Ocean Bay Hotel

United Kingdom , Blackpool
BLACKPOOL, 583 New South Promenade
Show on Google | Map

50 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

13 Feb 2026

Tanya

Quality of the accommodations and the beachside location, helpful staff.

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jan 2026

Abdullah

Very good, nice hotel in Banjul.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

26 Nov 2025

Richie

Really clean room and friendly staff. The style isn't necessarily 5* but the service is. Would recommend

10/10

Exceptional

21 Dec 2024

David Lee

I would stay again.

6/10

Pleasant

20 Sep 2024

Ralph

I want to start by saying that I would actually stay here again. I’m rating it by Western standards. The pluses are the following: the staff is friendly, it’s a safe place, it is pretty clean, and the food at the restaurant is decent and safe to eat.

Now for the negatives: My safe didn’t work, (I locked up my valuables in my suitcase during the day), the room took a while to become cool, the patio door would not lock and had black duct tape on it, I had a cold shower a couple of days because of no hot water, but there was only hot water in the sink one day. There’s a hook for a mosquito net, but no mosquito net available. Bottled water was provided the first day, but for the other six days, I was told I had to buy it at the bar. The reception area is not air-conditioned, and I tried to drink a beer at that bar one day with sweat dripping down my back. There’s always something to eat for breakfast, but it is the same thing every day. A little variety would have been nice. I was looking forward to relaxing at the pool, but it was under construction the week I was there. I was also looking forward to using the spa, but it seemed closed every day. A few times an A few times a day, the power would go off, but it did not stay off for long because of a generator. All of this is to say, I realize that it is West Africa, and the western standards are different. But I have to say, catering to some westerners, this was my experience.

Business Self

8/10

Excellent

22 Jun 2024

Samantha

Lovely option for your stay in Banjul

Business

8/10

Excellent

22 Jun 2024

Samantha

Lovely option for your stay in Banjul.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

08 May 2024

ANTHONIA

The staff are second to none, all were very friendly and helpful. the room with a sea view was perfect. breakfast was always of a high slandered.

However the only aspect that let them down, was the rooms were not free of mosquitos, they should spray the room once the daily cleaning is completed.

Business_and_leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

10 Feb 2024

Neeraj

Overall good.

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

04 Feb 2023

Omar

Really comfortable relaxing stay - excellent food

Friends_and_family Friends

2/10

Poor

15 Nov 2022

Monika

It says that it is a five star hotel, but it does not even deserve 3.

Business Self

2/10

Poor

23 Sep 2022

Aboubakar

It was horrible

Business Family

2/10

Poor

03 Apr 2020

Verified traveler

It will ruin your stay.

An unpleasant experience. A staff that sees you as a dollar sign and nothing else. Credit cards machines that don't work and if they do, you have to pay a 3.5% fee. Rooms that are rundown. Towels handed out very strictly - one only per day. You pay on the high end but get treated on the low end. Just very unpleasant. A big regret of mine. I should have not stayed here.

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

19 Feb 2020

Slarty

I travelled on business. This is a comfortable and convenient small resort. The food is OK, and there are local alternatives nearby. The wifi is fairly reliable, the staff are friendly and the breakfast is pretty good. It's a bit tired but everything works and the beds are comfortable.

Business Self

6/10

Pleasant

11 Jan 2020

Verified traveler

I think this property is rubish for the money we spent.i had a problem with my door locks and so did many other guest.it took me 5 attempt to go to the reception.and still the man at the reception ignorded me.at breakfast the waiters gaveme a feeling that i was the wrong colour for them.they served offee to all the white people but waited for us to ask for coffee

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Sep 2019

Tyrone

Great time

The Ocean Bay Hotel was great. The pool, Food, and service was awsome. The staff was friendly, and helpful. I will be staying here again.

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

06 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

Nice hotel on a large stretch of beach. Great pool, very friendly staff, decent breakfast.

Friends

8/10

Excellent

29 May 2019

Verified traveler

Beautiful environment with very friendly and supportive staff

Business Self

10/10

Exceptional

04 May 2019

Satisfied

Clean rooms , beautiful grounds, excellent breakfast and friendly staff, always going out of their way to make guests comfortable.

Business_and_leisure Family

4/10

Poor

06 Feb 2019

Bhavin

Avoid

Poor service, dirty room, flies and mosquitos in room thatvhadnt been cleaned in days. Still had hair from previous customers days ago. Complained 4 times and didn't get cleaned. Ended up leaving hotel the next day and booked into another hotel. Breakfast ok, area not great- harassed as soon as we left the hotel. Was very happy to leave!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

31 Jan 2019

Verified traveler

Hotel is close to the beach, has a nice clean pool and pool area. Live entertainment is provided most nights.

