Balafon Beach Resort

Property class: 3.5
Beachfront hotel with spa, near Bijilo Forest Park

Choose dates to view prices

Placing you only a five-minute drive from Bijilo Forest Park, Balafon Beach Resort offers a private beach where you can enjoy free cabanas, beach umbrellas and beach massages. The outdoor pool and lazy river provide plenty of fun, while guests in the mood for pampering can visit the spa to indulge in body wraps and manicures and pedicures. The restaurant is a great spot for a bite to eat, and cold drinks are served at the bar/lounge. Other features include a beach bar, a terrace and a garden. Fellow travellers say great things about the helpful staff.

Reviews

7.4 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Spa
  • Airport transfer
  • Free parking
  • Free WiFi
The current price is R1 653
R1 901 total
includes taxes & fees
17 Nov - 18 Nov

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 5 of 5 rooms

View all photos for Premium Room, Private Pool, Ocean View

A resort building with a pool, lounge chairs, and a thatched-roof balcony.

Premium Room, Private Pool, Ocean View

  • Ocean view
  • 30 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3

View all photos for Premium Room, Ocean View

A beach with palm trees, sun loungers, and umbrellas.

Premium Room, Ocean View

  • Partial sea view
  • 30 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3

View all photos for Premium Room, Private Pool, Garden View

A swimming pool surrounded by lush greenery and a building with a balcony.

Premium Room, Private Pool, Garden View

7,0 out of 10
Good
(2 reviews)
  • Garden view
  • 30 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3

View all photos for Premium Room, Garden View

A building with a curved facade, two windows, and a balcony.

Premium Room, Garden View

  • Garden view
  • 30 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3

View all photos for Standard Room, Garden View

Two thatched-roof buildings with balconies, surrounded by greenery and overlooking a beach.

Standard Room, Garden View

9,4 out of 10
Exceptional
(3 reviews)
  • Garden view
  • 25 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3

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  • Free parking
8.2 out of 10, Very good, 459 reviews
The price is R1 477
R1 698 total
includes taxes & fees
29 Nov - 30 Nov
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About the area

Map
Kololi Beach, Serrekunda

What's nearby

  • Tropic Shopping Centre - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Kololi Beach - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Senegambia Beach - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Bijilo Beach - 2 min drive - 1.8 km
  • Bijilo Forest Park - 3 min drive - 2.4 km

Getting around

  • Banjul (BJL-Banjul Intl.) - 32 min drive
  • Airport shuttle (surcharge)

Restaurants

  • ‪El Sol - ‬10 min walk
  • ‪Mani Sushi - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪African Queen - ‬12 min walk
  • ‪Cassy's Cafe - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪Reo - ‬10 min walk

About this property

Balafon Beach Resort

  • Placing you only a five-minute drive from Bijilo Forest Park, Balafon Beach Resort offers a private beach where you can enjoy free cabanas, beach umbrellas and beach massages. The outdoor pool and lazy river provide plenty of fun, while guests in the mood for pampering can visit the spa to indulge in body wraps and manicures and pedicures. The restaurant is a great spot for a bite to eat, and cold drinks are served at the bar/lounge. Other features include a beach bar, a terrace and a garden. Fellow travellers say great things about the helpful staff.

At a glance

Hotel size

    • 88 rooms
    • Arranged over 2 floors

Arriving/Leaving

    • Check-in start time: 3:30 PM; check-in end time: midnight
    • Contactless check-in and check-out are available
    • Minimum check-in age – 18
    • Check-out time is noon
    • Contactless check-out

Special check-in instructions

    • This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
    • Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
    • This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in
    • Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Required at check-in

    • Credit card, debit card or cash deposit required for incidental charges
    • Government-issued photo ID may be required
    • Minimum check-in age is 18

Children

    • Children (13 years old and younger) are not allowed
    • No cots (infant beds)

Pets

    • Pets not allowed

Internet

    • Free WiFi in public areas
    • Free WiFi in rooms

Parking

    • Free on-site self-parking

Transfers

    • Airport shuttle on request (available 24 hours a day)*

Other information

    • Designated smoking areas

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Reviews

Balafon Beach Resort Reviews

7,4

Good

7,8

Cleanliness

7,2

Amenities

8,0

Staff & service

7,0

Property conditions & facilities

Popular mentions

Room
Service staff
Food
Breakfast
Restaurant
Beach
Lobby
Ambience
Location
Private beach

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

This is the second time we've stayed at the Balafon Beach resort. The staff is so welcoming and kind and always treat us like family..always
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Balafon Beach resort

The stay was super Pleasant and the staff is super friendly. There is a private Beach with guards to make sure all people staying here are safe😀 Nice pool and rooms with aircondition
Verified review

8/10 Very good

Nice accommodations. Attentive staff.
Verified review

8/10 Very good

Quiet, inviting, immediately accessible to the beach. Extremely friendly staff.
Verified review

8/10 Very good

Lovely stay

Really nice staff and really nice rooms The food as Ok and the pools are really clean We had a really nice stay at Balafon hotel Thanks to the nice people who work there
Verified review

