Samba Beach Resort

Our party of four stayed five nights in two king rooms at the Samba Vallarta. The rooms were spacious and clean. None of the common areas are air-conditioned but the rooms are and they cooled well. The margaritas flow freely though, which may be why we never had trouble sleeping! The friendliness of the staff is probably the best part of the Samba. The front desk staff, housekeepers, the restaurant servers and the bartenders were all exceptional. We made such good friends with one of the bartenders, Salvador, that we all hugged when it was time to checkout.

We went for 5 days and inmediately made friends with the staff. They are all very friendly and their service is superb, specially "Chavita" a very gentle waiter and Manuel the animator. The rooms are clean but average so don't expect fancy furniture. The buffet is nice but would recommend to book for the italian restaurant where Alex is a very good host and the food is first class. My 7 year old boy enjoyed the pool and the animation. Wi-fi is not very good in the rooms but hey-ho it's free!!! Would def like to go back soon.

From the moment to arrive at Samba you know you will be taken care of. This is a middle size hotel, ideal for families and anyone who does not like to line up to get service. They offer buffet in tow locations, close to the beach and in the formal restaurant. Both offer buffet with a large variety of well prepared food, lots of healthy choices. The bars offer good smoothies with fresh fruit and well prepared cold drinks. Showers and bathrooms are close to the beach. The facilities are well maintained and clean. Wi Fi works best in the lobby and restaurant no so much in the bedroom. Cesar has a small desk in the lobby, he can help you to plan your visits around Vallarta, no to be missed. Taxis are t the door of the hotel, secure and helpful drivers. Craft vendors arrive in the evenings, and you are not bother by beach sellers. What we like the best was the service in general of all employees. They appreciate your business and for sure you appreciate their attention.

My kids loved this resort so much we had to come back. We stayed here last year for two weeks and enjoyed it very much. This time around we booked last minute and we went mid of august were most kids in mexico go back to school. So this time around it was not crowded at all. Felt like we had the resort to ourself. No need to reserve any lounge chair in the morning. They did had some improvement at the resort. They moved the theater away from the buffet . So there was more space for seating. The service is always excellent. We made some friends with Alex,Carlos,Martin,Eligio,Salvador and many more. Emanual from the Animation Team was awesome. He did all the activity program at the resort and still found time to gave my brother in law and a bunch of our friends a bike tour to bucerias. My niece and newphew wanted to do some tours so this time around we did 2 tours and got one free plus a free city tour for the 14 of us. My family did the city tour last year and this time around it was totally different. Since it was a private tour with the 14 of us , our tour guide Freddie showed us the old puerto vallarta. Hidden places that we didnt even see last time. Last time we stayed in the van most of the time. Not much fun. We walk almost one hour in old vallarta. It was very enjoyable. I mention the flea market to him and 5 min later we were there for shopping. Everything we wanted to see he showed us. What a guy. Weatherwise its rained every night. We had better sunsets in july and a lots of seashell. My daughter was kinda disappointed she didnt find a single sea shell. Also be prepared to have lots of bug bites in august. Last year i had two in two weeks . This year i had over 30 on my first day. after that I used OFF Cream every morning and night.No more bites. My brother in law are Samba fanatics now. We are planning to go there next year again. Food was very good in the Venezia restaurant. We ate there most nights.

Our stay at the Samba was great. My daughter and I traveled alone on a mother daughter trip. We both felt very safe. Lots for a 11 yr old to do. Hotel is family orientated and not full of drunk 20 yr olds Food great and plentiful Mexican dishes but some American for those not to wanted to set out of their comfort zone Great Great Great Sandy Beach!!! Will go to samba again

Staff is very nice and helpful. Food buffet is very delicious and if you are taking kids there's plenty of entertainent to keep thsm busy while parents enjoy a nice drink by the pool. Everything you need is in there , no need to go outside of the hotel if you don't want too.

This was my first trip to Mexico. The room was older and not fancy, but the landscaping was beautiful. We found the resort to be very family-friendly, and a good value for the price. We recommend the "fine dining" experience...the Spanish coffee was delicious, and kept us going back for the entertaining show of the way they made it, with open flame at the table!

