Protea Hotel By Marriott Umfolozi River, Richards Bay ➤ Reviews, Rooms & Prices 2025

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Key details

About the Hotel

Off The N2, 40Km North Of Richards Bay, Mtubatuba, Richards Bay, South Africa

Protea Hotel By Marriott Umfolozi River is a 3-star hotel with a Booking.com rating of 8.0/10, offering amenities such as an outdoor pool, a restaurant, and a bar. This family-friendly hotel features modern facilities and is situated in the Greater Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Game Reserve area, providing guests with opportunities for wildlife exploration.

Rooms & Amenities

Rooms at Protea Hotel By Marriott Umfolozi River feature air conditioning, satellite TV, and tea-and-coffee making facilities. All 68 rooms include free WiFi and private bathrooms equipped with showers and complimentary toiletries.

Dining Options

Dining options at the hotel include The Rivers Restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a focus on African cuisine. The Inkosi Bar and Sundowner Deck provide a relaxed atmosphere for refreshments.

Leisure & Activities

Leisure facilities feature an outdoor pool surrounded by gardens. Nearby activities include visits to the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Game Reserve and whale watching, while on-site services include dry cleaning and luggage storage.

Business & Services

Protea Hotel By Marriott Umfolozi River offers meeting facilities accommodating up to 400 delegates, ideal for conferences and events. The hotel also features a 24-hour front desk and concierge services for guest convenience.

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Select your room type

The hotel offers a variety of rooms including double rooms, family rooms, and suites with breakfast, free cancelations, and special deals

2 Twin or Single Beds

Max:

2 persons

31 m²

Bed options:

2 Single beds

Garden view

Balcony

Air conditioning

room details

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1 King Chalet

Max:

2 persons

24 m²

Bed options:

1 King-size bed

Heating

Bathtub

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2 Queen Beds

Max:

4 persons

24 m²

Bed options:

2 King Size Beds

Heating

Air conditioning

room details

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Price and Room Availability Calendar

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Getting around

A list of all available modes of transport

City Centre

Richards Bay 34.1 km

Airports

Richards Bay (RCB) 41.5 km

Ulundi (ULD) 164.1 km

Facilities

The hotel offers amenities for your comfortable stay and unforgettable experiences

Delicious Buffets!

“The buffet dinners offered a wide variety of dishes including savory lamb roast and flavorful curry chicken, which made every meal a good experience.” view full review

Spacious Comfort!

“Our room was incredibly spacious with two queen-sized beds, creating a comfortable environment for relaxation during our stay.” view full review

Refreshing Pools!

“The pool area was a perfect retreat, featuring a great adult pool alongside a large toddler pool, making it enjoyable for all ages.” view full review

Unique Bathroom Setup!

“The bathroom design, while unusual, included a large tub and a separate toilet stall, adding a distinctive touch to our room experience.” view full review

General

Free Wi-Fi
Parking
Safe deposit box
24-hour reception
Rooms/ Facilities for disabled
Wheelchair access
Air conditioning in public areas
Luggage storage

Sports & Fitness

Fitness centre
Tennis court

Guest Parking

Electric kettle

Services

Room service
Bicycle hire
Laundry
Dry cleaning
Tours/Ticket assistance
Wedding services
Newspaper service

Dining

Paid breakfast
Restaurant
Bar/ Lounge area

Business

Meeting/ Banquet facilities

Facilities for people with disabilities

Bathroom for disabled

Spa & Leisure

Outdoor swimming pool
Sauna

Room features

Free Wi-Fi in rooms
Sitting area
Turndown service
Ironing facilities

Bathroom

Hair dryer
Free toiletries

Self-catering

Electric kettle

Media

Flat-screen TV
AM/FM alarm clock

Location

Off The N2, 40Km North Of Richards Bay, Mtubatuba, Richards Bay, South Africa

Map view

Off The N2, 40Km North Of Richards Bay, Mtubatuba, Richards Bay, South Africa

City landmarks

Lake Eteza Nature Reserve

2.6 km

Lake Eteza

3.0 km

Golf Course

Umfolozi Country Club

3.6 km

Site of Aircraft Hangars. Riverview airstrip

4.1 km

Grace Community Church

4.7 km

Reviews and Ratings

Feedback from previous guests about their experience.

64%

liked the hotel and would stay again

Friendly Staff

Convenient Location

Worn Rooms

Confusing Location

6.4/10

Nice

Rooms

7.2

Location

6.8

Service

7.6

Dining

6.2

Rick

United States, May 2024

7.4/10

The hotel has its ups and downs. The rooms are worn and tired, hinting more at a budget hotel than a Marriott. On the bright side, the spacious room with two queen-sized beds was a plus for us.

