I celebrated my 70th birthday with 3 nights at Samsara Resort. My daughter and I had a cliffside view room. The water & sunsets were beautiful (don't know about sunrises because we aren't early risers!) We did a Groupon all-inclusive package and the food was always very good. The waitstaff was wonderful at all times. Special kudos to Camilla who always remembered our names and took great care of us at mealtimes. Also, thanks to Rudy for a thrilling van ride from Montego Bay Airport to the Resort about an hours ride away. He told us a lot about the area too. This is not a 4 star hotel - no fancy soap or extras - but just take your own favorite shampoo, hand soaps, hair dryer, beach towel (we took extra washcloths) and you'll have a great time. The 2 double beds were every comfortable and the rooms were cleaned daily. We did opt for an air conditioned room and used it for a couple of hours in the early evening. We took OFF for mosquito protection but never used it. I think with the breezes that maybe mosquitoes are not a problem there. And we were out in the evening. Oh, and thanks to the bartenders for all the wonderful frozen pina colados and zombies! I really miss those. I would mention one possible downside for some travelers - there are a lot of steps. Maybe only 1 or 2 at a time but just very unlevel areas. It is not wheelchair friendly or for ones a little unsteady walking.

After our 3 nights at Samsara, we went over to Legends (about 15 minutes away and owned by the same company) and spent 3 nights there. We had a beach side room only 20' or so from the dining and bar area and the beach. The rooms were almost identical to Samsara. It is also much more level but there are still a few steps. Both resorts have additional rooms across a fairly busy street and those are described as the Garden rooms. I think they are a little less expensive but I'd probably still opt for the cliffside or beachside rooms at either hotel to get out of crossing the busy street. Although, there was usually a "guard" there to help one cross.

We never felt unsafe at either location. We took a taxi only once to go to the craft market a couple of miles away. Establish the fare before you go. The vendors were all very polite to negotiate with. At Samsara, there were no vendors inside the hotel grounds but at Legends the approved/licensed vendors can set up places along the beach area. They were not in front of the hotel though and would only walk through announcing what they were selling. They did not come up and bother you and stopped only if you wanted to see or purchase something.

We loved our time in Jamaica and highly recommend both of these hotels. If you're not looking for the really busy nightlife or the lavishness of a 5 Star place and just want a quiet and comfortable place to relax, them give them a try. Oh, and don't forget the frozen pina colados!! Take a large travel mug and they'll fill it up for you. Enjoy!!

I visited February 2 to February 6 2012. The property was poorly lit at night and i missed my footing several times. Some staff were unfriendly, the bedding (mattress) was hard, the entrance door was not locking securely (shook even when locked), no hot water for first day and a half, the "free" WIFI did not work in the bar area or lobby as they said it would, only IWireless their paid site worked, they woke us up at night to come down and settle a bill even though we were checking out at 10 AM the next day. They said the front desk people do not come until 8 am or later.

After reading the numerous reviews we knew for the most part the type of accommodations to expect at the Samsara. We have been to Negril before and stayed with an all-inclusive large resort on Bloody Bay. It was too far for our likings from Seven Mile Beach and the Cliffs, so we elected to find a place on the cliffs near Town. We upgraded to Ocean side, which now I am so glad we did so as not to cross the dangerous road back and forth between locations. Our room was very modest, and some travelers would be very unhappy. But they were clean, and the staff did a wonderful job on daily cleaning. Paying extra for air-conditioning is petty in my book and for the most part not needed (the night ocean breeze was fantastic). The facilities are quiet in the evening for the most part. We decided to give the all-inclusive a go....and I'm not sure I would do it again. The food off the menu looked better, and the all-inclusive drink selection was a joke. But, I enjoyed the refreshing Red-Stripe on tap. The food was hit-and-miss buffet style. It is very convenient to shuttle back-and-forth to Legends on Seven Mile Beach (Samsara's sister resort). The food is pretty much the same, the pool area is small and crappy, but the beach is great! Glad we stayed at the Samsara versus Legends. O'Wayne is the drink master and will take good care of you. The beds are hard as a rock, but you'll adjust after a day or two. We will be returning for a longer visit next winter.

We are just back from Samsara Cliffs and enjoyed this resort alot.For the price we paid we would have been happy to have a locking door and a roof over our head but we were pleasantly surprised to be given a Superior Ocean Front room.I had also booked a room at Catcha Falling Star Gardens just in case the bad reveiws for Samsara were true.We went to Catcha for one night to check it out,realized we had made a mistake and hurried back to Samsara.After spending many years (since 1982) on the beach we were amazed at how quiet and relaxing this cliff location was.Every member of the staff that we encountered was pleasant and helpful.We do not do AI in Negril due to the many great places to eat but ate in Samsara's restaurant for breakfast and lunch a few times with no complaints.This is a good Jamaican hotel,in fact,for the money I would say one of the best.In closing I would say we are "good at Negril" which means patience and understanding.Don't use this resort if you are expecting a palace experience.For the low rates you won't get it here.