I have stayed at this hotel now on two occasions and would go again any time.
Its a pretty basic hotel but comfortable and the staff are very friendly and take great pride in there work, especially it has to be said, the cleaning staff. Mind you, the pool cleaner does seem to take an age as well, wonder if he is on an hourly rate?
Definately would advise hiring a fridge for your room from the hotel.
My only bad thing to say about the hotel is the driveway. Not bad at first but it is quite a trek after a few days.
Access to the beach is straight off the hotel grounds. Not so many bumsters this year.( A quick guide to them after ).
I've always found the weather to be great in November/December. Hot during the day and comfortable at night.
As for Kololi. The restauarants basically are selling the same deal in food or drink. Happy hour varies in time from place to
place, a few Delasi difference here or there. There are of course Chinese, Indian and Italian restaurants, which hold no surprises.
My main source of entertainment was to sit at the Jasmina restaurant in the evening and watch the antics of the Tourist police, who deal with everyone trying to pass into Kololi. Its better than Coronation Street or Eastenders if you like the study of human-life. Mind you, it wouldnt pay to get on the wrong side of these guys.
The main thing to watch for is what people call the bumsters. this to me conjures up the wrong mental image. They dont look any different to any Gambian. its a bit like having that image of the burgler in the black and white hooped top with a black mask on. forget it. Watch for the approach:- I show you to a good restaurant. I show you a good place to change money. This will result in you have now found an unbeknown to you guide. he will expect some payment for his services. If he takes you to a place to eat, he will more than likely sit down with you have his meal and drink payed for by you and still expect some reward at the end of the day, thats if he doesnt arrange to meet you next day, where you will get the same treatment, gets costly after a while. Also are the beggars. There's is the sympathy approach. The young girl and the blind man. ( They get about a lot ! ). The wheel chair man who gives you a story and then out come the give a donation paper. I might sound hard but it would take one hell of a lot of money to cure all the ills in Gambia and would break your heart trying. Another good one is when you first arrive is to be approached by someone who says they work at your hotel, normally they are your room cleaner. they ask you if your room was Ok. You nod while your trying to suss out whether or not you have ever seen them before. This is when the sob story starts.....Today was my last day....I am getting married this week-end..... a bag of rice is so much......etc.etc.etc. this is the start of the I need some of your money sentence.
Dont buy from the street peddlers, OK, maybe some overpriced nuts, but as for the perfumes, what he shows you most certainly aint going to smell anything like your going to end up with.
A tip for travel. Go to the big taxi board at the bottom of the main drag in Kololi. Pick a place to go. The taxi manager will come out, haggle a price with him. Whatever his price, walk to the top of the main drag, near Jasmina's and start haggling with the taxi man their, armed with the price you got from the other taxi man. Mind you the buses are dirt-dirt cheap.
I met up with a taxi driver called Sulyman Chun. Ask for Soloman. He will take you anywhere. just make sure you make your deals away from the aforementioned lower taxi rank.You can arrange how much with him before you go anywhere and agree a price. Feed him and look after him and he will look after you. If he doesnt, tell him that Wes wont be happy, should make him smile.
Dont forget folks, people sell their bodies over here, so be careful who you give your mobile number to, they might just phone you while your there, its only to get past the Tourist police but your misses might not be too chuffed.
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