Sitting on a curved sweep of pristine beach on the Dolphin Coast, half an hour north of Durban, you will find Club Med’s latest hotel opening, Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari. Set within a former sugarcane plantation, 411 rooms and suites sit across a 32-hectare oceanfront estate, along with four outdoor temperature-controlled pools, multiple bars and dining experiences, a Sothys spa, alongside the first Club Med surf school anywhere in the world, and best of all, it’s all-inclusive, so one fixed price covers your room, dining, drinks, and the vast majority of activities. And the very clever part? You can pair the experience with Vikela Safari Lodge, Club Med’s brand new safari lodge set within an 18,000-hectare private game reserve, a four-and-a-half-hour drive inland, to combine two incredible South African experiences into one single luxury holiday. The Luxury Editor was invited to the inaugural opening of Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari, so read on to find out more.
Africa, South Africa
Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari
Club Med History
Club Med began in the 1950s, by Gérard Blitz and Frenchman Gilbert Trigano, who pitched up tents on a campsite in Mallorca and asked guests to pay upfront, handing out beads that could then be used as currency. Staff were called Gentil Organisateur or GOs, and encouraged to socialise with guests, which is still the case today. Along the way, the kids’ club was invented and, with it, the Club Med all-inclusive premium family holiday now welcomes 1.4 million guests per year.
This latest property marks a new chapter in the brand’s growth plans. Built on a former sugarcane plantation surrounded by coastal forest, dunes and wetlands at Tinley Manor, around half an hour north of Durban, it’s set well away from the usual tourist trail of Cape Town, Johannesburg and Kruger; the area is relatively residential at the moment, but Club Med does have a reputation for creating new destinations, so there is a high chance it will work the same magic on this part of the Dolphin Coast.
Getting There
From the UK, getting there is straightforward; I flew direct from Heathrow to Johannesburg with British Airways on an 11-hour overnight flight, then it’s a one-hour internal flight to Durban’s King Shaka International Airport. Year-round pleasant weather means there’s really no bad time to visit, but for the warmest days, I suggest visiting during South Africa’s summer, which runs from November to April, while winter, from June to October, brings the bonus of whale season to the coast.
Interiors
Set across a large footprint, a central building houses the lobby, main bar Injabulo, and Oceana restaurant. The lobby walls rise in tall sage panels, divided by timber battens, with the space dotted with bouclé sofas that invite you to take a moment to sit down and relax. KwaZulu-Natal’s culture is highlighted thoughout; I spotted a collection of hand-carved wooden spoons, combs and staffs, arranged like a sculpture on one wall. Along a hallway, I stopped to study the framed collection of miniature carved animals and painted soapstone bowls, all telling a small part about the culture of the area.
Across staircases, local striped textiles hang, and clusters of hand-woven pendant lights in patchworks of colour hang in chandelier format.
The hotel’s main bar, Injabulo, whose name means joy in Zulu, carries the theme to a crescendo, with a centrepiece above the bar area modelled on the traditional headdress worn by women from KwaZulu-Natal (which I forgot to take a picture of, but it really is beautiful). The bar also doubles as an entertainment venue with shows performing from the stage on various nights of the week.
Rooms & Suites
Rooms are spread across a series of low-rise buildings, which step down the hillside leading to the beach; pathways wind between the buildings, planted with native planting. Each block has its own water refill station, guests are given a complimentary metal refillable bottle to use during their stay and to take with them as a memento when they leave. A laundry room for clusters of blocks means you can wash clothing if you need to, and there is also an ironing station.
Superior Rooms
I stayed in one of the hotel’s 310 superior rooms; each has a balcony, or terrace if you are on the ground floor. My room looked out above the restaurant, and all rooms offer a view looking out to the Ocean, so there really isn’t a bad view in the hotel. Interiors are fresh and playful; natural wood is paired with vibrant greens, red, and marine blues. Above the bed hangs a sculptural artwork, along with patterned cushions and a floor-standing lamp, all offering nods to local African heritage. The bathroom is open-plan, leading into the bedroom with a separate W.C. tucked away for privacy. Backlit, almost bug-eyed mirrors sit above twin sinks, and a large walk-in rain shower is lined with glossy ceramic blue-green tiles. There is also plenty of storage with three wardrobe units, and for families, this room benefited from an interconnecting door to the room next to it.
Premium Room
During my stay, I viewed the other room categories in the hotel, and I do love a good nosy. Premium rooms have extended floor space and a calmer, more muted palette and a larger corner balcony option. The bed sits against timber panelling beneath a backlit wall of woven geometric panels, and a zebra-patterned runner sits across the bed; both nod to the safari half of the guest experience. At the foot of the bed, a seating area provides a small lounge area, and across from it sits a tea and coffee console. The bathroom is semi-open to the room, with twin basins set into a half-height wall; behind it sits a walk-in shower, and tucked away is a separate W.C.
Ilanga Exclusive Collection
The Ilanga Exclusive Collection, meaning sun in Zula, is a collection of 66 suites, styled as beachfront villas, ranging from 70 to 180 square metres, with a large outside terrace and an inside lounge and separate dining area. In the bedroom, the bed floats in the middle of the room, with the bathroom sitting behind, complete with a hatch that can open and close between the bedroom and bathroom; the bathroom has a tub and a separate walk-in shower.
Operating as a hotel within a hotel, this suite category provides access to a separate building set apart from the busier main pool area, and connected to the suites’ private lobby. The space includes a lounge and bar, jacuzzis and daybeds, along with separate check-in facilities. Ideal for couples looking for an enhanced luxury experience, I was really impressed with the product offering.
