Villas Playa Samara Beach Front- All Inclusive

100 reviews shown

2/10

Poor

21 Feb 2026

Kyle

Almost everything went poorly. They lost our reservation, took almost an hour to straighten it out. Let us get dinner and said to come back afterwards. We did and a different person asked what room we were in. Said we didn’t know yet- hoped he knew. He gave me one key and told me the villa number. By then it was after 9 pm and we had to stumble around in the dark trying to find our villa on the grounds. All the pathway lights were not working, very scary and dangerous. Couldn’t see a thing. Finally found out place and it was not as they advertise on line. We booked a Jr suite villa with a king bed. We got the most worn out villa on the property. No bright inviting colors, and no king size bed. The bedroom had two queen beds and pretty much no other furniture. There was no bedside table for phones, and the light switch was across the room. The bathroom was actually worse. The shower head was not attached to the hose. There was black mold on the shower walls, ant there were dead and live ants crawling all over the floor of the shower. The bathroom floor was grubby. We we&end exhausted so we went too bed. Spoke to reception in the morning. Came back 5 hours later and nothing changed. Went to reception again and they sent us to speak to the service manager. Took a half hour to track him down. Walked to his desk and then he (Larry) disappeared for another 20 minutes. So rude. When he got back I explained, put it in writing and three days later no fixes.

Partner

2/10

Poor

19 Feb 2026

Charles

Casi todo mal, no se pudo ingresar por falta de personal en la noche, problemas en la habitación, alimentación y servicios del hotel.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

20 Jan 2026

Diego

No controller for the TV and bad shuttle service but overall good

Partner

8/10

Excellent

08 Jan 2026

Charles

Villas Playa Samara is a lovely property situated on a small bay with a large, rocky island offshore. Beautiful views and sunsets! Our rooms were very clean and well-maintained by housekeeping during our stay. However, we did have some problems with the plumbing -- stopped-up toilets and showers that had very little pressure. These were corrected, but it was a bit frustrating. The villas are roomy and comfortable but a bit outdated.

The staff in general was extremely friendly and helpful. Only the front desk attendants were a bit testy when we brought our complaints to them regarding our bathrooms. We also had a lot of problems checking in due to the computer system being down. We were switched from room to room before they figured it all out. And one of our four rooms was NOT the junior suite that we had booked, but a smaller room. We didn't get a good explanation as to why this couldn't be corrected.

The pool is beautiful and the beach is quite nice, but they don't seem to have enough towels. We often were told that they are in the dryer and more will be available in 30 minutes.

There's not much assistance available for booking activities or tours. We eventually found a boat/snorkeling tour on-line that actually left from the beach right next to the property. It turned out to be great fun. But there's no concierge able to assist guests with activities off-property.

We were there over New Year's Eve and they threw a fantastic party for everyone!!

Leisure Family

2/10

Poor

01 Jan 2026

Tricia

The hotel staff was very friendly, but the property description is not realistic. This was an all inclusive stay and the food and restaurant area outside is not up to par, the NYE dinner was much better but still lacking. The hotel is outdated needs many upgrades and the food was TERRIBLE - not worth the money.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

30 Apr 2025

Carolina V.

Great time etc.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

28 Feb 2025

William

Huge swimming pool with swim up bar is amazing. Buffet meals are excellent. BUT rooms are tired and need updating. ALSO there are no real 2 bedroom units. Instead they are one bedroom units with 2 beds = Big difference!

Business_and_leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

14 Jan 2025

Joann

The website was completely misleading, but after accepting what they actually had to offer it is a nice resort and we had a great time. The website said the rooms would have sofas, they did not, and it said that there are 2 restaurants, there was 1 and it was buffet only. On multiple days housekeeping left us short on towels. That aside, the food was good, the rooms were clean and the air conditioner worked well to keep our room cool and dry, the pool was clean, the staff were wonderful (especially the servers and bartenders), the grounds were well maintained, and the beach was amazing. They need to update their website so people realistically know what to expect.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Nov 2024

Luis

Excellent

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Aug 2024

Aaron

Due to a mix up we stayed at Azura but the staff was extremely friendly and helpful and went out of their way to ensure we had a good trip. The food was excellent and we had different options each night! Overall a great experience

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

29 Feb 2024

Debbie

The resort was fine and the people were nice but the food is the worst we've ever had at an all-inclusive. We all got so sick, not sure if it was the food or water. The food was never really hot. They made omelets in the morning and used so much Pam cooking spray. The rice and pasta was never fully cooked. Breakfast was supposed to be at 7am but they were never ready and it took forever to get coffee.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

17 Feb 2024

Linda

Wonderful location with easy access to beautiful beach. Property is very nice and rooms are nice--although they could stand a few minor \"extras\". Pool is very nice. Food needed improvement--limited choices, not great quality although pineapple and watermelon was abundant and delicious.

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

16 Feb 2024

Verified traveler

Do not recommend.

We would not stay here again. Check in took forever and the staff was getting complaints right and left. This is not an all inclusive as advertised. No coffee or coffee maker in room. No phone. No drink glasses. Nothing in minifridge. If you wanted a bottle of water you had to buy it at the gift shop. Buffet was terrible and dirty dishes everywhere. One of the guests even started bussing tables to try and help out the staff I guess. Alcohol for mixed drinks was the cheapest, in plastic bottles… liquor we had never heard of…
Just an overall disgusting environment with less than friendly staff. Shame on this hotel.