8/10 Very good

Lovely resort with amazing staff. Fatu and the rest of the restaurant staff were fantastic, really great customer service. The swim up pool was great. Love the tucked away feel of the place. A nice stay
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Lovely place

The internet service was not good, but the staff, food, service and facilities were great
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Flawless

Great time, from check-in, to kitchen staff, to cleaners, to entertainment, great value and lovely staff. Really enjoyed our time. Recommend the premier room pool view!! Closeness to beach is so ideal too, great for relaxation or a stroll to enjoy the sunset. Nice walk 15 min walk to Tropics Mall and shout out Vibrations cafe for a healthy vegan option outside of the great food provided at Balafon. Would definitely come again.
Verified review

8/10 Very good

Good and save hotel. Water in the pool little bit cold. Nice Staff. Entertaiment mediocre. Wifi can be better
Verified review

6/10 Good

I don’t know what to say here , the hotel was okay , the room and appliance need a serious update, everything is old and smell . We had to ask them to spray our rooms so I can sleep . The staff at the restaurant were very nice . The food was great. Transportation is terrible, limited access. We had to walk to the road several times to catch cab .
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Nothing but good to say

I have nothing but good to say about this hotel! The facilities are beautiful, rooms spacious and comfortable and direct beach access with lot of sunbeds available. Staff are attentive and caring. We had an issue with our room (not the hotel’s fault) and they really went out their way to find a solution and ensure we had a pleasant stay. Which we did. Couldn’t be more grateful, will be back!
Verified review

2/10 Poor

Bad internet, bad service, rooms not very clean. The tropical theme is good but Hotel maintenance is way below standard
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

All that a really good african experience should be. Lovely ambience from stunning beach views with palm lined sands and plenty of grass covered canapied umbrellas. The pool was crystal clean everyday and the food in the beach restaurant was amazing quality at really good prices. The breakfast was of high standard with plenty of choice everyday. There was different entertainment every night from african dancers and authentic drum players,to bands playing regiee music. The staff warmth and customer service was the best I have encountered in the 15 years I have been visiting the Gambia. Altogether a fantastic holiday experience
Verified review

6/10 Good

Balafon experience

Cleaning staff were lovely. Very friendly. There was one restaurant staff, who.was rude and unfriendly. Ordered chicken n chips for lunch. The chicken came out cold. When asked for it to be warmed up, they refried the chips n heated up the chicken. Meal wasnt that great. Great place to stay for exploring the city. There was no entertainment, so spent evenings out of the complex. There was a few blackouts but electricity came back promptly. The room were spacious but gloomy. Gambia is beautiful country to visit and will definitely visit again. Different hotel though.
Verified review

6/10 Good

January stay with beach view

Had a stay at Balafon for a week in the beginning off January. Rented their most expensive room with my own pool and seaview. Not worth it at all. The pool and the location is good. The staff are very polite and friendly. But the standard off the room is really not good enough. When you pirce this high the quality off the room should be much better. There is no door to the bathroom. It`s very close to the bedroom. Their is not possible to keep the sun out do to curtains than dont cover the actual space off the terrace door/window. So forget about sleeping after 0800. Needs a serious renovation and then they could have this price or even more.
Verified review

6/10 Good

Preparing for our wedding

Checking in was pretty easy. Got to the room, and it was clean. The couch cushions could use some fluffing. That's no big deal. My husband wanted to watch football, and the TV would NOT come on at all. As we were heading out we we stopped by the front desk, and we are informing the young lady, and her response was I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't be quiet. Not a very nice response, and besides we didn't turn the TV on before she left the room. We were told NONE of the TVs worked because they were all in Chinese. Well the TV in the sports bar worked. Supposedly the tech was working on them. 2 nights and 3 days and the TV didn't even come on. Views from our room were great. The cleaning and restaurant staff were very kind and welcoming.
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

AC cool very nice atmosphere!
Verified review

8/10 Very good

We had one of the rooms on the beach, which was the most amazing location. 30 metres from the waters edge, so to go to sleep to the sound of Atlantic waves was amazing. Comfy bed, we slept 8-10 hours per night. Also had a pool, shared with our neighbours. Food was ok, the Strip was a 15 minute walk away. Did a one say Safari to Senegal which was AMAZING.
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Beachside hotel, lovely location with excellent service
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

The own was excellent The staff was always friendly, smiling and helpful The garden on the hotel is beautiful
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

I liked that it was exclusive to the beach and the warmth of the environment and staff.
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Was great
Verified review

8/10 Very good

Badu, my cleaner was super friendly and did a good job in cleaning my room. Security in the area we're good too so you feel safe. Air con worked,no problems in the heat. Pool was freezing but counter with the sunny hot day, just dry it off . Staff were friendly and strict with letting unknown visitors in ,so that was good. Good peace of mind for safety. Overall the stay in Gambia was an experience
Verified review

10/10 Exceptional

Wonderful experience.
Verified review

8/10 Very good

Great stay

Everything was ok apart from been a room with limited entertainment i.e the atv was not functioning properly.