Bord De Mer, Anivorano, Iriana, 515 Sainte Marie, Madagascar
#1 of 22 hotels in Sainte Marie
Guests' ChoiceBased on 27 hotel reviews
9.6Cleanliness
9.6
Comfort
9.6
Location
9.6
Facilities
9.5
Staff
9.9
Value for money
9.7
Free WiFi
7.5
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Showing 1 – 25
Reviewed: 29 May 2024
Henriette
Germany-
Everything, No complaints at all. The property is beautiful and everybody is super friendly and willing to help if you have a problem. The owner Marc is very kind and always available if you have a problem or in general for any questions. He’s really helpful and sits down with you to make a plan to explore the island. The rooms are very clean. The nature pool is just stunning. The food is amazing as well. You can tell that the whole team really does everything out of heart, the ambience is just beautiful. No open wishes. Thanks to the whole team to make our trip so wonderful and perfect! Highly recommend this lodge!
Stayed in May 2024
Reviewed: 16 May 2024
Alexander
United KingdomAs always with "bungalow" style, you can get a few insects and the occasional gecko in the bungalow, but nothing more than that (unlike most other bungalows I've stayed in). They clean twice a day to make sure there are no unwanted extras.
Perfect location out of the way of the tourist town. The host goes out of his way to ensure you enjoy your stay. There's a peaceful garden and private natural harbour. An hour's walk away is a beautiful waterfall that is great for swimming and is so far from tourists it is not even signposted. This is the most comfortable of the "bungalow" style accommodation that is common in Madagascar. A mini coral reef on the doorstep with free snorkeling and kayaking was especially good. This is one of the most peaceful spots you could find.
Stayed in May 2024
Reviewed: 29 November 2023
Emil
CanadaNot much
The location is peaceful. The rooms are nice. The staff is good. The food is pretty good.
Stayed in November 2023
Reviewed: 21 November 2023
Julie
FinlandWe felt at home but as special guests on the same time. It was on of my best hotel experience ever. The food is really good, the lodge is spacious, clean and in excellent condition.
Stayed in October 2023
Reviewed: 8 October 2023
Ashton
CanadaIf anything could be improved, the shower water temperature was either boiling hot or cold - but hard to complain as we were happy to have some hot water regardless. The road in may be a bit rough for some folks, but we managed fine on a motorbike. You can also take a tuktuk, but it’s a bit of a far drive from town.
The owner Marc was incredibly helpful and all the staff were very friendly. It was a great base to explore the north of the island from. Really nice property overall and exceeded our expectations! The food was also excellent and reasonably priced. We liked the more remote location, away from the bustle of town.
Stayed in October 2023
Reviewed: 5 September 2023
Valentin
Germany-
Super friendly and organized staff and very cool owner who runs spectacular whalewatching tours. The lodge is a gem on the island!
Stayed in September 2023
Reviewed: 17 August 2023
Fiona
GermanyThe location is beautiful, it’s pretty remote up in the north, so you always need to order food in advance. But you have beautiful nature around you and you get to see the whales from the breakfast table. Marc really is a great and very kind host. We had a great time!
Stayed in August 2023
Reviewed: 28 July 2023
Pierpaolo
ItalyThe view over the Ocean with jumping whales. Natural swimming pool
Stayed in July 2023
Reviewed: 16 April 2023
Jascha
GermanyEverything was perfect. Marc was a Great Host and helped us pick out and organise the activities on the island. A lot of the activities around the hotel were included in the price of the hotel. They offered free canoes and snorkeling equipment and Marc even gave us some of his own equipment when there wasn’t enough. At the hotel there is a piscine naturelle and as soon as you leave the piscine you can see many different fish, so you don’t have to go far to have a great opportunity for snorkeling. There weren’t a lot of vegetarian dishes on the menu but they quickly managed to offer different options, which were all really tasty.
Stayed in March 2023
Reviewed: 9 April 2023
Nils
NorwayBeautiful setting by the natural pool with good snorkeling and good food! Very helpful owner can arrange different activities and has a lot of information about the island.
Stayed in April 2023
Reviewed: 3 January 2023
Sara
SwedenThe best restaurant in St Marie, really nice lodges, beautiful garden and breathtaking views. Nice snorkelling right at the hotel. The owners are super professional and caring and staff all really friendly. A piece of heaven.
