Audacia Manor Hotel

South Africa , KwaZulu Natal - Durban
DURBAN, Sir Arthur Road, 11
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42 reviews shown

8/10

Excellent

22 Apr 2021

Verified traveler

Nice but....

Nice hotel with spacious room, and friendly staff, but the furnitures inside the room were about to break down and the carpet was not in the best condition. Far fron being a 5 star hotel...

Business

10/10

Exceptional

07 Nov 2020

Verified traveler

A beautiful boutique hotel with large rooms an attentive service

Business

2/10

Poor

20 Oct 2020

Amantha

Shocking experience

With COVID we looked for a hotel that was spacious with few guests. The hotel has spacious rooms and with only 10 rooms, it suited our needs.

The hotel failed to mention that they hire out the premises for events. One such event was scheduled for the Sunday morning - the team setting up worked outside our room for most of the night, and got pretty rowdy from around 6am on the Sunday morning. Completely unacceptable.

The party further increased the number of people sharing the space (a converted house) by over 40 - we could not use the main entrance as this was set up for the party and most of the 40+ guests did not wear masks, nor did they practice social distancing. The hotel did nothing to correct this.

The only up side to the stay was that management was gracious enough to let us check out early and refund us.

Lovely hotel, average service, and a complete disregard for the safety or comfort of guests!

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

14 Aug 2019

Joanne

Joanne’s review

Wonderful large room comfortable firm bed large bathroom and nice balcony with view. Area relatively safe. Very accommodating staff. Good breakfast.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 Apr 2019

Verified traveler

My husband and I were so blessed to have had the opportunity to stay at this beautiful place. The manor is a piece of history and a place to treasure. We will never forget staying there. From the moment we checked in and until we checked we checked out we felt at home and safe. Your staff were professional, and most gracious to us. Breakfasts were delicious. Our heartfelt thanks to all the staff for taking care of us. We look forward to staying at the manor when we come back to South Africa.

Friends_and_family Partner

8/10

Excellent

02 Feb 2019

Bill

Lovely hotel in a quiet part of town overlooking the city. Loved the staff who couldn’ t do enough for us including leaving us fruit to eat as we had a 4.00am departure. Food beautifullly presented and so tasty.
On the other side of the coin we felt the pool area needs some attention to draw guests to make better use of it.
If we had to single out a member of their great staff it would be Agnes who was amazing!!

10/10

Exceptional

30 Oct 2018

Verified traveler

The staff and property was very nice. We had a miscommunication about our driver that we had for the day. Did not realize that we will be charged for the mileage. Thought the price that he gave us for the day was the only price.

6/10

Pleasant

09 Oct 2018

Verified traveler

Great staff but expected more from Audacia

They staff is so lovely and friendly. The building is interesting and has lots of potential. The room was comfortable - the best part is the little balcony with sea view. It is a \"shared\" balcony some of the rooms have private balconies. No attention to detail (no extra cotton wool or amenities in bath room only just bare minimum). New towels are sorely needed.
Although there are some special furniture and art pieces, the place lacks luxury atmosphere. We expected more of 5 star establishment.
Lovely pool area.
The food not great. We had breakfast and dinner over 2 days and felt the kitchen can do better. The dinning room courtyard needs to spruced up. (needs flowers and plants. The fountain is not operational). It can be a haven if things are jacked up a bit.
It is clear that some effort has been put in however to compete with 5 star accommodation and attract the discerning traveler requires more improvements.
Room tip - if you are a light sleeper choose a room not overlooking parking area. Noisy people arrived, loud music woke us up. The checkin and checkout was smooth. Lovely people.

10/10

Exceptional

31 Aug 2018

Dave

Great staff, very accommodating and saw to every need

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jun 2018

Derek

Fantastic Time

This was actually a last minute booking because the previous placed I booked was not adequate nor matched everything that I saw online. I wasn't looking for anything fancy but this place was one of the only ones still available that offered free breakfast and WiFi in my room with a good location. Everything about the stay was great. They were all incredibly accommodating and did a wonderful job of welcoming me and making me feel at home. Specifically Shannon, the general manger, knows how to treat her guest and provides individual attention to help ensure you have a great stay. I'd return in a heartbeat and plan on it the next time I visit Durban.

