Premier Hotel The Richards
135 rooms in Meerensee, between Lake Mzingazi and the Indian Ocean
About this stay
Premier Hotel The Richards stands at 3 Hibberd Drive in Meerensee, the residential suburb of Richards Bay that sits on the strip of land between Lake Mzingazi and the Indian Ocean. It is one of the longest-standing hotels in town, with 135 rooms split between standard rooms, executive rooms and suites. The Mossel Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, buffet or à la carte, and the Ladies Bar has stone walls and leather chairs. Outside, a mosaic pool on a terracotta deck and a garden give some calm, and there is a gym. Alkantstrand, the town's most popular beach, is about 3 km away, the Boardwalk Inkwazi mall around 7.5 km, and Richards Bay Airport within 20 minutes by car.
- 135 rooms: standard, executive and suites
- Between Lake Mzingazi and the Indian Ocean, in Meerensee
- Mossel Restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Mosaic pool on a terracotta deck, garden and gym
- About 3 km from Alkantstrand beach
- Rated 7.6 from more than 760 reviews
Our take
The Richards is a 135-room town hotel in Meerensee, the quiet suburb of Richards Bay between Lake Mzingazi and the sea, and it should be judged as one. I would book it for a work trip to the port and the industrial zone, or as an overnight stop on the N2 heading north to the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Hluhluwe-iMfolozi. I would not book it as a holiday resort or a honeymoon: there is no beach on the doorstep, no golf course and no spa on site, and the setting is a residential suburb of a working port town.
- Drive the 3 km to Alkantstrand for the sea: it is the town's most popular beach, and the hotel itself has no sea access.
- Fly into Richards Bay Airport if your trip is mainly business here: the hotel is within about 20 minutes, which saves the 90-minute drive from Durban.
- Ask for an executive room or a suite if you stay several nights for work: the standard rooms are the simplest category of the three.
- Use the hotel as a first or last night of a Zululand loop, and keep the Boardwalk Inkwazi mall, about 7.5 km away, for supplies before heading north.
Why we love it
- A quiet suburb between the lake and the sea
- Three kilometres from Alkantstrand
- An easy stop on the road north to Zululand
- Restaurant and bar on site for a late arrival
Why guests love itFor a family, The Richards works as a stopover rather than a destination. The pool on its terracotta deck, the garden and a restaurant open for all three meals cover an evening and a morning, and Alkantstrand beach is about 3 km away by car. The Indian Ocean here is warm, which makes a beach morning easy before driving on. What is missing is everything that makes a holiday hotel: there is no kids' club, no direct beach access, and Richards Bay is an industrial port town rather than a seaside resort. With 7.6 from more than 760 reviews, guests describe a functional hotel rather than a memorable one.
Guest reviews
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