Melissa5

I'd appreciate advice on San Jose hotels. I'm a light sleeper and need a room that is quiet at night for sleeping.

But I also need a good central location because we're staying 2 nights in San Jose so that we can enjoy some night-life with my son and 2 daughters. (22, 18, and 19 years.) We want to be close to El Pueblo for night-life and close to the Jade Museum.

Does anyone know if the Hotel Santo Tomas and the Hotel Don Carlos have quiet rooms? Street noises keep me awake, as well as noises coming through thin hotel walls from the room next door...

I am also looking at the Hotel Le Bergerac, which I think is in a quiet location on the south-eastern edge of the city in Los Yoses area. But how far would that be from El Pueblo and the Jade Museum?

Gracias for any suggestions.

faithie

Hi Melissa , The Barrio Amon area is a great area to be in , lots of pretty little inns scattered about in this area . We ate and shopped at the Don Carlos , we stayed at The Casa Verde De Amon , and also Grano De Oro , both were super . I do not think you could go wrong with Santo Thomas or Le Bergerac . As far as street noise , I cant say , its all relative I guess . Maybe you will be so tired you will sleep through anything , or so excited you will not sleep at all ! You will love it !!

glover

We stayed at the Le Bergerac last May and liked it very much. Big rooms, beautiful bathrooms. Most rooms have pretty little garden just outside. Very good FRENCH restaurant in the hotel. Very good TICO staff (though it may be Canadian owned, I'm not sure) Just a half block off Avenida Central -- but definitely a cab ride to the museums, etc. It's a nice enough neighorhood -- some embassies around there. As Los Yoses is on the eastern edge of the city it's a great spot to say if you're going in the direction of Cartago, Cerro de La Muerte, San Gerardo, San Isidro, etc.

Melissa5

GLOVER: Thanks for the info on Le Bergerac. It looks very appealing on-line...just the kind of place I like. However, after San Jose we're going north...to Arenal. So how long do you think it would take to drive from Le Bergerac northwards, to get out of San Jose and be on our way to Arenal? Just wondering how much out-of-the-way the Le Bergerac is...Did you find it quiet at night for sleeping? Could you hear traffic noise from your room?

Gracias.

Melissa5

Faithie, the Bario Amon area does sound like one of the more interesting areas of San Jose to be in. There are a lot of things about the Santo Tomas and the Hotel Don Carlos that sound appealing...But I find it especially hard to sleep my first night in a new hotel. I know for sure if I can hear traffic it will make things worse.

Grano de Oro gets good reviews too, but it's not as close to El Pueblo or the Jade Museum... I haven't heard of the Casa Verde de Amon...Have to look that one up...

It's fun browsing through hotels and choosing, because I start getting a picture of what it's like to be in Costa Rica, a preview!

Gracias, Faithie.

Jessie_

I have stayed at the Don Carlos several times. They do have quieter rooms but there is still some street noise. If you are not fussy about where you are staying (local vs generic) there is a nice Holiday Inn (Holiday Inn Aurora)just two blocks away. I have walked between the two of them many times. I stayed at the Holiday Inn once and it was much quieter. My husband is like you and is a light sleeper. We live in the country so aren't used to much street noise.

The Casa Verde mentioned is right around the corner from the Don Carlos and was, when we stayed there, full of antiques. We have quite a few so felt right at home there. It was very comfortable. The breakfast didn't amount to much but just up the street a couple of blocks is a great little restaurant. The Don Carlos has a nice little cafe as well as a great gift shop.

Melissa5

FAITHIE: I'm also wondering if Hotel Grano de Oro is quiet, as it has lots of good reviews. It's not quite as well-located but we can take a taxi... Did you think it was relatively quiet when you stayed there, compared to other downtown San Jose hotels?

JESSIE: Thanks for suggesting the Holiday Inn Aurora...while a "Holiday Inn" wouldn't be my first choice, I know I will be happier if I can find something quiet enough to allow me to sleep at night. I'll keep that in mind...

FAITHIE:

Barbarian

Santo Tomás definitely is subjected to street noise, as is Don Carlos. All hotels in Barrio Amón are in a ¨noisy¨ zone. San José is a very noisy city, there is no getting around it.

