The Riverside Hotel, by the water, offers a peaceful environment with a garden and poolside restaurant. Guests can unwind at two bars or visit the hair salon. Practical amenities include in-room WiFi and dry cleaning services, which families appreciate.
Located in Durban North, The Riverside Hotel is in the suburbs and on a river. Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve and Palmiet Nature Reserve reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include uShaka Marine World and Japanese Gardens. Travelling with kids? Consider Big Rush Urban Adrenaline, or check out an event or a game at Moses Mabhida Stadium. Scuba diving and snorkelling offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking/biking trails and skydiving nearby. Visit our Durban North travel guide
Upscale family-friendly hotel near uShaka Marine World
Consider a stay at The Riverside Hotel and take advantage of a terrace, a garden and a hair salon. The on-site restaurant, Riverside Cafe, offers breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and a poolside location. Free in-room WiFi is available to all guests, along with dry cleaning/laundry services and 2 bars.
Other perks at this hotel include:
An outdoor pool, along with pool umbrellas
Free self-parking
Buffet breakfast (surcharge), a round-trip airport shuttle (surcharge) and babysitting (surcharge)
Outdoor furniture, a 24-hour front desk and a porter/bellboy
Room features
All 169 rooms boast comforts, such as premium bedding and laptop-compatible safes, as well as thoughtful touches, such as laptop-friendly workspaces and air conditioning.
Other amenities include:
Designer toiletries, baths or showers and hairdryers
32-inch LED TVs with satellite channels
Kitchenettes, fridges and microwaves
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Available in some public areas: WiFi (ZAR 55); wired internet (surcharge)
Parking and transport
Return airport shuttle (surcharge) on request
Area shuttle (surcharge)
Free secured self parking on site
Limited on-site self parking
Wheelchair-accessible parking available
Food and drink
Daily buffet breakfast available 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM for a fee: ZAR 140 for adults and ZAR 100 for children
2 bars/lounges
A restaurant
Snack bar/deli
Restaurants on site
Hops
Riverside Cafe
Riverside Poolside Bar
Things to do
24-hour gym
Outdoor pool
Outdoor pool (guest access)
TV in common areas
Family friendly
In-room babysitting
In-room kitchenette
In-room microwave
In-room refrigerator
Laundry facilities
Outdoor pool
Snack bar/deli
Conveniences
24-hour front desk
Free newspapers in lobby
Hair salon
Laundry facilities
Luggage storage
Safe at front desk
Guest services
Concierge services
Dry cleaning/laundry service
Housekeeping (daily)
Porter/bellhop
Tour and ticket assistance
Turndown service
Wedding services
Business services
24-hour business centre
Computer station
Conference centre
Meeting rooms
Outdoors
Barbecue grill
Garden
On a river
Outdoor furniture
Pool umbrellas
Terrace
Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
Lift
Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
Wheelchair-accessible parking
Wheelchair-accessible path to lift
Wheelchairs on site
More
5 floors
Built in 1998
Designated smoking areas (fines apply)
Reception hall
Room amenities
Bedroom
Premium bedding
Tempur-Pedic mattress
Bathroom
Bathtub or shower
Designer toiletries
Hair dryer
Towels provided
Entertainment
32-inch LED TV with cable/satellite channels
Pay films
Food and drink
Coffee/tea maker
Kitchenette
Limited room service
Microwave
Refrigerator
More
Air conditioning
Connecting rooms available
Desk
Laptop workspace
Laptop-compatible safe
Phone
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: anytime
Contactless check-in and check-out are available
Minimum check-in age - 18
Check-out
Check-out before 10:30 AM
Contactless check-out
Special check-in instructions
This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); to arrange pick-up, guests must contact the property 24 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Access methods
Staffed front desk
Pets
Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
Cots (infant beds) are not available
Payment types at the property
Important information
Optional extras
Fee for buffet breakfast: from approximately ZAR 140 for adults and from ZAR 100 for children
Fee for wireless Internet in public areas: ZAR 55 (rates may vary)
Fee for wired Internet in public areas: ZAR 55 (rates may vary)
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a security system, a first aid kit and window guards
We should mention
Pool access available from 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation
Children under 12 years old are not allowed in the swimming pool, health club, fitness facility or hot tub without adult supervision
National rating
Quality graded by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) – South Africa's official quality assurance organisation.
Property is also known as
Three Cities Riverside
Three Cities Riverside Durban
aha Riverside Hotel Durban
Three Cities Riverside Hotel Durban
Riverside Hotel Durban
aha Riverside Hotel
aha Riverside Durban
aha Riverside
aha Riverside Durban North
The Riverside Hotel Hotel
The Riverside Hotel Durban North
The Riverside Hotel Hotel Durban North
Frequently asked questions
Does The Riverside Hotel have a pool?
Yes, this property has an outdoor pool. Pool access is from 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM.
How much does it cost to stay at The Riverside Hotel?
As of 9 Mar 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at The Riverside Hotel on 23 Mar 2026 start from ฿3,405, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
Is The Riverside Hotel pet-friendly?
No, only service animals are welcome at the property.
How much is parking at The Riverside Hotel?
