Your Last BordersBEST BEACH HOTELS IN THE GAMBIA
The Gambia is a great place for a luxurious and inexpensive beach holiday. A country with over 80km of warm and sandy beaches used to welcoming tourists all year round. There’s lots of great things to do in the Gambia. Among them, everyone’s favourite is enjoying the azure waters and taking in the sunshine. If you are looking for the best beach hotels in The Gambia, this post has you covered. Book those flights, choose your room, and get ready for an awesome vacation by the Atlantic.
For those who are not yet familiar with the destination, here’s a recap. The Gambia is the smallest country on continental Africa, its only neighbours are Senegal and the Ocean. English is the official language and Banjul is the country’s capital while Serekunda is its biggest city and main touristic area. It feels completely safe and there’s lots of great bars and restaurants to enjoy by the beach.
All hotels on this post can be booked through booking.com so you won’t have communication issues when searching for the perfect room. Additionally, they sit by the beach and feature a restaurant, swimming pool, free wifi, and nice rooms with private bathrooms. That said, let me introduce you to the best beach hotels in The Gambia.
Best beach hotels in Serekunda
Sunset Beach Hotel 3*
Sunset Beach Hotel is a modern bungalow-style hotel with a large swimming pool by the beach. It’s where I stayed on my first visit to the country and definitely one of my favourites among the best beach hotels in The Gambia. Prices starting at $150/night for a double room in all inclusive.
PROS: It’s conveniently located close to everywhere one wants to visit in The Gambia and there’s always taxis at the gate. The rooms are clean, spacious, and comfortable while keeping a strong African and tropical vibe. The pool is huge and there’s a tasty and abundant breakfast buffet.
CONTS: The onsite restaurant is a bit short on options and most of them are frozen meals. So you’d probably prefer eating in one of the restaurants in Senegambia.
KEY DISTANCES: Airport 35min; Senegambia 10min; Serekunda market 15min; Kachikally Crocodile Pool 15min; Bijilo Monkey Park 15min, Banjul 25min.
Senegambia Beach Hotel 3*
Senegambia Beach Hotel is right at Senegambia, so it’s ideal for those looking to try a different restaurant every night and party a few steps from their bed. Prices starting at $150/night for a double room and breakfast.
PROS: Awesome pool bar, lots of gardens, delicious breakfast, and perfect location.
CONS: No visitors allowed in the hotel, not even during daytime and in public spaces. Some rooms ARE quite old and there’s complains on rude staff.
KEY DISTANCES: Airport 30min; Senegambia 1min; Serekunda market 20min; Kachikally Crocodile Pool 20min; Bijilo Monkey Park 7min, Banjul 30min.
African Princess Beach Hotel 4*
The African Princess Beach Hotel is famous for its wonderful pools by the beach. This is one of the most well established among the best beach hotels in The Gambia. Prices starting at $170/night for a double room and breakfast.
PROS: The pool has a separate baby area, sunbeds within the water, and a wonderful bar. Plus some rooms have a private pool. Every room has a garden or pool view and the facilities are quite modern.
CONS: Some of the telephones and TVs are no longer working. The food at the restaurant could be better, so I’d recommend dining nearby. There is a fee for non-guests coming to visit.
KEY DISTANCES: Airport 35min; Senegambia 7min; Serekunda market 15min; Kachikally Crocodile Pool 18min; Bijilo Monkey Park 12min, Banjul 25min.
Kombo Beach Resort
Kombo Beach Resort combines beautiful modern facilities with old tropical-looking areas. Prices starting at $140/night for a double room and breakfast.
PROS: There’s a wellness and spa area offering massages and beauty treatments, something unusual in the area. Along with table tennis and bikes to rent, so it will keep the whole family entertained.
CONS: The onsite restaurant looks old and can get very crowded.
KEY DISTANCES: Airport 35min; Senegambia 10min; Serekunda market 15min; Kachikally Crocodile Pool 12min; Bijilo Monkey Park 15min, Banjul 25min.
Sunprime Tamala Beach 4*
Sunprime Tamala Beach has a proper gym and a wonderful pool. It’s modern, high-end, and close to everything. So you’ll be charged accordingly. Prices starting at $220/night for a double room and breakfast.
PROS: Volleyball court, table tennis, themed nights, spacious rooms, high-speed wifi, sea views, great food… You name it, this palace has it all.
CONS: Yes, it’s one of the most expensive hotels in the area. Yet it offers a great value for money in West Africa.
KEY DISTANCES: Airport 35min; Senegambia 10min; Serekunda market 18min; Kachikally Crocodile Pool 18min; Bijilo Monkey Park 12min, Banjul 30min.
Kololi Beach Resort
Kololi Beach Resort is a great place for families, as there’s family pools, entertainment, and wildlife onsite. It’s walking distance from Senegambia. Prices starting at $100/night for a double room and breakfast.
PROS: All rooms have a nice view, other to the sea, the garden, or the pool. They also have a full equipped kitchen perfect for self-catering. There’s also a billiard, entertainment, and plenty of monkeys and birds around the gardens. Along with separate family pools for kids.
