A favourite of GTS members 'the Palmer family' it has extensive gardens and large swimming pool, however the distance from the beach might be seen as a disadvantage by some, creating an open road where you run the gaultlet with locals indistinguishable from and masquerading as the hotels staff.

Security at the main gate is fine - with a large car park area by the front garden and its own taxi park. an enclosed jungle path leads to the reception, lounge, shop & satellite TV rooms.

The hotel has the Sunbird a Ia carte (& breakfast) restaurant with cosy alcoves and screened corners as well as a good sized eating terrace

Farah's is the big and very popular bar pizzeria situated round the large pool, wiich is overlooked a block containing the Chinese - 'Great Wall Restaurant'.

On the far side of the sizeable pool and smaller children's pool there is a giant chess board and stage for the nightly entertainment.

Garden paths lead to the 14 bungalows and unattractive barrack blocks of rooms that are decorated but not designed, the fittings are adequate but lack quality. There are 182 double, 16 triple, 4 single & 5 suites with kitchenettes. 16 have baths the rest have showers and all are fitted with UK 3-pin sockets & air con (at 130 dalasis p.d.) or fans hung from the ceilings.

Badala, they say, means By the Sea, it isn't, there is a 300 metre walk along the newly resurfaced causeway and through the grounds of the new Palm Beach Hotel (owned by the same people) to get to the beach, which once there, is a delightful broad stretch of sand to the left of where the Kotu Stream meets the sea.

There's a beach bar and basket weaver and not far along the beach is the Kunta Kinteh bar - the first concern in Gambia to offer GTS members discount - now taken over and refurbished but still offering discount.

Bed & breakfast is 500 dalasis for a double and 400 for a single, the apartments are 600 dalasi. So a medium ranged hotel with a good pool.