Holiday Beach Club Hotel
Kololi Beach, Kololi, Serekunda Gambia
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Pool & Beach (141)
Room & Suite (99)
About
#4 of 17 hotels in Kololi
Location
4.6
Cleanliness
4.1
Service
3.8
Value
4.0
Holiday Beach Club Hotel is a simple traditional African hospitality facility of a Two (2) Star rating, situated on the Golden Kololi Beach. The Holiday Beach Club Hotel Complex features 97 rooms consisting of Superior, Pool view, Sea view, Single storey and Garden View rooms. It also has a swimming pool, Main Bar, Beach Bar and Restaurant. Its mission is to provide a simple but modest Gambian hospitality service of excellence, while aiming to make the Gambia a tourist heaven.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Public wifi
Pool
Free breakfast
Beach
Evening entertainment
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun umbrellas
Outdoor pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast buffet
Poolside bar
Laundry service
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Room features
Air conditioning
Safe
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Ocean View
Quiet
Location
80Somewhat walkable
Grade: 80 out of 100
31Restaurantswithin 0.3 miles
3Attractionswithin 0.3 miles
Contact
Kololi Beach, Kololi, Serekunda Gambia
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765Reviews139Q+A100Room tips
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+1
Holiday Beach Club was the cheapest option for our Tui Gambian package holiday so our expectations were low, but we were very pleasantly surprised. The rooms were nice enough, cleaned daily, there was hot water and breakfast was fine. There were some niggles which have been covered enough in previous reviews, but generally my friends and I were very satisfied. The gardens, pool, bars and location are absolutely fabulous. It is sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and an area rife with bars, restaurants, nightlife, tour groups, money exchange places, shops and the craft market. A big selling point for me was the proximity of the monkey park, but I found out after a couple of days that there was no need to visit the monkey park as in the afternoon the monkeys all came to visit us in the hotel (do not leave any opened food packets unattended!) The older ones snoozed on the porches while the younger ones played in the gardens, racing around the hotel guests without a care in the world. They were delightful to watch and never threatening or too close. The gardens are beautifully kept. Each room has an outside seating area, and from our room between the pool and the beach we could hear the surf. Every sunset we made our way from the pool bar to the beach bar to watch the sun go down directly in front of us. We made friends with the ladies on the beach selling fruit, jewellery and nuts (their version of peanut brittle is DELICIOUS!) Big thanks to Omar for keeping the pool spotless, to the guy whose name I don't know who dragged us from our sun loungers to do aquafit, and to Sanna who cut me down a coconut when I had a dodgy belly and was skipping lunch!! I love the Gambia, and if I return I will definitely stay at the Holiday Beach Club again. …
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Date of stay: March 2023Trip type: Traveled with friends
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
The hotel is in need of some serious cyclical decorations rather than the swatted dead mosquito decor they have at current. The sliding doors are stiff, mosquito sliding door nets are torn and the doors fall off the runners. There is a lack of hot water, blocked and insufficient plumbing, rooms smelling of damp and security of belongings in the rooms as we had items stolen. The wifi is non existent and the hotel owner is so greedy they’ll charge you for a safe, fan, air conditioning, fridge and the clothes off your back if they could get away with it. In addition to this the hotel owner has no care for stolen belongings from your room either so ensure all belongings are locked up at all times! The only saving grace which is the reason for the stars in this rating are the staff. They are always polite, helpful and accommodating within the realms of their remit as without the staff the hotel rating would be zero!…
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Keep your suitcase locked at all times
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Arnab Banerjee, General Manager at Holiday Beach Club Hotel
Responded 2 weeks ago
Thank you for you patronage and feedback. We regret for the inconvenience faced by you during your stay with us. we want to clarify some of the points so that guest reading the feedback should know the other side of the story. it is written very boldly on your registration form that Hotel will not be responsible for missing items and recommend to use the safe for valuables which is been signed by all guest on arrival. we are still very vigilant and check all our staff on entry and exit and have CCTV surveillance . when you have lodged the complaint to us about your missing jacket we did our primary investigation and did not find anything suspicious. this has been informed to you and also advised if you want to approach to police. The other complaints of rooms, hot water, door nets are torn have not been put in to the notice of neither the reception nor to the REP. This all complaint came up on the last day of your departure on your dissatisfaction of not getting anything from your complaint. We sign a very clear contract with all the tour operators on services which are chargeable locally. the tour operators also publish this on their brochure. Nothing has been hidden from any guest on the chargeable services so,it should not act as a surprise factor to you and does not give you liberty to judge some one. we expect guest also not to take us for granted and misbehave. you banged the door of the manager office and the main office door as well after your complaint, which is insulting. However thank you for appreciating our staff and wish you all the best for your future stays. Thanks & Regards Arnab Banerjee
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Just returned from Holiday Beach hotel after a fantastic holiday. Rooms basic but very clean. Hotel in a fabulous location, right out front is the main strip full of fabulous restaurants who serve beautiful food. Didn't have one bad meal. TJ who sits outside the grounds is the most helpful person out and very trustworthy. All the staff within the hotel were lovely, couldn't do enough for you and are always smiling. Breakfast is limited but you always got something to please you. When I return to Gambia I would most definitely use this hotel again. Wee tip, hire a fan it really helped cool down the room at night and if you need a supermarket go to the Royal Supermarket just to the left of the hotel, brilliant Father and son there who are helpful and not hard to pay.