Oceana
Oceana is the hotel’s main dining space, laid out across five dining rooms; each room tells a little piece of a story about the sea outside, ranging from coral reefs and marine mammals to shoals of fish. I have had many a hotel buffet in my time, but this could be one of the more impressive. Rather than a long buffet laid out which you work your way along, the food is instead grouped into open cooking stations, each station serving a different theme or cuisine, and it’s comprehensive; there is virtually everything you can think of. A grill serves cooked meats and fish, a tandoor oven turns out fresh breads along with Indian curries, a dessert station, a pasta station, a salad bar; the list goes on and on and you could eat something different each day of your stay.
Breakfast
Lunch & Dinner
Nguini
Nguni, the hotel’s à la carte dining option, is located next to the spa and adults’ pool. Open from morning till night, it acts as an all-day dining spot, where you can grab a coffee or double park a coffee with a glass of fizz, as in my case! Quick lunch options include burgers and salads. In the evening, the menu is designed around the concept of braai, South Africa’s concept of gathering around the fire, with a focus on grilled meats. The restaurant interiors are finished in a sophisticated palette of earthy brown tones; an outdoor bar and terrace extend the space, with plenty of tables and sofas to spend a lazy afternoon relaxing.
Garden Party
A real highlight during my stay was the weekly garden party. The lawn is transformed into an outdoor dining area, fire pits crackle, acrobats entertain, and tables are dressed immaculately, ready for a celebration. Run in buffet format, cooking podiums sit outside next to the lawn, and again, like Oceana, there is an abundance of food choices, and like me, you will likely be going up for third and fourth helpings… A braai station has chefs working in what felt like a choreographed routine, turning steaks and roasted chickens. A towering seafood display at another station was piled high with scallops on the half shell, crayfish and whole fish ready for the grill. Elsewhere, a fruit station overflowed with pineapples, papayas and citrus for fresh juices, and wines from Diemersdal Estate in the Western Cape were poured all evening. I chatted to a chef in a beaded headband ladling out koeksisters, the plaited doughnuts fried and soaked in spiced syrup that are a South African institution, and definitely impossible to stop at just one.
Swimming Pools
There is no shortage of swimming options either; the main pool sits in an infinity pool format in an L-shape wrapping around the lobby and Oceana’s terrace, lined with day beds and parasols. The adults-only Zen pool can be found next to Nguini elevated slightly, ringed by scalloped white parasols interspersed by four-poster day beds, in front of it, woven loungers are scattered across a lawn space.
Families have a separate pool area next to the kids club, all to themselves, and the final pool – the Ilanga pool is for Exclusive Collection guests.
Sport & Leisure
Sport and leisure activities are where Club Med comes into its own, with a cornucopia of activities all included in the price, which range from padel courts to tennis, ping pong, a lake for water sports, so you can try out kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding, a football pitch, and if you are a little more daring (which I realised I am not) there is a circus area, with its own flying trapeze, and for a more zen a timber platform shaded by a reed roof which looks out to the sea, is an idyllic setting for a sunrise yoga session. Add to this archery, beach volleyball, touch rugby, boules, fitness classes and a cardio training room, plus the surf school down on the beach, and you could easily fill a week without repeating anything.
Kids Club
Club Med pioneered the kids’ club, and there is a large club centre next to the family pool. Children are welcome from four months old, with Baby Club Med (four months to two years) and Petit Club Med (two to three years) available at extra cost, while Mini Club Med for four to ten-year-olds, Teens Club Med for 11 to 13-year-olds and the Chill Pass for 14 to 17-year-olds are all included.
Spa
The spa has partnered with two skincare brands, France’s Sothys and Terres d’Afrique, a locally sourced South African brand. There are nine treatment rooms, including a couples’ suite, alongside dedicated manicure and pedicure rooms and an outdoor palapa hut. The treatment rooms feature softly lit plaster walls. I opted for a very relaxing back and shoulder massage and afterwards took some time to relax in the hammam and followed up with a tea in the relaxation room. On the way out, I found myself almost slipping into a meditative trance, watching the gold pendulum installation slowly trace patterns into a bed of sand. Treatments are an extra cost, and it is best to book ahead.
Surf School
Next to the coastal dunes, brings you to a two-level, California-style beach house, home to Club Med’s first-ever surf school. It’s run with surf partner Hurricane and a team of experienced coaches, and the setting couldn’t be better, with the beaches around Ballito well known among surfers for their consistent Indian Ocean swell. Beginner and intermediate courses are included in the all-inclusive price for adults and children aged eight and over, with wetsuits and boards provided, while children from four can join introductory sessions and dry lessons on the sand before taking on the waves. For those wanting a little extra attention, private lessons and board hire are available at an extra cost, and there’s a Hurricane surf shop on site for picking up a new wetsuit or souvenir. Upstairs, the open-air Dune Beach Bar is the place to be once the lessons are done, serving light bites like poké bowls with a front-row view of the beach below.
Safari
Once you have finished relaxing at Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari, it’s time to goto their safari lodge. Located within the bushveld of northern KwaZulu-Natal, around a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Durban and 280 miles from Johannesburg, lies Vikela Safari Lodge. 75 safari tents in couple and family configurations look out across savannah landscapes. Two game drives a day head out in search of the big five, read the full review here.
Final Thoughts
Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari reinvents the classic South African holiday with triumphant success, bringing the bush and the beach finally together under one seamless trip and all for one price. We were hooked the minute we arrived and know you will be too!
