Banjul Highway, Palm Grove Hotel Review

Overall Rating

There are very few good points to make about this hotel. The locals were very friendly, our "room boy" was extremely helpful and a genuine person. The transfer from the airport to the hotel was easy and reasonably quick, plus our representative was very helpful as well.

Where do we start? The majority of staff were only helpful if they thought they were going to get money. The hotel prices were extortionate (over 100% mark up); beverages, fans, safes, air con. The accommodation and restaurant is adequate, but certainly not a 3* establishment. The on-site equipment was in poor condition/unusable, and the swimming pool is unsafe. The food was very borderline. The beach is virtually non-existent, and what was available had cattle and goat herders using it as a highway.

Overall, having done a great deal of research online; reading many many reviews and looking at pictures from several websites including Palm Groves own we were expecting a relaxing and enjoyable time. We had, within the last 6 months visited Mombasa, so we thought we had a good idea of what to expect, HOW WRONG WE WERE!

The hotel staff were only helpful if they thought they were going to get a tip, you had to ask for your change back after buying drinks, although all sales include a tips surcharge. All the prices within the hotel were over a 100% mark up; a cup of tea = D3 outside, inside D30, pop D15 outside, inside D50. The fans were hired out for just over D110 (£2) daily, we bought one for D450 (£7) (including travel to and from Banjul town), and the air con was available for a mere D450 (£7) a day. The hire for the safe was high, however it is an unavoidable and worthwhile expense, as there really is no alternative available.

As we pulled up outside the gates of the Palm Grove Hotel it appears to be a walled garden, a bit scruffy and unkempt on the outside, but untold pleasure beyond the gates awaits you, NOT! As we alighted from the coach into the extremely small "court yard"/car park we took our cases to the reception area. We got our key to our room and had to ask to be directed to our accommodation. We were led back through the court yard to what we both thought was the staff living area. But no, it was our living area; the pathway was barely two people wide. We walked past the "chalets" and were presented with our accommodation. A one door, one window room with a concreted sitting area festooned with well used and stained cushions. Behind the concrete sitting area was a king sized bed with accompanying bedside tables, wardrobes and a dresser, which led finally into a spacious ablution area (toilet, large wash basin and shower cubicle, and the door kept falling off the shower if you knocked it).

Making our way round the complex we found the self service restaurant which was very basic. We didn't expect Cordon Bleu cusine by any means. However, a fast food restaurant serves better meals. Within one week of eating the food there were 6 families (including ours) hit with varying degrees of Banjul belly as it is called.

The beach is not as you might expect either. You have a small stretch of sand directly in front (to the rear) of the hotel complex, which is a lagoon which fills up with the ebb and flow of the tide. When it is full it looks quite picturesque. However, when the tide is out you are left with black mud flats which have pockets of quick sand, and if you wish to make the mile long trek across them and crab island, you can reach the actual beach on the sea front. The sandy beach is also used by local cattle and goat herders.

You do have full use of the facilities and equipment. If you are quick enough you get to use the more steady loungers with the better mattresses, and maybe you can even get the use of a good sunshade. The 10 - 15m square pool looks inviting, but beware, there is no grouting below the water level, the tiles are sharp edged with large gaps in between. Even the railing around the pool is broken. You can use the one canoe (out of 5) that hasn't been trampled by the goats and cattle, or even the one two man boat that has a plug to stop it sinking. There are many "warning signs" posted around the pool, but they are that old and faded you need a good imagination to read them. The lounging areas are old and jaded, and are in dire need of renovation.

Overall, the pictures that are posted on the net do not give a true representation of what the reality is. The reviews I have read previously do not prepare you for the reality that is the "3*" Palm Grove Hotel. Banjul, The Gambia is a lovely place with lots of good people trying to make a living whichever way they can. We are not upper crust people, we are ground level workers who work hard. Maybe we were spoilt when we visited Kenya last year. After all, we stayed in 3* accommodation then as well. The choice is yours, visit The Gambia, but choose your hotel carefully and expect the worse, then you can only be happily surprised.

Members' Comments onburleybob's Review

• davidtebay on 29th Oct 2007

  I agree with this review. Having just returned from Gambia,we found one night at this hotel was one night to many. This review is accurate and I only wish I had given it more credence before I booked. The Senegambia in contrast worked out cheaper and was great.