I visited the Umhlanga Sands Lifestyle Resort in last week September, 2010 which is located in the Umhlanga Rocks Area which is about 20 minutes from the Durban City Centre in South Africa. I exchanged one of my RCI Weeks for a week at this resort and I was very impressed by what I saw. It is to be noted that this is a Gold Crown Resort and it definitely lives up to its expectation.
Let me state up front that this is a resort for couples with kids as most of the entertainment and activities at this resort have kids as the main target group. If you are a honeymooning couple or are in for a romantic getaway then avoid this resort and go for the Cabana Beach Resort which is located next door which will be more suited to your taste. You may find the Umhlanga Sands Southern Sun Lifestyle Resort a bit too noisy with too much stuff happening all around.
The Umhlanga Sands Southern Sun Lifestyle Resort is situated 20 minutes from the King Shaka International Airport and 15 minutes from the Durban City Centre. It is located exactly at the mid point of the Airport and the City Centre in the Umhlanga Rocks Area. The Umhlanga Rocks area is the best place to stay when you are in Durban and the most economical as well as compared to the hotels on the Golden Mile Sea Coast in Durban which are definitely not worth the amount which they charge. A taxi from the airport to the Umhlanga Sands Southern Sun Lifestyle Resort will cost you ZAR 200 one way and the resort can arrange for a pick up (you can alternatively book from one of the cab companies of which Umhlanga Cabs in the most efficient, offers the best rates and is the most preferred).
The check in is from Saturday to Saturday and the check-in process can be very time consuming as everyone checks in at the same time and you may have to wait a wile which may spoil the first impression you get of the resort, but do not let that bother you. I would rate the resort rooms as absolutely awesome due to the following reasons.
(1) 4 beds across 2 rooms. 2 single beds for the kids and a double bed in the main room. No extra bedding required and no one needs to sleep on the floor
(2) Partial Kitchenette equipped with a toaster, microwave and fridge and lots of crockery and cutlery. There is no cooking range which disappointed me a bit
(3) Huge bathroom with rooms being cleaned and linens changed on a daily basis
(4) Main bedroom is awesome with a sit out balcony overlooking the beautiful Indian Ocean – all rooms are sea facing and the view especially in the evening is awesome
(5) Adequate cupboard space for a family of 4 for a week
In addition to the awesome room the following activities organized by the resort staff make the resort even more exciting for kids
(1) Brai (Barbeque) is organized twice a week usually on Sunday’s and Tuesday’s
(2) Live Entretainment and quizzes and game shows on a daily basis
(3) A lot of Games are sporting events for kids
(4) 2 Restaurants and a Bar, 3 pool including one which is adults only
(5) Beachwear Shop, Massage parlour, hair dresser, hand ball field, gym and many other amenities
Other local attractions when you are staying in this resort are as follows. The resort staff will be able to guide you on the bookings which need to be made.
(1) 1 day trip to Durban city preferable in the Rickshaw Bus which takes you around 23 important spots in the city
(2) Gateway Mall which is an awesome place to shop, catch a movie and relax
(3) Kashmir Restaurant which is a 15 minute walk away and other good restaurants in the Umhlanga Rocks Area
I would highly recommend this resort for a week’s stay especially if you have kids travelling with you.
Let me state up front that this is a resort for couples with kids as most of the entertainment and activities at this resort have kids as the main target group. If you are a honeymooning couple or are in for a romantic getaway then avoid this resort and go for the Cabana Beach Resort which is located next door which will be more suited to your taste. You may find the Umhlanga Sands Southern Sun Lifestyle Resort a bit too noisy with too much stuff happening all around.
The Umhlanga Sands Southern Sun Lifestyle Resort is situated 20 minutes from the King Shaka International Airport and 15 minutes from the Durban City Centre. It is located exactly at the mid point of the Airport and the City Centre in the Umhlanga Rocks Area. The Umhlanga Rocks area is the best place to stay when you are in Durban and the most economical as well as compared to the hotels on the Golden Mile Sea Coast in Durban which are definitely not worth the amount which they charge. A taxi from the airport to the Umhlanga Sands Southern Sun Lifestyle Resort will cost you ZAR 200 one way and the resort can arrange for a pick up (you can alternatively book from one of the cab companies of which Umhlanga Cabs in the most efficient, offers the best rates and is the most preferred).
The check in is from Saturday to Saturday and the check-in process can be very time consuming as everyone checks in at the same time and you may have to wait a wile which may spoil the first impression you get of the resort, but do not let that bother you. I would rate the resort rooms as absolutely awesome due to the following reasons.
(1) 4 beds across 2 rooms. 2 single beds for the kids and a double bed in the main room. No extra bedding required and no one needs to sleep on the floor
(2) Partial Kitchenette equipped with a toaster, microwave and fridge and lots of crockery and cutlery. There is no cooking range which disappointed me a bit
(3) Huge bathroom with rooms being cleaned and linens changed on a daily basis
(4) Main bedroom is awesome with a sit out balcony overlooking the beautiful Indian Ocean – all rooms are sea facing and the view especially in the evening is awesome
(5) Adequate cupboard space for a family of 4 for a week
In addition to the awesome room the following activities organized by the resort staff make the resort even more exciting for kids
(1) Brai (Barbeque) is organized twice a week usually on Sunday’s and Tuesday’s
(2) Live Entretainment and quizzes and game shows on a daily basis
(3) A lot of Games are sporting events for kids
(4) 2 Restaurants and a Bar, 3 pool including one which is adults only
(5) Beachwear Shop, Massage parlour, hair dresser, hand ball field, gym and many other amenities
Other local attractions when you are staying in this resort are as follows. The resort staff will be able to guide you on the bookings which need to be made.
(1) 1 day trip to Durban city preferable in the Rickshaw Bus which takes you around 23 important spots in the city
(2) Gateway Mall which is an awesome place to shop, catch a movie and relax
(3) Kashmir Restaurant which is a 15 minute walk away and other good restaurants in the Umhlanga Rocks Area
I would highly recommend this resort for a week’s stay especially if you have kids travelling with you.
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