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Arnab Banerjee, General Manager at Holiday Beach Club Hotel
Responded 2 weeks ago
Thank you for your feedback and patronage. we are delighted to read that you had a good stay with us. we strive very hard to make all our guest stay comfortable with us and appreciative reviews like this will inspire us to reach the next level. Thank you once again and looking forward to welcome you again at Holiday Beach Club. Thanks & Regards Arnab Banerjee
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This little hotel is welcoming , the staff are so friendly and polite. Accommodation is basic but exceptionally clean with linen changed daily. The beach is a few steps down from the beach front bar. I had one of the most relaxing massages I have ever had from the beauty salon.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled with friends
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Basic but more than adequate , idealy situated for restaurants and bars.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Arnab Banerjee, General Manager at Holiday Beach Club Hotel
Responded 2 weeks ago
Thank you for your patronage and feedback. We are delighted to read that you had a wonderful stay with us. Your kind words of appreciation has been shared with the entire team and this will motivate us to keep up the good work. Thank you once again and looking forward to welcome you again at Holiday Beach Club. Thanks & Regards Arnab Banerjee
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
It was good to be back and see familiar friendly faces. Check-in was easy and we were soon in our room and heading to the bar for a much-needed cold beer served by our good friend Amadou. Not too much has changed and breakfast is still the same muchness - eggs boiled, fried or omelette, frankfurter sausage & fried onions on most days and ocasionally baked beans, punctuated by the odd piece of cake or donut balls. A new addition was "the toaster", however most guests cut the bread far too thick and the smell of acrid burnt toast hit you as soon as you walked into the restaurant. There was the usual scramble for beakers, glasses, cutlery etc and guests having to wait for food stuffs to be replaced, despite staff standing around when there were tables still waiting to be cleared for people wanting to sit down for breakfast. However, there was a new face in the restaurant of a young girl called Fatou. She was always working hard and had a friendly smiling face - a credit to the hotel! The daytime food is good, but the evening chef needs to take a leaf out of the daytime chef's book as the evening food left a lot to be desired! The chips were more like crisps because they had been refried so many times! From comments made around the pool between guests, it would appear that Half Board is not a viable option as the restaurant was empty most nights and guests chose to dine out on The Strip where the food and prices were very competitive. One night we counted 21 guests from HBC dining out at a particular restaurant. The new towels are a welcome surprise but the sunbeds and mattresses on them are tatty and in dire need of refurbishment. The gardens in the past have always been immaculate but not so on this occasion, even though there were plenty of gardeners but they were more interested in selling coconuts to guests than tending the gardens. Yet again this hotel is NOT for young children or teenagers! They spent most of the time on their tablets or phones whilst the younger ones annoyed older guests trying to swim in the big pool by deliberately running and trying to jump as close as possible to them - very dangerous!! On several occasions when guests tried to speak to the youngsters about this, all they got was verbal abuse whilst their parents were elsewhere. We mentioned the fact last year that this hotel is crying out to be "adult-only" as the vast majority of guests are older (50+). WiFi is an absolute must for hotels these days. Efforts were made to correct this but failed miserably,;Reception and the Pool Bar were the only places where WiFi could be accessed but even so it was 'hit and miss' and still needs sorting. The demand on WiFi in Reception meant that it was very slow. The Reception staff are the face of HBC and need to be happy, pleasant and helpful as the majority of them were for most of the time; the odd exception being the guy who usually sits on the right-hand side of the Reception desk, who we know from previous years reviews, has come to be known as "Happy Boy" from his abrupt, rude manner and miserable face. We hoped that he would have lost his attitude by now, but obviously he hasn't!! A special mention must go to all the cleaners who go about their daily duties tirelessly to clean all the rooms yet still remain happy and cheerful. Usman the general cleaner, Assan the plumber and ALL the security guys are great! Management in the shape of Arnab Banerjee (Manager) and Lamin Jambang (Deputy Manager) work hard to ensure that guests have as good a holiday as possible, and are always approachable and happy to deal with any problems guests may have. Arnab is clearly identifiable sporting a smart waistcoat displaying a 'Manager'badge as he walks around the grounds so don't hesitate to have a word. We will see you all next year. Ensha Allah!…
