Hotel Locanda Samara Beach

The beachfront location was fantastic, and the rooms were basic but usable, just as I expected from the photos. The beach chairs are great, though it's a shame people claim them early and may only show up for an hour in the afternoon while others could be using them. The staff were kind enough, but not especially warm or friendly. Restaurant service was remarkably bad, particularly at breakfast. It felt unorganized, the servers didn't seem to want to be there, and getting a coffee refill after asking was a matter of luck.

The food tasted good and the decor is lovely, which makes the service problems a shame. The staff seemed pleasant enough, but the service was unbelievably bad. We waited 20 minutes for drinks, then maybe another hour for the food. Nobody checked on our table, brought napkins or water, and the appetizers arrived with the main courses.

The restaurant was very good at both breakfast and dinner, and breakfast was included. Service was a little slow, though that was consistent with our experience at other restaurants around the country. We spent two nights in a two-bedroom apartment. Both it and the property matched the listing: clean, comfortable beds, nice pool and grounds, and a great location right on the beach. It's also a short walk to several good restaurants, bars, shops, and a grocery store.

The location is great, but the restaurant service was not. We reserved a table for six and arrived at 6:30 instead. After ordering drinks, a couple of us asked for a glass of ice. The drinks came at intervals, and it took 20 minutes for all three of us to get one. The ice arrived 30 minutes later, and nobody ever took our food order. They offer a 20% discount for cash, so weigh that against the service. We were lucky to get one of the new rooms. It was lovely, even though they were still finishing it, and there's a discount for paying cash. I'd recommend staying there.