CONS: Air conditioning comes at an additional charge. There’s plenty of bars nearby so there might be some noise and music coming in well after midnight.
KEY DISTANCES: Airport 30min; Senegambia 2min; Serekunda market 16min; Kachikally Crocodile Pool 25min; Bijilo Monkey Park 7min, Banjul 30min.
Balafon Beach Resort 4*
Balafon Beach Resort is a tropical-looking hotel featuring a beautiful minimalist style. Ideal for romantic getaways as are their top suits are awesome. Prices starting at $125/night for a double room and breakfast.
PROS: Top suits have wonderful private pools. Public pools are also large and beautiful. Nice beach bungalows on the ground level. Delicious omelets made upon request at breakfast.
CONS: The reception looks a bit old and night staff are not the friendliest. There might be noise until late on certain rooms due to nearby bars playing loud music.
KEY DISTANCES: Airport 35min; Senegambia 10min; Serekunda market 20min; Kachikally Crocodile Pool 20min; Bijilo Monkey Park 15min, Banjul 30min.
Majula Boutique Hotel
Majula Boutique Hotel is a modern hotel with awesome sea views from most of its rooms. This is not a spread bungalow kind of hotel but a bigger building with balconies. Prices starting at $140/night for a double room and breakfast.
PROS: Facilities are modern and clean. Food in the restaurant looks amazing and so does the breakfast buffet.
CONS: Further from the airport and the main touristic points of interest. It’s new on booking.com and at the time of drafting this post has no validated reviews. If you make it there, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
KEY DISTANCES: Airport 40min; Senegambia 17min; Serekunda market 18min; Kachikally Crocodile Pool 10min; Bijilo Monkey Park 20min, Banjul 20min.
Best beach hotels outside Serekunda
Harmony Resort Boutique Hotel 4*
Harmony Resort Boutique Hotel, by southern Bijilo Beach, is famous for its huge garden. Prices starting at $90/night for a double room and breakfast.
PROS: It’s very close to the airport and surrounded by many restaurants and bars. Its grounds are very quiet, as there is a huge garden between the hotel’s facilities and the beach. Food is very tasty and it offers the lowest price among the best beach hotels in The Gambia.
CONS: It’s a bit further from the main tourist attractions in The Gambia. The onsite restaurant is somehow short on African dishes and one can’t see much of the beach from the pool area due to the large gardens.
KEY DISTANCES: Airport 25min; Senegambia 11min; Serekunda market 25min; Kachikally Crocodile Pool 30min; Bijilo Monkey Park 10min, Banjul 40min.
Seafront Residences 4*
Seafront Residences is great for groups as it offers served apartments fitting up to four people. Prices starting at $200/night for a four people apartment.
PROS: Great food in the onsite restaurant, which is quite unusual. All rooms have a balcony with a view. There’s a nice fitness centre.
CONS: The apartments have capacity for four people and the price is not reduced when booked for fewer travellers.
KEY DISTANCES: Airport 25min; Senegambia 6min; Serekunda market 20min; Kachikally Crocodile Pool 25min; Bijilo Monkey Park 10min, Banjul 35min.
Coco Ocean Resort and Spa 5*
Coco Ocean Resort and Spa is a large five-star hotel featuring a great spa and wellness centre. Prices starting at $270/night for a double room and breakfast.
PROS: Nice spa and indoor pool, unusual in the area. There’s a fancy pool by the sea and bath tubs in almost every room.
CONS: Lack of mosquito nets on bedrooms. There’s complaints on faiclities deteriorating and breakfats not being varied enough for a five-star hotel.
KEY DISTANCES: Airport 25min; Senegambia 5min; Serekunda market 20min; Kachikally Crocodile Pool 25min; Bijilo Monkey Park 2min, Banjul 30min.
Ocean Bay Hotel Resort 5*
Ocean Bay Hotel Resort is a huge resort with plenty of kids-friendly areas, nature, and things to do. Prices starting at $160/night for a double room and breakfast. An affordable 5* among the best beach hotels in The Gambia.
PROS: There’s a fitness center, playground, billiards, table tennis, dards, bikes to rent, large swimming pools, etc. So you’ll never be bored here. All rooms have a garden or sea view.
CONS: It’s on the northernmost bit of the beach, so a bit further from the main tourist areas.
KEY DISTANCES: Airport 35min; Senegambia 25min; Serekunda market 15min; Kachikally Crocodile Pool 5min; Bijilo Monkey Park 25min, Banjul 15min.
Recap on the best beach hotels in The Gambia
The Gambia makes a great holiday destination as it offers warm weather, plenty of great things to do, and awesome beach resorts that won’t break the bank. You can follow my adventures in The Gambia on my Instagram and/or Tiktok pages. And tailor your holiday itinerary with this post on the best things to do in The Gambia.
This posts describes the pros and cons of the 12 best beach hotels in The Gambia to ease your search. From large resorts to smaller bungalow-like hotels, the above are the nicest places to stay in the country’s seaside. I’m sure you’ll find your perfect place within this list. So all you’ll have to do is head to booking.com and pick your room. Have a wonderful stay in The Gambia.
