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The Royal Hotel

3.0 star property
Colonial hotel with spa services and 24-hour front desk

Choose dates to view prices

Photo gallery for The Royal Hotel

Coffee shop
Terrace/patio
Front of property
Hallway
Lounge
The Royal Hotel offers spa treatments including body wraps and massages in downtown Durban. Guests can enjoy meals at the restaurant, relax by the outdoor pool, use in-room WiFi, and grab coffee at the café. Visitors consistently mention the helpful hotel staff.

Reviews

7.2 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Spa
  • Room service
  • 24/7 front desk
  • Pool
The current price is AU$69
includes taxes & fees
23 Oct - 24 Oct

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 4 of 4 rooms

View all photos for Deluxe Room, 1 Queen Bed, Non Smoking, Harbour View

Deluxe Room, 1 Queen Bed, Non Smoking, Harbour View

Deluxe Room, 1 Queen Bed, Non Smoking, Harbour View

7.0 out of 10
Good
(2 reviews)

Highlights

Soundproofed
Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Flat-screen TV
Separate bedroom
Private bathroom
Separate bath and shower
  • 30 sq m
  • Harbour view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Deluxe Twin Room, 2 Single Beds, Non Smoking, City View

1 bedroom, in-room safe, individually decorated, individually furnished

Deluxe Twin Room, 2 Single Beds, Non Smoking, City View

Highlights

Soundproofed
Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Flat-screen TV
Separate bedroom
Private bathroom
Separate bath and shower
  • 30 sq m
  • City view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Family Suite, 2 Bedrooms, Non Smoking, City View

Family Suite, 2 Bedrooms, Non Smoking, City View

Family Suite, 2 Bedrooms, Non Smoking, City View

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Soundproofed
Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Flat-screen TV
Separate bedroom
Bidet
Separate bath and shower
  • 2 bedrooms
  • City view
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Queen Bed and 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Executive Suite, 1 Queen Bed, Non Smoking, Harbour View

Executive Suite, 1 Queen Bed, Non Smoking, Harbour View

Executive Suite, 1 Queen Bed, Non Smoking, Harbour View

Highlights

Soundproofed
Individually furnished
Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Flat-screen TV
Separate bedroom
Bidet
Separate bath and shower
  • 60 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Harbour view
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
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About the area

Located in Durban Central Business District, a neighbourhood in Durban, The Royal Hotel is in a shopping district and near the beach. UShaka Marine World is a popular attraction and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Durban Beach and Umhlanga Rocks Beach. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead or Greyville Race Course. Kayaking, snorkelling and windsurfing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking/biking trails nearby.
Visit our Durban travel guideOpens in a new window
Map
267 Smith Street, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, 4001

What's nearby

  • Durban International Convention Centre - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • Durban Beach - 3 min drive - 2.9 km
  • Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World - 3 min drive - 2.9 km
  • uShaka Marine World - 3 min drive - 2.9 km
  • Moses Mabhida Stadium - 4 min drive - 4.3 km

Getting around

  • Durban (DUR-King Shaka Intl.) - 33 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Maxi's - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪KFC - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪KFC - ‬10 min walk
  • ‪Roma Revolving Restaurant - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪KFC - ‬6 min walk

About this property

The Royal Hotel

Hotel near uShaka Marine World
A terrace, a coffee shop/cafe and dry cleaning/laundry services are just a few of the amenities provided at The Royal Hotel. Treat yourself to spa services, such as a massage, a facial or a body treatment. The on-site restaurant offers breakfast and dinner. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi, and guests can find other amenities, such as a bar and a business centre.
Other perks at this hotel include:
  • An outdoor pool
  • Limo/town car service, buffet breakfast (surcharge) and self-parking (surcharge)
  • Concierge services, a banquet hall and a 24-hour front desk
  • A reception hall, meeting rooms and wedding services
Room features
All 206 individually furnished rooms boast thoughtful touches such as laptop-compatible safes and air conditioning, as well as amenities such as free WiFi and sound-insulated walls.
Other amenities include:
  • Bathrooms with separate baths/showers and free toiletries
  • 42-inch flat-screen TVs with satellite channels
  • Wardrobes/cupboards, daily housekeeping and phones

