Third time to The gambia and 2nd time to this hotel. We are also planning to go back to the Atlantic at Christmas. Really friendly staff, very relaxing, good facilities. Also good choice of food - buffet style usually with different themes. Highly recommended.

We are a mature couple and, together with our seven year old grandson, have just spent a week at the Corinthia Atlantic. We all had a fantastic holiday and have nothing but praise for the hotel, the staff and the management. The entertainments team were also first class. There were some moans about the price of the drinks in the hotel but in view of the service, the surroundings the friendly staff, we found the prices reasonable. Management were excellent and dealt with queries swiftly and efficiently. We were particularly impressed with Tim the new Food and Beverage manager. A real gent. All round a lovely experience.

You wont know till you go. When you go YOU WILL KNOW.

The hotel is 'well worn' in need of a tidy up. The service and staff are all very friendly but be aware all they are after is a tip or bribe to do something, I know we expect our own porters to expect this but the Gambians can very very persistent and you can find yourself pulling your case away from them. The room had a sliding door that was stuck this was not fixed so, as we were there on a special occasion we upgraded to a suite. We are not rich people so don't get the wrong impression here. My partner (female) went to speak with the desk manager and quoted a price which changed when she said she'd pay. I went in there and got a massive discount. Then when I asked about the fridge he said "that’s nothing to do with me" I had to order 6 drinks to get it unlocked !!!(its empty by the way and you will use it to put your water in or any drinks you buy from the town. Another guest only had to buy one drink and another paid the sun bed man to open it !! its all going on there staff will do anything for money. I wasn't playing their game so I paid a member of staff £1.00 to open it for me. The food is basic, a buffet which to be fair went from poor to ok. The air conditioned a la carte restaurant was very poor and we had to send both meals back...and so did others (and I’ve never done that before) The staff were fine and we didn't have to pay. we were booking our drinks to our room....2 days before we were due to leave they put a sign up in reception saying that if you wished to pay your room bill by any credit card then the exchange rate would be 44 dalasi the hotel rate was 46, another we visited (the combo..) was 50 exchange rate !!! We all had been conned and in this country, they wouldn't get away with it. The rep advised everyone NOT to hire a car as you will have to pay bribes to drive. If they show you the trip to the school and a village just be aware its an English put your hands in your pockets tour that YOU pay to go on....if you think you can cure all their poverty by giving them money then carry on. The beach is ok and 100%, there is security all day to keep the locals away and you are only hassled by a couple of girls selling fruit which is actually very good and the girls are pleasant. The entertainment is of a low standard especially when compared to an enforced visit to the combo (flight delay) who had a great band playing sax and all !!. Other residents had bad experiences too .....Oh the gym equipment....how they can call it a gym ...you would find better equipment at a car boot sale and I’m not joking it was dangerous....but the service of the salon e.g beauty treatment and massage we found good. The hassle from the bumsters was unacceptable (we are white) and the police do nothing. One young couple got conned into going to a Gambians house and when they tried to leave the man said you give us money when they refused he said you insult me and they were virtually robbed although unharmed. Oh I also witnessed an English guy shouting at the rep saying that the boat trip he had just been on had 30 life jackets to short. If British tour companies are supporting these trips then we must have British standards where possible...and this is possible. I think if you knew what to expect you may enjoy a stay at this hotel but it wasn't for us and we've both traveled a little.

This hotel was fantastic - great food, great entertainment and ok value. During the day I wouldn't suggest getting drinks from the hotel bar, but would suggest walking out to the beach and taking a left turn. Go up to Big Mo's juice bar. Get a juice from them - its like nothing you have ever tasted before and the guys are so friendly. Tell them Becky and Sarah miss them!! The rooms in the hotel are very nice, the staff really friendly - make sure you take lots of mozzy spray both for yourself and your room!!

Attention to detail is what usually makes (or breaks) a holiday and the Corinthia Atlantic certainly prides itself on this. As soon as we arrived, porters were on hand to carry our luggage to our room and enough staff were available on reception to ensure that the booking in process was quick and effortless. The hotel itself is situated on the "Downing Street" of The Gambia. The President lives opposite and the presence of police and millitary personnel is re-assuring rather than intimidating. The only inconvenience caused is from the "bumsters" (I will comment on this later) and the occasional closing of the main road when the President decides to pop out for whatever presidents pop out for. The plan for my two weeks here was to relax, keep up my newly found enthusiasm for a daily workout in the gym and to explore Banjul. My partner's agenda was simply sunbathe and work on the perfect tan. Day 1 & 2 was spent on the beach. The secton of beach owned by the hotel is vey clean. The hotel has security staff who patrol this area. They do a good job keeping the bumsters away who historically have continually pestered tourists. Tip 1: A small tip (or bribe) to James the pool attendant at the start of your stay will ensure your favourite sunbathing spot without the need for the early morning rush for sunbeds. The price of drinks at the hotel are similar to the prices that you would pay in the UK. However on the beach are two sets of juice bars. The juice bars to the right are run by Sammy and his pals. Their drinks are half the price of the hotel's and he does serve ice cold bottled beer with good conversation (Sammy is the only Gambian I met with a cockney twang. It's worth going to his bar just to hear him speak!) I also ventured out of the hotel. Many other guests warned against this after they were hassled by the local bumsters. The bumsters are quite friendly and will readily engage you in conversation. They will often offer to buy goods for you claiming that you will be ripped off, spin you a sob story about one thing or another, or try some other scam to ensure that you part with your well earned money. One thing is for sure, almost every conversation with them will end with an attempt to squeeze money out of you. Tip 2: Don't be too upset if you fall victim to their persuasive chat and part with your money. They are very good at what they do. Just remember, be a firm no thank you is usually enough. Gambia is trying to promote tourism and the police will readily arrest bumsters if they see them hassling tourists or if you complain to the police about them. Banjul itself is a small town. I personally was not hassled too much when I walked about but I am a black British citizen and I did not stand out in the crowd like many other tourists. It is advisable to speak with a member of the hotel staff who will escort you around the town and show you the sights. You can see everything in Banjul in a day or two at a steady pace. If sightseeing is for you then I would advise going on the tour operators trips. These did seem expensive (I recall one costing £89) and some guests managed to find willing members of the hotel staff who would take them to these places for far less money. There are not too many places to eat in Banjul. The food at the hotel was very good. You were spoilt for choice at the buffet style breakfast and dinner. The A la Carte restaurant also served fantastic food however the choice of dishes is more limited. You can eat a different fish dish every day and the African special night should not be missed. You can try a range of traditional dishes and the entertainment staff will dazzle you with traditional African music and dance. One the whole the food was very good but it was let down by the fruit. The fresh fruit was often under ripe and tinned fruit often was served. The entertainment team kept the day flowing with many activities including water basketball against the guests, volleyball and my partners favourite aqua aerobics (The young toned instructor in his gym gear may be the reason why she liked it so much. She never took part!). My partner also had three massages in the health suite. The full body massage lasted about an hour and cost the equivalent of £13 - £15. Her tip is that Lisa was the best out of all the staff and she was well worth the money. The housemaids cleaned the rooms daily and changed towels and bedding daily also. I had no complaints about the room: it was air conditioned, clean and spacious. Many other reviews I have read complained about the frequent loss of power. I did not experience any power cuts at all. Tip 3: Bring plenty of mosquito repellent and apply it regularly especially in the evenings. There were many guests covered in bites. Also bring some fly spray so that you can spray your room a couple of times a day. Overall The Corinthia Atlantic was an excellent place to relax in beautiful surroundings.