Belmond La Samanna

Just returned from our annual trip. As always we had a wonderful time. Stephanie and her staff do a fantastic job at making sure everything is just right to make your stay memorable. I highly recommend La Samanna to anyone looking for a beautiful, relaxing and unforgettable resort to visit.

Could it really be that bad! That was my question to myself as I read the mixed reviews. The good reviews extolled the location while the bad ones focused on the property itself. An acquaintance who owns at La Sammana up the street (a block away from the beach) nicknamed the place "Tower of Terror". I enjoyed three marginal lunches and a dinner at the Laguna Grille which is right on the beach and offers live entertainment. Good music, good fun, pricey beach drinks, but friendly staff. When I stayed at La Samanna the prior year, I kept wishing that I didn't have to drag my aging "ocean wave weary" body an additional block to La Sammana. I now know that it was worth every grueling step. THIS PLACE IS TERRIBLE! Poorly maintained, poorly managed, decaying, deteriorating and showing every bit of its age. More Keith Richards than Bruce Springsteen! From the cracking and bubbled texture paint over water damaged plaster and cracking paint on water-damaged baseboards and window sills and frames, this place truly sucks and shouldn't. Not only is the physical plant piss poor, but the furnishings wouldn't fetch $200 bucks at a thrift store or flea market. This is an investors "cash-cow". The calculus was obvious... It's a beachfront historic gem; just rent it out for the best you can get without sinking a penny into it! It's the vacation equivalent to slum-lording. The only legacy this property will leave with you is that, Yes Indeed, it can be that bad! Despite being in a quaint, sleepy beach town and located right on the beach, Tower of Terror was aptly named by our acquaintance. I only gave it a Poor rather than a Terrible because you can escape for a lovely walk on the beach and avoid being inside the building for long periods of time.

Honestly it’s a disappointment to know that this is a belmond Hotel!! Worse service, the hotel is disgusting.And at the reception we asked for a room inside and they said there isn’t when we decided to exchange the room with a family member that had a room inside the hotel. All of a sudden they said there’s a room available because they didn’t want to carry the luggage twice so because of his convenience he decided to open a room for us. They didn’t want to help us because his shift was finished and he knew that we had the longest day and we are only staying for 9hrs! I would definitely say ive never seen a worse service and the hotel looks like a 1 star hotel. Honestly this absolutely not what we paid for.

The pluses of the hotel are: A. Big, well-arranged rooms B. the most beautiful beach on the island. It is really not worth to visit any other beaches on the island, as you will not find a better beach than this one. Also, great cocktails (their Pina colada is a must) C. great, super tentative hotel manager (Stephanie) which really knows how to provide guests with a great experience.

We recommend that beautiful property great views and wonderful prestine beach. Very nice restaurant and service great. Nice short ride from the airport and very friendly people