Just back from my second visit to the Samba and as I said I would last year, I went for two weeks this time. It just depends on what type of trip you want and how you like to spend your time. Overall a great trip, but if you're accustomed to the pace and size of larger resorts in Mexico, you might find Samba a bit too small and relaxed. Shows at night were not as good as at larger resorts, but it is a smaller hotel so we expected that. The house white wine was pretty good too. They will make them as strong as you want. No flip flops! Good quality drinks at the bars. Just ask the host at breakfast and he'll make the reservation and give you a ticket. Italian and Mexican ala carte restaurants are great and we had no problem getting reservations each day. Buffets are smaller, but quality of food is higher. Due to its age, some parts of the rooms are a little tired, but everything still functioned. It's also older and the architecture is a bit more motel-like. The Samba is smaller and more personal than the Riu Jalisco and Riu Vallarta where we have stayed before. The Italian Restaurante Venezia was delicious! We hope to make it a new tradition to come and visit the Samba in the future and sharpen our Spanish skills so we can speak to the staff in their own language :) We cannot say enough about the beautiful beach, cabanas, beach-side drink service, etc.Just returned from a week's stay. I recommend to change it up a bit by eating at the a la carte restaurant for dinner once in a while during your stay. We enjoyed the food, but don't expect what you may be used to if you're American. If you're looking for family friendly, this place is it. The suite may have offered noise insulation from the hallway, as we never heard anything at night and the evening disco (when they had it) could only be heard if you opened your window to the room or went out on the balcony. This resort is smaller and not as commercialized, but the rooms were clean, beds were firm, so don't expect a pillow mattress. We stayed a week and wished we could stay longer. Carlos had a great sense of humor and made us feel right at home. The servers were fabulous! Alberto "Berto", remembered the drinks we always ordered and had them ready without us even having to ask. The view was postcard perfect! The staff was so amazing! It may have been because we were stand outs among all the locals that were there with our pale complexions, but most of the staff remembered our names and greeted us around the resort by name as they saw us. She upgraded our room and we stayed in a suite with a balcony facing the pool/beach on the 3rd floor. Islandia's smiling face at the front desk was so helpful. We were a little worried since our Spanish-speaking skills are lacking, but this wasn't a problem at the Samba as the staff was fairly bi-lingual. This was our first experience in visiting Mexico and the Samba Vallarta. Overall, this was a very relaxing and enjoyable base camp to explore Peurto Vallarta as well as the much closer village of Bucerias. There were a couple of times when the decibel level at activities was comparable to being beneath an airport runway, and we would recommend to the staff that the volume of the microphone system be kept at a reasonable level. Lots of activities for kids if you want to bring them. Evening activities ranged from kids shows to traditional Mexican dancers to live music. Be sure to try the fresh empanadas for breakfast! The Italian restaurant was very good both times, with most dishes outstanding but the occasional dish that was a bit off. The food was consistently good (but not spectacular) at the buffet, with Mexican specialties available in abundance (this is not always the case in Mexico all-inclusives, and was a pleasant surprise here). Activities on site included boogie boards and sea kayaks we went out kayaking several times and twice encountered wild dolphins surfacing at close range. Fermin was a great bartender and raconteur ask for the "Fermin special" for a great cocktail treat. In addition to being assiduous, the housekeeping staff brightened The bars were solidly run and the drinks were variable - sometimes just right and sometimes a bit on the weak side. The air conditioning shuts off when you are not in the room, but maintenance staff will change the settings to allow your room to stay cool at all times if you ask. Our room did not have a balcony, but many did, and the fourth floor was quiet and comfortable. The room was basic but very clean some art on the walls would be a nice added touch, but the decor was otherwise quite nice. We visited in mid-May, when the resort was primarily occupied by Mexican nationals on vacation. We really enjoyed our week at the Samba Vallarta.
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