Mackaya Bella Guest House

Nestled in an indigenous garden setting, adjacent to an existing public park, Mackaya Bella Guest House is a cool and tranquil respite in the midst of bustling Durban.

The indigenous garden theme flows through the guest house, giving it a tranquil and continuous theme. The rooms are well turned out, with individual air conditioning units, TV (SABC and M-Net), mini-bar fridges, and tea and coffee-making facilities.

Laundry facilities are available on request. Internet can be accessed from each room. There is a pool in the garden – unprotected, and hence not desirable for small children.

Mackaya Bella is a non-smoking establishment, with smoking permitted only on the patios and in the garden. Guests should be aware that two friendly dogs live on the premises, partly for their protection.

Mackaya Bella is an indigenous shrub that grows in the wetter parts of KwaZulu-Natal, in coastal and mist-belt forests. Known also as Forest or River Bells (uZwati or umAvutha in isiZulu, and Bos- or Blouklokkiesbos in Afrikaans), Mackaya Bella grows in shady areas, attracting interest via its brilliant, dark green and neatly serrated leaves.

It is famed for the beauty of its flowers - exquisite trumpet shaped, pale mauve blooms, with purple stripes on the inside.

Mackaya is named after James Townsend Mackay, Scottish horticulturalist and curator of the Dublin University Botanic Garden during the 19th century, and author of a book of Irish indigenous plants.

The Latin word bella means beautiful, and Mackaya sounds like the isiZulu word khaya, which means ‘home’.

Location:
MBGH is a modern, six-roomed guest house, as well as one self-catering unit, situated in Glenwood, a quiet residential suburb, within close proximity to most of what Durban has to offer. In recent years Glenwood has become modern and stylish, with numerous restaurants, studios, galleries, cafés and boutiques. MBGH is within:

•20 minutes drive from Durban International Airport
•500m of the University of KZN (Howard College campus), 1 km from the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, and 5 kms from Durban University of Technology (DUT).
•5 minutes drive from the Pavilion and Musgrave Centre, Davenport and Glenwood Village, and ten minutes from the CBD, ICC Durban, the beaches and uShaka Marine World.
•5 minutes drive from Entabeni and St Augustine's Hospitals, and Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital.
•2 minutes drive from Queensmead Hockey Ground, 5 minutes drive from Westridge Stadium 10 minutes drive from Sahara Kingsmead Cricket Stadium, and 15 minutes from ABSA Rugby Stadium.