Rooms

6.0

Our room was worn and tired, more like a discount hotel. However, we appreciated the spacious layout and the two queen-sized beds.

Service

9.0

The service we received was professional, welcoming, and efficient. The staff were friendly and made sure we had a pleasant stay.

Location

7.0

The hotel's location was a bit confusing to find, notably without clear signboards. Nevertheless, being close to game drives and various facilities was convenient.

Dining

8.0

The dining experience offered a good variety of dishes, although there seemed to be some confusion with meal payments. The food quality was enjoyable.

Facilities

7.0

The hotel facilities were adequate, but we felt that some updates could enhance the overall experience.

Friendly Staff

Worn Rooms

Leo

United States, March 2024

7.6/10

The hotel's rooms are clean and tidy, although they had spiders and lizards in corners and on the ceiling. The service is outstanding, very friendly, and professional, except for some reservations staff. The location is excellent for game drives but not easy to find on GPS. The dining experience offers a variety of choices but could be better. The facilities are well-equipped but lack privacy due to glass elements in the establishment.

Rooms

7.0

The rooms are very clean and tidy, but with spiders and lizards present.

Service

9.0

The service is fantastic, very friendly and professional, though reservations staff may need improvement.

Location

8.0

The location is perfect for game drives and nearby facilities, although a bit challenging to locate.

Dining

6.0

The dining options are varied; however, there is room for improvement.

Facilities

8.0

The facilities are well-equipped, but the glass elements compromise privacy.

clean rooms

insects present

Howard

United States, February 2024

6.4/10

I had a mixed experience at the hotel. The rooms were not as expected and required some effort to get the right ones, but they were equipped with good AC. The smaller bed in my room was a downside compared to standard rooms.

Rooms

7.0

The rooms had no standing shower, only a bathtub shower surrounded by a plastic bag. Despite the initial issues, the AC worked well.

Service

6.0

The service was a bit frustrating due to maintenance issues, but the staff was friendly overall.

Location

7.0

The location had some privacy concerns due to glass walls and lacked clear signage for easy navigation. However, it offered a relaxing vibe to unwind.

Dining

5.0

The dining experience was underwhelming, with a lackluster breakfast that did not meet my expectations.

Facilities

7.0

The absence of fridges in rooms was a drawback, but the facilities were adequate for a comfortable stay.

Bill

United States, December 2023

6.8/10

My stay at the hotel was quite an experience. The rooms were amazing, with unique amenities like an in-suite hair dryer. However, the absence of a standing shower, only a bathtub shower surrounded by a plastic bag, and the lack of privacy due to the layout with two queen beds without a wall for the toilet and shower were a bit inconvenient.

Rooms

8.0

The rooms were amazing with the in-suite and hair dryer in the room.

Service

7.0

The service wasn't very friendly, but they were very helpful with directions. I was frustrated that some things on the property weren't fixed or maintained properly, although they did offer great services like room service, dry cleaning, and bicycle hire.

Location

6.0

The location was a bit confusing to find using GPS from the Umtubatumba side, especially without hotel signboards on the N2. However, the surroundings were well-kept and had a tropical vibe, but the lack of privacy due to the glass walls was a downside. The presence of a large toddler pool and an adult pool added to the overall appeal.

Dining

7.0

The dining experience was mixed. While the food was good, it did not meet up to my expectations. I wish it was free or at least up to the standard I anticipated. The octopus millefeuille was a standout dish.

Facilities

6.0

The facilities were interesting, but the property could use improvements for a better overall experience.

clean

lack of privacy

John

United States, August 2023

6.6/10

The hotel offers clean and comfortable rooms, although the bed in my room was smaller than standard. The staff is friendly and welcoming, but a minor incident during breakfast affected my experience. The location was pleasant and well maintained, with pools for various interests nearby. However, the dining experience did not meet my expectations.

Rooms

8.0

The rooms were very clean, and while mine had a smaller bed than standard, I could not ask for a better place to stay. The location of my room down two flights of stairs was a bit inconvenient.

Service

7.0

The service was welcoming and helpful, starting from the security at the gate to the staff who provided directions and advice during check-in. However, I felt a little embarrassed by the incident at breakfast.

Location

6.0

The surrounding area was well-kept and had a very tropical appearance, although it seemed more suited for locals rather than tourists. While the hotel was not far from attractions like Richards Bay and St Lucia, the view of the river was not as expected.

Dining

5.0

The dining, which was the same as the previous night, did not meet my expectations despite the option of room service.

Facilities

7.0

The facilities included amenities such as room service, dry cleaning, bicycle hire, and newspaper service, but there was no apology for the breakfast incident.

Clean

Smaller bed