Club Med Announces Plans for the Brand’s First Resort in South Africa

Image: Rendering of Club Med Tinley in South Africa, set to open in 2026.  (Source: Club Med)
Image: Rendering of Club Med Tinley in South Africa, set to open in 2026. (Source: Club Med)
Laurie Baratti
by Laurie Baratti
Last updated: 11:15 PM ET, Thu September 21, 2023

The originator of the all-inclusive concept, Club Med has just announced that it’s developing an all-new resort, which will become the global brand’s first property in South Africa.

Set to open in 2026, Club Med Tinley will be located in the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal, a region renowned for its warm coastal climate and beautiful beaches, as well as the diversity of its natural landscape.

Here, you can find coastal wonder, but also majestic mountains and sprawling savannahs populated by big game species, which will enable the resort to offer guests a distinctive blend of beach and safari experiences. 

Situated along the celebrated Dolphin Coast, the new Four-Trident (four-star) resort will feature a surf-lifestyle concept, and will also give guests the opportunity to stay right on the grounds of a Big-Five Game Reserve where they can embark upon once-in-a-lifetime safaris in Northern Natal.

Being just 30 minutes away from King Shaka International Airport by car, the resort’s location is highly accessible. The property itself will include 342 guest rooms, 64 five-star, Exclusive Collection Suites and 80 rooms in the Game Lodge, as well as a convention center space.  

Club Med Tinley will offer a range of activities that are fun for the whole family, as well as a world-class kids’ club staffed with certified caretakers and house in purpose-built facilities. It will also boast the brand’s very first Surf School and such wellness offerings as an indulgent spa, fitness center, yoga school, and adult-only Zen pool and bar.

To elevate their stay even further, guests of Club Med Tinley can opt for the ultimate luxury experience by booking one of its Exclusive Collection (five-star) suites, each of which includes its own private terrace or garden space. In this elegant hideaway, guests will enjoy an atmosphere of utmost tranquility amid an oasis that features a serene lounge area, refined bar, luxurious pool and a large range of exclusive services.   

Environmental stewardship and sustainability rank high among Club Med’s priorities, and this new project is no exception. Club Med Tinley will embrace this ethos with eco-certified construction, a Green Globe sustainable tourism certification and its “Bye Bye Plastic Program”.

The property is also poised to benefit the surrounding the community and stimulate the region’s economy by both directly and indirectly generating over 3,500 local jobs.   


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Laurie Baratti

Laurie Baratti

Assistant Editor

Laurie Baratti is an Assistant Editor for TravelPulse. She is a San Diego-based journalist whose work has previously appeared in publications like TravelAge West, SPACE, Modern Home + Living, Montage, and Sandals Life magazines. Travel writing has long been her passion, and she is always looking for excuses to explore the world outside of her native California. Laurie is also a lifelong equestrian, a proud pet-parent, and an underground advocate of the Oxford comma.

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