Location: Playa Samara
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The 10 best hotels in Playa Samara, Costa Rica
Horseback riding, fishing and yoga are just a few of the myriad things to do on the gorgeous Playa Samara. The white-sand beach is the perfect place to relax with a book or run wild with the kids, offering a fabulous setting for any beachside activity you could dream of. Offshore, a coral reef rewards snorkelers with active, beautiful marine life.
Restaurants in Playa Samara
1. The Hideaway Hotel Playa Samara
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1153 reviews
At The Hideaway you will enjoy the privacy of our exclusive location on Samara Beach in Costa Rica. We offer 12 hotel rooms and a Penthouse suite with 3 bedrooms. The Hideaway appeals to travelers looking for a luxury hotel, who appreciate extra amenities. Our quiet location close to Samara & Carrillo offers relaxation and privacy, plus easy access to exciting activities. Our boutique hotel on Samara Beach is uniquely situated on a one-acre private lot, approximately 1-minute's stroll to the ocean.
Strongly recommend
Reviewed By MrhookA small property, beautiful landscaped, well-maintained, with clusters of two-story units around a pool.. For us the location was perfect... near everything but secluded. Just a short walk down a quiet road to the nicest part of Playa Samara...near Isla Chora. About a 7 minute drive to the town or a 30 minute stroll down the beach.to the town.. A bonus is it's just a few minutes drive to Playa Carrillo, a beautiful beach. Our second floor unit was quiet, private, spacious and clean. The AC was quiet, wifi excellent, and we really liked the luggage organizer and the patio. One minor issue was with some big fast-moving ants coming in somehow in the shower area - creeped us out a little but no big deal. Staff did not seem concerned The staff were actually very very good.... enthusiastic and helpful. Requests were handled immediately. They set us up with a few kayaking tours at last minute which were excellent. The dining experience is by the pool, no frills, casual, straightforward. Multiple breakfast choices. Dinner was heavy on sauces but nicely prepared. Recommend stay with the Hideaway for meals.....we tried two highly rated restaurants in town for dinner and they were quite inferior to the Hideaway. After exploring the area we can say with confidence we were very pleased with our choice of the Hideaway and that would certainly be the accommodation we choose next time we are in the area.
2. Villas Kalimba
Overall Ratings
5 based on 919 reviews
We are just steps away from one of the most beautiful beaches on the Pacific Ocean and within easy walking distance to restaurants, bars, shops, grocery, and other services. Our villas feature fully equipped kitchens, air conditioning, cable TV, telephone, internet connection, in-room safes, and 24 hour security. We offer a perfect and safe place from which to explore the many attractions of the area, or for relaxing in the swimming pool and inviting jacuzzi.
Villas Kalimba ... Paradise on earth
Reviewed By 745lynnoMy son and I stayed a Villas Kalimba for 5 days at the end of May and I can not say enough good things about it. This Small boutique hotel across a tiny (not busy) street to the beach, has everything one could want for a beach vacation. The villas are well appointed and very clean. The staff (especially Diego) are so accommodating. Town is easily accessible by foot yet the Villas somehow seem removed. I can't wait to return.
3. Azura Beach Resort - All Inclusive - Adults Only
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 405 reviews
This is NOT a 5 stars hotel.
Reviewed By davidsalas360I paid for a 5 star hotel and is not what I received. Cons: - Hotel does no have a sign so I got lost for a while trying to find the place. - The guy in the front desk didnt know much information, I even asked basic questions and he wasnt awared. -Liquor is NOT PREMIUM as they state at their website, it is a VERY LOW quality. - Coctels are low quality, they use a mixed already prepared and they dont taste good. -When you are at the commom areas they rarely come to you and ask if you need anything and when they do it sometimes they forget you asked for something so they never deliver it. -If you ask for a certain drink they tell you they cant give it to you because "it is in the back" -They put some drinks in your room however they are really low cost beers. - Staff look like they are lack of training, they forget or mix up orders, they dont look secure on what they are doing. -Very Few Staff available. - Only 1 of 4 restaurant was opened so no much choice. - Menu on the restaurant was VERY SMALL, couple of times I asked for something in the menu and they told they didnt have it and recomended the "Dish of the day". -Hotel seems that need some infraestructure maintenance. Pros: -There was a girl part of the staff named Melania which provided us with really good customer service. - Whatspp service is good. - Room Service was nice. Seems that some time ago this was a very good hotel however is not what it is right now, if they want to continue working like this they should low their prices I could have gotten much better service in another hotel with the same money.