Partner

2/10

Poor

31 Jan 2024

Payton

Very misleading and incorrect information in the description on their website. They reuse dirty glass cups and plastic cups for drinks at both bars. Only one buffet style restaurant that was very unsatisfying. The property reeks of sewer. The staff were friendly, but slow with their service. The gift shop was incredibly overpriced. Overall, just not a place I would recommend to spend a vacation.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

06 Jan 2024

Tinku

Resort is right by the beach yes - but so limited only 1 restaurant/buffet for every meal. Wet bar wasn’t open majority of the day. No in house entertainment as much. And our rooms had no telephone to call front desk or for support. And 1 pool

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

29 Dec 2023

Stephane

Bad experience, avoid if you can.
Definitely not 4 star, the hotel is not maintained, rooms are smelly, light not working, clotted sink, dripping water as shower. The entrance picture is very nice but all for the new facility being developed next door, the villa playa Samara is let with poor maintenance, cheap foods and cocktails “all inclusive”, almost empty buffet, garden not maintained, feels like a let down facility. The beach and view is very nice which makes the experience even more disappointing. This might have been a nice spot some time ago but let to decline, I’m surprised it is offered by Air Canada, it must leave a feeling of being trapped in a location not worth $500 to $600 and feeling to be ripped-off.
We could leverage our stay by going out to other places but it was not the plan for all inclusive villa.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

22 Dec 2023

Dariel

Clean property and nice beach access.

2/10

Poor

28 Nov 2023

Trina

This is not a 4 star as they advertise The place is run down They have many of the rooms and villas assigned to full times residences for staff and construction workers Some rooms had been previously renovated but done poorly and it’s already breaking down and not cleaned well

We got moved from our room and our new room was in a better location but the door lock was broken and bathroom was dirty They have rocks under the sink for earthy design but it had lots of hair from previous guest in it.

We were so disappointed and would have preferred a refund and to stay somewhere else It took all day to get approval to move rooms and since are stay was short we wanted to just leave

The buffet for the all inclusive had 6 options in total and a small salad bar, No other food areas

It’s really the worst all inclusive I’ve ever seen
Maybe a 2.5 star at best

The staff were really nice Guest were unhappy and they were apologizing a lot but not their fault Bad management/ownership

All I can say to anyone who has a reservation try to get a refund You will be so disappointed

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

17 Dec 2022

Rose

Beautiful location on the beach.
A long 5-hour drive from the San Jose Airport.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

25 Apr 2022

Pamela

This property is very dated. A lot of the units had furniture stacked inside them as though it was being stored. And I think more employees lived there than guests were there. A coffee maker in the room, but no coffee to make a pot. Fridge in the room was an added bonus, but is in need of cleaning and deicing. Pool bar and gym were closed. No bar to hangout in, one restaurant with the same food every day, but inconsistent on how it was prepared, towels and sheets were very worn, holes in our sheets and some of our towels had strings hanging off of them.
The staff were very nice and the location was great, but the resort is in desperate need of updating. The second property is an adults only one, but looked busier and seemed to have better amenities.
I love the country of Costa Rica and will return, just not to this property.
Not sure if this property was closed for a long time due to COVID, but it sure does need some updating. Over all it was a pleasant experience, but not a 5 star one!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

16 Apr 2022

Verified traveler

Una bendición

Hola, la experiencia fue increíble, el trato, la comida, las villas, todo con excelencia. Disfrutamos mucho la estadía y regresamos muy satisfechos. Todo el personal súper especial muy amable, realmente fue una gran bendición haber optado por dicho lugar. Lo recomendamos al 100. Estamos muy agradecidos

2/10

Poor

16 Apr 2022

Rodrigo

El aire acondicionado no funcionaba, la habitación es pequeña, no hay closet ni mueble donde poner la ropa, en el baño no hay mueble, la habitación no tiene ventanas, el personal del restaurante es amable pero no tiene capacitación ni experiencia. Muy mala experiencia, no se lo recomiendo a nadie.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

16 Apr 2022

Yuniel

Nada recomendable!!!

Hay mucho que mejorar, servicio ineficiente. No conocen las más mínimas normas de servicio, puede llegarte la comida primero, las bebidas detrás y los cubiertos de último. La habitación que me asignaron no servía el aire acondicionado, no tenía refrigerador (a pesar de decirlo en la reserva) la luz de la habitación quemada. Nos cambiaron a otra y en la espera, pudimos hacer uso de las instalaciones a hasta las 6 de la tarde. Realmente una experiencia nada positiva. No creo que regrese a este lugar.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jan 2022

Paola

Excelente lugar, nos gustó mucho. Las instalaciones son muy bonitas y seguras.

Leisure Family

2/10

Poor

29 Dec 2021

Adam

Worst vacation experience in years, possibly ever.

Leisure Family

2/10

Poor

30 Nov 2021

elaine

Terrible, service mauvais et hôtel en piètre état

Pire hôtel depuis plusieurs années. Plus de la moitié de l’hôtel nécessite d’énormes rénovations. Les serviettes sont bonnes à faire des guenillesLa nourriture laisse réellement à désirer et même plus… temps d’attente pour recevoir un burger de 50 minutes au diner…. Pas de buffet, seulement service aux tables dehors en tout temps et seulement 3 serveuses. Nous sommes arrivés tôt vers 11h am et ils voulaient nous facturer 30$ U.S./ personne pour early check-in…. Avons eu notre chambre vers 16h seulement…. Piscine sale, aucun service de bar à la piscine. Vraiment terrible, je ne le recommande à personne surtout pour le coût exorbitant vs la qualité et service…..

