Durban in Winter

Who would believe it is mid-winter here in Durban. Our day temperatures are 25c which is normal for our hot beach city in Winter. No wonder it was the 2010 football world cup city to visit! We're definitely the city to enjoy for stunning weather in South Africa.

It's a sizzling Summer Pool Party - Sat 31st March 2012

Bookings have opened for accommodation for the weekend of our Pool Party at the end of this month. We only have a few rooms, so please book early. All rooms are double accommodation only, unless you want to come in a group and share the Garden Studio (sleeps 4 comfortably .. 6 for fun) and the Bunk room which would suit under 25 singles.

If you're not coming to stay, you're welcome to come for the Pool Party only - tickets are R50, which includes a free drinks voucher for the party, as well as a free Lounge drinks voucher. There will be a cash bar, but you're also welcome to bring your own cooler bag.

Bonewear and Kinx will be sending some of their latest underwear and swimwear, so you will be able to see some of the good stuff.  Please click on our Facebook event and let us know now if you're coming so we can plan appropriately.

Kite-Surfing in Durban

Durban and the east coast of Southern Africa are great kite-surfing destinations. Here for a holiday break in Durban and then on a Mocambique are kite-surfer Ivo and friend Stefan from Vienna in Austria. They are also looking at the possible establishment of a kite-surfing resort along the beaches of Mocambique.

Braai invite

You're invited to a bring-and-braai on Sunday at my Flying School, Light Flight in Cato Ridge to check out our new plane. Will be flying in the am but the plane can be seen any time from 10am and I will light fires from 12.30.. so please come and be part of the excitement.

Comrades in Durban 29 May

The annual Comrades Marathon from Durban to Pietermaritzburg is an uprun this year and we will be going down at the crack of dawn to watch the start. So if you're running, come stay with us and the other runners at the Guesthouse and we will get you to the start, or come see you off.

We also have an accommodation special "running" for entrants, so if you'd like to come stay and pay for 2 nights, we will give you a third night free. This will give you a chance to acclimatise in Durban and also wind down and relax after the big event. We can even arrange a massage for those weary muscles.

Bookings are now open for the weekend Fri 27 to Sun 29 May by email on durbanview@gmail.com   

What's HOT this weekend and more

Hey guys, here's the line-up of hot events and special weekends at the Guesthouse:

March

Fri 18th - Mon 21st Mar - Human Rights’ Day long weekend. Come party in Durban. Minimum 2-night stay.

April

Fri 1st Apr - Pre-cruise Cocktails for Rainbow Cruise Guests and Durban friends

Wed 30 Mar - Sat 2 Apr - pre-Rainbow Cruise Special: Pay for 2, get 3rd night FREE

Fri 8th Apr - Sun 10 Apr - Ladies Weekend
with Saturday afternoon chilled 4pm - 10pm Rooftop Sundowners for guests and local ladies in conjunction with Bent Promotions!
 Sun 24th Apr - Pre-cruise Cocktails for Rainbow Cruise Guests and Durban friends

Fri 22nd - Mon 25th Apr - pre-Rainbow Cruise Special: Pay for 2, get 3rd night FREE

http://www.alternativetravel.co.za/

Thurs 21st - Thurs 28th Apr - Easter long-weekend and Freedom Day public holiday. Best Durban weather, party hard, lie in the sun. Minimum 2 night bookings open.

May

Fri 29th Apr - Tues 3rd May - May Day long-weekend - more time to party up a storm in Durban or just enjoy a fabulous rest. Durban is the best place to be in May. Minimum 2 night bookings open.

Fri 6th May - Wed 11th May - INDABA Conference Weekend. Double room rate applies for single or double occupancy

Tues 10th May - Cocktail party for Conference Delegates and Durban friends

Sun 29th May - 86th Comrades Marathon up-run. Join our Comrades guests for their pre-run Welcome.

June

Fri 17th June - Sun 19 - Singles weekend. Come alone, bring your mates or take a plunge sharing a room with a mystery stranger...

July

Fri 1st and Sat 2nd July - A RIGHT ROYAL AFFAIR is the theme of this years’s Vodacom July Handicap horseracing just down from the Guesthouse. So dress up like a Queen and join us at the Races... and don’t forget the naked guys 13th Race.. 200 hot dudes make a dash to the finish... everyone stays for this race!!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-official-Vodacom-Durban-July/212919011349

Fri 15th - Sun 17 July - Leather and Kinx weekend with Sat braai and Leather and Kinx party for guests and locals. Come and do your stuff and have some wild fun.

