Mirador De Samara — Hotel in Sámara

This was the single worst travel experience of my life. If there was an option to give this hotel negative stars I would give it the lowest negative possible. Do yourself a favor and steer clear of this hot mess. It is a hot spot for burglaries....the one hellish night we stayed here there was a break-in next to us and some poor Canadian's laptop was stolen. We woke up to the police outside our door...but more about the police later. Let's talk about why you should never consider, even for one tiny moment, staying here. ||||None of the ammenities listed exist. It makes the Motel 6 seem like the Ritz Carlton. We spent ONE night at the Mirador, a.k.a. the Horrordor, then bolted first thing in the morning. We stayed a night because we arrived at midnight and had not other alternative. The place is filthy. Soap scum so thick you can barely see the tile beneath. Hair clogging the drains. Moldy cups and kitchen appliances. Bare lightbulbs. Treacherous stairs. ||||3 minute walk to the beach? HAH! 3 minutes walk down the stairs to the street if you are going top speed. The safe did not work, there were no chairs in the kitchen area (eat in bed???), there was a layer of dust coating everything, and to top it all off there was a turd (of unknown origins) on the balcony. Speaking of which, the website shows gorgeous, unobstructed views. Somebody did some serious photoshop work. The view is of a sliver of ocean framed by two huge cell phone towers with blinding red lights on top. NOT what one travels to Costa Rica to see. Also, the websites show rooms that look like regular hotel rooms with towels and flowers and nice artwork. In reality the interior looks like a squatter's paradise. Just add a meth-head and the picture is complete.||||Did I mention that the owner, Max, refused to refund our money (almost 2k) even though his refund policy is clearly posted as having only a one night penalty. He told us to sue him. Yep, pure class. This is not a surprise though because all one has to do is see the outside of his on-site apartment to realize that a pathetic drunk abides there. Everywhere one looked there were empty liquor bottles, garbage, and filth. His poor dog was chained up and there were fire ants crawling in its food bowl. Nice.||||And one thing that you won't hear but that the locals told me is that a few years back a child drowned in the Mirardor's pool. Nobody could find the child and did not realize he had drowned because the water in the pool was so filthy and cloudy that the body could not be seen. They found the child hours after the fact. ||||None of this would fly in most other countries, but the police here are impotent slackers who will not do ANYTHING. I have never seem such corruption except maybe in the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas inparticular where I lived for almost 2 years. ||||The Ticos and Ticas of Costa Rica are amazingly warm and kind people, but unfortunately there is no consumer protection and travelers should be aware of this before visiting. Do visit Costa Rica, but be aware that the ex--pats there (like Max) are by and large there for 2 reasons: either because they are "Wanted" or because they are...

I will start out by saying that the Mirador is not for everybody. It was, however, perfect for my wife and me.||||Our room was spacious, usually clean (see below), airy, had a great view, and was entirely adequate in every respect. We arrived at an unfortunate time, as Max had left for Germany and the cleaning lady's father died on the day we arrived, so when we first opened the door we were confronted by a swarm of ants. However, Max has some long-term residents at his property who go out of their way to introduce themselves and help solve any problems that arise, so the swarm was quickly eliminated. If you insist on a place that is modern, and run with professional efficiency, this is not it; this is much homier, with neighbors looking out for neighbors. The sink and the fridge and the bathroom fixtures all look to be 25 or 30 years old. But they all work just fine, and if that is what you care about—and a very spacious, comfortable suite in a beautiful, quiet spot with a fabulous view—then the Mirador is for you.||||One of the Trip Advisor reviews complained that the hotel is inconveniently far out of town, which is absurd. It is perfectly located up on a hill right next to the main drag. Any place in town is less than a five-minute walk, and because of the elevation of the hotel's rooms there is very little street noise from town. If you have a problem with climbing about five floors of stairs (unless you have a car and will be riding up the hill to the hotel, which we did not) then the Mirador is not for you. We were glad to get the exercise a few times a day, and if you don't mind climbing some stairs then the Mirador is for you. Another review complained about safety and security. We never had the slightest cause for concern at the Mirador. I can't imagine how anyone could have felt threatened on the hotel grounds, or for that matter anywhere in Samara, which is a lovely, low-key, laid-back little village without the slightest threat of any sort.||||I would add that Samara is (or was in mid-February of 2017) both a lovely beach with zero hassle from vendors and touts, and body surfing paradise. At mid-tide and below, there was perfect wave after perfect wave, ranging from 3' to 5' trough to tip. Above mid-tide, the waves got a bit sloppier, but lots of 6' to 7', and an occasional 8' trough to tip wave. Bring your flippers! All morning through about 3 PM, the beach and the surf is nearly deserted. It gets a bit crowded with surfers in the late afternoon, but there are still plenty of slots to be body surfing by yourself. And the waves are all “close-outs” so they really aren't very good for board surfing—but they are just fine for body surfing.||||All in all, my wife and I could not have had a more pleasant week in Costa Rica, and a big part of that was due to staying at the Mirador. It...

My wife and I stayed at Mirador in 2014, and lately in january 2015. Mirador is solidly built, has generous sized rooms, nearly 10 ft ceiling and a feeling of space and openness. The beds are comfortable and the rooms are clean. The balcony is amazingly wide and long and inviting, where we loved to have our meals, snacks and drinks while looking at mature trees and the ocean beyond. ||||There are not many places close to town from where there is a better view of the gorgeous Samara beach and Chora Island. The units boast green vegetation on the property comprising flower bushes and fruit trees such as coconut, mango, star fruit, guanabana and lemons that invite iguanas, colorful birds and monkeys; as well as a magnificent panoramic view of the ocean. Because the resort is somewhat elevated from the town, it has the dual advantage of enjoying rising sea breezes, and of isolating much of the noise from the town. Talk about being so close and yet being in the middle of nature! ||||The location of the resort is hard to beat. One can walk to the town and to Samara Beach in 5 minutes. We have stayed before at hotels where you need to drive to get even a loaf of bread or bottled water. But Mirador has the great advantage of being within walking distance of a number of grocery stores including an organic market as well as excellent restaurants, ice-cream parlors and cafes. ||||Because of its great features as noted above, we consider Mirador to be a great value for a vacation in the Samara Beach area. No wonder it has a number of clients who return year after year. We met one couple from Canada who have been visiting regularly for the last 10 years. Another family, also from Canada, arrived for a stay of 3 months while we were there. They have also been visiting for over 10 years. ||||Max, the owner of the resort, is dedicated to provide the best service. Do not hesitate to ask him or the maids about anything you need or about any activities or attractions in the area because Max has lived there with his charming family...