Hotel Samara Beach

The staff were nice, and the location was good. The little pool was clean, too. But the rooms let us down: no fridge, a bed that was painfully loud and uncomfortable, and housekeeping that seemed hit or miss. Breakfast was pretty sad, so we went up the street for coffee and food. For the price, it didn't meet our expectations. I've stayed in $10 hostels in Costa Rica with nicer amenities.

The room had loose doors, a showerhead coming off, and cracks in the walls and windows. The staff were lovely, and the pool was nice, but we also found a red ant nest with eggs under the mattress where our four-year-old had been sleeping. She was covered in bites on her arms and legs. At first we thought they were mosquito bites, then we found the nest. We'd already seen ants crossing the bedroom floor and put that down to Costa Rica's tropical setting, but finding them nesting in the bed was unacceptable. We told the staff and they offered us another room, but we no longer trusted the hotel's cleanliness and left early. We raised the issue with reception, then the manager and owner, but they refused to refund the prepaid night we didn't use. Their response felt dismissive and unprofessional, as though $115 mattered more than basic care and safety. The hotel also felt tired and run down. If cleanliness, safety, and proper service matter to you, I'd avoid it.

The beach is close, and the area is relatively quiet. Those are the main things going for this hotel as it is now. The rooms are very dated and need work, and the garden and pool need cleaning and attention. Breakfast was so minimal that we ate elsewhere after the first morning. With some work from the owner, this could be a lovely place, but in its current state I wouldn't recommend it.

We were lucky to get a suite, which was spacious and had a full kitchenette, couch, and dining table, though it was no frills. The Wi-Fi didn't reach our room, but it worked well in the dining pagoda, so that was fine. Breakfast there was very good and all you could eat, with parrots and an iguana hoping to grab a bite. The staff were exceptionally helpful and friendly. The setting keeps things quiet even though you're right by the main part of town, with its shops, cafes, tour operators, supermarket, and pharmacy. The yard stretches well back from the street, and the beach is just a short block away, with several restaurants along the shore. We also liked having the pool for a fresh water dip after swimming in the ocean.