4. Fenix Hotel - On The Beach
Overall Ratings
5 based on 653 reviews
Our small beach-front hotel is a few steps from the ocean. Not an all-inclusive hotel. Our guests feel like it is their place “on the beach”. We have a covered BBQ and free use of boogie boards. Our pool is open 24 hours. Fully-equipped kitchens. Daily maid service. Laundry available. Screened upper and lower windows along with 2 ceiling fans in standard rooms. Deluxe has two AC units, TV and larger appliances. Great place for families and couples. Small enough to rent the entire hotel for birthday parties, retreats or small weddings.
Living in Samara at the Fenix
Reviewed By Angela-50ishFenix Rating: Staying at the Fenix is like being on an episode(s) of Seinfeld, or, as in my case, being inspired as a creative writer on Seinfeld on a daily basis, in a most beautiful, serene, magical setting, flowing with characters - whom I would want to have in my life forever, well mostly. Just to create a distinction, Seinfeld is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential sitcoms of all time. So this is the distinction, one being a highly regarded sitcom, and the Fenix being a highly recommended boutique hotel in the beautiful town of Samara, Costa Rica. THE HOTEL, THE CHARACTERS, & THE LOCATION The facility & the owner Jay - read the other reviews - they speak 100% true & honest so I’ll say no more on that. It’s the people the Fenix attracts, the characters that makes it the #1 choice to stay at. Small, intimate, safe, clean - right on the beach (not just in the pictures but actually on the beach) with a meticulously loved & maintained garden & natural canopy for shade - in proximity to anything that you want or need. Any questions - ask Jay and be prepared for a straight up & honest answer :) For this 50ish year old female solo traveller, I have made Fenix on the Beach my “mainstay” in Costa Rica for upwards of 120 nights over the past 2 years. Guests (characters) have included beautiful families from Switzerland, Colorado, Germany, Canada, blissful couples in love from New York, both young & old, to the newly exploring & travelling college friends from Denmark, & the Mother/Daughter get-away from Prince Edward Island, the Fenix is for everyone & Jay goes out of his way to make sure of this. Everyone is made to feel like Family at the Fenix, if you so choose. So welcome to an episode of Seinfeld, or as it’s known “Fenix on the Beach” I highly recommend getting comfortable for many episodes (days) at the Fenix, it will likely be a regret if you don’t. PS - “Cheers”, another highly regarded sitcom comes to mind in parallel to the Fenix “Where everybody knows your name And they're always glad you came” Enjoy your stay! Pura Vida!
5. Hotel Belvedere
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 493 reviews
Finding an ideal romantic hotel in Playa Samara does not have to be difficult. Welcome to Hotel Belvedere - Playa Samara, a nice option for travelers like you. Rooms at Hotel Belvedere - Playa Samara provide a flat screen TV, air conditioning, and a refrigerator, and guests can stay connected with free wifi. In addition, while staying at Hotel Belvedere - Playa Samara guests have access to baggage storage, beach chairs, and sun umbrellas. You can also enjoy a pool and breakfast buffet. Need a place to park? Free parking is available at Hotel Belvedere - Playa Samara. While staying in Playa Samara, you can check out a popular wine bar like That's Amore, which is serving up some great dishes. Best of all, Hotel Belvedere - Playa Samara makes it easy to experience some great Playa Samara attractions like Belen Waterfall, which is a popular waterfall. Hotel Belvedere - Playa Samara looks forward to welcoming you on your visit to Playa Samara.
Can't say enough!
