You might forget that you're only 15 minutes from San José on the Bougainvillea's extensive grounds, which bump up against coffee farms. The spacious and carpeted but otherwise unremarkable rooms are furnished with local hardwoods. Rooms on the second and third floors have large balconies; get one with a view of the gardens behind the hotel. The eight-acre garden, shaded by large trees, holds an extensive bromeliad collection and has ample open areas for kids. Pre-Columbian pottery and paintings by Costa Rican artists decorate the lobby and restaurant ($-$$), which serves a small but excellent selection of Continental cuisine. An hourly shuttle takes you to the Hotel Villa Tournón in San José.
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