I have been meaning to write this review so sorry for the delay. We booked this resort because of the good reviews that it got and we were not disappointed. I must admit my first reaction was not great in that it did not have the standard grand lobby that we have come to expect at a Mexican all inclusive resort. Also, at this resort, as English speaking guests in August, we were the minority. However, once I got over my first impression, I realized that this resort more than made up for it in comfort, friendliness, service and amenities. We really appreciated that they seemed to know us as individuals and their pool and beach service was awesome. We really enjoyed the beach and the fact that we didn't need to be up at the crack of dawn to get chairs with access to shade. We also like how close everything was. The access to the non motorized sports was readily available and we did not need to book in advance. Free wifi was also a bonus. When we wanted a break from the pool or beach, we could hang out on our balcony access wifi and still feel connected because we could watch everything that was going on at the pool and beach. The buffet was good basic food. Pros: beautiful beach with available shade, bathrooms are close and easy to get to from beach or pool, personable and friendly, free wifi, great view from balcony room, everything at resort is close, different themed food each night, and different vendors came and set up in the evenings for your shopping pleasure if you were interested. Cons: only superficial in that it does not have the grand appearance of mega resorts.

Samba Vallarta was in last April 2014, overall the service is not good, check in was very slow and incompetent people in reception, which itself is the food is good but the best is the people of activities (especially Godinez and Zugey Manuel Rosales) and the guys from Bar (with special mention to Martin and Erneso, but all are great) Every room is same, Self makes it special, but the wiew is spectacular by the pool and the ocean

I recently stayed here with my mom and sister. We had a great time! All staff members were incredibly friendly, patient and helpful. It was a bit more low-key than the surrounding resorts, but we liked that! We were 1 of only a couple Americans there and that was nice. The pool was a little cloudy and it was really hot, but that was our only disappointment. Oh and the bathroom by the ocean could use more frequent cleaning. The Mexican/Italian restaurant where you can eat if you make reservations was a nice change and the only place (other than rooms) with air-conditioning. Our room, balcony and bathroom were all big and beautiful. No time-share selling and that was very nice. We would love to go back here again.

This was the first time my husband and I had have been to Mexico and I am very impressed with The Samba Vallarta!! :) Check in was fast and easy, food is great and the staff are all amazing so friendly and helpful! Ricardo , Salvador , Fermin and Rosaria are always smiling , very attentive , such nice people! The food YUM! Lots to choose from and the 'egg lady' wow what a great cook she is! This resort allows kids and they are always kept busy , we hardly saw let alone heard any . Manuel and Daniel so entertaining , great job they do , always upbeat . I couldn't be happier with this place and I can't wait until this November when we get to go back there . All the staff make you feel like a part of their extended families.

we stayed here in 2000 what a wonderful place, food staff, rooms, shows, hotel pool, nothing was too much trouble for all staff, very clean. had a great birthday there were four of us, would go again without question, recommend five stars and more.

My wife and I spent the last week of May at the Samba Vallarta All Inclusive and really enjoyed ourselves. I was a little uncertain after reading the reviews but after staying there for 6 nights and having a wonderful time I can recommend to my clients that this resort is definitely worth taking a close look at if your coming to PV. The resort is located in Nuevo Vallarta to the north of PV. The staff was outstanding. They were very friendly and made your feel at home. The beach is great. You can walk for ever if you want. We walk 4 to 8 miles each day on the beach. The swimming was also very nice. Sandy beach and the ocean water was very warm and comfortable. Our room was a one queen bed with a table and chairs. You could shower or take a bath. The maid staff was great also. They changed the linens and towels daily and kept the room spotless. The food was very good. We weren't sure what we could expect with all the negative comments about the resort's food. We found it to be quite good. It wasn't 5 star but you not paying 5 star pricees either. The variety and quality was very good. I loved the fresh omlet they made for me, just to my liking. The pool was fairly large for a small resort. It was clean and they were constantly cleaning the pool deck at the end of each day preparing it for the next day. The outside of the resort could do with a little sprucing up to make it look nicer but that didn't effect how we fell about the resort. The bottom line is would I come back, recommend it to a friend or client. The answer is definetly! I would give this resort a 3.5 to 4. If you want 4 or 5 you will have to pay more to get that type of resort.

If you want a true Mexican resort experience this is the place, If you did not have a good time or did not have enough food or drink that was your own doing! Special thanks to all the staff especially Bruno(our translator at the lobby bar), Martin, Fermin, Martin at the Italian restaurant,Salvadore, Ricardo, Ismael, Carlos, Angel, the activity people Manuel, Delicia, Danielle, Zughey had a lot of fun. Very happy with my room had a nice ocean and pool view, large and clean..