Reviewed By Nolagirl2We were traveling through Samara for the day and just going to stay the night. After ten minutes here, we went back to the office and booked another night! The property is beautiful, lush, and well maintained. This is a family owned place and much pride is taken. Mark and his father were very nice and helpful during our stay. I also enjoyed loving on the two hotel dogs! The hotel is walking distance to the town and beach, but it was very nice to not be in the mess of things right on the main strip. They had free beach chairs that you could take with you to the beach. The place had a lovely clean pool with outside shower that was perfect for a morning or afternoon dip. I enjoyed the hammock outside of my room and watching the hummingbirds. The room had everything we needed including a coffee pot, safe, mini fridge, and working A/C. There was a lovely breakfast area upstairs with a fabulous view. All of the staff were friendly and helpful and kept the property very clean. If traveling through Samara, stay here! I hope to visit again one day.
6. Villas Verdes
Overall Ratings
5 based on 90 reviews
Strategically located just a 5-minute walk from the beautiful beach of Samara and with a welcoming family atmosphere, our villas are designed to offer you an ideal environment for a truly relaxing holiday. The VILLAS VERDES hotel is just a few minutes from the center of Samara, where you will find restaurants, banks, pharmacies, souvenir shops, etc. CAPACITY OF THE VILLAS: MODEL WITH 1 BEDROOM: All of these villas are facing the main pool and can accommodate from 2 to 3 people maximum by using the sofa bed already installed. MODEL WITH TWO ROOMS: The one facing the main pool can accommodate from 2 to 6 people maximum. The other villas in the rear part of the property facing the garden can accommodate from 4-6 people adding an extra single bed. MODEL WITH THREE ROOMS: can accommodate from 6 to 8 people maximum making use of the sofa bed already installed.
Perfect place to stay in Samara with family
Reviewed By FrequentTraveller177We stayed in Villas Verdes for a month from end November to Christmas 2021 and it was the perfect place for us, a couple with a 4-yr old daughter. We stayed in apartment #4 on the upper floor and with one big bedroom, a spacious salon & fully-equipped kitchen, a practical bathroom and a huge terrace with 2 bars to eat outside and 2 rocking chairs. There is A/C in the bedroom and ventilators in all rooms and on the terrace - which worked very well for us. The apartment looked EXACTLY as in the photos on the website! The big pool downstairs was wonderful to swim and cool down and we had it for ourselves most of the time! :-) Villas Verdes has the possible best location in Samara: It is just across a big supermarket to get everything you need if you want to cook, close to many restaurants and 5 min from the wonderful beach as well as from Intercultura language school (where I studied Spanish). Still it is surrounded by green and lots of plants and beautiful flowers. This great location allowed us to give back the (expensive) rental car and to do all by walking. The staff was very friendly and helpful and the owners Koryinne and Angelo are very lovely, caring and also very interesting people, and so Villas Verdes started to feel like home for us - and we still think back a lot to our wonderful time there. :-) Only one downside: Breakfast is not served (anymore), so you need to organize yourself - while meanwhile a coffee shop has opened next door. Also, the cleaning was reduced down to once per week due to Covid when we were there, but as we asked for more, our apartment was cleaned 3 times per week. We also could get fresh towels whenever we asked for. Laundry service was also available and very quick. Wifi was okay (very good in the morning, slower in the evening).
7. Samara Palm Lodge
Overall Ratings
5 based on 485 reviews
The Lodge is situated around 5-7 minutes from the village /center of Playa Samara. (Walking distance 5-7 minutes) and nearby the Beach (around 5 minutes)The Lodge is under a Swiss- German Managment.We know how important holidays are for you, and we promise you an unforgettable, lovely stay at our Lodge.We are looking forward to welcome you in our little paradise.
A Great Stay in Samara
Reviewed By Holidays_KDWe spent 5 nights at Samara Palm Lodge and had a great experience. Lothar and Brigitte are great hosts and run this amazing place which is very conveniently located to all amenities i.e the beach, restaurants, supermarket etc. Brigitte was very prompt in responding to all our questions and offered assistance in arranging transportation from Liberia airport. On arrival we were greeted by Lothar who gave us an orientation of the property, recommended things to do and restaurants nearby which were extremely helpful. The property is well maintained and the room was spacious, airy and spotlessly clean. The AC worked well as it was very hot during the day. Breakfast by the pool was a great start to the day. We spent the afternoons relaxing on the balcony or at the great outdoor oasis by the pool. We enjoyed our stay and would recommend it for best value and great hospitality.
