Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Nestled in 8 acres of spacious tropical gardens, this impressive ocean front boutique hotel is known for its breathtaking panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea and spectacular sunsets, situated on the most westerly tip of Jamaica. Perched on Negril’s majestic west end cliffs, Samsara offers direct sea access for relaxed swimming and snorkeling in the pristine waters steps away from your room. Featuring 70 comfortable air-conditioned guest rooms each with a private terrace and sea or garden views, Samsara was originally home to Count Fabio di Pietro, founder of the hotel. The hotel offers 3 ocean front swimming pools including a stunning infinity pool facing the sea as well as the largest water front sun deck in Negril. The property has 3 restaurants serving international and traditional Jamaican cuisine. Negril offers a wide range of activities, shopping, entertainment, and restaurants. The hotel provides free shuttle service twice daily to its sister property Legends, 5 minutes away on Negril’s famous 11.3 km white sand beach. The property also features a tennis court, games room, and sea view spa offering a range of massage and wellness treatments. At Samsara we take our guest’s and staff health very seriously and have implemented the latest hygiene measures to ensure your safety. Samsara’s tranquil atmosphere, outstanding location, spacious gardens, and friendly staff are sure to guarantee a rejuvenating vacation.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Bay View
Quiet
Languages Spoken
English
Location
West End Road, Negril Jamaica
Samsara Cliffs Resort
3.8 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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At Samsara Cliffs Resort, guests have commended the shuttle service, the multiple pools, and the direct ocean access. However, some travelers have found the rooms to be dated and the all-inclusive offerings limited. The staff's service receives mixed reviews, with instances of both friendliness and perceived rudeness.
Many guests feel that the resort does not provide value for money, citing overpriced amenities. While the serene atmosphere with ocean views is often described as magical, opinions on the resort's location and upkeep vary, with some suggesting it needs a modern update.
Location
Convenient
Atmosphere
Serene
Rooms
Dated
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Underwhelming
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I have mixed feelings about this place. I read the reviews before coming and didn’t expect luxury but it was a lot more basic than expected. The place needs a face lift. A little TLC in some areas would make a huge difference. They could use more activities, snacks etc. It’s great if you want to relax and relax some more but don’t expect much else.
The food was pretty good but after 10 you’re on your own if you want anything to eat - even getting a cup of tea or coffee was a challenge.
The rooms were pretty clean and the bed was comfortable so so got a good nights sleep. No hand towels, no wash rags and only a tiny hand soap so bring your own toiletries,swim towels etc.
Customer service was either very good or lacklustre. I read about the exceptional customer service so maybe I expected more in this area.
Wifi was great - I had no trouble connecting even down by the water.
Overall, Samasara is a solid 3. I would not be opposed to coming here again but it wouldn’t be my first choice.
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Date of stay: December 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Bring your own toiletries, tea bags, kettle if you want tea/coffee in the evenings. Bring...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Monika Lowry, Owner at Samsara Cliffs Resort
Responded Dec 16, 2024
Thank you, for taking the time to share your experience. Your comments are truly valuable to us. We have shared your review with our team as we constantly work to improve the level of our service and our facilities.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We really enjoyed our recent stay at Samsara cliff resort, if we came again to Negril then Samsara would be a strong contender.
This is definitely a higher end to a budget hotel,
We were a family of 4, 2 adults and 2 children 7 and 14.
We were given a room with 2 double beds which seems to be the standard across the hotels I have found, your lucky if you find 2 single beds for children to sleep separately.
The room was adequate enough with air con and a TV that had Disney+ on
WiFi stretches to the room which was also good.
Bathroom was fair sized, small fridge in the room and safe in wardrobe
The cleaner came in daily and made our beds and tidied our towels.
We only had one issue with the air con leaking but it stopped after the first day so problem resolved its self.
There is a nice deep pool onsite which was clean and kept tidy - no lifeguard
The hotel is right on the ocean and I did see competent adults swimming in there and snorkelling, they do put rough sea signs up and I didn’t let my children in here as it’s against the rocks( no sand) you can drive 10 minutes up the road to the 7 mile long beach which was beautifully kept, clean and tidy and clear waters, plenty of bars to eat or drink. There is a shuttle bus that comes and takes you from the hotel at 10am and brings you back at 4pm however we drove as we had hired a car.
Also on site at the hotel is reception area and man who stands on the front to assist with crossing the road as it’s on a blind bend / security.
There is also a small games room which houses a pool table and ping pong table. Bar area and a restaurant upstairs.
