AS part of my pre-birthday celebration, Sun International extended an invite to stay at one of their flagship properties Sibaya Lodge.
Nestled in the rolling green hills of KwaZulu-Natal, a drive from Durban City, not far from the elite uMhlanga and Ushaka Int’l Airport, it commands a 360-degree soothing view of the Indian Ocean.
Enjoying a drive away from hustling and bustling of Jozi, I and my colleagues, hit the road in a swanky and brash black GWM P Series Limited Edition. You could imagine the oohs and aahs we snaked through the tapestry of hills and mountains just to adhere to the ‘Kings calling’.
When a ‘Zulu Kingdom’ calls- you oblige.
Upon arrival in the evening, one could not help but got ‘intimate’ in the architecture of the property, with its casino, two hotels and entertainment area, that pays contemporary homage to the proud heritage of the ‘Zulu kingdom’ and its brave warriors.
Oh, what about the lush subtropical vegetation surrounding the 48-hectare North Coast property, amazing?
Our weekend stay was at Sibaya Lodge- that offers 118 rooms, class accommodation for business and holiday travel, respectively. It also feature the 36-room luxurious boutique Royal Sibaya that has sea, pool or garden facing views.
According to the PR team for Sun International- the lodge has recently had 42 rooms on its top floor renovated, that was evident when we made our way to the room, and wait for it- met up with impeached former Public Protector Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane, who was accompanied by husband Mazolman Skhosana in the corridors, all preparing to go watch Mamelodi Sundowns vs Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium, on Saturday evening for the MTN8 finale.
Bucs won the match on penalties, therefore defending their silverware.
This week Mkhwebane let it loose by joining the EFF (we ran the story) a sign of ‘desperation’, according to all and sundry.
Back to the lodge- the casino has introduced savvy slot tech machines including touch-bet Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat and Poker, or opt for Tables games.
High rollers can relax in the Salon Privé’s newly renovated lounge area before trying their luck on the machines or tables. One lucky punter recently won R13-million at the casino- the highest single pay-out in Sun International’s history.
There’s also popular “Call Card 52” game launched in 2021 after being legalised by the gambling authorities and remains a favourite, too many!
Myriad dining options await you – get your day off to a great start with a scrumptiousbreakfast or light meal or coffee at FEGO Caffé, enjoy a sumptuous dinner at Jewell of India, or a buffet meal at Tatso which offers a variety of starters, curries, stir fries, casseroles, pastas, seafood, etc…
Talk of breakfast- on Sunday morning it was packed to rafters, thus had to wait for other guests to finish off- a sign of the popularity of the lodge.
On a lighter note though- one is an adrenalin junkie therefore could go for deep-sea fishing, scuba, wreck or shark diving, snorkelling and kiteboarding, could not indulge due to limited time, but I made a promise time to go wild and join Natal Sharks board divers at dawn to patrol a 320km strip of nets off Durban’s Gold Mile and see sharks, dolphins, whales and seabirds too, or opt for a bird’s eye view from a helicopter or Microlight.
For nature lovers there’s the Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve trails with prehistoric shell midden, or black, red and white mangroves at the Nature Conservation Education Centre with Mangrove Kingfisher, Curlew, water Dikkop and Natal Nightjar.
The nearby Umgeni River Bird Park houses over 800 birds from 200 species.
Golfers are spoilt for choice. They can tee-off at the nearby Zimbali Country Club, or they can visit Durban Country Club, the Umhlali Country Club and Prince’s Grant, all along the north coast.
Oh, we also enjoyed complimentary wines and other goodies on offer!
With holidays almost upon us- why not book at this award winning hotel & casino and immerse yourself in the best hospitality ever- synonymous with Sun International signature?
Image Top (The Royal Sibaya Casino & Entertainment Kingdom in KZN is welcoming).
