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$70
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Pool & Beach (113)
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About
#1 of 10 hotels in Kotu
Location
4.4
Cleanliness
4.3
Service
4.1
Value
4.3
Renown and well established, Bakotu is a small, friendly hotel that offers guests a quiet, relaxing atmosphere uniquely surrounded by nature. Rooms with comfy beds are clustered around beautiful mature gardens. Your patio and our platform that overlooks tidal Kotu Stream are ideal for animal and birdwatching. Relax by pool or get a massage. Enjoy a drink people-watching or a cocktail at the bar by the pool. There are two restaurants. For dinner Captain’s Table offers excellent cuisine. Free wifi, a mini-supermarket, a laundry service and friendly staff are here to help you enjoy your stay. Great variety and more entertainment is conveniently on your doorstep - the beautiful beach of Kotu beckons, nature walks galore, trips and guides, the hustle and bustle. Ideal for those looking for variety and something a little bit different. A warm genuine Gambian welcome awaits you!
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Property amenities
Free public parking nearby
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Free breakfast
Beach
Horseback riding
Airport transportation
Massage
Street parking
Public wifi
Outdoor pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Poolside bar
Fishing
Concierge
Convenience store
Sun terrace
Sun umbrellas
24-hour front desk
Laundry service
Ironing service
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Room features
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Safe
Seating area
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Extra long beds
Bath / shower
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Quiet
Languages Spoken
English, French, Danish, Dutch and 3 more
Location
Full view
62Somewhat walkable
Grade: 62 out of 100
17Restaurantswithin 0.75 miles
2Attractionswithin 0.75 miles
Contact
2 Kotu Stream Road, Kotu Gambia
Getting there
Rental CarsSee all Kotu rental cars
564Reviews48Q+A100Room tips
Reviews
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+1
Great place to stay everyone very friendly and the monkeys roaming around it’s great but just don’t try touching them I go here each year I love it highly recommended to adults I don’t think personally it’s a kids zone but each to there own
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Date of stay: December 2021
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Comfy and very clean
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
3 Helpful votes
Helpful
We have stayed at this hotel a few times. Love the location and the setting. The rooms are spacious and comfy beds. The new showers are good and Aircon welcomed. The staff are all really lovely. The bathrooms could do with somewhere to put toiletries. The downside to this place is how much thy charge for fridge £94 for 3 weeks is bit much as could buy one for less. Also breakfast is dire. Eggs everyday scrambed, fried or plain omelette with few small slices of bread with the tiniest amount of butter. You are offered sausage and beans as well. One tiny chipolata type sausage and a dessertspoon of baked beans. It really is a small child's breakfast. There are jams in little pots in tables. These are not individual to each person they are left there for next customers and we saw someone putting teaspoon in to taste each one. Then someone else is going to use it. Also salt and pepper in pinch pots on table. We did mention all this to Fatou who said they didn't have salt and pepper pots but she removed the open pinch pots. We said we couldn't keep eating g thisame breakfast everyday for 3 weeks but she explained she was giving g what she had been told to give. Fatou was lovely. We ended up not taking g breakfast and buying elsewhere. The breakfast room needs real good tidy and clean. The blankets for room where not very nice We didn't use. The bathmats were like bits of rag. We do still like this hotel but changes are needed. Bottle of wine nice too h o arrival although we didn't get one. It's a shame as we really do like this place.…
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Date of stay: January 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: Make sure you budget for things you might need extra like fridge fan, aircon and safety deposit...
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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
Just back from a 2 week stay at Bakotu Hotel and must say I found it very disappointing. On arrival at 10 in the evening after a 6 hour flight, we went to the bar to get a drink only to be told "I'm closed, I finish at 10". We managed to get a reluctant bottle of water. Breakfast consisted of a choice of eggs with beans, with bread, and melon. No other food was available during the entire day which meant going elsewhere. No entertainment on site, not even a tv, and internet was very hit and miss. The owner never bothered to speak to most of the guests until departure day, when she popped her head in the coach door to ask if we all enjoyed our stay. On a plus side, the grounds are well laid out, although water pots could be cleaned and filled with fresh water to attract more birds, rooms were ok and cleaned daily, no aircon though, just a noisy fan, Fatou was lovely at breakfast, always a smile. I expected a lot more from this place. Would I book here again? Not without major improvements.…
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Date of stay: November 2021Trip 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
The Hotel is just opening up after an enforced COVID lockdown and all the staff could not have been more welcoming. The location (very close to the beach) and the surrounding area are great for anyone wanting a bit of Africa with a comfortable place to stay. The gardens are lovely with a lot of different bird life and a family of monkeys. You can find quiet places to relax or sit by the wonderful pool which has an all day bar serving drinks. Transport around was easy as there is a taxi controller outside who can get you a taxi which will take you to any tourist places or out for dinner. And they wait for you! Can’t think of anything negative to say really. It’s a very laid back family run hotel and I’d ever stay anywhere else in The Gambia.
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Date of stay: November 2021
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: The quieter rooms are the furthest away from reception. But, to be honest, it was quiet...
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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
First guests of the season and the hotel went over and beyond our expectations, fantastic people, nothing was too much trouble Margo and Martin you definitely deserve to be full always as your hotel is immaculate, fantastic staff thanks for Genova and Mariamma. We have been travelling to the Gambia for over 30years and this place is like home from home very personal and we have stayed in many hotels, this is our third time in this family run hotel and will definitely be back for sure.
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Date of stay: November 2021
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip: D4 so quiet aircon and set in beautiful gardens, enjoyable to go out in the morning and watch the...
