We just returned from a four night stay at the Samara Tree House Inn and we loved it. It is definitely the best place to stay in Samara. It has a great view because it is right on the beach. When we were there it is was the rainy season but this didn't bother us at all because we were at the Tree House Inn. It was sunny in the morning and with the surf school right next door we were able to rent surf boards and boogie boards for a couple of hours during this time. However, when the rain started in the afternoon, the real surfers came out and although we were back inside we had an excellent view of all the action. It was also nice to be able to keep the windows open and hear the waves throught the day and night. As for the people, Esther and Angelli could not have been nicer. They were so nice and helpful, giving suggestions for dinner and ready to answer when ever we had a question. The whole stay in Samara was perfect!

My husband and I stayed at the Treehouse for our honeymoon. The property was a really neat idea! The property is located directly on the beach, so a simple walk out of the security gate will place you only feet away from the Pacific Ocean. Large panel windows open all way up allowing your to hear the roaring waves and birds outside the window! The rooms are set up like very small apartments, so the bedroom is seperate from the bathroom and the living area. The beds aren't the most comfortable...The dark wood that is everywhere from the ceiling, walls, floors, and furniture give the place a really rustic feel. Each treehouse was fully equipped with everything you'd need. Although we didn't use the kitchen area, it is there is you so chose and all utensils and cookware are supplied. The pool in the middle of the property is conventient for a time in the pool. Underneath each unit is a table (where breakfast is served), a grill, beach chairs, and two hammocks - a really nice touch. The staff was great especially Angelique and Ester! Although we liked the property and would recommend it, we felt three full days was plenty due to the "outdoorsy" feel of the place - especially If you are used to more luxurious accomodations. Give it a go and see what others have to say!

I stayed at the Samara Treehouse Inn for 4 nights at the end of May 2007. I had decided on the Treehouse Inn almost entirely because of the TripAdvisor reviews that had been written since it opened in late 2006. I tried to make a reservation in March for a beachside bungalow, but all they had available was the poolside bungalow. I was a little disappointed, but took the poolside anyway, hoping maybe someone would cancel in the meantime. My emails in making the reservation were always answered immediately, if not thoroughly, by Esther, the on-site manager.

So to the actual stay: We drove to Samara from San Jose in about 4.5 hours with one short stop and no problems except for a long delay behind the inevitable slow truck. This was on a Tuesday midday. The road is paved (which doesn't mean smooth) the entire way, and the Taiwanese bridge is especially nice, and not surprisingly the smoothest 2 minutes of the entire trip. If you're driving from SJ, just make sure to watch for all the signs to get to the bridge, and then to Nicoya. If you're approaching Liberia on the Pan-Am you've gone too far. From Nicoya it's about 32 km to Samara along well marked roads. The Treehouse Inn is in what would be considered the center of Samara and there is secure, convenient parking. As soon as we arrived I knew it would be worth it. The grounds and pool are maintained extremely well each day, and you just have a sense of being in a new, clean place. Not to say that the rest of Samara is dirty at all, but the Treehouse Inn is clearly one of the more well-taken care of properties.

So we did have the poolside bungalow, which like, all of them, has the amenities listed in the previous reviews and on their website. It does not, however, have the same hammock set-up, nor the outdoor grill like the other ones. Essentially you're missing the private outdoor space that you get with the raised beachside bungalow. You technically have an ocean view, but it's obstructed. Bungalow #3 has by far the best view. Someplace it also says the poolside bungalows have A/C, which is not true. (In fact, there is only one poolside bungalow - the other one, identical and immediately across the reception area, is used as the staff's office and kitchen. It may be used for guests at some point in the future, but I doubt it.) The rooms were very clean and everything functioned well. The bathroom did smell kind of bad, I think because the poolside bungalow is not raised up and the sewer drain is that much closer. We kept the door closed always, but it was kind of annoying, though I don't think anything can be done. (In the 4 nights we were there we did get to stay in a beachside bungalow for one night, and the bathroom did not smell at all.) The beds are comfortable and the TV, which has cable, can be moved into the bedroom or the main room really easily. Why were we watching TV at the beach? It rained way more than usual everyday we were there, at one point for 36 hours straight. Apparently there was some kind of tropical storm nearby, and of course the day we left it was beautiful, which means typical rainy season - morning sunshine followed by afternoon showers.