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Nov 2021

Yeimily

Great

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Sep 2021

Dawn M

This is our third trip to Villas Playa Samara. We were treated very well and we love it there. Having our own Villa allows for more privacy when traveling with others. It was a little frustrating that our actual restaurant wasn’t open for the first part of our trip so they had us dine at one of the restaurants at Azure, which appears to have 3 restaurants. Then the last 2 days our restaurant opened & we were no longer aloud at Azure, including the beach chairs in front which literally are on the same property. It is an adults only property but we were all adults. Our restaurant did offer the same menu & the food is amazing! The staff is very nice and accommodating. The property is also very secure so you feel safe! Can’t wait to book our next trip back!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jun 2021

Verified traveler

Beautiful views! We truly enjoyed our stay here. We had a bungalow close to the beach- like 25ft away! Rooms were clean and loved the patio facing the beach.
The staff were so friendly especially at the restaurant. Because of Covid-19, we only had one option for restaurant but the food was good that was included in our all inclusive option- food and alcohol- for the price it was a steal! Loved that they extend their restaurant service while we sunbathed on the beach. Wish the pool bar was open but understood why it was closed because of the pandemic.
The town of Samara is a 20-30min walk on the beach.
We look forward to coming back with a group of friends!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

07 Jan 2020

Verified traveler

nice property. needs work in places though. food for all inclusive was not worth the money and was boring

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

28 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

We were given 100 dollar credit..staff did not know what we could use credit towards. Unfortunately last day we found out it was $25 toward 4 excursions. Disappointed we could not use it elsewhere or at property store. Wish we knew ahead if time what credit is for to utilize it properly

Leisure Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

31 Jul 2019

Verified traveler

Bad services, dirty rooms and employees regardless of customer service

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

22 Mar 2019

Verified traveler

For an all inclusive it was pricy and small. Food selection was very limited. There was always something that didn't work - door, safe, air conditioning, wifi etc etc.
Staff was a mix of lovely friendly and helpful people and people who hated their jobs or us (but miserable with something). No surfing out front, beach just okay but Playa Samara was consistent and easy to get to everyday.

Leisure Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

21 Dec 2018

Verified traveler

Property is under construction so can be noisy. Food and facilities ok but nothing to write home about. If you like AI, I’m sure this is average.

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

03 Dec 2018

Verified traveler

This is not a 4 stars resort, they are building half of the hotel and the other part is old. You want to park the car un the parking lot and must walk in a mud way. In the reception, they talk about the rules and punishments a lot. I arrived 1hour before the check in and they said me that If I want to Stay there,they Will charge $70 per person (this situation doesn’t happend at others All inclusive resorts in Costa Rica) I am Costarican and I don’t recomend this hotel to enjoy your vacations, the pictures are not related with the reality.

8/10

Excellent

23 Feb 2018

Cat

Nice Beach Hotel

Stayed there 2 years ago when it was not all inclusive. The buffet only is not up to par with the price. You need to be careful selecting your room because I had to climb stairs which was not necessary before and this had no view at all. Other than that I would highly recommend because staff and location of beach and wonderful spa worthwhile.

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jul 2017

Verified traveler

Nice hotel, nice staff

It was a wonderful experience. The hotel staff wer just great.

6/10

Pleasant

15 Jul 2017

Verified traveler

Real nice location and grounds/beach. Friendly staff. Very laid back, kind of quiet environment. Playa Samara is a nice, small town with some good restaurants. But hey, it's Costa Rica and we also dealt with the lax service...like forgetting the room cleaning some days and the room keys constantly not working..and having go to the desk 3-4 times per day. Liked it but didn't justify the $$. But me and my family had a lot of fun...just wouldn't go there again.

2/10

Poor

15 May 2017

Verified traveler

Not what they claim to be

No water in room
No coffee in room
No warm water
Pool was disgusting filled with frogs.
Gym has 4 machines of which 2 were broken
Poor hotel staff customer service
They claim to be a 3 1/2 star hotel they're not even 2 stars
The list goes on.....

2/10

Poor

15 May 2017

Verified traveler

Not worth the price

No water in room
No coffee in room
No warm water
Pool was disgusting filled with frogs.
Poor hotel staff customer service
They claim to be a 3 1/2 star hotel they're not even 2 stars
The list goes on.....

6/10

Pleasant

07 Apr 2017

debi

Value for money, close to beach, not too big

Construction was happening late in March but overall, for what we paid, it was a good experience. In the Hotel room, there was no storage. Nowhere to unpack your clothes for a week not one drawer, I found that unusual. There was a rack to put your clothes on with 3 or 4 hangers. Bathroom excellent beds very comfortable. Food good and always available.

6/10

Pleasant

02 Apr 2017

Serge

Ordinary hotel in Costa Rica

This is a beachfront hotel with ordinary food and amenities. The staff is friendly, pool and restaurant bars' guys are very nice.
However, the guy selling tours in the reception area is completely irresponsible. If you want to book something for fun just call Info Center in Samara and save your time and money.

6/10

Pleasant

02 Jan 2017

Roy

Has much potential.

