One year from now, Club Med will be unveiling its very first Resort in South Africa: Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari, on the spectacular Dolphin Coast, north of Durban, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.
The lodge is situated on a private 18,000-hectare game reserve that is home to the Big Five: lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and Cape buffalos.
In choosing to build a new Resort in a part of South Africa still by and large unexplored by international tourism, Club Med is reaffirming its pioneering spirit – and its storied flair for discovering extraordinary locations around the world. This Resort will be South Africa’s very first high-end all-inclusive holiday club.
“Ever since it was founded in 1950, Club Med has always been a pioneer in exploring and establishing resorts in extraordinary places. Our new project seeks to create value for the local communities and enhance the international appeal of the magnificent province of KwaZulu-Natal,
” said Henri Giscard d’Estaing, President of Club Med.
A highly symbolic first for South Africa
Club Med is preparing to unveil a brand-new getaway. By choosing to set up a Resort in a region that is still unspoilt and far off the beaten track, Club Med is reaffirming its pioneering spirit and its penchant for daring and discovery. Club Med is charting a new travel itinerary in an unexpected location, a place full of contrasts and surprises, where travellers can relish unspoilt nature whilst completely disconnecting from their everyday lives.
This project is wholly in keeping with the Club Med ethos, which is to imagine all-inclusive luxury holidays that are personally liberating, focused on nature, simplicity and connecting with the local natural and cultural heritage in faraway places around the world. Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari will be the new lodestar in its worldwide constellation of exclusive Resorts.
A one-of-a-kind beach Resort for carefree holidays
Located 30 minutes from King Shaka International Airport and less than an hour from the city of Durban, the site opens onto 32 hectares of nature, a mix of dunes, coastal forests and pristine beaches. Not for nothing is this stretch of the Indian Ocean shore known as the Dolphin Coast: depending on the season, dolphins and whales are often sighted here in their natural habitat. Which makes this a new standout location on the map of the most beautiful places to experience in Africa.
Rooms nestled in unspoilt nature
The new Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari will accommodate guests in 411 lodgings spread over several buildings, whose contemporary architecture features locally sourced stone and light wood, clean lines and large picture windows}. Designed to blend in respectfully with their natural setting, the buildings create a smooth continuity between indoor and outdoor areas, harnessing natural light, highlighting the local flora and offering abundant views of the Resort’s surroundings.
The 345 rooms, including 310 Superior and 35 Deluxe rooms, are nestled into the unspoilt landscape. Bright, functional and outward-facing, they combine untreated natural materials, colours inspired by the South African coast and contemporary design to create a welcoming and exotic atmosphere.
A haven: Ilanga
The private Exclusive Collection – Ilanga section has 66 Suites for a more intimate holiday experience, including personalized service as well as a lounge, whose soothing colours and design make it a haven of peace and tranquillity.
Inspired design for a perfectly integrated Resort
The Resort’s architecture was designed by Craft of Architecture, a South African firm, in a collaborative process fusing local expertise with Club Med sensibility. The open, modern-style volumes thereby created are perfectly integrated into the natural landscape.
The interior design was carried out jointly by Mobius, a local design studio, and MHNA, a Parisian studio co-founded by Marc Hertrich and long-standing Club Med partner Nicolas Adnet. Working together, they have created a contemporary beach Resort with subtle touches of Zulu culture: the graphic motifs, handwoven fabrics, untreated natural materials and natural palette in both the rooms and common areas add a striking, authentic cultural dimension.
The Resort will be constructed around terraces opening onto tropical gardens and four pools: the main pool in the middle of the village, a Zen pool for adults, a family pool area and an exclusive pool in the Exclusive Collection Ilanga section.
Flavours, cocktails and festivities
Guests will have two restaurants to discover at the Resort: the Oceana, for dishes inspired by world cuisine, and the Nguni Gourmet Club for a refined dining experience featuring South African seafood and local produce.
And several bars for refreshments all day long: The Injabulo, the Resort’s main bar, will also house a coffee shop for gourmet snacks and tasty treats at any time of day. The ocean-facing Dunes Beach Bar serves cocktails in a sunny, laid-back ambiance inspired by the surfing scene and South African shores.
This new Resort will carry on Club Med’s festive tradition, with events every evening celebrating South Africa’s rich culture as well as occasional sea-facing garden parties to add some magic into the mix.
