Belmond La Samanna

We chose Belmond La Samanna after staying at their Maroma location in Mexico last year and taking the Belmond train in Scotland last year as well. However, we were disappointed at the service at La Samanna. The lack of service started from check in. We had booked a car service through the hotel and when we arrived at the hotel there was nobody to help us unload our luggage. We offloaded our luggage and went in looking for someone to check us in. A confused young lady at the front desk finally offered us a welcome drink and told us that she will come back to check us in. Once she finally came back, she said her credit card machine was not working and had to take our credit card to the office to check us in, which is fine, but then no one explained to us where the restaurants etc were nor us a tour of the hotel. Then they couldn’t locate our luggage so we could change and sit by the beach until our room was ready. Finally once we got to our room we realized that the phone is not working and there are no vanity kits to remove make up etc. .When we asked them for vanity kits we were told that they ran out of them and said “sorry for the inconvenience”!!! No remedy or solution. It doesn’t end here: There was a large group that was at the hotel for an event and due to the large group they shut down all the restaurants to other guests so we couldn’t get dinner reservations at the hotel. When we tried to order a late lunch at the beach, we were told that the beach side service was also stopped at 2 PM instead of 3.30 pm to accommodate the large party dinner later that evening so we couldn’t even order lunch. We ended up ordering room service for lunch. We asked the concierge to make a reservation at an outside restaurant for dinner and when we got there, we were told that they did not have any reservation under our name, but we were still able to be seated thankfully. Most of the restaurants had no availability because of the large group and we could barely eat dinner at the hotel because of restaurants being booked out. We then asked to speak to a manager and were told that someone will get in touch with us and no one got in touch with us for over a day. Finally my husband contacted Amex because we had booked through their Fine Hotels and Resorts Program and Amex spoke to the manager directly and conveyed our concerns. We were ready to leave the hotel early and move to a different hotel due to the lack of service but finally the managed reached out to us and we were able to come to a resolution without having to leave the hotel early. Some positives are that the property and the beach are absolutely stunning!! The servers at the beach were great and food at the restaurants when we were finally able to eat was also good. Overall we were disappointed with the hotel and will not be returning to this specific location.

La Samanna is very luxurious resort. Resort and Staff are amazing. Our family enjoyed the views from the resort.

I’ve been coming to St. Martin for nearly 15 years, and over the years I’ve had the pleasure of staying at La Samanna many times. Yet somehow, this most recent visit reminded me why it remains one of my favorite places in the world. My stay began in one of the beachfront one-bedroom suites, and it was absolute perfection—beautiful, cozy, comfortable, and just steps from the sea. After a long day of travel, I ordered room service and found myself enjoying what felt less like a hotel meal and more like a special dining experience. Later, I hosted a group of friends in one of the villas, and the experience was equally exceptional. There were five of us, and somehow the villa managed to feel both luxurious and deeply personal. It felt like home. What truly sets La Samanna apart, however, is the people. Every single person we encountered—from the breakfast staff to the beach attendants who thoughtfully brought towels and water, to the restaurant teams, housekeeping, and concierge—was warm, gracious, and genuinely kind. Their hospitality isn’t performative; it’s heartfelt. They anticipate your needs, make you feel cared for, and do so with a generosity of spirit that is increasingly rare. The breakfast is outstanding, the beach bar is wonderful, the accommodations are beautiful, but it is the people who make La Samanna unforgettable. I’ve traveled extensively and stayed in many luxury properties around the world, and I can honestly say that La Samanna offers one of the finest hospitality experiences I’ve ever had. It’s not just five-star luxury—it’s five-star comfort, five-star warmth, and five-star kindness. There is something magical about St. Martin, and there is something truly special about La Samanna. Every time I leave, I find myself looking forward to returning. Thank you for making me and my friends feel so welcomed, so cared for, and so completely at home. ❤️ — Sidra Smith

Spent a week here. Nice experience. Beach was great and food was very good. The rooms should be upgraded as they're a little tired. The pools are beautiful but the management has not learned the lesson almost all other 5 star resorts have learned- there should be an adult pool and a family with kids pool. Easy. Instead you get screaming kids. Other Belmonda get it (eg La Residencia for instance). La Samana doesn't.

We had a wonderful time at this hotel and have only positive things to say. The room was very nice and offered direct access and a view of the beautiful beach. The breakfast was excellent, and we highly recommend the Spiaggi restaurant. Finally, the service from the entire staff was truly top-notch. Highly recommended!