Hotel resort under construction. Staff needs training in customer service and basic food service issues. Rooms are great, but after that, you are on your own.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

04 Sep 2016

matt

There is no room service you can't get any food or drinks after 10pm everything is closed

8/10

Excellent

08 Aug 2016

Edwin

Highly Recommended

I was looking for a hotel where I could go and relax and rest. That's exactly what I got. Nothing out of this world fancy but exactly what I needed. Excellent staff with the most amazing people you can meet. I loved it. I stay for 9 days and I would go back. My only suggestion would be on the food. Great testing but very repetitive, perhaps not gear for someone staying for a week. Best virgin pina coladas in the world!

2/10

Poor

22 Jun 2016

Robert

Overpriced, poor service and contempt.

Hello,

When we got there they said that breakfast would be $30 per person, per day extra ! Times that by 3 adults for 5 nights that equals US$ 450.00!

I said 'thats a lot', so they said US$25 each. They wouldnt move from this so we went into the town each day instead, and got a nicer breakfast for about $8 each.

We stayed in 5 hotels during our visit to Costa Rica and this was in fact the most expensive, but it was no where near as good as the others. All the others were not only cheaper, friendlier and much nicer but they also included a nice breakfast of fresh fruit and a choice of hot food. The breakfast at Villas Playa Samara Beach Front Resort didnt look very nice anyway, and nor did the dinner, as it was just 'mass catered' help yourself buffet. Our room was plain, dark and ordinary, almost cell like, with no outlook. The bin didnt have a lid on it - in a country where this is where you have to put ALL the used toilet tissue! We asked if we could move but, throughout the whole stay, the staff were unsmiling and unhelpful and wernt bothered. The hotel complex, itself, wasnt that special. Just because its behind a big gate, has a swim up bar and is by the beach dosnt make it good or justify their price and there is much nicer elsewhere for less. Several people around the town say that the owners dont care if you complain, so that is the contempt they have for their customers -once they have taken your money. Treat them as they deserve, dont give them your money and

10/10

Exceptional

17 Apr 2016

Salvatore

took friends to costa rica for 1st time

it was great time. pool , beach are great locations aswell as nearby beach carrillo

Family

8/10

Excellent

16 Apr 2016

Miguel

Good value and experience

We arrived about 2:45 pm. Our Expedia confirmation said 2:00 pm check in, the desk agent said 3:00. They said they were waiting for housekeeping to finish, and by 3:45 we were in our room (a one-bedroom villa with oceanside view). Regarding the room quality, the reviews I read were accurate regarding air conditioning being installed only in the bedroom. This is true, but the bedroom was very cool and comfortable. The main room only has a ceiling fan but you can open the french doors or use the portable fan to blow cool air from the bedroom into the main room to mitigate the heat a bit. The room does not have a TV or phone, but I didn't come here to watch TV or talk on the phone. Yes, the water in the shower has a tendency to drain slowly, causing a bit of standing water, but the shower basin is wide so it never got deep for us. Wifi is accessible in most places, including our room, which is one of the furthest away from the front desk area. The Internet was slow, but in talking with friends of ours who live in Samara, slow internet is a way of life here. At check-in, they confirmed that full breakfast was included and put black plastic wristbands on us as confirmation. Other reviews complained of limited options, but we were very pleased with the variety and each day offered something different. Options included local fare like Gallo Pinto (beans and rice), plantains, mangoes, papaya, along with traditional foods like eggs, potatoes, cheeses, cold cuts, sausages,

8/10

Excellent

13 Apr 2016

Jose

Nice place, in my case it was perfect for a family vacation, we did not have any need to go outside of the place, we liked that the room has everything needed to cook and eat inside the village, so if you want to cook no need to pay for restaurant food, breakfast was included and beach is beautiful, ocean was quiet and easy

Family

6/10

Pleasant

12 Apr 2016

Verified traveler

Loved the beach access!\n

This was our first trip to Costa Rica, and it was very nice. A lot to do in Costa Rica, but this hotel was hours from the Rain Forest and because of it's location (Zone 3), many activities were just not feasible.

If we were to go again, we would definitely stay elsewhere.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

04 Apr 2016

Verified traveler

Villa Playa Samara: Some pros and cons

Our stay at Villas was good but i'm not sure I would stay there again. Pros: We were greeted with a cold drink which is a nice special touch and asked if there were any dietary restrictions. While we waited for the room to be ready, we were offered towels so we could make use of the pool/beach. Breakfast was yummy. Had passion fruit juice every morning with an array of breakfast items including: fruit, rice with beans, eggs etc. Lots of iguanas running around. Room was clean and had strong air conditioning which was great since it was very hot. Ocean water is warm. Property has a shower near beach to rinse off sand. Most staff was friendly.

Cons: The hotel is a bit far from town and the hotel does not provide free transportation. It is $6 each way. We arrived a couple of hours before check in but were not able to get into a room despite many rooms being unoccupied. When we got the room, it was very small, on the 2nd floor, and facing the back of the property which was not the garden view (no phone in the room in case you want to call the consierge). On the last day, I spent the morning at the beach and came back for a shower before check out. There was no water available on the property, not even to flush the toilet. I waited hours, despite being told it would be back on in 20 mins. The water never came back on so I had to travel 5 hours to San Jose full of salty skin. No real apology or offer to compensate. Not a great ending.

10/10

Exceptional

21 Mar 2016

Nisha

Was very pleased with the location of this hotel.

No complains .... Will definitely go there again. I liked the fact that you could come out of your room and just walk out to the beach.

6/10

Pleasant

19 Mar 2016

Verified traveler

Close to the beach.

No tv in room and bathroom could use updating. I only had hot water the 1st night but the other 3 days water was cold.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Mar 2016

Salvatore

Great stay recommend

I had a great time very nice and friendly

10/10

Exceptional

29 Feb 2016

maria

Not bad...

