Hotel in zona Bolongfenyo Community Wildlife Reserve -GEPADG, Kombo South

This was my first trip to The Gambia and it was literally a first trip whereby I tripped over, broke and cracked my two front teeth after falling flat on my face! After exiting the restroom located within the foyer. I tripped over a metal frame positioned at ground level. Not to the same degree as me, I know that other guests have had near experiences when leaving this restroom (see picture. I shudder to imagine what would have happened if this had been an elderly person or a parent with a baby. It is for several reasons that I would never recommend this hotel: A) No matter the nation, health and safety should always come first and be the priority in any hotel establishment. I cannot even begin to count the number of times I have heard someone say, ”Well, this is Africa.” No justification! After my experience, no precautions were made to ensure that other guests wouldn't have the same experience. In fact, the hotel manager wrote: ‘It is important to note that the hotel never have any reported incident from any guest, neither staff since the establishment of this resort in 2020’. The fact that I experienced it and reported it does not imply that no one else has ever tripped or had near miss experiences, even though you may not have had any reports. B) The general manager has some serious communication problems (once you manage to find him), such as a lack of empathy and an inability to listen to others. I am unable to be name him owing to legal concerns, but his middle name should be ”Avoidance.” C) Periods of no power occur frequently. This happened almost every night during our stay since their generator shuts down due to an overload of power and overheating. One evening, as my mother and I were getting ready for an event, we had to use our cell phone lights as a guide. Moreover, when this happens, there isn't any water available for a shower. Also, no functioning primary shower head, had to utilise the hose, whenever there was water available. D) One could not have a private moment since the bathroom door would not stay closed. Thank goodness my mum was with me. E) Someone managed to use their hotel room key to get into our room one night (mistakenly), the lock had to be changed. Yes, that did in fact occur! F) Though I wasn't expecting the Ritz, I would have expected it too at least be kept up, despite the attractive photographs on the website. This review is from a sincere individual. Though I don't usually post reviews, I felt compelled to write this review because I don't want anyone to experience what I did or am currently experiencing. I also regret that I was unable to shorten my stay. I am utterly disappointed because this was also my first trip to West Africa!

Overall, my stay at your hotel was pleasant, but there are some areas that need improvement. Firstly, I must commend the staff for their warm welcome and friendly smiles. It really made me feel at home. The food was good, but it would be great if there could be more variety for breakfast, perhaps changing the menu every 2 or 3 days. However, there were some issues that detracted from the experience. The WiFi was unreliable, which was frustrating. Additionally, I noticed some broken doors and occasional unpleasant smells in the room. The walls had stains, and having cats roaming around during breakfast was not ideal. One thing that particularly bothered me was the interruption during breakfast by staff for the past 2 days asking questions about the rooms, some of my colleagues too are complaining.Breakfast should be a time for guests to relax and enjoy their meal in peace. I suggest implementing a feedback system, such as providing cards for guests to fill out twice a week during breakfast, to address any concerns about their rooms. Furthermore, encountering cockroaches and ants in the room was unsettling. This needs to be addressed promptly to ensure a comfortable stay for guests. During lunch hours, I observed two individuals, whom I assume are hotel staff, spending an unusually long time eating. This gave the impression that they were the owners of the hotel, an old black lady and a man (tall)! which was confusing. Lastly, there were some issues with security. They need to improve their approach to guests to ensure a sense of safety and comfort. Despite these issues, I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the beach, and the pool boys were fantastic. The reception staff were also very helpful. Overall, with some improvements, this could be an excellent place to stay.

Aveva solo una bella 11 notti qui camere confortevoli e spaziose doccia fantastica aveva una stanza sul retro guardando gli alberi era un po' deluso con la vesta al primo, ma non per molto tempo i più magnifici uccelli che abbia mai visto e i scimmie 2 volte al giorno

Prettig rustig resort wat ook voor business events wordt gebruikt waardoor redelijk goed internet. Hadden swimupkamer aan westkant daar heb je veel zon, kamers aan oostkant hebben alleen in ochtend zon. Goede zwembaden. Wij hadden logies. Ontbijt is wat eentonig maar internationaal simpel. Je kunt prima in restaurants eromheen eten, veel sfeer, veilig en je kijkt je ogen uit. Hebben 2 x op resort gegeten ook prima met live muziek erbij. The gym valt tegen,1 loopband die het niet doet, een afgedankte roeimachine en wat half kapotte fietsen en weinig oefen materiaal. Spa heeft goede massage maar de rest is minder en ze rekenen Europese prijzen en dat is te hoog voor dit land. Zwembaden en strand zijn prima, het is een wat rustiger gedeelte en weinig last van opdringerige mensen. Mensen zijn op resort en ook in hele land erg aardig. Natuurlijk wordt je buiten het resort snel aangesproken voor een taxi of local guide maar dat hoort bij dit land. Het was een byzondere Afrikaanse ervaring.