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jul 2017

Gabriel D'Oliveira

Old school charm with superb hospitality

This is a charming converted Baron's house, hight ceilings, dark wood and period furniture. What really sets it apart is the charm and hospitality of the staff, especially Jean Francois! The standards are high here, food is top class, hotel is beautiful and I highly recommend it. WiFi a bit slow.

6/10

Pleasant

23 Sep 2016

John

none

the shower floor needs to be cleaned and the general upkeep needs attention eg cant lock the room door from inside -- not good experience

8/10

Excellent

09 Mar 2016

H N

A Manor House, surrounded by garden.

We greatly enjoyed our stay.
Very quiet, pleasant and safe surroundings.
Excellent breakfast and delicious dinner.
Warm swimming pool.

6/10

Pleasant

16 Jan 2016

festus

Friendly staff, great food and service; but shy blankets (nowhere to be found). Cable TV options not ideal for young family.

Family

8/10

Excellent

04 Dec 2015

Jenni

Old world charm

The place is lovely, the house is great as was the food. My only issues were they could do with a reception bell as it was very hard sometimes to get staff attention quickly - but when you did get their attention, service was great. The location is best suited to people who have their own car, as is quite residential. But there is still a lovely view of the ocean.

6/10

Pleasant

22 Nov 2015

Verified traveler

Beautiful building, but need more attention.

lovely building, but need to be refurbished. The door of the room didn't shut without locking, which was not mended during out 3 nights stay.

There was a wedding going on on Saturday, which made quite noisy, disturbing our sleep a bit. We should be notifed about this event in advance.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

26 Oct 2015

Verified traveler

A lovely quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of the city center. It was a bit difficult to find, so be sure to get directions before arriving! I greatly enjoyed my stay and will definitely return on future visits to Durban.

8/10

Excellent

15 Oct 2015

Verified traveler

Our visit at African Pride will be one to remember. The superior King room is really amazing, with the highlights for us being the outdoor spa bath and outdoor shower. It is very romantic, and my boyfriend proposed to me while we were there :) We definitely hope to be viting again soon!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

01 Jun 2015

Subhash

A Great Boutique Hotel in Durban

Very large, well appointed rooms with period decor is the main thing about this place. Highly recommend.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 May 2015

Angi

Lovely weekend in Durban

We had a great weekend at the African Pride Audacia Hotel. The food was wonderful, the room welcoming and comfortable, and the staff exceptionally warm. We hope to visit Durban and the Audacia Hotel again in the future. The only small glitch was the lack of internet for the weekend.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

25 Mar 2015

Verified traveler

beautiful, but better management needed

No one seemed to be in charge when we arrived - Wifi was down for the first night, no one could answer questions, and service at the restaurant was frustratingly slow. Things seemed to run a lot smoother when the owner was there the next 2 days, but we wish there had been a manager there on the 1st night... Otherwise, beautiful hotel and amazing room.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Mar 2015

ahmed

Highly Recommended!

Outstanding hotel, Great friendly staff, Excellent location and breakfast

Family

10/10

Exceptional

25 Feb 2015

David's Eagle's

The grand old 1920s

Audacia Manor is a colonial-style 1920s home transformed into a boutique 5-star guesthouse. Claw-foot oval bathtubs, spacious rooms and all the modern comforts you could wish for (air-conditioning, fridge in room, large TV, etc) define the hotel. A good-sized pool, as well as a spacious terrace overlooking the sea in the distance, where breakfast (or dinner) is served, adds to the facilities.
The hotel is located in a high-security, residential area and most of the Durban taxi drivers didn't know how to find the place so it's a good idea to have the hotel's phone number on you when out and about.
Service staff is very friendly and the breakfast is copious and excellent. The only down-side was our dinner there. Perhaps due to the fact that several private events were taking place at the same time as our dinner, we had to wait forever and several of the dishes we had ordered were switched for others we hadn't ordered. Having waited so long for each course, we simply setllted for whatever was served. There again, a bit of a disappointment: the beef was chewy and not cooked rare, the way we had ordered it.
Nonetheless I would return anytime to the oasis of quiet and the lovely garden that this place offers.

10/10

Exceptional

07 Feb 2015

Stephen

Durban?

