Children allowed

Facilities

Health or beauty spa nearby
Guest education on local ecosystems and culture
Non-smoking rooms
Air conditioning
Swimming pool
Restaurant
Room service
Terrace
Family rooms
Safety deposit box
See all facilities

Review Highlights

Pros:
Convenient location near beach, restaurants and bird-watching platforms
Friendly, helpful and cheerful staff (overall)
Relaxed, family-owned atmosphere with attractive gardens and pool
Comfortable beds and generally good food
Quiet area and good for bird-watching; close to tours
Cons:
Isolated but severe poor reception experience (rude receptionist)
Some rooms are dark and not very modern
Mosquitoes can be a problem
Not enough shaded spots around the pool
Pushy touts selling activities outside the hotel

Categories

Cleanliness
1
Not mentioned in the reviews. Standard quality for this hotel tier.
Service
1
Generally staff are described as very helpful, friendly and cheerful, but there is a significant negative incident with a receptionist who was rude and confrontational; mixed-to-slightly-negative overall.
Location
1
Multiple mentions of a convenient location: close to bird-watching tours/platforms, near the beach and restaurants; location repeatedly praised.
Room Quality
1
Mixed comments: some rooms/apartments are spacious but not modern and some rooms are described as quite dark.
Amenities
1
Pool and gardens are praised and bird-watching platforms exist, but issues noted include mosquitos, lack of written info about amenities and too few shaded spots around the pool.
Value for Money
1
Not directly assessed in reviews. Standard quality for this hotel tier.
Food and Beverage
1
Food is described as good in at least one review; occasional loud music from the bar is noted as a minor downside.
Overall Experience
1
Overall mixed: many guests highly recommend the relaxed, friendly, family-run atmosphere and enjoyed the holiday, but isolated serious negative experiences (notably with reception) balance the positive impressions.
* This sentiment is summarized by AI based on user reviews.
Updated at: 2026-03-25 16:22

Property Description

Welcome to Bakotu Hotel, Your Tropical Oasis

Luxurious Rooms with Balconies: Enjoy stunning views from your private balcony in each room, complete with modern amenities and cozy decor.

Relaxation and Recreation: Take a dip in our refreshing outdoor pool, dine at our exquisite restaurant, or unwind in the lush garden and terrace areas.

Convenience at Your Fingertips: Benefit from our 24-hour front desk, tour desk for exciting excursions, and complimentary parking for a hassle-free stay.

Experience the epitome of comfort and convenience at Bakotu Hotel - your perfect retreat in Kotu. Book now for an unforgettable stay!

Important information:

Please inform of your expected arrival time in advance. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly using the contact details in your confirmation.
Guests under the age of 18 can only check in with a parent or official guardian.

Check-in and check-out hours:
Check-out: 12:00 PM
Airport code: BJL

Property Policies

  • Parking

    No parking available.

  • Internet

    WiFi is available in public areas and charges are applicable.

  • Pets

    Pets are not allowed.

  • Children and extra bed policy

    Children ages 2 and older are allowed.
    People 2 years old and over stay for € 25 per person per night when using an available extra bed.
    You haven't added any cots.
    Any type of extra bed or child's cot/crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management.
    Supplements are not calculated automatically in the total costs and will have to be paid for separately during your stay.

Location

Guest Reviews

Cleanliness: 1
Service: 1
Location: 1
Room Quality: 1
Amenities: 1
Value for Money: 1
Food and Beverage: 1
Overall Experience: 1
C
Charlotte • couple • dk
8
Pros:

Nice, clean and quiet.

Cons:

We had arranged transportvfrom the airport to the hotel. We were promotes a driver would be there to pick us up. But no driver. We arrived at 1 AM. Tried to call the hotel several times to ask for our driver, no answer. At last we tolk a taxi from airport to hotel, which was actually cheaper.

2026-04-01 • via Nuitee
K
Karin • couple • nl
9
Pros:

Superaardig en behulpzaam personeel
Prima keuken
Heel fijn zwembad
Prachtige tuin
Klein complex, waardoor, vonden wij, veel knusser dan de grote ( all in) complexen
Centrale ligging

Cons:

Onze kamer was erg klein, konden 'onze kont niet keren' in de badkamer, gelukkig konden we de volgende dag switchen naar een appartement tegen een beperkte meerprijs, heel fijn!!

2026-03-31 • via Nuitee
B
Brit • couple • de
9
2026-03-26 • via Nuitee
J
Jacek • solo_traveller • pl
10
Pros:

I liked the location, which was close to the place where you can book bird-watching tours. There were bird-watching platforms. You could order a taxi with the option to have it wait for up to two hours. The staff were very helpful.