Heres the deal, i booked this hotel ONLY because it had direct beach access for the two nights i was staying here. The trip advisor photos had me cringing about what kind of room i would get...but direct beach access was more important. Was i surprised! Since i booked just a room and not a whole villa, i was placed in a block of just rooms which were brand spanking new. This changed my entire experience. I was pleasantly surprised and apart from having to request soap, which they brought in a reasonable amount of time and a public space they were renovating in the lobby that they didnt close off, i really cannot say anything bad about this place. Breakfast was good both days and staff was professional and friendly, as they should be. Will stay here again.

2/10

Poor

24 Feb 2016

Verified traveler

They lied to me

Nothing to do there, looks dated pretty beach but no activities

8/10

Excellent

22 Feb 2016

Verified traveler

Nice resort with every amenity on a beautiful beach. I would return.

6/10

Pleasant

19 Feb 2016

Verified traveler

Beach 9/10
Room 8/10
Service 7/10
Food 6/10

If you are looking for a nice place beachfront just as a hub to roaming around this your place, if you are expecting good food and drinks you will be disappointed.

4/10

Poor

12 Feb 2016

Verified traveler

Love Costa Rica but not this hotel.

One bedroom ocean villa was so far away from the ocean. When I asked about king size bed they said they don't give those villas to Expedia guests. No air conditioning in main room, no television, and bedroom had a double bed and a twin bed. We refused to stay in it and the manager allowed us to keep the deluxe suite we had been in and gave us dinner. We had to remind them every night because they charged us for it. Service didn't exist in the dining room. Waiters were there it seemed just to clear away dirty dishes. Maid service was also hit and miss. We requested more coffee because we are not drinkers and never got any.

4/10

Poor

23 Jan 2016

kevin

loud ticos

a complex of 4-plex housing,depending on location and time of year ,can get be loud. If not all inclusive, meals cost $30, or you can drive into Samara.

4/10

Poor

30 Sep 2015

Donald

Believe the Ratings

Beautiful property on a beautiful beach. Nice villas, nice pool, nice grounds. No service, lousy restaurant. When I checked in I asked for help with luggage as it was approx 150 meters to the villa from the parking lot. No one available. No cart, no suggestion. Asked about room service. Said no, go ask restaurant.
They took order and said they would deliver. An hour later I came back to find it sitting on the counter cold. No apology. This time they said they don't deliver, but asked if I wanted to reserve table for dinner. Yes, for a lousy buffet you have to reserve a place.
And they wanted me to wear one of those wrist bands all weekend like they were an amusement park.
Really a shame. Lots of potential. Obviously lousy management.
All wasn't lost as I had a wonderful deep tissue massage from A_____.
Believe the ratings not the pictures. Go to one of the many other hotels and some very good restaurants in Samara, but not here.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Sep 2015

Verified traveler

On of the best weekends of my life.

I was planning a tour with my partner for a long time ago so we were very excited about this trip. The last time I went to Samara was almost like 3 years ago and I was shocked about how different is now. The hotel is super close to this nice and low-crowed beach. The pool was also great and don't get me started on the rooms. They were clean and met our criteria. The cozy restaurant, the tasty food and the lovely company really made our weekend one of the best.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Sep 2015

Verified traveler

Best hotel in Samara guanacaste

Great location, unique hotel with the beach a few steps away from the hotel. Rooms clean and really presentable, you can see the beach from your room. We recommend to take the all inclusive that is 3 times meals, breakfast, lunch & dinner, GREAT food!

8/10

Excellent

14 Jul 2015

Kate

Great Hotel in Samara

I brought 6 family members to this hotel for a few days and we all had a terrific time. The included breakfast was great, the air-conditioners (in the bedrooms only) worked, the beach was clean, water calm and about a 100 yards from our patio, large clean pool with a swim up bar. All in all, it was perfect for us.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jun 2015

David

Great hotel and location

I stayed at Villas Playa Samara a few days ago passing through Costa Rica, and it was great. The Hotel is right next to the water and its a beautifil place with great staff.

4/10

Poor

04 May 2015

Adam

Looks nice in photos... not so much

Great location - terrible feeling place to stay. We paid ~$200 USD a night and we were surrounded by groups of people who were on Groupon tours, and even they were not impressed with the place after paying a fraction of what we paid.

Calling the food was terrible would not be accurate, it was safe to eat - like a piece of dry toast during a hangover. Yes it is edible, but you won't enjoy anything about it. Having Samara so close with such incredible food choices, there is no reason to eat here except for the free breakfast. Try Gusto, Luv Burger, or Coco's Mexican - just 5 minutes by car away and all worth the trip.

I know working out on a vacation is silly - but the Gym they advertise is in shambles. Only one of the machines worked and it was rusted to hell and screamed like a banshee if you tried to use it. I wish I would have taken photo's, it was funny how broken things were.

The staff are robots - having a 10am checkout with zero possibility of extending is a joke. They could also not find our Expedia reservation (even though we had one printed out AND sent them the e-mail) and made us wait for 20 minutes upon checkout to verify that we had actually paid. Amature hour~

8/10

Excellent

14 Jan 2015

Thomps

Right on the beach!

Our villa was right on the beach, with an excellent view of the sunset. We felt very safe there and the staff where great! The complimentary breakfast was fantastic, not like the continental in the US. All the food we had was great. We took a kayak and snorkel tour with Samara Aventure Company that took us to the Island we could see from our room. This resort seems to be the only one on the water in Samara. It is a short drive in to town. Great spot!

