Hotels with a Pool in Margate, South Coast
Margate is a classic beach town on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, roughly 120 km south of Durban, where the warm Indian Ocean draws families most of the year. A pool still matters here, for days when the sea is rough or for younger children. Three properties on this page offer one. Margate Hotel has a year-round outdoor pool a short walk from Margate Beach, First Group La Cote D'Azur pairs its pool with sea-view apartments, a spa and a children's playground, and Southern Comfort - On the Pool has two-bedroom units with kitchenettes and sea views. The South Coast is free of malaria.
Margate is a lively holiday town on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, built around its main beach, a small promenade and a string of restaurants and shops. It fills up during South African school holidays and quietens outside them. The atmosphere is informal and family-oriented, with the subtropical climate making beach and pool days possible for much of the year.
Three ways to swim in Margate
I would choose Margate for a pool holiday when you want the beach within walking distance and the option of a calm swim when the waves are too strong. With three properties, the choice is simple: a hotel for short stays, a resort with apartments and a playground for families, or a self-catering unit for a group that wants space and its own kitchen.
Margate Hotel is the address I would book for a short beach stay. It offers air-conditioned family rooms with private bathrooms, a year-round outdoor swimming pool, a bar and a modern restaurant serving African cuisine, and it is a short walk from Margate Beach. With an 8.2 rating from more than 940 reviews, it is by far the most reviewed property on this page, so the score is reliable. The pool works as a quieter alternative to the beach in the late afternoon, and the location means you can switch between the two without taking the car.
First Group La Cote D'Azur is the best fit for families, with an 8.9 rating from 130 reviews. Its apartments have balconies with sea views, and the resort adds an outdoor pool, a spa and wellness centre, barbecue facilities, a restaurant and a children's playground, plus tennis and pool tables for older children. Golf is popular in the surrounding area, which helps if one parent plays. For a week on the South Coast with children, I would choose it over a standard hotel, since the apartments, the playground and the pool keep everyone busy between beach sessions.
Southern Comfort - On the Pool is the self-catering choice, rated 9.4, although it has only 9 reviews so far, a small sample to keep in mind. Its aparthotel units are spacious, with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchenette, a private balcony and sea views. Guests share a year-round outdoor swimming pool, a sun terrace and a lush garden, with free WiFi and private parking. It suits two couples or a family who want to cook their own meals and settle in for several days, using the pool as the centre of the stay rather than the restaurant.
Margate also works as a base for the wider South Coast. Beaches line the coast towards Uvongo, Ramsgate and Southbroom, and Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve, inland from Port Shepstone, offers viewpoints and walks above a forested gorge. The climate is subtropical, so the sea stays swimmable much of the year and a pool is welcome on humid summer days. King Shaka International Airport, north of Durban, is the main gateway, around two hours by road, so I would plan a stay of several nights and a rental car to explore the coast.
A traveller's takeFor a pool holiday in Margate I would book First Group La Cote D'Azur, because its sea-view apartments, outdoor pool and children's playground cover the needs of a family better than a standard hotel room. I would avoid the peak of the South African school holidays and come in April, May or September, when the weather is still warm and the beaches are quieter.
9.4PoolSouthern Comfort - On the Pool
Spacious aparthotel units with sea views and a year-round pool
Southern Comfort - On the Pool in Margate offers spacious two-bedroom, two-bathroom aparthotel units, each with a fully equipped kitchenette, a private balcony and sea views. That gives a family two bedrooms, a kitchen and a view. A year-round outdoor swimming pool, a sun terrace and a lush garden are on site, with free WiFi and private parking. Guests give it a very high 9.4 across 9 reviews, from a small sample.
8.9PoolFirst Group La Cote D'Azur
Apartments with sea views, an outdoor pool, and a spa in Margate
First Group La Cote D'Azur is built for families who like a self-catering apartment with resort extras. Apartments have balconies with sea views, and the resort offers an outdoor pool, a children's playground, tennis and pool tables, and barbecue facilities. Parents can use the spa and wellness centre, and there is a restaurant on site. Margate lies outside any malaria risk area. The mood is lively and family-oriented rather than adults-only quiet.
8.2PoolMargate Hotel
Family-friendly hotel with a pool, African restaurant, and close to Margate Beach
Margate Hotel has comfortable family rooms with private bathrooms, air-conditioning and free Wi-Fi. A modern restaurant serves African cuisine, a bar is on site, and a year-round outdoor pool gives children somewhere to swim. Margate Beach is a short walk away. An 8.2 rating from 942 reviews is good. I would recommend it for families who want a three-star base within walking distance of the beach.
Local tips
- Book Margate Hotel for a short stay a short walk from Margate Beach, with a year-round pool.
- Choose First Group La Cote D'Azur with children, for its apartments, pool and playground.
- Keep in mind that the 9.4 rating of Southern Comfort - On the Pool rests on only 9 reviews.
- Use the pool on days when the sea is rough, and swim only at beaches with lifeguards on duty.
- Plan a half-day trip to Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve, inland from Port Shepstone.
- Rent a car at King Shaka International Airport, about two hours away by road.