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jan 2019

Margaret

Good place to stay

Had a wonderful time the hotel was good and all the staff made my holiday good

6/10

Pleasant

06 Oct 2018

Verified traveler

For the price it is an ok option, close to Banjul and nice surrounding area. Good swimming pool and restaurant has fair prices. The rooms and property are a bit dated.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Aug 2018

Gabriel

Lovely place. Good food. Loved watching the waves with my coffee at the beach bar. Had a great African Healing massage on my last day. Staff was super friendly and helpful. Breakfast was modest but fresh, with hot options upon order like eggs and pancakes and meat. Had a few excellent dishes off the lunch and dinner menus, everything is seasonal and fresh. Go with the fish at least once, its what they do best.

6/10

Pleasant

19 Dec 2017

Verified traveler

Bed was quite uncomfortable and it’s annoying that their “king” is just 2 singles stuck together. The rooms are dark as well, overdue for a lick of paint and brightening up. The bathroom was essentially a wet room as the shower wasn’t seperated so the floor was wet after showering no matter how careful you are. Also beware of the sudden changes in temperature.
If you’re looking for somewhere quiet, this isn’t the place as there is music on all day by the pool and nightly entertainment that stops only at 10pm. Staff are lovely though and do try to help as much as possible.

8/10

Excellent

08 Dec 2017

Ivona

Friendly staff, an easy and relaxing place

Good breakfast, buffet in the evening offers a lot of choice, having said that - even though it is open till 10pm if there is a bigger crowd, you may be faced with empty plates and no choice, they don't seem to refill the trays after 9 pm...
The beach is gorgeous, wide and sandy, clean as well, a bit tricky to swim in.
The spa is definitely a highlight, at a very affordable price you get a professional session, we loved it.

4/10

Poor

03 Dec 2017

Verified traveler

When it came to pay, their visa machine did not work, They were blaming the bank. I offered to pay by check, they refuse. They spent one hour arguing with me that it was not their fault. I had to pay cash. The ATM machine was out of service. I said sent me your bill by mail and i\"ll send you a check . They said it was not acceptable. After one hour I decided enough is enough and walked out . Two security guard stopped me and said I had to pay cash. They found another ATM machine close by and that one worked.

They advertised VISA and Master Card on the counter and three time I have been there, there is always a problem with paying with credit card. Really bad service. Find another hotel, please.

6/10

Pleasant

24 Nov 2017

Mark

Staff was very nice, nice beach. Food was OK, not great, but OK.

8/10

Excellent

30 May 2017

lesley

Comfortable hotel near to amenities

Classic style and a warm welcome at this hotel, comfortable rooms with reliable electricity supply, air con and wi-fi. Easy access to local attractions, bank, restaurants, golf course, beaches and the best prawns in Gambia fresh off the boat!

6/10

Pleasant

15 Apr 2017

Michel

Avarage hotel

Breakfast buffet is not great. The rooms are avarage in terms of comfort. The beds are old and uncomfortable.

4/10

Poor

15 Feb 2017

Verified traveler

Bed sheets and towels worn out, housekeeping staff unreliable and dishonest, food was average and expensive compared to quality, and bed uncomfortable (requested for queen or double but they just joined 2 single beds).

10/10

Exceptional

25 Dec 2016

Binta

Wonderful service

Lovely staff , very helpful, good facilities, did find the prices a little too elevated compared to local pricing , greedy management

6/10

Pleasant

14 Sep 2016

Kamal

2-star hotel marketed as 5-star

Upon check-in, I was given a choice of 3 rooms and none of them was comfortable (each had something that didn't work -- especially the A/C during this warm and rainy season). Then, I was upgraded to what the hotel considers as a Deluxe Room, which is in reality the same type of Standard Room but with its own balcony. AT least, the noisy A/C was functioning.
Restaurant and exterior of the hotel were fine but not the interior of the rooms and the bathrooms; corridors to the rooms had humid walls. Looks like some maintenance is done on the exterior (garden, restaurant), but not much inside the guest living areas.

10/10

Exceptional

31 Aug 2016

Hide

A wonderful place and wonderful staff

This is a well looked after hotel.

The staff are very friendly starting starting with tamsir Saine the manager who makes sure that your stay is the most comfortable one. Reception guys always smiling very helpful specially abdulla cham and Mas, not to forget the good restaurant food and pleasant restaurant staff specially BA Darboe who have convinced the rest of my family to move to the hotel after his incredible service along with Mohmad and Hatab who made my daughter birthday unforgettable day to remember.

Thank you all for the wonderful pleasant and warm welcoming that made me and my family feel as we were home.

