Samara Pacific Lodge

The accommodation provides excellent service, varied breakfast options, and a large, well-maintained swimming pool. It is conveniently located near the beach and praised for its cleanliness. Some rooms offer outdoor balconies.

After a few years' absence we were able to coordinate shuttles for a return; in particular a return to the room we enjoy and i'm not saying which one. Some have mentioned the location as a detractor; for us it is why we enjoy Samara Pacific and we don't have a car. Not being on the beach or in town is a blessing in this case, book-ended by beaches but with the added bonus of the diversity that the nearby 'jungle' and pastures offer. If you come to Samara for proximity to nature, then this location does not disappoint. In the property's environs at dusk, we've heard howler monkeys, seen skunks and raccoons etc. Our fave walk to catch the sunset from Buena Vista is always a highlight as the evening symphony builds starting with the cicadas. The last stretch of road is a nature preserve and besides the howlers we've seen armadillos and mot-mots, the dart-flight tailed bird with the strange voice. Speaking of voice, thanks to the merlin app, i finally know that the strange 'electric' calls from the fields at night are from a cousin of the nighthawks that fly above, the Common Parauque, that hunts from the ground. I was able to enjoy the full moon from the pool, we appreciated the personable Kenneth at reception and the hard-working and attentive Ron at breakfast and dinner. He's a gem for the resort (which someone else mentioned is better labeled retreat). One can do a loop from just past the nearby convenience store and neighbouring soda, a pleasant walk past the horse fields along or above the beach, and usually a shallow ford across a stream to Samara's main beach. From there you can return through the town and not have to retrace your steps. The only detractor we had was that a private party of electronic music rages somewhere nearby every 2nd saturday. Nearby, but it feels like the speakers are in your room. It didn't wind down til 4 am in our case and no one could sleep before that. Ridiculous that it needs to be so late and so loud. Hearing that from a new outdoor bar in Tamarindo was the reason we stopped going back to our fave place there. But if you can avoid that night, the rest is bucolic heaven.