You’re driving down the Nicoya Peninsula, dodging the occasional coatimundi and wondering if your GPS actually knows where it's going. The road to Samara isn't the paved highway dream of San José. It's dusty. It’s green. It feels like the Costa Rica people talk about when they say the country has "changed" too much—except here, it hasn't. Then you see it. Azura Beach Resort Samara Costa Rica sits right on the edge of the sand, a stark, modern contrast to the jungle backdrop.
Most people book this place thinking it’s just another cookie-cutter all-inclusive. They’re wrong.
Honestly, the "all-inclusive" label in Costa Rica is a bit of a gamble. You have the massive mega-resorts in Papagayo that feel like Florida with more monkeys, and then you have the boutique spots that charge you $20 for a bottled water. Azura tries to thread a very specific needle. It’s adults-only, which immediately changes the vibe from "screaming kids at the buffet" to "quietly reading a paperback by the infinity pool." But there’s a nuance to Samara that most travelers miss before they land.
The Reality of Playa Samara
Samara isn't Tamarindo. Thank God for that.
While Tamarindo has earned the nickname "Tamagringo" for its high-density tourism and surf-bro culture, Samara remains a horseshoe-shaped sanctuary. The reef acts as a natural breakwater. This means the water at Azura Beach Resort Samara Costa Rica is actually swimmable. That sounds like a low bar, right? It isn't. Many Guanacaste beaches have a literal "neck-breaker" shore break that makes a casual dip feel like a wrestling match with the Pacific Ocean. Here, the water is calm. You can actually stand in it without losing your sunglasses.
The resort itself is tucked away on the southern end of the beach. It’s private but not isolated. You can walk along the shoreline for about 20 minutes and find yourself in the heart of Samara village, where the sodas (local Tico restaurants) serve up casado for a fraction of resort prices.
Why the "Adults Only" Tag Matters Here
It’s not about being a party spot. If you’re looking for a Las Vegas pool party with EDM at 10:00 AM, you’re going to be disappointed. The vibe is sophisticated, almost hushed. It's for couples who actually want to talk to each other. Or for solo travelers who want to finish a 500-page novel without being hit by a stray beach ball.
The Food Situation: Let's Be Real
All-inclusive food usually gets a bad rap. Sometimes it’s deserved. At Azura, the experience is a mix of buffet convenience and a la carte ambition.
You’ve got options like L’Ancora, which leans into Italian flavors, and Blue, which focuses more on the seafood you’d expect when you’re literally staring at the ocean. Is it Michelin-star dining? No. But it’s significantly better than the lukewarm vats of mystery pasta you find at the massive chains.
🔗 Read more: Why an Escape Room Stroudsburg PA Trip is the Best Way to Test Your Friendships
One thing most guests don't realize is that the resort shares some DNA with its neighbor, Sativa. Because of this, the footprint of the resort feels larger than it actually is. You have the choice of several bars, but the "Pelican" bar is where most people end up. Why? Because the bartenders actually know how to make a Chiliguaro. If you haven't had one, it’s a Costa Rican staple—tomato juice, lime, hot sauce, and cacique (sugar cane liquor). It’s basically a spicy kick to the face that tastes like vacation.
The Seafood Factor
Local sourcing is a buzzword, but in Samara, it’s a necessity. The fishing boats are right there. When you order the catch of the day, there's a very high probability it was swimming past the resort six hours earlier. The mahi-mahi (locally called dorado) is almost always the move.
Room Logistics and What to Request
Listen, not all rooms at Azura Beach Resort Samara Costa Rica are created equal.
If you book a standard suite, you’re getting luxury, sure. But the "Swim-up" suites are the ones people fight over. There is something fundamentally different about waking up, opening a sliding glass door, and falling into a pool. It bypasses the whole "packing a beach bag" chore.
- Pro Tip: Request a room on a higher floor if you want the sunset views. The jungle canopy is thick. If you’re on the ground floor, you’re looking at tropical flowers and hibiscus (which is great), but you might miss the orange-and-purple sky show that happens around 5:30 PM.
- The AC Test: In the Guanacaste heat, AC is life. The systems here are modern and—crucially—quiet. You won't feel like you're sleeping inside a jet engine.
- The Minibar: It's restocked daily. It’s part of the price. Use it.
The "Hidden" Costs of Paradise
Let's talk about the stuff the brochure leaves out.
Costa Rica is expensive. Even at an all-inclusive, you’re going to want to leave the property. To get the most out of Azura, you need to budget for the "off-campus" experiences.
Transport is the big one. Liberia Airport (LIR) is about a two-hour drive. You can take a shared shuttle, but a private transfer is going to run you about $150 to $200. Don't try to save money by taking a local taxi unless you speak fluent Spanish and love haggling in the heat.
The Tipping Culture. While "gratuities included" is the official line, the reality on the ground is different. The staff at Azura—the housekeepers, the servers, the guys dragging the kayaks down to the water—work incredibly hard. A few dollars goes a long way. It’s not mandatory, but it’s the right thing to do.