Family

6/10

Pleasant

07 Jan 2015

family of five

Good spot in paradise

Not the best hotel in the world but it has a prime location in Samara beach and the accommodation is comfortable we had a really nice stay. Stayed in a beachfront 1BR apartment. Things worked OK. Pool was fun and activities reasonably well organized. Nice to be able to cook in room.

8/10

Excellent

04 Jan 2015

Yani

Average but OK; friendly and helpful staff

Hotel needs maintenance and fixing: doors don't open or close properly; the drain gets clogged; sewage pipes are too small and get clogged, three out of six lamps did not work, etc. (After having reported the said problems, the maintenance team fixed them but it took half a day before the repairs were completed: half a day that you pay $ 245 for it.)
There is no TV. The kitchen is poorly equipped.
Food in the hotel is extremely expensive: you can get three dinners in the local restaurants for the price of one in this facility.
Staff is very friendly, however, and ready to assist you or to fix the non-working things. They also act fast.
The hotel is located on the beach but the ocean in Playa Samara is very murky, dirty (polluted) and it does not smell good, either.
The village Samara is about two miles from the hotel. It is a very small, kind of funky, quite picturesque place that feels like going 50 years back in time.

6/10

Pleasant

03 Dec 2014

Carlos

The hotel is conveniently located in front of one of the best beaches in Guanacaste ideal for families with toddlers and young children or seniors who don´t want to go around steep places due the fact the hotel area is totally flat. The issue I have is with the policy of staff management that the hotel administration has. I´ve been a regular visitor of this hotel during the last decade and saddly the place seems to be receding in the quality of the staff and the ammenities that they offer. The pool bar was close due to the lack of bartender, and for the check out day, my wife and myself had to carry our laugage from the villa to the parcking lot for a distance of nearly 500 mts, and as we have 3 toddlers this task was very unpleasant. The explanation they gave us was that one of the guards didn´t show up that day for no reason, so they have to put the bellboy to do the missing guy´s work.

Family

4/10

Poor

25 Sep 2014

family traveler

Poor room conditions

Bathrooms with old and broken tiles, no tv in the bedrooms, old kitchen appliances.

6/10

Pleasant

17 Sep 2014

Verified traveler

We arrived to a pool that was not clean and a swim up bar that was not open and needed significant repairs. We (and other guests) called Hotels.com or other booking services to complain. The hotel responded, but it was very disappointing to plan on pool and bar time and not have that option. There was not enough staff working to attend to the guests. Clearly the hotel is being renovated. While the food on the menu was fair, the dining room was beautiful. Breakfast was much better than other meals. Great location on the beach

Family

2/10

Poor

07 Sep 2014

Verified traveler

Ants in my bed

I'm usually a backpacker but was there for a business conference... I can take a lot but not ants in my bed... Killed 50 of them, next day told reception, who promised to spray bed and replace sheets... Which were not replaced (just dusted off), despite my repeated complains they were never replaced... Swimming pool was unusable for 5 days... Sometimes had to wait 1.5 hrs to get good at restaurant, etc etc... Def not worth the money, better of at youth hostels or at a decent hotel (nobody in my conference group of 20 people was satisfied, TV didn't work in any room etc etc)

4/10

Poor

18 Aug 2014

Verified traveler

No good service

Room with TV but cable, restaurante services it's slow and many times they simple forgot this,

6/10

Pleasant

28 Jul 2014

Verified traveler

Nice place, not good service

Staff service was deficient, and the room had no TV signal form the full weekend.

2/10

Poor

22 Jun 2014

Leopoldo

I booked a room for 2 adults and 2 girls, yet when we got there we found out air conditioner was only offered for the adults room. When moving girls mattresses to our room -so that they could enjoy A/C- we discovered hundreds of ants beneath one of them. Food offer is poor, buffet variety is very very limited. Next morning we found an iguana inside the toilet so we decided to leave the hotel.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

02 Jun 2014

Karen

This resort is located close to town and on beach

This resort is located in a quiet area with a lot of land and directly on the beach. The reception area, restaurant, and pool area are all very nice and modern. The pool is very large with a lot of chairs for lounging and relaxing. The villas were probably very nice at one point, but are in dire need of some TLC and updating. We stayed in a 2 bedroom villa with another couple. Our kitchen and bathrooms were in need of some renovating. The beds, however, were nice and clean.

2/10

Poor

07 May 2014

nick0426

1 star

the hotels employees do not speak much english so communicating is difficult. the hotel restaruant was always out of 5-10 items on the menu. the free wifi was nice when you could get signal and stay connected. My back is still sore from the bed. The A/C went out the first night but was fixed. We had no hot water the last two days of our stay. I will never stay in this hotel again or recommend it.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Apr 2014

Marianela 1991.

Wonderful vacations, amazing beach front hotel.

I was at Villas Playa Samara some days ago, it was awesome, we gone with my family and some friends, we choose Samara because is a beautiful beach located in the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, just 3.5 hours from San Jose, is a very quiet and clean beach. The Villas Playa Samara staff was excellent very professional and careful, the hotel has diffrent services as spa, pool bar, wonderful restaurant, gym, entertainment room and tours. My family decided to rent a beach front villa the facilities was pleasing, air conditioning in the rooms, terrace with comfortable hammock, has a beautiful view to the ocean, my friends decided to rent a garden view unit, are renovated and in very good conditions.

