spirit of the jungle — Hotel in Sámara

Firstly, I would like to say that I found some of the glowing reviews utterly misleading. If you like remote (and I do) this is it. It is 40 minutes away from Samara, which is a lively little town with a few beach front bars, restaurants and water activities. By taxi it is approx 35 USD one way (much better to hire a car). The beach near Hotel Paraiso is a 10-25 minute walk along a dirt road (10 mins if you march) ,which is quite attractive through the rainforest with Howler monkeys in the trees (you can hear them but to see them is hard!). YOU HAVE TO TIME YOUR BEACH TRIP as at high tide there is absolutely No Beach at all, just a heap of ugly driftwood and you certainly cannot swim or sunbathe or even walk along the beach. When the tide is out there is a long expanse of beach which is clean but not silver or golden sand. I wouldn't swim out far as the rips can be dangerous but diving in the surf is certainly fun. This is a remote beach with no lifeguards or activities but with a charm of it's own so long as you know what to expect and time your trip. Ok so back to the hotel ...First impressions are that it is set in beautifully manicured gardens with an old fashioned rectangular blue tiled pool, the pool is a good size and well kept. The rest of the hotel is way overdue a refurbishment (very basic 1970s). My room was fairly spacious but dark with very little lighting (Room 2 above the kitchen with an early noisy coffee maker as an alarm! - 7am). The room was kept clean daily by the very willing and smiley Costa Rican staff but it has really old furniture, a closet shared with the boiler and a very basic bathroom = good point was that the shower was hot and with a good shower head but with very little space to put anything in the bathroom and all rather basic and 'tired'. One thing I found really annoying was that there was no tea/coffee making fasility, not even a kettle unless you upgrade to one with a so called kitchenette so you have to use the bar/restaurant all the time if you want anything at all except water. There was a fridge so maybe stock up before you get there. |The good points were the lovely staff and the fact that the restaurant was open from 7am and anything from the menu was available all day, so no breakfast hours etc which gave one the freedom to decide what and when to eat. However, if you are a 'foodie' you will not be satisfied as the menu is set and very basic. The fresh fruit and muesli was exceptional with natural yogurt which I enjoyed throughout the day. The bar is extensive although the expertise of the local staff limited, so if you ask for a cocktail try and get the owner/manager, Rainer who seems able to make a good cocktail. He is also a talented Saxophonist if you can get him to play for you.|However, it was Rainer himself who spoilt my stay as he was like a grumpy old goat. He and his two large old but very sweet natured, hairy, smelley dogs were ever present If he felt like being nice he would be but most of the time he was unpleasant as a host and I witnessed him being a bully to his lovely German assistant who was there gaining work experience, his 'go to' was to intimidate. Rainer is very set in his ways and has no intention of improving the hotel, so take it or leave it as it is. If you like the idea of a remote hotel or room that is old fashioned, in desperate need of more than just a few new cushions, in beautiful rainforest then this is it. It suited me as I just wanted to chill out and read books. The stay would have been peaceful but for the constant grass strimming that started at the crack of dawn at the hotel next door, so there was a constant whining. Maybe this is seasonal I don't know, but personally I...

As a disclaimer I must say that we're accustomed to the ways of Costa Rica and have been wintering and touring our guests around this country for many years. We know that toilet paper goes into the wastebasket and not the toilet, there may be no water flowing out of the faucets for short periods of time and the amenities we expect in North America rarely happen here. That's why we love it here. ||The town of Sámara is swarming with tourists and the associated souvenir stands, restaurants and crowded streets. If this is your vibe then Hotel Paraiso del Crocodilo is likely not for you. The hotel states it's 4.4km out of the town but our party of 4 could have sworn it was more like 15kms. The road is marked on the map as a secondary highway (Ruta 160) but it's a gravel road and there is a river crossing between the town and the hotel. Again, if this is your bag then you'll love the adventure just make sure you're not travelling during rainy season. The hotel proprietor was answering his phone when we were trying to find it in the dark and was quite helpful. He speaks excellent Spanish, English and German. His hotel is set amongst nature but is lovingly maintained and groomed with numerous hammocks and lounge chairs and a very large pool that is well maintained. As far as Costa Rican standards go for a mid-range hotel, this one ranks pretty high. The water pressure was excellent, the restaurant is fantastic with the very best breakfast we've ever had in Costa Rica. There are nice walks along the roadways and plenty of howler monkeys, birds and other wildlife to enjoy. It's peaceful and relaxing, which is what we like. Our room was spacious and clean with a huge shower. When booking your room anywhere in this country don't take anything for granted and ask for what is important to you ahead of time (A/C, pool, daily towels, shampoo etc). Our suite was well equipped for lengthy stays and many of the guests come for months at a time, year after year. We were pleased with our stay here and found it to be good value for the price point. It's not Las Vegas and if you want to experience Costa Rica and the laid back way of life then...

A relaxed, individual hotel in the middle of the jungle, far away from any stress! ||Also the restaurant with organic cuisine leaves nothing to be desired. In the morning I could choose from five different kinds of breakfast. Here, everything was from vegan/vegetarian, to hearty and sweet, as well as typical national cuisine. In addition there are delicious fruit shakes or all kinds of coffee specialities. Also in the evenings I had as a vegetarian a big choice of different dishes, but also meat and fish lovers will definitely not miss out. ||The pool of the hotel as also the playa Buena Vista at a distance of approximately ten minutes invite to sunbath. The hammocks distributed in the hotel area provide even more relaxation, where one can relax and read a book or watch many different animals. Beside the squirrel Chiquito there are also howler monkeys, coatis, iguanas, many species of birds and butterflies you can meet. ||The Paraiso del Cocodrilo is run by Rainer, who is available for many nice conversations with tips about Samara. Also the rest of the staff is super friendly and always helpful.||After only one week in paradise I feel deeply relaxed and already know that I will...