Accommodation in Durban

Durban has gained a reputation as an up-and-coming city, with many reasons to visit this location on the West of South Africa. It is far from the traditional tourist locations, but there have been many changes to the city, and it is now a major port for trade and industry coming from West Africa and India, meaning that many expats choose to locate to Durban in order to find work. The size of the city is booming, and improvements have also been made to encourage tourism, including the building of a casino and entertainment center, and many retail locations.

Neighborhoods

Accommodation is widely available in Durban, but most expats will probably not want to stay in the Golden Mile, a primary tourist destination, but there are also popular suburbs including Kloof, Durban North and Umhlanga, around Durban itself, which contribute to its total population of over 3 million. Those who have traveled to the area in order to conduct business or to find work may benefit from exploring these options as an alternative to living in the city center. This is a good option for those who want to live in the area on a budget, and also want to avoid excessive holiday-making and entertainment noise during the night. Being able to live and work in Durban often means living in these suburbs, and is an acceptable alternative to staying in the city center.

Types of accommodation

Expats coming to work in Durban may want to look at some of the longer-term alternatives to hotels. Short term stays, of perhaps 6 months or less, would easily be covered by a self catering apartment. There are some available in the town center itself, or in some of the suburbs close by. Town houses and chalets are also connected to the center by Durban Metro, which would make living out of the city center convenient and affordable. These apartments are available across the Natal coasts, and range between 1 and 3 bedrooms, so are suitable for most budgets.

Business travelers may need to rent something a little more upmarket when they are trying to woo customers or potential partners. There are some good boutique hotels close to the city center, less than km from the center, and some of them, such as the Albany Hotel, within a short walk of the City center and theaters. These more up-market hotels are less widely available than some of the others, and so it may make sense to try and research these and then book through a travel agent as soon as possible.

Whatever the expat's purpose in coming to Durban, their intentions will play a significant part in the type of accommodation that they choose. Workers, particularly those staying in the longer term, may prefer to choose something further away, but more convenient in terms of budget and ease of access. It may be best to seek specialist advice about how to find the best hotel or self-catering accommodation, in addition to internet research and consultations with travel agents.

Useful links:

Expat.com https://www.expat.com/en/housing
Private Property www.privateproperty.co.za
Property 24 www.property24.com
OLX durban.olx.co.za
Free Property Ads www.freepropertyads.co.za