Xandari and Peace Lodge Sold Out. Other Suggestions?
 

My daughter and I will be arriving in San Jose Saturday night in mid-Feb and have Sunday and Monday to kill before our reservation starts at Florblanca. Xandari and Peace Lodge are sold out over those dates. Any other suggestions? we are booked into the Marriott Saturday night because it is close to the Airport but would prefer a more interesting place Sunday/Monday. Anything upscale in the Puntaarenas area, or heading towards the peninsula?

Finca Rosa Blanca is a lovely place in that area. Hotel Buena Vista is also a good place nearby.

Vista del Valle is a great option - about 30-40 minutes from the airport towards Puntarenas. I would highly recommend it.

And, as usual, I would highly recommend La Finca Que Ama down south of the airport between Puriscal and San Pablo de Turrubares. Lovely hotel with great amenities set on the edge of a canyon with a fabulous view. Good food, great hosts, Neta and Arbel.

The central valley, of course, is wonderful and all of the hotel recommendations you have received are good. The advantage to La Finca is that it puts you within an hour of Puntarenas--sort of on your way, as you mentioned. We first stayed here when we were looking for the same thing--a hotel on the way to MalPais for the 1st night. We also liked it because it is in a part of the country rarely traveled by tourists and you can get an excellent feel for rural life in Costa Rica.

If you stay here a couple of nights, you could enjoy the nearby Turu-Bari park.

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I recommend Poas Volcano Lodge, about 20 minutes from Poas & one hour from San Jose. We stayed there for one night last August and LOVED it!!
We regretted only booking one night there. I think their website is www.poasvolcanolodge. They are listed in Lonely Planet. It's a very unique place to stay...it is a BEAUTIFUL English style farmhouse on a dairy farm, with green, lush grounds with beautiful flowers & hummingbirds. The common room is beautiful with a stone fireplace & sunken sitting area around the fireplace. Four of us had 2 rooms with a shared bath for $55 per room. What a steal! Price includes breakfast. My sister-in-law had a single with bath for $65. This was our favorite place of the whole trip. It is also close to La Paz Waterfalls & Doka Coffee Plantation. I think you could also go to Grecia & Sarchi from there for day trips.