SJO cab fare to Orchuideas Inn
 

Just wondering, would a taxi from SJO (9 to 9:30 p.m.) to Orcuideas be easy to do? And anyone have an estimate of the price (supposed to be a 10 minute ride)?

Very easy. Just make sure you get one of the official orange taxis at the airport. Should cost about $5.

As Austin says, it's easy.

There's actually an office right at the airport where you can get an official taxi. It's right where you exit the airport building after picking up your luggage. You pay at the counter there, and they'll get the taxi for you.

Orquideas should offer to pick you up. In the past, the charge has been $10 one way.

The official airport taxis have started using the meter. You don't pay a fixed rate at the counter any longer.

Agree with shillmac, I would arrange ahead of time. Last time I was there the fee was $10 and I assume it's around the same now. Nice to get off the plane and already have someone waiting for you.

We were just there in March. The price Orquideas charges is now $12. We decided to take a taxi from the airport for a variety of reasons, and with my husband estimating the exchange rate, we paid the taxi $11 - that probably included some tip in there.

The first time we were in Costa Rica, we used the Orquideas transport. The drivers at Orquideas are really friendly and chat about Costa Rica, so it was more pleasant to ride with them.

THanks, all; I was thinking that official cab fare should be ~$6 ($1 start on the meter, $0.5/km thereafter for ~8 km), but wasn't sure if the cabs charged the ~$20 set rate I've heard about (SJO into SJ city). Also wasn't sure about the dependability of hotel shuttles (had long waits for chain shuttles in the US many times, and didn't want to do that at night).

An update: major rip off (late at night) by an orange airport taxi, driven wildly far out of the way, way overcharged (the meter zoomed to $20, then went blank); driver then pulled out an "official list" of fares for when the meter reached it's "maximum" even though we were assured at the airport that cab was metered.
I knew what it should cost, I had a map to the place, but it was dark, late (had been several delays), we'd been awake for 24 hrs, & I was inside registering while fare was being paid. Trying to overcome my (annoying) tendency to micromanage things, I didn't think to warn/prepare spouse.

Very frustrating, sylvia! I just got back from CR last week and didn't have any issues with the airport taxis, but all it takes is one negative experience... Are you still in CR now (not sure what your travel dates were)? Hope the rest of your trip is/was wonderful.

The only problem we had in CR was that one! Everyone else was wonderful, friendly and helpful. Loved CR and the citizens, would go back in a heartbeat!