10/10

Exceptional

20 Nov 2015

Ron, UK

Awe-some, Gambia Experience!!

Being out first time in Gambia, we didn't know what to expect but the hotel made us feel at ease, safe and overall made the holiday a lot better. The staff are so friendly and welcoming, the UK can learn from these guys when it comes to customer service. The rooms were not bad at all, comfy beds, good ventilation/AC, nice views to the garden/pool/beach. The swimming pool bit was great and so was the entertainment. Food was also delicious, would highly recommend it to anyone! Also, it's nice having the beach at the back of the hotel where you can go get freshly pressed juice by the local juice bars.

8/10

Excellent

03 Jun 2015

Jim

A very pleasant stay beside the Ocean

The facilities were clean and pleasing in all important respects. I thought that the staff were putting in a great effort to be helpful and timely.

8/10

Excellent

26 May 2014

Harshpreet

Great Staff

The staff is always ready to help you. We had issues with food we ordered and they were happy to replace the dish. The location is great to enjoy the calm beach or catch a Taxi to go to Senegambia. If you are going for work, the place is recommended.

4/10

Poor

17 Mar 2014

Verified traveler

Adequate hotel

Great beach, great staff, poor breakfast, poor plumbing

8/10

Excellent

05 Jan 2014

Elfadl Ali

nice name upove medium overall level

I have been happy of the meals variety and nice well done at the same time unhappy of the location of my roon 118

2/10

Poor

28 Nov 2013

KMan2011

Will you definitely get to stay there when you arrive? We didn't

We weren't allowed to stay there. When we arrived, we were informed of overbooked and shipped to another hotel 20min drive away

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jan 2013

George

Excellent

This is a large hotel complex with neatly manicured lawn and palm trees in the gardens. The beach is a minute away and the craft markets and other attractions are walking distance away. I had lunch there once, the grilled fish was fantastic, and the breakfast is great too with plenty of choice. The rooms are clean, comfortable and spacious with a good safe in the rooms. Only downside is the bed was a little soft. Staff are great too. Right outside you have the official guides, and it's difficult to go anywhere alone. The cheaper yellow taxis aren't allowed here in the tourist zone so you might have to walk further to catch one. There really isn't much wrong with this place and was perfect for two days for me, before venturing up river.

2/10

Poor

03 Dec 2012

Verified traveler

Incredibly Poor Hotel Management

I have stayed at the Ocean Bay 2 years ago and liked the hotel but standards appear to have slipped dramatically. The root cause appears to be incompetent reception staff and room booking procedures that mean that guests do not get the room they have booked. In my case when I arrived i had to wait for 2 hrs before I was given my room key with no explanation why. When I got to the room it was a smoking room that stank of cigarettes, despit me putting non smoking on my booking and registration form at the hotel. After complaining did get another room but that did not become available for another 2 hrs. Others in my party had similar experiences with one person not getting a room and having to share with a friend! Throughout my stay, there was a continual line of unhappy guests at reception who had not got the rooms they had booked . Will not be staying there again when I return to Gambia - book at your risk!

8/10

Excellent

18 Nov 2012

David

The place to go for a hotel at Cape Point

An excellent hotel, with good rooms and extremely friendly and curtious staff. Not 5 star by European standards by any means but a very good quality african hotel. Cape Point is a very good location, with a few restaurents, bars, and a small market and money changer nearby. £1 beer between 5:30pm and 6:30pm each day during happy hour and evening entertainment each evening (if that is your thing). Also a choice of two restuarents and an form of all inclusive option is also on offer (not my thing at all - but seemed popular!)

4/10

Poor

17 Jul 2012

Ranji. V

The 5 star rating is definitely misleading.

Family

8/10

Excellent

16 May 2012

Verified traveler

Great Stay

Great location on the beach. Very nice staff... very helpful in all aspects... good breakfast

6/10

Pleasant

27 Feb 2012

Verified traveler

Smiling Coast

I was not completely satisfied because first when I booked I had asked for 1 bed but I had two twin beds. The bathroom tiles were lose and the shower was not really clean on the walls.

When I checked out, I was not given AN INVOICE

8/10

Excellent

01 Jul 2025

Asako

Beautiful hotel by the beach

The hotel staff provided high-quality services and a delicious breakfast. I saw a big mouse. That was a point of pity about the hotel.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

13 May 2024

Bianca

Very nice and helpfull staff, clean and big room and lovely breakfast with many choices. Nice accommodation with playground for children. Only unfortunately no animation available in the low season.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

22 Nov 2019

Verified traveler

Kamers waren verzorgd. Ontbijtbuffet viel tegen omwille van beperkte keuze voor een 5*

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jan 2019

Verified traveler

Prisvärt