Samaria Lodge

The lodge is beautiful and quiet, and if you’re lucky, you can spot whales from the garden. It’s a long way from the centre, which may suit you, but after a few days you might get bored. Traveling alone also makes getting around by vehicle expensive, so there aren’t many options. The staff are always available and very friendly. The restaurant Wi-Fi worked really well, and you can get one free ride during your stay to withdraw money in town. Ask about the conditions and agree on any other transfer prices when you arrive. I only had one lukewarm shower. I also didn’t like the old blanket wrapped in a sheet. The bed looks lovely on arrival, but they change it shortly after you get to your room. A duvet would be more comfortable and suit the nicely made rooms better. I wasn’t keen on the food either, some dishes were too salty and others didn’t have much taste. The breakfasts were quite complete and tasted very good, at 28500 Ar. Prices were 38 500 Ar for garlic shrimp, 16 500 for banane flambé, which tasted too much of alcohol, 33 000 for grilled fish, 46 000 for zebu, 6500 for ginger tea, 37 000 for grilled calamari, 2000 for homemade mayo, 30 000 for pizza, whose dough tasted like puff pastry, and 8000 for a Cristal water. A room for one person is 50 EUR per night, but with their exchange rate it’s better to pay in Ar. Tax is 10 000 Ar, and the airport transfer costs 43 200 Ar.

We had the ocean-view room, and it was absolutely amazing. Getting straight into the ocean for fantastic snorkeling was the best part. We were lucky to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas at this magical place, and they arranged a wonderful dinner. The rooms were very clean, the food was amazing, and the staff were friendly and helpful. We had an incredible stay at Samaria lodge.

Marc and Peggy were such welcoming hosts. We also went on a whale trip with Marc, who knows a lot about humpback whales and explained them to us with a respectful approach. One evening there was local music, cheerful and heartwarming, and we enjoyed cinnamon iced tea, Ti-punch, and fish carpaccio platters. The hotel and restaurant have sea views and sit in a beautiful tropical garden. The bar and restaurant are tastefully decorated, and the staff are friendly. We can’t recommend this place enough!

The lodges are spacious, comfortable, and clean, and the food is delicious. The seapool is a good place to start snorkeling. Marc and his team do everything to make guests feel welcome, which made this a lovely base for discovering St Marie. Paradise in St Marie is Samaria. I stayed at La Crique 20 years ago, when it was famous and supervised by Marc Blondel. I feel lucky to have found Samaria now, managed by the same Marc with the same attention to guests as back then.