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Date of stay: February 2023
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Book a garden or beach room view
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Arnab Banerjee, General Manager at Holiday Beach Club Hotel
Responded 3 weeks ago
Thank you for your patronage and detailed feedback. The management has noted your concern and will take effective steps. However thank you for your kind words of appreciation, this will motivate us to keep up the good work. Thank you once again and looking forward to welcome you again at Holiday Beach Club. Thanks & Regards Arnab Banerjee
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
We have stayed 3 weeks at holiday beach hotel gambia. Only 3 bad days when weather not brilliant. Mr Arnab as assured me next season we will have an egg station with fresh fried eggs and omelette made to order . It will be appreciated and save a lot of waste . All staff are wonderful Mr Arnab and lamin are great
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: Bring your own butter
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Arnab Banerjee, General Manager at Holiday Beach Club Hotel
Responded 3 weeks ago
Thank you for your feedback and patronage. We are elated to know that you had a wonderful stay with us. We strive very hard to give all our guest a memorable stay and appreciative reviews, will drive us to reach the next level. Thank you once again and looking forward to welcome you again at Holiday Beach Club. Thanks & Regards Arnab Banerjee
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
We have just returned from HBC , we had a great 2 weeks there. Only negative was on checking in we weren't allocated a bungalow room that we had booked, we were taken to Block C but weren't told why. After going back to ask why we were told we could move the next day, luckily with input from TUI rep we did move to bungalow room. This did happen with a lot of guests and we were told that there was a problem with overbooking but not sure if this was down to tour operators or hotel. Our bungalow was in a great location it was cleaned every day by Therese, towels changed daily, bedding every other day. The gardens are beautiful and it was great watching the monkey's playing in the mornings. The hotel is lovely and clean and all staff work very hard, they are the backbone to this hotel and are a credit to HBC. Drinks were very reasonably priced, the food was very tasty and very good prices, the chips were lush. Breakfast was as others say basic but we never had any problems, possibly because we went in early each morning, we had taken our own mugs so didn't have to wait for cups at any time, so no complaints there. We always managed to get a sunbed around the pool, again because we were out early and got onto our beds , there were the usual problems with towels on beds and people not getting on until lunchtime, but there are no rules around this so pool attendants can't do anything about this. Omar and David at the pool work extremely hard . All the staff are wonderful, they really do make the hotel what it is. We didn't do any trips as we have been going to Gambia for many years so have done many trips . Family that came with us for their first time did a day trip with T.J and his driver who are based outside the hotel, we used him on a couple of occasions when we went off the strip, T.J is a lovely guy who even came to say goodbye to us when we were leaving to come home All in all we had a fantastic holiday and we will certainly be back 🏖🏖🏖 Thank you to all the wonderful staff at Holiday Beach …
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Arnab Banerjee, General Manager at Holiday Beach Club Hotel
Responded 3 weeks ago
Thank you for your feedback and patronage. We are happy to learn that you had a good stay with us. Your words of appreciation will enable us to keep up the good work. Thank you once again and looking forward to welcome you again at Holiday Beach Club. Thanks & Regards Arnab Banerjee
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Room was a generous 2 * , windows jammed, curtains falling down. However the beds were ok (though mattress covers would be a nice idea). The room was very clean and bedding /towels changed every day. It is described as basic and if you want A/C, fans or a safe they all cost extra. The A/C in particular is expensive, fans and fridges are also in short supply. Breakfast was an enjoyable farce after a few days, We had to queue for cups, forks, tables, plates; everything in fact. it was so bad it was good. the variety is negligible, sausage, egg, beans, bread, think that was it. the lunch menu however was pretty good and the sandwiches were huge. Beer prices are fair and on par with outside. The sunbeds are in pretty short supply (some of which were in a right state, missing slats, protruding nails etc) and there was definite bed booking going on. However that does not detract from the fact that the majority of the staff are really friendly and do a good job, the gardens are pristine and its a really nice place to spend a week or two. It does seem as if the management have little interest in th place. Some of the staff are overworked or short stafed (breakfast for example) and the hotel seemed as if it had been overbooked. Certainly people who had booked bungalows were being put in blocks etc. WiFi ,well unless you have a bit of time to spare forget it. The only place where you can access internet is by reception and it is a VERY slow link. any more then 6 or so people and it grinds to a halt. They also seem to disconnect a lot too. The other AP's are live but not connected to internet Access to the strip is easy and there are lots of restaurant available. The best we found were SCALA, Valkenberg and TJ's. At the top of the road there are taxis available if you want, we found that TJ was an honest and reliable taxi driver who will take you wherever, and Armstrongs tours were superb and at a much reduced cost than tor bookings…
