Read what "Gold Star for 3 Star" has to say because we second it. Well said. We just came back from 2 glorious weeks there and can honestly say that we had a fabulous time. This small hotel really understands customer service. Usually there's one or two of the staff that stands out in a facility but, for us, here they all shine. It's not a 5 star facility so don't book it and then whine about its shortcomings.

We recently returned from a 10 day stay at the Samba Vallarta. When we booked this hotel it seemed to fit our locational preference, budget, and desire for a smaller boutique style hotel. There are three things that factor into our rating of hotel accomodations: comfortable beds, friendly staff and value for money. This hotel achieves a gold star in all three of these criteria. The king bed was very very comfortable. The staff: outstanding! Everyone from front desk staff, bell hops, waiters and bar attendants understood the value of serving their customer.We tipped often..small to moderate amounts to acknowledge our appreciation and thanks for their committment to customer service. The resident tour agent was also very friendly and helped us arrange our tours.

We are surprised at some of the negativity posted about the Samba.We have stayed in 1 star to 5 star hotels and this is probably the best 3 star hotel we have stayed at. If you want 5 star luxuery and gourmet kitchens then go somewhere else. In my opinion the food was very good and our room was exceptionally clean and odour free. The Samba is in our opinion is a gold star 3 star hotel and we would recommend the Samba to anyone looking for an excellent value vacation particularly for seniors and young families. If you are thinking of booking, a 3rd or 4th floor room with balcony overlooking the gardens is recommended preferably closer to the beach.

We had a great time at the samba with wonderful weather and a great beach . The rooms were kept very clean and the staff was always friendly. Our only concern was a septic odour off and on and the beach area washrooms were very odorous but looked spotless. This resort was otherwise perfect for our holiday and we would definitely return if this problem could be fixed. We always managed to find something tasty to eat And both a la Cartes were very nice. Thanks to Ricardo and Bruno at the bar and Genero ( probably wrong spelling). At the Italian a la carte. Islandia at the front desk is a ray of sunshine. Thanks for a great holiday.

The Samba Vallarta was not a good place to choose for our vacation. We were terribly disappointed and will never return. Why? The food is really bad and the rooms all have a mildew odor. We are not fussy people but we stayed at the Riu Santa Fe last year in Los Cabos and had a wonderful experience. So I do have a comparison.

We were first given a room on the first floor that had no operable safe, no tub and reeked of mildew. Everywhere on the first floor has a consuming mildew smell. We were immediately given a balcony room on the 4th floor that still had a mildew smell, but not as strong. Did they put wallboard over the existing mildew? Where there is mildew there can be mold. I worried about that. The room itself was well presented and freshly painted - no frig or drinks in the room, however. The king size bed was comfortable and air conditioning was adjustable. There is internet connection in every room but not strong enough - constant blackouts. Just enough to check email but it could not open attachments most of the time.

The food - A smelly cooking oil pervaded all the foods that were cooked, even the grill foods. Canola oil would have been a much better choice. The "sausages" for breakfast were cut up poor quality hot dogs, reheated every day because no one ate them. Bacon was hidden at the grill undercover. You had to ask for crisp bacon because it was undercooked and so fatty and again, poor quality. The "oatmeal" had to be strained for a few bits of oatmeal in a two gallon milk filled container. Not worth the trouble. This situation never changed for the whole week. The "hotcakes" and waffles were tough and lukewarm every day. Margarine instead of butter. No sweet rolls ever. Alcoholic drinks were watered down. Most foods were never hot, except when made at the grill. Even the fries at the snack bar near the beach were cold or luke-warm 5 days out of seven. Never any fruit at the snack bar. No fountain drinks to choose from in any of the bars or eating places. Light Pepsi was poured warm out of a 2 liter bottle at the bar.

The only foods that were always good were the orange juice, the fruit and an out of this world rice pudding dessert that was served on Mexican night.

The wait staff was wonderfully attentive.

I talked with 4 different people during this week. I asked them how their vacation was going. They were all unhappy and would never return. One gal brought her mother for two weeks and felt stuck because their travel company had no other place to offer them. They complained of bugs in their room. Enduring a vacation for two weeks that you find intolerable has to be awful. Another gal was apologizing to her friend for bringing her to this place. A written review by a previous Mexican vacationer was left in our room. He had much the same evaluations that we found.

I will say that the grounds were beautiful, the building was always clean and the beach is beautiful and goes forever. Every employee we encountered during the week was friendly and helpful.

Other reviewers have said "you get what you pay for" here. I disagree. I would rather have been home in our Central Illinois winter than to have forked out my money for this experience.