The Royal Hotel by Coastlands Hotels & Resorts

The hallways smell, carpets carry visible stains, and one reviewer left without spending the night. The air conditioning shuts off at midnight in Durban's February humidity, and the windows are too grimy to see the harbour views the hotel trades on.

• One reviewer booked a room but left without staying after finding stained carpets, stained bedsheets, a malodorous toilet, and filthy windows throughout the room and hallways.
• A guest who stayed overnight reported the air conditioning was switched off at midnight, leaving the room swelteringly hot through a humid Durban summer night, with harbour views obscured by windows that had not been cleaned in years.
• A reviewer who visited only the cafe found the Wi-Fi non-functional despite obtaining a password from staff, and learned from another regular guest that using personal mobile data is the norm there.
• The hotel has visibly declined from a former standard, with one being told directly by a long-time visitor that the drop in quality is well recognised among people familiar with the property.
• A reviewer who regularly books the Fleur-de-lis spa on the 21st floor described it as professional and often fully booked, and noted the bar served well-made cocktails and delicious wraps, though the hotel overall showed rain damage and dated decor.
• Rooms and hallways as unclean, with stained carpets, stained bedding, and persistent odours throughout.
• The hotel shows visible maintenance neglect including rain damage, chipped marble surfaces, unstable furniture, and decades of uncleaned windows.
• Air conditioning in rooms is reportedly switched off at midnight, a significant issue during Durban's hot, humid summer months.
• The Fleur-de-lis spa on the 21st floor operates independently to a higher standard and is frequently fully booked.
• The cafe's Wi-Fi is consistently non-functional, making it unreliable as a work or meeting space despite being a stated reason visitors choose it.

A read of 3,365 guest reviews. These reviews do not record who wrote them, so nothing here is attributed to women.