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: see the pool attendant for a sunbed
go for a bungalow
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Arnab Banerjee, General Manager at Holiday Beach Club Hotel
Responded 3 weeks ago
Thank you for you feedback and patronage. we regret for the inconvenience faced by you. The management has noted your concern and should definitely put in effective measures. Looking forward to make your future stays more comfortable with us. Thanks & Regards Arnab Banerjee
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Just got back from a great 11night stay , our 10th time at this hotel . Lamin and the team can't do enough for you and alway greet you with a friendly smile , all the rooms are clean and extremely comfortable, the gardens and pool area are excellent , breakfast and meals are good value and good quality, the hotel is located very conveniently for the strip (bars , restaurant's and nightlife). Many guests return time and time again so don't believe the petty comments left by the people that want a 5* hotel for 2*price. Well done to the very hard working team at hbc. Thankyou again.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Arnab Banerjee, General Manager at Holiday Beach Club Hotel
Responded Feb 2, 2023
Thank you for your feedback and patronage. we are elated to read that you had a wonderful stay with us. your words of appreciation and backing us in difficult times, has been shared with the entire team and this will motivate them to keep up the good work. Thank you once again and looking forward to welcome you again at Holiday Beach Club. Thanks & Regards Arnab Banerjee
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Well what you pay for is what you get. From what we had, we were comfortable and well served by Lamin at reception. Lamin the manager and the rest of the team. They dealt with difficult customers with care and compassion. They went above and beyond to ensure every grumpy client left happy. If we asked for any extras I.e. air con, fridge, fan etc. We were told the rental price. We paid and got what we asked for. We were never duped into anything. They were always upfront and honest with us. They were always pleasant and smiling even when confronted with the worst scenario. Yes up on the strip the men try to haggle you, but you just have to be firm but polite. Reception staff did warn us of this, being 3 women on our own. Thanks to Lamin at reception and Lamin manager our stay was catered for and enjoyable even if resort is only 2 star. They tried their best to give you 5 star treatment. Thank you guys for making my first trip so memorable. …
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Traveled with friends
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: This is 2 star so don't expect 5 star accomodation. It is comfortable and kept clean at all times.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Arnab Banerjee, General Manager at Holiday Beach Club Hotel
Responded Feb 2, 2023
Thank you for your feedback and patronage. We are happy to read that you had a memorable stay with us. we strive very hard to give all our guest a memorable stay and appreciative reviews really acts as a reward for our hard work. Thank you once again and looking forward to welcome you again at Holiday Beach Club. Thanks & Regards Arnab Banerjee
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
$40 - $59 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
holiday beach hotel, holiday beach kololi
LOCATION
GambiaBanjul DivisionSerekundaKololi
NUMBER OF ROOMS
97
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Claim Your ListingHOLIDAY BEACH CLUB HOTEL - Updated 2023 Prices & Reviews (Gambia/Kololi)
Frequently Asked Questions about Holiday Beach Club Hotel
Which popular attractions are close to Holiday Beach Club Hotel?
Nearby attractions include TOP-SHOP Gambia (0.2 miles), Kings And Queens (0.3 miles), and Kololi Casino (0.2 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Holiday Beach Club Hotel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
What food & drink options are available at Holiday Beach Club Hotel?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Holiday Beach Club Hotel?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Holiday Beach Club Hotel?
Conveniently located restaurants include Scala Restaurant, El Sol Steakhouse & Mexican Gambia, and Paradiso Bar & Restaurant.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Holiday Beach Club Hotel?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Is Holiday Beach Club Hotel accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access. For specific inquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.