Cons:

As we were leaving the hotel, there were lots of pushy touts trying to sell us all kinds of activities. The room was quite dark

2026-03-21 • via Nuitee
I
Ilse • couple • be
8
Pros:

Rust in de tuin en aan het zwembad. Locatie, enkele restaurants tegenover hotel en kort bij het strand.

Cons:

Te weinig schaduwplaatsen rond het zwembad.

2026-03-15 • via Nuitee
A
ANDREW • solo_traveller • gb
10
2026-03-14 • via Nuitee
C
Curgenven • couple • gb
8
Bakotu hotel, laid back African style
Pros:

Traditional hotel with very relaxed atmosphere. Family owned and staff who were absolutely lovely. Funny, friendly and helpful. Quite quirky with a definite African ambience. Not trying to be too perfect!! Close to the beach in a quiet area. Super pool with stress free feeling as quite shallow and never busy. Surrounded by beautiful gardens and visited regularly by cheeky monkeys.

Cons:

A lack of written information describing amenities. Mosquitos can be a problem if you normally suffer after being bitten.

2026-03-10 • via Nuitee
S
Saul • couple • es
9
2026-03-07 • via Nuitee
G
Georgina • couple • gb
8
Winter sunshine
Pros:

The staff were delightful, the beds were very comfortable and the food good

Cons:

Sometimes a bit loud around the pool...music playing from the bar.

2026-03-04 • via Nuitee
A
Anita • family_with_children • nl
10
Geweldige bijzondere reis in Gambia en het Bakotu hotel! Highly recommended!
Pros:

Het personeel is super vrolijk, zorgzaam , service gericht en je kunt zien dat ze plezier hebben in wat ze doen. De sfeer is heel gemoedelijk.

Cons:

Wij hadden een appartement en dat was niet het meest modern maar wel lekker ruim en met aparte kamer, balkon aan twee kanten met o.a. uitzicht op de mangrove, waardoor vaak apen en bijzondere vogels zichtbaar waren.

2026-02-26 • via Nuitee
P
Paul • couple • gb
7
Great place Poor Receptionist
Pros:

Location and room standards were great. Staff were great

Cons:

I very rarely leave a bad review but unfortunately in this case I feel compelled to do so. On arrival is was greeted by Ba. He was very polite telling me we were upgraded with a fan and kettle. I said We wouldn’t need the fan as We had booked a room with a fridge and A/C. He abruptly said no We hadn’t I showed him the booking and He was having none of it and got quite rude. I said I hadn’t paid yet so would go somewhere else. He replied that He hadn’t been told about the extras in the room and it was Booking.com’s fault they did it all the time. I said put us in a room with extras and would speak to Booking.com.
I messaged B.com and quickly got back to Me confirming me booking included A/c and fridge. The next day He said he still hadn’t had confirmation.
The holiday was fantastic. We have been coming to The Gambia for 14 yrs and actually got married her so We knew our way around. With 3 days of holiday remaining I asked reception for final invoice and was told 119000 this was the amount we expected but then told could only pay cash. This is not easy to do but managed it after messing around and some help from Gambian friends.
This was when the trouble started. I came to pay, Ba who was on reception. I asked how much was final invoice 119000 he replied. So I counted out the pile of money. He gave me the invoice then said how was I paying for the fridge? We said I’ve just paid you.
Here We go again he said every time you come here you cause trouble.
Again I told him I wasn’t in the mood for this. I’m not a mug and wasn’t paying him anymore. He said I wasn’t leaving without paying and would phone the Police.
I again refused and called him a thief.
He went ballistic called me many expletives and that us people are all the same. Coming here causing problems.
I was shocked
I asked to speak to his supervisor and he told Me to F*ck Off.
Again I showed him the message from B.com and eventually accepted I owed no more money but I was not welcome back.

2026-02-26 • via Nuitee
L
Ludivine • family_with_children • es
8
Idéal pour un séjour relax
Pros:

L'hotel est très agréable, le personnel attentif et aimable.

Cons:

L'hotel est situé dans un endroit très touristique et si l'objectif est de se rendre à l'exterieur, les démarcheurs sont nombreux et insistants (bien plus que dans les villes de Banjul ou Serrakunda, même en plein marché)

2026-02-23 • via Nuitee
A
ANTHONY • couple • gb
5
Pros:

Location

Cons:

Breakfast basic, dining service slow

2026-02-14 • via Nuitee
A
andrew • solo_traveller • gb
8
Pros:

Beautiful grounds
Quiet

Cons:

Breakfast poor

2026-02-14 • via Nuitee