South Africa’s very first Club Med resort is one step closer to its grand opening in July 2026 — with quoting now available through the company’s website ahead of its season opening sale later this week.
Construction continues on the site at Tinley Manor on KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast, with more than 1,700 workers on site and the resort steadily taking shape. In fact, the much-anticipated Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari Resort will comprise two properties: the beachfront resort at Tinley Manor and a safari offering set on an 18,000ha Big Five reserve about four hours away by car.
During a media tour of the beachfront property in late September, Club Med Southern Africa MD Olivier Perillat-Piratoine said that this combined beach/bush offering was a first, both for South Africa and for Club Med, the idea being to showcase to both local and international guests “the two things that South Africa does best”.
Set along a prime stretch of coastline just 20 minutes from King Shaka International Airport, the beach property will feature 411 rooms, including 66 villa suites and 310 superior and deluxe rooms. It will have two restaurants, five bars, four pools and Kids Clubs for ages four months to 17 years.
Activities will range from padel and archery to flying trapeze and stand-up paddleboarding. It will also have the brand’s first-ever surf school. With safety a top concern, Perillat-Piratoine added that the resort has partnered with the National Sea Rescue Institute to train top-tier lifeguards.
Additionally, the property will house a conference hall accommodating up to 450 people, and five meeting rooms — making it one of only three large conferencing venues outside of a city centre in the country, along with Sun City and Champagne Castle Hotel in the Central Drakensberg.
Meanwhile, the Mpilo Safari Resort, situated near Pongola in Zululand in northern KwaZulu Natal, will be the bush offering. It will have 75 luxury safari tents, a restaurant and bar, three pools and daily game drives.
A three-night minimum will apply at the beach resort, with the safari lodge offered as a two-night add-on. Stays at the bush resort will only be available as an add-on to the beach.
Quoting is now open for the resort ahead of the official sales opening on October 14.
After requesting your quote on the Club Med website, you can lock in your sale booking (with up to 20% off) from October 14 – 17. The sale applies to stays between July and November 2026 for Club Med South Africa and May to November for all other resorts.
A deposit of R3,320 pps will secure both your holiday and the exchange rate. See here.
