live music, local DJ’s, dancers and fireworks. We were on a grass bank where the locals made us totally welcome. They shared a beer or two and a homemade curried tin fish sandwich. I can only say well done to all those involved for putting together a hugely successful tournament packed with many international stars from England. If you are cricket fan and want some winter warmth, think Durban and the Super Giants. One last thing and a first for me. We sat enjoying a post-match cold beer on the deck at our hotels panorama bar and looking down there were children playing cricket. Inspired by the game there they were under the palm trees with street lights for floodlights inspired to bat and bowl by the beach. Are you familiar with a bunnychow? If not, in layman’s terms, it is a curry served in a quarter or half hollowed out loaf of bread. Did you know there is even a World Bunnychow Day? I will not go here into the history of this unique dish other than to say it was created in Durban where it has its roots firmly entwined in the city’s cultural and ethnic history. I had arranged to meet and eat with Sagaran Govender, otherwise known as the Bunnyblogger. I met Sagaran through social media where he has over twenty thousand followers sharing all things bunnycow and curried. I am a curry lover and a huge fan of the bunnychow. We arranged to meet at The Curry O’s on Point Waterfront just back from the beachfront and not too far from uShaka Marine World and the new cruise terminal. What a pleasure to meet Sagaran, in English terms, a top bloke. We talked and chatted all things but top of the agenda was the bunnychow, its origins, its flavours, its content and importantly its gravy. Here we also met and chatted with Ranjini Naidoo the very proud owner of Curry O’s. What a lady, what a story of progress, determination and hard work. This lady is inspirational and someone I would like to call Auntie, out of respect, and a Durban term of endearment. Her bunnychow did not disappoint, fresh bread, succulent mutton, soft potatoes, plenty of gravy, great flavours with some background heat. One last thing to mention from our time in the warmest place to be. I cannot surf, tried it once hopeless, but Durban and the surrounding beaches is a top surfing destination. We wanted a couple of shirts to take home and opted to visit Surf HQ, a surfing store with everything. I had a little déjà vu on entering. After asking a couple of questions I had not been in before but had seen the store and its staff on CNN News featured on African Voices Changemakers. Chatting to store owner Jean-Marc Tostee AKA JM, a surfer of note, he introduced us to Ntando Msibi AKA Biggy. The Biggy story is another inspirational one. From living on the streets of Durban through the charity Surfers Not Street Children, to afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace. As Biggy said through a big smile “tea with gogo at her house”. Gogo is Zulu for grandmother. Maybe I am ready to hit the waves again or at least get a lesson?…
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Although not in the safest part of KZN, this icon has still lived up to its name. It is still a treat and still offers elegance and spoils to those fortunate enough to afford it. Wide variety of food choices and clean amenities. This could be an awesome place for a romantic getaway.
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip: Try get the top floors but not for children due to balcony
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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PRICE RANGE
US$84 - US$98 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
southern sun elangeni durban, elangeni hotel durban
LOCATION
South AfricaKwaZulu-NatalDurban
NUMBER OF ROOMS
449
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Claim Your ListingSOUTHERN SUN ELANGENI & MAHARANI - Now R 1 594 (Was R̶ ̶2̶ ̶2̶2̶0̶) - UPDATED 2023 Hotel Reviews & Price Comparison (Durban, South Africa) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani
Which popular attractions are close to Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani?
Nearby attractions include Mini Town (0.2 km), Durban Holocaust and Genocide Centre (0.4 km), and Durban Ice Arena (0.3 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
What food & drink options are available at Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and a poolside bar during their stay.
Is parking available at Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani?
Yes, paid private parking on-site is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani?
Conveniently located restaurants include The Grill Jichana Durban, Circus Circus Beach Cafe, and Daruma Umhlanga.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani?
Yes, guests have access to a pool and a fitness centre during their stay.
Does Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani have airport transportation?
Yes, Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Are any cleaning services offered at Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani?
Yes, dry cleaning and laundry service are offered to guests.
Does Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers a business centre, meeting rooms, and a banquet room.
Are there any historical sites close to Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani?
Many travellers enjoy visiting The Old Fort (0.9 km).