Hotel Sol Sámara ★★★

"We went there for dinner because our nearby resort was, overall, a very poor experience. They accommodated our last minute reservation and the dinner was great. Establishment was cute and clean. Yes, a little slow getting our mojitos but still a good experience."

BellaVista Suites by Villas Verdes - Samara Beach ★★★

"We spent a week at Intercultura Spanish clsses (A+++ also) and stayed here at this chicly appointed boutique property. It was a delight -- all the comforts and so reasonably priced, plus a refreshing, flower-lined courtyard pool for after-class dips. I loved that it was just a small stretch from the main hustle and bustle of town, but still 5 minutes walking distance and two minutes by golf cart. A little "soda" aka cafe next door fueled us the whole time economically and deliciously. Loved the front desk staff at Bellavista, who were so helpful with recommendations and tours. Also and of note -- incredible views of the clear field with horses and cows across the street and the ocean just beyond that. Totally unobstructed and we walked to that more remote entrance of the beach every day!"

Sandy Toes Hostel ★★

"Rooms: Classic hostel bedrooms with all the amenities. The walls are quite thin and you can hear everything. Service: Everything was very straightforward, and the girls who worked there are all lovely and helpful. Location: The location is amazing. Two blocks down from the beach, and there are bars and restaurants all around. Definitely a great place to stay if you are looking to socialize."

Villas Verdes ★★★

"This is a great place for families! The staff was very friendly. We had our own villa and our daughter and her family had their own villa. We hung out at my daughter's place because it was bigger and by two swimming pools. Our room needed a better mattress and better curtains to block out the light. The kitchens are very well stocked and there is a grocery store across the street for easy access to food. The beach is a 5 minute walk down a dirt road."

Hotel Giada ★★★

Hotel Belvedere Playa Samara Costa Rica ★★

"Nice hotel in good location just 5 mins walk to beach. It is set in two blocks- we were in the farther block where the rooms are set around a lovely pool with immaculate gardens. Liked that our ground floor rooms had direct pool access. We had breakfast included but it wasn’t anything special and there are plenty of amazing bakeries and coffee shops nearby I would say maybe skip it and explore instead. The rooms were a good size with AC, fan and a fridge. Our bed was weirdly high such that I felt I had to jump to get in it! (I am only 5’1”) The sink was also way to high up- maybe the room was designed by a very tall man?!?!? Generally a very nice experience and we loved Sámara, Just a few negatives: - the top sheet on our bed was torn which made it feel a bit shabby - in one of our rooms the toilet didn’t flush properly so we told them and they came to fix it but the next morning the toilet would not stop flushing and flooded the entire room. There was no apology or offer of doing our laundry after some of our clothes / bags got wet or suggestion we could move rooms which was disappointing. - noise from the road is quite prominent but didn’t bother us but if you were looking for a quiet retreat this might disappoint in that respect"

Azura Beach Resort - All Inclusive - Adults Only ★★★★

Soulara Hotel & Retreats ★★

"It's the perfect location to learn the meaning "Pura vida""

Hotel El Pequeño Gecko Verde ★★★

"So much better than I had imagined. Everything about the unit we stayed in (3 bedrooms, dip pool, AC in bedrooms) as well as the hotel was perfect! BOOK. You won’t be disappointed. My 11 and 12 year old loved it so much, especially waking up to the sounds of howler monkeys, watching the hermit crabs at the hidden beach a close walk away, and spotting the iguanas around the property. The shared pool was a favorite was well! We swam in it every day."