♥♥Gone to pastures new. Thanks to all of you. You are a lovely crowd, but time does not ...
♥♥Gone to pastures new. Thanks to all of you. You are a lovely crowd, but time does not permit me to do the site justice any more♥♥
Member since:01.08.2003
Reviews:633
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Have you ever imagined yourself on a desert island, sheltered under a primative structure gazing out at golden sands and blue sky, with a drink in your hand, and the warmth of the air caressing your body ?
This is one of my memories of the Kombo Beach Hotel where I stayed when I visited the Gambia. We were a little concerned visiting Africa with the children, especially as we were on honeymoon at the time and the kids were really too little to be on their own. You hear about deseases and worry about accommodation and this is one case in which I did not have to worry too much. The Kombo Beach hotel accommodated us nicely and thought of everything.
The
rooms were light and airy, and the hotel thoughtful enough to have given us a suite, so that the children had their own part and we had ours but the two separate spaces were intercommunicating.
I was disappointed on arrival to find that the accommodation was in blocks that looked like flats, all with balconies, but non the less not what I had expected from the brochure. However, this turned out to be a small hiccup in an otherwise pleasant stay as very little time was actually spent in your room, and with the blocks being a little away from the main hotel complex, it meant that you were tucked away from noise and it was a little like your retreat from the holiday spirit which suited us well.
The Hotel itself is very welcoming. It is I believe French owned and run. They have two swimming pools, one for the more experienced and one for the children with a lot of sitting space around them so that you can keep an eye on the kids without worrying. Their snack shops are open all day, and within the complex, there is a good supermarket for take away goodies such as bread and all the making of picnics, at a reasonable price. Interesting to note how Heinz baked beans become a must after a week of staying in the hotel on hotel food which is extremely rich.
The rooms were spacious and airy and had good toilet and bathroom facilities, hot and cold water causing no problem, and most amenities that one would expect in a hotel of this calibre.
Bars were filled though not overly so, and they featured a happy hour which seemed to last several hours, and in the main hotel part, there is a cabaret nightly which we enjoyed a lot.
Facilities for children were first rate. There is a childrens club and after having worried for the first few days, I soon found out that the staff were friendly and efficient and that the children actually enjoyed the inter action with the other children rather than being with mum and dad.
Food was the best I have ever tasted in hotel food. The menu was astounding, and each night of the week featured a different menu, although the second week, the same menu came around again, though the choice of food from the buffet was such that you could have a very varied menu.
Breakfast and evening meal were included in the price of the package, and here it was necessary to have vouchers for meals which I found a little annoying in one sense, although when meals were missed, the vouchers could be used for a mid day meal as well as the evening ones.
The overall feel of the hotel was that of a family hotel. The gardens were beautiful, and edged a golden coastline. There were tropical plants and plenty of room to relax without having to wait for space.
Service was superb, although at Gambia pace, which means that you have to wait a while. Rooms were cleaned daily and beds made, and the staff made the whole family feel welcome.
As a hotel, I would recommend this one as opposed to others in Gambia, because I made comparisons when I was there, and the location of this one puts it worlds away from the others.
Price was included in a package holiday and cost £1600 for two adults and three children for a three week period in January, when the season is at its height.
Hygeine was generally of a good standard, although it would have been helpful to tell us that aside from not drinking the water, ice cubes were also a little suspect for the tummy !!
As for public transport, there was no need for us to use it, as the hotel provides its own bus service to both the airport and to the local town, and also provides jeeps for going into the mangrove swamp areas and the villages where the people live, as well as organising tours of all kinds, including wildlife, overland, over water, market excursions, and generally taking care of most tourists wishes.
Pictures of Novotel - Kombo Beach Hotel, Kotu Beach
I should be going soon to visit my Dad soon, hopefully anyway can't wait! Great review ......................... Gil
Nikki.Hellen 13.04.2004 10:15
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the Gambia and am looking forward to visiting again. Last time I stayed at the Hotel Senegambia which was pleasant but the rooms were very basic. The Kombo beach Hotel sounds lovely.
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