Durban View Gay GuesthousevRoom rates are:

u25s Bunk room - R295pp

City rooms - R450pp sharing or R550 single (if available)

Premium room - R600pp sharing or R750 single (if available)

So there’s every reason to come visit, stay gay, party gay or simply relax with us in Durban soon.

Dave and Llewellyn

http://www.durbanview.co.za/

durbanview@gmail.com

Dave 083-7033329

Llewellyn 082-377 2322

Durban's first Pink Parade

Durban's first Pink Parade took place this morning down Florida Rd. The event formed part of the Pink Mynah Festival which took place in Pietermaritzburg and Durban this week.

Durban View Guesthouse was represented in the Parade and next year we want to go even better with our own float and involving the guests in floatbuilding the night before.

Kevin Ellis was the star of the parade with a glitzy and feathered pink (of course) glam outfit  and a thumping band swept us down the street. The gathering was small but this was a great start to what hopefully will be a growing annual event.

Make sure you are kept in touch with events like this by joining our Gay Durban Facebook group. You  can also see more pics of the Parade loaded there. Check out the YouTube video clip here.

Patrice takes some pics



Enjoying a drink at Billy the Bums are guest Patrice with Llewellyn and myself (Dave)







Beach rugby and hot boys in Durban

 


Surfing the wave at Durban's North Beach



The Guesthouse pool at night



 I love it when guests snap some photos of the guesthouse or Durban. Here Guest Patrice from Canada and now living in Atlanta provided some great photos of the guesthouse at night. In the top photo we enjoyed drinks at our favourite pub, Billy the Bums.

Read Patrice's review of the Guesthouse here.

The Guesthouse - photo from the pool area towards the guest Patio

Friend and Durban photographer Ryan snaps guest Patrice from Atlanta on Durban's beachfront Pier

Durban Beach Stag

Dave finds a sight on Durban's beachfront... thought for a moment it was something gay, but it was a Stag-Party, or was it?

Guests climb Kilimanjaro

Our World Cup guests from San Francisco, Cory (left) and Dawn (middle) join Llewellyn in the Guesthouse bar after their detour en route to South Africa to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest peak. It seems we have all the adventure guests making their way here and have been hearing the most amazing stories. Well done girls, what an achievement.

4 Things to Do in Durban

We are often asked for recommendations as to what to see or do in and around Durban. Of course the best way to get around is in your own vehicle and we would recommend that you hire a car as South Africa has big wide open spaces and not the public transport network that will get you to the places you want to go. Options are:

1. DURBAN STADIUM CABLE CAR OR SWING

The latest muti-billion rand project completed in Durban is the 2010 Fifa World Cup Football Stadium - the most impressive in South Africa.

A unique feature of the Moses Mabhida Stadium is the high arch - one can catch the funicular cable car to the top of the arch, walk up the stairs to the top or take a breath-taking swing from one of the crossbeams across the whole stadium, or simply stroll along the beachfront promenade to the Stadium and back.

2. HARBOUR CRUISE: Brunch, Champagne Sunsets, Dinner Cruise

Join the Allen Gardiner Harbour cruise around the calm waters of Durban Harbour during which freshly-prepared fine foods are served and a fully stocked bar is open - one of the better ways to see Durban from the other side. Check out the full details on their website at: Allen Gardiner Harbour Cruise Restaurant.

3. uSHAKA MARINE WORLD

A must see in Durban is the uSHAKA shopping and aquarium complex on the beachfront at the harbour entrance - the beginning of our Waterfront development under construction at the moment. The uShaka Marine World features a full size shipwreck on the land with the Aquarium and shark tank built inside and under the huge ship. A good place to eat is the Cargo Hold restaurant in the ship which features a double story window with the sharks swimming around checking what gourmet seafoods you are eating.

Lunch around the harbour

Dave hired a harbour cruise boat on Friday and entertained clients whilst celebrating his legal firm's 26th Birthday.

In the top photo are guesthouse partner Llewellyn and friend Matt on board the "Jolly Roger" and in the second photo guests Charles and colleague Josef joined us for drinks at the Guesthouse.

Durban shaping up - QM2 arrives

Durban is shaping up in time for the World Cup in June. The Queen Mary 2 arrived in the harbour this morning for a quick visit and I shot around taking some photos.

The grass around the World Cup Stadium - the Moses Mabhida Stadium - is growing nicely as the surrounding landscaping is greening Durban, one of South Africa's greenest cities.