8. Hotel Villas Playa Samara
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 1271 reviews
We are a hotel with fully equipped villas and deluxe rooms. We are located in front of the beach very close yo downtown Samara.
Resort On The Rise!
Reviewed By CoopTorontoHotel Villas Playa Samara is a quite small / easily walkable property boasting very beautiful and well maintained grounds . Rooms range from recently renovated to those with original, somewhat tired decor. We started our stay in the former and were graciously upgraded fairly soon thereafter. It really made all the difference once we settled into our renovated villa (#12 btw) which was clean, spacious, modern and offered a wonderful beach / garden view. We would highly recommend booking a renovated suite in order to optimize your visit. Reliable WiFi and a smoke-free environment throughout the entire property were very pleasant surprises. With access to only one restaurant we were concerned about the quality and variety of food - fear not, the a la carte menu offered plenty of options in addition to nightly specials and we are happy to report that all meals were excellent! Top marks to the chefs for their delicious creations!! The tourism industry in Costa Rica was hit hard by covid; as a result many resorts are still in the process of ramping back up, hiring / training new staff, etc as is the case with this resort. On a positive note, newly hired staff hold excellent potential - they really are trying their best at all times and their hearts are in the right place! One standout in particular was Luna at front desk who went above and beyond throughout our stay. Restaurant staff were very welcoming as well. That said, it took a long time for tasks such as new towels, drinks at the restaurant, etc... to arrive (often times you'd have to get your own drinks as staff was too busy). It didn't really bother us but we could see how prolonged response times could be a red flag for some travellers. The beach was one of the better ones we've seen at the numerous Costa Rican resorts we've visited over the years. The pool was also a very nice place to relax. We found it easy to secure lounge chairs in both areas at any time of the day - no need to reserve spots at 6am like you'd experience at many resorts. One last item of note - be aware that the resort is located approximately 2 - 2.5 hours from Liberia airport, depending on traffic. We weren't aware so it came as a bit of a surprise after an already long day of travel to get there. Not to scare anyone off though. We felt the drive and other minor shortcomings were well worth the overall positive experience we enjoyed while visiting Hotel Villas Playa Samara. We would love to visit again once their new staff, renovations and overall program are in full swing - we are confident a 5 star rating will be well within reach! Until then, if you are looking for a quiet beach resort with lovely grounds, friendly staff and plenty of sun to relax at, Hotel Villas Playa Samara will definitely check those boxes.
9. Pension Playa Samara
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 34 reviews
Charming Inn steps from the Ocean
Reviewed By sarahmE8131UOI stayed here for 3 nights. I'm a solo travelling female, 60 years old, and I felt very happy, safe and comfortable here. The breakfast is very nice. I could hear the ocean waves all night, even though they were a couple hundred meters away. I recommend this place. The pool is also very nice and relaxing.
10. Hotel Paraiso del Cocodrilo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 120 reviews
The "Hotel Paraiso del Cocodrilo" is a full-service hotel and not just a guest house or B&B. It is located within the beautiful Costa Rican countryside, 3 miles further north from Samara, and 900 ft distant from the turtle beach Playa Buena Vista. This beach is the next beach up north to Playa Samara, close to the gorgeous white sand beach Playa Barrigona, where you can even see a nice waterfall (during rainy season). The reception is open 24 hours a day and the daily housekeeping is already included in the price. Each room and appartment has a private bathroom, AC and a refrigerator as well as free Wifi for all the guests. The "Paraiso del Cocodrilo" has a Restaurant with special fresh and organic food from local production.
Just AMAZING
Reviewed By silkfunkybritWOW.Just wow I booked this oasis not knowing how amazing it would be.This is a one in a million find off the beaten track..The property itself is huge..Olympic size pool, massive grounds, hammocks, Our room had an outside terrace.It was clean, had a fridge .and the room was large..big stone walk in shower .Just beautiful.Restaurant on site serving alcohol (cash only) mini super is 1 km away.The owner is amazing..so hospitable.He offered us a cold beer on arrival and likes to chat.I think pictures speak louder than words so I'll post photos.Our dog loved it ! He doesn't usually like people but he loved the owner and running around the beautifully kept grounds..I cant say enough good things!