That being said, let me suggest this place - not too far away from the hotels you are considering but nestled in a quiet little out-of-the-way corner.
www.rayavida.com

Melissa5

Wow I've fallen in love with the photo of the Garden Suite at the Hotel Grano de Oro in San Jose...I WANT IT!

maryanne1

The Grano de Oro is lovely from them showing us some of the rooms after we ate lunch. I am not sure how quiet it would be as it is in the city and it is noisy as others have mentioned. You would take a taxi to the musuems. There is a guided tour of the National Thaeater which is very interesting.

faithie

From what I can remember Grano de Oro was quiet , I recently compared my photos to the pics on the web and it looked the same !!! AHHHH , it is really sweet ! Lots of ambience . I found the Don Carlos a bit busy , and noisy , sort of a rambling spread out maze . I remember a screeching parrot , ouch my ears !! Grano de Oro is truly charming , and a short taxi ride from your things to see , I would not worry about that !Lucky You ! Faith .

Melissa5

Thanks for the help, everyone. You know, I realize I stopped looking at other hotels yesterday when I saw those photos of the Hotel Grano de Oro in San Jose...it's calling me. But I haven't booked it yet, if anyone else has any ideas about which hotel is quieter!

One person on tripadvisor.com reserved a room at Grano de Oro for the start of their honeymoon, but the hotel had overbooked and sent them somewhere else. They were very disappointed. But all the other guests posting on tripadvisor were very happy with Grano de Oro.

Hotel Le Bergerac is supposed to be in a quiet neighborhood (Los Yoses I think).

But you're right, Maryanne1...anywhere in a city you can get street noise. I'm hoping to minimize it...

shillmac

Melissa5, you may be worrying too much about the noise level. If you simply tell the hotel you prefer a very quiet room, most of them will be able to accomodate you. We've done that the last few times we've stayed at the Hotel Don Carlos (which is, indeed, in a very busy all hours part of town). We stay "inside" now, and it works great--we sleep very well!

By the way, while I haven't stayed at the Grano de Oro, it is on my "list"--if I were you, I'd forget the cost and just do it. All sources say it is wonderful. You only live once! If I am not mistaken, it is on the west (airport) side of town whereas Bergerac is on the east side. The Don Carlos is more north and center. The Grano de Oro might save you some driving time so late at night after you arrive. Less traveling through the city!

I'm not remembering what you have said on previous posts, but I'd certainly hire an airport taxi (about $12) to get me there that night and let the rental company deliver my car the next a.m. You don't want to try to drive in there and find it yourselves at night, believe me! There are no street signs and you have to rely on your knowledge of what is where (landmarks) and general sense of direction and previous experience. You won't have those things right off the bat! Nighttime is not a good time to try to attain them!

Melissa5

Shillmac, you are wise, as always. I definitely don't want to wander about San Jose at night looking for a hotel! Good advice to get a taxi from the airport. If the hotel doesn't have a shuttle, I'll arrange to have a van pick us up (5 people.)

We won't need the car in San Jose so we'll get it on the day we leave for Arenal..

Yeah, you're probably right, I might be worrying too much about noise in San Jose...many hotels do have a quiet side and a noisy side.

I almost booked Hotel Grano de Oro today...Then I thought, what if our flight is delayed somewhere and we don't get to San Jose that first night, we'll lose the 1st night's deposit on the hotel, and the Hotel Grano de Oro costs more than the others! Would you book it anyway, if it were you? (for 2 nights for the 2 rooms I want, it's actually $100 more overall for Grano de Oro as opposed to Le Bergerac...)

Shillmac, I think you understand me...thanks for your patience!

faithie

Unless you are standby passengers , I think you should book it . It is not a huge place with tons of rooms , so ..... Actually , what are your dates ? Faith

shillmac

Yes, I forgot there are 5 of you! We've never taken a hotel shuttle FROM the airport to a hotel in San Jose--only TO the airport, which they, of course, arranged. I'm sure it is the same--they'll have someone there to pick you up. We've always returned to the airport from the hotel in a green mini-van--$15.

I really think it would be unusual for you to miss your flight, but suppose it could happen. You may have to take a leap of faith on that one! You do know that the Grano de Oro is one of the Small Distinctive Hotels of Costa Rica--I don't think you would be sorry.