My husband, two teenagers and mother-in-law went the third week in March. What others say about the service is true - it is top-notch! We truly enjoyed our stay simply because the staff were wonderful. I have to give kudos to Salvador - the BEST waiter! He was prompt, very friendly and made our drinks to suit our taste. He even sang happy birthday to me in Spanish and then made me a special drink. My husband loved having his gin and tonic along with a beer brought to him on the beach. He is very good at what he does and makes the guests feel special. Manny - oh what can I say? He is enthusiastic and marvelous at getting everyone involved. My two teens (girl 16 and boy 14) had a fantastic time with him playing beach volleyball, soccer, water polo, kayaking, water aerobics, karaoke and crazy games. He truly made their trip special and they won't ever forget him. He works very, very hard and from what I saw the other guests loved him too! Eligio made our evening meals wonderful and relaxed. He catered to our needs. We had a special diet that they were able to accommodate which was a relief. His Spanish coffee making skills were impressive. He was friendly and has a great sense of humour. He works very hard and we appreciated seeing him every night. We spent most of our time on the beach, after all that is why we went to Mexico. It was very clean, there were plenty of palapas and lounge chairs and the water was warm. We loved the waves. The resort was very clean and the gardens were well maintained. The public bathrooms could use a little upgrading as some stall doors don't close properly but work was being done around the resort while we were there so perhaps that will be next. The rooms were what we expected. The beds were very comfortable and the bedding was better than expected. There were several pillows to choose from and had no issues with them. The bathrooms could use upgrading. The shower curtain was short and the A/C was loud but we were so tired by the end of the night it didn't bother us much. The food was fine. As others have said there is always something you can find that you like. We ate at the restaurants every night except the first night. The lack of guacamole and salsa was surprising though. We only found it in the Mexican Restaurant. Our teens loved the soft serve ice cream. Breakfast was very good and again something for everyone. The restaurants had really good meals. The fish was very fresh and tasty and so was the beef. Overall, we liked the Samba. We stayed at a larger resort down the road a year ago and liked it as well but never got to know the staff well and didn't partake in activities. Definitely liked the smaller size. I would recommend the Samba for anyone who wants to relax, either with a family or a couple.

We throughly enjoyed our vacation here! It was small but perfect for us. Loved having the chairs right on the beach and how everything was so close. We will definitely stay here again! Highly recommend for families with small children.

Stayed at Samba Vallarta at the beginning of April with my sister. It was lovely. The staff were so friendly and helpful. The rooms were beautiful and always clean. The beds were actually quite comfortable but the pillows were average. The buffet had a wide variety of foods with different cultures represented each day. There was entertainment every night and many cheap vendors around, more cheap than any on beach or downtown. Everyone said the drinks were watered down but I didn't think so. I thought they were quite strong and very delicious. Everything was great except the wifi and there is no room service but the pools are gorgeous with lots of space and the beach is gorgeous and endless. I definitely recommend this resort and I will certainly be going back :)

In the last 10 years I have stayed at many ranges of all-inclusive resorts, from a small 2 1/2 star on the beach in downtown Puerto Vallarta to an extremely large, beautiful 5 star resort in the Dominican Republic. During a trip with two girlfriends last week (all of us in our early 40's), I was extremely surprised to find that this was one of my favorites so far. Both the service and the food were the best that I've experienced at an all-inclusive. Each one of the staff went out of their way to meet our requests, there was always a large selection of food, and the choices at the theme nights offered a wide variety. I can't comment on the American foods such as pizza, hotdogs and such, as we preferred to eat the more original Mexican and/or theme-oriented cuisine. The beach always had lounge chairs available and was beautiful, weed-free and clean. The vendors were very unobtrusive and respectful. The sand was wonderful. The resort offers a kayak tour each morning, free of charge. Chasing dolphins around the bay in a Kayak was a new experience for me, and a lot of fun. For the size of this resort, there was plenty of green space, such as a soccer pitch, football field, and areas on the grass to relax on beautiful beds. There was a small basketball court as well. Footballs, soccer balls and basketballs were available to borrow at the towel station. There were two Ping-Pong tables, pool tables and foosball tables. Earlier this year, at a large resort in Punta Cana, my 7 year old son was in tears because it was so difficult to get a turn on the Ping Pong tables. This would not have been an issue at this resort. The towels were the largest and fluffiest I've seen at an all-inclusive. We did not use the pool, as we preferred the beach. However we did sit around the pool for an afternoon and the service was excellent.