We spent two nights here on the way from a safari camp to Cape Town. It was our first visit to Africa. We didn't know how to choose a Durban hotel. We didn't know what part of town to look in. We didn't want to make a mistake. Anyway this is a very fabulous place! A beautiful 1926 villa converted to a small boutique hotel with charm, rooms out of a movie, a beautiful pool, in a really tony neighborhood. (Neighbourhood for the Brits.) An English Arts and Crafts gem. Melanie in the kitchen created really, really creative dinners and breakfasts. I was pretty surprised to be in such luxury at the price. Now there was not a lift to the second floor (one above ground floor for you Americans), but a terrific young staff who were delighted to lug my suitcases. Clean. Aesthetically superior in ambiance. Very safe. Seriously plush in an old-time way. I would always stay here.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Nov 2014

Ned

Clean, comfortable, welcoming and excellent food

The hotel is situated in one of the more desirable areas of Durban just down the road from the Presidential Palace. The premises are secure, but it also has private security as an added measure.

The rooms are spacious and well furnished, the staff friendly and hospitable and the menu just excellent as is the food.

The head waiter, Jean Francois, is an excellent source of knowledge and advice to any tourist. His advice and general guidance was greatly appreciated over the following weeks of our stay.

This was the perfect start to our holiday in KZN and I highly recommended it to others. Needless to say, it is also excellent value for money.

Jean Francois appreciated real coffee and kindly obliged my request for fresh coffee to be brought to our room before breakfast.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Sep 2014

Verified traveler

Wonderful and Beautiful!

It was a difficult time as I had travelled from the U.K. to attend a family funeral. I wanted a place that would look after us during this difficult time. I am happy to say that on all levels : the grand beauty of the colonial hotel, pool, ambience, dining on the outside terrace over looking Durban, 5 star food and amazing service from the staff. Jean - Francois and his team were exceptional in meeting our needs and requests. I am very grateful for their understanding, professionalism and superb service. Our family would like to say a Big thank you to all the staff and hope to return under better circumstances in the future.

6/10

Pleasant

18 Sep 2014

Bruce

Nice neighborhood

The hotel is nice. An old estate that was converted to hotel. Rooms are big. The staff very nice and helpful. Only problem was the hotel did not find my booking and could only put me up for one night despite that I had booked and paid for two. They said they would work it out so I would not be charged for two nights and were very willing to find accommodation for my second night as they had two parties going on and were fully booked. Over all a good experience despite that.

Family

8/10

Excellent

15 Mar 2014

MWB

Met our needs

Thick duvet in hot weather, needed very thin one. Lighting in bedroom was far too dim - bathroom was fine. Dinner menu was too limited in scope, though food was good. Breakfast coffee from percolator was like mud and undrinkable - we always had to ask for instant coffee. Toast and jam should not require a request, they should be routinely provided. Good setting in Durban, a few minutes drive from a very pleasant beach and up a hill, so fine view. Gardens in good shape and swimming pool good. Built in 1928 so rooms and furniture have character. We had a spacious room with its own secluded patio with jacuzzi. Overall I recommend this hotel and would return to it.

6/10

Pleasant

10 Mar 2014

Chesca

Mixed feelings about our stay. Sombre colours everywhere and poorly ventilated so cooking smells were everywhere. No introduction to hotel facilities and where meals were served. Very poor dinner there. Staff tried to be helpful and were friendly. Appears to suit business men so lots of phone calls etc. during dinner and breakfast. Beautiful building and some lovely touches such as the lovely macaroons and fruit which was left in the room.

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jan 2014

jane

Nice hotel

Good hotel in a quieter part of town but very close to beach, Moses Madhiba stadium and not far to other attractions that Durban has.

The hotel staff were great as we had loads of luggage and bikes but storing them for us was no issue.

10/10

Exceptional

16 Oct 2013

Bianca

Perfect for a long stay

I had a great time during a two week stay and the staff were exceptionally accommodating of any requests (including letting me order in pizza for kids whose parents had popped in for a drink on the gorgeous verandah). It's a shame more Durbanites don't use it for its hospitality and location.

10/10

Exceptional

19 May 2013

Davo

Wonderfully welcoming

Staff were very welcoming and helpful. Food in the restaurant was very good. The room amenities had to be seen to be believed just fabulous, outdoor spa and shower included. Sitting on the verandah looking out over Durban city at night was wonderful.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

23 Apr 2013

Phumeles

Fantastic service

The most rewarding experience

8/10

Excellent

13 Mar 2019

nicolas

ottimo soggiorno stile vecchia durban

bellissima casa, personale gentile, ottima air condition e wifi , il tutto avrebbe bisogno di una rinfrescata e di personale piu' esperto

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jul 2018

Wagner

Great location

Great hotel with an amazing room in an amazing old duch house!! Friendly staff and great location! Great to stay!

