La Samanna, A Belmond Hotel, St Martin

Situated on perhaps the prettiest beach on St. Maarten. Great beach service and complementary water sports. Great snorkeling right off the beach (against the cliff to your left as you face the sea). The only downside of the beach is that independent boats come close to shore for snorkeling as well as dropping anchor for late afternoon parties on certain days which can take away from the chill vibe. There are two pools. The smaller of which is beautifully situated and overlooks the sea. This was our second visit and on both occasions we had big, beautiful junior suites with tremendous views. There are two restaurants. Fine dining in the main building and a more casual restaurant down below which still needs to find its footing. The island has some wonderful restaurant options and the hotel will arrange taxis for you. Typically the same driver will offer to pick you up on the return. Since our last visit, Belmont invested in a larger and more well equipped gym. Has everything you need. Lovely and well maintained property. All the hype is true.

I recently stayed overnight at La Samanna and had an exceptional experience. I rarely take the time to write a review but this resort truly deserves it - from the setting to the incredible service. The front desk staff were warm and welcoming and the hotel attendants were helpful in handling luggage and coordinating transportation. I stayed in a one-bedroom suite with a plunge pool overlooking the water with stunning sunset views. The food at the resort was also very good - In particular, I would highly recommend Laplaj for lunch overlooking the water and ask for Vincent. Vincent went above and beyond to provide exemplary hospitality and a level of service that's rare even at the finest properties in the world. All in all it was an incredible resort and I hope to return again for a longer stay.

La Samanna is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever had the pleasure of staying in. The rooms were absolutely fantastic with a perfect blend of luxury and comfort. The service throughout my stay was exceptional. The staff were friendly, attentive, and went out of their way to ensure everything was just right. The beach was beautiful and peaceful, providing a fantastic setting for a relaxing escape. The location allowed me to unwind, which was exactly what I was hoping for. While the hotel is on the pricier side, I found it to be well worth the cost. However, there was one thing I hadn’t anticipated which was the number of boat excursions docking in the water in front of the hotel throughout the day. While the beaches are public, and this is beyond the hotel’s control, it did interrupt the otherwise relaxing environment at times. Despite that small issue, I would happily stay at La Samanna again. It truly offers an amazing vibe and setting for a relaxing getaway with exceptional service.

La Samanna is gorgeous with spectacular views of the ocean, the beach and the sunset. The staff tends to your every need and are there instantly when you call them. Lovely people. The spa was fabulous and the beach perfect. You could not ask for more. A very special place.

We were told that La Samanna is the best hotel on the island. It is used to be so as some of our friends told us . The most expensive and luxurious. The first part of the information was confirmed. It's very expensive: drinks, food, services. But it's definitely not luxurious because the food is absolutely ordinary, and the service was really disappointing. Things changed to worse. We did not like French restaurant. All five of us think so. At the Italian one they at least tried to create an atmosphere. Thus you have to go outside to have dinner . At breakfast fruits are either not ripe yet or went sour already. If you order food from the menu the waiting time is about 25-30 minutes. 
Housekeeping comes whenever they feel like it, they forget to leave clean towels, and there are plenty of small ants in the room, even though we made sure not to leave any food out. We had to wait a long time for things to be brought, and sometimes we had to repeat our requests.
At the exit from the terrace to the beach, there’s a large seashell intended for washing off the sand from your feet. They didn't change the water there every day, and they disinfected it only once in 10 days.
For several days, there was some kind of renovation happening in the room above ours. There was drilling, people were cutting tiles with a saw. The noise was unbearable, and of course, it didn't improve our vacation. There is nothing to do in the evening. Two times we saw awful singers near the restaurant. But I prefer them not to come. There is no any table tennis or billiards or some table games . All staff is indifferent . The only nice person we met is Claud at the reception. He really wanted to help. 
And the most unpleasant part: we left the hotel covered in bites from mosquitoes and tiny black flies, which made our life unbearable. Now we’ll be itching and treating wounds at home.
What’s good about the hotel? The territory is well maintained. 
The ocean and views are beautiful. And The best water for swimming. But that’s definitely not the hotel’s merit