A unique and unrivalled experience awaits you at the happy hippo, from a great location to clean, comfortable and affordable accommodation.
The Happy Hippo sits perfectly located 5 minutes’ walk from the beach and a short bus ride from the city centre, offering you the best of Durban within touching distance. Once a derelict building, we have lovingly injected our own style of décor and passion into this ugly duckling.

With a newly built rooftop lounge and bar and freshly painted rooms you will be left with the sense of space and relaxation whilst organizing one of the many exciting activities that Durban can offer you, from scuba diving with sharks to jumping off the stadium arch or simply taking a rickshaw ride along the beachfront, Durban really is a beautiful city that needs to be explored.
The Happy Hippo works closely with various charities and volunteering organisations’, so if building a classroom or just making a child smile is your thing, give us a shout and we can help you organise a rewarding and awesome experience, whether it’s for one day or three months.

Offering, you the customer, a whole host of facilities ranging from a wireless internet café, bicycle hire, discount cards to clean and fresh linen, spacious living areas’ and staff that aim to make your stay an extremely memorable one. The Happy Hippo is the perfect location for a gap year student to start their exploration of the world.