I think the biggest let down of the hotel is the prices in the restaurant as unless you are all inclusive you have to pay £28 a plate and half price for a child, and they do not allow you to share a plate with the child. Our son has a stomach condition and can not eat more than a little bit at a time, so I would usually share a plate with him as he can only eat a small amount, how ever they wouldn’t let me. I had to pay £16 for half buffet plate and all my child ate was 1 boiled egg.
I was not impressed at this and this was my biggest turn off about the time spent at Samsara.
The hotel is around 5 minutes drive from Ricks cafe which is worth the visit, another place I would recommend close by would be a place called Sharks.
There is parking across the road if you hire a car, the ‘huts’ are also located across the road and not in the main building, originally we thought we had booked a hut but on arrival were situated in the main hotel, which actually worked out well as it was close to the pool for the children.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Shuttle to 7 mile beach which is only 10 mins away
Ricks cafe 5 min drive
Parking across the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Monika Lowry, Owner at Samsara Cliffs Resort
Responded Oct 1, 2024
We appreciate your high rating and detailed feedback. We are grateful for your business and it was a pleasure to host your stay with us. We have shared your review with our team as we continually work to improve the level of our service and our facilities. Hope to hear more from you and welcome you back again.
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We chose Samsara because it was a small resort. We stayed here in 2012, so our it expectations were realistic and we were not surprised by the limited amenities and food choices.
Negatives
There was no supply of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, bottled water, face cloths, beach towels.
Not one hook in Sea Vu rooms to hang wet bathing suits or towels.
Rooms were not ready for 3pm check, we had to wait more than an hour.
No assistance with luggage and had to carry suitcases up two flights of stairs.
Coffee machines for rooms are possible,(limited quantity) but our group inquired 3 times and never received one.
Some training on customer experience is needed for a few of the kitchen staff. I won't be mean and name them, but they know who they are. It was openly joked about and discussed between guests about how getting a fried egg or omelette was such an intimidating experience.
Positives
The view is spectacular and pools were clean.
Fun to have the option to jump off cliffs or take a shuttle to 7 mile beach (Legends)
Front desk ladies were always smiling and friendly.
Groundskeepers work hard at maintaining the property. It rained every day which brought a river of water with debris through the main area down to the stairs into the ocean every day. Don't forget to tip them too!
Tina and Kimeiko - loved these two ladies who without fail always greeted us with our name and a smile and provided great service.
Junior- the shuttle driver was great. We also contacted him privately every night to shuttle us to and from restaurants.
Close proximity to great restaurants. We ate out every night at Ivan's, Pushcart, Rockhouse, Xtabi. All restaurants had great staff, service and food.
We used the shuttle and spent two days at Legends. All of the staff (without exception) were friendly and smiling including the chef serving at the buffet.
Beach was beautiful at Legends.
Overall I might stay again for the value, but because of a few negative experiences would probably investigate other properties in the area instead.
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:Bring beach towels and a clothing line to hang for wet towels and swim suits.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Monika Lowry, Owner at Samsara Cliffs Resort
Responded Oct 22, 2024
Thank you, for taking the time to share your experience. We are happy to hear that you had a nice time during your stay with us and appreciate your comments about our facilities and service as we are always looking for ways to improve.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I had a truly wonderful experience at Samsara and Legends. I was staying in one of the refurbished Samsara rooms which lead out to an infinity pool and the most breathtaking views. It was so relaxing and magical. The location on the cliffs means that you can just while away the day watching boats sail by pelicans following and catamarans heading to Rick‘s Café for the daily parties. The pools are clean and very Zen and there’s plenty of snorkelling and sea life to explore The staff -Tina, Marcie and Colin to name but a few are absolutely wonderful they make you feel the part of a family and they truly take care of you! I have to mention the amazing home-cooked food there are two amazing female chefs who provided an array of Jamaican cuisine that was so tasty! I haven’t eaten so much in years! everything was just so delicious! We stayed all inclusive which meant we also had drinks and food at the sister hotel legends included this hotel has a fabulous position on the beach. It’s a totally different atmosphere full of Jamaican vibes and if you like people watching then this is the place to be. I can’t wait to return to this very special Hotel and I can’t thank everybody enough for giving me such a wonderful holiday. I made so many new friends and I hope to see you all again soon.🙏🇯🇲🏴💖
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Date of stay: February 2025Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip:I took coffee bags from the UK
they came in really useful as coffee machine had no filters
Take...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Monika Lowry, Owner at Samsara Cliffs Resort
Responded 1 week ago
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this amazing review. We are truly happy that you enjoyed your time with us.
