Durban boasts the country's best hotel… even the resident cat says so!

Maybe it's the iconic in-house cat‚ Skabenga‚ the frequently photographed lighthouse or the oysters and champagne offered at breakfast‚ but whatever it is‚ it's led to Durban's Oyster Box being named the best hotel in the country.

The coastal city can no longer be seen as the poor cousin of South African travel destinations‚ with the plush hotel winning TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards' top honour for the second year in a row. This latest achievement‚ announced on Tuesday‚ is among a glut of other awards and accolades it has boasted since a grand reopening in 2010.

And it also has the famed feline bragging.

“I am so proud of the Oyster Box‚” Skabenga meowed on his official Facebook page. “It is such an honour to call this place my home! Thank you to all of our guests who took the time to review us during their travels.”

The cat has over 2,400 Facebook followers.

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The hotel's general manager‚ Wayne Coetzer‚ said the award wasn't won by accident. Instead‚ it was a result of hard work and a focus on quality service.

“We came fourth in 2015 and then realised that the only thing that differentiate us from any other hotel is service. Others have wonderful menus and great rooms but we offer unparalleled service. During training we tell staff that their response to guests must be: ‘The answer is yes‚ what is the question?’ We deliver wherever possible‚” he said.

The 2017 Travellers’ Choice award winners are based on reviews and opinions collected in a single year from TripAdvisor travellers worldwide. TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel site‚ with approximately 435-million reviews of 6.8-million accommodation sites‚ restaurants and attractions.

Coetzer said the award was huge. “TripAdvisor is the most-viewed free travel site in the world – over 6-million people go onto it daily. We feel the effects of the award immediately; we see more reviews being read and feel it in the reservations department.”

However‚ Coetzer said Skabenga was taking the glory for the victory.

“We want our staff to look good and Skabenga has been on a drive to lose a bit of weight and become more presentable. He obviously thinks his new good looks have contributed to the win‚” he said.

Second place in the TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards went to Kapama River Lodge‚ a private game reserve in Limpopo‚ and third to the Cape Grace Hotel in Cape Town.

The Oyster Box was also one of four South African hotels to rank in the Top Hotels in Africa list where it placed fourth. – TMG Digital/TimesLIVE