Self-parking is free at this property.
What time is check-in at The Riverside Hotel?
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; check-in end time: anytime.
What time is check-out at The Riverside Hotel?
Checkout is at 10:30 AM.
Does The Riverside Hotel provide a shuttle to the airport?
Yes, there's an airport shuttle that runs on request.
Where is The Riverside Hotel located?
This family-friendly Durban North hotel is located on a river, within 1 mi (2 km) of Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve, Japanese Gardens and Durban Beach. Golden Mile and Windsor Park Golf Course are also within 1 mile (2 km).
Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?
Yes, this property offers free cancellation on selected room rates because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.
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Reviews
The Riverside Hotel Reviews
7.8
Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
Requested room with separate room, given room with shower in bath.
Water covering floor due to leaking fridge, which had a foot pad missing.
Water in bathroom was luke warm when on maximum heat.
They have a rat problem and way too noisy in the evening.
They rates ate the power cable that caused all the plugs to be down in the room.
The hotels drinks were worse than buying a drink in the UK. Do not recommended to my worst enemy.
I booked a suite for 2 adults and 2 children. On the app the description of the suite was that it would have a king bed and a twin bed. However, all it had was a king bed. Even after getting the manager on the line he was unable to provide a solution to the problem except to say i had to pay an extra 500 rands for an extra bed. The mistake was clearly in the hotel's description of the suite, so quite annoying that costs were passed onto me and management unable to assist.
Firstly, after making the booking and paying in full, then receiving 4 messages from the hotel either confirming my reservation, with a res.number, or thanking me for making the booking with them and that they were looking forward to me staying at the hotel.
Only for them to phone me 4 hours prior to check, whilst I was travelling to Durban, to tell me that they were fully booked and my booking had been cancelled.
I refused to accept the accuse and would arriving and expecting the room as agreed. I got my room.
This attitude, from the hotel, either due to bad planning or wanting to make extra revenue from the room stinks. Ruined our planned day.
The accommodation was comfortable, central location, quiet with professional staff.
Only issue was the shower being in the narrow bath, and then leaked water onto the floor.
Ive stayed at this hotel several times and experienced no issues before. This stay however was unsatisfactory for the following reasons
1. Only 2 pool towels were available when I requested 4. The pool was not full so where was the balance of the pool towels.. I stayed here during peak in December 2020 and there was no shortage of pool towels
2. Extra bath towels were not available as they were all in the dryer. Really?
3. The carpet was not properly vacuumed.. Dirt from previous day was still at the same spot the ffg day.
4. Hand towels were not replenished with 2, only 1.
5. Bath towelling mat was never replenished for 2 of my 3 night stay.
Overall a very pleasing breakaway from stressful and busy days.. Lovely view of the Blue lagoon area, the City skyline. Beauty of nature can also be enjoyed, many birds nestle in the trees on site. Clean, comfortable and convenient room, facilities were adequate, could possibly offer more options on TV.
I was initially made to wait and hour and a half when I was strangely told that my booking could not be found and that they did not have anymore rooms available. The irony is that the money had been taken from my account before my arrival but yet my booking was said to not have been done against it. After raising it sharply with their receptionist, they finally relented and found a room for us, which to my relief after the initial consternation. I was just disappointed that they did not put bottled water in our room even after alerting house keeping that they had forgotten to give us still water
Although the institution offers amenities usually offered by four star hotels I'm not convinced that Riverside is always deserving of four stars. Amenities were generally good however staff performance requires some corrective action. Staff appeared unprofessional at times specifically restaurant and front desk staff. Breakfasts on most mornings was late. Flies were noted on buffet food. Despite me highlighting it to staff nothing was done by staff about it at the time. Breakfast cutlery was dirty. Salt sellers were filthy. The cup on the breakfast table had dessert from the previous night still in it. Clearly not well washed nor checked by staff when setting the table. Management did take corrective but I should not be required to highlight unhygienic concerns to them especially not a four star hotel. One wonders what happens in the kitchen.
I rate this hotel three stars at best.
I was disappointed with the small room allocated to us as on 2 other occasions we had large spacious rooms and a bath for my wife.
A bit noisy this past weekend
Had a beautiful stay. Lovely spot within close proximity to all amenities,yet hidden from the crowd.Clean rooms and comfortable beds . Would do it again
Great location, beach, restaurants, activities only a few minutes away by car. Breakfast has hot and cold options however it was basically the same items for the 5 days so we were tired of it by the 3rd day. Did the friday happy hour at the bar it is 50% off drinks excluding cocktails the live music a singer who was ok. Room although small has all you need and was clean. There is a popular spot next door I didn't go but the parking area was always full because of their patrons so thats night time entertainment at your door step.
Verified traveller
Stayed 6 nights in Dec 2018
8/10 Good
Wayne
20 Oct 2018
Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Unfortunately there was a cockroach in room 302, and the water in the shower took long to drain.
Wayne
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2018
8/10 Good
Verified traveller
13 Oct 2018
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
The only problem was at check in. Person behind the counter was not very friendly.
Service was a bit on the slow side although they were very friendly and helpful.
Overall had a good stay