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I emailed with questions prior to arrival, I was told there would be a $100 Deposit held upon checkin (not mentioned on the website), but was not informed that it would have to be cash or on a credit card ONLY, which caused quite a bit of a hassle for me & check in time.. None of the staff we came in contact with wore name badges so I can’t be specific, but we encountered some really good employees in the upstairs restaurant for our 1 breakfast, 1 lunch & 1 dinner visit, only 1 friendly bartender, there was 1 bartender who had a negative attitude each time we requested ice, even when we gave tips for the ice, which by the way is the only way to get ice on the premises. The resort’s pizza restaurant across the street was very nice, great pizza, & another patron’s lasagna looked really good, but the server was not pleasant during our dining experience, she was much more pleasant when she was our bartender on St. Patrick’s Day. We never saw the other restaurant mentioned on the website open during our stay. The housekeepers were very pleasant & very helpful, once requests for things were made, (coffee maker, iron & ironing board), but it was very upsetting & very nerve wracking that we did not have full sets of towels upon arrival, & ALL that we had to go through each day of our stay in order to get towels throughout our 6 Day/5 Night Stay. I was appreciative of the fact that my room location request was accommodated, nice safe in the room & our beds were comfortable & a great balcony with an amazing view, absolutely amazing sunset views from the balcony & down below(cliff side)!! We really liked seeing the various boats passing by throughout the day! We stayed in the newer VUZ building, an amazing addition to the property since my 1st visit back in 2004!! There should be more than 2 shuttle departure times for their sister property, there were plenty of beach chairs at Samsara but NOT at Legends, very small number of beach chairs & umbrellas at that location. The toilet & the sofa chair in the room were both very low, other than that we liked our room. The menu items were more costly than what I was expecting, even though I did read MANY of the reviews about the prices & the property so we had to walk around searching for more affordable meals. The property was very clean, it would be really nice if they offered more entertainment throughout the week, the 1 night (Friday) there was entertainment during our stay, was a really nice live band & female singer. It’s a really nice, chill resort if you’re looking for something laid back & low key.
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Date of stay: March 2023
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Bring some towels and/or stay on the resort about towels
Bring a Bluetooth speaker to play your...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Be careful when booking into this resort. There is an old and new building. There were several people at the desk complaining that they didn't expect to be in such an old run down room for the amount of money they paid. Nothing like the pictures shown with bookings. Run down means doors that cannot stay shut unless locked with the key; broken security holds on doors, showers with shaky knobs, furniture so old that they cannot close; the rooms are really dated from way back when; I got a transfer to another room due to broken door to balcony (deluxe ocean view, obviously wrong choice of words) . Toiletries mean a tiny bar of soap and wash supplied once that's it, no complete change of towels, the only additional amenity in the room is a TV. If you leave anything dirty, cups or eateries on the balcony the staff wont be cleaning it up. It will surely be covered in ants though.
The only daily entertainment is the daily shuttle to Legends where there is a lovely beach. How many times can you take a dive off the small cliff into the ocean? The greenery surrounding the entrance is lovely. The bar and dining room staff are hospitable especially Tina. The cleaning staff are a law unto themselves.
Remember taxi fare to go any where is expensive. The rates are quoted and the taxi driver will still try and rip you off.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I had a wonderful stay at this hotel! My oceanfront room was cleaned spotless every single day, the bed was very comfortable, and the views were absolutely breathtaking! The property was very quiet and personal. The pool was very clean and not crowded at all. The food was delicious! Although not a 5-star, it sure felt like it to me!
Upon arrival, I was greeted with the most beautiful smile and welcome at the front desk. They got everything right!
The bar attendant...bad, bad energy. The moment I walked up to the bar, the woman attendant was not friendly at all. She never greeted me, gave me any eye contact, no smile, no nothing. Just a very flat, dead personality as if I was bothering her, yet she was on the clock. I asked her for a cup of ice, she looked me up and down from head to toe, walked off to get the ice and handed it to me. No words, no nothing. Extremely poor interaction with friendly, paying customers. I would not hire her to be in such close contact with customers who are simply there for some relaxation and enjoyment. I avoided purchasing anything at the bar for the rest of my stay because I didn't want to be around that kind of bad energy.
Overall, everything else was absolutely wonderful and I would stay at this property again.
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Monika Lowry, Owner at Samsara Cliffs Resort
Responded Oct 22, 2024
Thank you, for taking the time to share your experience. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the food on property and that you had a nice time during your stay with us. We appreciate your comments about your experience as we are always looking for ways to improve. We are truly happy that you enjoyed your time with us. Thank you for your visit.