💡 You might also like: Why San Luis Valley Colorado is the Weirdest, Most Beautiful Place You’ve Never Been
What to Do When You're Bored of the Pool
You will get bored of the pool. It takes about three days. When that happens, Samara has a weirdly high concentration of cool stuff to do that isn't just "zip-lining" (though you can do that too).
1. Isla Chora
See that little island sitting in the middle of the bay? You can kayak to it. It takes about 20-30 minutes of paddling from the beach in front of Azura. Once you’re there, the snorkeling is decent, but the real draw is the "secret beach" feel. It’s a pinkish-sand beach covered in hermit crabs. Just watch the tide. If it goes out while you're there, you're going to have a much harder time paddling back against the current.
2. The Werner Sauter Forest Reserve
Most people go to Costa Rica for the rainforest, but Samara is actually in a tropical dry forest. It’s a different ecosystem. It’s crunchier. In the dry season (December to April), the trees lose their leaves to conserve water, making it incredibly easy to spot howler monkeys. You will hear them before you see them. They sound like dinosaurs.
3. Gyrocopter Tours
If you’ve got a bit of a daredevil streak, there’s a small flight school nearby that does gyrocopter tours. It’s basically a lawn chair attached to a rotor. You fly low over the coastline. From that height, you can see the rays and sharks in the clear water of the reef. It’s terrifying and beautiful.
Managing Your Expectations
I’ve seen reviews where people complain that there are bugs.
Newsflash: It’s a jungle.
At Azura Beach Resort Samara Costa Rica, the staff does a heroic job of trying to keep nature at bay, but you are going to see a lizard. You might see a large grasshopper that looks like it belongs in a sci-fi movie. This isn't a failure of the resort; it’s the reality of the location. Embrace it. If you want a sterile, bug-free environment, stay in Omaha.
Another thing: the Wi-Fi. It’s generally good, but Costa Rican thunderstorms don’t care about your Zoom call. If a massive cell moves in, the internet might flicker. Use it as an excuse to unplug.
📖 Related: Why Palacio da Anunciada is Lisbon's Most Underrated Luxury Escape
The Service Dynamic
There is a concept in Costa Rica called Pura Vida. People use it as a greeting, but it’s really a philosophy of "slow down."
At the resort, this translates to service that is incredibly friendly but sometimes follows its own internal clock. If you’re used to the frantic, high-pressure service of New York or London, you might find it "slow." It’s not. It’s just relaxed. If your drink takes an extra four minutes, look at the ocean. You’ll be fine.
Best Time to Visit Azura
Timing is everything.
- Dry Season (High Season): December through April. This is when you get the guaranteed sunshine. It’s also when the resort is at its most expensive and the town of Samara is bustling.
- Green Season: May through November. Don't be afraid of the rain. Usually, it’s sunny all morning, followed by a massive, cinematic downpour in the afternoon, and then a clear evening. The prices drop significantly. The jungle is also much greener and "alive" during this time.
- The "Shoulder" Months: November and May are the sweet spots. You get lower prices and decent weather, though it’s always a bit of a gamble.
Is It Worth It?
If you are looking for a massive, high-energy party resort where people are doing tequila shots at the check-in desk, Azura Beach Resort Samara Costa Rica is not your place.
However, if you want a base camp that feels high-end but grounded, where the beach is actually usable and the town nearby feels authentic, then yes. It’s one of the few places in Guanacaste that managed to get the "all-inclusive" formula right without erasing the local soul.
It’s about balance. You get the luxury of a rain shower and high-thread-count sheets, but you can still hear the howler monkeys screaming in the trees outside your window.
Actionable Steps for Your Trip
If you’ve decided to pull the trigger and book, here is how you actually execute the trip without the headaches:
- Fly into LIR (Liberia), not SJO (San José). San José is a five-hour drive away. Liberia is two. Save your sanity.
- Book your airport transfer in advance. Don't wing it at the arrivals gate. Use a reputable company like Swell Transfers or the resort's own shuttle service.
- Pack "Reef-Safe" Sunscreen. The reef in Samara is fragile. Regular sunscreen kills it. Most shops in town sell the good stuff, but it’s cheaper to bring it with you.
- Download Offline Maps. Cell service drops out in the mountains between the highway and the coast. If you’re driving a rental, you’ll need Google Maps available offline.
- Learn basic Spanish phrases. While the resort staff speaks great English, the people in Samara village will appreciate a muchas gracias or la cuenta, por favor. It goes a long way toward getting the "local" experience.
- Bring a reusable water bottle. The tap water in Samara is generally safe to drink (unlike many other parts of Latin America), and the resort has filling stations. It saves plastic and keeps your water cold on the beach.
The magic of Samara isn't found in a brochure. It's found in that hour right before the sun goes down, sitting on the sand with a cold drink, watching the horses walk by on the beach while the Pacific tide rolls in. Azura just gives you a very comfortable front-row seat to the show.