The Club Med experience continues - in the heart of Zululand
For the first time ever, Club Med will give holidaymakers a chance to discover South Africa’s flora and fauna at a private game reserve for Resort guests only, for ages 4 years and up. Located a 45-minute flight (or 4½-hour drive) from the Resort, this 18,000-hectare reserve is one of the largest in KwaZulu-Natal, guaranteeing the rare experience of total immersion in the unspoilt landscapes of Zululand. The savannah is hillier, brighter and more verdant here than most people expect, providing a backdrop that is rich in contrasts and emblematic of this particular region.
Every day, guided safaris, accompanied by experienced rangers, head out in search of the
“Big Five” – lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and Cape buffalo – in their natural element. This is a rare opportunity indeed: not all of South Africa’s game reserves are home to all five species of big game. A special safari for families with small children will also be offered so everyone can fully experience the magic of the African savannah.
The lodge will accommodate couples and families in 75 premium tents, appointed with all the comforts and conveniences of a Club Med experience: panoramic views, a swimming pool in the adult lounge area, a restaurant, a supervised children’s zone with water games to romp in and family-friendly play areas.
To make the most of this unprecedented offer, guests can organise their trip to the lodge à la carte* with a Club Med counsellor before or after staying at the Resort. This expedition guarantees full immersion in the wilds of South Africa. A minimum stay of five nights at Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari is required to take part in this exceptional adventure.
* Not included in the all-inclusive package
An all-inclusive experience of the great South African outdoors
The all-inclusive Club Med experience is largely about enjoying sports and the great outdoors as a lifestyle experience amid pristine natural surroundings. Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari will be no exception, fulfilling this promise by combining nature, exploration and well-being in a unique seaside setting.
Sports for one and all!
The programme of recreational activities includes a surf school – a world premiere for Club Med!
– with several lessons a day provided by professionals and open to children aged 6 and up. Another discipline that’s all the rage these days is guided gravel bike tours for a guaranteed change of scenery, from sugarcane fields to paths along the coast with breathtaking views of the ocean. The Resort will also be equipped with padel courts and flying trapeze rigs. Yoga classes will be offered as well as a wide array of activities for the whole family to enjoy, with their feet in the sand or on the lush green grounds of the Resort.
Wellness
For those with a yen for deep relaxation, the facilities will include a wellness centre replete with spa, hammam and thatched-roof palapa.
Families welcome with open arms
Various clubs designed for each age group will welcome kids and even infants from the age of 4 months, offering nature activities, access to the family pool and Club Med’s “Amazing Family” programme, designed expressly for several generations to share unforgettable moments together.
And to see more...
Guests can also make the most of their trip to South Africa to explore Cape Town for a taste of a very different side of the country.
A boon to the local economy
At an estimated cost of over 2 billion rand (roughly €100 million), this Resort project will be funded by a South African Investment Consortium and developed by Collins Residential. Hewing to a sustainable and socially inclusive development model, it will create more than 800 direct and 1,500 indirect jobs, and already employs 1,200 construction workers, most of whom are the neighbouring community. Furthermore, 110 young people have already enrolled in a training programme via the NukaKamma Hospitality School and will gradually join the Resort staff after completing an initial traineeship at Club Med Resorts this winter.
“Our vision is to celebrate South Africa’s rich natural heritage in every experience and every trip here. Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari will be a shining example of this desire to combine authenticity, hospitality and regional development,” said Murray Collins, CEO, Collins Residential Consortium
A model of environmental and local integration
The Resort is to be built on a former sugarcane plantation surrounded by dune forests, wetlands and remarkable natural landscapes. In keeping with its “Happy to Care” sustainable development programme, Club Med is committed here – more than ever – to preserving the biodiversity of local ecosystems and reducing the Resort’s environmental impact. It will seek Green Globe certification of the Resort’s day-to-day operation as well as a 4-star Green Star rating.* And the Bye-Bye Plastics programme, Club Med’s signature drive to eliminate single-use plastics at all its Resorts, will be implemented here from the get-go.
Green roofs, natural shade, solar car parks (i.e. fitted out with photovoltaic canopies), natural ventilation and water-saving systems will be put in place in order to conserve resources and adapt to the specific characteristics of the site.
The Resort will include local farmers in its supply chain through a partnership with the French NGO Agrisud.
* Green Star is an environmental certification system developed by the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) to assess the sustainable performance of buildings according to several criteria, including energy and water consumption and materials and waste management.
