Club Med will open bookings in October 2025 for its South Africa Beach & Safari Resort, a new all-inclusive property on KwaZulu-Natal’s Dolphin Coast with an associated safari lodge in the Hluhluwe area.
The company plans a limited booking offer from 13–17 October 2025, with travel dates between 30 May and 27 November 2026.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The development forms part of the brand’s wider expansion following reported growth in the first half of 2025 across mountain resorts and its luxury Exclusive Collection.
Location and access on the dolphin coast
The seaside resort is set on the Indian Ocean coast north of Durban, approximately 30 minutes from King Shaka International Airport and around 45 minutes from central Durban.
Guests will be able to combine beach stays with game drives at a private lodge about a 4.5-hour drive to the north.
The Mpilo Safari Lodge sits within an 18,000-hectare reserve in the Hluhluwe region and is intended exclusively for resort guests aged four and over, offering guided safaris focused on the “Big Five”.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataResort layout, facilities and first-ever surf school
Plans outline 411 rooms across several buildings, including 310 Superior, 35 Deluxe and 66 suites within an Exclusive Collection section.
Four pools are proposed: a main pool, an adults-only zen pool, a family pool and a private pool for the Exclusive Collection.
Dining venues are expected to include Oceana for global cuisine and the Nguni Gourmet Club for South African dishes, alongside bars such as The Injabulo and the Dunes Beach Bar. A wellness centre with a spa and hammam is included.
The property will also host Club Med’s first surf school, available to children from six years old, positioning the site as a family-friendly all-inclusive resort in South Africa.
Safari lodge specification and design approach
The Mpilo Safari Lodge is planned with 75 premium safari tents, aiming to deliver a wilderness setting linked operationally to the beach resort. Daily guided drives in the reserve will target sightings of lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and Cape buffalo.
Architecture for the coastal resort is by South Africa’s Craft of Architecture, with an emphasis on locally sourced materials and integration into the surrounding landscape.
These details support search interest around “Club Med South Africa bookings”, “Hluhluwe safari lodge” and “KwaZulu-Natal Dolphin Coast resort”.
Sustainability targets and project timeline
Club Med states the South Africa project is being developed with sustainability criteria, targeting Green Globe certification and a 4-star Green Star rating, and adopting the brand’s “Bye-Bye Plastics” initiative from launch.
The bookings window opens in October 2025, with first stays slated for the May–November 2026 period, subject to development milestones.
The company reports that over 1.5 million guests visited its resorts in the 2024 fiscal year, with increased international mix and growth in average daily rate across key segments—context for current demand driving the South Africa Beach & Safari Resort rollout.
