The Riverside Hotel Brief History
Discover comfort, tranquillity and warm South African hospitality at Riverside Hotel Durban North. Ideally situated in the heart of Durban North, our hotel offers a welcoming retreat for both business and leisure travellers looking for a convenient and relaxing stay.
Whether you’re visiting Durban for business, a family getaway or a weekend escape, Riverside Hotel provides a comfortable base from which to experience everything the city has to offer. Enjoy thoughtfully appointed accommodation, inviting spaces and attentive service in a peaceful setting close to Durban’s beaches, attractions, restaurants and business hubs.
At Riverside Hotel Durban North, we believe that a memorable stay is about more than simply having a place to sleep — it’s about feeling at home from the moment you arrive.
Relax. Unwind. Experience Durban from a place that feels like home.
The Riverside Hotel
The Riverside Hotel is a hotel located in Durban North, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The hotel is situated at 10 Kenneth Kaunda Road, overlooking the Umgeni River and its surrounding greenbelt.
History
The history of the hotel is associated with the development of Durban North during the early 20th century. In 1927, the area that became Durban North was undergoing significant development and was then known as “The Estate”. The area was divided into the districts of Riverside and Prospect Hall.
The property on which the hotel stands was formerly known as Gavi’s Farm. During this period, the hotel operated as the Athlone Gardens Hotel. According to the hotel’s historical account, it became a popular destination for visitors and sailors.
A 1940s brochure described the hotel as occupying approximately 14 acres of landscaped gardens and offering an à la carte restaurant, ballroom, outdoor dancing, miniature golf and tearooms. The accommodation at the time was advertised as having private bathrooms, telephones and radios.
The property was redeveloped in 1998 and subsequently operated under the name The Riverside Hotel.
Accommodation
The Riverside Hotel provides accommodation in rooms and suites. The hotel’s property has 168 bedrooms and suites, including standard, corporate, family and suite accommodation. Rooms are described as including features such as kitchenettes, telephones, seating areas and satellite television.
The Riverside Hotel Complete History
A Durban North landmark with a story dating back almost a century
The Riverside Hotel stands on a site closely connected with the early development of Durban North. Long before the modern hotel took shape, the property was part of an area of farms, riverside land and emerging residential development north of the uMngeni River.
The story of the hotel is intertwined with the transformation of Durban North from rural land into one of Durban’s established suburbs.
The beginnings: Riverside and Gavin’s Farm
In the early 20th century, the land north of the uMngeni River was largely rural. The area that would become Durban North was associated with the Prospect Hall Sugar Estate and was divided into districts including Riverside and Prospect Hall.
Historical recollections record that a hotel already stood on the land known as Gavin’s Farm before the development of modern Durban North. That establishment was known as the Riverside Hotel.
Elizabeth Robb, whose memories of old Durban were recorded by the Facts About Durban historical project, recalled that the old Riverside Hotel stood outside the municipal borough and was later rebuilt and known as the Athlone Hotel.
1927: The opening of Athlone Bridge
The year 1927 was an important turning point for Durban North.
The development of the new suburb gathered pace, and the construction of Athlone Bridge across the uMngeni River created an important new connection between Durban and the land north of the river. The bridge became a gateway to the developing suburb.
It was during this period that the Riverside Hotel became known as the Athlone Gardens Hotel.
The hotel’s position outside the municipal boundary also contributed to its popularity. Historical accounts describe the hotel as a favourite gathering place for visitors and sailors, and its riverside setting made it an attractive destination during the early development of Durban North.
The Athlone Gardens Hotel
By the 1940s, the hotel had become an established destination.
A period brochure described the Athlone Gardens Hotel as occupying approximately 14 acres of park-like gardens. It advertised an à la carte restaurant, ballroom, outdoor dancing, miniature golf and tearooms. Guest rooms were described as having private bathrooms, telephones and radios, while a veranda café offered views across the surrounding landscape.
The hotel was also a social venue. A contemporary 1949 report of the Hilton/Michaelhouse Old Boys’ Club records a dance at Athlone Gardens in Durban North attended by approximately 300 people.
These records provide a glimpse of the hotel’s role in Durban social life during the middle decades of the 20th century.
From Athlone Gardens to the Athlone Hotel
As Durban North developed, the hotel continued to evolve and became known as the Athlone Hotel.
The property remained a significant venue for social gatherings, entertainment and functions. Historical records from the 1960s and later decades document events taking place at the Athlone Hotel, reflecting its continuing place in Durban’s social life.
The hotel also became associated with The Barn, an entertainment venue that later became particularly well known for live music.
The Barn and Durban’s entertainment history
From the 1980s into the 1990s, The Barn at the Athlone Hotel became strongly associated with the Blarney Brothers, an Irish-influenced Durban music group.
Independent local newspaper accounts record that the Blarney Brothers performed regularly at The Barn for approximately 13 years. One account places their residency from 1983 to 1996, with performances twice a week.
The Barn became part of Durban’s live-entertainment culture, and memories of the venue have continued to feature in local histories of the city.
The venue’s significance is also documented in historical records from the period, including a 1997 Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing that referred to The Barn at the Athlone Hotel.
The changing skyline
The hotel property also witnessed the changing architecture of Durban North.
A tower block was constructed behind the hotel in the late 1960s. A photograph published in the Sunday Tribune on 15 February 1981 documented the building and its subsequent development. The tower later became known as Athlone Heights and was separated from the hotel property.
The surrounding area continued to change as Durban North developed from a new suburb into an established part of the city.
The Riverside Hotel returns
In 1998, the property was redeveloped and returned to the name The Riverside Hotel.
The redevelopment marked a new chapter in the property’s history, combining its long association with hospitality and entertainment with modern hotel accommodation, conference facilities and contemporary amenities. Independent property records also connect the Riverside Hotel with sectional-title development dating from 1998.
The modern Riverside Hotel therefore represents the latest chapter in a story that reaches back to the early development of Durban North.
A heritage of hospitality
Today, The Riverside Hotel remains at 10 Kenneth Kaunda Road, Durban North, overlooking the uMngeni River and its surrounding landscape.
The hotel combines contemporary accommodation, dining, events and conference facilities with a site that has played a part in Durban North’s history for generations.
From the original Riverside Hotel and the Athlone Gardens Hotel, through the Athlone Hotel and the era of The Barn, to the redevelopment of 1998 and the present-day Riverside Hotel, the property has continually evolved with Durban.
Its history is therefore not simply the story of a hotel. It is also part of the story of the development of Durban North itself.
A living part of Durban North
Nearly a century after the development of Athlone Bridge helped open the northern bank of the uMngeni to a new suburb, The Riverside Hotel continues to welcome visitors to the same riverside setting.
The names and buildings may have changed over the decades, but the property’s connection with hospitality, entertainment and the wider Durban community remains.
The Riverside Hotel — where Durban North’s history meets its present.
Reference and sources:
– Main article was researched with AI
– Facts About Durban: Old Durban Memories by Elizabeth Robb
– IOL: Not a bridge too far
– IOL: From sailors’ haunt to upmarket hotel
– The Post: From sailors’ haunt to upmarket hotel
– Citizen – North Glen News: Riverside Hotel
– Visit Durban: The Riverside Hotel Durban
– The Riverside Hotel Durban North
– Highway Mail: Blarney Brothers celebrate 40 years of partying
– More of the ol Blarney Brothers
– Rolling Inspiration: Value offered with riverside hotel
– South & East African Tourism Update: KZNS Riverside Hotel Goes Independent
– IOL: Rediscover the joy of being a tourist in your own country
– Expedia: The Riverside Hotel