City Lodge Hotel Umhlanga Ridge is a practical, mid-priced base at 2 Palm Boulevard in Umhlanga, in the commercial and shopping district behind the coast. a four-class hotel graded by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa, with 168 rooms across five floors, built in 2003. Its main advantage is convenience. The Gateway Theatre of Shopping is two minutes away on foot, and so are coffee shops and cafes, and the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board is a five-minute walk. The hotel has an outdoor pool with sun loungers, a gym, a bar, a restaurant and coffee shop, and a garden. Free self parking, free extended parking and free WiFi in all rooms make it good value for travellers who have a car and need a clean, simple room. It is less atmospheric than the beach hotels, but it suits business trips and families who want facilities and shops on the doorstep.
Location and getting around
The hotel is in Umhlanga Ridge, a few minutes by car from the lighthouse and the beach. Oceans Mall is about three minutes by car and Umhlanga Lighthouse about three, so the promenade is easy to reach by taxi or ride-hailing car, though the hotel is not on the sea.
King Shaka International Airport is about twenty-two minutes away. An airport shuttle runs on request for 260 rand per room each way. The Gateway shopping centre two minutes away has restaurants and adventure activities, which makes evenings easy without leaving the area.
Rooms and costs
The hotel has air conditioning, a lift, a 24-hour front desk, laundry and dry cleaning, luggage storage, a business centre and a meeting room, and the premises are smoke-free. Breakfast is a buffet served from half past six to ten, and it costs 235 rand per person, so it is an extra to budget for. Cooked and light options are also available nearby at the cafes close to the hotel.
Policies
Check-in starts at two in the afternoon, check-out is before eleven and the minimum check-in age is eighteen. Children are welcome, but cribs and rollaway beds are not available, and children under eighteen must be accompanied by a parent who can show proof of the relationship on arrival. Pets and service animals are not allowed.
The hotel accepts credit cards but not cash, and a photo ID and a card or cash deposit may be required at check-in. Who it suits: self-drive visitors, business travellers and families who want a simple, dependable room near shops, with the sea a short ride away.
Choosing it well
The hotel is best treated as a comfortable, straightforward base rather than a destination in itself, with value coming from parking, WiFi and the shops next door. Book early for school holidays and conference weeks, when business travel fills the rooms, and ask about a quiet room away from the lifts. If you plan to see the whales or walk the promenade, take a short drive to the coast, which is only a few minutes away.
Why stay here
- ✓Outdoor pool with sun loungers
- ✓Gym
- ✓Restaurant and coffee shop
- ✓Bar
- ✓Free self and extended parking
- ✓Free WiFi in all rooms
- ✓Business centre and meeting room
- ✓Airport shuttle on request for a fee
Good questions
Is breakfast included at City Lodge Umhlanga Ridge?+
No. A buffet breakfast is served from half past six to ten at 235 rand per person.
How close is it to the shops?+
The Gateway Theatre of Shopping is about two minutes on foot, and the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board is about five minutes away.
Is parking free?+
Yes, free self parking and extended parking are offered.
