28 Best Hotels in Central Valley, Costa Rica

Perched high above Alajuela, this hotel's superb staff make up for the somewhat dated, uninspired interior, and it does have the "good view" it is named for, although most rooms overlook the lawns or pool area. Three balcony rooms on the second floor in back have decent views of the Central Valley, but even better are the views of Poás Volcano from the three rooms above the lobby. Mostly, the view is best appreciated from the back lawn. Rooms are fairly standard—carpeted and sparsely decorated, with small baths and TVs. The restaurant behind the lobby serves international dishes and grilled items. The hotel offers numerous Web-only packages.

The full range of city services is at your doorstep here, but you're blissfully apart from them at this tranquil bed-and-breakfast at the quiet end of a short road. The name of the property means the "Aunts' House," which is appropriate for this yellow house with a front porch and picket fence. A few old photos of the ladies themselves complete the effect. The pastel-color rooms and furnishings feel slightly aged, but they make up for it in charm, and the large backyard and gardens give the illusion of being far from a major commercial street.

Lush gardens and manicured lawns surround this gorgeous, hacienda-style luxury hotel overlooking a scenic lake. From the royal palms that line the driveway to the patterned tile floors and art nouveau flourishes above the windows and doors, Casa Turire is an exercise in attention to detail. High-ceilinged guest rooms have hardwood floors, elegantly upholstered furniture, sumptuous drapes and bedcovers on the queen or king beds, and bright tiled bathrooms with tubs. Balconies look onto the lake or the beautifully landscaped pool area. The soaring plant-filled atrium is a civilized spot in which to relax after a day's adventure, or you can curl up in a leather chair in the library or try out the pool table in the sitting room with an adjoining full-service bar. The restaurant offers exquisite faux finishes and trompe l'oeil murals and serves sophisticated dinners that are surprisingly reasonably priced. The extensive breakfast buffet is excellent, too. If you hanker after even more luxury, the suites are exceptional, with Jacuzzi tubs, hydro showers, flat-screen TVs, and private terraces. The two-story master suite has a wraparound balcony. New, groomed trails around the lake offer pleasant shaded walks and bird-watching opportunities, and kayaks are available for paddling on the lake.

This comfy Mexican chain with minimalist decor has an outlet in Costa Rica and a stay here puts you just a few miles from Juan Santamaría airport. Think of it as a Latin American counterpart to Holiday Inn Express. The predominant clientele are business travelers on a moderate budget, but all are welcome, of course. Rooms consist of uniformly tan woods and tiles with splashes of color in the spreads and wall hangings, and floor-to-ceiling windows let in plenty of light. All rooms contain a desk and work area. Rates include an ample breakfast buffet.

The stately Marriott offers comprehensive luxury close to the airport, and, despite being a U.S. chain, has many distinctively Costa Rican touches. Towering over a coffee plantation west of San José, the thick columns, wide arches, and central courtyard are re-creations straight out of the 16th century, and hand-painted tiles and abundant antiques complete the historic appearance. Guest rooms are more contemporary, but they're elegant enough, with hardwood furniture. Some have sliding glass doors that open onto tiny balconies; new rooms have flat-screen TVs. The place is always abuzz with upscale tourists, business travelers, and participants in the many events that take place here.

When they need to make a city run, many beach-living expats head straight for this quiet B&B on the outskirts of Escazú, and it's a good example to follow. Rooms make nice use of local hardwoods and traditional South American art, and the main building serves as a gathering place with a large sitting area, comfortable chairs, and a fireplace. The inn is surrounded by gardens, and at night you can see the lights of San José twinkling to the east, though just three of the rooms take advantage of the view. The inn is at the end of a narrow driveway with an unassuming gate, but a sign lets you know you've found the right place.

