The Oyster Box: South Africa's Timeless Icon of Luxury
The Oyster Box is quite simply world-class. They say location is key; this property is perfectly positioned. “Umhlanga Rocks” is outside the front gate; it sits behind the directly accessible beach and is 20. . .
The Oyster Box is quite simply world-class. They say location is key; this property is perfectly positioned. “Umhlanga Rocks” is outside the front gate; it sits behind the directly accessible beach and is 20 minutes from Durban’s King Shaka International Airport. Now let’s get to the good stuff. It has 86 rooms/suites & villas, all individually decorated, offering either tropical garden or ocean views, with some featuring their own plunge pools and attentive room service, including turndown. It is a luxurious property where perfect hospitality is married to a selection of food and beverage offerings that will make your head spin. Let me immediately talk about food. Breakfast is a mouthwatering culinary experience that offers everything that anybody could wish for, and I mean everything and anybody. Breakfast can be taken both indoors and outdoors (the KZN coast allows for that year-round). The buffet is endless, from cereals to cheeses via smoked salmon, oysters, charcuterie, and hot cooked breakfasts including steaks, eggs Benedict, waffles; the list is endless. I had to try the chicken liver stroganoff, which was unbelievably good and moreish, and yes, it was on the breakfast menu. There are three restaurants, each offering the height of service, beautifully prepared in perfect settings. Dinner is an attack on the senses, irrespective of which of the restaurants you dine in. I would, however, like to tell you about a KwaZulu-Natal speciality, “Bunny Chow” (a delightful curry eaten from a loaf with the bread taken out and put back on top of the curry). It is incredible and is served as part of the curry buffet within “The Ocean Terrace Restaurant,” which also offers a wide range of menu choices. The Grill Room is the hotel’s signature restaurant where fine dining is the order of the night. To facilitate their magnificent high tea offering, “The Palm Court” facilitates it. To operate in unison with the restaurants are three bars, each different in positioning and style. Suffice it to say that whatever your urge is, it can be facilitated, especially when it comes to Cocktail Hour and Sundowners taken in the “Lighthouse Bar”, an experience I suggest you too experience. Needless to say, the wine and drinks menu is extensive and available throughout the hotel 24/7. I could write about this divine property endlessly, but to call a halt and, in conclusion, allow me to tell you that aside from the above, there are:Ocean and Garden-facing pools, each with poolside serviceThe Chefs’ Table, a must-try superior culinary happeningAn award-winning Spa with natural products used in all treatmentsAirport transfersIts own beehives that supply honey for the hotel and for you to buy, to take homeEndless beach walksThe “Umhlanga Village” vibe right on the doorstepThe Oyster Box is a leader in sustainable tourismRegular visitors are “Vervet Monkeys” who are part of the natural environmentOh yes …… And lastly, it has a resident chill manager, “Skabenga”, the cat