I recommend you the tour to Chora Island with Monkey tours company.

Family

4/10

Poor

10 Apr 2014

Verified traveler

Ok hotel with very little accommodations.

The room that we stayed 28A did not have hot water. I had to checked out a day early because I had an early flight at 6am and I was not going to be able to shower so early with cold water. I went to a hotel that had hot water for me to take an shower before my early flight. Only the master room had air conditioning so I had to spent most of my stay in one room and couldn't enjoy the rest of the suite.

The staff was really not interested in the guests concern.

8/10

Excellent

17 Mar 2014

awesome place

Awesome view

According to the policies you need to leave all dishes clean but they do not provide the soap

8/10

Excellent

28 Feb 2014

jan

Nice hotel close to the beach

Enjoyed a week at Villas Playa Samara late February. The pool was a nice place to relax in the evening. We walked into Samara most days for lunch and dinner and often took a taxi back. It's a little distance from town, about a 35 minute walk down the beach. We also took a lot of tours. Nice time!

4/10

Poor

26 Feb 2014

Tica

High Price To Pay.

The hotel was very close to the beach and the town (for shopping and banking). However, I was double, no triple-charged for my hotel stay, and although I informed the hotel prior to my arrival, the situation is still not resolved; and all of this is for a hotel listed as \"room can be paid for at the hotel.\" They began charging my credit card a day after I booked, two days before arrival, and on the day of my arrival. Shame, shame!

4/10

Poor

16 Feb 2014

Wally Beck

Book with Caution....

We arrived at 3 PM ( Check In time ) and were told they did not have Our Reservation. I made it reservation night before for a 2 bedroom Villa.. After about 15 min's they gave me a List of about 30 Forbidden Items that you may not do while on the property to sign?? All was well till then. The Front Desk person then told us that they would need an Hour to get the Villa ready.. We returned at 5 PM 2 hours later and the Villa was still not ready for another 1/2 hour. We were finally told our Villa was ready.. We then had to carry our luggage to the other side of the property.. I asked the Bell Boy if they had luggage carts and he stated \" They did not\" This is a large property and you are not allowed to drive your car past the dirt parking lot. We entered the Villa to find old mattresses for couches with sheets that did not fit and the side by side frig did not work.. We reported it before dinner and they checked it out and said it was broken and they would replace it in the morning and left it in the middle of the kitchen.. it stayed there for 3 days?? I spoke with the manager at checkout and he offered me a15% discount off our bar bill of $135.00. It came to $20.00. I am very cautious choosing hotels in Costa Rica as I have lived here for 11 years now and know that hotels like this one are fluff on the web site, but in reality it is a façade.. Save your money... Book else where. Beware.

10/10

Exceptional

10 Feb 2014

Verified traveler

cool spot

The room could use some updating but overall we felt very welcome and very safe. The grounds were well maintained and generally the staff was helpful and nice.

Family

2/10

Poor

06 Jan 2014

Mario

Avoid at all costs

The staff is I'll tempered, lazy and incompetent. They couldn't find our reservation for half an a hour. The air conditioning doesn't work and THERE IS NO TV and no courtains in the room! Privacy is zero and you couldn't sleep late because the sun was right on your face in the morning. THERE IS NO WI FI at ther rooms. When asked to check out early because we were fed up, we received sarcastic comments from a very rude front desk lady. They changed our room to another just the same. This hotel shouldn't be on expedia. Their excessive room rates will never match what they offer at the hotel which is a nice pool, period. Bottom line STAY SOME PLACE ELSE!

8/10

Excellent

06 Nov 2013

David P. Fairchild

Terrible service

They where doing construction and it was very load and the service was the worst I ever seen. I was going to stay for a week and left after 1st day. I will never go back to that hotel the people do not know what service means.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Oct 2013

Hector

Awesome stay

Had a great time, a great location, beautiful scenary. I loved spending a great time here with my friend! Great climate and beautiful sunsets!

4/10

Poor

15 Jul 2013

Verified traveler

Terrible, lazy staff!

For the price of this hotel, the only pro of this place lies in its location--- a beachside villa with an ocean view. The staff and facilities leave a lot to be desired. The staff is VERY LAZY. You will often see them just lounging by the pool or chatting in the restaurant. For example, when I asked them to call the tour company associated with the hotel to confirm our reservation, they said they cannot do that. Why can't they make a simple call for a tourist client? Especially when many tourist may not have access to dial local numbers. The staff member finally called the tour representative after I ask multiple times and had raise my voice to be finally heard. I would have done it myself but there are no phones in any of the villas. The hotel may be going for the silent retreat kind of ambience but it makes for simple requests, such as extra towels, an absolute pain to request because you have to walk all the way to the lobby to do so. Also, when my family and I went in July 2013, the mini-market was not open yet. It was stocked but not open to customers yet. We couldn't get any snacks or drinks except through the restaurant---- which itself has a boring menu and subpar chefs. Food was often too bland or too oily. Lastly, the entertainment room was unkempt and few of the game machines were broken. Overall, I would definitely NOT recommend this hotel. Try another if you want something beachside.

