A guide to Best Hotels in Kololi

Gambia‘s coastline offers spacious sandy beaches and the chance to see both stunning natural scenery and some of Africa’s most iconic wildlife. Resorts in Kololi often have incredible sea views, with some offering lush gardens filled with exotic wild plants, birds and animals, as well as private beaches and swimming pools.

Djeliba Hotel

The Djeliba Hotel is 100 metres from Kololi Beach, and only a five-minute walk from the centre of town. There’s an outdoor pool with a sun terrace and sunloungers, so finding a sunbathing spot won’t be hard. The on-site restaurant serves local African cuisine as well as familiar favourites, and there’s also an ice-cream parlour.

For drinks and entertainment try the beachside bar, or the lounge bar which serves tapas to accompany your tipple of choice. You can also play tennis, volleyball, French bowls, snooker and darts at the Djeliba, and there’s also a gym and aerobics classes.

If you’d like to visit the Moroccan spa, you can enjoy beauty treatments, steam baths and massages. For the kids there’s a separate pool as well as a playground kitted out with toys and games.

Djembe Beach Resort

Located on its own private stretch of beachfront is the luxurious Djembe Beach Resort. Here you’ll find an infinity pool surrounded by exotic flowers, as well as a second outdoor pool complete with parasols and sunloungers. There are also two restaurants, two beach bars and a poolside bar to keep you hydrated as you swim.

If you like to keep active then you’ll be glad to hear that there are tennis and volleyball courts available, as well as water polo matches, aqua-aerobics classes, a gym and regular yoga sessions.

Children have their own playground, pool and mini-golf course to keep them busy, which might give you the perfect excuse to sneak off to the spa for a massage. For All Inclusive Gambia holidays, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Holiday Beach Club

The beach is just a short stroll through the gardens at the aptly named Holiday Beach Club, and the on-site restaurant serves up perfect coastal cuisine. Soak in the swimming pool under the hot Gambian sun, then raid the poolside bar at your leisure for snacks and drinks.

Daytime and evening entertainment can be found here as well as table tennis, volleyball and waterpolo equipment. Pampering massages are available on-site, and for the little ones there’s a designated children’s pool.

Palma Rima

The apartments and bungalows of Palma Rima are conveniently located 300 metres from Kotu Bay Beach and a hub of craft market stalls, restaurants and shops. There’s a large outdoor pool and a children’s pool to splash in here, as well as a variety of games equipment. There are also aqua aerobics and a gym on-site.

If you can tear yourself away from the local restaurants, you can dine in an international buffet restaurant at the Palma Rima, or socialise in one of two welcoming bars. By night, there’s even a nightclub offering local entertainment.

Senegambia Beach Hotel

Set within 20 acres of grounds filled with wild exotic birds and monkeys, the Senegambia Beach Hotel is a peaceful oasis less than five minutes’ walk from the beachfront as well as Kololi’s shops, restaurants and bars. If you’re on your honeymoon, you’ll get complimentary fruit and wine in your room on arrival.

There are two main swimming pools for adults to unwind in, and two smaller children’s pools as well as a selection of outdoor games possibilities. You can choose to dine at the buffet restaurant or the pizzeria here, and when you’re in the mood for a drink you’ll find an open-air poolside bar as well as a palm-thatched, sea-view beach bar.