Hotel Recommendations in Downtown San Jose
 

I'm looking for a hotel recommendation for downtown San Jose. I tried booking at Grano De Oro Hotel, but the room type I wanted I completely full during my time period. Any other recommendations on a similar level and price range? Thanks!

Not sure if they fit what you're looking for but I love Casa 69 and Don Carlos is great too.

We stayed at Casa 69 and I would absolutely recommend it.

Bummer about Grano de Oro; we thought that was a great hotel. They have a good restaurant too.

Do you think it's even worth spending time in San Jose? My choices are:
1. Spend the morning and early afternoon at Manuel Antonio (after having spend 1.5 days there), travel to a hotel near SJO Airport in the early afternoon. Stay there overnight and fly out 6am the next day, or
2. Leave Manuel Antonio (after having spent 1.5 days there), travel to a hotel in downtown SJO. Explore downtown SJO during the afternoon/evening. Stay there overnight and fly out 6am the next day.

I'm wondering whether my time is better spend exploring downtown San Jose, or spending a few more hours at Manuel Antonio and then just staying at a hotel near the SJO airport. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

I would personally rather spend the time in Manuel Antonio.

That's too bad about the Grano de Oro. It's pretty much the only hotel in downtown San Jose that is worth recommending. If you don't mind staying outside of the city, check out the Hotel Beacon in Escazu or the Xandari Hotel in Alajuela.

Yep, if you want a posh kind of place, we loved Xandari too.

Not true Stephanie. Casa 69 is gorgeous inside and complete with tons of tropical plants, sitting areas and amazing original artwork everywhere. Truly an oasis in the city.

Is there anything similar to Hotel Beacon or Xandari but cheaper?

hip, that courtyard looks beautiful.

Haven't stayed there, but Adventure Inn is another place you could look at - people seem to like it.

Debating another partial day in Manuel Antonio vs. San Jose, I'd probably stay in MA longer because you're not there for very long. One day you'll do the national park and you'll probably want another beach day. You could also do a tour of the mangrove (Isla Damas?) we tried to go but the tides were not right for us. But if beach is not your thing and you cannot find another activity you want to do around MA, you could wander around San Jose.

This time I really did like staying in downtown San Jose (Casa 69). If you want to do something on your last evening, you could stay in San Jose and go out to a restaurant and wander around, even if you stay in MA most of the day. It's less than 30 minutes from the airport and $20 taxi ride. Our best supper of the trip was in an Argentinian restaurant in SJ. But if you're the type to relax in your room for the evening, then you could stay near the airport. We were doubting our decision to stay downtown until we got there, and it was so much more fun.

I like the Don Carlos myself. The staff is super friendly.

Pura Vida,
Ballardo Diaz