This low-rise hotel was the metro area's original luxury hotel, and it remains popular for its excellent service and close-to-airport location. Just off the busy General Cañas Highway, about halfway between San José and the international airport, the Cariari is surrounded by thick, tropical vegetation that buffers it from traffic noise. Spacious, carpeted guest rooms in back overlook the pool area. The relaxed poolside bar, with cane chairs and colorful tablecloths, and nearby casino, are popular spots. Overall, it feels slightly more low-key and less grandiose than the nearby Marriott.

This quiet hotel bills itself as a "country hotel," though this is more in image than fact—El Rodeo's proximity to the airport and major business parks is the real draw. Spacious rooms, most with polished hardwood floors, high ceilings, and narrow balconies, overlook small gardens and rooms in the adjacent building. An open-air lounge on the second floor has a pool table and wicker furniture. The café serves breakfast each morning. Large, wooden El Rodeo Steakhouse Restaurant in front of the hotel is quite popular with Ticos, who pack it on weekends. Decorated with saddles, steer skulls, and other ranching paraphernalia, the restaurant serves an array of grilled meats, from the Argentine churrasco to T-bones, as well as several fish and shrimp dishes.

Set amid fields of green coffee, this exclusive, hilltop B&B hideaway has a much-deserved reputation as one of the country's sumptuous splurges. The Gaudí-esque main building has a soaring two-story atrium and white-stucco arches, set among tropical flowers and shaded by massive fig trees. Rooms are filled with interesting artistic flourishes, as well as such luxuries as Jacuzzi bathtubs and 100% bamboo sheets. The spacious two-story suite, popular with honeymooners, is out of a fairy tale: a spiral staircase with a carved-serpent handrail leads up to a romantic, window-lined tower bedroom. The sumptuous, secluded Cielo suite has its own entrance through the gardens. The owners work hard to make the hotel as eco-friendly as possible. Prix-fixe gourmet dinners are available at the chic restaurant El Tigre Vestido, but lunch on the terrace—with its spectacular view of San José down in the valley and the Escazú mountains beyond—is a better value. After a day of touring, guests can unwind in a full-service spa. Finca Rosa Blanca offers occasional Web-only promotions.

If fresh mountain air appeals to you, this upscale mountain retreat has comfortable rooms, a first-class restaurant, and spacious, glassed-in sitting areas to enjoy unbeatable volcano and valley views by day and blazing fireplaces by night. The large standard rooms are furnished with a tasteful mix of antiques and folk art, and upstairs rooms have private balconies. The new suites, in a separate two-story building, have kitchenettes and flat-screen satellite TV. Goats, chickens, and ducks on the property help supply the kitchen, which prepares a mix of creative, light tropical cuisine and heartier dishes, including duck stew and seared duck breasts. Cooking classes can be arranged with a local Costa Rican chef. Outside, there are sunny sitting areas in the garden and a path lined with orchids.

A longtime favorite for first- and last-night stays, this chain hotel lets you ease into and out of Costa Rica in familiar surroundings. You can't get any closer to the airport: it's just across the highway. (Crossing the busy highway on foot would be impossible, though.) All the U.S.-style amenities for which the chain is known are yours here, including its sumptuous hot breakfasts. Rooms are bright and airy, with the same furnishings you'd find at any outlet of a Hampton Inn back home.

The view from this hotel perched on a hillside above Santa Ana is impressive, but so is the building itself with its blend of colonial and modern style—think archways, hardwoods, and leather. Guest rooms are spacious, with handcrafted furniture and bathrooms with hand-painted tiles; ask for one on the fourth or fifth floor to take advantage of the view. The restaurant, La Luz, has plenty of windows for admiring the distant hills and the pool and gardens below. The eclectic and unusual menu includes rack of lamb with organic coffee sauce and Caribbean-style sea bass with coconut-milk sauce.

The entrance here resembles any other storefront downtown, and you could pass right by without noticing this quiet, family-run gem. Although smack-dab in the middle of Heredia’s central business district, the property extends back 70 meters and provides peace and quiet you’d never expect to find here. Rooms have blindingly white walls and tile floors, which keep things bright—windows face the long, skylighted hallways rather than outdoors. All contain armoires and colorful spreads. A substantial breakfast, served in the upstairs dining room, fortifies you for a day of sightseeing.