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jun 2016

Andreas

Historiskt vackert och lugnt hotell

Fantastiskt litet hotell i lugnt område och vacker utsikt över Durban. Bra service och trevlig personal. Mycket god mat från restaurangen.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 Dec 2015

Andreas

Topadresse

Extrem zuvorkommendes Personal .
Gast stand immer im Mittelpunkt , Sonderwünsche wurden gerne erfüllt .
Gute Speisekarte u Qualität !
Exklusives Ambiente eines alten manors
Würde jederzeit wieder buchen

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

01 Nov 2015

Cris

Nice hotel with dissapointing service

The hotel itself met my expectations: nice, spacy and confortable rooms with classis furniture.
Secure location, being about 2 minutes of the state house - venue where the president stays during his vsits to Durban.

Cozy restaurant with a nice, sunny terras looking over the swimmingpool.

All well until service.
Most of the hotel guests are there for business, so they need a fast and efficient breakfast service.
If you arrive at the restaurant in the monring, you will find no staff anywhere. Plan about 45 minutes for the breakfast, as the speed of service is quite different that what you could expect.
If you liked a dish on the menu, do not make the mistake to oredr same dish another day. You will be surprised, but your dish could look and even taste quite different from the previous time. save yourself and stay with the good experience!

It is of major importance that you learn the layout of the hotel and you discover all the service rooms, as you will need to go and find the staff in case you need something - order food or beverages, or even check out.
The staff is friendly and helpful, but first you need to find them.

Wifi free of charge, but do not count on it. Mostly so instable, that your device will not be able to cope.
Do not count on Wifi.

8/10

Excellent

14 Mar 2015

Verified traveler

Das Hotel an sich war sehr schön und hatte einen tollen Stil. Es liegt in einer eher ruhigen guten Gegend, aber dafür auch relativ weit entfernt vom Strand. Zu Fuß ist leider zu weit zum Strand, und jedes mal ein Taxi bestellen kann schon recht teuer werden. Wir waren im Großen und Ganzen eigentlich zufrieden, vor allem auch weil das Essen hervorragend war. Also ein Kompliment an die Köchin! :) Der Service war leider sehr schwankend, und das war ein sehr großer Minuspunkt für uns. An manchen Tagen war der Service ganz ok, und an anderen wiederum katastrophal, was sehr schade war, da man bei einem 5-Sterne-Hotel eigentlich eine Konstante erwarten sollte, aber irgendwie wusste da manchmal keiner so wirklich welche Aufgabe ihm zufällt und keiner war nur für einen Bereich eingeplant und so lief manchmal alles etwas durcheinander. Aber wie gesagt ansonsten war es wirklich ok!

8/10

Excellent

12 Mar 2015

ALICE

Schönes Hotel in guter Lage

Ein sehr schönes Hotel, mit exklusiver Einrichtung, den 20er Jahren nachempfunden, ein sehr schöner Garten, sehr sauber, ein hervorragendes Essen! Eigentlich ein Kleinod!
Leider scheint das leitende Personal total überfordert zu sein und selbst auf kleine Anfragen wurde wegen \"Überlastung\" nicht eingegangen. Wifi funktionierte nicht.
Schade! Welches Potential hat dieses wunderschöne Hotel! Trotz der Erfahrung mit dem Personal möchten wir den Aufenthalt dort nicht missen!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Mar 2015

Verified traveler

leuk en verzorgd typisch zuid Afrikaans

Hotel was goed,jammer dat er geen restaurant bij zit. Ontbijt is wel aanwezig.
Op loop afstand zijn er restaurants,maar alleen doen als het licht is. Evt. kan er wel 's ochtends maaltijden voor 's avonds besteld worden.
Het meest ideale is een auto te hebben. Je zit in ongeveer 10 minuten bij het strand. Met een taxi kost dit ongeveer R100

10/10

Exceptional

22 Nov 2014

sylvain

Excellent choix dans un quartier près de la ville

Je n ai rien a redire sur cet établissement. Tout était parfait. Bien situé et a 30 minutes a pied du centre ville. Bon accueil et la nourriture très bonne ! Nous aurions dû sejourner 1 nuit de plus.

Family