Please help two ignorant first time visitors find a good, central, reasonable hotel in San Jose. We are looking at the Vesuvio, Balmoral, and Holiday Inn. Any help glady received.
William and Jennifer

Unless you have to stay in San Jose for some reason, consider staying in the outlying suburbs instead. If you are looking for a place near the airport, Alajuela is actually closer than San Jose and there are a lot of hotels there in pretty locations. Staying in one of those locations can also shorten your drive to Arenal and the Pacific coast by a significant amount of time. High end options would be Xandari or Vista del Valle, mid range Orquiedas Inn or Hotel Buena Vista and lower range Vida Tropical. There is also Hampton Inn right next to the airport.

Iza gave you all good choices.

I have seen all of these places but have only stayed at the Vista del Vallee.
I can help you if you choose Vista del Vallee
Percy

If you really want to stay in San Jose (and we think it is worth at least a morning stroll), try the Hotel Don Carlos. Splendid service. Ask for one of the quieter rooms. Also we have walked past and read good reviews on the Hotel Dunn. We especially like the Don Carlos because they have a very nice gift shop plus they are super close to most of the sights one would want to check out in San Jose (5-10 minutes walking distance).

Just returned from a week in CR, first time there, stayed in Alajuela first night at Orquideas Inn, loved it, stayed last night at Hotel Don Carlos and would highly recommend it as well, but would not stay in San Jose again, as the day and a half spent there was a waste of time we could have spent enjoying the beautiful country surrounding San Jose. Not much to see in San Jose, next time will not stay in San Jose area at all.

The hotel Dunn Inn is just a couple of blocks from the hotel Don Carlos. There is a coffee shop on the corner just up the street that has wonderful breakfasts as well as other meals. It was sold a while back but I hear that they have maintained the same quality of food/coffee.
Both hotels are in the Barrio Amon historic district which has some lovely old buildings. I have spent a good bit of time wandering around by myself there looking at the buildings.
The gift shop at Don Carlos is about 1/2 the size it used to be but it does still carry a lot of things and some people go there just to shop. There are many weddings at the Don Carlos also because it has such a pretty courtyard. They have a nice little cafe where you can get espresso or cappuchino coffee as well as light meals. Neither of those places are on the scale of the three you are talking about but they have a lot more character. The Holiday Inn Aurola is only about 3 blocks from Hotel Don Carlos. I spent one night there a few years ago and it felt like it could have been in any country in the world. They were working on the park across the street last time I was there and it looked like it was going to be very pretty. The holiday Inn has lots of shops nearby.
That said, unless you really have a thing for the city, I would stay at one of the nice places closer to the airport in Alajuela. Many have been mentioned on this board. If you want golf the Melia Cariari is not too far. For a spa experience Xandari is excellent.

i stay at the morazan costa rica. it's a smaller casino/hotel. nice clean rooms with a/c, nice price, nice people. right in the middle of everything/town. others are right, san jose is only good for a stroll, don't spend time there. head straight for the beach!