This small hotel tucked off the road to La Garita is a simple and relaxed place to unwind, with its owners adding welcoming energy and personalized touches to the place. There are six buildings, most divided into two units, arranged around the pool and gardens. The white-wall rooms are simple, but it's a quiet place to sleep. Calling ahead for directions is a good idea, but once you're here, you'll have easy access to nearby restaurants and the Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center. The hotel offers occasional online-only specials.

For quiet, get-away-from-it-all seclusion, this eco-friendly lodging can't be beat. Six bungalows—rustic on the outside but sparkling and modern on the inside—are scattered throughout the wooded property. All contain hardwood floors, cheery furnishings, minibars, and local art accents. Two of the six units have indoor-outdoor hot showers; for two others, outdoor is the sole option, wonderfully refreshing in the heat of March and April, but a bit bracing during the cooler September–December months. Large windows in the restaurant offer superb views of the forest and a small lake. The restaurant makes use of products from the hotel's own orchard and gardens as well as meat and produce from area farmers.

This country inn a few miles outside of Turrialba offers peace and quiet, a rural feel, and friendly owners and staff. The gardens and pool are terrific places to kick back and relax after a day of sightseeing. Each room comes with private terrace, mini-refrigerator, hardwood floors, and two queen-size beds. The two superior rooms are brighter than the standard ones and a better bet when available. One room is fully wheelchair accessible.

You'd never expect to find such a quiet, homey oasis smack-dab in the middle of a suburban business neighborhood, but here it is. The hotel's buildings date from 2008, but they are constructed in the style of typical 19th-century Costa Rican coffee-plantation houses. The structures surround a garden courtyard where breakfast is served. Standard rooms and suites are bright and cheery, with tiled floors and king- or queen-size beds, and the suites have kitchenettes with refrigerators and microwaves for not much more money. However, breakfast is not included in the suite price. Santa Ana is warm enough that you'll appreciate the pool and air-conditioning here, too. Special rates are available for long-term stays.

This sophisticated lodging offers dark-wood queen or king rooms in units scattered around a coffee plantation. Junior suites are the best value; they’re more spacious than standard rooms and come with a kitchenette, but don't cost much more. The ample master suites are more expansive still and come with a fireplace. Although affiliated with the restaurant of the same name, the hotel is secluded from the weekend dining crowds.

Run by a young German couple who have built a warm rapport with the community, the little lodge blends in with Orosi's pretty, old-town architecture: whitewashed walls are trimmed in blue, ceilings are high, and natural wood is used throughout. Some furnishings, such as the clay lamps in the rooms, were made by local artisans. Common areas are colorful, with paintings and sculpture by local artists. Double beds have two twin-size comforters and bamboo headboards. Second-floor rooms have views of the Orosi Valley and Irazú Volcano. A bright, spacious chalet can sleep up to five. The hip coffee shop serves home-baked cookies and cakes and brews a great cup of coffee, and Latin music usually plays from a 1960s jukebox in the lobby. The hotel is right next door to the town's main thermal swimming pool.

These rooms overlooking the misty forests of La Paz Waterfall Gardens seem like something out of the Lord of the Rings, with their curved, clay-stucco walls, hardwood floors, stone fireplaces, four-poster beds made of varnished logs, and grottolike bathrooms with private waterfalls. As if the bathrooms, with two showers, a whirlpool tub, and private tropical garden weren't enough, you can soak in your second whirlpool tub on a porch with a cloud-forest view. Rates are admittedly high here, but being able to explore the Waterfall Gardens before they open and after they close is a perk, and admission is included. The cuisine here is a couple of notches below the accommodations.

