Inside the new R2 billion beach resort in a top South African location
The new Club Med South Africa on KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast is the biggest hospitality project in South Africa since Sun City.
The new development, which includes the Club Med South Africa Beach Resort and Mpilo Safari Lodge, is valued at over R2 billion.
The project leader, Chris du Toit, said the Club Med South Africa beach resort is nearing completion. The safari lodge development is progressing well.
Club Med South Africa is developed in partnership with Collins Residential Consortium and managed by Club Med.
Club Med will bring its signature all-inclusive experience to South Africa, where guests can expect premium accommodation, gourmet meals, and open bars.
It has 411 accommodations, including 310 superior rooms, 35 deluxe rooms and 66 suites in the exclusive collection.
The beach resort also features a wide range of land and water activities, as well as a dedicated kids’ club.
The resort’s kids’ clubs will offer tailored facilities and certified staff for children of all ages, from 4 months old.
There is also a strong focus on sport. Club Med visitors will enjoy sailing, surfing, diving, snorkelling, and a surf school.
The new Club Med will offer a unique bush experience through an exclusive safari lodge in the heart of a Big Five game reserve in the north of KwaZulu-Natal.
The lodge is located within the private Mpilo Game Reserve in northern KwaZulu-Natal, which covers over 18,000 hectares.
The 80-room lodge is developed to Club Med standards to offer guests a dual beach and safari experience during their stay.
A short flight or drive from the beach resort, the lodge will feature 75 premium tents and the Club Med experience, set against the backdrop of the wild African safari.
It is set on a hill with 180-degree views overlooking mountain ranges and the Mkuze River in the nature resort.
To maintain an exclusive feel, the Mpilo Safari Lodge caps its capacity at approximately 225 guests per night.
Towards the end of 2025, Club Med opened bookings, allowing people to request quotes for a holiday when it launches on 4 July 2026.
Inside the new Club Med South Africa beach resort
Property specialist Ash Muller recently took viewers on a tour inside the new Club Med South Africa development.
“It took almost two decades for the developers to find the perfect site on KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast,” she said.
Muller said that driving through the entrance of the 32-hectare resort does not give you an idea of the project’s true scale.
“From a drone’s view, you can see construction workers working on seven separate projects, each valued at R200 million to R350 million,” she said.
“There are no phases of development. Everything on site runs simultaneously since day one of breaking ground.”
She described the scale of the project as building 21 convenience shopping centres, each valued at around R100 million, simultaneously.
“That should give you a pretty good idea of just how colossal the Club Med South Africa resort project is,” she said.
In November 2025, the developers recorded 1.3 million man-hours on-site. “This is fabulous for our employment sector,” she said.
She added that there have been no construction delays. “Club Med is well on its way to opening on its initial grand opening date in July 2026,” she said.
Once operational, the resort is expected to create 800 direct jobs and over 1,500 indirect opportunities, significantly boosting the local economy.
110 young people have enrolled in a dedicated training programme via the NukaKamma Hospitality School.
They are currently preparing for winter traineeships at Club Med resorts abroad, after which they will gradually integrate into the new resort’s staff.
The majority of these roles will be drawn from surrounding communities, in line with Club Med’s Happy to Care initiatives.
Club Med South Africa beach resort development photos (courtesy of Ash Muller)
Club Med video tour
The biggest hospitality project since Sun City is nearing completion…👏
— Ash Müller (@Askash) January 20, 2026
Valued at over R2 billion with 345 hotel rooms and 66 villas. It took almost two decades for them to find the perfect site on KwaZulu-Natal's North Coast.
You’ve heard so much about it, and now you are… pic.twitter.com/0JOvTDGPGo
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