Kotu, Badala Park Hotel

we stayed at badala park for two weeks from the 11th dec till 25th dec 2010

weather was fantastic hotel very basic but everyone very friendly and helpful.... the hotel manager and reception staff were brilliant....breakfast was okay if you got any... beaches were lovely a bit rough if not a confident swimmer... bars, restaurant,and food out and about very good ... no street light so make sure you take tourches with you... please make sure you take the correct malaria tablets only 3 kinds are suitable .... 1 member of my party became very poorly with malaria (not recommended)luckily it was when we got home...english plugs so no adapters needed... we had a fab holiday when not mithered by the bumsters there are a pain in the backside they hang around outside hotel bars etc they need locking up they spoil ya holiday apart from that a fab holiday and would love to go again and back and to that hotel again as well....we also had the gala evening thrown in for free it was fit for a queen they worked so hard to make sure it all run smoothly food was excellent highly recommend .... we paid £928 for 4 people for 2weeks including xmas day well worth that

never stayed in a cesspitt as this place ,filthy no water no elec no cold drinks as owner wouldnt fix fridges old man next to me was mugged in his room and young girls and boys walked freely around offering sex,a total shithole ,shame as most staff great and so is gambia,hotel a dump ...JOHNO nov 2010

My pal and I stayed here in February and basic is what the basic means. The staff were brilliant but the gardeners could be a pain(trying to sunbathe and a wheelbarrowor a hose being trundled past you). Food was ok. The chinese restuarant was value - never had a bad meal. Going out of the hotel was like running a gauntlet, some bumpsters didn't take no as an answer, but good eateries close by. The tailor is great guy as is Amie the waitress from upstairs. Entertainment was ok and sometimes funny as in the darts/arrows competitions. The hotel was fine for my first experience of The Gambia and I will go back.

As with others we read these reviews before we left so we had an idea of what we had got ourselves into.... although we really had a great time overall there were a few downs but mostly ups.

The hotel is a little ragged around the seems but improvements are being made, whilst we were there our room received new bins and toilet brushes and nice little handsoaps(admittedly small things but improvements nonetheless). Also the entertainment area gained a new TV projector although despite much fiddling with only seemed to show a bollywood movie and football !!

Our room was in C block on the top floor and was cleaned by Lamin who is a very honest and hard working boy who always had a friendly smile and hello. The room itself was upto our needs, beds, shower, fan, safe and was clean. The balcony looked out over a portion of 'the jungle' and I even saw a red colubus monkey in the trees on the first day along with a spectacular array of birds. Alas the balcony also had a view of the 'Happy corner' which sometimes offered views which would offend more genteel personage !!??

The hotel staff were numerous and sometimes it was hard to discern the staff from others who seemed to loiter around the grounds, and some of the attention from some verged on the intrusive. We particularly liked the following people around the hotel who we discoverd were trustworthy and attentive...... Lamin the C-block cleaner, Mohammed the big smiling waiter, Cheeky Jay the waitress with a great sense of humour(ask her for a cappucino !), Mariamma the waitress who served us most regularly and who we liked alot, Awa on reception who is a cute as a button, BB our bag man and fix it boy and most importantly Abdullah the cigarette seller right next to the front gate who is a great guy and always gives you a straight answer to any question, buy your cigarettes from him, he gives a good price and has a lovely family which would benefit from your business.

The food in the hotel is passable, the chinese restaraunt is probably the best of the three but we ate outside the hotel more often as the choice of restaraunts locally and in Senegambia is really good....highlights include African Queen and Paradiso on the strip, Kunta Kinteh, Tam Tams and Barracuda in Kotu.

The hotels evening entertainment is OK but a little erratic and often similar in its style, although one night there was a 'pub quiz' which was highly entertaining due to its total lack of organisation. If you want a night of true Gambian culture try outside of the hotel. Kunta Kinteh organise a fabulous BBQ on Sundays and the entertainment is absolutely top notch.

When leaving the hotel it is always like running the gauntlet....and could become a bit much if you just want a peaceful stroll... the walk to Kotu village and the walk to the beach via the palm beach hotel are particularly entertaining/annoying(delete where applicable). Common phrases which you will hear...."Happy couples", "your satisfaction is my gaurantee", "your happiness is my pleasure", "a gift from my heart", "nice to be nice", "the more you smile the browner you get" and so on, generally these are proffered to elicit cash in some manner.

