Sunset Beach Hotel

Stayed 6 - 20th Jan, in an apartment, me, my hubby and two kids 6 and 9. Another brilliant holiday staying here, Sunset just as good as ever, two points though the pool, I guess as it was high season, wasn't as clean as before, probably from all the suntan lotion going in it and it was freezing, you had to get really hot and steele your nerve to get in or just jump in. Also, the beach is badly eroded now, at high tide you have to cross the stream to go left or walk along a narrow strip if high sand that was rapidly dissappearing while we were there to go right. the minister of tourism visited while we were there and they are going to do something to stop it apparently. Breakfast was amazing, tomatoes and cucumber bread rolls jam or toast brown or white, pancakes( my son was delighted) with honey or lemon and sugar, porridge (like rice pudding to die for) scrambeled eggs beans sausages bacon fried eggs omelettes, cereal fresh fruit, orange juice sorrel juice, and tea and coffee served at the table.And you could eat as much as you liked, we didn't eat again until the evening, wer did go out but to be honest we will probably book half board next time and just go ourt for drinks, the evening was also a buffet affair, either international, african or italian, they also had a BBQ all were great and again you help your self to what you want, or you could have the special or al a carte, the buffet was 350 Dalasi half price for kids and the special 150. Cher was still there and looked after us and the room was kept very clean with clean sotf and fresh sheets and towels every day. Air con was included but not really needed, all in all didn't want to leave as usual and have already started browsing for next time. Entertainment laid on every night but the same each week, this gives you chance to go else where, like one of the bars in Senegambia or along the beach, kids loved it and can't wait to return. All the staff are friendly and Harold is the entertainment organiser from bingo and water polo to Karaoke, the shop stocks a good amount of items and the suntan lotion is good too. Just along the beach are fresh fruit sellers who will prepare fresh fruit or juice and bring them to you to enjoy by the pool. Drinks are more expensive but you can always get them and put the in the fridge, and drink the, Julbrew is wonderful, 65 Dalasi at the hotel 23 at the shops so you can see quite a difference. Horse riding is also available on the beach and you can rent a fishing rod or boat too. The only reccomendation I have is to either take or get some decent loo paper, its like sand paper and you don't need that especially if you get Banjul belly!

Sunset beach hotel is nice and clean with great staff, the drinks are triple the prices for what you can get them for outside,good location with a lovley beach, you must venture outside the hotel though, you will see things and meet people you will never forget. If you do wish to explore the gambia get a good loacl and you will not be bothered by everybody you meet, their are some great local guys on the beach at the LOCAL FISHING GUIDES stall,they will take you anywhere you wish to go ,look after you and get you anything you want for a quater of the price. "just look out for the St Georges Cross English flag flying" As for taxis, walk to the top of the road towards Elton petrol station ,and get a local taxi "the yellow and green ones" as again they are a quater of the price of the tourist taxis "green ones". One thing I must stress is dont be scared to go outside the hotel! Yes people will want to talk to you,be firm if they become a pain ,their are soliders everywhere in the tourist areas,the locals only have to walk wrong and they will take them away ,so you have nothing to worry about. Go to the LOCAL FISHING GUIDES STALL on the beach between Sunset beach hotel and Kombo beach hotel get a good local to show you about and go and enjoy yourself ! " Alladin or Mohummed " They will ask for no money,but I think one good turn deserves another. Bare in mind that the local wages is less then 50D "less then £1!" If they are lucky enough...................... Enjoy yourself Rickie

The sunset beach hotel is amazing. It is very clean, and friendly, with a lot of nice friendly gambian staff. The people are all so friendly, and cannot do enough to make you feeel welcome, and at home. I used to come back to my hotel room to find flowers on my bed, which of course had been hand picked from out the beautiful tropical gardens. The breakfast in the morning was very well organised, always having waiters at your beck and call, and the chefs were very helpful to cater for your every needs. I throughly enjoyed my stay in the gambia, which is why i am going back next year. We have booked to gto back to the sunset beach hotel again, for the second time in a row! Gemma form England

Loved it. Nice people, good service. they even comes down to you on the beach :) Very nice food! I recommend the sunburger ! /chri

its our second time at the hotel, the hotel although not luxurious it is very clean, very friendly and the staff are fab. there are loads of places to eat in the resort of kotu and there is a new indian restaurant called the jewel of india which does a great fixed menu. do try the fruit from the fruit ladies on the bech,take a carrier bag and they will fill it with cut fruit for £3, and while you are waiting you can have a fresh orange juice for less than £1, dont worry too much about the bumsters most arnt agressive and will be ok if you have a laugh with them. take plenty of extra toiletries the locals are very happy to receive them

We found the Sunset Beach a great value for money hotel, a typical 3 star-not too many frills, but the rooms were clean & functional, the food & drink was very reasonable, and the staff very friendly & helpful. Yes you get the normal problems with the bumsters, but a firm & polite "no thank you" usually does the trick. In fact we took to walking up & down the beach at night as all the best restaurants backed onto it-the best by far being Sailors, but we had good meals at Jewel of India, Ali Babas,Destinys & Paradise [although I would avoid the Sunday buffet there] The majority of the Gambian people are genuinely friendly, but we found it quite frustrating that if only the bumsters & market traders would realise that if they weren't so intense they may stand a better chance of people actually stopping to talk or browse with them. But it was true what everybody tells you-you do harden up to them after 2 or 3 days, honestly! Finally, if you need your heart melting, go on the Gambian Tour Special and see the true life of the Gambian people-we defy anybody not to be moved, especially the school visit.

This was one of our favourite holidays. The hotel was great, staff very helpful and friendly, nothing too much trouble. Restaurants outside excellent and the locals brilliant. We've come home with lots of good memories and new frinds. Cant wait to go again

A wonderful tourist class hotel, the staff were very welcoming, the Bar Manager Margaret was very helpful and full of information about the history of the country. The tourist taxi drivers were very easy to barter prices with and the fact that the drivers will wait for you to return to your resort made the trip hassle free. The food at the Sunset Beach whether snacks or dinner was very good the Chef is French and is very good. Harold the entertainment guy is also very friendly and open to tips about what people would like to listen too and see whilst on their holiday. The entertainment in the evening was good and varied. We will definately be returning.

Sunset Beach is a friendly and well run hotel on a great beach. It was our first time in Gambia and we will definately be returning and will stay at the Sunset again. We stayed on a B/B basis which is all you need as there are plenty of places in Kotu to eat or a short taxi trip to Senegambia gives you even more choice. Sailors restuarant is excellent in Kotu and our favourite in Senegambia was Ali Baba's. We brought fruit salads every day from the fruit sellers on the beach and had freshly squeezed fruit juice daily from a juice bar on the beach. We had no problems with the dreaded Banjul Belly. We used the yellow bush taxi's to go to Senegambia and also for days out (with a local acting as a guide) as they are cheaper than the green tourist taxi's and easier to haggle the price with. If you go to the villages the children are very grateful for sweets, pens, pencils and also empty water bottles to take their juice to school in. The Gambian people are very warm and friendly. Don't let the bumsters put you off, they do hassle you especially when you first arrive, just be polite but firm. Our only gripe would be having to pay for air-conditiong and a safety deposit box which were quite expensive. The weather is excellent but the evenings can be a little chilly so take a light jacket with you.

A good hotel. VERY clean. Polite and efficent staff. Difficult to find defects: 1 bar cashier doesn't charge your bill on your room bill: you have to pay every time you drink something. 2 a little presumably dirty river flows in to the ocean just in front of the hotel, on the beach. 3 tourist taxi manager hustles turists just outside the hotel