Durban and/or Richard's Bay Accommodation Suggestions

Hi all,

First, thanks to all who responded to my query about automobile pedals
(and links to the history of their placement).

We will be arriving in SA from US (Dulles) at the end of October. Our
travel goal is a safari camp in KwaZulu-Natal. As such, we will pass
through Johannesburg and finish this leg of the trip in Durban or
Richard's Bay to get over the jet lag. This will put us in around
late afternoon or early evening on a Friday (probably in Durban as
there are more flight options to there).

We need to be in the camp in the afternoon of the Sunday following
(certainly before evening's meal). I don't regard that as an
aggressive schedule as far as driving from Durban. I've already
"traveled" the road courtesy of Google Earth and it seems a distinctly
simple route. However, I don't want to do it in jet lag mode and a
good hotel suggestion for Friday and Saturday nights would help. I
like port cities (Cape Town is also on the itinerary) and
accommodations near the port, but not necessarily a luxury hotel on
the Golden Mile would be nice. We have a friend flying in separately
(a week later) and a Durban Hotel that is generally recognizable by
name and centrally located would help us find each other. Our taste
runs toward "interesting" in the sense of what the locals would find
nice ("Old World Charm," excuse the cliché, comes to mind).

Similar suggestions for hotels in Richard's Bay would be nice, and we
would still need a Durban suggestion when our friend arrives.

Further, we will need a car, and picking one up at the airport seems
to command a price that goes well beyond recommendations I've seen
mentioned here in this group. I can well anticipate the weekend may
limit our options for renting a car. Some education as to how the
savvy Afrikaner goes about taking care of this would also be
appreciated. Our plan is we take a taxi from the airport to the
hotel, crash hard, tour the area in a relaxed fashion (no "must-do"
itinerary) Saturday, and then off to KwaZulu Sunday.

Regards,
Richard

Hi Richard,

I'm a bit confused about your question. Are you flying into
Johannesburg and then driving to KwaZulu Natal? Or are you flying into
Johannesburg, then flying to Durban and only then renting a car to
drive to the safari camp?

Marc