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We stayed 10th to 20th March and the hotel did not disappoint. All staff were lovely in particular Eleri and her team. The food is very tasty, home cooked food, we never had a disappointing meal. The waitresses and bar staff were lovely and always happy. Send a shout out particularly to Tina, Kizzy ( who gave me the nickname tiny feet, stil makes me giggle), Ashika, Janel, Kimmy and Millicent who along with some of the others ran the bar. The reception staff and security guys were great, particularly Peter.
The snorkelling is great. To the right of the cliffs there's the blue cave and to the left were the Xtabi cliffs and caves. There were fishermen every day catching large barracuda, we saw eagle rays and other large and small rays. There are many fish, some we'd never seen before and lots of fans. We also saw a couple of moray eels and some squid.
We stayed in a garden room across the road, basic, large rooms which were clean with very comfortable beds. We didn't miss a fridge as there is water available in a butt at the bar, worth taking an insulated bottle. There is no soundproofing in these rooms, so this can disturb your sleep, we had a snorer next door for a couple of nights.
Bring beach towels as the towels they provide appear to have been cut in half, so are small. Shade is limited, if you're seeking shade and not as good as other places we've stayed. Personally, I wouldn't let this stop me visiting again as within a couple of days we were both very relaxed. Our holidays help us both relax and recharge from our stressful jobs.
The sunsets here are stunning too, plenty of sunbeds available. Could do with some greenery nearer the cliffs, beds.
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Date of stay: March 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Bring beach towels, mosquito repellent, be careful as we saw many people who burned quite badly,...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Came for Thanksgiving week with my husband and our three children (20,17, 15). Got the all-inclusive meal/drinks package. We had no expectation that it would be a high end experience but thought it would be cheap and cheerful in a great location; that was incorrect. It's too bad because the chunk of land they have is incredible, but the whole thing is terribly run down and feels sad. This is not just a few scuff marks on the walls: the rooms are clean but very dated, doors are peeling, the outdoor loungers are old and broken and need replacing, the umbrellas sun-bleached and barely hanging on, the "sunbeds" had no beds on them and were just slats of wood. We never got in any of the pools - no thanks. The bar was playing quiet downtempo music out of one speaker that you couldn't hear from a few feet away - zero vibe. There are supposedly 3 restaurants but we only found the main one, and there is an Italian joint across the street that wasn't included in the all-inclusive. Don't get the all-inclusive; the food is a real issue.
We left the next day for a different resort in Negril and were not allowed a refunded for an early departure for either the rooms or all-inclusive per day, of which we ate nothing and had only coffee and a couple beers (the drinks package has nothing you want either, besides red stripe). So we paid for the whole vacation and stayed for about 18 hours. That was upsetting.
The staff were incredibly nice.
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Remember that if the sea is rough you cannot get in the water.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Monika Lowry, Owner at Samsara Cliffs Resort
Responded Dec 2, 2024
Thank you for taking the time to send us your feedback and concerns. We regret that you were not satisfied with your stay with us and assure you that we will be addressing your concerns and make the necessary corrections based on your valued input. Thank you for your visit.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Miserable bar staff and restaurant staff (not all of them but they must know who they are) Limited food choices, limited times to actually eat anything so you ended up missing meals as a result. If you are a vegetarian or a bit fussy please don’t come here Room was lovely in the new building (ask for a terrace in new Vue room ) No tea or coffee available in room so bring a kettle or some sachets for coffee machine Was there 10 days and never had a drink in a glass once !! Who wants a cocktail in a paper cup that leaks ?? Vile !! On site shop a total rip off !! Views amazing !! Infinity pool lovely Lots of sun loungers free so no reserving them Reception staff lovely
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Just book a nicer hotel
It’s shabby and although the new rooms are lovely the place needs a...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Monika Lowry, Owner at Samsara Cliffs Resort
Responded Oct 29, 2024
Thank you for taking the time to send us your feedback and concerns. We regret that you were not satisfied with your stay with us and assure you that we will be addressing your concerns and make the necessary corrections based on your valued input. Thank you for your visit.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
There are more places to choose from in the Negril area.
PRICE RANGE
C$103 - C$180 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
samsara cliffs hotel negril, samsara hotel jamaica, samsara cliffs negril, samsara cliff resort
LOCATION
CaribbeanJamaicaWestmoreland ParishNegril
NUMBER OF ROOMS
70
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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