Waking up to views of the sea and the hills? Sign me up! Blue Waters Hotel has prime views of Durban but is that all they have to offer? If you prefer great views over great hospitality then this Durban beachfront hotel is for you! Here’s why I think this…
Like most hotels around the world, booking online took no longer than 10 mins to complete. You get to choose your room, dining options, bed preferences (twin or double), whether you’d like a higher or lower floor plus they have an extra section for your estimated arrival time. I loved that the hotel lets you choose where you’d like to be situated in the building. This girl has her head in the clouds so naturally, I picked a higher floor.
Checking into our room
We took a late afternoon flight to Durban and arrived at our hotel at around 8.30pm. The reception area was quiet except for the receptionist chatting up some guys on their way out. A hospitality student stepped in to check us in and everything seemed fine until I was told that our room was on the 2nd floor. How? I picked a higher floor and given that it was the middle of Winter how is it possible that the hotel was booked out? I also booked a month in advance so why weren’t they prepared?
After her flirting session was done the receptionist stepped in and told us that they couldn’t help us and sent us on our way. Right as the lift was closing she called us back and informed us that she found a room on the 5th floor – faith was restored.
Expect, then we walked into our room and it was a double and not twin. We were then informed that we could call housekeeping and ask for them to separate it. After 3 phone calls and 20 minutes later, they eventually came to our room and everything was sorted.
At this point, I was tired, annoyed and frustrated with the hospitality of the staff. I went to bed praying that our entire stay wouldn’t be as eventful as our check-in process.
The buffet breakfast
I love food. And when I say love I mean obsessed! When we woke up the next morning we were keen to grab some breakfast and be on our way. All I can say is, the food did not disappoint!
The Blue Waters Hotel breakfast was extensive! Hot section, cold section, muesli, waffles and toast all greet you as you walk in. If you want it, they’ll probably have it. I love options and I really loved how I was spoilt for choice in the mornings.
Are the staff helpful?
We loved the breakfast staff, they were smiling and happy and very eager to help wherever they could. The front desk staff? Not so much. We saw a bus pass the hotel every 20 mins and a quick Google search showed that it takes you along the beachfront all the way to uShaka Marine World. We decided to ditch the R150 Uber ride and try out the R5 bus trip instead. I called their information number, got the nearest pick-up point (behind the hotel) and headed down to reception. When we asked the front staff where exactly the back of the hotel was and where we could find the bus they looked at us blankly and said: “We don’t know, maybe try walking down the road and just look for it”. NICE! No offer to call someone or ask a manager.
Honestly, their response was exactly what I expected. I just took it with a pinch of salt and left. My Mom and I walked followed our instincts, we walked along the route we saw the bus take and 5 minutes later we found the bus stop. If we had listened to the hotel staff we would have walked in the opposite direction!
My final opinion?
If you’re looking for a 4-star hotel that includes a great breakfast, indoor pool and is central to everything, then the Blue Waters Hotel is for you! If you’re looking for super helpful staff that’s knowledgeable about the area and is willing to offer you outstanding hospitality, give this place a skip.
If you’ve ever been to Durban I’d love to know where you stayed! Leave your recommendations down below and the next time I visit the sunny town of Durbs, I’ll be sure to try it out!