2/10

Poor

15 Jun 2013

Eric

Not Good, Look elsewhere

Me and my fiancé chose this hotel to host a group of 10 for our wedding. There were problems from the moment we arrived. The guards at the gate didn't speak a word of English and insisted that we we didn't have reservations. Eventually, they found a chart that had only 2 names on it. Both of the names were mine. They laughed off their incompetence and let us in. They did not give us the room we were paid for. The next day we got the rooms sorted out but each room appeared to have it's own problems. Our room had no hot water and leaked from multiple points in the ceiling when it rained. Other rooms smelled of toilet sewage. The staff repeatedly failed to clean and provide fresh towels. The restaurant's waitress was very inexperienced and not very friendly. The pool bartender was slow and rude. The grounds were nice the view was great once we received the room we paid for. The front desk staff was much more attentive but we were not their to fix their hotel so we ceased to provide feedback after day 3. Their we're just too many problems and we had a wedding to plan. Overall, I cannot recommend this hotel to anyone. The price was high and the experience was poor.

Family

8/10

Excellent

23 Apr 2013

Heidi

Great for families

Very nice hotel, great location and amazing beach. We had villa 13B and it was right between the pool and the beach, so very good location. Villa was very spacious and had everything we needed, but could use some upkeep. Showers did not drain very fast, but it was not the end of the world. AC worked really well, but one leaked a little bit of water when dialed in to keep room too cool. Bring dishwashing soap to do dishes. Great pool, water temp nice and warm. Swim up bar was fun. Martin and Luis were great at the restaurant and took very good care of us. Highly recommend taking surfing lessons from Water Dreams, the two guys were awesome and kids had a blast learning how to surf. Very nice for families, it was nice to have our own place yet be in a resort set up. Carillo Beach next door (5 min drive) is awesome, but river has crocodiles, be careful. Look up Juan from Las Palmitas bar, about half way on the beach to downtown Samara. Right on the water, he will take you fishing at a great price, help you catch fish, take you snorkel and see dolphins, turtles, etc. Whatever you catch, him and his wife Thelma will cook for you later that day. Watch the sunset and eat fresh fried red snapper! Ask for their rice and shrimp dish, so good!

8/10

Excellent

16 Apr 2013

Verified traveler

Good Hotel

I would recommend this hotel to anyone going to costa rica. When I went, the hotel was under some construction, but is it looking beautiful and right in front of the beach. The food is very delicious with dishes from typical costa rican food

10/10

Exceptional

15 Apr 2013

crrobert

This is a great value

Location is great. Rooms, grounds and amenities are top notch. It was a VERY welcome change from where we were before. Close to town, but far enough away for privacy. Pool was excellent. Food was not very wel prepared

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

05 Apr 2013

Verified traveler

ok hotel for locals

The hotel was just ok. I live locally and so it is nice for a 1 or two day stay but if I were traveling from another country I would have been very upset. Upkeep is minimal and the grounds were not very imporessive. There was construction, grass being burnt all over and the music at the pool was only working intermittently. My final day, the pool waterfall was off, nor was the jacuzzi functional. I can only assume that this was to save money from not running the pump.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

03 Apr 2013

family of four liked it

My husband, I, and two teens stayed at the hotel for 4 nights. It was a very busy Easter weekend and the hotel was full. Yes, there were some of the problems that I had read about in earlier reviews but overall I really enjoyed our stay. We knew it was not a five star hotel and just went along with all its funkiness. The pool was great, the hotel right on the beach and the town within walking distance if you walked via the beach. We rented bikes and rode on the beach to town, about 10 mins. I would stay here again. The staff was very friendly. I feel like the issues that people have complained about come from the top; maybe a lack of the management not caring but maybe because it is off the beaten track a bit they just don't have a lot of funding to take it up a notch. Overall, a good experience.

6/10

Pleasant

01 Apr 2013

Rita Stanford

Lovely beachfront hotel.

The front desk person was not very friendly for the most part. The room lack certain things to qualify as a room with a \"kitchen\". It did not have the usual utensils we all need to cook with nor an oven. We had to bring our wine to the bartended every time we needed it opened. Of course that incurred a tip and we thought it a bit inconvenient. The property and beach itself is nice and we enjoyed our stay over all. I like the privacy of the rooms. You can tell the property is being remodeled.

6/10

Pleasant

31 Mar 2013

Travellight808

Very Mediocre

The hotel amenities were fine for the price. I found the hotel staff to be somewhat unfriendly and inattentive. The food here was the worst I had after travelling two weeks in Costa Rica- incredibly bland and overpriced. Be prepared to pay $6 each way for a taxi into town. They advertise a \"free shuttle\" to the beach but when I mentioned it, they seemed to not know what I was talking about........

10/10

Exceptional

19 Mar 2013

superabel

playa samara

this hotel was really nice, it looks exactly the way it looks on the pictures, it didnt had a tv but that was fine because most of the time we werent there, the pool was clean, it was really close to the beach, breakfast was included and it had a desktop computer with internet on the reception area, i do recommend this hotel!

Family

8/10

Excellent

15 Feb 2013

Mother&Daughter

Unique location, friendly staff

My daughter and I spent 4 wonderful days at this hotel. Its unique location right on the beach, the outstanding, friendly and helpful staff who went the extra mile to make our stay comfortable and memorable and the pleasant cottage style villas make it an ideal location for any one wanting to get away from it all to either relax on the beach or by the pool or take advantage of the many trips that are on offer (kayaking tours, snorkeling, canopy tours via zip lines and much more). If you are expecting a home away from home with fast internet and high def TVs, this is not the place for you. They offer wifi but it is slow and there are no phones or TVs (Bliss!). The surrounding area and beaches are a must see. Our only regret...our stay was too short.

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jan 2013

Verified traveler

Great Staff

Amazing Staff. They were friendly and very helpful