Stylish luxury prevails here: king-size beds, outdoor whirlpool tubs, and luxurious fabrics grace the rooms, and many have balconies overlooking the volcano. Lounges and sitting rooms are spacious and dramatic, with soaring ceilings and walls of windows that bring the outdoors inside. Breakfasts feature homemade breads, jams, nutty granola, and fresh milk straight from the lodge's dairy herd. The main outdoor activities are birding in the surrounding gardens or hiking around the 300-acre property.

Perched on a hill in Escazú's Bello Horizonte neighborhood, with a great view of the city, this B&B strikes the right balance between a small inn and a tasteful private residence. The quiet, homey place draws low-key, mature travelers. The best view is from the sundeck, just off a spacious living room with a couch, a fireplace, and lots of modern art. The apartments and the two "deluxe" rooms have comparable views. Smaller "standard" rooms overlook the surrounding gardens, and aren't nearly as nice. All units have air-conditioning, though you'll likely not need it up here. The staff are extremely helpful. It's a bit hard to find, so you may want to take a taxi or call for directions.

Extremely well-informed, helpful owners and proximity to the airport (15 minutes) make this a good place to begin and end a trip, and thanks to its location on a ridge north of town, several of its rooms have views of Poás Volcano. All of them offer tranquility and abundant birdsong. The two rooms in the main house have the best views, but casitas (little houses) scattered around the large garden offer more privacy. These bright and cheery bungalows have small terraces with chairs where guests, typically well traveled, lounge. Continental breakfasts and delicious dinners (by reservation) are served on a covered terrace behind the house. Ask about their books-for-schools program.

Unparalleled bird-watching within a 160-acre private nature reserve with more than 450 recorded species, plus first-class food and comfortable lodging are the reasons nature lovers from all over the world stay here. During high season, two resident bird guides are on hand to help you find sought-after hummingbirds, such as the snowcap and black-crested coquette, and more. Even if you are not a birder, the trails are excellent for hiking, and there's horseback riding up into the surrounding mountains. The two-story lodge is upscale modern, with rustic touches, as are the comfortable, separate cabins. Gourmet-quality meals (included) are served family-style in the indoor and outdoor dining rooms, both of which have beautiful views of the Turrialba Valley and volcano. Birding guides cost extra.

Dramatically positioned on a hill overlooking the valley east of Turrialba, this Costa Rican–owned rustic wood lodge is a good budget option. An open-sided restaurant occupies the ground floor, above which are large rooms with multiple beds, suitable for groups. Ask for one on the west side—they have balconies with dazzling views of Turrialba and, if there are no clouds, Volcán Irazú in the distance. High-ceilinged cabins in the garden have more privacy, with sliding-glass screen doors that open onto forest or garden. There's also a fascinating orchid garden with hundreds of plants hanging from every available tree limb. The restaurant serves a small selection of authentic Costa Rican and international dishes and is famous for its homemade macadamia fudge. There is a pretty trail through the property to a waterfall.

The friendly Villa San Ignacio, with its classy Spanish-style architecture, proves that affordable does not have to equal generic. Deluxe rooms have terra-cotta tile floors and Guatemalan fabrics; those on the garden side are quieter, and worth the extra $10. A sumptuous breakfast buffet is served on the patio. The restaurant's eclectic selection ranges from straightforward Costa Rican cuisine to fun presentations like ceviche served in a half coconut, which have to be seen (and tasted) to be fully appreciated.

The tranquil and colorful Xandari is a strikingly original inn and spa, tailor-made for honeymooners and romantic getaways. Its bold design is the brainchild of a talented couple—he's an architect, she's an artist. Contemporary pueblo-esque villas along a ridge overlooking Alajuela and San José are spacious, with plenty of windows, colorful paintings, large terraces, and secluded lanais (sunbathing patios). It's the kind of place that makes you want to take pictures of your hotel room. Some villas stand alone and some share a building, but nearly all of them have spectacular views. So does the restaurant, which serves tasty, often organic, low-fat food. A 4-km (3-mile) trail through the hotel's forest reserve winds past five waterfalls. The place is a favorite for that first or last night in Costa Rica, albeit a pricey one.