d a copy of this survey from PlanetOut and thought that we would share it with you. A Landmark survey from PlanetOut, Inc. and Prime Access reveals that more than two-thirds of gays and lesbians say they are more likely to purchase from gay-friendly compani
es .
d Samsung earn the lowest marks from gay and lesbian consumers, according to the 2008 Prime Access/PlanetOut Gay and Lesbian Consumer Study released today. 
Welcome relief from the pressure of work will be the Comrades Marathon long weekend coming up in June. Come join us for so
me fun alongside the road and take up our special accommodation offer at the Guesthouse. Book for the weekend Sat 14 and Sun 15 and (get LUCKY) Fri 13th FREE. Wow!! Should be awesome FUN. Quote your email or the blog to qualify when booking. 
Our Guesthouse hosted two Hotel/Lodge winners the one presented at the Durban Indaba Conference by AA Travel Guides American Express Accommod
ation Awards - second from left (above) is Karl Germann from The Nest Hotel in the Drakensburg (Best Leisure Hotel) seen with Corne' (left), Guesthouse co-owner Llewellyn, and Berry of Pangea Travel (Netherlands delegate). In the second photo is Eddie Rust of Mhondoro Lodge, runner up in the Good Safari Guides "Best Food and new Lodge" category. 
We took some time off yesterday and registered for some emarketing seminars at Indaba and wandered around looking for some of our guests at Africa's biggest travel show, right here in Durban on the sunny east coast of South Africa. With 14000 delegates representing global tour operators and accommodation, tourism and tour organisations from Southern Africa it was an awesome event. We also picked up some good marketing tips and are considering putting together a Gay Destinations stand for next year's show. Above are some of the pics we took of the show, whilst in the last photo Llewellyn poses with a "Lion", representative of the number of fantastic Game Lodges and Safaris on offer.
A lot of our guests say that the photos of our Guesthouse on our website and this blog don't do full justice to the house. We're trying to remedy that, so here's a full perspective view of the Guesthouse pub with Llewellyn (co-owner). Guests are invited to a complimentary drink with us on the evening of arrival. 
Those familiar with the Guesthouse will see that we have been busy beavers making some improvements. The City View room with it's oval bath now has a shower and wr
ought iron and glass side tables, the Rainbow room now has a mod glass shower door, and Dave shows off the new Guest Info files which have been extensively updated and placed in each room. In the shower pics, LLewellyn shows what to do.... 
About 50% of our guests are from overseas, but it is always great to have our own South African visitors so they can sample the tastes, sounds and experiences of Durban for themselves. Seen in the photo are Craig (left -Johannesburg) who came for some diving here but got side-tracked and didn't get to do any, and Jorg (right -Cape Town) who has never been to Durban, seen with Guesthouse co-owner Llewellyn. 
Getting ready
for Indaba 2008, the huge South African travel conference taking place in Durban in 10 days time, here is Llewellyn (guesthouse co-owner) with the new headboard for the City View room we installed today. The design was inspired by a seat in a restaurant at Frankfort airport and was made by us carefully cutting out the design from a photo of the original and with imported fabrics to match the colour scheme of the room. 
Meet Jorge, our first Cuban-born guest , now living in the States and out in Durb
an for the Radiology Conference here this week. Seen in the photo above are Jorge, Llewellyn (guesthouse co-owner), Les from Perth, Western Australia and his two sons on a whistle-stop tour of a few African countries.. Ashley and Shaye. We all went out for a drink last night to Durban's newest social club, Cubana, where Jorge was probably the only real Cuban there. The boys are off to do a dive with sharks at uShaka today. 
We've been struggling to work out how to keep our candle-sticks burning, as the candles keep melting in the cast-iron holders in Durban's sunny weather. So we tried some flaming oil instead. Here's Llewellyn around the guesthouse pool checking out the flaming torch. 
Our guests Kris (left) and Matthew (right) from Scotland were joined at the house by Andrew (middle) a USA citizen who has been living in Johannesburg for the past few years and stopped by to check out the gay scene in Durban en route to his work project in rural Transkei. 
Wow.. a 43-year record relationship together and still going strong. Meet Marc and Dennis from San Francisco who joined us at the Guesthouse in Durban, South Africa, as part of their round-the-world trip after their retirement. Here's a link to the fabulous gay-community Church they belong to in SF - http://www.mccsf.org. Great going guys!!
Bubblicious....Bursting with Inspiration!
Durban beachfront is the place to be over the next 10 days as the Quiksilver PRO gets under way. This international event is a regular surfing event for Durban taking place at New Pier, North Beach and takes advantage of our glorious April weather. This brings the beautiful boyz to the beach and provides a feast for the eyes.
We thought we were going to meet some nice Scottish lads when they booked, but it turns out that Matthew (right) is actually from Pinetown originally - about 25 kms west of the Guesthouse here in Durban - and Kris is from Cheshire in the UK. They met on the QE2 luxury cruise liner and have been together 10 years now, settling in Scotland in a village called Killin. Seen in the photos are Llewellyn (guesthouse co-owner) and Matthew drinking up a storm at the new bar that has opened just down the road - Cubana. In the second photo are Kris and Matthew at breakfast and dressed up for Church.
Welcoming guests from Perth in the Guesthouse Pub are co-owners Dave (left) and Llewellyn with Allan and Pär-Johan (originally from Sweden) on their first-time visit to South Africa. After a few days in Durban they are up the north coast to do some game viewing. 
Easter in the Guesthouse has been awesome with fun guests from Pretoria, Durban and Boston. The photos (all by Richard or with his camera) are (top) myself Dave, Llewellyn and Richard, (second photo) in the guesthouse rooftop jacuzzi, Richard, Llewellyn, Pieter and Pieter and Dave, (Shark photo) swimming with the Sharks at uShaka Marine World, one of Durban's must-see attractions, and Guesthouse photos - view from the dining room through to the Pub, and view from the kitchen with Llewellyn's freshly baked muffins to the lounge.
Durban was the place to be this Easter with glorious sunshine making lounging around in the sun or around our Guesthouse pool or roof-top a top attraction. The beachfront was alive with festive beachgoers, surfers, the annual Festival of Chariots Hare Krishna devotees, and Zulu dancers. Seen in the photos are Kesi and Subash from Durban around the guesthouse pool and guesthouse co-owner Llewellyn catching some sun on our roof-top.
It's Easter in Durban, here on the sunny east coast of South Africa and we have a Guesthouse full of guests here for some fun in Durbs. Enjoy the long weekend guys. The party fun is at The Lounge this weekend, Durban's only gay bar/lounge/club.
Durban's only gay bar/club The Lounge, will again host a 330 party of note on Sat 16th Feb. Whilst The Lounge is now well established, 330 (of old 330 Point Road fame) has been looking for venues to continue the party since closing at the Point Road site two years ago.
The Guest house was again full this weekend but we don't always remember to take pics of our guests. We caught these ones of Marius leaving on Sunday. He was back in Durbs from St Lucia for some fun in the big city for the weekend. (Llewellyn -guesthouse co-owner - is right in the first pic and Dave - guesthouse co-owner - is left in the second pic). Marius has promised us a reciprocal weekend up the north coast at Cape Vidal or Sodwana 
Bay at the end of March. I have never been up that way and I know what a beautiful stretch of the South African coastline it is, so we will be sure to bring you back some awesome beach and snorkelling pics when we go.
