Paid
Children allowed

Facilities

WiFi available
Free WiFi
Parking
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Swimming pool
24-hour front desk
Restaurant
Room service
Business center
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Great location and impressive views
Friendly/helpful staff frequently mentioned
Consistently praised breakfast (fresh and delicious)
Clean rooms and comfortable beds noted by many
Amenities liked by some (ironing station, spa)
Cons:
Room quality issues: poor TV, old furniture, broken windows, malfunctioning remotes/doors
Amenity gaps: lack of air-conditioning/heating, no USB plugs/microwaves in rooms
Service inconsistencies: maintenance unavailability, early housekeeping, key-card problems
Value confusion: unclear breakfast inclusion and extra charges (coffee/bar prices)
Plumbing/fixtures issues: leaking/stinking toilet, bathtub/sink plug problems

Categories

Cleanliness
7.2
Mixed signals: several guests praised clean rooms and bathrooms, but multiple reports of dirty towels, a stinking/leaking toilet, and occasional housekeeping issues lowered the score.
Service
8
Generally friendly and helpful staff noted frequently (receptionists, restaurant staff), but issues with maintenance availability, early housekeeping, key-card problems and some unfriendly bar staff created inconsistencies.
Location
9.4
Consistently praised: central location, great views and easy access to town cited by many reviewers — a standout strength for the property.
Room Quality
6.8
Mixed to negative: comfortable beds and spacious rooms reported, but recurring problems with old furniture, poor TV quality, broken windows, non-working remotes/door mechanisms and ventilation issues indicate need for refurbishment.
Amenities
7
Some appreciated amenities (ironing station, spa), but many rooms lacked air-conditioning/adequate heating, USB plugs, microwaves or working room phones — inconsistent amenity provision.
Value for Money
7.2
Mixed: breakfast and room value praised by several guests, but confusion about what is included (paid cappuccino/latte, unclear breakfast inclusion) and an expensive bar affected perceived value.
Food and Beverage
9.1
Strong positive sentiment: multiple guests described breakfast as excellent, fresh and delicious; restaurant hospitality was highlighted, with only occasional remarks about staff behavior or high bar prices.
Overall Experience
8.5
Overall positive with caveats: many guests reported enjoyable or excellent stays thanks to location, views, breakfast and friendly staff, while some notable negatives (rooms, TV, maintenance) prevented a perfect score.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-08-12 21:09

Property Description

Award-Winning Cuisine - Indulge in exquisite dining experiences at Royal Hotel's two restaurants, serving up culinary delights that have won awards for their exceptional flavors and presentation.

Panoramic Views - Wake up to breathtaking vistas of either the vibrant cityscape or the picturesque yacht harbour from the comfort of your stylish guest room, offering a unique perspective of Durban.

Top-Floor Swimming Pool - Relax and unwind at the hotel's exclusive swimming pool located on the top floor, where you can soak up the sun while enjoying panoramic views of the city skyline.

Experience luxury and convenience at Royal Hotel. Book now to secure your stay in the heart of Durban's CBD.

Important information:

Guests are required to show a photo ID and credit card upon check-in. Please note that all Special Requests are subject to availability and additional charges may apply.
Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.
A deposit may be required at the property.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 10:00 AM
Airport code: DUR

Location

Guest Reviews

7.9
Based on 6614 reviews
Cleanliness: 7.2
Service: 8
Location: 9.4
Room Quality: 6.8
Amenities: 7
Value for Money: 7.2
Food and Beverage: 9.1
Overall Experience: 8.5
W
wonder Dickson • solo_traveller • za
2
2026-08-29 • via Nuitee
S
Sydney • solo_traveller • za
7
Satisfied
Pros:

Spacious rooms

Cons:

Aircon centrally controlled

2026-08-29 • via Nuitee
S
Sanelisiwe • solo_traveller • za
6
Pros:

The staff was nice and welcoming

Cons:

The toilet was making a noise after flushing

2026-08-27 • via Nuitee
M
Mlungisi • couple • za
5
2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
R
Rethabile • family_with_children • za
8
2026-08-25 • via Nuitee
S
Senele • couple • za
6
2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
N
Ntshimane • couple • za
10
Coming back soon
Pros:

The service is exceptional from all departments

Cons:

Carpet in the rooms, they should look tiling other rooms.

2026-08-24 • via Nuitee
S
Shirlley • solo_traveller • za
10
2026-08-23 • via Nuitee
S
Shirlley • solo_traveller • za
10
2026-08-23 • via Nuitee
S
Sarah • solo_traveller • za
9
2026-08-23 • via Nuitee
B
Barnard • solo_traveller • za
7
The hotel has amazing potential, I can only imagine what this facility would have looked liked many years ago. The hotel
Pros:

The size of the rooms and the amazing view!

Cons:

The general age of the facility is showing with the room service options and breakfast quality in need of improvement.

2026-08-22 • via Nuitee
C
Cosmo • solo_traveller • za
7
2026-08-22 • via Nuitee
S
Sibusiso • couple • za
6
Maintenance needs to be done on the functionality of equipments inside the venue
Pros:

The cleanliness

Cons:

It looks old and not maintained well

2026-08-22 • via Nuitee
B
Bridgett • couple • za
9
2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
B
Bongekile • solo_traveller • za
5
2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
N
Ngubane • couple • za
9
It was great
Pros:

Perfect location, view, staff, facilities and food. We had great time.

Cons:

Our room 1137 had bathroom with broken taps that needs to be sorted.

2026-08-20 • via Nuitee
S
Shabalala • solo_traveller • za
7
Pros:

Sea view

Cons:

Nothing

2026-08-19 • via Nuitee
N
Nkosenhle • solo_traveller • za
8
2026-08-18 • via Nuitee
W
Wesley • solo_traveller • za
8
Great stay, but upgrades are needed
Pros:

The service provided by the staff

Cons:

The outdated design and very old tv on the room

2026-08-18 • via Nuitee
S
sarupen • solo_traveller • za
2
It was once a beautiful hotel, its a shame!
Pros:

The view

Cons:

Staff could be on the same page and not give different responses about requests for food and amenities.
Place needs to be cleaned - too many staff hanging around and the place needs maintenance (there was poop on the stairs)
Staff failed to keep to the cleaning times requested and then lied about it.
The food options are awful for a vegetarian eater.

2026-08-17 • via Nuitee