My wife and I just returned from two weeks in PV where we booked our stay at the Samba. We could not have been more pleased by the help prior to our arrival with questions and once we arrived. Check in was fast. Almost all staff speak some English and the desk staff all seemed to speak very good English. Rooms were very nice, large and were kept spotless. When we arrived we were given a room in the back of the hotel facing the neighboring hotel's pool. We asked to change rooms but the ones facing the Samba's pool area and with a better ocean view were booked. They suggested we check back in two days which we did and they gladly moved us to a pool view room which was awesome and much appreciated. Staff were constantly working around the property to keep it in top shape. I have never seem so much effort put into making sure a property looked nice! Great jobs guys! Food was very....very good. It is an all inclusive and sure there are repeats but who cares, try something new. The Italian restaurant was tremendous! We never had an opportunity to try the Mexican restaurant but heard it was great! Service was great, wait staff very friendly and helpful and were willing to go out of their way to assist you. I can't say enough about these hard working people. The bartenders .........top notch. The two we go to know best were Martin and Fermen who did a great job. These two guys watched your drinks, remembered what they were, asked if you had enough liquor in each , and often just refilled your drink before you were done! Beach was wonderful and well maintained. Aggressive vendors were not an issue. Plenty of chairs everywhere. Bar staff were excellent at bringing drinks to us at either the pool or the beach area. Dollar tips were greatly appreciated.

This was a great hotel with lots to offer. The rooms were clean, food was good, and entertainment was offered in the evening. The only down side was that it was too far to walk into town. Definitely would go back.

We have stayed at other properties in Cancun, Nuevo Vallarta and Acapulco, but this was our first visit to Mazatlan. The resort is very small compared to other properties, but this made it easier to get around and also easier to meet other guests. The staff are helpful and welcoming. Rooms are spacious and comfortable and clean. The resort is outside the main tourist area, but it is easy to take public transportation anywhere you want to go: the new mall, grocery stores, the Malecon or the Centro Historico. The beach is wide and clean and tranquil. The gym is very small but adequate for the number of people using it. There is no spa but an excellent massage therapist on site. The food at the resort is very good, but better prices and more variety can be had by heaidng into the Centro Historico or the Golden Zone, or just going across the street or down the street to some of the smaller taquerias or restaurants frequented by Mexicans and visitors alike. My biggest complaint is the lack of Wifi in the rooms as a standard feature: you pay 90 dollars a week for unlimited access.

We have been staying at the Mazatlan for two weeks. We truly are wishing that we need not leave this place because it has been very relaxing with the option of keeping busy. There are so many choices for activities. The Super Bowl was a BLAST. The staff here know how to keep you involved. We did pool aerobics classes with Marcella and Marco. Not only was it a work out but it was fun and they always stayed behind after the class and took their time to talk to us.The activities staff really try to make your vacation complete. It becomes a home away from home. The cooking class was amazing! I will be definitely trying the recipes at home. The pool- side waiter, Brandon is very friendly and energetic. The towel girl every day knew how many towels we needed to check out without being told. The activities team and staff really deserve an HUGE APPLAUSE!

We spent 7 wonderful days here in January and every day was in the eighties. The rooms are beautifully decorated and ours faced the pool and the ocean. There are many different room options but we chose one with a master bed room (King sized bed) with one other small bedroom. The couch in the living room also folded out into a bed. The kitchen had a frig, stove, microwave, coffee pot, toaster, dishes, silverware, etc. The pool has a heated and unheated side. Waiters serve food and drinks and towels are provided. Pool activities (games, aerobics) start in the late morning and run all afternoon The beach has an excellent sandy beach and all the thatched roof cabanas are for hotel guests. The food and drink prices are good for the U.S. but high for Mexico. There are many fine Restaurants in Mazatlan that are cheaper and better - you need to visit some of those on your visit. There is a bar, game room, gift shop, small store, etc.

We were greeted by warm weather, warm smiles, and warm waters. If that sounds enjoyable to you, then this is the place to call home while staying in Mazatlan. Upon arrival, we received a complimentary upgrade from a studio to a 1 bedroom suite in the sea garden hotel. I was not terribly impressed with the decor at the sea garden, which was accompanied by a slightly musty smell. However our view of the ocean from our fifth floor accommodation was relaxing for myself and my girlfriend. Also, we understand that the Sea Garden Hotel will be receiving a makeover fairly soon, so any complaints that I have about their decor will soon be addressed. Our last night at the property, we moved to a seventh floor studio with a city view. We enjoyed the decor and the large balcony doors, which allowed the warm breeze to fill the room. We dined in the restaurant on premises, which we both found to be above average service and cuisine. We both enjoyed the chipotle shrimp dinner.