Gambia is a beautiful country and its people are wonderful so it really is rewarding to leave the hotel and do some trips to some of the attractions and local villages. We initially booked 2 through the holiday company which is a good idea as you do get a good level of organisation and you can speak to other tourists of their experiences. We would highly recommend the 'Treasure Island' trip but wouldn't advise the trip to Fatarah in Senegal as you pay a lot and see very little. The organised trips are ok but expensive and the money doesn't go to the locals so it is better to find someone you can trust who offers trips..... The two people below we used and we cannot recommend them enough...

Firstly....

OMAR SHERIFF(yes, as in the actor) our good friend who looked after us from the first time we went to the Kunta Kinteh beach bar on Kotu beach. A really good rasta guy with a heart of gold and strong sense of fairness. He took us to the monkey park and we also did the Roots tour with him. He can be found most days at the Kunta Kinteh beach bar or give him a call on (7006240).

and....

ENSA SAIDY a taxi driver from the Senegambia strip who is a cool guy, a real big personality and also a man who can be trusted wholly. We used him to ferry us from the hotel to the Senegambia strip and back most nights and found his company and choice of music hugely entertaining. We also took a day trip with him which took in the Crocodile park, Lamin Lodge, the batique factory, Serekunda market, Brikama and a thoroughly humbling visit to his mother and his village. He also took us to JOKOR, the famous mbalax nightclub. We enjoyed all our time with Ensa who we now class as a good friend. Find him and his jeep on the Senegambia strip or call(9808311)

Other highlights of our stay........

KUNTAH KINTEH beach bar on Kotu beach, great food, great staff,(thanks Yousef), the best cappucino in Gambia and a place to really feel safe to relax and enjoy the sun.

OUSMAN the aeroplane boy. This guy makes the most incredible things from scrap metal to sell to make his fees to go to engineering school. We got him to make us a helicopter complete with lights and spinning blades. This young man and his determination and ingenuity reduced us to tears. His smile and honest nature along with such talent made him No.1 on our list of favourite Gambians.... Email him to meet him and see his work [email protected].... you won't be dissappointed.

Overall Gambia is a great place to visit and the people are lovely. It can be relaxing, hard work, emotional and exhillerating, just remember to take loads of sweets and pens and excersize books for the kids....."TOUBAB" "MINTY"

If you use any of the contacts mentioned above please remember to say BIG HELLO and THANK YOU from Ian and Kay in Manchester.

i have read many reviews that have been placed on here and see a mixed feeling.

As i have stayed at Badala Park Hotel for 3 weeks at a time over a 6 year period, about 4 months in total i believe i know it well.

firstly you either went to badala park or are considering going there because you are on a budget and we all know you dont get the hilton hotel for a few quid a night, you book budget you get budget.

having said that you can pay much more in the gambia and get no better, i have spoken to so many people who were on hoilday at the same time and though badala was as good if not better and there is no doubt that if its beach you want its probably the the best in the gambia, the sun loungers at the beach are free and there will be a bar porter ready to bring drinks and snacks if you require straight to you sunbed, a tip at the end of the day of around 50p will keep them happy. you can also take advantage of many juice stall the will squeeze you a drink from fresh fruit.

back to the hotel. well yes rooms are basic, no tv or stereo,but most are of a good size unless you are in one around the pool area which i dont advise if you want a little quiet before 11-12 pm. i find j block to be best for me and always go for upper floor, get to know your room cleaner and tell them to look after you and you will treat them on the day you leave, around 2 quid, will be one of the best things you do, you will soon see flowers layed apon your bed and other little things.

food at the hotel not outstanding but not too bad, but a taxi to senigambia strip will give you and abundance of night life and enough resteraunts to eat from for a month. i see people talking about taxis, yellow, green, well it dont matter what they are you dont have to pay more for the green ones than a yellow one just dont get one from the taxi rank because then the price will be fixed by the rank. get yourself out of the main gate and go right to the juction here you can tell them what you will pay, 20 delassi will get you to senigambia, if they refuse the offer keep walking and they will change there mind within 10 ft.

if you do make a local friend or seek a or someone to take you around remeber that thats all they can do, they will not be able to get rid of any bumsters that aproach you else they will get in trouble. my advise is to get your self out and about on your own, you wont be at any risk at all, they are just trying to make a few bob and have no intention of harming you, gambia has a vey very low crime rate and most of the bumsters are just ouside your hotel area, go beyond this and you will be fine and left alone apart from the odd one at serrikunda market. so remeber you can go about quite freely and enjoy the whole holiday if you try. dont ignore the bumsters that wont work, just say no ta mate have a good day and dont stop walking, dont matter if you do but as soon as you stop walking you have invited them to talk. like i said they are no harm and most are quite nice people.