Stayed in January 2023
Reviewed: 23 November 2022
Joseph
United KingdomOur stay at Samaria Lodge was definitely a standout experience during me and my partners two week trip in Madagascar. The location was incredibly serene and everything about the place from the cosy and clean bungalows to the restaurant overlooking the sea makes staying at Samararia absolute bliss. The food was definitely some of, if not THE best that we had - would recommend the Camarons or Zebu steak! The standout point that makes Samaria truly great however, is the owner Marc and the staff that work there. Marc has built something, which is truly unique and he takes massive pride in offering a great experience for those that stay at the lodge. He's a true gentleman, host and just all round chill guy and really looked after us during our stay. He took us out on his boat where we swam and also spear fished - I managed to get a fish, which the restaurant cooked up for me! It was also touching to see how much Marc cares for his staff, which is reflective of the great service that Figaris, Giraldo and Rico provided. If you're thinking of visiting Sainte Marie or even Madagascar, you absolutely need to visit Samaria!
Stayed in October 2022
Reviewed: 5 November 2022
Maria
GermanyPretty much nothing.
Marc was an awesome host! He was caring and very helpful in organizing trips. The staff was absolutely fantastic (greetings to Rico!). The food is a bit more expensive compared to other places but quality and taste were very good. Overall our stay was very nice and if we come back to Madagascar we will definately come back to the Samaria Lodge as well!
Stayed in October 2022
Reviewed: 5 October 2022
Olivier
BelgiumNothing! Everything was perfect!
What a magical place! What a wonderful staff! This is what vacation is all about!
Stayed in October 2022
Reviewed: 2 October 2022
David
SpainWe spent some wonderful days at Samaria Lodge. We have a problem with the arrival and Marc helped us from the very beginning, even though he didn't have to. He is the perfect host, welcoming, helpful and eager to make your stay as good as possible. The staff is also very nice and they will also go far and beyond what you expect. Food is delicious and you will be able to use a kayak or googles to do snorkeling if you want to.
Stayed in October 2022
Reviewed: 28 September 2022
David
United StatesThe only thing that could have been better was not being sick from eating some local food while in town. Also it would have been better if I could have stayed longer at the facility
The setting is beautiful. Watched whales pass by almost daily. This time of year, mid to late September is migration to the arctic. The host took us out for a whale watch as well. The place is clean. Food was delicious. Staff was very gracious and accommodating. The grounds are beautiful with many plantings and flowers. Marc, our host, did much more than expected to make the stay wonderful.
Stayed in September 2022
Reviewed: 19 September 2022
Reegan
United KingdomThe only criticism is the water pressure. Showering requires a lot of patience as the water is very slow to run but wouldn’t deter us from staying again.
Our stay at Samaria Lodge was truly incredible. The staff were exceptional and the facilities beautiful. The owner and and family clearly have a passion for their business and the attention to detail was notable. I would highly recommend staying here.
Stayed in September 2022
Reviewed: 18 August 2022
Charon
NetherlandsWhat an amazing place, vibe, the care, the team, the silence!
Stayed in August 2022
Reviewed: 2 August 2022
Nijad
United StatesA paradise on the north of the island. Marc single-handedly made sure everything I needed was attended to
Stayed in July 2022
Reviewed: 5 January 2024
Mustafa
DenmarkThis "nature" pool in the foto is much much smaller than the picture. The picture is somehow manipulated ..
The bungalows are good. I recommend this hotel. The owner is friendly 🙂 . Cool guy !
Stayed in December 2023
Reviewed: 17 May 2023
Anonymous
MadagascarThe food was not consistent, sometimes it’s great sometimes it’s terrible. The coffee was really bad.
The lodge is by the water, very peaceful and the staff were super friendly. Marc was an amazing host. Even though he was not there when we got there, he took care of us so well - he gave great tips about what to do and supported us with every request we made. We will definitely come back.
Stayed in May 2023
Reviewed: 16 May 2023
Anonymous
SpainEasily one of the most magical place I have ever been to. Slightly far from the city center but a very peaceful and beautiful place with very well thought amenities Marc and his team are beyond wonderful hosts in all aspects. Ideal stay should be at least 3 days to enjoy the place and visit the northern part of the island
Stayed in May 2023
Reviewed: 17 April 2023
Jascha
GermanyThere are no comments available for this review
Stayed in March 2023
Reviewed: 31 August 2022
Sylvain
KenyaThere are no comments available for this review
Stayed in August 2022
Showing 1 – 25
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