Anyway, let me mention that the pool was absolutely perfect - clean and warm all day everyday. The "sunbathing" section of the pool is especially nice. It was great to come from the beach, rinse off in the outdoor shower near the gate, and then dip in the pool for a little bit. There are nice sunbathing chairs, too, though the property doesn't get a lot of extended sunlight since there are trees and of course treehouses on all sides. There are even surf boards and boogie boards that you can use for free, along with huge beach towels. Breakfast is served every morning - fresh fruit, coffee, juice, toast and eggs. The portions aren't huge, which is fine, but it would be nice to mix up the menu a little bit. In any case, definitely hit the panaderia around the corner for a morning snack. After dark, take a 2 minute walk on the beach down to La Vela Latina. It's a little gringofied, but it's alright.

One more great thing about the Treehouse Inn is the security. I didn't worry about my car for a minute, and there are few places in the country you can say that. It just made the stay that much more relaxing. The property is locked and gated - of course you have a key to get in, and then a key for your bungalow. There is a night security guard and otherwise always staff on duty. The way it's set up there's no way someone could walk in without being noticed, though during the peak season that might not be the case. Eventually I felt comfortable enough to just leave the bungalow unlocked and head right out to the beach, which is literally on the doorstep. I've stayed at a number of places on both coasts of Costa Rica and never felt like my belongings were as secure as at the Treehouse Inn. Granted, it was the rainy season and the crowds were down, but still.

If there was any negative aspect of our stay it was the insects that would surround the property. As far as sanitation goes, everything is really clean, but the fact that you have huge windows with no screens and a lot of vegetation nearby means that all kinds of bugs are going to be attracted to you and your stuff. I think we even saw some termites that were beginning to go after the beautiful wood construction of the treehouses. For the most part it was just flies and mosquitoes and ants here and there, never any cockroaches or huge spiders or anything. One other thing to note is that the rooms definitely heat up, despite the three fans inside each bungalow. Oh, and if it's raining, it's going to be extremely loud inside the bungalow. So if you can handle no a/c and some bugs here and there, you will not find a better place for a better price anywhere in the area.

Overall I was totally impressed, even after the rave reviews that were on here. I would love to go again. It's great for two people but I think it would be even better if you had a group of friends that had the whole place for a few days. The staff (all friendly Ticos) are exceedingly pleasant and the location is so perfect you wonder how nothing was already flourishing there. Book extremely early (I would say at least a couple of months) and request bungalow #3, as it has the best view. This place is definitely here to stay, and it deserves all the rave reviews it has received. Do yourself a favor and don't even consider staying anywhere else in Samara.

We came to Costa Rica on our honeymoon and happened to walk by these cool treehouse cabins. They looked too great to pass up, so we originally only booked for one night, but decided to extend our stay to three nights because this place was out of this world!!! The accomodations were like none other, especially for the price (very reasonable)....the staff treated us like part of the family. Two women that worked there were so especially kind, Esther and Angelie. Both of them went above and beyond to answer questions, made us feel at home and comfortable, by the end of our stay they really felt like good friends. They rooms are phenomenal...like Swiss Family Robinson, but super luxurious. We had a sitting room, seperate bedroom, nice bathroom with hot water, and full kitchen, also each cabin come with two private hammocks, outdoor table, and grill. (We actually ended up saving money, because we cooked at the treehouse, either on the grill or in the kitchen) The grounds are kept beautifully and the pool is kept at a perfect 80 degrees Farenheit. Even the night guard watched out for us as we took a midnight swim in the ocean. In summation, I have traveled all over the world and can't think of any place I have stayed that I liked better. Can't wait to stay there again.