Kololi Beach Club - Kololi/Bijilo

Only One kilometre away from the 'Senegambia strip', passed the new GTS office at Dardeema, these 24 seafront acres are bordered by Bijilo Forest on the one side and the Holiday Beach Club on the other.

Its villas, golf course and lawns sloping back from Kololi beach, landscaped into grassy hills and hollows, the tamarisk hedges in topiaried patterns. . . are all so impeccably crafted and cared for that the Rough Guide ignores it entirely, probably thinking it is still timeshare only.

Developed by a British family from Devonshire, Kololi has for a decade been The Gambia's most dynamically promoted and best-documented tourist project, with its own comprehensive Visitor's Guide and a regular Newsletter. No longer the timeshare venture which, much publicized, it started out as in 1989.

'The Gambia's 5-star co-ownership haven' but not yet the full-fledged 5 star hotel for which plans are approved. It is technically a 'clubshare', with most apartments owned by members, though even that is not entirely right since The Gambia Experience features it for package holidays.

Opposite the entrance to the Forest Reserve, the newly constructed road to which the club shares, a barrier and gatehouse make for privacy.

Dotted with palms, the lawns rise to the 2 storeyed villa blocks that step down from the hilltop to the pool. Safely out of range, the par 3 golf course became 11 holes when its 'forgiving fairways' were given 2 new 'browns' in 1999.

The pool is sizeable, the cloverleaf splashpool little more than ornamental.

Accommodation is immaculate. Their design best described as Andalusian timeshare, the 44 villas of white walls, red-tiled roofs & brick-rimmed arches each contain double and/or twin bedrooms with showers en suite, sprung mattresses, ceiling-fans & fitted cupboards, air con.for hire & UK 3-pin sockets, quality fitted kitchen and central dining-area, large lounge & balcony/patio.
The 2 bedroomed villas are £145 a day or £725 a week, the 1 bedroomed £105 and £525 Making this one of the most expensive stays in The Gambia even more than the penthouse at the Nagala lodge but a little cheaper than the presidential suite at the Kairaba.