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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
Our 5th visit to The Gambia but 1st time to Kotu, we chose a week over New Year at The Bakotu, booked as always via Gambia Experience. We booked many months ahead, and as we like a drink outside the room pre and post dinner, took the precaution of e-mailing the hotel direct to book a fridge. We received a ‘your request has been passed to the correct department’ type reply. On arrival, disappointed to find no fridge; went straight to reception who were off-ish and defensive, saying ‘all fridges booked out’. Yes, I said; one of them by us. Finally got a fridge on the 3rd night; it was filthy, and sounded like a compressor running; no way could we sleep with this, so we refused it. A much quieter fridge came on our 4th night; still filthy, but it was quiet, and more importantly, cooled the beer and wine perfectly. Also on arrival found one hand towel and one bath towel for both of us; I found the room girl who gave two more, and I gave her 200D with the request to keep them at two of each for the week. A shame then that on day 4, we not only had only one towel, but no toilet rolls either. Cue yet another trip to reception. Our room however was fine at this price-point; we were however disappointed with the very limited outside space which made a drink outside the room impossible. Brochure pictures gave a sense of much more room. Breakfast service (and I use the word service loosely) was the slowest we have had anywhere, and most of the servers were very stressed and unhappy. I do fully appreciate that most reviewers love the place, and most love the staff; it is hard to be the lone complainer amidst such an ocean of faithful returning customers. . . maybe we were simply unlucky . The location of the hotel is excellent, and the monkeys running across the tin roofs certainly an experience; all in all the potential to be a lovely character hotel with just a little more attention to detail. This has however not put us off The Gambia, and we will be returning once again to Fajara in August; we will however not be returning to The Bakotu any time soon unless it is to visit the excellent Captain’s Table.…
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Date of stay: December 2019
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
The kitchen in the hotel is absolutely disgusting. At breakfast the dinning area was awash with fly's and bees. There is a very limited breakfast choice non of which is particularly appealing or healthy. The room I had was tiny with just enough room to fit a bed a couple of chairs. It had a tin roof which meant it got unbearable hot, as it lacked AC. The bathroom stank of damp and the bathroom door did not close at all. The lighting in this room was so poor (it got no sunlight) that I could not see to read. The mesh window screens, intended to keep the mosquitos out had holes in them. The one good thing about the room was the shower.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Spent the day here & had a tour round the nature reserve at the back by a local guide from the hotel 🏨 but be AWARE DO NOT CHANGE ANY MONEY AT THE WESTERN UNION OFFICE AT THE SIDE OF THE BAKOTU HOTEL OUR SON WAS SHORT CHANGED BY 3100 dalasi we did get the police 👮♀️ involved but they didn’t seem interested & I’ve never ever known this to happen in The Gambia 🇬🇲 so PLEASE double check your money before you leave
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Our second and not last stay in this very nice and quiet hotel which gives good value for money!! If one is pleased with not having too many children splashing into the nice little pool this is the place to stay. The only negative experience we had was beeing cheated by the guy in the little currency exchange shopjust to the left of the hotel entrance. He said there was not sufficient wifi connection. I said we would use my wife's Visa card in stead, which made him stop trying with my card. He did not give me a receipt saying the machine had failed. Later we forund out that the amount, 11.000 Delasi, had been drawn from both accounts! The man in the hotel reception went along with us to the guy as they have a cooperation, but the problem was not solved. The same place another Danish guest received two sms from his bank right after each other after having withdrawn an amount just once. He confronted the guy with the problem and had his money for one draw returned. Our advice is to keep away and use the little currency exchange shop just opposite the hotel in stead. It is good to use Dollars, Euros or any money from your own country instead of a card. They accept for instance Danish kroners and give you a good rate without any other costs. This time we had 100 Delasi for 14 Danish Kroner. A guide tip: Bai Manneh, Baimanneh@gmail.com, called Babou (google him), was twice a very good and reliable guy to arrange and also self take part in tours for us at a fair price. One feels very confident deeling with him and being in his company when moving around outside the tourist area as he takes care of all practical matters and not foreseen incidents. He understands and speaks quite some Danish and is a cheerful guy.…
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Date of stay: February 2020
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Bakotu is a nice hotel in a beautiful environment. The staff make the holiday at Bakotu great. Always friendly and helpful. The hotel owners should really appreciate their staff more. Without them is just a couple of buildings.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
PRICE RANGE
$70 - $83 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
bakotu hotel kotu
LOCATION
GambiaBanjul DivisionKotu
NUMBER OF ROOMS
80
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Claim Your ListingBAKOTU HOTEL - Updated 2022 Prices & Reviews (Gambia/Kotu)
Frequently Asked Questions about Bakotu Hotel
Which popular attractions are close to Bakotu Hotel?
Nearby attractions include Kotu Beach (0.1 miles) and Liv Bar (0.09 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Bakotu Hotel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and a pool.
Which room amenities are available at Bakotu Hotel?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, extra long beds, and a seating area.
What food & drink options are available at Bakotu Hotel?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Bakotu Hotel?
Yes, free public parking nearby and street parking are available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Bakotu Hotel?
Conveniently located restaurants include Ningki Nangka Restaurant, Kunta Kinteh Beach Complex, and Tandoor.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Bakotu Hotel?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Does Bakotu Hotel have airport transportation?
Yes, Bakotu Hotel offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Is Bakotu Hotel located near the city center?
Yes, it is 0.4 miles away from the center of Kotu.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Bakotu Hotel?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian.
Are there any historical sites close to Bakotu Hotel?
Many travelers enjoy visiting National Museum (8.6 miles).