We are members in Cancun, This is the smallest of all the resorts. but the service is great food on 90 % of the time was perfect but it was corrected or no charge to us, the price is a bit higher for some of the service WI FI is one of them, I think they should make it free. But that is the bean counters. Only one restaurant now but there is now updates to fix that very soon. I say by Oct. when we return it will offer more options.

We stayed here last week (April) and there was hardly anybody staying there, which made it nice - not sure if it is always like that. Lots of room around the pool, drinks were good. We only ate at the restaurant once as it seemed kind of expensive compared to places in town. We hopped on the bus right outside the resort every day and headed downtown to explore. It is only 10 pesos ( less than a dollar) and a great way to get around. Avoid the "Pulmonias" which are golf-cart like things that probably will give you a pulmonary due to their exhaust. A lot of the drivers seemed to be affiliated with time shares as well, they would pull up to us when we were walking and say" I give you a free ride today, you just come tomorrow for a special promotion" - no thanks, we'll walk or take the bus! The staff were great, rooms were clean and very big. I was kind of disappointed with the internet scenario but hey, you're in Mexico so you can't really get too upset. They had a business centre which cost 42 pesos an hour (less than $4) but if you wanted the wireless in your room it was 170 pesos - a bit of a money grab. If you want a great Mexican experience for eating go across the road from the resort to the huge Pacifico beer can and every evening except Tuesdays, "Tacos Escorpio by Henry" will serve you a great meal and cheap beer! It is basically a tent in a parking lot but lots of fun! This is a great place for a low key, relaxing stay.

Just got back from two weeks vacation.We had avery nice and relaxing time.The place is well maintained and every one was very helpful.We ate breakfast there every morning and our severs we called them the three amigos were great. Ther names were Ismael,Felix and Pablo.They not only did there jobs well but were also very helpful in all types of information we wanted to know about Mazatlan as well as the people of Mexico.Brandon was lots of help at the pool and giving us information too.Arron the activities director did his job well from excercising on the beach with me to having to play husband and pingpong and loosing.This resort has nice beach andis more for relaxing.About the time share people my husband talked to them and told we not interested and for them to respect our privacy and they did.I only wish they were a little closer to town so I could of just walked around instead of taking the bus.The bus system is good and not very much.There was a nice inexspensive place to eat by the supermarket on the left as you walk out to the street.It Harry"s it not a building good food.Also turning right and walking several blocks there is a place called the green resort if you walk in there is a real cute rest. and good food not pricey.The people and town of Mazatlan were melo and wonderful.We went on a sail boat call Me Casa it was lots of fun with captain Eduardo.We sailed around the island and had lunch it was very nice,We felt very safe day and nite there.We really enjoyed our stay :)

This is a great relaxation resort. The pool area is clean, with lots of places to catch the sun, but the pool is unheated. The poolside bar/snack bar was great. Pablo, Angel and the others provided good service, with a smile. The beach is awesome with an hours walk in either direction on smooth sand. Yes, there were some vendors, but the prices were low and they were very polite. They were not pesty. We took a small cooler to the beach and hung out most days in peace. The ocean is unheated, as well. We did the timeshare presentation, which gave us some nice perks. We did not feel that we were overly pressured. We feel the timeshare presentations are part of our vacation. We learn something new each time. At first we had a room on the backside, but were moved to the oceanside as soon as one became available. We made it a point to get to know staff and call them by name. Isn't it amazing that the more you treat people like people, the better they treat you. We did not have any of the negative experiences that many reviewers have cited. Our ladt bit of advice (and we were initially reluctant) is take the Sabado Centro bus downtown. It's 10 pesos (about 85 cents) each way. You get a good lay of the land and see a lot of sights. You can jump off anywhere and explore and then get back on anywhere (another 10 pesos). We rode several times in our two weeks.

This a great hotel if you are traveling with children. It has a lot of entertainment for your children. The ocean is always red but there is a section where you can jump waves and have fun. There is a lot of Palapas and the bar is just at the back of them. Great pool and there is an iguana that lives in the middle island of it. If you want to go downtown take a taxi for $150.00 pesos, Camaron Sabalo bus for $9.50 pesos with air conditioner or Cerritos bus for $6.50 pesos, but also the famous Pulmonias for $100.00 pesos. 20 minutes drive and it really depends on how fast the driver drives.