Durban’s biggest beachfront hotel begins R250 million makeover
· The South African
Durban’s Golden Mile is set for another major boost, with Southern Sun officially beginning its R250 million makeover of the iconic Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani Hotel.
The extensive renovation forms part of the continued revival of Durban’s beachfront and will see South Africa’s largest hotel transformed over the next three years while remaining open to guests.
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A new look for one of Durban’s best-known hotels
The 734-room hotel, which dominates Durban’s beachfront skyline, was originally built as two separate towers by legendary hotelier Sol Kerzner in the 1970s before being combined into a single hotel in 2012.
According to hotel general manager Lettisha Singh, work has already started on the first 11 guest rooms, the exterior of the Elangeni tower and a new pool deck on top of the 33-storey Maharani tower.
The project will be carried out in phases to minimise disruption to guests.
Once complete, the overhaul will include:
- Refurbishment of all 734 guest rooms
- A redesigned foyer at the Elangeni tower
- Upgraded conference and events facilities
- Refreshed restaurants
- A new club lounge in the Maharani tower
- A new rooftop pool deck
Speaking during the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry’s (SAACI) annual conference, Singh said the investment reflects Southern Sun’s long-term commitment to Durban.
She described the hotel as a key tourism asset for both the city and the province, adding that the refurbishment is an exciting project for staff and visitors alike.
Part of the city’s beachfront revival
The renovation follows Southern Sun securing a new long-term lease from the eThekwini Municipality for the land on which the hotel stands.
The group’s original 50-year lease, dating back to the Kerzner era, was due to expire, prompting the city to open a competitive tender process. Southern Sun ultimately emerged as the sole bidder.
At the time, eThekwini Municipality said the agreement would unlock around R1 billion in investment across Southern Sun’s beachfront hotel portfolio over several years.
The Elangeni & Maharani is Southern Sun’s largest hotel in South Africa and one of four properties the group owns along Durban’s beachfront.
Its other Golden Mile hotels include:
- Garden Court South Beach
- Garden Court Marine Parade
- The Edward
The revamped Elangeni & Maharani is expected to reinforce its position as one of Durban’s flagship beachfront hotels while adding further momentum to the ongoing transformation of the Golden Mile.