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  • Free WiFi
  • Air conditioning
  • Breakfast available
8.0 out of 10, Very good, 440 reviews
The price is AU$76
includes taxes & fees
22 Oct - 23 Oct
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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Height restrictions apply for on-site parking
  • 24-hour return airport shuttle on request for a surcharge
  • Train station pick-up and drop-off shuttle (surcharge)
  • Beach shuttle (surcharge)
  • Cruise terminal shuttle (surcharge)
  • Theme park shuttle (surcharge)
  • Limo/town car service
  • Secured, covered parking on site (ZAR 60 per day)
  • Limited on-site parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking available

Food and drink

  • Daily buffet breakfast available 6:30 AM to 10 AM for a fee: ZAR 185 for adults and ZAR 92.50 for children
  • A bar/lounge
  • A coffee shop/cafe
  • A restaurant
  • Snack bar/deli

Things to do

  • Outdoor pool
  • Stereo

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool
  • Snack bar/deli
  • Soundproofed rooms

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • ATM
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Porter/bellhop
  • Wedding services

Business services

  • Business centre
  • Conference centre
  • Meeting rooms

Outdoors

  • Terrace

Spa

  • 3 treatment rooms
  • Aromatherapy
  • Body scrubs
  • Body wraps
  • Couples treatment rooms
  • Deep-tissue massages
  • Facials
  • Hot stone massages
  • Manicures/pedicures
  • Reflexology
  • Swedish massages

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Handrails in stairways
  • Lift
  • Thin carpet in room
  • Well-lit path to entrance
  • Wheelchair accessibility
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible business centre
  • Wheelchair-accessible concierge desk
  • Wheelchair-accessible lounge
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible path to lift
  • Wheelchair-accessible pool
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant
  • Wheelchair-accessible spa
  • Wheelchair-width doorways

More

  • 1 building
  • 18 floors
  • Banquet hall
  • Built in 1845
  • Colonial architecture
  • Reception hall
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Separate bathtub and shower
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 42-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels

Food and drink

  • Limited room service
  • Restaurant dining guides

More

  • Air conditioning
  • Individual decor
  • Individual furnishings
  • Iron/ironing board on request
  • Laptop-compatible safe
  • Phone
  • Soundproofed rooms

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; check-in end time: anytime
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11 AM

Special check-in instructions

This property offers transfers from the cruise terminal and airport (surcharges may apply); to arrange pick-up, guests must contact the property 24 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
The property charges 3 per cent for credit card payments
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

No pets or service animals allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
Cots (infant beds) are not available

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Fee for buffet breakfast: from approximately ZAR 185 for adults and from ZAR 92.50 for children
  • Airport shuttle fee: ZAR 450 per vehicle (one-way, maximum occupancy 4)
  • Airport shuttle fee per child: ZAR 150.00 (one-way), (from 5 to 11 years old)
  • Covered self-parking fee: ZAR 60 per day
  • Credit card charges are subject to a surcharge of 3 per cent

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards and cash
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector and a first aid kit
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

We should mention

Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments; reservations can be made by contacting the property prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property
Parking height restrictions apply

National rating

Quality graded by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) – South Africa's official quality assurance organisation.

Property is also known as

Royal Durban
Royal Hotel Durban
The Royal Hotel Hotel
The Royal Hotel Durban
The Royal Hotel Hotel Durban

Frequently asked questions

Does The Royal Hotel have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

How much does it cost to stay at The Royal Hotel?

As of 19 Oct 2025, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Royal Hotel on 23 Oct 2025 start from AU$68.92, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

Is The Royal Hotel pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at The Royal Hotel?

Self-parking is available for ZAR 60 per day. Limited spots are available.