The posters on the street lamp-poles proclaim Durban as South Africa's warmest city for the World Cup, and that is true. Being a coastal city with the warm Indian Ocean, Durban's winter temperature is in the 15c - 22c range whilst football fans in Johannesburg and Cape Town arelikely to be in cold 10c weather during the World Cup.

We still have some Guesthouse space, particularly around the Brazil vs Portugal game, so bookings can still be made online or by email to durbanstadiumview@gmail.com.

Festive Season is here

In the run-up to Christmas Llewellyn tried his hand at a lamb-on-the-spit for his staff end-of-year function.

Here he is carving up the lamb which turned out tender and tasty after 3 hours on the rotating spit-braai.

FIFA World Cup semi-final for Durban

Durban was abuzz this morning after last night's Final draw for the 2010 Fifa World Cup Football games and venues. We got a star-studded draw hosting 5 of the world's top 6 football teams, including Spain (ranked 1st), Brazil (2nd), Netherlands (3rd), Portugal (5th) and Germany (6th). Our Guesthouse is situated within view of the Stadium and we are excited to be able to host visitors and fans from these top teams.

In addition, we will have teams from almost every continent with Switzerland, Nigeria, Japan, Australia, and Korea adding to the star-studded line-up.

Portugal, Nigeria and Netherlands are in the line-up of teams coming to Durban for crucial World Cup football matches.

The Korean Republic, Japan and Brazil will wow fans in Durban and bring a huge fan base of their own to Durban, South Africa's warmest city for the June/July football extravaganza.

Durban * has long been a favourite of Germans for our warm climate and hospitable locals and we will be able to reciprocate in 2010 with fans from ustralia, Switzerland and Germany coming to watch their favourite tems in action at our new Moses Mabhida Football Stadium.

* Copyright of logos to eThekwini Municipality - Durban host City 2010 FFA World Cup

This is how the Sunday Tribune broke the news this morning of "Durban's dream draw" as we got 5 of the world's top 6 football teams in play-offs at our new Durban Stadium for the 2010 World Cup Football in June/July next year.

We will host a semi-final on the 7th July and the other matches in June and July include:

Sun 13 June - Germany v Australia
Wed 16 June - Spain vs Switzerland
Sat 19 June - Netherlands vs Japan
Tues 22 Jun - Nigeria vs Korea
Fri 25 June - Portugal vs Brazil
Mon 28 Jun - Round 16 winners of group 1E and 2F
Wed 7 July - Semi-Final Group B vs Group D

There is still limited accommodation at Durban Stadium View Guesthouse for the World Cup - book here - and we can also offer executive accommodation at a luxury 3-bedroom garden Apartment overlooking the Moses Mabhida World Cup Stadium with sweeping views of the city and Indian Ocean.

Olympic Sportsman visits Durban

Welcoming South African Olympic Badminton player Anton Kriel from Pretoria to the Guesthouse are fellow guests Gregg from Portland, Oregon, Anton's partner Stuart, and Greg's partner Eric.

Anton took part in the Barcelona Olympic games in 1992, the first year that Badminton was accepted as an Olympic sport and he has countless other trophies to his credit including the All Africa mixed doubles and men's doubles championship trophies, as well as the Wanderers 1999 Sportsman of the Year trophy.

Dave and Llewellyn in Pride March

Dave and Llewellyn took part in their first gay Pride March this week in Buenos Aires Argentina. Pride is the first Saturday of November each year and this year we just happened to be in Buenos Aires in time for Pride and our first experience of marching in a Pride Parade.

There were about 20 000 people in the March and we were in the second row. It was an awesome experience and we bought our first Rainbow flag which we took with us on the march and is now in our Guesthouse pub, along with the few bits and pieces we bought in Buenos Aires. What a wonderful experience.

Images of the city from the Guesthouse

Our recent guest Friedrich was a whiz with his camera and took these photos of the city from the Guesthouse.

In the top photo is our new 2010 FIFA World Cup Football Stadium which has just been completed. There were sceptics who said the Stadia in the country would never be completed in time, but they were proved wrong. The Durban Stadium, the Moses Mabhida Stadium feature a stunning cable car lift which ca take visitors to the top of the Stadium arch and for those more adverturous there are stairs on the other side to take one up or down as well.

In the middle photo are the night lights of our beachfront hotels, whilst the day photo below shows the CBD of the City from the Guesthouse. Thanks Friedrich for these stunning new pics.