We recently stayed at Kombo Beach Hotel and overall had a good experience, especially considering the price and that it was our first time visiting The Gambia. The rooms were clean and serviced daily, which we couldn’t fault at all. The finish is what you would generally expect in West Africa—so we weren’t overly concerned about that. We did have an issue with both rooms where the showers leaked, but because housekeeping cleaned every day, it didn’t cause too much disruption. The food was generally okay and in line with what you’d expect from a 3–4 star hotel. There was plenty of chicken and they regularly offered traditional Gambian dishes, which was a nice touch. The dessert section wasn’t really to our taste, but the fresh fruit was always good. The staff and service were definitely a highlight. Everyone was friendly, welcoming, and helpful throughout our stay. That said, there were a few small but frustrating inconsistencies with the all-inclusive setup. For example, when we tried to get apple juice for our daughter at breakfast from the bar, we were told to come back at 10am and could only use what was already available. It seemed like an unnecessary restriction and didn’t make much sense. The location is great—the beach is only about 50 metres away and is really scenic, perfect for walks. The hotel also has three swimming pools, including a kids’ paddling pool. There are water slides, which is one of the reasons we booked, but they’re only turned on at certain times rather than being available throughout the day. This was a bit disappointing and felt misleading. Overall, we enjoyed our stay. It offers good value for money, especially for a first trip to The Gambia, and the friendly staff and location really stand out. However, the food could be improved slightly, and the strict or inconsistent policies around drinks and facilities like the slides take away from the experience. Rating: 7/10 – Good value, but with a few avoidable frustrations.