What time is check-in at The Royal Hotel?

Check-in start time: 2:00 PM; check-in end time: anytime.

What time is check-out at The Royal Hotel?

Checkout is at 11 AM.

Does The Royal Hotel provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's an airport shuttle that runs on request. A fee of ZAR 450 per vehicle applies.

Where is The Royal Hotel located?

Located in Durban Central Business District, this spa hotel is steps away from Durban Art Gallery, Farewell Square and Durban City Hall. Durban Natural Science Museum and Playhouse are just steps away.

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Reviews

The Royal Hotel Reviews

7.2

Good

7.8

Cleanliness

6.8

Location

7.4

Staff & service

7.8

Eco-friendliness

7.0

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 69 out of 252 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 81 out of 252 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 57 out of 252 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 21 out of 252 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 24 out of 252 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Sithembile

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very peaceful. Friendly staff.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Racheal

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Safe
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

VIVIAN

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great breakfast and rooms are kept clean
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

THEOPHILUS

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very good location
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Dr. Lindokuhle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Relaxing and spacious.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

8/10 Good

Magnus

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It is always so convenient to stay at the Royal
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Beautiful suite, beautiful view

I love staying in old well-kept hotels. The Royal Hotel is a perfect example. I stayed on a high floor facing the harbor. Always something going on out there from a tiny lone sailboat to a whole sailboat race to a tugboat on mysterious course in the wee hours.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Pedro Manuel Pereira

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Above and beyond great experience , staff is fantastic.
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Randall

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
For walking around during the day, this might be the best location in Durban. At night, not so much, and there are dodgy parts on the way to the Golden Mile. However the room was great, the breakfast sensational, and the staff could not be kinder and more helpful.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

6/10 Okay

Dr. Lindokuhle

Firstly staff does not take initiative in assisting guests with luggage Building is old and hold a rich history but not maintained or renovated enough to keep the standards of today not luxurious just plain boring hotel with couches that are torn and old The breakfast is not really great not appetising not enough option and very plain.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025

4/10 Poor

Sergio

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort

No Airconditioning or Openable windows

Beautiful architecturally, however, the rooms do not have air-conditioning or openable windows. Bed was comfortable and linen clean. check in was quick and easy, however, parking is an additional cost and separate to the establishment, so plan for a 5min - 10min to get to your car.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Fine hotel, good people, needs better internet

This is a hotel in the heart of downtown, with a fine staff and sizable, comfortable rooms (perhaps a bit dated). The breakfast has quite a good variety of dishes. The room has a mini-fridge, which is a valuable amenity. This hotel offers excellent value for money. The one big fault of the place lies in the internet. It was usually not reachable in my room, and even when I went to the lobby for a good connection, Windows refused to connect to it because their system uses a long-outdated security protocol. (Android did work, but only in the lobby.) If you're staying downtown, you're probably in Durban for business, not tourism, and an up-to-date functional internet with a decent signal is absolutely essential.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Muzaffar

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

6/10 Okay

Bilal

Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Richard

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Deepak

Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Mbuyiseni

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

2/10 Terrible

Nthabiseng

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

8/10 Good

Nthabiseng

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nthabiseng

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Clifford

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Magnus

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 9 nights in Jun 2024

6/10 Okay

William

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The staff was incredible. The breakfast and dinner buffets were very good with lots of options. Biggest issue is that even though it is a non-smoking hotel there is cigarette, cigar, and pot smells coming from the rooms vents even though the circulation is off. I even switched rooms because of the smell into my room, but it really didn't matter even though it was on a different floor from my original room. Thankfully my second room had a window that could open and I was able to keep the room aired out, but it still smelled of smoke. In other hotels the people who smoke in rooms are fined and removed from the hotel. Also, having the exhaust fans pulling air out of the rooms would keep it from circulating through the vent system because my vents were definitely not on. Even bought a fan at Clicks to help cool the room down for comfortable sleeping.
Stayed 8 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

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