the main rule is to get down on the beach get a little tan and then your free to go, you skin is no longer snow white so they dont see you as a new commer and belive that you have been there long enough to know your way.

there will be no doubt that someone will stop you but thats just part of the learning prosses and im sure they will be nice. dont use locals to book your taxis or trips, they say they can save you pounds and the can compaired to tour operators prices but you can do even better as the price they give you will include a split with the driver and on top of that you have someone with you all day.

barter on every thing you do or buy and dont be shy else you will pay well over the odds, a good statring bid would be a quater of the asking price not half, from that you will have fun working to a reasonable price that your happy with.

do get out into the local comunity and into the villages, we had some of our best days here, cooking with the locals and dancing with the children at there compounds, its nice to take something with you but they will happy to feed you for free aswell even though they are extremly poor.

walk to the local supermarket. turn left out the gate and go straight for about half a mile passing the old bridge over the river and passed the other hotels. there is also a money exchange there who you can barter with and get much more that you will at the hotel, dont change you money up on the street with locals its just not worth the shortfall risk.

dont let anyone put a free gift of beeds round your neck, or they will expect a free gift back lol.

ok now dont let any of this put you of that is not the intention because you can have a holiday to truly remember in the gambia with loads of fun for next to nothing and with such lovley people and that they are. most visitors return, i know that as i see them each year. the weather is second to none, the people great, beach at badala very good, night life in senegambia good.

from the beach walk to the monkey park, you will love feeding the roaming monkeys from your had as they come and stand in front of you.

try the crocadlie park, ever thought of stroking a live croc that is not contained but just lounging around, dont worry they say hes a veggie ha ha .

ho by the way if you want to take my advise on the room placement just ask at the recepton desk, you will already have been located a room but they are happy to change that for a nice cold coke at the most.

safe box in room is payable at desk in reception, not cheap but DO use it and dont skimp on that.

take your sun oil with you very expensive over there, a bottle for each week your there.

DO get jabed up at ya doctors before going, i have meet people who dont and im not sure why as its free with your doctor and maleria is tablets will need a prescription, that all you will pay for, you will need enough to cover your hoilday plus one week before and 4 weeks after. i find tesco always comes out at the best price for these, but do get the note from you doc and not just any of the shelf .

On arriving at Banjul airport we read some reviews and we were very worried about the so called bumpsters in the airport ( There are No Bumpsteres - They are the porters ) yes they want to help you with your case to the coach but you just say NO politely and they will leave you alone.

But all I can say we did not know what we were worried about because we had no hasstle at all.

We stopped at the Badala Park Hotel for 14 nights Friday 27th February to Friday 13th March.

This hotel is basic but its set in scenic gardens with tall palm trees covering the paths.

The staff are really friendley and will do anything to help you

The breakfast is of continental style and is basic but fills you up.

Also we did not have any power or water cuts on our first week but the second week we had a few but they only last for about ten minutes max. JUST REMEMBER THIS IS A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY . Just book to stop here its great and the weather is fantastic ......

I think Badala Park Hotel, Kotu, is a shabby hotel, poor sheets for bedding, beds basic (very), seedy, a hotel for budget clients, we checked out after 4 days of a 14 day holiday and went to the superior Senegambia Beach Hotel. Glad we checked out, didn't like the atmosphere here, too budget for us, and no excuses for the awful breakfasts. Only good point was the staff were polite.

Clean and basic - don't come here expecting luxury and you won't be disappointed! Staff mostly friendly and helpful, with a few exceptions. Breakfast basic but nice enough, other food and drinks a bit over-priced but ok.

If your going to get a taxi they have green ones which are the tourist one which are more expensive and yellow ones that are proper cheap! BUT make sure you agree a price with them before you go anywhere! the market in Banjul is massive, I would suggest that you go with a local, (don't worry after the first couple of hours you would have made loads of mates), I would suggest making a mate with a Gambian that works in the hotel, because they cant afford to lose that job, and will make sure that your safe and happy, buy them a packet of fags for 70p or a little lunch and they will be happy. I would definitely go back to Gambia, but I wouldn't stay in this hotel ever again, but it was an experience!

Loved the staff, go down the back and meet with the ladies who do the washing and cleaning - real Gambian hospitality.Don't feel frightened to go out and about, go explore. Find a friend - the terminology bumster is not nice. The friend we made is great and we keep in contact with him, even when we get home. He has never asked us for anything. These people have a hard existence and do need help but it is nice if it comes from the heart and not reluctantly. I would recommend a holiday to Gambia - don't stay in the confines of the hotel go out and look around the area. How lucky are we?? we have so much and don't even realise it... HAVE FUN AND ENJOY.