The Balmoral Hotel

The food was the worst part of our visit. The pizza was tiny for R95, very salty and sweet, piled with tomato and topped with dry cheese. The calamari was crumbly and came with toast for some reason. It also took a long time to arrive, and the quality wasn't worth the wait. I'd rather get fast food than eat there again. Dining service was awful too. The woman serving us, who wore glasses, had a terrible attitude. She took ages to bring menus and seemed reluctant to hand them over, glared at us, didn't know what came with the meals until we reminded her, then disappeared without the bill. We waited over 15 minutes after finishing. The front desk and porter, on the other hand, were respectful, patient, and great. The beds were comfy and the sanitary area was good, but some equipment was missing or broken and there wasn't much privacy. Noise from people shouting and screaming in the hallways disturbed other guests. A terrible dining experience overall.

The breakfast was tasty, and my room was clean and tidy. The staff were lovely and did their best to sort things out after the agency failed to specify my room type when booking four nights with a sea view. Every room was already booked, so I ended up in a standard room with only a partial sea view. Loud shouting and banging on the walls at night kept waking me, and I couldn't get a sound night's sleep.

I've stayed in plenty of hotels said to be a higher standard, but none compares with The Balmoral Hotel. On work trips, it feels like my home away from home in eThekwini. It's 119 years old, full of character, and has a classic old-world feel with more soul than newer buildings. What keeps me coming back is the hospitality. The managers are professional and make our training stays seamless. Restaurant service is top-tier, with waiters who are friendly, attentive, and efficient. Housekeeping keeps the rooms spotless, and the technical staff are quick to help with maintenance. The Waterfront Restaurant offers a wonderful range of food, and the breakfast buffet is exceptional. It's rare to find a team, from management to the cleaning crew, so dedicated to guests. If you value genuine service, good food, and a historic atmosphere on the Golden Mile, this is the place.

I found the rooms spacious, the bed comfortable, and the view beautiful. The location was convenient too, and breakfast was amazing. But my stay at the The Balmoral Hotel was disappointing overall. The bathroom needs urgent updating. There were visible poo stains on the toilet brush, which was unhygienic and unacceptable, and rust on the window handles made the room feel poorly maintained. Room service also needs major improvement. Over my five-day stay, complimentary water was supplied on the first day only, with none replenished after that. The hotel has potential thanks to its location, views, and breakfast, but housekeeping and maintenance need serious attention.