Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / South Africa / Umhlanga / The Oyster Box
The Oyster Box
Umhlanga, South Africa · Red Carnation · High Luxury
Tracing its roots to an 1863 beachfront cottage at Umhlanga Rocks, The Oyster Box opened as a hotel in March 1954 and became a Red Carnation property after a 2006 acquisition and roughly ninety-percent rebuild by architect Anton de Kock, reopening in 2009. The 86-room Leading Hotels of the World member is custodian of the historic red-and-white Umhlanga lighthouse and is known for its colonial-Cape style and curry buffet.
- 86 rooms
- Opened 1954
- Neighborhood: Westridge
- Architect: Anton de Kock
About The Oyster Box
- A beachfront cottage known as the Oyster Lodge was built at Umhlanga Rocks in 1863; the property opened formally as The Oyster Box hotel in March 1954.
- Red Carnation acquired the hotel in 2006 and rebuilt roughly ninety percent of the structure under architect Anton de Kock before reopening in 2009.
History
The Oyster Box traces its origins to 1863, when a beachfront cottage known as the Oyster Lodge was built at Umhlanga Rocks, taking its name from the oysters gathered on the surrounding rocks. Over the following decades the site evolved from a modest seaside retreat into a hotel, opening formally as The Oyster Box in March 1954.
In 2006 the property was acquired by Red Carnation Hotels, which closed it for an extensive rebuild — roughly ninety percent of the structure was reconstructed under architect Anton de Kock — before reopening in 2009. A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, the 86-room hotel is custodian of the historic red-and-white Umhlanga lighthouse on its doorstep and is renowned for its colonial-Cape elegance and curry buffet.
The setting
3 km from Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve. 2 km from Bronze Beach.
Restaurants and bars
- The Lighthouse Bar — Bar · Bar
- The Grill Room at The Oyster Box Hotel — Restaurant
- The Ocean Terrace — Restaurant
- The Chukka Bar — Bar · Bar
- The Palm Court — Café · Tea house
Experiences
- Oyster Box Spa and Wellness Day Experience — Saturday 21 November wellness day in The Shell Room: yoga, a detox talk, lunch and steam spa, run with Environ. Adults only.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Private pool
- Hammam
- Fitness center
- Tennis
- Cinema
- Fine dining
- Pet-friendly
Open The Oyster Box in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
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